Health determinants among participants in targeted health dialogues offered to all 40-year-old individuals in a metropolitan region of 1.4 million people.

OBJECTIVE: To examine cardiovascular risk factors in 40-year-old participants in the health screening program targeted health dialogues (THDs). DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: 99 Swedish healthcare centers. INTERVENTION: Metabolic risk factors and health behaviors were assessed. THDs were provided. SUBJECTS: 1831 (62.3%) THD participants that consented to take part in the research project. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: (1) Prevalence of metabolic risk factors (blood pressure, LDL cholesterol, fasting plasma glucose, BMI, waist-hip ratio) and unhealthy behaviors (tobacco, alcohol, diet, physical activity) by sex, education, and place of birth. (2) Associations between different health behaviors and between the number of unhealthy behaviors and prevalence of metabolic risk factors. (3) THD participation by sociodemographics compared to age-matched controls. RESULTS: Men had a higher prevalence of all metabolic risk factors, excessive alcohol use and tobacco use than women. Lower educated individuals had a higher prevalence of metabolic risk factors (except for LDL cholesterol) and tobacco use than highly educated. Participants born outside Sweden had a higher prevalence of obesity, high waist-hip ratio, and tobacco use. Participants with 3-4 unhealthy behaviors had significantly higher prevalence of each of the metabolic risk factors except BMI. Women, highly educated and Swedish-born participants were slightly over-represented in the THDs. CONCLUSION: Considering the associations between unhealthy behaviors and metabolic risk factors, the THD method, covering lifestyle as well as objective health measures, may be an appropriate method for early identification of individuals at risk for future non-communicable diseases in the whole population with a specific focus on certain groups. CLINICALTRIALS.GOV: NCT04912739.

The study presents health determinants in 40-year-old targeted health dialogue (THD) participants in a Swedish metropolitan, multi-ethnic region.Only half of the men had normal blood pressure and less than 40% had a BMI < 25 kg/m².Having 3­4 unhealthy behaviors was associated with significantly higher prevalence of all metabolic risk factors (except BMI) compared to zero unhealthy behaviors.The predominance of female, highly educated and Swedish-born participants in THDs calls for a targeted outreach to certain population groups.

Active-Duty Sailor Develops PFO-Associated Decompression Sickness: Do Occupational Divers Warrant Alternative Cardiac Screening Standards?

We report a case of an active-duty diver who developed severe decompression sickness with concomitant patent foramen ovale that was successfully closed contrary to standard guideline recommendations. This case should prompt evaluation of the role of cardiac screening in occupational divers, including tactical athletes, relative to recreational divers.

Subcutaneous advanced glycation end products, cardiovascular risk factors and vascular health during childhood development in a Swiss population.

Background: Skin-derived advanced glycation end products (sAGEs) have been associated with cardiovascular (CV) risk and mortality in adults. We hypothesize that cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), body mass index (BMI) and vascular health are associated with development of sAGEs during childhood. Methods: In our prospective cohort study, 1171 children aged 6-8 years were screened for sAGEs, BMI, retinal arteriolar diameters (CRAE) and pulse wave velocity (PWV), using standardized procedures. To determine CRF a 20 m shuttle run was performed. After four 4 years, all parameters were assessed in 675 children using the same protocols. Results: Higher initial CRF levels were significantly associated with lower sAGEs (ß [95 CI] -0.02 [-0.03 to -0.002] au, p = 0.022) levels at follow-up, although they showed a greater change from baseline to follow-up (ß [95 CI] 0.02 [0.002 to 0.03] au, p = 0.027). Moreover, individuals with higher sAGEs at baseline showed narrower CRAE (ß [95% CI] -5.42 [-8.76 to -2.08] µm, p = 0.001) at follow-up and showed a greater change in CRAE (ß [95% CI] -3.99 [-7.03 to -0.96] µm, p = 0.010) from baseline to follow-up. Conclusion: Exercise and higher CRF may help mitigate the formation of AGEs during childhood, thereby reducing the risk for development of CV disease associated with AGEs-induced damage. Preventive strategies may need to target CRF early in life to achieve improvement of CV risk factors and may counteract the development of CV disease later in life.

