Retrospective Cohort Study of Elderly Users of Single- or Multiple-Inhaler Triple Therapy for the Treatment of Asthma in the USA.

Introduction: Escalation to single- or multiple-inhaler triple therapy (SITT; MITT) is a recommended option for patients with asthma who remain uncontrolled by medium-dose inhaled corticosteroid/long-acting β-agonist; however, characterization of elderly users of triple therapy is limited. This real-world cohort study describes demographics and clinical characteristics of elderly patients with asthma with and without comorbid chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who are new users of triple therapy, and asthma treatment patterns preceding triple therapy initiation.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study used administrative claims data from the Optum Clinformatics Data Mart database.

Impact of low back and neck pain on the Spanish women-workers' health: effectiveness of a Back School.

Background: Neck and back pain pathologies are currently the main cause of absenteeism from work in Spain and in the European Union, and represent a high socio-labor, economic and health cost for the Health Systems.

Aim: To assess the effectiveness of a Back School Program of a Spanish mutual insurance company (risk factors, pain and disability scales) in women workers with low back or neck pain.

Design: We combined a descriptive study of first-session data collected in the total sample and a prospective multicenter intervention study in those participants who completed the second and third check-up at 6 and 9 months.

Association between the triglyceride/high-density lipoprotein (TG/HDL) ratio and incidence of gout: A nationwide cohort study.

Introduction: The global burden of gout, a severe and painful arthralgia, is of note and is expected to increase in the future. We aimed to investigate the association between the triglyceride/high-density lipoprotein (TG/HDL) ratio, a simple and validated biomarker for insulin resistance, and the incidence of gout in a longitudinal setting in the general population.

Methods: Our study was conducted using the National Health Insurance Service-Health Screening Cohort database of Republic of Korea (2002-2019).

Evaluating patients on CDK-4/6 inhibitor treatment for differences in treatment according to demographic variables.

Background: The accessibility and outcomes of cyclin-dependent kinase 4 and 6 inhibitors (CDKi) in metastatic breast cancer (MBC) according to demographic factors are unknown.

Research Design And Methods: Retrospective review of patients with ER+ MBC prescribed first-line CDKi therapy from January 2015 through December 2022. Abstraction included time from CDKi prescription to drug initiation (TTI), time from CDKi initiation to progression (TTP), time from CDKi initiation to death or 6/30/2022, and variables (age, race, partner status, insurance type, BMI, number of comorbidities).

Risk factors for disease progression and clinical outcomes in patients with COVID-19 in Taiwan: a nationwide population-based cohort study.

Background: Since 2021, COVID-19 has had a substantial impact on global health and continues to contribute to serious health outcomes. In Taiwan, most research has focused on hospitalized patients or mortality cases, leaving important gaps in understanding the broader effects of the disease and identifying individuals at high risk. This study aims to investigate the risk factors for disease progression through a nationwide population-based cohort study on COVID-19 in Taiwan.

The effects of unified pooling arrangement on health inequity in China: a DID-RIF approach.

Background: To address the health inequity caused by decentralized management, China has introduced a provincial pooling system for urban employees' basic medical insurance. This paper proposes a research framework to evaluate similar policies in different contexts. This paper adopts a mixed-methods approach to more comprehensively and precisely capture the causal effects of the policy.

Correlates of prolonged length of stay after endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery for pituitary adenomas: varying definitions and non-clinical factors.

Purpose: Prolonged length of stay (PLOS) can lead to resource misallocation and higher complication risks. However, there is no consensus on defining PLOS for endoscopic transsphenoidal pituitary surgery (ETPS). Therefore, we investigated the impact of varying PLOS definitions on factors associated with PLOS in patients undergoing ETPS.

Cardiovascular disease risk in Korean patients with systemic lupus erythematosus compared to diabetes mellitus and the general population.

To evaluate the incidence and risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) among Korean patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) comparing them to diabetes patients and the general population. This nationwide cohort study focused on incident SLE patients aged over 40 years, matched with diabetes patients and the general population (1:4:4 ratio). CVD was defined as ischaemic heart disease, ischaemic stroke, and cardiac arrest.

Cardiovascular Anesthesia and Critical Care in the French West Indies: Historical Evolution and Current Prospects.

