Systematic review of prognostic models for predicting recurrence and survival in patients with treated oropharyngeal cancer.

Objectives: This systematic review aims to evaluate externally validated models for individualised prediction of recurrence or survival in adults treated with curative intent for oropharyngeal cancer.

Design: Systematic review.

Setting: Hospital care.

The Association Between Periconceptual Maternal Dietary Patterns and Miscarriage Risk in Women With Recurrent Miscarriages: A Multicentre Cohort Study.

Objective: To examine the association between periconceptual maternal diet and miscarriage risk among women with recurrent miscarriages.

Design: Prospective multicentre cohort study (Tommy's Net).

Setting: Three university hospital research centres in the United Kingdom.

Impact of a community pharmacy-based medication therapy management program on clinical and humanistic outcomes in patients with uncontrolled diabetes: a randomised controlled trial.

This study was aimed to evaluate the impact of community pharmacy (CP)-based medication therapy management (MTM) program on clinical and humanistic outcomes in patients with uncontrolled diabetes. An open label, parallel-group randomised controlled trial was undertaken at a community pharmacy in Riyadh city, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Patients with a diagnosis of uncontrolled diabetes (HbA1c of ≥ 8%) meeting the eligibility criteria were randomised to receive either the MTM programme provided by pharmacists or standard care.

The optimal second-line therapy for older adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus: protocol for a systematic review and network meta-analysis using individual participant data (IPD).

Background: Due to increasing life expectancy, almost half of people with type 2 diabetes are aged 65 years or over worldwide. When metformin alone does not control blood sugar, the choice of which second-line therapy to prescribe next is not clear from currently available evidence. The existence of frailty and comorbidities in older adults further increases the complexity of medical decision-making.

A comprehensive analysis of chromosomal polymorphic variants on reproductive outcomes after intracytoplasmic sperm injection treatment.

Recent studies suggest that chromosomal polymorphic variations are associated with infertility. A systematic review of chromosomal polymorphisms in assisted reproduction found an association with higher rates of miscarriage. Aim of this study is to analyse the influence of specific types or number of chromosomal polymorphic variations on reproductive outcomes of couples undergoing ICSI treatment.

Association of maternal lipid levels with birth weight and cord blood insulin: a Bayesian network analysis.

Objective: To assess the independent association of maternal lipid levels with birth weight and cord blood insulin (CBI) level.

Setting: The Born in Guangzhou Cohort Study, Guangzhou, China.

Participants: Women who delivered between January 2015 and June 2016 and with umbilical cord blood retained were eligible for this study.

The effect of frozen embryo transfer regimen on the association between serum progesterone and live birth: a multicentre prospective cohort study (ProFET).

Study Question: What is the association between serum progesterone levels on the day of frozen embryo transfer (FET) and the probability of live birth in women undergoing different FET regimens?

Summary Answer: Overall, serum progesterone levels <7.8 ng/ml were associated with reduced odds of live birth, although the association between serum progesterone levels and the probability of live birth appeared to vary according to the route of progesterone administration.

What Is Known Already: Progesterone is essential for pregnancy success.

Tocolytics for delaying preterm birth: a network meta-analysis (0924).

Background: Preterm birth is the leading cause of death in newborns and children. Tocolytic drugs aim to delay preterm birth by suppressing uterine contractions to allow time for administration of corticosteroids for fetal lung maturation, magnesium sulphate for neuroprotection, and transport to a facility with appropriate neonatal care facilities. However, there is still uncertainty about their effectiveness and safety.

Chromosomal polymorphisms in assisted reproduction: an analysis of 942 cycles.

Unlabelled: The use of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) has recently increased worldwide. The live birth rate per ICSI cycle is low, and over half of infertile couples remain childless. Chromosomal polymorphisms are up to five times more common in couples with infertility compared to the general population.

Homelessness and the use of Emergency Department as a source of healthcare: a systematic review.

Background: Persons experiencing homelessness (PEH) often use hospital Emergency Department (ED) as the only source of healthcare. The aim of this study was to undertake a systematic review to identify the prevalence, clinical reasons and outcomes in relation to ED visits by PEH.

Methods: A protocol-led (CRD42020189263) systematic review was conducted using search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL and Google Scholar databases.

Symptoms and risk factors for long COVID in non-hospitalized adults.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection is associated with a range of persistent symptoms impacting everyday functioning, known as post-COVID-19 condition or long COVID. We undertook a retrospective matched cohort study using a UK-based primary care database, Clinical Practice Research Datalink Aurum, to determine symptoms that are associated with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection beyond 12 weeks in non-hospitalized adults and the risk factors associated with developing persistent symptoms. We selected 486,149 adults with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection and 1,944,580 propensity score-matched adults with no recorded evidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Machine learning of COVID-19 clinical data identifies population structures with therapeutic potential.

Clinical outcomes for patients with COVID-19 are heterogeneous and there is interest in defining subgroups for prognostic modeling and development of treatment algorithms. We obtained 28 demographic and laboratory variables in patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19. These comprised a training cohort (n = 6099) and two validation cohorts during the first and second waves of the pandemic (n = 996; n = 1011).