Cardiovascular predicted risk: A population-based comparison of the pooled cohorts equation and PREVENT.

BACKGROUND: While the new cardiovascular risk score (PREVENT) has improvements, its implementation may lead to significant changes in the distribution of atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases (ASCVD) in the United States. We aimed to quantify and characterize the distribution of the 10-year predicted absolute ASCVD risk using the Pooled Cohorts Equation (PCE) and PREVENT. METHODS: We utilized the latest (2017-March 2020) round of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Accounting for the complex survey design of the NHANES, we computed the mean predicted ASCVD risk overall and by sex, race, and education; similarly, we computed the prevalence of cardiovascular risk groups (<5%, 5%-7.4%, 7.5%-19.9%, and ≥ 20%). RESULTS: The study included 3845 observations, representing 109,692,509 people. Using the PREVENT calculator resulted in a reduction of the mean 10-year ASCVD absolute risk by half compared to the PCE: 9.1% vs 4.7%. Under the PCE, the high-risk category accounted for 12.5% of the population, whereas under PREVENT it fell to 0.4%. Among those previously classified as high-risk under the PCE, 3.5% would remain in this category with PREVENT, while 93% would be reclassified as intermediate risk. CONCLUSIONS: The adoption of the novel cardiovascular risk score, PREVENT, could lower the average predicted ASCVD risk and reduce the prevalence of high-risk individuals. While this shift might suggest improved cardiovascular health, it could also lead to complacency, potentially undermining ongoing public health efforts aimed at preventing cardiovascular disease.

Maternal modifiable factors and risk of congenital heart defects: systematic review and causality assessment.

OBJECTIVE: Primary prevention strategies are critical to reduce the global burden of congenital heart defects (CHDs); this requires robust knowledge of causal agents. We aimed to review associations between CHDs and maternal advanced age, obesity, diabetes, hypertension, smoking and alcohol consumption and assess the causal nature of the associations. DESIGN: Systematic review of reviews with application of a Bradford Hill criteria score-based causal assessment system. DATA SOURCES: We searched PubMed, Embase and Episteminokos (January 1990-April 2023). ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: Systematic reviews of original epidemiological studies reporting association (relative risk) between one or more of the above maternal factors and CHDs overall (any type) in subsequent offspring. DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS: Two independent reviewers selected eligible reviews, assessed the risk of bias and assigned the strength of evidence for causality. RESULTS: There was strong evidence of a causal relationship between CHDs and maternal obesity (prepregnancy and early pregnancy) and pre-existing diabetes (six of seven Bradford Hill criteria met). For pre-existing hypertension (strength and biological gradient not met), and advanced age (strength, consistency and biological gradient not met), causal evidence was moderate. Evidence for the causal contribution of gestational diabetes, gestational hypertension, smoking and alcohol consumption was weak (strength, consistency, temporality and biological gradient not met). CONCLUSIONS: CHDs can be reduced with stronger action to reduce maternal obesity and pre-existing diabetes prevalence. Investigating environmental exposures that have received limited attention, such as air pollutants and chemical exposures, is important to further inform prevention.

Associations between Long-Term Dietary Coenzyme Q10 Intake and New-Onset Hypertension in Adults: Insights from a Nationwide Prospective Cohort Study.

