Social Disconnectedness in Individuals with Cardiovascular Disease: Associations with Health Literacy and Treatment Burden.

Background: Knowledge is limited on associations between social disconnectedness (i.e. loneliness and social isolation), health literacy and perceived treatment burden in individuals with cardiovascular disease (CVD).

Free fatty acid receptor 1 stimulates cAMP production and gut hormone secretion through Gq-mediated activation of adenylate cyclase 2.

Objective: Free fatty acid receptor 1 (FFAR1) is highly expressed in enteroendocrine cells of the small intestine and pancreatic beta cells, where FFAR1 agonists function as GLP-1 and insulin secretagogues, respectively. Most efficacious are so-called second-generation synthetic agonists such as AM5262, which, in contrast to endogenous long-chain fatty acids are able to signal through both IP/Ca and cAMP pathways. Whereas IP signaling is to be expected for the mainly Gq-coupled FFAR1, the mechanism behind FFAR1-induced cAMP accumulation remains unclear, although originally proposed to be Gs mediated.

Economic benefits of remimazolam compared to midazolam and propofol for procedural sedation in colonoscopies and bronchoscopies.

Background: Sedation is common practice in endoscopic procedures to suppress a patient's level of consciousness while maintaining the cardio-respiratory function. Midazolam and propofol are the sedatives most frequently used for procedural sedation at hospitals in Scandinavia. Remimazolam is a new ultra-short-acting benzodiazepine sedative and the present analysis aimed at estimating the economic benefits of introducing remimazolam for procedural sedation in colonoscopies and bronchoscopies in hospitals in Scandinavia.

Impact of new cancer medicine - real-world evidence from Danish register study of lung cancer patients.

Background: Lung cancer (LC) is the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. Several new treatments have become available in recent decades, but little research exists on the impact of these on productivity, early retirement and survival for LC patients and their spouses. This study evaluates the effect of new medicines on productivity, early retirement and survival for LC patients and their spouses.

The Non-Human Primate in Safety Assessment of a Bifunctional Long-Acting Insulin Analogue.

Species selection plays a pivotal part during non-clinical safety assessment in drug development. If possible, use of non-human primates (NHPs) should be avoided due to ethical considerations. However, limiting factors as lack of pharmacologic activity in other species could necessitate use of NHPs.

Impact of membrane lipid polyunsaturation on dopamine D2 receptor ligand binding and signaling.

Increasing evidence supports a relationship between lipid metabolism and mental health. In particular, the biostatus of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) correlates with some symptoms of psychiatric disorders, as well as the efficacy of pharmacological treatments. Recent findings highlight a direct association between brain PUFA levels and dopamine transmission, a major neuromodulatory system implicated in the etiology of psychiatric symptoms.

Administration and patient-incurred costs associated with opioid agonist treatment in Norway.

Objectives: Opioid use disorder is associated with high rates of mortality and has become an escalating global health issue. Opioid agonist treatment (OAT) with oral methadone or daily sublingual buprenorphine hydrochloride, either administered separately or in combination with naloxone hydrochloride (SL-BPN, SL-BPN/NX), is supervised by a healthcare professional experienced in treating opioid use disorder to ensure proper dosing and prevent misuse. For that reason, there may be substantial direct and indirect costs associated with OAT.

The prevalence of comorbidities in Danish patients with obesity - A Danish register-based study based on data from 2002 to 2018.

We used the Danish National Health Registers to conduct a study on the prevalence of obesity-related comorbidities in Danish citizens who have been diagnosed with obesity at a Danish hospital. This was a retrospective observational study with a population comprising all Danish citizens (≥18 years) who have been registered with a specific obesity class diagnosis in the Danish National Patient Register between 2002 and 2018. A total of 86 980 persons with hospital-diagnosed obesity were included in the study population.

OZITX, a pertussis toxin-like protein for occluding inhibitory G protein signalling including Gα.

Heterotrimeric G proteins are the main signalling effectors for G protein-coupled receptors. Understanding the distinct functions of different G proteins is key to understanding how their signalling modulates physiological responses. Pertussis toxin, a bacterial AB toxin, inhibits Gα G proteins and has proven useful for interrogating inhibitory G protein signalling.

The substantial costs to society associated with obesity - a Danish register-based study based on 2002-2018 data.

Introduction: The Danish national health registers were used to investigate the economic burden of obesity, associated costs of comorbidities and a breakdown into direct and indirect costs.

Methods: The study population comprised all Danish adult citizens registered with a hospital diagnosis of obesity in the Danish National Patient Register between 2002 and 2018. Cases were matched with five controls via the Danish Civil Registration System.

Preference for sublingual immunotherapy with tablets in a Spanish population with allergic rhinitis.

Background: This study investigated patients' preference for allergy immunotherapy (AIT) administered as either sublingual immunotherapy-tablets versus monthly or weekly subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) from a Spanish patient perspective.

Methods: A discrete choice experiment (DCE) consisting of two blocks with eight choice sets in each was constructed to elicit the preferences for AIT. Three attributes were included in the DCE for the mode of administration, including the frequency of administration, the risk of systemic reactions and the co-payment.

