"What I Wish I Would've Known before My HIV Diagnosis": Qualitative Insights from Women Living with HIV to Inform HIV Prevention Strategies.

In 2022, cisgender women accounted for one in five HIV diagnoses in the United States. Existing structural, social, and behavioral factors impede women's engagement with HIV prevention strategies including Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) access, condom usage, and uptake of HIV testing. This study explores the perspectives of women living with HIV (WLWH) about factors that may contribute to HIV acquisition and their advice for women who may benefit from HIV prevention strategies.

Treatable Trait Guided Asthma Management: A Feasibility Study.

Background And Objectives: Treatable trait-based personalised medicine improves outcomes in severe asthma clinics. We assessed the feasibility of a randomised controlled trial (RCT) of protocolised treatable trait-guided asthma management in patients not under a severe asthma clinic.

Methods: Ten week single-group cohort study.

Social determinants of mental health in asthma: an exploratory study.

Introduction: Asthma and mental health problems co-occur at high rates. In context of a holistic approach to health, considering the extent to which social determinants relate to mental health in people with asthma helps identify health inequity and inform population-level preventative strategies. The aim of the current exploratory study was to examine how social determinants are associated with depression, anxiety and resilience in people with mild-moderate and severe asthma.

The costs of treating bleeding episodes in patients with immune thrombocytopaenia in the United Kingdom.

Objectives: Immune thrombocytopaenia (ITP) is a rare autoimmune disorder characterized by low platelet count and increased risk of bleeding. This study aimed to be the first publication to characterize the economic burden of bleeding events in patients with ITP in the UK.

Methods: We performed a microcosting analysis to estimate the costs associated with bleeding events in patients with ITP.

Targeted DNase treatment of obstructive lung disease: a pilot randomised controlled trial.

Background: Sputum extracellular DNA (eDNA) is associated with disease severity in asthma and COPD and therefore emerging as a potential therapeutic target. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of 10 days of recombinant human DNase (rhDNase) treatment of eDNA-high asthma and COPD on sputum eDNA levels, neutrophil-related inflammation, lung function and symptoms.

Methods: Adults with asthma (n=80) or COPD (n=66) were screened for the presence of high (>20 µg·mL) sputum eDNA and those eligible (n=18 asthma, n=17 COPD) were randomised to a two-period crossover controlled trial consisting of daily nebulised rhDNase (2.

Derivation of a Human Brain Organoid with Microglia Development.

Three-dimensional (3D) brain organoid cultures derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) provide an important alternative in vitro tool for studying human brain development and pathogenesis of neurological diseases. However, the lack of incorporation of microglia in the human brain organoids is still a major hurdle for 3D models of neuroinflammation. Current approaches include either the incorporation of fully differentiated microglia into mature brain organoids or the induction of microglial differentiation from the early stage of iPSC-derived embryoid bodies (EBs).

Efficacy and Safety Results With Rilzabrutinib, an Oral Bruton Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor, in Patients With Immune Thrombocytopenia: Phase 2 Part B Study.

Current treatments for persistent or chronic immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) are limited by inadequate response, toxicity, and impaired quality of life. The Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitor rilzabrutinib was evaluated to further characterize safety and durability of platelet response. LUNA2 Part B is a multicenter, phase 1/2 study in adults with ITP (≥ 3 months duration, platelet count < 30 × 10/L) who failed ≥ 1 ITP therapy (NCT03395210, EudraCT 2017-004012-19).

Experiences of Oral Corticosteroid Use and Adverse Effects: A National Cross-Sectional Survey of People with Asthma.

Purpose: Oral corticosteroids (OCS) are an effective treatment for severe uncontrolled asthma or asthma exacerbations, but frequent bursts or long-term use carry serious and sometimes irreversible adverse effects, or complications such as adrenal insufficiency upon discontinuation. Our aim was to survey people with asthma on their experiences of, and attitudes towards, using OCS.

Patients And Methods: This study was a national descriptive cross-sectional survey of people with asthma in Australia.

Updating an HIV Knowledge Questionnaire With Pre-exposure Prophylaxis Through Expert Opinions in the United States Using Delphi Methodology: A Qualitative Study.

Our study was designed to update the HIV Knowledge Questionnaire by incorporating pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) knowledge questions, as previous HIV knowledge tools lack this focus. Four rounds of Delphi surveys were conducted with 47 expert participants, each with extensive HIV-related expertise (mean experience: 18.94 years).

A qualitative exploration of the client-provider relationship and its role in discussing sexual health and HIV among African American women in the US South.

Objective: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV, are a key contributor to psychological and physical morbidity across the United States (US). African American (AA) women are disproportionately impacted by STIs, particularly in the Deep South of the US. Strong patient-provider communication can help to increase client understanding of STI prevention and treatment options.

Air Purifiers and Acute Respiratory Infections in Residential Aged Care: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: The effectiveness of in-room air purification for the reduction of acute respiratory infections (ARIs) in residential aged-care facilities (RACFs) is unknown.

