Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists before upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and risk of pulmonary aspiration or discontinuation of procedure: cohort study.

Objective: To assess whether use of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists before upper gastrointestinal endoscopy is associated with increased risk of pulmonary aspiration or discontinuation of the procedure compared with sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors.

Design: Cohort study.

Setting: Two deidentified US commercial healthcare databases.

Glucosamine and Cancer Incidence in Osteoarthritis: A Prevalent New-User Cohort Design.

Objective: Observational studies have associated glucosamine, used to treat joint pain and osteoarthritis, with reductions in cancer incidence, although their study design was affected by selection bias. We assessed this association using a study design that mitigates this selection bias.

Methods: We used the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink to identify a cohort of patients diagnosed with osteoarthritis during 1995 through 2017.

Development and Validation of a Claims-Based Model to Predict Categories of Obesity.

We developed and validated a claims-based algorithm that classifies patients into obesity categories. Using Medicare (2007-2017) and Medicaid (2000-2014) claims data linked to 2 electronic health record (EHR) systems in Boston, Massachusetts, we identified a cohort of patients with an EHR-based body mass index (BMI) measurement (calculated as weight (kg)/height (m)2). We used regularized regression to select from 137 variables and built generalized linear models to classify patients with BMIs of ≥25, ≥30, and ≥40.

Obesity as a modifier of the cardiovascular effectiveness of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors in type 2 diabetes.

Aims: To assess the association between the use of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2i) and cardiovascular outcomes and death as a function of obesity among patients with type 2 diabetes.

Methods: This new-user, active-comparator cohort study used U.K.

Glucosamine and lower mortality and cancer incidence: Selection bias in the observational studies.

Background: Glucosamine is a widely used supplement to treat joint pain and osteoarthritis despite inconclusive randomized trial results on its effectiveness. In contrast, observational studies associate glucosamine with significant reductions in mortality and cancer incidence. We evaluated the extent of bias, particularly selection bias, to explain these surprising beneficial effects.

A mediation analysis on the relationship between dietary glycemic load, obesity and cardiovascular risk factors in children.

Background/objective: Adiposity may mediate the effect of dietary glycemic load (GL) on lipid profiles in children, as studies have shown an association between dietary GL and adiposity and between adiposity and lipid profiles. Our objective was to evaluate the role of adiposity as a mediator in the association between dietary GL and lipid profiles after 2 years.

Subjects/methods: The Quebec Adipose and Lifestyle InvesTigation in Youth study included 630 children, 8-10 years old at recruitment with at least one parent with overweight or obesity with 2-year follow-up.

Validation of obesity-related diagnosis codes in claims data.

Aim: To determine whether body mass index (BMI) can be accurately identified in epidemiological studies using claims databases.

Materials And Methods: Using the Mass General Brigham Research Patient Data Repository-Medicare-linked database, we identified a cohort of patients with a BMI measurement for the periods January 1 to June 31, 2014 or January 1 to June 31, 2016, to capture both the International Classification of Disease (ICD)-9 and ICD-10 eras. Patients were divided into two groups, with or without an obesity-related ICD code in the 6 months before or after the BMI measurement date.

The modifying effects of adiposity on the cardiovascular safety of sulphonylureas.

Aims: To determine whether adiposity modified the effect on the cardiovascular safety of sulphonylureas as a first-line therapy compared with metformin among patients with type 2 diabetes.

Materials And Methods: Using the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink, we conducted a cohort study among 13 862 new sulphonylurea users matched on body mass index (BMI) and propensity score, in a 1:1 ratio, to new metformin users between April 1, 1998 and December 31, 2016. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), individual components of MACE (myocardial infarction [MI], ischaemic stroke, cardiovascular mortality), and all-cause mortality, comparing use of sulphonylureas with use of metformin, overall and within BMI categories (≤24.

Allopurinol and Cardiovascular Events: Time-Related Biases in Observational Studies.

Objective: Several observational studies reported that allopurinol, an effective treatment for gout, was associated with important reductions in cardiovascular (CV) events, with calls for large, randomized trials, although some results were conflicting. The present study was undertaken to assess the extent of time-related biases in these observational studies.

Methods: We searched the literature for all observational studies reporting on allopurinol and CV events, focusing on 2 time-related biases.

Prescribing trends and clinical characteristics of patients starting antiobesity drugs in the United States.

Aim: To assess the trends in the prescribing of antiobesity medications and the characteristics of patients recently initiating antiobesity drugs.

Materials And Methods: We conducted a population-based cohort study using claims data from commercial health insurances in the United States. Patients initiating an antiobesity drug between January 2004 and December 2018 were included.

Effectiveness of Allopurinol in Reducing Mortality: Time-Related Biases in Observational Studies.

Objective: The treatment of gout with allopurinol is effective at reducing urate levels and the frequency of flares. Several observational studies have shown important reductions in mortality with allopurinol use, with wide variations in results. We undertook this review to assess the extent of bias in these studies, particularly time-related biases such as immortal time bias.

Effects of dietary glycemic index and load on children's cardiovascular risk factors.

Purpose: Consumption of foods high in glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL) is associated with cardiovascular (CV) diseases in adulthood. We examined whether GI and GL predict CV risk factors in children after 2 years of follow-up.

Methods: Three 24-hour recalls were administered at baseline, and individual average daily GI and GL scores were calculated in a cohort of 8-10 year-old children.

The Cardiometabolic Risk Profile of Underreporters of Energy Intake Differs from That of Adequate Reporters among Children at Risk of Obesity.

Background: Misreporting of energy intake (EI) in nutritional epidemiology is a concern because of information bias, and tends to occur differentially in obese compared with nonobese subjects.

Objective: We examined characteristics of misreporters within a cohort of children with a parental history of obesity and the bias introduced by underreporting.

Methods: The QUebec Adipose and Lifestyle InvesTigation in Youth (QUALITY) cohort included 630 Caucasian children aged 8-10 y at recruitment with ≥1 obese parent [body mass index (BMI; in kg/m2) >30 or waist circumference >102 cm (men), >88 cm (women)] and free of diabetes or severe illness.

The effectiveness and safety of the Impella ventricular assist device for high-risk percutaneous coronary interventions: A systematic review.

Background: Small randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies have examined the effectiveness and safety of the Impella device, a percutaneous left ventricular assist device, in the setting of high-risk percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). However, data are sparse and results are conflicting. Our objective was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of the Impella device in high-risk patients undergoing PCI via a systematic review of the literature.

Efficacy and Safety of Smoking Cessation Interventions in Patients With Cardiovascular Disease: A Network Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Background: Although the efficacy and safety of smoking cessation interventions are well established, their efficacy and safety in patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD) remain unclear. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of pharmacological and behavioral smoking cessation interventions in CVD patients via a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Methods And Results: EMBASE, PsycINFO, MEDLINE, PubMed, and the Cochrane Tobacco Addiction Specialized Register were searched for randomized controlled trials evaluating the efficacy of smoking cessation pharmacotherapies and behavioral therapies in CVD patients.