Publications by authors named "James Im"

Introduction: Over the past decade, several randomized controlled trials have compared single-day dexamethasone (dexamethasone-sparing) regimens to the current standard multi-day dexamethasone antiemetic regimen for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV). The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to compare the efficacy and safety of dexamethasone-sparing regimens to standard multi-day dexamethasone, used for the prophylaxis of CINV.

Methods: Ovid Medline and Embase were searched from database inception to March 2024.

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Objective: To obtain prescription eyewear in Ontario, eye exams must be performed by optometrists or ophthalmologists (eye care providers [ECPs]). In 2004, government-insured routine eye exams were delisted for Ontarians aged 20-64 leaving eye exam coverage only for those aged ≤19 and 65+. We assessed whether having eyewear insurance impacts Ontarians' utilization of ECPs.

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Article Synopsis
  • - Headaches related to homeostasis disorders are linked to various metabolic and systemic diseases, manifesting with conditions like hypoxia, sleep apnea, and hypertension.
  • - These headaches occur in connection to specific homeostasis disruptions and can include types like cardiac cephalalgia and headaches from preeclampsia.
  • - The text will cover the proposed mechanisms, diagnostic criteria, evaluation methods, treatment options, and management strategies for these headache disorders.
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Objectives: To examine 2 hospital oxygen saturation target policies and clinical outcomes in infants hospitalized with bronchiolitis.

Methods: This multicenter cohort study used data collected from a randomized clinical trial of infants aged 4 weeks to 24 months, hospitalized with bronchiolitis at children's and community hospitals from 2016 to 2019. We modeled the association between hospital oxygen saturation target policy, either 90% while awake and 88% while asleep (90%/88%) or 90% while awake and asleep (90%/90%), and clinical outcomes.

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  • Visual impairment is a significant issue related to diabetes in Canada, prompting a study to analyze trends among individuals with and without the condition from 1994 to 2014.* -
  • Data from national surveys indicated that prevalence of visual impairment decreased for both diabetics (from 7.37% to 3.03%) and non-diabetics (from 3.72% to 1.69%) over the years, showing improvements in eye health.* -
  • Despite stronger initial prevalence rates in diabetics, both groups experienced similar reductions in visual impairment, suggesting successful collaborative efforts across various sectors in Canada.*
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Introduction: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the third-leading cause of death globally and is responsible for over 3 million deaths annually. One of the factors contributing to the significant healthcare burden for these patients is readmission. The aim of this review is to describe significant predictors and prediction scores for all-cause and COPD-related readmission among patients with COPD.

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Introduction: The aim of this systematic review was to summarize the current literature on wearable technologies in oncology patients for the purpose of prognostication, treatment monitoring, and rehabilitation planning.

Methods: A search was conducted in Medline ALL, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Embase, Emcare, CINAHL, Scopus, and Web of Science, up until February 2022. Articles were included if they reported on consumer grade and/or non-commercial wearable devices in the setting of either prognostication, treatment monitoring or rehabilitation.

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Importance: Immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs) and COVID-19 are independently associated with venous thromboembolisms (VTEs).

Objective: To determine if individuals with IMIDs are at higher risk of VTE following COVID-19 infection compared with individuals without IMIDs.

Design, Setting, And Participants: Population-based matched cohort study using multiple deterministically linked health administrative databases from Ontario, Canada, and including patients testing positive for COVID-19 between January 1, 2020, and December 30, 2021, and followed up until March 31, 2022.

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Approximately one out of every 88 seniors has inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and this is expected to increase in the future. They are more likely to have left-sided disease in ulcerative colitis, and isolated colonic disease in Crohn's disease; perianal disease is less common. Other common diagnoses in the elderly must also be considered when they initially present to a healthcare provider.

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Cancer is a major cause of morbidity and mortality among people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Intestinal cancers may arise as a complication of IBD itself, while extra-intestinal cancers may arise due to some of the immunosuppressive therapies used to treat IBD. Colorectal cancer (CRC) and small bowel cancer risks remain elevated among persons with IBD as compared to age-and sex-matched members of the general population, and the lifetime risk of these cancers is strongly correlated to cumulative intestinal inflammatory burden.

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The therapeutic landscape for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has changed considerably over the past two decades, owing to the development and widespread penetration of targeted therapies, including biologics and small molecules. While some conventional treatments continue to have an important role in the management of IBD, treatment of IBD is increasingly moving towards targeted therapies given their greater efficacy and safety in comparison to conventional agents. Early introduction of these therapies-particularly in persons with Crohn's disease-combining targeted therapies with traditional anti-metabolite immunomodulators and targeting objective markers of disease activity (in addition to symptoms), have been shown to improve health outcomes and will be increasingly adopted over time.

