Caregivers' Perceived Threat Of Sickle Cell Disease Complications And Its Association With Hydroxyurea Use Among Children With Sickle Cell Disease In Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.

Purpose: Tanzania is the fifth country with the highest sickle cell disease (SCD) prevalence globally. Although hydroxyurea (HU) is available, only 25% of persons with SCD are reported to use it in Tanzania. Perceived disease threat is associated with medication usage in patients with chronic diseases.

Risk of first hip fracture under treatment with zoledronic acid versus alendronate: a NOREPOS cohort study of 88,000 Norwegian men and women in outpatient care.

Unlabelled: We aimed to investigate the risk of hip fracture associated with zoledronic acid treatment compared to alendronate on a population level. The risk of hip fracture was lower in women using zoledronic acid and higher in women who had discontinued treatment. The findings support the effectiveness of intravenous bisphosphonate.

Subsequent fracture risk in Norwegians and immigrants with an index forearm fracture: a cohort study.

Unlabelled: The current study investigated subsequent fracture risk following a forearm fracture in three country of birth categories: Norway, Europe and North America, and other countries. Subsequent fracture risk was modestly higher in Norwegian-born individuals compared to the two other groups. Secondary fracture prevention should be recommended regardless of country background.

The medication-based Rx-Risk Comorbidity Index and risk of hip fracture - a nationwide NOREPOS cohort study.

Background: Few previous studies have assessed overall morbidity at the individual level with respect to future risk of hip fracture. The aim of this register-based cohort study was to examine the association between morbidity measured by the medication-based Rx-Risk Comorbidity Index (Rx-Risk) and the risk of first hip fracture.

Methods: Individual-level data on medications dispensed from pharmacies (2005-2016) was retrieved from the Norwegian Prescription Database and used to calculate Rx-Risk for each calendar year.

Epidemiology of forearm fractures in women and men in Norway 2008-2019.

Unlabelled: The purpose of this paper is to describe rates of forearm fractures in adults in Norway 2008-2019. Incidence rate of distal forearm fractures declined over time in both sexes. Forearm fracture constitute a significant health burden and prevention strategies are needed.

Validation of forearm fracture diagnoses in administrative patient registers.

Unlabelled: The validity of forearm fracture diagnoses recorded in five Norwegian hospitals was investigated using image reports and medical records as gold standard. A relatively high completeness and correctness of the diagnoses was found. Algorithms used to define forearm fractures in administrative data should depend on study purpose.

Forearm fractures - are we counting them all? An attempt to identify and include the missing fractures treated in primary care.

Objective: Norway has a high incidence of forearm fractures, however, the incidence rates based on secondary care registers can be underestimated, as some fractures are treated exclusively in primary care. We estimated the proportion of forearm fracture diagnoses registered exclusively in primary care and assessed the agreement between diagnosis for forearm fractures in primary and secondary care.

Design: Quality assurance study combining nationwide data from 2008 to 2019 on forearm fractures registered in primary care (Norwegian Control and Payment of Health Reimbursement) and secondary care (the Norwegian Patient Registry).

Time-varying exposure to anti-osteoporosis drugs and risk of first-time hip fracture: a population wide study within the Norwegian Epidemiologic Osteoporosis Studies (NOREPOS).

Unlabelled: We investigated the association between bisphosphonate and denosumab use and risk of hip fracture in Norway. These drugs protect against fractures in clinical trials, but their population-level effect is unknown. Our results showed lowered risk of hip fracture for treated women.

Provider-initiated HIV testing uptake and socio-economic status among women in a conflict zone in the Central African Republic: a mixed-methods cross-sectional study.

Introduction: In the Central African Republic (CAR), HIV/AIDS is the main cause of death in women aged 15-49 years. Increased testing coverage is essential in prevention of HIV/AIDS, especially in areas where conflict hinders access to health care. Socio-economic status (SES) has been shown to be associated with HIV testing uptake.

The Association of Cold Ambient Temperature With Fracture Risk and Mortality: National Data From Norway-A Norwegian Epidemiologic Osteoporosis Studies (NOREPOS) Study.

Norway is an elongated country with large variations in climate and duration of winter season. It is also a high-risk country for osteoporotic fractures, in particular hip fractures, which cause high mortality. Although most hip fractures occur indoors, there is a higher incidence of both forearm and hip fractures during wintertime, compared with summertime.

Increased Mortality in Hip Fracture Patients Living Alone: A NOREPOS Study.

Hip fracture is associated with excess mortality, persisting for many years after the fracture. Several factors may affect survival; however, the role of social support has been less studied. Living situation could be an indicator of a person's social support, which predicts mortality in the general population.

Stumped by the Hump: The Curious Rise and Fall of Norwegian Birthweights, 1991-2007.

Background: There was a distinct rise in mean birthweights in Norway starting in 1991 that plateaued in 1996-2002 and then declined to previous levels. We investigated whether these changes corresponded to trends in neonatal mortality or other birthweight-associated pregnancy outcomes. We also explored known predictors of birthweight and examined whether these could explain the birthweight trends.

