Artificial intelligence-enhanced opportunistic screening of osteoporosis in CT scan: a scoping Review.

PURPOSE: This scoping review aimed to assess the current research on artificial intelligence (AI)--enhanced opportunistic screening approaches for stratifying osteoporosis and osteopenia risk by evaluating vertebral trabecular bone structure in CT scans. METHODS: PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases were systematically searched for studies published between 2018 and December 2023. Inclusion criteria encompassed articles focusing on AI techniques for classifying osteoporosis/osteopenia or determining bone mineral density using CT scans of vertebral bodies. Data extraction included study characteristics, methodologies, and key findings. RESULTS: Fourteen studies met the inclusion criteria. Three main approaches were identified: fully automated deep learning solutions, hybrid approaches combining deep learning and conventional machine learning, and non-automated solutions using manual segmentation followed by AI analysis. Studies demonstrated high accuracy in bone mineral density prediction (86-96%) and classification of normal versus osteoporotic subjects (AUC 0.927-0.984). However, significant heterogeneity was observed in methodologies, workflows, and ground truth selection. CONCLUSIONS: The review highlights AI's promising potential in enhancing opportunistic screening for osteoporosis using CT scans. While the field is still in its early stages, with most solutions at the proof-of-concept phase, the evidence supports increased efforts to incorporate AI into radiologic workflows. Addressing knowledge gaps, such as standardizing benchmarks and increasing external validation, will be crucial for advancing the clinical application of these AI-enhanced screening methods. Integration of such technologies could lead to improved early detection of osteoporotic conditions at a low economic cost.

The influence of osteoporosis on mechanical complications in lumbar fusion surgery: a systematic review.

Background: Adults undergoing spine surgery often have underlying osteoporosis, which may be a risk factor for postoperative complications. Although these associations have been described, osteoporosis remains profoundly underdiagnosed and undertreated in the spine surgery population. A thorough, comprehensive systematic review summarizing the relationships between bone mineral density (BMD) and specific complications of lumbar fusion surgery could be a valuable resource for raising awareness and supporting clinical practice changes. Methods: PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases were searched for original clinical research articles reporting on BMD, or surrogate measure, as a predictor of complications in adults undergoing elective lumbar fusion for degenerative disease or deformity. Endpoints included cage subsidence, screw loosening, pseudarthrosis, vertebral fracture, junctional complications, and reoperation. Results: A total of 71 studies comprising 12,278 patients were included. Overall, considerable heterogeneity in study populations, methods of bone health assessment, and definition and evaluation of clinical endpoints precluded meta-analysis. Nevertheless, low BMD was associated with higher rates of implant failures like cage subsidence and screw loosening, which were often diagnosed with concomitant pseudarthrosis. Osteoporosis was also a significant risk factor for proximal junctional kyphosis, particularly due to fracture. Many studies found surgical site-specific BMD to best predict focal complications. Functional outcomes were inconsistently addressed. Conclusions: Our findings suggest osteoporosis is a significant risk factor for mechanical complications of lumbar fusion. These results emphasize the importance of preoperative osteoporosis screening, which allows for medical and surgical optimization of high-risk patients. This review also highlights current practical challenges facing bone health evaluation in patients undergoing elective surgery. Future prospective studies using standardized methods are necessary to strengthen existing evidence, identify optimal predictive thresholds, and establish specialty-specific practice guidelines. In the meantime, an awareness of the surgical implications of osteoporosis and utility of preoperative screening can provide for more informed, effective patient care.

Intracranial cerebrovascular lesions on T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain has been implemented to evaluate multiple intracranial pathologies. Non-contrast T2-weighted images are a routinely acquired sequence in almost all neuroimaging protocols. It is not uncommon to encounter various cerebrovascular lesions incidentally on brain imaging. Neuroradiologists should evaluate the routine T2-weighted images for incidental cerebrovascular lesions, irrespective of the primary indication of the study. Vascular structures typically demonstrate a low signal flow-void on the T2-weighted images. In our experience, large cerebrovascular abnormalities are easily visible to a typical neuroradiologist. In this article, we present the spectrum of the characteristic imaging appearance of various intracranial cerebrovascular lesions on routine non-contrast T2-weighted MRI. These include aneurysm, arteriovenous malformation, arterial occlusion, capillary telangiectasia, cavernous malformation, dural arteriovenous fistula, moyamoya, proliferative angiopathy, and vein of Galen malformation.