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The burden of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) (i.e., associated direct and indirect costs, prevalence of disease, personal impact to the individual and to caregivers) continues to increase in Canada.

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Psychiatric disorders are 1.5 to 2 times more prevalent in persons with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) than in the general population, with pooled prevalence estimates of 21% for clinical anxiety and 15% for depression. Rates are even higher when considering mental health symptoms, as nearly one-third of persons with IBD experience elevated anxiety symptoms and one-quarter experience depression symptoms.

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Sex (the physical and physiologic effects resulting from having specific combinations of sex chromosomes) and gender (sex-associated behaviours, expectations, identities, and roles) significantly affect the course of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and the experience of living with IBD. Sex-influenced physiologic states, like puberty, the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and andropause/menopause may also impact and be impacted by IBD. While neither Crohn's disease nor ulcerative colitis is commonly considered sex-determined illnesses, the relative incidence of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis between males and females varies over the life cycle.

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Rates of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in Canadian children and adolescents are among the highest in the world, and the incidence is rising most rapidly in children under five years of age. These young children may have either a typical form of IBD with multi-factorial aetiology, or they may have a monogenic form. Despite the growing number of children in Canada living with this important chronic disease, there are few available medical therapies approved by Health Canada due to the omission of children from most clinical trials of newly developed biologics.

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Rising compounding prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) (Kaplan GG, Windsor JW. The four epidemiological stages in the global evolution of inflammatory bowel disease. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol.

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Article Synopsis
  • * In 2023, the estimated indirect costs of IBD in Canada are around $1.51 billion, primarily due to unemployment, absenteeism, and caregiving, with unemployment alone accounting for $1.14 billion.
  • * Overall, the combined costs associated with IBD in Canada are projected to exceed $2 billion CAD in 2023, reflecting a substantial increase from 2018 estimates due to rising prevalence and inflation.
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  • - The COVID-19 pandemic significantly affected individuals with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), initially causing uncertainty about the virus's impact, especially for those on immunosuppressive medications.
  • - As research advanced, Crohn's and Colitis Canada created a task force to develop clinical guidelines, revealing that the risk of contracting COVID-19 for IBD patients is similar to the general public, although those actively flaring or on high doses of prednisone are more vulnerable to severe outcomes.
  • - Vaccination with a three-dose mRNA regimen shows strong antibody responses in IBD patients; however, breakthrough infections still occur, reinforcing the need for booster shots, while ongoing studies are required to understand long-term effects.
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Healthcare utilization among people living with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in Canada has shifted from inpatient management to outpatient management; fewer people with IBD are admitted to hospitals or undergo surgery, but outpatient visits have become more frequent. Although the frequency of emergency department (ED) visits among adults and seniors with IBD decreased, the frequency of ED visits among children with IBD increased. Additionally, there is variation in the utilization of IBD health services within and between provinces and across ethnocultural and sociodemographic groups.

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Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), consisting of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, is recognized across the world, though Canada has among the highest burdens of IBD in the world. The Canadian Gastro-Intestinal Epidemiology Consortium (CanGIEC) led a six-province study that demonstrated the compounding prevalence of IBD in Canada from 400 per 100,000 in 2002 to 636 per 100,000 in 2014. The prevalence in 2023 is estimated at 825 per 100,000, meaning that over 320,000 people in Canada are living with IBD.

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Background: While loneliness is common in older adults, some immigrant groups are at higher risk. To inform tailored interventions, we identified factors associated with loneliness among immigrant and Canadian-born older adults living in Ontario, Canada.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of 2008/09 data from the Canadian Community Health Survey (Healthy Aging Cycle) and linked health administrative data for respondents 65 years and older residing in Ontario, Canada.

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Background: Emerging evidence shows loneliness is associated with polypharmacy and high-risk medications in older adults. Despite notable sex-based differences in the prevalence in each of loneliness and polypharmacy, the role of sex in the relationship between loneliness and polypharmacy is unclear. We explored the relationship between loneliness and polypharmacy in older female and male respondents and described sex-related variations in prescribed medication subclasses.

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Objectives: We aimed to explore the association between receiving an inpatient palliative care consultation and hospital outcomes, including in-hospital death, intensive care unit (ICU) use, discharge to hospice, 30-day readmissions and 30-day emergency department (ED) visits.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review of Yale New Haven Hospital medical oncology admissions from January 2018 through December 2021, with and without inpatient palliative care consultations. Hospital outcome data were extracted from medical records and operationalised as binary.

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