Adherence to antihypertensive medications and associated factors in patients with hypertension, Oromia, Ethiopia: a multicenter study.

Interventions designed to improve medication adherence, and blood pressure control have not been effective globally. There is limited comprehensive understanding regarding the level of drug adherence to antihypertensive medications in Ethiopia, particularly in the study area. This study aimed to assess adherence to antihypertensive medication and associated factors among patients with hypertension on follow-up at public health facilities of Adama town, Oromia, Ethiopia.

Perspectives on barriers to traditional sources of sexual and reproductive health information and services: Are mHealth technologies the answer?

Background: In Ghana, several qualitative studies have explored users' perspectives on conventional sources of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) information and factors which influence provision of and access in rural settings. However, there is a dearth of qualitative studies on healthcare provider (HCP) perspectives on factors that deter access to conventional sources of SRH information among young people in rural Ghana and innovative ways for addressing barriers. This study explored perspectives on barriers to traditional sources of SRH information and services and innovative ways of using mHealth technologies for addressing provision and access challenges among young people in rural Ghana.

"I'm standing next to him, I'm supporting him"-Supporting a loved one with brain cancer to donate their brain: A qualitative study.

Background: Brain cancer is a devastating and incurable disease that places a high burden of care on next of kin (NOK). NOK can play a core role in supporting end-of-life planning, including the decision to donate one's brain after death. Postmortem brain donation is crucial to research.

Clinic personnel attitudes and baseline implementation outcomes of a lupus decision aid.

To examine the association between clinical personnel's general attitudes towards new interventions and implementation outcomes related to an evidence-based individualized, culturally tailored, computerized decision aid (DA) for the management of lupus. To assess attitudes, the validated Evidence-Based Practice Attitudes Scale (EBPAS) survey was emailed to personnel in 15 rheumatology clinics across the U.S.

A central role of sulcal width in the associations of sleep duration and depression with cognition in mid to late life.

Study Objectives: Evidence suggests that poor sleep impacts cognition, brain health, and dementia risk but the nature of the association is poorly understood. This study examined how self-reported sleep duration, napping, and subjective depression symptoms are associated with the brain-cognition relationship in older adults, using sulcal width as a measure of relative brain health.

Methods: A canonical partial least squares analysis was used to obtain two composite variables that relate cognition and sulcal width in a cross-sectional study of 137 adults aged 46-72.

'I think both of us drew strength from it': qualitative reflections from next of kin following the death and post-mortem brain donation of a loved one with brain cancer.

Background: Glioblastoma, a high-grade primary brain cancer, has a median survival of approximately 14 months. Post-mortem brain donation provides insight to pathogenesis along with spatial and temporal heterogeneity. Post-mortem brain biobanking programs are increasing in number and the need to understand and improve the associated human experience is pressing.

Myopia Prevalence in Latin American Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Although myopia is a growing global concern, comprehensive studies on its prevalence among Latin American (LATAM) children and adolescents are still lacking. Thus, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the prevalence of myopia in LATAM children and adolescents aged three to 20. The study conducted a thorough literature search from January 1, 1975, to February 28, 2023, identifying 24 studies on the prevalence of myopia in LATAM that met the inclusion criteria.

Subclinical Atrial Fibrillation: To Anticoagulate or Not?

Atrial fibrillation (AF) carries a stroke risk, often necessitating anticoagulation, especially in patients with risk factors. With the advent of implantable and wearable heart monitors, episodes of short bouts of atrial arrhythmias called atrial high-rate episodes (AHREs) or subclinical AF (SCAF) are commonly identified. The necessity of anticoagulation in patients with SCAF is unclear.

Phaco-Chop versus Divide-and-Conquer in Patients Who Underwent Cataract Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Cataract surgery is one of the most frequently performed eye surgeries worldwide, and among several techniques, phacoemulsification has become the standard of care due to its safety and efficiency. We evaluated the advantages and disadvantages of two phacoemulsification techniques: phaco-chop and divide-and-conquer.

Methods: PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, and Web of Science databases were queried for randomized controlled trial (RCT), prospective and retrospective studies that compared the phaco-chop technique over the divide-and-conquer technique and reported the outcomes of (1) Endothelial cell count change (ECC); (2) Ultrasound time (UST); (3) Cumulated dissipated energy (CDE); (4) Surgery time; and (5) Phacoemulsification time (PT).

The Efficacy and Safety of Sacubitril/Valsartan Compared to Valsartan in Patients with Heart Failure and Mildly Reduced and Preserved Ejection Fractions: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

: Sacubitril/valsartan improves heart failure (HF) outcomes in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). However, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in patients with heart failure and mildly reduced ejection fraction (HFmrEF) and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) have shown inconsistent results. We conducted this meta-analysis to comprehensively evaluate the efficacy and safety of sacubitril/valsartan compared to valsartan within this specific patient population.

Standards for clinical trials for treating TB.