Opportunistic Screening of Chronic Liver Disease with Deep Learning Enhanced Echocardiography.

Importance: Chronic liver disease affects more than 1.5 billion adults worldwide, however the majority of cases are asymptomatic and undiagnosed. Echocardiography is broadly performed and visualizes the liver; but this information is not leveraged. Objective: To develop and evaluate a deep learning algorithm on echocardiography videos to enable opportunistic screening for chronic liver disease. Design: Retrospective observational cohorts. Setting: Two large urban academic medical centers. Participants: Adult patients who received echocardiography and abdominal imaging (either abdominal ultrasound or abdominal magnetic resonance imaging) with ≤30 days between tests, between July 4, 2012, to June 4, 2022. Exposure: Deep learning model predictions from a deep-learning computer vision pipeline that identifies subcostal view echocardiogram videos and detects the presence of cirrhosis or steatotic liver disease (SLD). Main Outcome and Measures: Clinical diagnosis by paired abdominal ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Results: A total of 1,596,640 echocardiogram videos (66,922 studies from 24,276 patients) from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center (CSMC) were used to develop EchoNet-Liver, an automated pipeline that identifies high quality subcostal images from echocardiogram studies and detects the presence of cirrhosis or SLD. In the held-out CSMC test cohort, EchoNet-Liver was able to detect the presence of cirrhosis with an AUC of 0.837 (0.789 - 0.880) and SLD with an AUC of 0.799 (0.758 - 0.837). In a separate test cohort with paired abdominal MRIs, cirrhosis was detected with an AUC of 0.704 (0.689-0.718) and SLD was detected with an AUC of 0.726 (0.659-0.790). In an external test cohort of 106 patients (n = 5,280 videos), the model detected cirrhosis with an AUC of 0.830 (0.738 - 0.909) and SLD with an AUC of 0.768 (0.652 - 0.875). Conclusions and Relevance: Deep learning assessment of clinical echocardiography enables opportunistic screening of SLD and cirrhosis. Application of this algorithm may identify patients who may benefit from further diagnostic testing and treatment for chronic liver disease.

Primary care provider perspectives on the value of opportunistic CT screening.

BACKGROUND: Clinical adoption of AI applications requires stakeholders see value in their use. AI-enabled opportunistic-CT-screening (OS) capitalizes on incidentally-detected findings within CTs for potential health benefit. This study evaluates primary care providers' (PCP) perspectives on OS. METHODS: A survey was distributed to US Internal and Family Medicine residencies. Assessed were familiarity with AI and OS, perspectives on potential value/costs, communication of results, and technology implementation. RESULTS: 62 % of respondents (n = 71) were in Family Medicine, 64.8 % practiced in community hospitals. Although 74.6 % of respondents had heard of AI/machine learning, 95.8 % had little-to-no familiarity with OS. The majority reported little-to-no trust in AI. Reported concerns included AI accuracy (74.6 %) and unknown liability (73.2 %). 78.9 % of respondents reported that OS applications would require radiologist oversight. 53.5 % preferred OS results be included in a separate "screening" section within the Radiology report, accompanied by condition risks and management recommendations. The majority of respondents reported results would likely affect clinical management for all queried applications, and that atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk, abdominal aortic aneurysm, and liver fibrosis should be included within every CT report regardless of reason for examination. 70.5 % felt that PCP practices are unlikely to pay for OS. Added costs to the patient (91.5 %), the healthcare provider (77.5 %), and unknown liability (74.6 %) were the most frequently reported concerns. CONCLUSION: PCP preferences and concerns around AI-enabled OS offer insights into clinical value and costs. As AI applications grow, feedback from end-users should be considered in the development of such technology to optimize implementation and adoption. Increasing stakeholder familiarity with AI may be a critical prerequisite first step before stakeholders consider implementation.

End-to-End Semi-Supervised Opportunistic Osteoporosis Screening Using Computed Tomography.