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) supplementation appears to be associated with a lower blood pressure. Nevertheless, it remains unclear whether food-sourced CoQ10 will affect new-onset hypertension in general adults. This study investigated the relationship between dietary CoQ10 intake and new-onset hypertension among the general population. Participants without hypertension at baseline from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) prospective cohort study were included (n = 11,428). Dietary CoQ10 intake was collected by validated dietary recalls and the food weighing method. Linear and non-linear relationships between dietary CoQ10 intake and new-onset hypertension were analyzed using multivariable Cox proportional hazards models and restricted cubic splines. During follow-up (median: 6 years), 4006 new-onset hypertension cases were documented. Compared with non-consumers, the hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) from quintile 2 to 4 total dietary CoQ10 were 0.83 (0.76, 0.91), 0.86 (0.78, 0.94) and 1.01 (0.92, 1.11); total plant-derived CoQ10 were 0.80 (0.73, 0.88), 1.00 (0.91, 1.09) and 1.10 (1.00, 1.20); and animal-derived CoQ10 were 0.65 (0.59, 0.71), 0.58 (0.53, 0.64) and 0.68 (0.62, 0.75). The lowest risk was found at moderate intake, with a non-linear relationship (P nonlinearity < 0.05). Furthermore, the overall inverse association was stronger among individuals without alcohol consumption or eating a low-fat diet. Moderate long-term dietary CoQ10 intake might be protective against new-onset hypertension. However, it follows a non-linear relationship and excessive intake may increase the risk of new-onset hypertension in the Chinese population.

Gender Disparity of Automatic Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator Placement for Primary Prevention: National Inpatient Sample Analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Automatic implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (AICDs) for the primary prevention of sudden cardiac death have become standard care for patients with systolic heart failure (sHF) and ejection fraction ≤35%. While the prevalence of sHF and rates of hospitalization are higher in men, one would expect equivalent rates of implantation in women. METHODS: We used the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project's National Inpatient Sample (NIS) from 2009 to 2018 to identify patient visits with sHF and AICD implantation. The comorbidities and outcomes were compared based on gender. RESULTS: There were 15,247,854 inpatient admissions for sHF, of which 60.3% were males (95% CI: 60.1%-60.4%) and 39.8% females (95% CI: 39.7%-39.9%). Approximately 2% of patients (294,726) underwent the insertion of an AICD for primary prevention: 72.3% males (95% CI: 71.9%-72.7%) and 27.72% females (95% CI: 27.3%-28.1%). There was no significant difference in age (p = 0.29), length of stay (p = 0.09), and inpatient mortality (p = 0.18). CONCLUSION: In this study, women accounted for approximately 40% of patients admitted with the diagnosis of sHF; however, they accounted for less than 30% of patients who underwent the insertion of an AICD. Further research is needed to better understand this gender disparity and identify reasons for the lower rates of AICD placement in women.

[Observations on the dengue vaccination strategy in Argentina]. / Observaciones sobre la estrategia de vacunación contra el dengue en Argentina.

A new dengue vaccine has recently been licensed in Argentina, with the Argentine government planning to acquire it in order to develop a vaccination strategy. As the disease is gradually following a path to endemicity in some regions of the country, the incorporation of these vaccines will have the potential to tackle the growing incidence of the disease and to reduce the disease burden. However, the establishment of the vaccination programme may also be susceptible of threats related to the epidemiological shift of the disease. Selecting a specific age group for the vaccine may result in a change in the peak incidence to other age groups more susceptible to severe forms of the disease, such as children or the elderly. Furthermore, the perception of protection following vaccine introduction in one jurisdiction may reduce adherence to vector control activities, increasing the risk of virus introduction and transmission in other areas not prioritised by the vaccination strategy, and the risk of other arboviral diseases such as Zika and chikungunya fever. These and other potential limitations to be considered prior to the implementation of vaccination programmes are discussed in this article, with a series of recommendations on how to address these concerns. These recommendations can help decision makers and public health practitioners at this early stage of the vaccination programme development.

