Treatment preferences in spinal muscular atrophy: A swing weighting study for caregivers of patients with SMA types 1 and 2.

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a genetic neuromuscular disorder characterized by skeletal muscle weakness and atrophy. Patients with SMA types 1 and 2 develop severe disabilities conferring substantial patient and caregiver burden. Caregiver treatment characteristic preferences are useful for informing treatment choices and improving adherence.

Long-term efmoroctocog alfa prophylaxis improves perceived pain, mental, and physical health in patients with hemophilia A: analysis of phase III trials using patient-reported outcomes.

Background: Hemophilia-associated bleeding and resultant joint pain and mobility restrictions can predispose patients to poor health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Therefore, efficacy of a treatment needs to address more than just annualized bleed rates.

Objectives: Describe the evolution of HRQoL, pain, and activity in patients with hemophilia A, treated with efmoroctocog alfa prophylaxis.

Recent daily life burdens associated with neovascular age-related macular degeneration involve difficulties in use of electronic devices.

Neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) is a prevalent cause of permanent vision loss and blindness in the elderly worldwide, with a significant impact on patients' daily lives. However, burdens related to nAMD from the patients' perspective have not been well documented. Here we developed a new questionnaire after eliciting nAMD patients' daily challenges followed by a pilot survey.

Recombinant factor IX Fc prophylaxis reduces pain and increases levels of physical activity, with sustained, long-term improvements in patients with hemophilia B: analysis of phase III trials using patient-reported outcomes.

Background: Pain is a common symptom of hemophilia that may adversely affect patients' quality of life (QoL). Previous analyses of prophylaxis with recombinant factor IX Fc fusion protein (rFIXFc) have been published for adults and adolescents, demonstrating improvements in health-related QoL (HRQoL) when assessed by the haemophilia-specific QoL (HaemAQoL) questionnaire.

Objective: To describe in depth the evolution of QoL, pain- and activity-related domains and questions for pediatric, adolescent, and adult patients with hemophilia B treated with rFIXFc prophylaxis.

Rationale and Purpose: The FLUTE Study to Evaluate Fluorography Mass Screening for Tuberculosis and Other Diseases, as Conducted in Eastern Europe and Central Asia Countries.

In Belarus and several EECA countries, periodic population-based chest X-ray "fluorography programme" use as a mass screening tool for the diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) has been used for decades. This mass screening has also often been justified for the early detection of lung cancer (LC), although no mortality benefits were demonstrated by screening with chest X-ray in international randomized trials. In Belarus, fluorography testing is mandatory every one to three years for all adults depending on age and the so-called "risk groups".

Regional variations in Helicobacter pylori infection, gastric atrophy and gastric cancer risk: The ENIGMA study in Chile.

Background: Regional variations in gastric cancer incidence are not explained by prevalence of Helicobacter pylori, the main cause of the disease, with several areas presenting high H. pylori prevalence but low gastric cancer incidence. The IARC worldwide H.

Multicentric study of cervical cancer screening with human papillomavirus testing and assessment of triage methods in Latin America: the ESTAMPA screening study protocol.

Introduction: Human papillomavirus (HPV) testing is replacing cytology in primary screening. Its limited specificity demands using a second (triage) test to better identify women at high-risk of cervical disease. Cytology represents the immediate triage but its low sensitivity might hamper HPV testing sensitivity, particularly in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs), where cytology performance has been suboptimal.

Transitional care for the highest risk patients: findings of a randomised control study.

Background: Interventions to prevent readmissions of patients at highest risk have not been rigorously evaluated. We conducted a randomised controlled trial to determine if a post-discharge transitional care programme can reduce readmissions of such patients in Singapore.

Methods: We randomised 840 patients with two or more unscheduled readmissions in the prior 90 days and Length of stay, Acuity of admission, Comorbidity of patient, Emergency department utilisation score ≥10 to the intervention programme (n = 419) or control (n = 421).

Control of Blood Pressure and Risk Attenuation: Post Trial Follow-Up of Randomized Groups.

Background: Evidence on long term effectiveness of public health strategies for lowering blood pressure (BP) is scarce. In the Control of Blood Pressure and Risk Attenuation (COBRA) Trial, a 2 x 2 factorial, cluster randomized controlled trial, the combined home health education (HHE) and trained general practitioner (GP) intervention delivered over 2 years was more effective than no intervention (usual care) in lowering systolic BP among adults with hypertension in urban Pakistan. However, it was not clear whether the effect would be sustained after the cessation of intervention.

Risk factors for severe hand foot mouth disease in Singapore: a case control study.