BACKGRUOUND: Osteoporosis is the most common metabolic bone disease and can cause fragility fractures. Despite this, screening utilization rates for osteoporosis remain low among populations at risk. Automated bone mineral density (BMD) estimation using computed tomography (CT) can help bridge this gap and serve as an alternative screening method to dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). METHODS: The feasibility of an opportunistic and population agnostic screening method for osteoporosis using abdominal CT scans without bone densitometry phantom-based calibration was investigated in this retrospective study. A total of 268 abdominal CT-DXA pairs and 99 abdominal CT studies without DXA scores were obtained from an oncology specialty clinic in the Republic of Korea. The center axial CT slices from the L1, L2, L3, and L4 lumbar vertebrae were annotated with the CT slice level and spine segmentation labels for each subject. Deep learning models were trained to localize the center axial slice from the CT scan of the torso, segment the vertebral bone, and estimate BMD for the top four lumbar vertebrae. RESULTS: Automated vertebra-level DXA measurements showed a mean absolute error (MAE) of 0.079, Pearson's r of 0.852 (P<0.001), and R2 of 0.714. Subject-level predictions on the held-out test set had a MAE of 0.066, Pearson's r of 0.907 (P<0.001), and R2 of 0.781. CONCLUSION: CT scans collected during routine examinations without bone densitometry calibration can be used to generate DXA BMD predictions.

Evaluation of a HIV screening strategy in the hospital setting to reduce undiagnosed infection.

INTRODUCTION: In Spain, half of new HIV diagnoses are late and a significant proportion of people living with HIV have not yet been diagnosed. Our aim was to evaluate the effectiveness of an automated opportunistic HIV screening strategy in the hospital setting. METHODS: Between April 2022 and September 2023, HIV testing was performed on all patients in whom a hospital admission analytical profile, a pre-surgical profile and several pre-designed serological profiles (fever of unknown origin, pneumonia, mononucleosis, hepatitis, infection of sexual transmission, rash, endocarditis and myopericarditis) was requested. A circuit was started to refer patients the specialists. RESULTS: 6407 HIV tests included in the profiles were performed and 18 (0.3%) new cases were diagnosed (26.4% of diagnoses in the health area). Five patients were diagnosed by hospital admission and pre-surgery profile and 13 by a serological profile requested for indicator entities (fever of unknown origin, sexually transmitted infection, mononucleosis) or possibly associated (pneumonia) with HIV occult infection. Recent infection was documented in 5 (27.8%) patients and late diagnosis in 9 (50.0%), of whom 5 (55.5%) had previously missed the opportunity to be diagnosed. CONCLUSIONS: This opportunistic screening was profitable since the positive rate of 0.3% is cost-effective and allowed a quarter of new diagnoses to be made, so it seems a good strategy that contributes to reducing hidden infection and late diagnosis.

Lack of social support, gender and colorectal cancer screening participation across Europe: How do screening programmes mitigate the effect of social support for men and women?

This study investigates how a lack of social support differentially affects men and women's colorectal cancer (CRC) screening participation, considering different screening strategies implemented across European countries. Although health sociology has stressed gender differences in social support and its effects on health behaviours, this was overlooked by cancer screening research. Using a data set of 65,961 women and 55,602 men in 31 European countries, we analysed the effect of social support variables on CRC screening uptake. We found that living alone and lower perceived social support were associated with lower screening uptake for both men and women. These effects were, however, stronger among men. Population-based screening programmes mitigated these effects, particularly for women, but not for men living alone. In countries with opportunistic screening programmes, social support variables remained associated with screening uptake. We conclude that cancer screening interventions should pay attention to social support and its gender-differentiated effects.

Performance of anterior segment OCT-based algorithms in the opportunistic screening for primary angle-closure disease.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the performance of deep learning algorithms in the opportunistic screening for primary angle-closure disease (PACD) using combined anterior segment parameters. Methods: This was an observational, cross-sectional hospital-based study. Patients with PACD and healthy controls who underwent comprehensive eye examinations, including gonioscopy and anterior segment optical coherence tomography (ASOCT) examinations under both light and dark conditions, were consecutively enrolled from the Department of Ophthalmology at the Beijing Tongren Hospital between November 2020 and June 2022. The anterior chamber, anterior chamber angle, iris, and lens parameters were assessed using ASOCT. To build the prediction models, backward logistic regression was utilized to select the variables to discriminate patients with PACD from normal participants, and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was used to evaluate the efficacy of the opportunistic screening. Results: The data from 199 patients (199 eyes) were included in the final analysis and divided into two groups: PACD (109 eyes) and controls (90 eyes). Angle opening distance at 500 µm, anterior chamber area, and iris curvature measured in the light condition were included in the final prediction models. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.968, with a sensitivity of 91.74 % and a specificity of 91.11 %. Conclusion: ASOCT-based algorithms showed excellent diagnostic performance in the opportunistic screening for PACD. These results provide a promising basis for future research on the development of an angle-closure probability scoring system for PACD screening.

