Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Type 2 Diabetes: A Screening Approach

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a sleep disorder common among patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). The aim of this quality improvement project was to increase identification and referral for sleep study for individuals with T2D at moderate to high risk for OSA. Pre- and post-intervention patient samples were analyzed to compare the number of referrals for sleep study. Results demonstrated that none of the patients pre-intervention were referred for sleep study compared with 77% of patients post-intervention. This project demonstrated implementing an evidence-based tool to screen patients with T2D for OSA leads to higher rates of detection and referral.     

Epidemiologic and socioeconomic factors impacting hepatitis B virus and related hepatocellular carcinoma

Chronic Hepatitis B is a highly prevalent disease worldwide and is estimated to cause more than 800000 annual deaths from complications such as cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Although universal hepatitis B vaccination programs may have reduced the incidence and prevalence of chronic hepatitis B and related HCC, the disease still imposes a significant healthcare burden in many endemic regions such as Africa and the Asia-Pacific region. This is especially concerning given the global underdiagnosis of hepatitis B and the limited availability of vaccination, screening, and treatment in low-resource regions. Demographics including male gender, older age, ethnicity, and geographic location as well as low socioeconomic status are more heavily impacted by chronic hepatitis B and related HCC. Methods to mitigate this impact include increasing screening in high-risk groups according to national guidelines, increasing awareness and health literacy in vulnerable populations, and developing more robust vaccination programs in under-served regions.     

Effectiveness of a community organizing intervention on mortality and its equity among older residents in Japan: A JAGES quasi-experimental study

Interventions that involve key aspects of community organizing, such as quantitative community assessments and organizational partnership support for the community, may promote residents' health. We evaluated the effectiveness of this form of intervention on mortality and its variability across individual-level household equivalized income tertiles, comparing 52,858 residents aged 65 and above in 12 intervention municipalities to 39,006 residents in nine control municipalities in Japan. During 1,166 days of follow-up, the adjusted hazard ratio for cumulative mortality among men in the intervention municipalities was 0.92 (95% confidence interval: 0.86, 0.99) compared to those in the control group, with similar results being observed across all income levels. Active utilization of data to evaluate communities and building intersectoral partnerships might lower older male residents’ mortality risk, regardless of their income status.     

What is the impact of zinc deficiency for pancreatectomies in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma?

Backgroundand purpose: Zinc is an essential element for human health and plays an important role in metabolic, immunological and other biological processes. The present study was conducted to investigate the association between zinc deficiency (ZD) and the perioperative clinical course in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC).MethodsOf 216 patients with PDAC who underwent elective pancreatectomy between 2013 and 2017 at our institution, 206 patients with sufficient clinical data were retrospectively reviewed. The perioperative variables were compared and the risk factors associated with infectious complications were identified.ResultsZD was preoperatively present in 36 (17.5%) of 206 patients with PDAC. In the patients of the ZD group, a higher proportion of males, higher preoperative modified Glasgow prognostic scores, a higher neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, and a higher occurrence of postoperative infectious complications after pancreatectomy were observed, compared to the non-ZD group. By a univariate analysis, three risk factors were significantly associated with infectious complications after pancreatectomy: ZD (vs non-ZD: p = 0.002), serum albumin <3.5 g/dl (vs ≥ 3.5 g/dl: p = 0.005), and the procedure of pancreaticoduodenectomy (vs others: p = 0.013). By multivariate logistic regression analysis, the occurrence of infectious complications was significantly associated with ZD (OR 3.430, 95%CI 1.570 to 7.490, p = 0.002) and the procedure of pancreaticoduodenectomy (OR 2.030, 95%CI 1.090 to 3.770, p = 0.025).ConclusionsThe current study newly demonstrated that ZD could serve as a preoperative predictor of infectious complications after pancreatectomies in the patients with PDAC.     

