Comparing the Risk of Epilepsy in Patients With Simple Congenital Heart Diseases: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Aims: Simple congenital heart diseases (CHD) are associated with various central nervous system diseases, including epilepsy. This study aimed to compare the risk of epilepsy in patients with different types of simple CHD.

Methods: In this prospective cohort study, from January 2008 to June 2022, patients with atrial septal defect (ASD), patent foramen ovale (PFO), ventricular septal defect (VSD), and patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) were recruited at the Registration Center of CHD in West China Hospital.

Associations of three diagnostic glycemic measures with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in people not on antidiabetic medications: A prospective cohort study.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the value of three diagnostic glycemic measures, i.e., 2-hour plasma glucose (2hPG) during 75-g oral glucose tolerance test, fasting plasma glucose (FPG), and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), in predicting risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality after adjusting for the influence of these glycemic measures on each other.

Independent Association of Individual Lipid Abnormalities with Cardiovascular All-cause Mortality: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Introduction: Abnormalities in total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and triglycerides (TG) are each associated with increased cardiovascular risk, after adjusting for non-lipid risk factors. However, whether and to what extent the association for each lipid measure is confounded by other lipid measures is less understood.

Aim: This study aims to investigate the association of each lipid measure with cardiovascular and all-cause mortality while precluding the confounding caused by abnormalities in other lipid measures.

Risk of Cardiovascular Events in Adults Aged 40 to 79 Years with Diagnosed Hypertension, High Cholesterol, and/or Diabetes but Not on Medications: Findings from Nationwide Cross-Sectional Studies.

Many people with diagnosed hypertension, high cholesterol, and/or diabetes are not receiving drug treatment, partly because they perceive their cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk as low. This study aimed to quantify the risk for future CVD events, either first or recurrent, in people with diagnosed hypertension, high cholesterol, and/or diabetes but not on medications for any of these conditions. Participants aged 40-79 years who had been diagnosed with hypertension, high cholesterol, and/or diabetes but were not on medications were identified from National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys cycles 1999 to 2018.

Estimating the Proportion of Overdiagnosis among Prostate, Breast, and Thyroid Cancers in China: Findings from the Global Burden of Disease 2019.

The incidence of prostate, breast, and thyroid cancers has increased in China over the past few decades. Whether and how much these increases can be attributed to overdiagnosis are less understood. This study aimed to estimate the proportion of overdiagnosis among these three cancers in China during 2004-2019.

Excess risks of long COVID symptoms compared with identical symptoms in the general population: A systematic review and meta-analysis of studies with control groups.

Background: It is important to understand the excess risks of symptoms of long COVID when compared to the same symptoms in the general population. We aimed to evaluate the association between coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection and various long-term symptoms.

Methods: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies measuring long COVID symptoms lasting for at least three months after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in comparison to non-COVID-19 control groups.

Remission to normal blood pressure in older adults with hypertension who did not receive antihypertensive medication: analysis of data from two longitudinal cohorts.

Background: How often hypertensive patients could achieve remission to normal blood pressure (BP) (i.e., <140/90 mmHg) in the absence of antihypertensive drugs, which is important for the management of hypertension, remains largely unknown.

Association of non-selective β blockers with the development of renal dysfunction in liver cirrhosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background & Aims: Non-selective β blockers (NSBBs) may negatively influence renal function through decreasing heart rate and cardiac output. This study aimed to systematically investigate their association.

Methods: PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane library databases were searched to identify all relevant studies evaluating the association of NSBBs with renal dysfunction in cirrhotic patients.

Significant myopic shift over time: Sixteen-year trends in overall refraction and age of myopia onset among Chinese children, with a focus on ages 4-6 years.

Background: Myopia or near-sightedness is a major cause of blindness in China and typically develops between the ages of 6-12 years. We aimed to investigate the change in refractive error and the age of myopia onset in Chinese children from 2005 to 2021.

Methods: We first conducted a series of cross-sectional studies to determine the refractive states and the age of myopia onset over time, after which we analysed longitudinal data to investigate the dose-response relationship between hyperopic reserve and future risk of myopia.

Prevalence of incidental colorectal cancer and polyps in autopsies of different populations: a systematic review with meta-regression analysis.