Design of the Dutch multicentre study on opportunistic screening of geriatric patients for atrial fibrillation using a smartphone PPG app: the Dutch-GERAF study.

BACKGROUND: Screening of high-risk patients is advocated to achieve early detection and treatment of clinical atrial fibrillation (AF). The Dutch-GERAF study will address two major issues. Firstly, the effectiveness and feasibility of an opportunistic screening strategy for clinical AF will be assessed in frail older patients and, secondly, observational data will be gathered regarding the efficacy and safety of oral anticoagulation (OAC). METHODS: This is a multicentre study on opportunistic screening of geriatric patients for clinical AF using a smartphone photoplethysmography (PPG) application. Inclusion criteria are age ≥ 65 years and the ability to perform at least three PPG recordings within 6 months. Exclusion criteria are the presence of a cardiac implantable device, advanced dementia or a severe tremor. The PPG application records patients' pulse at their fingertip and determines the likelihood of clinical AF. If clinical AF is suspected after a positive PPG recording, a confirmatory electrocardiogram is performed. Patients undergo a comprehensive geriatric assessment and a frailty index is calculated. Risk scores for major bleeding (MB) are applied. Standard laboratory testing and additional laboratory analyses are performed to determine the ABC-bleeding risk score. Follow-up data will be collected at 6 months, 12 months and 3 years on the incidence of AF, MB, hospitalisation, stroke, progression of cognitive disorders and mortality. DISCUSSION: The Dutch-GERAF study will focus on frail older patients, who are underrepresented in randomised clinical trials. It will provide insight into the effectiveness of screening for clinical AF and the efficacy and safety of OAC in this high-risk population. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT05337202.

Overcoming the real and imagined barriers to cholesterol screening in pediatrics.

Recent guidance by the United States Preventive Services Task Force has renewed the debate surrounding the benefits of pediatric lipid screening. This commentary reviews the evolution of the pediatric lipid screening recommendations in the United States, followed by an exploration of real and imagined challenges that prevent optimal cholesterol screening rates in children. Real challenges substantively prevent the uptake of these guidelines into practice; imagined challenges, such as identifying the best age to screen, are often context-dependent and can also be surmounted. Experiences from other countries identify potential facilitators to improving screening and additional barriers. Implementation science provides guidance on overcoming the real barriers, translating evidence-based recommendations into clinical practice, and informing the next wave of solutions to overcome these challenges.

Simplified S1 Vertebral Bone Quality Score in the Assessment of Patients with Vertebral Fragility Fractures.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of the S1 vertebral bone quality (VBQ) score in assessing bone quality among patients with vertebral fragility fractures (VFF). Additionally, whether the combination of S1 VBQ and Hounsfield unit (HU) values improves the predictive accuracy of VFF. METHODS: Using lumbar noncontrast computed tomography and T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging, we measured L1 HU values, S1 VBQ, and L1-L4 VBQ. To assess their predictive performance for VFF, we constructed receiver operating characteristic curves. We also compared the diagnostic efficacy of HU values with that of S1 VBQ and L1--L4 VBQ values for the joint diagnosis of VFF. The Delong test was used to compare the value of individual or combined predictions of VFF. RESULTS: In comparison to the nonfracture group, all patients exhibited markedly elevated S1 VBQ and L1--L4 VBQ and notably reduced HU values (P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed that elevated S1 VBQ, increased L1--L4 VBQ, and decreased HU values independently correlated with VFF development. The areas under the curve for VFF prediction were 0.806 for S1 VBQ, 0.799 for L1--L4 VBQ, and 0.820 for HU values. According to the Delong test, the combination of HU values with S1 VBQ/L1--L4 VBQ significantly improved the diagnostic accuracy. CONCLUSIONS: The simplified S1 VBQ is a valuable tool for predicting the occurrence of VFF and can be used as an alternative to the L1--L4 VBQ. In addition, the combination of S1 VBQ and HU values can significantly improve the predictive value of VFF.

Cost-Effectiveness of Artificial Intelligence-Based Opportunistic Compression Fracture Screening of Existing Radiographs.

