NICE’s recent guidelines on “the size of your waist” unfairly penalizes shorter people

The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) has just released its latest guidelines to assess and predict health risk, such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension or cardiovascular disease. Their latest advice is “Keep the size of your waist to less than half of your height”. We believe this advice is flawed and will seriously and unfairly penalize shorter people and lull taller people into a false sense of security. In this short communication, we provide this evidence. We consider this a serious oversight by NICE and feel strongly that this evidence needs to be made available in the public domain.     

Updated Trends,Disparities, and Clinical Impact of Neuroimaging Utilization in Ischemic Stroke in the Medicare Population: 2012 to 2019

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to update trends, investigate sociodemographic disparities, and evaluate the impact on mortality of stroke neuroimaging across the United States from 2012 to 2019.MethodsRetrospective cohort study using CMS Medicare 5% Research Identifiable Files, representing consecutive ischemic stroke emergency department or hospitalized patients aged ≥65 years. A total of 85,547 stroke episodes with demographic and clinical information were analyzed using Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel tests and logistic regression. Outcome measures were neuroimaging (CT angiography [CTA], CT perfusion [CTP], MRI, MR angiography [MRA]) utilization, acute treatment (endovascular thrombectomy [EVT] and intravenous thrombolysis [IVT]), and mortality while in the hospital and at 30 days and 1 year post discharge.ResultsSignificantly increasing utilization trends for CTA (250%), CTP (428%) and MRI (18%), and a decreasing trend for MRA (?33%) were observed from 2012 to 2019 (P < .0001). Controlling for covariates in the logistic regression models, CTA and CTP were significantly associated with higher EVT and IVT utilization. Although CTA, MRI, and MRA were associated with lower mortality, CTP was associated with higher mortality post discharge. Less neuroimaging was performed in rural patients; older patients (≥80 years) had lower utilization of CTA, MRI, and MRA; female patients had lower rates of CTA; and Black patients had lower utilization of CTA and CTP.ConclusionsCTA and CTP utilization increased in the Medicare ischemic stroke population from 2012 to 2019 and both were associated with greater EVT and IVT use. However, disparities exist in neuroimaging utilization across all demographic groups, and further understanding of the root causes of these disparities will be crucial to achieving equity in stroke care.     

Impact of overweight and obesity on US renal cell carcinoma incidence trends (1995-2018)

In the United States, renal cell carcinoma (RCC) incidence and the prevalence of obesity, an established risk factor for RCC, have been increasing for several decades. RCC is more common among older individuals. We sought to quantify the contribution of excess adiposity to the rising incidence of RCC among individuals 60 years or older. National Institutes of Health-American Association of Retired Persons Diet and Health Study data (n = 453 859 participants, enrolled in 1995-1996, age at enrollment 50-71 years) were used to estimate multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) for RCC across body mass index categories and HRs associated with smoking. Population attributable fractions (PAFs) were calculated using estimated HRs and annual overweight/obesity prevalence from the National Health Interview Survey (1985-2008). PAF estimates were combined with RCC incidence from Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results-13 to calculate annual percent changes in RCC incidence attributable (and unrelated) to overweight/obesity. We found that between 1995 and 2018, among individuals aged 60 years and older, PAF for overweight/obesity increased from 18% to 29% for all RCCs. In comparison, the PAF for smoking declined from 12% to 9%. RCC incidence increased 1.8% per year (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.5%-2.1%) overall, while RCC incidence attributable to overweight/obesity increased 3.8% per year (95%CI 3.5%-4.2%) and RCC incidence unrelated to overweight/obesity increased 1.2% per year (95% CI 0.9%-1.4%). In conclusion, overweight/obesity appears to have contributed importantly to the rising incidence of RCC in the United States since the mid-1990s. Public health interventions focused on reducing overweight and obesity could help substantially in curbing this trend.     

Key Social Determinants to Narrow the Gap between Health-adjusted Life Expectancy and Life Expectancy in Megacities

ObjectiveImprovement in the quality of life is reflected in the narrowing of the gap between health-adjusted life expectancy (HALE) and life expectancy (LE). The effect of megacity expansion on narrowing the gap is rarely reported. This study aimed to disclose this potential relationship.MethodsAnnual life tables were constructed from identified death records and population counts from multiple administrative sources in Guangzhou, China, from 2010 to 2020. Joinpoint regression was used to evaluate the temporal trend. Generalized principal component analysis and multilevel models were applied to examine the county-level association between the gap and social determinants.ResultsAlthough LE and HALE in megacities are increasing steadily, their gap is widening. Socio-economic and health services are guaranteed to narrow this gap. Increasing personal wealth, a growing number of newborns and healthy immigrants, high urbanization, and healthy aging have helped in narrowing this gap.ConclusionIn megacities, parallel LE and HALE growth should be highly considered to narrow their gap. Multiple social determinants need to be integrated as a whole to formulate public health plans.     