Una nueva vacuna contra el dengue ha sido recientemente aprobada en Argentina, y el gobierno argentino se encuentra planificando su adquisición para desarrollar una estrategia de vacunación. Mientras la enfermedad se está dirigiendo gradualmente hacia la endemicidad en algunas regiones del país, la incorporación de estas vacunas tendrá el potencial de atacar la creciente incidencia de la enfermedad y de reducir su carga. Sin embargo, el establecimiento de un programa de vacunación puede también ser susceptible de amenazas relacionadas con el cambio epidemiológico de la enfermedad. La selección de un grupo de edad específico para la vacunación puede resultar en un cambio en el pico de la incidencia hacia otros grupos de edad más vulnerables a las formas graves de la enfermedad, como los niños o los ancianos. Además, la percepción de protección luego de la introducción de la vacuna en una jurisdicción puede reducir la adherencia a las actividades de control del vector, incrementando el riesgo de introducción y transmisión del virus en otras áreas no priorizadas por la estrategia de vacunación, y aumentando el riesgo de otras arbovirosis como las fiebres Zika y chikungunya. Estas y otras potenciales limitaciones para ser consideradas antes de la implementación de los programas de vacunación son discutidas en este artículo, en conjunto con una serie de recomendaciones sobre cómo abordar estas preocupaciones. Estas recomendaciones pueden resultar de utilidad para los tomadores de decisión y actores sanitarios, en esta etapa temprana del desarrollo de un programa de vacunación.

How Electrical Storms Recur Over Time in Patients With Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators　- Subanalysis of the Nippon Storm Study.

BACKGROUND: Electrical storms (E-storms), defined as multiple fatal ventricular arrhythmias over a short period, negatively affect the prognosis of patients receiving an implantable cardioverter defibrillator or cardiac resynchronization therapy with a defibrillator (ICD/CRT-D). However, the prognostic impact of recurrent E-storms has not been well elucidated. METHODS AND RESULTS: We analyzed the association between E-storm recurrences and mortality using data from 1,274 participants in the Nippon Storm Study, a prospective observational study conducted at 48 ICD/CRT-D centers in Japan. Differences in E-storm recurrences by patient characteristics were evaluated using the mean cumulative function (MCF), which is the cumulative number of E-storm episodes per patient as a function of time. Patients with multiple E-storms had a 3.39-fold higher mortality risk than those without E-storms (95% confidence interval 1.82-6.28; P<0.01). However, there was no significant difference in mortality risk between patients with a single E-storm and those without E-storms. The MCF curve exhibited a slower ascent in patients who received primary prevention ICD/CRT-D than in those who received secondary prevention ICD/CRT-D. However, when analyzing only patients with E-storms, the MCF curves demonstrated comparable trajectories in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: E-storm recurrences may have a negative impact on prognosis. Once patients with primary prevention experience an E-storm episode, they face a similar risk of subsequent recurrent E-storms as patients with secondary prevention.

The Role of Artificial Intelligence in the Primary Prevention of Common Musculoskeletal Diseases.

BACKGROUND: Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are a leading cause of disability worldwide, with a growing burden across all demographics. With advancements in technology, conversational artificial intelligence (AI) platforms such as ChatGPT (OpenAI, San Francisco, CA) have become instrumental in disseminating health information. This study evaluated the effectiveness of ChatGPT versions 3.5 and 4 in delivering primary prevention information for common MSDs, emphasizing that the study is focused on prevention and not on diagnosis. METHODS: This mixed-methods study employed the CLEAR tool to assess the quality of responses from ChatGPT versions in terms of completeness, lack of false information, evidence support, appropriateness, and relevance. Responses were evaluated independently by two expert raters in a blinded manner. Statistical analyses included Wilcoxon signed-rank tests and paired samples t-tests to compare the performance across versions. RESULTS: ChatGPT-3.5 and ChatGPT-4 effectively provided primary prevention information, with overall performance ranging from satisfactory to excellent. Responses for low back pain, fractures, knee osteoarthritis, neck pain, and gout received excellent scores from both versions. Additionally, ChatGPT-4 was better than ChatGPT-3.5 in terms of completeness (p = 0.015), appropriateness (p = 0.007), and relevance (p = 0.036), and ChatGPT-4 performed better across most medical conditions (p = 0.010). CONCLUSIONS: ChatGPT versions 3.5 and 4 are effective tools for disseminating primary prevention information for common MSDs, with ChatGPT-4 showing superior performance. This study underscores the potential of AI in enhancing public health strategies through reliable and accessible health communication. Advanced models such as ChatGPT-4 can effectively contribute to the primary prevention of MSDs by delivering high-quality health information, highlighting the role of AIs in addressing the global burden of chronic diseases. It is important to note that these AI tools are intended for preventive education purposes only and not for diagnostic use. Continuous improvements are necessary to fully harness the potential of AI in preventive medicine. Future studies should explore other AI platforms, languages, and secondary and tertiary prevention measures to maximize the utility of AIs in global health contexts.