PURPOSE: Osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCFs) are a highly prevalent source of morbidity and mortality, and preventive treatment has been demonstrated to be both effective and cost effective. To take advantage of the information available on existing chest and abdominal radiographs, the authors' study group has developed software to access these radiographs for OVCFs with high sensitivity and specificity using an established artificial intelligence deep learning algorithm. The aim of this analysis was to assess the potential cost-effectiveness of implementing this software. METHODS: A deterministic expected-value cost-utility model was created, combining a tree model and a Markov model, to compare the strategies of opportunistic screening for OVCFs against usual care. Total costs and total quality-adjusted life-years were calculated for each strategy. Screening and treatment costs were considered from a limited societal perspective, at 2022 prices. RESULTS: In the base case, assuming a cost of software implantation of $10 per patient screened, the screening strategy dominated the nonscreening strategy: it resulted in lower cost and increased quality-adjusted life-years. The lower cost was due primarily to the decreased costs associated with fracture treatment and decreased probability of requiring long-term care in patients who received preventive treatment. The screening strategy was dominant up to a cost of $46 per patient screened. CONCLUSIONS: Artificial intelligence-based opportunistic screening for OVCFs on existing radiographs can be cost effective from a societal perspective.

Breast cancer screening and early diagnosis in China: a systematic review and meta-analysis on 10.72 million women.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of breast cancer among Chinese women has gradually increased in recent years. This study aims to analyze the situation of breast cancer screening programs in China and compare the cancer detection rates (CDRs), early-stage cancer detection rates (ECDRs), and the proportions of early-stage cancer among different programs. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies in multiple literature databases. Studies that were published between January 1, 2010 and June 30, 2023 were retrieved. A random effects model was employed to pool the single group rate, and subgroup analyses were carried out based on screening model, time, process, age, population, and follow-up method. RESULTS: A total of 35 studies, including 47 databases, satisfied the inclusion criteria. Compared with opportunistic screening, the CDR (1.32‰, 95% CI: 1.10‰-1.56‰) and the ECDR (0.82‰, 95% CI: 0.66‰-0.99‰) were lower for population screening, but the proportion of early-stage breast cancer (80.17%, 95% CI: 71.40%-87.83%) was higher. In subgroup analysis, the CDR of population screening was higher in the urban group (2.28‰, 95% CI: 1.70‰-2.94‰), in the breast ultrasonography (BUS) in parallel with mammography (MAM) group (3.29‰, 95% CI: 2.48‰-4.21‰), and in the second screening follow-up group (2.47‰, 95% CI: 1.64‰-3.47‰), and the proportion of early-stage breast cancer was 85.70% (95% CI: 68.73%-97.29%), 88.18% (95% CI: 84.53%-91.46%), and 90.05% (95% CI: 84.07%-94.95%), respectively. CONCLUSION: There were significant differences between opportunistic and population screening programs. The results of these population screening studies were influenced by the screening process, age, population, and follow-up method. In the future, China should carry out more high-quality and systematic population-based screening programs to improve screening coverage and service.

Opportunistic screening for hepatitis C virus infection in an emergency department in Almeria, Spain. / Cribado oportunista del virus de la hepatitis C en un servicio de urgencias en Almería, España.

OBJECTIVES: The prevalence of active hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in Spain is estimated to be 0.2%, but a large number of persons are unaware of their infection status. Additional approaches to early diagnosis of HCV infection in vulnerable populations with scarce contact with the national health care system are therefore needed. Our aim was to evaluate the impact of an opportunistic screening program to detect HCV-infected patients attended in our university hospital emergency department (ED). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Opportunistic screening was implemented from August 2021 to April 2023 in ED patients aged 18 to 69 years. The test was ordered if HCV screening had not been done in the last year and blood extraction for testing was indicated for any reason as part of routine ED care. RESULTS: A total of 110 267 patients were seen; 22 712 of them (20.6%) were eligible for screening. Serology for HCV was done for 11 368 of the eligible patients (50.1%). Forty-three cases (in 0.4% of tested samples) of active HCV infection (viremia) were found. In 24 of these cases (56%) the patients had not been aware that they were infected. Their mean (SD) age was 57 (6) years, 34 (79.1%) were men, and 5 (11.6%) were citizens of countries other than Spain. No risk factors related to HCV infection could be found for 22 of the patients (51.2%), and 41 (95.3%) could have been diagnosed during previous contact with the health care system. Of the 18 patients evaluated by transient elastography (FibroScan), 7 (38.8%) had signs of cirrhosis at the time of diagnosis. Thirty-three of the patients with active infections (77%) were subsequently able to access care. CONCLUSION: The rate of active HCV infection in the screening program was higher than the prevalence estimated for the general population. Opportunistic screening for HCV during ED visits is useful for increasing the number of diagnoses and should be considered as a tool for eradicating this disease.

