Publications by authors named "Megan Farris"

Objectives: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a prevalent chronic disease and a leading cause of morbidity/mortality in Canada. We evaluated the burden of T2DM in Alberta, Canada, by estimating the 5-year period prevalence of T2DM and rates of comorbidities and complications/conditions after T2DM.

Methods: We conducted a population-based, retrospective study linking administrative health databases.

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A key issue in both research and clinical work with youth at clinical high risk (CHR) of psychosis is that there are clearly heterogenous clinical outcomes in addition to the development of psychosis. Thus, it is important to capture the psychopathologic outcomes of the CHR group and develop a core outcomes assessment set that may help in dissecting the heterogeneity and aid progress toward new treatments. In assessing psychopathology and often poor social and role functioning, we may be missing the important perspectives of the CHR individuals themselves.

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Introduction: A high proportion of Canadian patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) do not achieve the threshold low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels recommended by the Canadian Cardiovascular Society in 2021. This increases the risk of subsequent atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) events. Here, we assess LDL-C levels and threshold achievement among patients by lipid-lowering therapies (LLT) received post-AMI.

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The purpose of this study is to describe the real-world multiple myeloma (MM) population in Alberta by examining patient/clinical characteristics and the treatment landscape. A retrospective, observational study was conducted using province-wide, administrative health data from Alberta, Canada evaluating newly diagnosed MM (NDMM) patients. Between 1 April 2011 and 31 March 2017, 1377 treated NDMM cases were identified.

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Aim: Individuals at clinical high risk (CHR) for psychosis have been shown to experience more trauma than the general population. However, although the effects of trauma appear to impact some symptoms it does not seem to increase the risk of transition to psychosis. The aim of this article was to examine the prevalence of trauma, and its association with longitudinal clinical and functional outcomes in a large sample of CHR individuals.

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Aims: Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a progressive neuromuscular disease associated with the degeneration of motor neurons in the brainstem and spinal cord. Studies examining the epidemiology and economic impact of SMA are limited in Canada. This study aimed to estimate the epidemiology as well as healthcare resource utilization (HRU) and healthcare costs for children with SMA in Alberta, Canada.

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Background: Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Data from Canadian populations regarding the burden of ASCVD are limited. Therefore, we describe the 5-year period prevalence of ASCVD and subsequent major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE) outcomes among patients with ASCVD in Alberta, Canada.

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Impairments in social functioning are a core impairment in psychosis and are associated with poor outcomes. These deficits are found in those at clinical high-risk (CHR) for psychosis, and can persist even in the absence of transition. However, the neurobiological underpinnings of social functioning remain unclear, therefore we conducted a systematic review of brain metrics that have been associated with social functioning in youth at CHR for psychosis.

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Comorbid diagnoses are common in youth who are at clinical high-risk (CHR) for developing psychosis, with depression being the most common. The aim of this paper is to examine depression over two years in a large sample of CHR youth who do not make the transition to psychosis, considering both categorical and dimensional ratings of depression severity. The sample consisted of 267 CHR youth who were followed for two years.

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Objective: The objective of this study was to identify a sample of youth in distinct stages of risk for the development of a serious mental illness (SMI) according to a published clinical staging model and to follow this sample longitudinally to determine clinical changes over time. This article reports the 6- and 12-month follow-up of the cohort.

Methods: This study recruited 243 youth, ages 12 to 25.

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Over the past 20 years there has been a great deal of research into those considered to be at risk for developing psychosis. Much has been learned and studies have been encouraging. The aim of this paper is to offer an update of the current status of research on risk for psychosis, and what the next steps might be in examining the progression from CHR to psychosis.

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Five -tyrosine kinase inhibitors ( TKIs) are currently available in the first-line setting for non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in Japan. The aim here was to compare the relative efficacy of TKIs in the Japanese population. A systematic review identified randomized controlled trials examining the efficacy of first-line TKIs.