Folic acid for the primary prevention of stroke: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objectives: Results from studies were inconsistent with regard to the effect of folic acid on the primary prevention of stroke. The aim of this study was to analyze the association between folic acid and the primary prevention of stroke using the data from observational studies and randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Methods: Eligible publications published until June 2024 were searched in the database of PubMed, Web of Science and Embase. This study included all observational studies and RCTs of folic acid with first stroke as the reporting endpoints. Relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were pooled in the random-effects model to assess the effect of folic acid on the primary prevention of stroke. Results: Results from 12 observational publications with 16 research, including 312,320 participants, were combined to explore the association between dietary folic acid intake and the primary prevention of stroke. The results showed that high dietary folic acid intake was associated with a 17% reduction in stroke incidence (RR:0.83; 95% CI: 0.73-0.94), and the effect of dietary folic acid was greater in areas without grain fortification (RR:0.80; 95% CI: 0.67-0.95). The pooled results from 12 RCTs, totaling 75,042 participants, indicated that folic acid supplementation was not associated with the stroke primary prevention (RR:0.92; 95% CI: 0.80-1.05), but folic acid supplementation was effective in areas without grain fortification (RR:0.78; 95% CI: 0.68-0.89). Conclusion: Our meta-analysis demonstrated that dietary folic acid is effective in stroke primary prevention, and folic acid supplementation is effective in stroke primary prevention only in areas without grain fortification. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/#myprospero, identifier CRD42024516991.

[Recommendations for the prevention of healthcare-associated infections in nursing homes]. / Guía de recomendaciones para la prevención de la infección sociosanitaria en las residencias de mayores.

Nursing homes (NH) although conceptually they should look as much like a home as possible, NH have unquestionable similarities with a nosocomium as they are places where many patients with underlying diseases and comorbidities accumulate and where the transmission of microorganisms between residents and between residents and caregivers is frequent.We have not found any recommendations specifically aimed at the prevention of nosocomial infections in MRI by the major Public Health Agencies and, therefore, the Health Sciences Foundation (Fundación de Ciencias de la Salud) has convened a series of experts and 14 Spanish scientific societies to discuss recommendations that could guide NH personnel in establishing written programs for the control and reduction of these infections. The present document is the result of these deliberations and contains suggestions for establishing such control programs on a voluntary and flexible basis in NH. We also hope that the document can help the health authorities to encourage this control activity in the different territorial areas of Spain. In our opinion, it is necessary to draw up a written plan and establish the figure of a coordinator or person responsible for implementing these projects. The document includes measures to be implemented and ways of quantifying the reality of different problems and of monitoring the impact of the measures established.

Cost-Effectiveness of Population-Based Helicobacter pylori Screening With Eradication for Optimal Age of Implementation.

BACKGROUND: Helicobacter pylori screening with eradication reduces gastric cancer (GC) development. However, it was unknown at what age the H. pylori screening should be implemented to achieve the greatest benefits at the least cost. This study aimed to determine the optimal age of H. pylori screening for primary GC prevention. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A state transition model for a hypothetical cohort of 15-year-olds from a healthcare payer perspective on a lifetime horizon was developed. Nine ages for H. pylori testing were considered: 15, 18, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, and 80 years. H. pylori screening was compared with no screening and annual, biennial, and triennial endoscopies starting at age 50. The main outcomes were costs, quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), life expectancy life-years (LYs), incremental cost-effectiveness ratios, GC cases, stage I GC cases, and GC-related deaths. One-way, two-way, and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed to assess the uncertainty of the parameters. RESULTS: All H. pylori screenings at ages 15-80 were more cost-effective than all endoscopies and no screening. H. pylori screening at age 15 yielded the greatest cost-saving and benefits. The cost-effectiveness was sensitive to the adherence rate of H. pylori screening at age 15. Cost-effectiveness acceptability curves showed that H. pylori screening at age 15 was 99.6% cost-effective at a willingness-to-pay threshold of US$50,000 per QALY gained. Compared with no screening and biennial endoscopy in 15.6 million 15-year-olds from 2022 to 2037, respectively, H. pylori screening at age 15 saves US$9.70 million and US$2.39 billion, increases 1.26 million QALYs with 1312 LYs and 651 LYs, prevents 436 GC cases with 254 stage I GC cases and 305 stage I GC cases, and avoids 176 GC-related deaths and 72 GC-related deaths. CONCLUSIONS: The optimal age for population-based H. pylori screening at ages 15-80 is the youngest, 15 years old. Shifting population-based H. pylori screening to younger people will reduce GC morbidity and mortality worldwide, along with a detailed investigation of the feasibility and long-term consequences of H. pylori eradication at a young age.