OBJETIVO: Se estima que la prevalencia de infección activa por el virus de la hepatitis C (VHC) en España es de un 0,2%, pero un gran número de personas desconocen su estado de infección. Por ello, se requiere aumentar las estrategias de diagnóstico precoz dirigidas a población vulnerable y con escaso vínculo con el sistema sanitario. El objetivo es evaluar el impacto de un programa de cribado oportunista del VHC en los pacientes atendidos en el servicio de urgencias (SU) de un hospital universitario. METODO: Se realizó un cribado oportunista entre agosto de 2021 y abril de 2023 a los pacientes de 18 a 69 años atendidos en el SU que no se habían realizado la prueba del VHC el año anterior, y que requerían un análisis de sangre dentro de la práctica clínica habitual por cualquier motivo. RESULTADOS: Durante el periodo de estudio se atendieron 110.267 pacientes en el SU, fueron candidatos a realizar el cribado 22.712 (20,6%), y finalmente se realizó una serología frente al VHC a 11.368 pacientes (50,1%). Se identificaron 43 casos (0,4% de los test efectuados) de infección activa por VHC (viremia), de los cuales, 24 (56%) desconocían previamente su estado. La media de edad del total de pacientes virémicos fue de 57 (DE: 6 años), 34 (79,1%) eran hombres y 5 (11,6%) tenían nacionalidades distintas a la española. No se identificaron factores de riesgo relacionados con la infección por VHC en 22 (51,2%) de los pacientes, y 41 (95,3%) habían tenido oportunidades de diagnóstico en visitas previas al sistema de salud. De los 18 pacientes analizados mediante elastografía transitoria, 7 (38,8%) presentaban cirrosis en el momento del diagnóstico. Se logró vincular a la atención médica posterior a 33 (77%) de los pacientes con infección activa. CONCLUSIONES: Las tasas de infección activa por VHC detectadas en el programa de cribado fueron más altas que la prevalencia estimada en la población general. El cribado oportunista de VHC en los SU puede ser de utilidad para aumentar el diagnóstico y debe ser considerado como una herramienta para la eliminación de la hepatitis C.

Cervical cancer screening activity in the Capital Region of Denmark before, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

OBJECTIVE: Denmark went through various COVID-19 pandemic restrictions including periodic lockdowns from March 2020 to January 2022. All cancer screening programs were kept operational, yet access to clinicians for cervical screening was at times limited. We assessed the impact of the pandemic on cervical cancer screening activity in the Capital Region of Denmark. METHODS: Cervical screening activity was defined as regular screening by invitation, opportunistic screening, and screening participation by HPV self-sampling. Activity was monitored during and post-pandemic and compared relatively to a 3-year pre-pandemic reference. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The activity of cervical cancer screening was initially affected by the pandemic lockdowns, but increased activity during summer 2020 partly compensated this effect. Regular screening activity decreased 8.4% in 2020 and returned to pre-pandemic levels in 2021. During 2022 restrictions were removed and the decrease in activity was recorded to be 2.3%. Opportunistic screening activity was reduced by 14.3% in 2020 and 12.6% in 2021. A continued post-pandemic opportunistic screening activity reduction of 18.5% was observed, possibly related to changed patterns of primary health care use introduced during the pandemic. Screening by HPV self-sampling increased from 17.1% in the pre-pandemic period to 21.2% during the pandemic. Significantly more acceptance was recorded amongst older women (p < 0.0001). This increase mirrors the decrease in total clinician collected sample activity during the pandemic, where an increased reduction by age was observed. Post-pandemic HPV self-sampling participation decreased to 12.8%, possible reflecting a temporarily changed composition and motivation in the group of women invited for self-sampling.