The value, speed of completion and robustness of the evidence generated by TB treatment trials could be improved by implementing standards for best practice. A global panel of experts participated in a Delphi process, using a 7-point Likert scale to score and revise draft standards until consensus was reached. Eleven standards were defined: Standard 1, high quality data on TB regimens are essential to inform clinical and programmatic management; Standard 2, the research questions addressed by TB trials should be relevant to affected communities, who should be included in all trial stages; Standard 3, trials should make every effort to be as inclusive as possible; Standard 4, the most efficient trial designs should be considered to improve the evidence base as quickly and cost effectively as possible, without compromising quality; Standard 5, trial governance should be in line with accepted good clinical practice; Standard 6, trials should investigate and report strategies that promote optimal engagement in care; Standard 7, where possible, TB trials should include pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic components; Standard 8, outcomes should include frequency of disease recurrence and post-treatment sequelae; Standard 9, TB trials should aim to harmonise key outcomes and data structures across studies; Standard 10, TB trials should include biobanking; Standard 11, treatment trials should invest in capacity strengthening of local trial and TB programme staff.

Workplace Psychosocial Factors and Their Association With Musculoskeletal Disorders: A Systematic Review of Longitudinal Studies.

This systematic review examines literature regarding the relationship between workplace psychosocial factors and musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). Musculoskeletal disorders are the leading cause of work disability, resulting in billions of dollars of financial losses. Evidence suggests that workplace psychosocial factors can lead to the development and progression of MSDs.

Micronutrients in Maternal and Infant Health: Where We Are and Where We Should Go.

The first 1000 days of life are defined by the World Health Organization as a "window of opportunity" for a person's growth and development, and nutrition is particularly important during this time window [...

Clinical implications of molecular drug resistance testing for Mycobacterium tuberculosis: a 2023 TBnet/RESIST-TB consensus statement.

Drug-resistant tuberculosis is a substantial health-care concern worldwide. Despite culture-based methods being considered the gold standard for drug susceptibility testing, molecular methods provide rapid information about the Mycobacterium tuberculosis mutations associated with resistance to anti-tuberculosis drugs. This consensus document was developed on the basis of a comprehensive literature search, by the TBnet and RESIST-TB networks, about reporting standards for the clinical use of molecular drug susceptibility testing.

Effectiveness of Ultraviolet-C Disinfection on Hospital-Onset Gram-Negative Rod Bloodstream Infection: A Nationwide Stepped-Wedge Time-Series Analysis.

Background: The effectiveness of enhanced terminal room cleaning with ultraviolet C (UV-C) disinfection in reducing gram-negative rod (GNR) infections has not been well evaluated. We assessed the association of implementation of UV-C disinfection systems with incidence rates of hospital-onset (HO) GNR bloodstream infection (BSI).

Methods: We obtained information regarding UV-C use and the timing of implementation through a survey of all Veterans Health Administration (VHA) hospitals providing inpatient acute care.

Hypertension and human immunodeficiency virus: A paradigm for epithelial sodium channels?

Hypertension is a risk factor for end organ damage and death and is more common in persons with HIV compared to the general population. Several mechanisms have been studied in the pathogenesis of hypertension. Current evidence suggests that the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) plays a key role in regulating blood pressure through the transport of sodium and water across membranes in the kidney tubules, resulting in retention of sodium and water and an altered fluid balance.

Perspectives of health care professionals' on delivering mHealth sexual and reproductive health services in rural settings in low-and-middle-income countries: a qualitative systematic review.

Background: In low to middle income countries (LMICs) with limited health care providers (HCPs) and health infrastructure, digital technologies are rapidly being adopted to help augment service delivery. In this sphere, sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services are increasingly leveraging mobile health (mHealth) technologies to improve service and information provision in rural areas. This systematic review aimed to identify HCPs perspectives on barriers to, and facilitators of, mobile phone based SRH services and information in rural areas of LMICs from current literature.

Neutralization Activity against SARS-CoV-2 Variants after Booster Vaccination in Populations without COVID-19: A Meta-Analysis.

A number of SARS-CoV-2 variants that have evolved to have significant immune escape have emerged worldwide since the COVID-19 outbreak. The efficacy of prime vaccination is waning with the evolution of SARS-CoV-2, and the necessity of booster doses is more and more prominent. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the neutralization activity against the wild type and variants (Beta, Delta, and Omicron) in different prime-boost vaccination regimens.

Incremental costs of integrated PrEP provision and effective use counselling in community-based platforms for adolescent girls and young women in South Africa: an observational study.

Introduction: Adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) are a priority population for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), a highly effective HIV prevention method. However, effective PrEP use among AGYW has been low. Interventions to support PrEP effective use may improve pill-taking.

Treatment of extensively-drug resistant (XDR) Acinetobacter and impact on clinical outcomes in U.S. veterans affairs (VA) medical centers.

Background: Guidelines for treatment of resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (AB) are limited, leaving a knowledge gap in best practices for treatment. This study described treatments and outcomes of extensively-drug resistant (XDR) AB.

Methods: Retrospective cohort study including patients with XDRAB (non-susceptible to at least 1 agent in all but 2 or fewer classes) and antibiotic treatment between 2012 and 2018 at Veterans Affairs Medical Centers.

Electrocardiographic abnormalities and psychotropic polypharmacy in schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorders.

Background: Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is a significant cause for increased mortality in people with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorders. Cardiac arrhythmia is one cause of SCD. Electrocardiographic (ECG) abnormalities predictive of arrhythmias are associated with antipsychotic drug use.