Recruiting participants for focus groups in health research: a meta-research study.

Background: Focus groups (FGs) are an established method in health research to capture a full range of different perspectives on a particular research question. The extent to which they are effective depends, not least, on the composition of the participants. This study aimed to investigate how published FG studies plan and conduct the recruitment of study participants.

The clinical value of short-term insemination: a retrospective analysis of 3496 patients.

Background: The safety and effectiveness of short-term insemination remain a subject of controversy. This study aims to investigate the impact of short-term insemination on both embryo quality and pregnancy outcomes and whether it is necessary to apply short-term insemination to all patients underwent in vitro fertilization (IVF).

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 3,496 patients from two centers over the period January 2016 to December 2022.

Blood absolute lymphocyte count and trajectory are important in understanding severe COVID-19.

Background: Low blood absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) may predict severe COVID-19 outcomes. Knowledge gaps remain regarding the relationship of ALC trajectory with clinical outcomes and factors associated with lymphopenia.

Methods: Our post hoc analysis of the Therapeutics for Inpatients with COVID-19 platform trial utilized proportional hazards models to assess relationships between Day (D) 0 lymphopenia (ALC < 0.

The dynamic effects of nutritional status on chemotherapy-related toxicity in patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Background/objectives: Understanding the dynamic changes in nutritional status of patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) during chemotherapy is crucial, as it significantly impacts chemotherapy-related toxicity and survival outcomes.

Subjects/methods: This multi-center study included newly diagnosed NHL patients. Nutritional status and chemotherapy-related toxic effects were assessed over the first five chemotherapy sessions, with follow-ups conducted every 3 months.

Cutoff points for handgrip strength in patients with liver cirrhosis: a multicenter study.

Objectives: This study aimed to define handgrip strength (HGS) cutoff points to predict 1-year mortality in adult patients with liver cirrhosis.

Methods: This is an analysis of cohort databases from four reference centers in Brazil. Inpatients or outpatients with cirrhosis and aged ≥18 years were included.

The impact of metabolic syndrome on hepatocellular carcinoma: a mendelian randomization study.

Traditional epidemiological studies are susceptible to confounding factors. To clarify the impact of metabolic syndrome and its diagnostic components on hepatocellular carcinoma, we conducted a preliminary mendelian randomization analysis with metabolic syndrome and its diagnostic components as exposures and hepatocellular carcinoma as the outcome. Another set of genetic data related to hepatocellular carcinoma was used as a validation cohort, repeating the mendelian randomization analysis and combining the two groups for a meta-analysis.

Personalised estimation of exposure to ambient air pollution and application in a longitudinal cohort analysis of cognitive function in London-dwelling older adults.

Background: Accurate estimates of personal exposure to ambient air pollution are difficult to obtain and epidemiological studies generally rely on residence-based estimates, averaged spatially and temporally, derived from monitoring networks or models. Few epidemiological studies have compared the associated health effects of personal exposure and residence-based estimates.

Objective: To evaluate the association between exposure to air pollution and cognitive function using exposure estimates taking mobility and location into account.

Diabetes in China: epidemiology, pathophysiology and multi-omics.

Although diabetes is now a global epidemic, China has the highest number of affected people, presenting profound public health and socioeconomic challenges. In China, rapid ecological and lifestyle shifts have dramatically altered diabetes epidemiology and risk factors. In this Review, we summarize the epidemiological trends and the impact of traditional and emerging risk factors on Chinese diabetes prevalence.

Patterns of incident Burkitt lymphoma during the HIV epidemic among the Black African and White population in South Africa.

Background: Burkitt lymphoma (BL) may be HIV-associated but data on BL trends in South Africa (SA), where HIV is highly prevalent, are scarce. We compared BL incidence trends over 36 years among Black African and White individuals.

Methods: We included histologically diagnosed BL from the National Cancer Registry in SA between 1986-2021.

Ionised calcium levels during trauma resuscitation in predicting outcomes-a prospective cohort study.

Background: Haemorrhage remains the leading cause of preventable mortality following trauma, often aggravated by the acidosis, hypothermia and coagulopathy-the lethal triad of trauma. However, the impact of trauma-induced hypocalcemia on the haemorrhage remains unclear. It is intuitive to consider perturbations of ionised calcium early during trauma resuscitation in acutely injured patients given its pathophysiological significance for an improved outcome.

Propensity score matched cohort study on magnesium supplementation and mortality in critically ill patients with HFpEF.

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) emerges as a singular subclass of heart failure, bereft of specific therapeutic options. Magnesium, an indispensable trace element, is essential to the preservation of cardiac integrity. However, the association between magnesium supplementation and mortality in HFpEF patients remains unclear.

Genetic profile of the whole genome sequence of African swine fever virus from the first outbreak in Malaysian Borneo.

African swine fever (ASF), a severe and highly contagious haemorrhagic viral disease of pigs, is becoming a major threat not only in Malaysia but around the world. The first confirmed case of ASF in Malaysia was reported in February 2021. Despite the emergence of ASF in Malaysia, genetic information on this causative pathogen for the local livestock is still limited.

Understanding tinnitus symptom dynamics and clinical improvement through intensive longitudinal data.