Anesthesiology, the medical specialty that deals with the management of vital functions in patients undergoing surgery, has played an important role in the successful development of cardiac interventions worldwide. Tracing the historical roots of cardiac anesthesia and critical care from its inception in the late 1950s, a paradigm shift in perioperative care has been driven by a better understanding of the mechanisms of organ dysfunction in stressful conditions and technological advances regarding surgical approach, patient monitoring, and organ protection. Although progress in cardiac anesthesia and critical care lagged a little behind in Caribbean territories, successful achievements have been accomplished over the last forty years.

Pre-Type 1 Diabetes in Adolescents and Teens: Screening, Nutritional Interventions, Beta-Cell Preservation, and Psychosocial Impacts.

Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) is a progressive autoimmune disease often identified in childhood or adolescence, with early stages detectable through pre-diabetic markers such as autoantibodies and subclinical beta-cell dysfunction. The identification of the pre-T1D stage is critical for preventing complications, such as diabetic ketoacidosis, and for enabling timely interventions that may alter disease progression. This review examines the multifaceted approach to managing T1D risk in adolescents and teens, emphasizing early detection, nutritional interventions, beta-cell preservation strategies, and psychosocial support.

Impacts of Postoperative Adjuvant Therapies on the Survival of Women with High-Risk Early-Stage Endometrial Cancer: A Cohort Study.

The survival outcomes according to postoperative adjuvant therapeutic strategy in women with high-risk early-stage endometrial cancer (EEC) have not been clearly compared. This study examined the impacts of various postoperative adjuvant therapies on the survival of women with high-risk EEC. Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service data related to Korean cancer registration data were used.

Challenges and Opportunities of Universal Health Coverage in Africa: A Scoping Review.

Background: Universal health coverage (UHC) is a global priority, with the goal of ensuring that everyone has access to high-quality healthcare without suffering financial hardship. In Africa, most governments have prioritized UHC over the last two decades. Despite this, the transition to UHC in Africa is seen to be sluggish, with certain countries facing inertia.

Microplastics in Agricultural Crops and Their Possible Impact on Farmers' Health: A Review.

The indiscriminate use of plastic products and their inappropriate management and disposal contribute to the increasing presence and accumulation of this material in all environmental zones. The chemical properties of plastics and their resistance to natural degradation lead over time to the production of microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics, which are dispersed in soil, water, and air and can be absorbed by plants, including those grown for food. In agriculture, MPs can come from many sources (mulch film, tractor tires, compost, fertilizers, and pesticides).

Psychological responses to acute exercise in patients with stress-induced exhaustion disorder: a cross-over randomized trial.

Background: Understanding psychological responses to acute exercise, defined as a single bout of physical exercise, in clinical populations is essential for developing tailored interventions that account for the psychological benefits and challenges of exercise. Given its effectiveness in reducing symptoms in various psychological disorders, exercise should be further explored in Exhaustion Disorder ICD-10-SE: F43.8A (ED), characterized by persistent exhaustion following long-term psychosocial stress.

Surgical Scheduling Errors During Manual Data Transfer.

Background And Objectives: Retrospective studies examining errors within a surgical scheduling setting do not fully represent the effects of human error involved in transcribing critical patient health information (PHI). These errors can negatively impact patient care and reduce workplace efficiency due to insurance claim denials and potential sentinel events. Previous reports underscore the burden physicians face with prior authorizations which may lead to serious adverse events or the abandonment of treatment due to these delays.

COVID-19 Pandemic and Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Long-Term Nursing Home Stay or Death Following Hospital Discharge.

Importance: Long-term nursing home stay or death (long-term NH stay or death), defined as new long-term residence in a nursing home or death following hospital discharge, is an important patient-centered outcome.

Objective: To examine whether the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with changes in long-term NH stay or death among older adults with sepsis, and whether these changes were greater in individuals from racial and ethnic minoritized groups.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This cross-sectional study used patient-level data from the Medicare Provider Analysis and Review File, the Master Beneficiary Summary File, and the Minimum Data Set.

Bridging the gap: An outlook of oncofertility care in Africa.

This article examines existing literature on oncofertility in Africa and explores the barriers to oncofertility care. Patient-level barriers include lack of awareness about fertility preservation options, financial constraints, and the heavy emotional burden of cancer diagnosis and treatment. Healthcare-provider barriers encompass lack of awareness, prioritization of prompt cancer treatment, and implicit biases.

