Effect of depressive symptoms on health services utilization in the HIV and hepatitis C co-infected population in Canada.

Depression is common among people living with HCV and HIV, which contributes to health services utilization (HSU). It is unknown whether successful HCV treatment affects this. We examined depressive symptoms and HSU in people co-infected with HIV-HCV and their association with sustained virologic response (SVR) during the direct-acting antiviral era.

How to evaluate exertional breathlessness using normative reference equations in research.

Purpose Of Review: Breathlessness is a common, distressing and limiting symptom in people with advanced disease, but is challenging to assess as the symptom intensity depends on the level of exertion (symptom stimulus) during the assessment. This review outlines how to use recently developed normative reference equations to evaluate breathlessness responses, accounting for level of exertion, for valid assessment in symptom research.

Recent Findings: Published normative reference equations are freely available to predict the breathlessness intensity response (on a 0-10 Borg scale) among healthy people after a 6-minute walking test (6MWT) or an incremental cycle cardiopulmonary exercise test (iCPET).

Characterisation of incident interstitial lung disease in late systemic sclerosis.

Objective: Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a common and potentially lethal complication of systemic sclerosis (SSc). Screening by HRCT is recommended in all patients with risk factors, including early disease. Little is known on late presentations of ILD.

Identifying Abnormal Exertional Breathlessness in COPD: Comparing Modified Medical Research Council and COPD Assessment Test With Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing.

Background: COPD management is guided by the respiratory symptom burden, assessed using the modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) scale, the COPD Assessment Test (CAT), or both.

Research Question: What are the abilities of mMRC and CAT to detect abnormally high exertional breathlessness on incremental cardiopulmonary cycle exercise testing (CPET) in people with COPD?

Study Design And Methods: Analysis of people ≥ 40 years of age with FEV to FVC ratio of < 0.70 after bronchodilator administration and ≥ 10 pack-years of smoking from the Canadian Cohort Obstructive Lung Disease study.

A human DCC variant causing mirror movement disorder reveals that the WAVE regulatory complex mediates axon guidance by netrin-1-DCC.

The axon guidance cue netrin-1 signals through its receptor DCC (deleted in colorectal cancer) to attract commissural axons to the midline. Variants in DCC are frequently associated with congenital mirror movements (CMMs). A CMM-associated variant in the cytoplasmic tail of DCC is located in a conserved motif predicted to bind to a regulator of actin dynamics called the WAVE (Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein-family verprolin homologous protein) regulatory complex (WRC).

The psychometric properties of the Quality of Life in Neurological Disorders (Neuro-QoL) measurement system in neurorehabilitation populations: a systematic review.

Objective: To systematically review the literature of existing evidence on the measurement properties of the Quality of Life in Neurological Disorders (Neuro-QoL) measurement system among neurorehabilitation populations.

Data Sources: The Consensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN) guided this systematic review in which we searched nine electronic databases and registries, and hand-searched reference lists of included articles.

Study Selection: Two independent reviewers screened selected articles and extracted data from 28 included studies.

Role of apolipoprotein B in the clinical management of cardiovascular risk in adults: An Expert Clinical Consensus from the National Lipid Association.

This National Lipid Association (NLA) Expert Clinical Consensus provides an overview of the physiologic and clinical considerations regarding the role of apolipoprotein B (apoB) measurement to guide clinical care based on the available scientific evidence and expert opinion. ApoB represents the total concentration of atherogenic lipoprotein particles in the circulation and more accurately reflects the atherogenic burden of lipoproteins when compared to low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). ApoB is a validated clinical measurement that augments the information found in a standard lipoprotein lipid panel; therefore, there is clinical value in using apoB in conjunction with a standard lipoprotein lipid profile when assessing risk and managing lipid-lowering therapy (LLT).

Gamification in Mobile Apps for Children With Disabilities: Scoping Review.

Background: Children with disabilities face numerous challenges in accessing health services. Mobile health is an emerging field that could significantly reduce health inequities by providing more accessible services. Many mobile apps incorporate gamification elements such as feedback, points, and stories to increase engagement and motivation; however, little is known about how gamification has been incorporated in mobile apps for children with disabilities.

Lung ultrasound in children with primary ciliary dyskinesia or cystic fibrosis.

Introduction: Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) and cystic fibrosis (CF) are respiratory conditions requiring regular chest radiography (CXR) surveillance to monitor pulmonary disease. However, CXR is insensitive for lung disease in CF and PCD. Lung ultrasound (LU) is a radiation-free alternative showing good correlation with severity of lung disease in CF but has not been studied in PCD.

Integrating gender analysis into research: reflections from the Gender-Net Plus workshop.

Gender equality has been a crosscutting issue in Horizon 2020 with three objectives: gender balance in decision-making, gender balance and equal opportunities in project teams at all levels, and inclusion of the gender dimension in research and innovation content. Between 2017 and 2022, the EU funded, in collaboration with national agencies, 13 transnational projects under "GENDER-NET Plus" that explored how to best integrate both sex and gender into studies ranging from social sciences, humanities, and health research. As the projects neared completion, forty researchers from these interdisciplinary teams met in November 2022 to share experiences, discuss challenges, and consider the best ways forward to incorporate sex and gender in research.

Realist process evaluation of the knowledge translation programme of a patient-oriented research network.

Rationale: The Knowledge Translation (KT) Programme of a pan-Canadian strategic patient-oriented research network focused on brain-based developmental disabilities aimed to mobilize knowledge relevant to the network members. The programme also promotes and studies integrated Knowledge Translation (iKT) approaches involving different interested parties, such as researchers, patient-partners and decision-makers, in all parts of the knowledge creation process.