Cooking outdoors or with cleaner fuels does not increase malarial risk in children under 5 years: a cross-sectional study of 17 sub-Saharan African countries.

Background: Smoke from solid biomass cooking is often stated to reduce household mosquito levels and, therefore, malarial transmission. However, household air pollution (HAP) from solid biomass cooking is estimated to be responsible for 1.67 times more deaths in children aged under 5 years compared to malaria globally.

Temporal trends in associations between severe mental illness and risk of cardiovascular disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Severe mental illness (SMI; schizophrenia, bipolar disorders (BDs), and other nonorganic psychoses) is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and CVD-related mortality. To date, no systematic review has investigated changes in population level CVD-related mortality over calendar time. It is unclear if this relationship has changed over time in higher-income countries with changing treatments.

Development and external validation of prognostic models for COVID-19 to support risk stratification in secondary care.

Objectives: Existing UK prognostic models for patients admitted to the hospital with COVID-19 are limited by reliance on comorbidities, which are under-recorded in secondary care, and lack of imaging data among the candidate predictors. Our aims were to develop and externally validate novel prognostic models for adverse outcomes (death and intensive therapy unit (ITU) admission) in UK secondary care and externally validate the existing 4C score.

Design: Candidate predictors included demographic variables, symptoms, physiological measures, imaging and laboratory tests.

Effectiveness of interventions to reduce household air pollution from solid biomass fuels and improve maternal and child health outcomes in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Interventions to reduce household air pollution (HAP) are key to reducing associated morbidity and mortality in low- and middle- income countries (LMICs); especially among pregnant women and young children. This systematic review aims to determine the effectiveness of interventions aimed to reduce HAP exposure associated with domestic solid biomass fuel combustion, compared to usual cooking practices, for improving health outcomes in pregnant women and children under five in LMIC settings. A systematic review and meta-analysis was undertaken with searches undertaken in MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL, GIM, ClinicalTrials.

Prevalence, contributory factors and severity of medication errors associated with direct-acting oral anticoagulants in adult patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Purpose: This study aimed to estimate the prevalence, contributory factors, and severity of medication errors associated with direct acting oral anticoagulants (DOACs).

Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis were undertaken by searching 11 databases including Medline, Embase, and CINHAL between January 2008 and September 2020. The pooled prevalence of errors and predictive intervals were estimated using random-effects models using Stata software.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of interventions to preserve insulin-secreting β-cell function in people newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes: Results from intervention studies aimed at improving glucose control.

Aims: Type 1 diabetes is characterised by the destruction of pancreatic β-cells. Significant levels of β-cells remain at diagnosis. Preserving these cells improves glucose control and protects from long-term complications.

Drug-Related Problems in Hospitalised Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease: A Systematic Review.

Introduction: Globally, chronic kidney disease (CKD) is one of the leading causes of mortality. Impaired renal function makes CKD patients vulnerable to drug-related problems (DRPs).

Aim: The aim of this systematic review was to investigate the prevalence and nature of DRPs among hospital in-patients with CKD.

Comparison of Respiratory Health Impacts Associated with Wood and Charcoal Biomass Fuels: A Population-Based Analysis of 475,000 Children from 30 Low- and Middle-Income Countries.

Background: The World Health Organisation reported that 45% of global acute respiratory infection (ARI) deaths in children under five years are attributable to household air pollution, which has been recognised to be strongly associated with solid biomass fuel usage in domestic settings. The introduction of legislative restrictions for charcoal production or purchase can result in unintended consequences, such as reversion to more polluting biomass fuels such as wood; which may increase health and environmental harms. However, there remains a paucity of evidence concerning the relative health risks between wood and charcoal.

What Do Diagnoses of Pelvic Inflammatory Disease in Specialist Sexual Health Services in England Tell Us About Chlamydia Control?

Background: Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is an outcome measure for the evaluation of chlamydia screening programs. We explore PID diagnoses in specialist sexual health services (SSHSs) in England to inform the evaluation of the National Chlamydia Screening Programme, which was implemented nationally in 2008.

Methods: We conducted descriptive analyses using data on diagnoses of PID-with and without Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and/or Neisseria gonorrhoeae (GC)-by age and year of birth, in SSHSs between 2009 and 2019 from the GUMCAD STI Surveillance System database.

Disease burden of diabetes, diabetic retinopathy and their future projections in the UK: cross-sectional analyses of a primary care database.

Objectives: To estimate the current disease burden, trends and future projections for diabetes mellitus (DM) and diabetic retinopathy (DR) in the IQVIA Medical Research Data (IMRD).

Participants/design/setting: We performed a cross-sectional study of patients aged 12 and above to determine the prevalence of DM and DR from the IMRD database (primary care database) in January 2017, involving a total population of 1 80 824 patients with DM. We also carried out a series of cross-sectional studies to investigate prevalence trends, and then applied a double exponential smoothing model to forecast the future burden of DM and DR in the UK.