The Broader Effects of Delayed Progression to End-Stage Kidney Disease: Delaying the Inevitable or a Meaningful Change?

A global rise in the prevalence of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) has led to a considerable and increasing burden to health systems, patients, and society. Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors are proven to reduce incidence of cardio-renal outcomes, including onset of ESKD. Recent post hoc analyses of SGLT2 inhibitor trials extrapolate substantial delays in the average time to ESKD over a patient's lifetime. In this article, we explore the possible real-world effects of such a delay by considering the available evidence reporting outcomes following onset of ESKD. From the patient perspective, a delay in reaching ESKD could substantially improve health-related quality of life and result in additional life years without the need for kidney replacement therapies, a target relevant to all CKD subpopulations. Furthermore, should a patient initiate dialysis at an older age as a result of CKD progression, the time spent in receipt of dialysis, and therefore associated healthcare costs, may also be reduced. A delay in progression may also lead to changes in the management of ESKD, such as increased election of conservative care in preference to dialysis, particularly in elderly populations. For younger patients with CKD, those who reach ESKD while employed face considerable work impairment and productivity loss, as may families and care partners of working age. Therefore, a delay to the onset of ESKD will reduce the proportion of their working lives affected by productivity losses or unemployment due to medical reasons. In conclusion, optimised treatment of CKD may lead to a shift in treatment options, but proper and timely implementation is essential for the realisation of improved outcomes.

A Causal Model for Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease: The Health Economic Model for the Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease.

OBJECTIVES: Our objective was to design and develop an open-source model capable of simulating interventions for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) that incorporated the cumulative effects of risk factors (eg, cholesterol years or blood-pressure years) to enhance health economic modeling in settings which clinical trials are not possible. METHODS: We reviewed the literature to design the model structure by selecting the most important causal risk factors for CVD-low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), systolic blood pressure (SBP), smoking, diabetes, and lipoprotein (a) (Lp(a))-and most common CVDs-myocardial infarction and stroke. The epidemiological basis of the model involves the simulation of risk factor trajectories, which are used to modify CVD risk via causal effect estimates derived from Mendelian randomization. LDL-C, SBP, Lp(a), and smoking all have cumulative impacts on CVD risk, which were incorporated into the health economic model. The data for the model were primarily sourced from the UK Biobank study. We calibrated the model using clinical trial data and validated the model against the observed UK Biobank data. Finally, we performed an example health economic analysis to demonstrate the utility of the model. The model is open source. RESULTS: The model performed well in all validation tests. It was able to produce interpretable and plausible (consistent with expectations of the existing literature) results from an example health economic analysis. CONCLUSIONS: We have constructed an open-source health economic model capable of incorporating the cumulative effect of LDL-C (ie, cholesterol years), SBP (SBP-years), Lp(a), and smoking on lifetime CVD risk.

Cost-effectiveness analysis and return on investment of SunSmart Western Australia to prevent skin cancer.