Objective: To investigate the effectiveness of in-room air purifiers with high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA)-14 filters in reducing the incidence of ARIs among residents of RACFs.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This randomized clinical trial used a multicenter, double-blind, 2-period, 2-treatment crossover design for 6 months from April 7 to October 26, 2023, in 3 RACFs with a bed capacity of 50 to 100 in New South Wales, Australia.

Early Treatment Response to Mepolizumab Predicts Clinical Remission in Severe Eosinophilic Asthma.

Background: Mepolizumab can induce an early response and clinical remission in people with severe eosinophilic asthma (SEA).

Objective: To find whether early response to mepolizumab (100 mg) could predict future asthma remission and to identify the best predictor of treatment response to mepolizumab for achieving remission.

Methods: The Australian Mepolizumab Registry was used to investigate the early response to mepolizumab at 3 and 6 months and relate this to clinical remission at 12 months.

Perceptions of sedentary behaviour in people with severe asthma: a qualitative study.

People with severe asthma often lead sedentary lifestyles, which adversely affects overall health and asthma-specific outcomes. To inform future sedentary behaviour- interventions, this study aimed to explore perceptions of sedentary behaviour among people with severe asthma. Adults (≥ 18 years) with severe asthma (n = 21) participated in face-to-face interviews.

Distinct trajectories of treatment response to mepolizumab toward remission in patients with severe eosinophilic asthma.

Background: Patients with severe eosinophilic asthma, characterised by a high disease burden, benefit from mepolizumab, which improves symptoms and reduces exacerbations, potentially leading to clinical remission in a subgroup. This study aimed to identify treatment response trajectories to mepolizumab for severe eosinophilic asthma and to assess the achievement of clinical remission.

Methods: Data from the Australian Mepolizumab Registry were used to assess treatment responses at 3, 6 and 12 months.

Study protocol: perinatal mood treatment study.

Perinatal depression (PND) affects up to 20% of women and is associated with significant impairment and disability in affected women. In addition, perinatal depression is associated with broader public health and multigenerational consequences. Innovative approaches are needed to reduce the burden of perinatal depression through identification, tracking, and treatment of depressive symptoms during the perinatal period.

Physical capacity and inactivity in obstructive airway diseases: a "can do, do do" analysis.

Introduction: Physical capacity is an important determinant of physical activity in people with obstructive airway disease (OAD). This study aimed to extend the "can do, do do" concept in people with OAD, to identify if people categorised into quadrants based on physical capacity and activity differ by clinical and movement behaviour characteristics.

Methods: A total of 281 participants (bronchiectasis n=60, severe asthma n=93, COPD n=70 and control n=58) completed assessments to characterise physical capacity as "can do" "can't do" (6-min walk distance < or ≥70% pred) and physical activity as "do do" "don't do" (accelerometer-derived moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) < or ≥150 min·week).

Understanding Breathlessness Burden and Psychophysiological Correlates in Asthma.

Background: Breathlessness is a disabling symptom, with complexity that is often under-recognized and undertreated in asthma.

Objective: To highlight the burden of breathlessness in people with severe compared with mild-to-moderate asthma and identify psychophysiological correlates of breathlessness.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of people with mild-to-severe asthma, who attended 2 in-person visits to complete a multidimensional assessment.

The treatable traits of asthma in pregnancy: a clinical audit.

Rationale: Poor asthma control in pregnancy is associated with adverse perinatal outcomes. Treatable traits improve patient outcomes but the pattern and prevalence of treatable traits in pregnant women with asthma is unknown. Whether treatable traits in pregnant women with asthma can be identified a virtual care consult is also unknown.

The illness burden of severe asthma contrasted to people with mild-to-moderate asthma: a qualitative study.

Background: Disabling symptoms of asthma including breathlessness, cough, wheeze and chest tightness largely impact quality of life; however, how these symptoms impact people with asthma of different severity levels remains unknown. This study aimed to compare and characterise patients' symptom experience and the burden caused, their quality of life, and the medication preferences of people with severe asthma against those of people with mild-to-moderate asthma.

Methods: This was a multisite qualitative study involving two focus groups and semistructured interviews of adults with severe asthma undertaken in Australia and UK.

Application of Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) to Prioritize Real-World Evidence Studies for Health Technology Management: Outcomes and Lessons Learned by the Canadian Real-World Evidence for Value of Cancer Drugs (CanREValue) Collaboration.

Multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) is a value assessment tool designed to help support complex decision-making by incorporating multiple factors and perspectives in a transparent, structured approach. We developed an MCDA rating tool, consisting of seven criteria evaluating the importance and feasibility of conducting potential real-world evidence (RWE) studies aimed at addressing uncertainties stemming from initial cancer drug funding recommendations. In collaboration with the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health's Provincial Advisory Group, a validation exercise was conducted to further evaluate the application of the rating tool using RWE proposals varying in complexity.