Intensive longitudinal sampling enhances subjective data collection by capturing real-time, dynamic inputs in natural settings, complementing traditional methods. This study evaluates the feasibility of using daily self-reported app data to assess clinical improvement among tinnitus patients undergoing treatment. App data from a multi-center randomized clinical trial were analysed using time-series feature extraction and nested cross-validated ordinal regression with elastic net regulation to predict clinical improvement based on the Clinical Global Impression-Improvement scale (CGI-I).

Randomized clinical trial of a digital integrative medicine intervention among patients undergoing active cancer treatment.

Exercise and mindfulness-based interventions have growing evidence for managing fatigue and comorbid symptoms; however, packaging them in a cohesive digital way for patients undergoing cancer treatment has not been evaluated. We conducted a randomized controlled trial to assess the impact of a 12 week digital integrative medicine program, Integrative Medicine at Home (IM@Home), versus enhanced usual care on fatigue severity (primary outcome), comorbid symptoms and acute healthcare utilization (secondary outcomes), in 200 patients with solid tumors experiencing fatigue during treatment. Fatigue severity decreased more in IM@Home than in the control (1.

Systemic inflammatory response index improves prognostic predictive value in intensive care unit patients with sepsis.

Sepsis is a severe infectious disease with high mortality. However, the indicators used to evaluate its severity and prognosis are relatively complicated. The systemic inflammatory response index (SIRI), a new inflammatory indicator, has shown good predictive value in chronic infection, stroke, and cancer.

Positive association between chronic hepatitis B virus infection and anemia in pregnancy in Southern China.

This observational investigation aimed to explore potential risk factors for anemia in pregnancy. Firstly, a cross-sectional study was conducted, encompassing a review of clinical data of 43,201 pregnant women admitted to the Hainan Women and Children's Medical Center between January 2017 and December 2020. Comparison between women with and without anemia in pregnancy revealed significant differences between the two groups concerning age, gestational diabetes, hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, chronic hepatitis B virus infection, syphilis infection, and human immunodeficiency virus infection.

Visit-to-visit lipid variability on long-term major adverse cardiovascular events: a prospective multicentre cohort from the CORE-Thailand registry.

Lipid variability (LV) has been studied and proposed as a potential predictor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), and increased LV may contribute to adverse clinical outcomes. This study aimed to investigate the association of various LV parameters with the risk of long-term major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) among the Thai population. The study used data from the CORE-Thailand Registry, a prospective multicentre study of adults with high cardiovascular risk or established CVD.

Multi-omics architecture of childhood obesity and metabolic dysfunction uncovers biological pathways and prenatal determinants.

Childhood obesity poses a significant public health challenge, yet the molecular intricacies underlying its pathobiology remain elusive. Leveraging extensive multi-omics profiling (methylome, miRNome, transcriptome, proteins and metabolites) and a rich phenotypic characterization across two parts of Europe within the population-based Human Early Life Exposome project, we unravel the molecular landscape of childhood obesity and associated metabolic dysfunction. Our integrative analysis uncovers three clusters of children defined by specific multi-omics profiles, one of which characterized not only by higher adiposity but also by a high degree of metabolic complications.

Decreased risk of cardiovascular disease mortality associated with occasional positive screens following cancer screenings.

Positive results from cancer screenings, like a cancer diagnosis, can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality due to heightened psychological stress. However, positive screening results may also serve as a teachable moment to encourage the adoption of a healthier lifestyle. Consequently, the overall association between positive screenings and CVD mortality risk remains unclear.

Schlafen 11 Expression in Patients With Small Cell Lung Cancer and Its Association With Clinical Outcomes.

Background: Schlafen 11 (SLFN-11) has been identified as a sensitizer of tumor cells to DNA-damaging agents. However, the relationship between SLFN-11 expression and clinical outcomes in patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) remains unexplored. Thus, we aimed to evaluate the impact of SLFN-11 expression on survival in patients with limited-stage (LS) SCLC.

Factors Associated With Prolonged Venous Transit in Large Vessel Occlusion Acute Ischemic Strokes.

Background And Purpose: Prolonged venous transit (PVT), derived from computed tomography perfusion (CTP) time-to-maximum (T) maps, reflects compromised venous outflow (VO) in acute ischemic stroke due to large vessel occlusion (AIS-LVO). Poor VO is associated with worse clinical outcomes, but pre-treatment markers predictive of PVT are not well described.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 189 patients with anterior circulation AIS-LVO who underwent baseline CT evaluation, including non-contrast CT, CT angiography, and CTP.

Longitudinal Trends in Physical Activity Among Older Adults With and Without HIV in Uganda.

Introduction: Physical Activity (PA) and its links to frailty, quality of life (QoL), and other comorbidities in older Ugandans living with HIV remain under-explored.

Methods: We analyzed data from three annual assessments of older people living with HIV (PLWH) and age- and sex-similar people not living with HIV (PnLWH). We fitted linear generalized estimating equations (GEE) regression models to estimate the correlates of PA, including demographics, frailty, QoL, HIV, and other comorbidities.

Independent effect of body fat content on inflammatory biomarkers in children and adolescents: The GENOBOX study.

Background And Aims: To assess the relationship between body composition indicators and inflammatory biomarkers in children and adolescents of the GENOBOX study.

Methods And Results: Anthropometry data from 264 subjects from the subsample of Zaragoza (Spain) included: weight, height, waist circumference, body mass index and triponderal index. Body composition was determined by Dual-energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA), obtaining visceral adipose tissue, fat mass index and lean mass index.