2013-2017年ICU感染病原菌分布及耐药趋势分析

目的 分析重症监护病房(ICU)感染病原菌分布及其耐药趋势，为ICU有效预防与控制医院感染提供依据。方法 采用回顾性研究方法，收集我院2013-2017年综合ICU送检的25057份临床标本分离的病原菌进行细菌种类鉴定和药敏试验。结果 分离病原菌6938株，其中革兰阴性菌5513株(79.46%)，革兰阳性菌710株(10.23%)，真菌715株(10.31%)，排名前4位分别为鲍曼不动杆菌(31.65%)、肺炎克雷伯菌(15.90%)、铜绿假单胞菌(11.46%)和大肠埃希菌(6.31%)。真菌随着时间变化呈现下降后升高趋势，鲍曼不动杆菌、铜绿假单胞菌和大肠埃希菌呈现升高后下降趋势，而肺炎克雷伯菌呈现下降后升高趋势。分离出多重耐药菌1387株，前3位分别为鲍曼不动杆菌(84.21%)、肺炎克雷伯菌(8.22%)和铜绿假单胞菌(4.83%)。5年间多重耐药鲍曼不动杆菌分布率均显著高于肺炎克雷伯菌和铜绿假单胞菌(P=0)，且在2016年检出率达最高，2013和2017年检出率最低；多重耐药肺炎克雷伯菌在2017年检出率达最高，2013年检出率最低；多重耐药铜绿假单胞菌5年间差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。结论 我院病原菌以革兰阴性菌为主，不同年份病原菌及其耐药性变化有所不同，应定期监测病原菌及其耐药性变迁，正确合理使用抗菌药物。     

2012-2018年北京市抗结核药物使用趋势分析

目的分析北京市2012-2018年抗结核药物的使用情况与变化趋势,为北京市进一步规范及修改结核药物的使用策略提供数据参考。方法对2012-2018年北京市46家医院J04A类抗结核药物的销售金额、用药频度(Defined daily doses,DDDs)、药品限定日费用(Defined daily cost,DDC)等指标进行统计分析与评价。采用SPSS 22.0线性回归分析,判断变化趋势。结果 2012-2018年抗结核药销售金额逐年上升,而销售量在2016年到达高峰后缓慢下降;2012年和2018年相比抗结核的药物种类构成变动不大,各类药物销售金额构成变化较大;抗结核药物以一线、口服为主,二线、注射为辅,且二线用药的销售金额、DDDs和注射用药的销售金额有上升的趋势(P均<0.05);抗生素销售单价以注射类经济负担最重,且2018年较2012年,大部分种类药物都有不同程度的价格增长。结论抗结核药物的DDDs在2012-2018年间保持平稳,但大部分种类抗结核药物的DDC均出现上升趋势,患者经济负担增大,且抗结核药物使用存在用药集中的现象,带来的耐药风险不容忽视。     

某肝病专科医院住院患者肝病疾病谱变化趋势分析

采用SPSS21.0版本统计软件对近10年来收治的所有肝病患者疾病谱特征及比例变化趋势进行分析,结果显示从进展程度来看,肝硬化及肝癌略有上升趋势;肝病的主要病因中,病毒性肝炎比例最高但呈下降趋势,药物性肝损伤及酒精性肝病呈明显上升趋势;病毒性肝炎患者中,乙型肝炎呈下降趋势但仍占大多数,丙型肝炎呈明显上升趋势;非感染性肝病呈现高发态势,应引起关注和重视。     

2005 - 2014年中国老年人肺癌发病的时间趋势分析

目的 分析2005 - 2014年我国老年人肺癌发病的时间趋势，为我国肺癌的防控工作提供依据。方法 根据2008 - 2017年《中国肿瘤登记年报》中肺癌的相关数据，分析2005 - 2014年我国老年人肺癌的发病情况，并通过年度变化百分比（annual percentage change，APC）分析其时间变化趋势。结果 2005 - 2014年我国老年人肺癌的发病率呈上升趋势（APC = 0.71%，P＜0.05），其中农村老年人肺癌的发病率从198.9/105上升至250.7/105，上升趋势更明显（APC = 2.81%，P＜0.05），尤以农村老年女性肺癌发病率的上升趋势最为明显（APC = 5.26%，P＜0.05）。2005 - 2014年中国老年人肺癌的发病在60～64岁和65～69岁组呈上升趋势（APC分别为2.83%和2.04%，均P＜0.05），而在农村地区，老年人所有年龄组的肺癌发病率都呈明显上升趋势（APC分别为3.49%，3.86%，1.66%，2.31%，3.49%及6.37%，均P＜0.05）。结论 2005 - 2014年我国老年人肺癌发病上升趋势明显，以农村老年女性最为突出，国家应针对高危人群及早开展筛查等工作，降低我国老年人肺癌的流行水平。