双水平气道正压对OSAHS患者预后及血管内皮功能的影响

目的 分析双水平气道正压双水平气道正压通气(bi-level positive airway pressure,BiPAP)对阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停低通气综合征(obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome,OSAHS)患者血管内皮功能及预后的影响。 方法 将100例OSAHS患者纳入研究，随机分为观察及对照组，各50例。观察组行BiPAP ，对照组行常规治疗，比较两组多导睡眠监测(polysomnography，PSG)检查指标（低通气指数、呼吸暂停指数、呼吸暂停及低通气时间、90%以下血氧饱和度次数、90%以下血氧饱和度时间）、心肺功能［脑钠肽(brainnatriureticpeptide,BNP)、右心室Tei指数、左心室Tei指数、一秒用力呼气容积占用力肺活量的百分比(forced expiratory volume in one second/forced vital capacity，FEV1/FVC)、一秒用力呼气容积占预计值的百分比(FEV1占预计值%)］、血管内皮功能［内皮素1(endothelin-1,ET-1)、一氧化氮(nitric oxide,NO)、凝血酶Ⅲ(antithrombin Ⅲ,AT-Ⅲ)］及生活质量。 结果 观察组低通气指数、呼吸暂停指数、呼吸暂停及低通气时间、90%以下血氧饱和度次数及时间指标均显著低于对照组（P＜0.05）。观察组治疗后BNP以及Tei指数显著低于治疗前及对照组治疗后，FEV1/FVC、FEV1占预计值%显著高于治疗前及对照组治疗后(P＜0.05)。观察组治疗后ET-1、AT-Ⅲ低于治疗前及对照组治疗后，NO高于治疗前及对照组治疗后（P＜0.05）。观察组治疗后生活质量各项目评分高于对照组（P＜0.05）。 结论 BiPAP治疗能够改善OSAHS患者的预后情况及血管内皮功能，效果确切。     

General vaccination willingness and current vaccination status in relation to clinical and psychological variables in patients with multiple sclerosis

BackgroundInfections can have a significant impact on morbidity and mortality in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. Therefore, vaccinations are of immense importance. If vaccination willingness is to be increased, possible influencing factors should be identified. The aim of the present study was to investigate the status of active immunisation in MS patients in association with sociodemographic, clinical-neurological, psychopathological and personality variables using the NEO-Five Factor Inventory, the Temperament and Character Inventory-Revised and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale.MethodFour hundred and four MS patients from two German neurological hospitals were examined for their vaccination attitudes, in detail, the general willingness to vaccinate and the current vaccination status of mumps, measles and rubella (MMR) as well as tetanus and influenza. We also looked at the current level of disability in relation to the current vaccination status, as well as possible associated personality and psychopathological variables.ResultsPatients with a complete MMR vaccination status were significantly younger and those with a complete influenza vaccination status were significantly older than those with related incomplete vaccination status. Tetanus vaccination status completeness did not differ depending on age and did not show substantial association with personality scores. However, influenza vaccination completeness was associated with differences in personality and psychopathological variables; extraversion, openness, novelty seeking, harm avoidance and anxiety. A reported general vaccination willingness was significantly correlated with the current completeness of tetanus and influenza vaccinations. Novelty seeking, persistence, extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness and neuroticism were found associated with an increased vaccination willingness. Anxiety and depression were not related to general vaccination willingness.ConclusionsNo specific personality trait could be defined on its own in relation to general vaccination willingness or complete vaccination status. Younger patients should be made more aware of influenza vaccination. Reasons for rather low vaccination rates need to be further investigated.     

Association between the intensity of obstructive sleep apnea and skeletal alterations in the face and hyoid bone

IntroductionThe association between the intensity of obstructive sleep apnea and skeletal alterations in the face and hyoid bone is still scarcely addressed in the literature.ObjectiveTo evaluate whether the intensity of obstructive sleep apnea is associated with craniofacial alterations and the position of the hyoid bone in children with mixed dentition.Methods76 children aged 7 to 10 years old were examined by otorhinolaryngological evaluation, polysomnography, and orthodontic assessment, including cephalometry. The participants were divided in 3 groups: primary snoring, mild obstructive sleep apnea and moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea. Cephalometric measures of the face and hyoid bone were assessed. These measures were compared among the different groups by unpaired Student's t test. Moreover, these measures were correlated with the patient's obstructive apnea and hypopnea index variable using Pearson's correlation test.ResultsOf the 76 children, 14 belonged to group 1, with primary snoring; 46 to group 2, with mild obstructive sleep apnea; and 16 to group 3, with moderate-severe obstructive sleep apnea. There was no difference between the groups regarding the craniofacial variables. Children with obstructive sleep apnea showed a longer distance from the hyoid bone to the mandibular plane when compared to the primary snoring group (p < 0.05). Between the two obstructive sleep apnea subgroups, patients with moderate or severe disease showed significantly shorter horizontal distance between the hyoid bone and the posterior pharyngeal wall (p < 0.05), when compared to the groups with mild obstructive sleep apnea. We also observed a significant positive correlation between obstructive apnea and hypopnea index and the distance from the hyoid to the mandibular plane (p < 0.05) as well as a significant negative association between obstructive apnea and hypopnea index and the horizontal distance from the hyoid to the posterior pharyngeal wall (p < 0.01).ConclusionWe did not observe any association between obstructive sleep apnea and linear lateral alterations of the face. In contrast, there is a direct association between obstructive sleep apnea severity and the inferior and posterior position of the hyoid bone in children aged 7 to 10 years old.