Each year, malignant melanoma accounts for 57 000 deaths globally. If current rates continue, there will be an estimated 510 000 new cases annually and 96 000 deaths by 2040. Melanoma and keratinocyte cancers (KCs) incur a large societal burden. Using a mathematical population model, we performed an economic evaluation of the SunSmart program in the state of Western Australia (WA), a primary prevention program to reduce the incidence of skin cancer, versus no program. A societal perspective was taken combining costs to the health system, patients and lost productivity. The model combined data from pragmatic trial evidence of sun protection, epidemiological studies and national cost reports. The main outcomes modelled were societal and government costs, skin cancer counts, melanoma deaths, life years and quality-adjusted life years. Over the next 20 years, the model predicted that implementing the WA SunSmart program would prevent 13 728 KCs, 636 melanomas and 46 melanoma deaths per 100 000 population. Furthermore, 251 life years would be saved, 358 quality-adjusted life years gained and AU$2.95 million in cost savings to society per 100 000 population would be achieved. Key drivers of the model were the rate reduction of benign lesions from sunscreen use, the costs of purchasing sunscreen and the effectiveness of reducing KCs in sunscreen users. The likelihood of WA SunSmart being cost-effective was 90.1%. For the WA Government, the estimated return on investment was $8.70 gained for every $1 invested. Primary prevention of skin cancer is a cost-effective strategy for preventing skin cancers.

Association of Cardiologist Clinic Visits with Cardiovascular Primary Prevention Outcomes Among People with HIV from Underrepresented Racial and Ethnic Groups in the Southern United States.

Background: People with HIV (PWH) are at elevated risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Underrepresented racial and ethnic groups (UREGs) with HIV in the southern U.S. are disproportionately affected, yet whether cardiology specialist care for this at-risk group improves blood pressure and lipid control or prevents cardiovascular events is unknown. Methods: We evaluated a cohort of PWH from UREGs at elevated ASCVD risk without known cardiovascular disease who received HIV-related care from 2015-2018 at four academic medical centers in the Southern United States with follow up through 2020. Primary outcomes were blood pressure control (<140/90 mmHg) and lipid control (LDL-C ≤ 100 mg/dl) over 2 years and time to first major adverse cardiovascular (MACE) event. Statistical analyses were adjusted for cohort/site and patient factors including HIV measures and comorbidities. Results: Among 3972 included PWH (median age 47 years old, 32.6% female) without diagnosed cardiovascular disease, 276 (6.9%) had a cardiology clinic visit. Cardiology clinic visits were not significantly associated with subsequent blood pressure control (adjusted OR 0.78, 95% CI 0.49-1.24, p=0.29) or lipid control (adjusted OR 2.25, 95% CI 0.72-7.01, p=0.16). Over a median follow up of 5 years, patients who had a cardiology clinic visit had higher risk of MACE, overall mortality, and falsification endpoints (hospitalization or death from accident/trauma and pneumonia/sepsis) indicating a higher risk group overall, even after adjusting for measured risk factors. Conclusions: Among UREG PWH at elevated cardiovascular risk, a cardiology clinic visit was not associated with improved cardiovascular risk factors or reduced risk of cardiovascular events. Our study suggests that seeing a cardiologist is not alone sufficient to promote cardiovascular health or prevent cardiovascular events among PWH, but with low confidence given the higher risk among those who had a cardiology visit.

Comparison of Khorana vs. ONKOTEV predictive score to individualize anticoagulant prophylaxis in outpatients with cancer.