Aims And Objectives: The objective of this study is to advance research programme evaluation methods through a realist evaluation of the process of implementing iKT activities.

Association of aortic valve calcium with dementia and stroke: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis.

Background And Aims: Calcific aortic valve disease is associated with increased thrombin formation, platelet activation, decreased fibrinolysis, and subclinical brain infarcts. We examined the long-term association of aortic valve calcification (AVC) with newly diagnosed dementia and incident stroke in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA).

Methods: AVC was measured using non-contrast cardiac CT at Visit 1.

Identifying People at High Risk for Severe Aortic Stenosis: Aortic Valve Calcium Versus Lipoprotein(a) and Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol.

Background: Aortic valve calcification (AVC), Lp(a) [lipoprotein(a)], and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) are associated with severe aortic stenosis (AS). We aimed to determine which of these risk factors were most strongly associated with the risk of incident severe AS.

Methods: A total of 6792 participants from the MESA study (Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis) had computed tomography-quantified AVC, Lp(a), and LDL-C values at MESA visit 1 (2000-2002).

Akt and AMPK activators rescue hyperexcitability in neurons from patients with bipolar disorder.

Background: Bipolar disorder (BD) is a multifactorial psychiatric illness affecting ∼1% of the global adult population. Lithium (Li), is the most effective mood stabilizer for BD but works only for a subset of patients and its mechanism of action remains largely elusive.

Methods: In the present study, we used iPSC-derived neurons from patients with BD who are responsive (LR) or not (LNR) to lithium.

Abnormal Exertional Breathlessness on Cardiopulmonary Cycle Exercise Testing in Relation to Self-Reported and Physiologic Responses in Chronic Airflow Limitation.

Background: Exertional breathlessness is a cardinal symptom of cardiorespiratory disease.

Research Question: How does breathlessness abnormality, graded using normative reference equations during cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET), relate to self-reported and physiologic responses in people with chronic airflow limitation (CAL)?

Study Design And Methods: An analysis was done of people aged ≥ 40 years with CAL undergoing CPET in the Canadian Cohort Obstructive Lung Disease study. Breathlessness intensity ratings (Borg CR10 scale [0-10 category-ratio scale for breathlessness intensity rating]) were evaluated in relation to power output, rate of oxygen uptake, and minute ventilation at peak exercise, using normative reference equations as follows: (1) probability of breathlessness normality (probability of having an equal or greater Borg CR10 rating among healthy people; lower probability reflecting more severe breathlessness) and (2) presence of abnormal breathlessness (rating above the upper limit of normal).

Loss-of-function variants in UBAP1L cause autosomal recessive retinal degeneration.

Purpose: Inherited retinal diseases (IRDs) are a group of monogenic conditions that can lead to progressive blindness. Their missing heritability is still considerable, due in part to the presence of disease genes that await molecular identification. The purpose of this work was to identify novel genetic associations with IRDs.

Sustainability of an outcome measure in outpatient stroke rehabilitation: A realist evaluation.

Rationale: Only half of newly implemented evidence-based practices are sustained. Though poor sustainment can lead to negative consequences for clinical teams, organizations and patients, the causal explanations of sustainment are largely unknown.

Aims And Objectives: We aimed to ascertain how (mechanisms) and in what circumstances (context) a newly implemented outcome measure in rehabilitation was sustained or not (outcome).

Validation of a Costing Algorithm and Cost Drivers for Neonates Admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Objective:  Neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) account for over 35% of pediatric in-hospital costs. A better understanding of NICU expenditures may help identify areas of improvements. This study aimed to validate the Canadian Neonatal Network (CNN) costing algorithm for seven case-mix groups with actual costs incurred in a tertiary NICU and explore drivers of cost.

Collaborative sustainability planning for an outcome measure in outpatient stroke rehabilitation: A qualitative description study.

Rationale: Evidence suggests that sustainability planning and the use of a collaborative approach to planning result in better sustainability outcomes and more relevant knowledge. Yet, both approaches appear to be underutilized. A detailed description of collaborative sustainability planning may encourage the use of these two impactful strategies.

Enrollment and dropout rates of individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease approached for telehealth interventions: A systematic review and meta-regression analysis.

Introduction: Telehealth interventions have the potential of improving health outcomes for individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, the precise impact of telehealth on exacerbation and hospital readmissions remains inconclusive. This lack of knowledge on the effectiveness of telehealth for COPD care might be due to lack of clarity regarding which variables are most strongly associated with enrolment and dropout rates.

Hospital episode-of-care costs for hip fractures: an activity-based costing analysis.

Background: Despite the large impact of hip fracture care on hospital budgets, accurate episode-of-care costs (EOCC) calculations for this injury remains a challenge. The objective of this article was to assess EOCC for geriatric patients with hip fractures using an activity-based costing methodology and identify intraoperative, perioperative, and patient-specific factors associated with higher EOCC.

Material And Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study involving a total of 109 consecutive patients with hip fracture treated surgically at a Canadian level-1 trauma center from April 2018 to February 2019.

The Association of Ejection Fraction With Hospital-Associated Cardiac Arrest and Heart Failure Hospitalization Differs According to Baseline Estimated GFR.

Introduction: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) and left ventricular (LV) dysfunction are risk factors for cardiovascular events. We explore whether the association of LV ejection fraction (LVEF) with cardiac arrest, heart failure hospitalization, and all-cause mortality differs across stages of kidney impairment.

Methods: We performed an observational cohort study of 19,032 patients from 2004 to 2014 with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) ≤90 ml/min per 1.