Insights into the Multidisciplinary Approach for Metastatic Acinic Cell Lung Carcinoma: The Pathologist's Role in Romania Today.

: Acinic cell carcinoma (ACC) is a rare lung neoplasm that can affect both children and adults as a parenchymal or endobronchial mass. It is histologically similar to this kind of tumor described in salivary glands, but with a different immunophenotype. In general, it poses a reduced degree of malignancy, with indolent growth and a favorable prognosis, with exceptionally rare cases associated with recurring disease or lymph node metastases.

Socioeconomic and Health-Related Characteristics Associated with Initiation and Completion of Human Papillomavirus Vaccination among Males in the United States: An In-Depth Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination among males is poorly understood. We systematically reviewed individual socioeconomic/health-related characteristics associated with HPV vaccine initiation and vaccination series completion among males in the United States. We searched for literature up to August 1, 2023, and pooled appropriate multivariable-adjusted results using an inverse variance random effects model, with results expressed as odds ratios.

Economic Evaluations of Music Therapy and Other Music-Based Interventions: A Scoping Review.

The cost-effectiveness of an intervention is an important factor in health care decisions about which health care services should be publicly funded and/or approved as an eligible intervention for private insurance coverage. Music therapy as a health profession lacks substantial research on the cost-effectiveness of its services and there is no overview of existing data. We therefore conducted a scoping review.

Impact of underlying diseases and complications on COVID-19 mortality in South Korea: analysis of national health insurance service data.

Background: Comorbidities or complications significantly influence coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) severity and mortality risk. Therefore, this study aimed to compare treatment outcomes of COVID-19 inpatients by underlying diseases or complications.

Method: Data on COVID-19 patients from the National Health Insurance Service customized research database were analyzed while focusing on eight underlying diseases and complications: diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, kidney disease, liver disease, dementia, depression, and respiratory disease.

Longitudinal analysis of in-hospital cardiac arrest: trends in the incidence, mortality, and long-term survival of a nationwide cohort.

Background: In-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) poses a considerable threat to hospitalized patients, leading to high mortality rates and severe neurological deficits among survivors. Despite the advancements in resuscitation practices, the prognosis of IHCA remains poor, and comprehensive studies exploring nationwide trends and long-term survival are scarce, particularly in the Asian populations.

Methods: Utilizing data from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database, we conducted a nationwide cohort study to analyze the IHCA events among adult patients between 2003 and 2020.

Differences in influenza testing and treatment in micropolitan versus metropolitan areas in the U.S. using medicare claims data from 2010 to 2016.

Background: To improve understanding of influenza and rurality, we investigated differences in influenza testing and anti-viral treatment rates between micropolitan (muSAs) and metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) using national medical claims data over multiple influenza seasons.

Methods: Using billing data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for those aged 65 years and older, we estimated weekly rates of ordered rapid influenza diagnostic tests (RIDT) and antivirals (AV) among Medicare enrollees by core-based statistical areas (CBSAs) during 2010-2016. We used Negative Binomial generalized mixed models to estimate adjusted rate ratios (aRR) between MSAs and muSAs, adjusting for clustering by CBSA plus explanatory variables.

Clinical outcome and volumetric 3D analysis of biofluorescence imaging system guided surgery for Medication-Related Osteonecrosis of the Jaw(MRONJ).

Background: This study aims to evaluate the clinical outcome of biofluorescent imaging system (BIS) guided MRONJ surgery through analyzing 3D volumetric changes in CBCT data of bone structure.

Methods: BIS-guided surgery for MRONJ surgery was performed by grinding red-fluorescent area from remained residual bone detected by Qray-pen. CBCT data was collected preoperatively, postoperatively, and at last follow-up more than 3 months of each patient.

Policy Options for Contributory Health Insurance Schemes in Low and Lower-Middle Income Countries to Enable Progress Towards Universal Health Coverage.

The promise of contributory health insurance to generate additional, self-sustaining funding for the health sector has not been achieved in many low- and lower-middle-income countries. Instead, contributory health insurance has been found to exacerbate inequities in access to health care because entitlements are linked to contributions. For these countries with contributory health insurance schemes, with separate institutional arrangements for revenue collection and purchasing, that operate alongside budget-funded and other health financing schemes, it is usually not politically or technically feasible to reverse or eliminate these arrangements even when they fragment the health system.