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Aim: The aim of this paper is to describe the substance use of participants who are at-risk for serious mental illness (SMI).

Method: The Canadian Psychiatric Risk and Outcome study (PROCAN) is a two-site study of 243 youth and young adults aged 13 to 25 years, categorized into four groups: healthy controls (n = 42), stage 0 (asymptomatic individuals with risk of SMI typically family high risk; n = 41), stage 1a (distress disorder or mild symptoms of anxiety or depression; n = 53) and stage 1b (attenuated syndromes, including bipolar disorder or psychosis; n = 107). Substance use measures were administered at baseline, 6- and 12-months.

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Background: This study was conducted as a pilot exercise intervention in youth at-risk for serious mental illness (SMI). The objectives were to examine the feasibility of an exercise intervention and to determine what improvement was observed, following participation in a moderate- to high-intensity aerobic exercise programme.

Methods: Forty-four male and female youth at-risk for SMI were recruited.

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Objective: The primary objective of this systematic review and meta-analyses was to summarize the impact of all reported treatments on transition to psychosis in high-risk samples.

Data Sources: PsycINFO, Embase, CINAHL, EBM, and MEDLINE online databases were searched from inception to May 2017 using the keywords psychosis, risk, and treatment with no geographical, date, or language restrictions.

Study Selection: A total of 38 independent studies met the inclusion criteria: conducted a treatment study in a sample at high risk for psychosis and reported on transition to psychosis as an outcome.

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Purpose: The objectives of this review were to understand the prevalence of cannabis use and how cannabis is associated with transition to psychosis, symptoms, cognition, trauma and family history in clinical high risk (CHR) for psychosis individuals.

Method: A systematic literature review was conducted to find studies that examined cannabis use in CHR individuals, with no limitations on the geographical area, and included publications up to November 2018. Studies were screened for inclusion based on detailed criteria, and data were extracted on cannabis use and associated outcomes.

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Background: Treatment of those at clinical high-risk (CHR) for developing psychosis may lead to preventive strategies. However, attrition in trials may hamper efforts to detect effective changes and lead to bias. Our objective was to synthesize the relative attrition rates in clinical trials conducted in CHR for psychosis samples.

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Background: Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) is an important indicator in the development and management of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Herein, we describe the management of LDL-C with lipid-lowering therapy, among patients diagnosed with clinical ASCVD in Alberta, Canada.

Methods: A retrospective study was conducted by linking multiple health system databases to examine clinical characteristics, treatments, and LDL-C assessments.

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Purpose Of Review: Current research is examining predictors of the transition to psychosis in youth who are at clinical high risk based on attenuated psychotic symptoms (APS). Determining predictors of the development of psychosis is important for an improved understanding of mechanisms as well as the development of preventative strategies. The purpose is to review the most recent literature identifying predictors of the transition to psychosis in those who are already assessed as being at risk.

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Objective: The aim was to describe treatment history including medications, psychosocial therapy and hospital visits of participants in the Canadian Psychiatric Risk and Outcomes Study (PROCAN).

Methods: PROCAN is a 2-site study of 243 youth/young adults aged 12 to 25 y, categorized into 4 groups: healthy controls ( n = 42), stage 0 (non-help seeking, asymptomatic with risk mainly family history of serious mental illness (SMI); n = 41), stage 1a (distress disorders; n = 52) and stage 1b (attenuated syndromes; n = 108). Participants were interviewed regarding lifetime and current treatments, including medications, psychosocial therapies and hospital visits.

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Background: Exercise demonstrates a dose-response effect on many health outcomes; however, adhering to higher doses of exercise can be challenging, and the predictors of adherence may differ based on exercise volume.

Purpose: To examine the predictors of adherence to two different volumes of aerobic exercise within the Breast Cancer and Exercise Trial in Alberta (BETA).

Methods: In BETA, we randomized 400 inactive but healthy postmenopausal women to either a moderate volume (150 min/week) or a high volume (300 min/week) of aerobic exercise for 1 year.

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