Protective Effects of β-Blockers on Bone in Older Adults with Dementia.

Increased β-adrenergic receptor activity has been hypothesized to cause bone loss in those with dementia. We investigated the effect of long-term β-blocker use on rate of bone loss in older adults with dementia. We used a linear mixed-effects model to estimate the relationship between long-term β-blocker use and rate of bone loss in participants from the Health Aging and Body Composition study.

A Retrospective Chart Review Evaluating the Changes in Depressive Symptoms in Adult Patients With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) With the Treatment of the Underlying ADHD.

Introduction: Adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) represents a significant public health burden. ADHD is often comorbid with many other psychiatric disorders, with a high co-occurrence with depression. However, there is a paucity in our understanding of the potential impact of treating patients' ADHD on their depressive symptoms.

Improving patient safety through mandatory quality improvement (QI) education in a family medicine residency programme.

Although the American College of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) requires that medical trainees acquire competencies in patient safety and quality improvement (QI), no standard curriculum exists. We envisaged that a sustainable QI curriculum would be a pragmatic way to improve residents' skills and competence in patient safety. Our aim was to develop and evaluate a patient safety-oriented QI curriculum in an established family medicine residency programme.

Smoking and Depression Risk Reduction in a Primary Care Setting.

Introduction: Smoking is associated with many diseases and is a target for primary preventive efforts in numerous morbidities. Studies show that smoking and depression may be associated. Never-smokers are at significantly lower risk than current and former smokers.

Diuretic use and risk of falls in older women with urinary incontinence.

Objective: To determine the association between diuretic use and falls in community-dwelling older women with urinary incontinence (UI).

Methods: We conducted an analytic cross-sectional study using patients' electronic medical records. Patients were women with UI, 65 years or older seen at a urogynecology clinic between January 1, 2018 and September 30, 2019.

Risk of Depression in a Suburban Primary Care Setting Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Introduction: Major depression is a common disorder affecting millions of adults each year. Many population-based surveys showed an increase in the number people with symptoms of depression at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our aim was to determine and compare the prevalence of depression risk in a primary care setting before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A randomized controlled trial evaluating the effects of social networking on chronic disease management in rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: Social networking has been shown to improve health outcomes in certain patient populations. While patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) increasingly use social networking to communicate with peers, the effects of these interactions are largely unknown.

Methods: In a randomized controlled trial, we compared RA patients who participated in a social networking group moderated by peer leaders and who had access to a static website offering RA materials with a control group, who only had access to the website.

Chronic inflammatory back pain commencing late in life: a neglected concept.

Chronic inflammatory back pain (CIBP) occurs in up to one-third of those with chronic back pain. Criteria for diagnosis of inflammatory back pain include an onset below 50 years. Using the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data for 2009-2010, we showed that 3% of adults aged 50-69 years have features of CIBP with onset on or after 50 years.

Elevated parathyroid hormone levels in older women treated for osteoporosis using denosumab.

Purpose: Primary care physicians (PCPs) often struggle with elevated serum intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) in osteoporotic patients on antiresorptive treatment, specifically, denosumab. As iPTH and calcium levels need to be within normal ranges to receive the next dose of denosumab, continuously high serum iPTH may necessitate additional tests to rule out pathological causes. We aimed to determine factors associated with iPTH elevation in a cohort of postmenopausal women receiving osteoporosis treatment.

Serial frailty assessments following allogeneic stem cell transplant in older adults: A pilot study.

Introduction: Increasing numbers of older adults undergo allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT) as the only chance of meaningful survival for hematologic malignancies. However, toxicities in vulnerable patients may offset the benefits of SCT. Frailty and abnormal geriatric assessment (GA) prior to SCT have been associated with decreased overall survival in persons aged 60 and older.

Osteoporosis management: Use a goal-oriented, individualized approach.

Recommendations for care are evolving, with increasingly sophisticated screening and diagnostic tools and a broadening array of treatment options.

COVID-19: Perceived Infection Risk and Barriers to Uptake of Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna Vaccines Among Community Healthcare Workers.

Background: The health and economic ramifications of the coronavirus pandemic have prompted the need for a timely and effective vaccine development. While the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine in record time is being hailed as a scientific feat, skepticism about the safety, side effects, and even its long-term effects remain. Acceptance of the vaccine may therefore be a challenge among healthcare workers (HCWs), whose role is considered a proxy to determining the COVID-19 vaccine uptake response by the general population.

Quality of Life Assessment in Older Adults with Dementia: A Systematic Review.

Introduction: In the absence of a cure, dementia is often managed by minimizing risk factors contributing to quality of life (QOL). Attitudes to dementia in older adults may differ from those in relatively younger adults. The aim was to conduct a systematic review of the literature to determine how QOL was assessed in adults, 65 years and older with dementia, and identify factors that influence the reported scores.

A Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Two Self-Administered Educational Strategies for Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis.

Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the efficacy of self-administered patient educational tools in improving knowledge and behaviors for the management of knee osteoarthritis.

Methods: We conducted a randomized clinical trial in patients with knee osteoarthritis to assess the efficacy of providing a video for entertainment education, in combination with two booklets, compared with providing the booklets alone. We evaluated changes in scores on a patient knowledge questionnaire, the Decisional Conflict Scale, the Arthritis Self-Efficacy Scale, and the Effective Consumer Scale between baseline and same day, 3 months, and 6 months post intervention.

Quality appraisal of educational websites about osteoporosis and bone health.

Purpose/introduction: Bone health education publicly available through the Internet, if evidence-based and unbiased, could help patients deal with issues such as decision-making, maintaining healthy lifestyles, using medications correctly, and improving their communication with health professionals.

Methods: We performed an environmental scan and quality assessment of the currently available osteoporosis and bone health patient education information on the World Wide Web. The sample websites were identified by using three separate search tools: Google Advanced, Bing, and Ask.

Preferred Strategies for Delivering Health Information to Patients With Musculoskeletal Disorders: A Qualitative Study.

Background: Patients' information needs may differ from what their care providers may perceive to be the patients' needs. This discordance needs to be recognized and addressed.

Objective: We conducted a qualitative study to explore the perceptions of patients with selected musculoskeletal disorders and those of rheumatologists, on their preferred strategies for delivery of disease management information.

Paget Disease of Bone for Primary Care.

Paget disease of bone is a benign disorder characterized by focal areas of increased bone turnover in one or more skeletal sites. It usually affects older adults, and men are at a higher risk than women. Any bone may be affected, but the disease has a high preference for the pelvis, spine, skull, and long bones.

Randomized Controlled Trial of Patient Education Tools for Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Objective: The present study was undertaken to evaluate the efficacy of 2 educational tools for patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by comparing a newly developed video tool, including storylines and testimonials, combined with a written booklet to the same written booklet alone.

Methods: We conducted a randomized controlled trial. Our primary outcome was disease knowledge.

Interactions and perceptions of patients with rheumatoid arthritis participating in an online support group.

Objective: Peer support is important for psychosocial well-being in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Our objective was to assess the interactions, engagement, and perceptions of participants in an online support group for patients with RA.

Methods: Participants were 18 years or older, diagnosed with RA within 10 years, and residing in the USA or Canada.

Outcomes Reported in Prospective Long-Term Observational Studies and Registries of Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis Worldwide: An Outcome Measures in Rheumatology Systematic Review.

Objective: Prospective long-term observational studies (LOS) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) lack a core set of universally collected outcome measures, particularly patient-centered outcomes, precluding accurate comparisons across studies. Our aim was to identify long-term outcome measures collected and reported in these studies.

Methods: We conducted a systematic review of registries and LOS of patients with RA, searching in ClinicalTrials.

Knowledge, beliefs, and concerns about bone health from a systematic review and metasynthesis of qualitative studies.

Background: Patients with low bone density or osteoporosis need information for effective prevention or disease management, respectively. However, patients may not be getting enough information from their primary care providers or other sources. Inadequate disease information leaves patients ill-informed and creates misconceptions and unnecessary concerns about the disease.

Association between frailty syndrome and survival in patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

Background: Frailty is a syndrome characterized by weakness, slow gait, weight loss, exhaustion, and low activity. We sought to determine whether frailty was associated with age or stage in newly diagnosed patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), and determine its association with survival.

Methods: Consecutive patients with newly diagnosed PDAC of all stages underwent baseline assessment.

Assessing information needs and use of online resources for disease self-management in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a qualitative study.

To explore the information needs of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and their acceptance of online resources and Facebook in particular, as a source of information, interaction, and support among peers. Participants were adults with RA of ≤ 10 years duration, had ongoing or prior treatment with disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs or biologic agents, and internet access. We conducted 20 in-depth interviews using semi-structured interview guide to explore: (1) RA information needs, (2) use of self-management health behaviors, (3) use of internet resources for disease management, (4) role of peer support in health self-management, and (5) use of social networking sites (SNS) such as Facebook in disease management.

Treating Early Undifferentiated Arthritis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Direct and Indirect Trial Evidence.

Objective: We undertook a systematic review and meta-analysis of direct and indirect trial evidence to evaluate the efficacy of treatments for patients with undifferentiated arthritis (UA).

Methods: We searched 4 electronic databases from inception to January 2016, clinicaltrials.gov, and bibliographies of relevant articles.

Online Educational Tool to Promote Bone Health in Cancer Survivors.

Osteoporosis burden is significant in cancer survivors. Websites providing health information abound, but their development, quality, and source of information remain unclear. Our aim was to use a systematic and transparent approach to create an educational website on bone health, and to evaluate its potential to improve knowledge, self-management, and awareness in prostate cancer (PCa) and breast cancer (BCa) survivors.