Determinants of emergency department utilisation by older adults in Singapore: A systematic review

INTRODUCTION@#Adults aged ≥60 years contribute to disproportionately higher visits to the emergency departments (ED). We performed a systematic review to examine the reasons why older persons visit the ED in Singapore.@*METHODS@#We searched Medline, Embase and Scopus from January 2000 to December 2021 for studies reporting on ED utilisation by older adults in Singapore, and included studies that investigated determinants of ED utilisation. Statistically significant determinants and their effect sizes were extracted. Determinants of ED utilisation were organised using Andersen and Newman's model. Quality of studies was evaluated using Newcastle Ottawa Scale and Critical Appraisal Skills Programme.@*RESULTS@#The search yielded 138 articles, of which 7 were used for analysis. Among the significant individual determinants were predisposing (staying in public rental housing, religiosity, loneliness, poorer coping), enabling (caregiver distress from behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia) and health factors (multimorbidity in patients with dementia, frailty, primary care visit in last 6 months, better treatment adherence). The 7 included studies are of moderate quality and none of them employed conceptual frameworks to organise determinants of ED utilisation.@*CONCLUSION@#The major determinants of ED utilisation by older adults in Singapore were largely individual factors. Evaluation of societal determinants of ED utilisation was lacking in the included studies. There is a need for a more holistic examination of determinants of ED utilisation locally based on conceptual models of health seeking behaviours.

A systematic review of the association of obesity with the outcomes of inflammatory rheumatic diseases

This was a systematic review of the literature on the association between obesity and the outcome of inflammatory rheumatic diseases. We conducted a literature search using PubMed®, Embase and PsycINFO®. Articles were classified into three categories based on the effects of obesity on the outcomes of inflammatory rheumatic diseases. The subject population, country, type of studies, number of patients, measurement of obesity and outcomes assessed were presented. Quality was appraised using Kmet et al's criteria. 4,331 articles were screened and 60 were relevant to the objective. Obesity had a negative, positive and neutral association with outcomes of inflammatory rheumatic diseases in 38 (63.3%) studies with 57,612 subjects, 11 (18.3%) studies with 3,866 subjects, and 11 (18.3%) studies with 3,834 subjects, respectively. In most studies, the disease population had been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Tumour necrosis factor-α inhibitors were mostly associated with negative outcomes. More studies examining subjects outside Europe and North America and diseases other than RA are warranted.

Factors affecting follow-up non-attendance in patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypertension: a systematic review

This is a systematic review of the factors and reasons associated with follow-up non-attendance (FUNA) in patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypertension in an outpatient setting. We performed a systematic literature search using electronic databases and related keywords with the PRISMA-P checklist, focusing on the factors, types of studies and number of studies that showed a positive, negative or neutral association with FUNA. Data was presented in three categories: patient, disease and medication, and healthcare provider factors. In total, 4,822 articles were reviewed. Among the 24 articles that were relevant to the stated objective, 83 factors were found to be associated with FUNA. A target-board model for FUNA was presented for clinicians to better understand the various aspects contributing to and implications involved in FUNA. Greater awareness and understanding of the multifactorial nature of FUNA and taking a multifaceted approach are important to effectively reduce this problem.

Heart Wellness Programme: a pilot community-based cardiac rehabilitation programme in a multiethnic society

<p><b>INTRODUCTION</b>Community-based exercise programmes have been shown to be effective in the Western world. However, there is a dearth of literature on their effectiveness in Asia. This pilot study aims to assess the effectiveness of the Asian community-based Health Wellness Programme (HWP) in Singapore. The HWP provides community cardiac rehabilitation services.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A retrospective database analysis was conducted on cardiac rehabilitation patients who had completed the one-year wellness programme from 2010 to 2011. Patients were included in the programme if they had an underlying cardiac disease such as ischaemic heart disease and were deemed as stable by their cardiologist. Patients with New York Heart Association Class III or IV heart failure were excluded from this programme. Sociodemographic, anthropometric, clinical and laboratory data was recorded. Changes between the baseline and final measurements were analysed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Complete data from a total of 136 patients was analysed. Improvements were noted in body fat percentage (change [Δ] -1.3%, p < 0.01), distance walked (Δ 9.7 m, p = 0.01), total cholesterol (Δ -7.8 mg/dL, p = 0.03), low-density lipoprotein (Δ -7.8 mg/dL, p = 0.03) and triglyceride (Δ -17.8 mg/dL, p < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The low-to-moderate intensity HWP seems to be effective in a multiethnic community setting. To confirm the quality and effectiveness of such a programme in secondary cardiovascular prevention, more evidence from prospective controlled trials with suitable controls is needed.</p>

Prevalence of dysglycaemic events among inpatients with diabetes mellitus: a Singaporean perspective

<p><b>INTRODUCTION</b>As the effectiveness of intensive glycaemic control is unclear and recommended glycaemic targets are inconsistent, this study aimed to ascertain the prevalence of dysglycaemia among hospitalised patients with diabetes mellitus in an Asian population and evaluate the current standards of inpatient glycaemic control.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A retrospective observational study was conducted at a secondary hospital. Point-of-care blood glucose (BG) values, demographic data, medical history, glycaemic therapy and clinical characteristics were recorded. Dysglycaemia prevalence was calculated as proportions of BG-monitored days with at least one reading exceeding the cut points of 8, 10 and 15 mmol/L for hyperglycaemia, and below the cut point of 4 mmol/L for hypoglycaemia.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Among the 288 patients recruited, hyperglycaemia was highly prevalent (90.3%, 81.3% and 47.6% for the respective cut points), while hypoglycaemia was the least prevalent (18.8%). Dysglycaemic patients were more likely than normoglycaemic patients to have poorer glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) levels (8.4% ± 2.6% vs. 7.3% ± 1.9%; p = 0.002 for BG > 10 mmol/L) and longer lengths of stay (10.1 ± 8.2 days vs. 6.8 ± 4.7 days; p = 0.007 for BG < 4 mmol/L). Hyperglycaemia was more prevalent in patients on more intensive treatment regimens, such as basal-bolus combination therapy and the use of both insulin and oral hypoglycaemic agents (100.0% and 96.0%, respectively; p < 0.001 for BG > 10 mmol/L).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Inpatient glycaemic control is suboptimal. Factors (e.g. type of treatment regimen, discipline and baseline HbA1c) associated with greater prevalence of dysglycaemia should be given due consideration in patient management.</p>