Cribado oportunista del virus de la hepatitis C en un servicio de urgencias en Almería, España / Opportunistic screening for hepatitis C virus infection in an emergency department in Almeria, Spain

Objetivo. Se estima que la prevalencia de infección activa por el virus de la hepatitis C (VHC) en España es de un 0,2%, pero un gran número de personas desconocen su estado de infección. Por ello, se requiere aumentar las estrategias de diagnóstico precoz dirigidas a población vulnerable y con escaso vínculo con el sistema sanitario. El objetivo es evaluar el impacto de un programa de cribado oportunista del VHC en los pacientes atendidos en el servicio de urgencias (SU) de un hospital universitario. Método. Se realizó un cribado oportunista entre agosto de 2021 y abril de 2023 a los pacientes de 18 a 69 años atendidos en el SU que no se habían realizado la prueba del VHC el año anterior, y que requerían un análisis de sangre dentro de la práctica clínica habitual por cualquier motivo. Resultados. Durante el periodo de estudio se atendieron 110.267 pacientes en el SU, fueron candidatos a realizar el cribado 22.712 (20,6%), y finalmente se realizó una serología frente al VHC a 11.368 pacientes (50,1%). Se identificaron 43 casos (0,4% de los test efectuados) de infección activa por VHC (viremia), de los cuales, 24 (56%) desconocían previamente su estado. La media de edad del total de pacientes virémicos fue de 57 (DE: 6 años), 34 (79,1%) eran hombres y 5 (11,6%) tenían nacionalidades distintas a la española. No se identificaron factores de riesgo relacionados con la infección por VHC en 22 (51,2%) de los pacientes, y 41 (95,3%) habían tenido oportunidades de diagnóstico en visitas previas al sistema de salud. De los 18 pacientes analizados mediante elastografía transitoria, 7 (38,8%) presentaban cirrosis en el momento del diagnóstico. Se logró vincular a la atención médica posterior a 33 (77%) de los pacientes con infección activa. Conclusiones. Las tasas de infección activa por VHC detectadas en el programa de cribado fueron más altas que la prevalencia estimada en la población general... (AU)

Background and objective. The prevalence of active hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in Spain is estimated to be 0.2%, but a large number of persons are unaware of their infection status. Additional approaches to early diagnosis of HCV infection in vulnerable populations with scarce contact with the national health care system are therefore needed. Our aim was to evaluate the impact of an opportunistic screening program to detect HCV-infected patients attended in our university hospital emergency department (ED). Methods. Opportunistic screening was implemented from August 2021 to April 2023 in ED patients aged 18 to 69 years. The test was ordered if HCV screening had not been done in the last year and blood extraction for testing was indicated for any reason as part of routine ED care. Results. A total of 110 267 patients were seen; 22 712 of them (20.6%) were eligible for screening. Serology for HCV was done for 11 368 of the eligible patients (50.1%). Forty-three cases (in 0.4% of tested samples) of active HCV infection (viremia) were found. In 24 of these cases (56%) the patients had not been aware that they were infected. Their mean (SD) age was 57 (6) years, 34 (79.1%) were men, and 5 (11.6%) were citizens of countries other than Spain. No risk factors related to HCV infection could be found for 22 of the patients (51.2%), and 41 (95.3%) could have been diagnosed during previous contact with the health care system. Of the 18 patients evaluated by transient elastography (FibroScan), 7 (38.8%) had signs of cirrhosis at the time of diagnosis. Thirty-three of the patients with active infections (77%) were subsequently able to access care. Conclusions. The rate of active HCV infection in the screening program was higher than the prevalence estimated for the general population. Opportunistic screening for HCV during ED visits is useful for increasing the number of diagnoses and should be considered as a tool for eradicating this disease. (AU)

Cribado oportunista del virus de la hepatitis C en un servicio de urgencias en Almería, España / Opportunistic screening for hepatitis C virus infection in an emergency department in Almeria, Spain