Background: Hand foot mouth disease (HFMD) is a common childhood infection that can potentially lead to serious complications. The aim of this study is to identify risk factors of acquiring severe HFMD in our population.

Methods: We performed a case control study using patients admitted to our hospital from August 2004 to July 2014.

5-Year longitudinal study of determinants of glycemic control for multi-ethnic Asian patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus managed in primary care.

Aim: This study aims to determine the risk factors associated with glycaemic control of ambulatory patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) who are managed in primary care.

Method: The data was retrieved from a primary care site within the Singapore Consortium of Cohort Studies-Diabetes Cohort (SCCS-DC). Demographic and clinical variables were described, in association with the risk of having a deteriorating glycaemic control (defined as an absolute increase of at least 1% HbA1c from one year to a subsequent year).

Comprehensive psychological intervention to improve outcome in functional gastrointestinal disorder: a cohort study.

Introduction: Patients with functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) have a decreased quality of life (QoL). Psychological illnesses are strongly associated with FGIDs. This study examined the effect of a comprehensive psychological intervention programme designed for refractory FGID patients.

Predictors for moderate to severe paediatric head injury derived from a surveillance registry in the emergency department.

Introduction And Aim: Head injuries are a common complaint among children presenting to the emergency department (ED). This study is part of an ongoing prospective surveillance of head injured children presenting to a paediatric ED. We aim to derive predictors for moderate to severe head injury in our population.

Predictive modeling in pediatric traumatic brain injury using machine learning.

Background: Pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI) constitutes a significant burden and diagnostic challenge in the emergency department (ED). While large North American research networks have derived clinical prediction rules for the head injured child, these may not be generalizable to practices in countries with traditionally low rates of computed tomography (CT). We aim to study predictors for moderate to severe TBI in our ED population aged < 16 years.

Short-term trajectories of use of a caloric-monitoring mobile phone app among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus in a primary care setting.

Background: Self-management plays an important role in maintaining good control of diabetes mellitus, and mobile phone interventions have been shown to improve such self-management. The Health Promotion Board of Singapore has created a caloric-monitoring mobile health app, the "interactive Diet and Activity Tracker" (iDAT).

Objective: The objective was to identify and describe short-term (8-week) trajectories of use of the iDAT app among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus in a primary care setting in Singapore, and identify patient characteristics associated with each trajectory.

A Randomized, Controlled Treatment Trial of Eyelid-Warming Therapies in Meibomian Gland Dysfunction.

Aim: The main treatment for meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD), a major cause of dry eye, is eyelid warming. Lack of compliance is the main reason for treatment failure. This has led to the development of eyelid-warming devices that are safe, effective and convenient.

Disability impacts length of stay in general internal medicine patients.

Background: Disability is prevalent among patients treated in Internal Medicine (IM), but its impact on length of inpatient stay (LOS) is unknown. Current systems of patient management and resource allocation are disease-focused with scant attention paid to functional impairment. Earlier studies in selected cohorts suggest that disability prolongs LOS.

Patient acceptability of tear collection in the primary healthcare setting.

Purpose: The primary healthcare setting is well placed for health screening. Tear fluid composition gives valuable information about the eye and systemic health, and there is now significant interest in the potential application of tears as a tool for health screening; however, the acceptability of tear collection in the primary healthcare setting as compared with other methods of human sample collection has not been previously addressed. The objective of this study was to evaluate the patient acceptability of tear collection in a primary healthcare setting.

Switching HIV treatment in adults based on CD4 count versus viral load monitoring: a randomized, non-inferiority trial in Thailand.

Background: Viral load (VL) is recommended for monitoring the response to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) but is not routinely available in most low- and middle-income countries. The purpose of the study was to determine whether a CD4-based monitoring and switching strategy would provide a similar clinical outcome compared to the standard VL-based strategy in Thailand.

Methods And Findings: The Programs for HIV Prevention and Treatment (PHPT-3) non-inferiority randomized clinical trial compared a treatment switching strategy based on CD4-only (CD4) monitoring versus viral-load (VL).

Visual contrast sensitivity in major depressive disorder.

Objective: Through the eyes of those depressed, the world may appear dull and gray. Visual contrast sensitivity has recently been reported to be lower in depressed patients compared to healthy controls. We aimed to examine the consistency of this finding and to explore the underlying retinal electrophysiology.

The impact of irritable bowel syndrome on health-related quality of life: a Singapore perspective.

Background: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common gastrointestinal disorder. The prevalence of IBS in Asian countries varies from 2.9% to 15.