Urban-Rural Differences in Hip Fracture Mortality: A Nationwide NOREPOS Study.

Higher hip fracture incidence in urban than in rural areas has been demonstrated, but urban-rural differences in posthip fracture mortality have been less investigated, and the results are disparate. Hence, the aims of the present register-based cohort study were to examine possible urban-rural differences in short- and long-term mortality in Norwegian hip fracture patients and their potential associations with sociodemographic variables, and to investigate possible urban-rural differences in excess mortality in hip fracture patients compared with the general population. Data were provided from the NOREPOS hip fracture database, the 2001 Population and Housing Census, and the National Registry.

Post-fracture Risk Assessment: Target the Centrally Sited Fractures First! A Substudy of NoFRACT.

The location of osteoporotic fragility fractures adds crucial information to post-fracture risk estimation. Triaging patients according to fracture site for secondary fracture prevention can therefore be of interest to prioritize patients considering the high imminent fracture risk. The objectives of this cross-sectional study were therefore to explore potential differences between central (vertebral, hip, proximal humerus, pelvis) and peripheral (forearm, ankle, other) fractures.

High prevalence of vertebral fractures and low trabecular bone score in patients with fragility fractures: A cross-sectional sub-study of NoFRACT.

Purpose: Norway has among the highest incidence rates of fractures in the world. Vertebral fracture assessment (VFA) and trabecular bone score (TBS) provide information about fracture risk, but their importance have not been studied in Norwegian patients with fragility fractures. The objectives of this study were to examine the clinical characteristics of a cohort of women and men with fragility fractures, their prevalence of vertebral fractures using VFA and prevalence of low TBS, and explore the differences between the sexes and patients with and without vertebral fractures.

Effect of a Fracture Liaison Service on the Rate of Subsequent Fracture Among Patients With a Fragility Fracture in the Norwegian Capture the Fracture Initiative (NoFRACT): A Trial Protocol.

Importance: Fragility fracture is a major health issue because of the accompanying morbidity, mortality, and financial cost. Despite the high cost to society and personal cost to affected individuals, secondary fracture prevention is suboptimal in Norway, mainly because most patients with osteoporotic fractures do not receive treatment with antiosteoporotic drugs after fracture repair.

Objectives: To improve secondary fracture prevention by introducing a standardized intervention program and to investigate the effect of the program on the rate of subsequent fractures.

Milk drinking and risk of hip fracture: the Norwegian Epidemiologic Osteoporosis Studies (NOREPOS).

Milk provides energy and nutrients considered protective for bone. Meta-analyses of cohort studies have found no clear association between milk drinking and risk of hip fracture, and results of recent studies are contradictory. We studied the association between milk drinking and hip fracture in Norway, which has a population characterised by high fracture incidence and a high Ca intake.

Homocysteine-Lowering Treatment and the Risk of Fracture: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial and an Updated Meta-Analysis.

High plasma homocysteine is a risk factor for osteoporotic fractures. Several studies have assessed the possible preventive effect of homocysteine-lowering B-vitamin treatment on the risk of fracture with inconclusive results. In the current study, we include new results from the Aspirin Folate Polyp Prevention Study (AFPPS) together with an updated meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

Serum Lipid Profile and Its Association with Diabetes and Prediabetes in a Rural Bangladeshi Population.

Dyslipidemia is commonly associated with diabetes (T2DM). This has been demonstrated for the Caucasian population, but few data are available for Asian Indians. The paper aims to investigate serum lipids (separately or in combination) and their association with glucose intolerance status (T2DM and prediabetes) in a rural Bangladeshi population.

Does the Association of Comorbidity with 1-Year Mortality After Hip Fracture Differ According to Gender? The Norwegian Epidemiologic Osteoporosis Studies (NOREPOS).

Background/objectives: Excess mortality after hip fracture is higher in men than in women. The objective was to study whether comorbidity differs in men and women with hip fracture and to what degree differences in comorbidity according to gender may explain the higher excess mortality in men.

Design: Population-based matched cohort covering the population aged 50 and older in Norway.

Age and Sex Differences in Body Mass Index as a Predictor of Hip Fracture: A NOREPOS Study.

It is unclear whether very high body mass index (BMI; weight (kg)/height (m)) lowers risk of hip fracture. Our objectives in this study were 1) to examine the association between BMI and subsequent hip fracture according to sex and age and 2) to explore whether the importance of known risk factors varied across BMI. We followed 61,787 participants (29,511 female and 32,276 male) in the Cohort of Norway (ages 50-79 years at baseline in 1994-2003) with regard to hip fracture.

Population data on calcium in drinking water and hip fracture: An association may depend on other minerals in water. A NOREPOS study.

Background: The Norwegian population has among the highest hip fracture rates in the world. The incidence varies geographically, also within Norway. Calcium in drinking water has been found to be beneficially associated with bone health in some studies, but not in all.