BACKGROUND: Based on the Khorana score, guidelines recommend anticoagulation for primary prophylaxis (PP) in outpatients with cancer with an intermediate-to-high risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE). ONKOTEV score has been prospectively externally validated as novel risk assessment model (RAM) with good discriminatory performances but no direct comparisons with Khorana Score are available. METHODS: Using the ONKOTEV validation dataset (n = 425), we applied generalized decision curve analysis (gDCA) which integrates the principles of evidence-based medicine with treatment effects, model accuracy and patient preferences (weighted as the relative value [RV] of avoiding VTE versus major bleeding [MB]). The aim is to select the most optimal treatment strategy among multiple options: "no treatment", "treat all patients with DOAC/LMVH", or "use ONKOTEV/KHORANA scores to guide PP with DOAC/LMWH". RESULTS: Results showed that ONKOTEV-guided PP (using DOAC or LMWH) remained the most optimal strategy for wide range assumption of treatment efficacy and patient's preference. For those patients, who value avoiding VTE more than MB, then offering DOAC to all patients represents the best strategy. When MBs are feared more than the morbidity of VTE, ONKOTEV-guided PP (DOAC) represents the best management strategy. In all cases, ONKOTEV outperformed Khorana for individualized VTE prevention. CONCLUSIONS: When the two predictive models are integrated within a decision analysis framework, ONKOTEV appears superior to Khorana Score in guiding individualized prevention of cancer-related VTE in outpatients with cancer. The findings herein reported provide cutting edge insights in cancer care and support the spread of ONKOTEV score in the ambulatory cancer setting.

Aspirin use in patients with elevated Lipoprotein(a): Impact on cardiovascular events and bleeding.

The role of aspirin in cardiovascular primary prevention remains controversial. There are physiological reasons to explore its potential benefits in patients with high levels of lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)], mainly due to its antifibrinolytic properties and interactions with platelets. The primary objective of this systematic review was to evaluate the cardiovascular benefits and bleeding risks associated with aspirin use in patients who have elevated Lp(a) levels but no history of cardiovascular disease. This systematic review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. We performed a literature search to identify studies assessing the cardiovascular benefits and bleeding risks of aspirin use in patients with elevated Lp(a) levels (or a related genetic variant) who have no history of cardiovascular disease. Five studies (49,871 individuals) were considered for this systematic review. Three studies assessed the impact of aspirin use in relation to genetic variants associated with elevated Lp(a) levels (SNP rs379822), while the remaining two studies directly measured plasma levels of Lp(a). The endpoints evaluated varied among the studies. Overall, the findings consistently show that carriers of the apolipoprotein(a) variant or patients with Lp(a) levels > 50 mg/dL experience a reduction in cardiovascular risk with aspirin use. No significant bleeding issues were observed, although such events were reported in only two studies. This systematic review suggests that aspirin use in patients with elevated Lp(a) levels and no prior cardiovascular history may reduce cardiovascular risk. The available data on bleeding risk is insufficient.

Effect of semaglutide on primary prevention of diabetic kidney disease in people with type 2 diabetes: A post hoc analysis of the SUSTAIN 6 randomized controlled trial.

AIM: Efficient primary prevention of diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is currently lacking. The identification of people at high DKD risk and timely intervention are key to preventing DKD. Therefore, a model to classify people according to their risk for developing DKD was developed previously and used in the current analysis to assess the effect of semaglutide versus placebo on primary DKD prevention. METHODS: Participants with type 2 diabetes from the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled SUSTAIN 6 trial without DKD at baseline who received 0.5/1.0 mg semaglutide or placebo were grouped by baseline DKD risk, calculated using a validated model. The main post hoc outcome was the effect of semaglutide versus placebo on the proportion of participants who developed DKD [urinary albumin/creatinine ratio (UACR) ≥30 mg/g and/or estimated glomerular filtration rate <60 mL/min/1.73 m2]. Additional post hoc outcomes included changes in DKD risk score, UACR and estimated glomerular filtration rate over time. RESULTS: Of the total 1139 participants included in the analysis, 28.7% developed DKD; more participants with a high DKD risk (952/1139) developed DKD. Semaglutide significantly reduced the risk of developing DKD in both the total [odds ratio 0.56 (95% confidence interval: 0.42; 0.74; p < 0.0001)], and high DKD risk population [odds ratio 0.51 (95% confidence interval: 0.38; 0.69; p < 0.0001)] and significantly delayed DKD development versus placebo. The beneficial effects of semaglutide were largely driven by UACR changes. The number needed to treat for semaglutide in the high DKD risk population was 7. CONCLUSIONS: This post hoc study indicates that semaglutide may have beneficial effects on primary DKD prevention in people with T2D.