Objetivo. Se estima que la prevalencia de infección activa por el virus de la hepatitis C (VHC) en España es de un 0,2%, pero un gran número de personas desconocen su estado de infección. Por ello, se requiere aumentar las estrategias de diagnóstico precoz dirigidas a población vulnerable y con escaso vínculo con el sistema sanitario. El objetivo es evaluar el impacto de un programa de cribado oportunista del VHC en los pacientes atendidos en el servicio de urgencias (SU) de un hospital universitario. Método. Se realizó un cribado oportunista entre agosto de 2021 y abril de 2023 a los pacientes de 18 a 69 años atendidos en el SU que no se habían realizado la prueba del VHC el año anterior, y que requerían un análisis de sangre dentro de la práctica clínica habitual por cualquier motivo. Resultados. Durante el periodo de estudio se atendieron 110.267 pacientes en el SU, fueron candidatos a realizar el cribado 22.712 (20,6%), y finalmente se realizó una serología frente al VHC a 11.368 pacientes (50,1%). Se identificaron 43 casos (0,4% de los test efectuados) de infección activa por VHC (viremia), de los cuales, 24 (56%) desconocían previamente su estado. La media de edad del total de pacientes virémicos fue de 57 (DE: 6 años), 34 (79,1%) eran hombres y 5 (11,6%) tenían nacionalidades distintas a la española. No se identificaron factores de riesgo relacionados con la infección por VHC en 22 (51,2%) de los pacientes, y 41 (95,3%) habían tenido oportunidades de diagnóstico en visitas previas al sistema de salud. De los 18 pacientes analizados mediante elastografía transitoria, 7 (38,8%) presentaban cirrosis en el momento del diagnóstico. Se logró vincular a la atención médica posterior a 33 (77%) de los pacientes con infección activa. Conclusiones. Las tasas de infección activa por VHC detectadas en el programa de cribado fueron más altas que la prevalencia estimada en la población general... (AU)

Background and objective. The prevalence of active hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in Spain is estimated to be 0.2%, but a large number of persons are unaware of their infection status. Additional approaches to early diagnosis of HCV infection in vulnerable populations with scarce contact with the national health care system are therefore needed. Our aim was to evaluate the impact of an opportunistic screening program to detect HCV-infected patients attended in our university hospital emergency department (ED). Methods. Opportunistic screening was implemented from August 2021 to April 2023 in ED patients aged 18 to 69 years. The test was ordered if HCV screening had not been done in the last year and blood extraction for testing was indicated for any reason as part of routine ED care. Results. A total of 110 267 patients were seen; 22 712 of them (20.6%) were eligible for screening. Serology for HCV was done for 11 368 of the eligible patients (50.1%). Forty-three cases (in 0.4% of tested samples) of active HCV infection (viremia) were found. In 24 of these cases (56%) the patients had not been aware that they were infected. Their mean (SD) age was 57 (6) years, 34 (79.1%) were men, and 5 (11.6%) were citizens of countries other than Spain. No risk factors related to HCV infection could be found for 22 of the patients (51.2%), and 41 (95.3%) could have been diagnosed during previous contact with the health care system. Of the 18 patients evaluated by transient elastography (FibroScan), 7 (38.8%) had signs of cirrhosis at the time of diagnosis. Thirty-three of the patients with active infections (77%) were subsequently able to access care. Conclusions. The rate of active HCV infection in the screening program was higher than the prevalence estimated for the general population. Opportunistic screening for HCV during ED visits is useful for increasing the number of diagnoses and should be considered as a tool for eradicating this disease. (AU)

Utilization of opportunistic cervical cancer screening in Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: While various interventions have been conducted to decrease cervical cancer's burden in Nigeria, no study has examined the trends in cervical cancer screening uptake over time. The present study sought to fill this gap in knowledge using data collected at Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) in Nigeria. METHODS: Data collected continuously between 2006 and 2016 were analyzed to identify trends in screening uptake, changes in risk factors for cervical cancer, and to identify factors for women screened at Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) in Jos, Nigeria. Categorical analyses and logistic regression models were used to describe patient characteristics by year, and to identify factors associated with repeated screening uptake. RESULTS: A total of 14,088 women who were screened between 2006 and 2016 were included in the database; 2,800 women had more than one screening visit. Overall, screening uptake differed significantly by year. On average women were first screened at age 38. About 2% of women screened were women living with HIV. Most women (86%) had normal pap smear at first screening, with the greatest decreased risk of abnormalities observed between 2011 and 2014. Odds of a follow-up screening after a normal result decreased significantly between 2008 and 2016 compared to women screened in 2006 and 2007. Finally, women living with HIV had increased odds of follow-up screening after having a normal pap smear. CONCLUSIONS: These findings contribute to our understanding of the potential social and health system barriers to cervical cancer control in Nigeria. The findings may assist policy makers to design interventions to increase access and compliance to recommended screening schedules in this vulnerable population.