The Effect of Bariatric Surgery on Healthcare Costs and Labor Market Attachment.

Purpose: We aimed to estimate the total cost of bariatric surgery in Denmark.

Materials And Methods: The study population included all Danish citizens ≥ 18 years who had received bariatric surgery, identified in the Danish National Patient Register in the period from 2002 to 2018. Patients who had received bariatric surgery were matched with three controls on gender, year of birth, and region of residence.

Encephalopathy-causing mutations in Gβ () alter regulation of neuronal GIRK channels.

Mutations in the gene, encoding the Gβ subunit of heterotrimeric G proteins, cause Encephalopathy. Patients experience seizures, pointing to abnormal activity of ion channels or neurotransmitter receptors. We studied three Gβ mutations (K78R, I80N and I80T) using computational and functional approaches.

Subcutaneous immunotherapy takes more than the time in the clinic.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the time use and both direct and indirect costs associated with subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) for adults with allergic rhinitis (AR) and caregivers of children with AR in the US.

Methods: We conducted a survey to assess the retrospective time use and direct costs of SCIT. The populations surveyed included adults and caregivers of children (aged 5-17) with symptomatic AR of moderate or higher severity who are currently receiving or have previously started allergy immunotherapy (AIT).

Health economic evaluation of introducing a PPSV23-based vaccination programme to adults aged 65 and above, and an extension to the 60-64 age group in Denmark.

Background: To estimate the health economic consequences of the recently introduced PPSV23 vaccination programme for persons aged 65+ in Denmark and of a potential extension of the programme to include persons aged 60-64 years.

Research Design And Methods: A Markov model was adapted to the Danish healthcare setting to simulate the epidemiological and economic burden of invasive pneumococcal disease and non-bacteremic pneumococcal pneumonia using information from published sources and Danish databases.

Results: We found that the recent introduction of an age-based vaccination programme offering PPSV23 vaccination to the population of persons aged 65+ in Denmark will lead to a societal gain of EUR 72.

Societal Costs of Moderate-to-severe Atopic Dermatitis Occurring in Adulthood: A Danish Register-based Study.

To estimate the cost of illness in adult patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (AD) a cohort study was conducted identifying Danish citizens (≥ 18 years) diagnosed with AD between 1997 and 2018 in the Danish National Patient Register. Moderate-to-severe AD was defined as ≥3 hospital contacts regarding AD the first year after  diagnosis. Each patient with AD was matched to 3 reference individuals through the Central Person Registry.

Modeling the optimal sequence of biologic therapies in plaque psoriasis in Spain.

Aim: The purpose of this manuscript was to illustrate the impact of the place in the treatment sequence on the cost and cost-effectiveness of different biologics for patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis.

Materials And Methods: We developed a treatment sequence model and focused on seven different biological treatment options and 840 combinations of treatment sequences. The model converted cost of treatment to a cost per responder by dividing treatment cost by expected number of patients achieving PASI100 after 52 weeks of treatment.

Circulating MicroRNA-210 Concentrations in Patients with Acute Heart Failure: Data from the Akershus Cardiac Examination 2 Study.

Background: MicroRNA (miR)-210 expression is induced by acute and chronic hypoxia and provides prognostic information in patients with aortic stenosis and acute coronary syndrome. We hypothesized that circulating miR-210 concentrations could provide diagnostic and prognostic information in patients with acute heart failure (HF).

Methods: We measured miR-210 concentrations in serum samples on admission from 314 patients hospitalized for acute dyspnea and 9 healthy control subjects.

Low Health Literacy and Mortality in Individuals with Cardiovascular Disease, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Diabetes, and Mental Illness: A 6-Year Population-Based Follow-Up Study.

Background: The objective of the study was to examine the impact of health literacy on mortality in the general population and among individuals with cardiovascular disease (CVD), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), diabetes, and mental illness.

Methods: Data from a large Danish health survey ( = 29,473) from 2013 were linked with national mortality registry data to permit a 6-year follow-up.

Results: Individuals reporting difficulties in understanding information about health, had higher risk of dying during follow-up (hazard rate (HR) 1.

TERT promoter mutated circulating tumor DNA as a biomarker for prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background And Aims: Plasma circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) with tumor-specific mutations is an attractive biomarker. The telomerase reverse transcriptase () C228T promoter mutation is the most prevalent tumor-associated mutation in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We evaluated the presence and prognostic value of the C228T mutation in plasma and tissue in a Danish HCC cohort.

Diagnostic and lifetime hospital costs of patients suffering from wild-type transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy in Denmark.

Aims: Wild-type transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTRwt) is a fast progressing and fatal disease associated with substantial delays in diagnosis. Between the first symptoms and diagnosis, patients are frequently hospitalized, primarily with cardiac symptoms. After diagnosis, patients continue to experience frequent hospital admissions.

Impact of low health literacy on healthcare utilization in individuals with cardiovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes and mental disorders. A Danish population-based 4-year follow-up study.

Background: Previous research from the USA has shown that low health literacy is associated with higher hospitalization rates and higher rates of emergency service use. However, studies in a European context using more comprehensive health literacy definitions are lacking. The aim was to study the impact of low health literacy on healthcare utilization in a Danish context.