Influenza Vaccine Hesitancy and Its Determinants Among Rheumatology Patients.

Objective: Patients with rheumatic disease (RD) have an increased risk of influenza and its complications. Despite inactivated influenza vaccine (IIV) recommendations, IIV uptake in patients with RD is suboptimal, a problem of increasing importance in the COVID-19 era. We estimated the frequency of IIV hesitancy and associated factors among Canadian patients with RD.

Chest x-ray analysis with deep learning-based software as a triage test for pulmonary tuberculosis: a prospective study of diagnostic accuracy for culture-confirmed disease.

Background: Deep learning-based radiological image analysis could facilitate use of chest x-rays as triage tests for pulmonary tuberculosis in resource-limited settings. We sought to determine whether commercially available chest x-ray analysis software meet WHO recommendations for minimal sensitivity and specificity as pulmonary tuberculosis triage tests.

Methods: We recruited symptomatic adults at the Indus Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan.

Effect of Bronchodilation, Exercise Training, and Behavior Modification on Symptoms and Physical Activity in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Rationale: Bronchodilation and exercise training (ExT) improve exercise tolerance in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD); however, behavior modification is required to impact daily physical activity (PA).

Objectives: To assess whether tiotropium/olodaterol, with or without ExT, would improve exercise endurance time (EET) and PA compared with placebo in patients participating in a self-management behavior-modification (SMBM) program.

Methods: This was a 12-week, randomized, partially double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trial in patients with COPD (PHYSACTO; NCT02085161).

Primary Care Screening and Comorbidity Management in Rheumatoid Arthritis in Ontario, Canada.

Objective: Quality measurement for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients has largely focused on care provided by rheumatologists. Our aim was to develop and assess quality measures related to the screening and management of comorbidity in RA patients in primary care.

Methods: We used the primary care Electronic Medical Record Administrative data Linked Database in Ontario, Canada.