The colorectal cancer (CRC) and polyps incidentally found in autopsies represent the lesions that have not actually caused problems throughout the lifetime and thus may not need to be removed during screening. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of incidental CRC (iCRC) and polyps in autopsies of different populations. A systematic search was performed on 19 August 2022 to identify autopsy studies that provided data on prevalence of iCRC, adenomatous polyps, hyperplastic polyps, and/or all polyps combined.

Efficacy of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines and the dose-response relationship with three major antibodies: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.

Background: The efficacy of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in preventing severe COVID-19 illness and death is uncertain due to the rarity of data in individual trials. How well the antibody concentrations can predict the efficacy is also uncertain. We aimed to assess the efficacy of these vaccines in preventing SARS-CoV-2 infections of different severities and the dose-response relationship between the antibody concentrations and efficacy.

Forefoot Function after Hallux Valgus Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis on Plantar Load Measurement.

While hallux valgus (HV) surgeries are useful for correcting skeletal alignment problems, their effects on plantar load, which reflects forefoot functions, are less understood. The objective of this study is to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis on the plantar load change after HV surgeries. A systematic search of Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, CENTRAL, EMBASE, and CINAHL was performed.

The Efficacy of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Chronic Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Objectives: Previous meta-analyses of a small number of trials showed that acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) might improve chronic pain. Many new trials have been published afterward, and the factors that may impact the efficacy of ACT are less understood. We, therefore, conducted an updated systematic review with meta-analysis to investigate the efficacy of ACT for people with chronic pain.

Association Between Regular Laxative Use and Incident Dementia in UK Biobank Participants.

Background And Objectives: The use of over-the-counter laxatives is common in the general population. The microbiome-gut-brain axis hypothesis suggests that the use of laxatives could be associated with dementia. We aimed to examine the association between the regular use of laxatives and the incidence of dementia in UK Biobank participants.

Hospital Strain and COVID-19 Fatality - England, April 2020-March 2022.

What Is Already Known About This Topic?: During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, tremendous efforts have been made in countries to suppress epidemic peaks and strengthen hospital services to avoid hospital strain and ultimately reduce the risk of death from COVID-19. However, there is limited empirical evidence that hospital strain increases COVID-19 deaths.

What Is Added By This Report?: We found the risk of death from COVID-19 was linearly associated with the number of patients currently in hospitals, a measure of hospital strain, before the Omicron period.

Characteristics and Containment of 74 Imported COVID-19 Outbreaks: Experiences, Lessons, and Implications - China, 2020-2021.

What Is Already Known About This Topic?: After the initial coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak in Wuhan, China, the outbreaks during the dynamic-zero policy period in the mainland of China have not been systematically documented.

What Is Added By This Report?: We summarized the characteristics of 74 imported COVID-19 outbreaks between March 19, 2020 and December 31, 2021. All outbreaks of early severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants were successfully contained with the aid of nucleic acid testing, modern communication technologies, and non-pharmacological interventions.

Regular Glucosamine Use May Have Different Roles in the Risk of Site-Specific Cancers: Findings from a Large Prospective Cohort.

Background: Previous studies indicated that glucosamine supplements may have a general anticancer effect. This study aimed to assess whether the potential effect differs across different types of cancers in a large prospective cohort study.

Methods: All participants from the UK Biobank who were free of cancers and had complete information on glucosamine use at baseline were included and followed up from 2006 until 2021.

Association of meaning in life with preventive healthcare use among Chinese adults: are there age and gender differences?

Background: Meaning in life could be of clinical importance in stimulating healthy and preventive behaviors. The study aimed to investigate the association between meaning in life and preventive healthcare use among Chinese adults, and to assess their age and gender differences in the association.

Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among 1444 adults aged 18-64 years in February 2020 in China.

Association of positive and adverse childhood experiences with risky behaviours and mental health indicators among Chinese university students in Hong Kong: an exploratory study.

Background: Different childhood experiences may affect adult health differently.

Objective: To explore the association of different types of positive childhood experiences(PCEs) and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) with risky behaviours and mental health indicators, andhow PCEs and ACEs are associated with health outcomes in the context of each other.

Method: This was an exploratory cross-sectional online survey including 332 university students in Hong Kong.