MRI-visible perivascular spaces as an imaging biomarker in Fabry disease

Journal of Neurology - Fabry disease (FD) is an X-linked lysosomal storage disorder resulting in vascular glycosphingolipid accumulation and increased stroke risk. MRI findings associated with FD...     

Normalized peripheral transit time to monitor hypertensionin children

Studies have demonstrated that a notable increase in arterial stiffening can signify the presence of cardiovascular abnormalities, such as hypertension. Presently, the mercury sphygmomanometer continues to be the clinical gold standard to identify such abnormalities, but due to its measuring nature it cannot be used for continuous observation. Pulse transit time (PTT), which has an inverse relationship with blood pressure (BP), is proposed here as a simple and non-invasive technique to monitor hypertension in children. In order to minimize inter-subject PTT differences, all obtained PTT data were normalized to the study population. The results indicated that normalized mean PTT value is able to differentiate hypertensive from normal children in a significant (p < 0.01) manner in both upper and lower limbs. Preliminary findings herein suggest that PTT can be useful tool to monitor for hypertension in children especially during prolonged clinical observations.     

Population attributable risk of modifiable risk factors associated with invasive breast cancer in women aged 45–69 years in Queensland,Australia

Objectives

To quantify the population attributable risk of key modifiable risk factors associated with breast cancer incidence in Queensland, Australia.

Study design

Population attributable fractions (PAFs) for high body mass index (BMI), use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT), alcohol consumption and inadequate physical activity were calculated, using prevalence data from a representative survey of women attending mammographic screening at BreastScreen Queensland in 2008 and relative risk estimates sourced from published literature. Attributable cancers were calculated using ‘underlying’ breast cancer incidence data for 2008 based on Poisson regression models, adjusting for the inflation of incidence due to the effects of mammographic screening.

Main outcome measures

Attributable burden of breast cancer due to high body mass index (BMI), use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT), alcohol consumption and inadequate physical activity.

Results

In Queensland women aged 45–69 years, an estimated 12.1% (95% CI: 11.6–12.5%) of invasive breast cancers were attributable to high BMI in post-menopausal women who have never used HRT; 2.8% (95% CI: 2.7–2.9%) to alcohol consumption; 7.6% (95% CI: 7.4–7.9%) to inadequate physical activity in post-menopausal women and 6.2% (95% CI: 5.5–7.0%) to current use of HRT after stratification by BMI and type of HRT used. Combined, just over one quarter (26.0%; 95% CI: 25.4–26.6%) of all invasive breast cancers in Queensland women aged 45–69 years in 2008 were attributable to these modifiable risk factors.

Conclusions

There is benefit in targeting prevention strategies to modify lifestyle behaviours around BMI, physical activity, HRT use and alcohol consumption, as a reduction in these risk factors could decrease invasive breast cancer incidence in the Queensland population.     

The association of health literacy with illness and medication beliefs among older adults with asthma

Objective

Suboptimal health literacy (HL) and asthma beliefs are associated with poor asthma self-management and outcomes. We tested the hypothesis that low HL is associated with inaccurate beliefs.

Methods

Asthmatics ≥60 were recruited from hospital and community practices in New York, NY and Chicago, IL (n = 420). HL was measured with the Short Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults; validated instruments derived from the self regulation model were used to assess beliefs. The association of beliefs with HL was evaluated with multivariate models.

Results

Thirty-six percent of patients had low HL; 54% believed they only have asthma when symptoms are present, 29% believed they will not always have asthma and 20% believed that their doctor can cure asthma. HL was associated with beliefs of not having asthma all the time and that asthma can be cured (OR: 1.84, 95% CI: 1.2–2.82; OR: 2.22, 95% CI: 1.29–3.82, respectively). Patients with low HL were also more likely to be concerned about medication use (β = 0.92, p = .05), despite recognizing their necessity (β = −1.36, p = .01).

Conclusions

Older asthmatics with low HL endorse erroneous asthma beliefs.

Practice implications

Health communications for improving self-management behaviors in asthma should employ both health literacy-appropriate strategies and messages to counter illness-related misconceptions.     

The strength of primary care in Europe: an international comparative study

Background

A suitable definition of primary care to capture the variety of prevailing international organisation and service-delivery models is lacking.

Aim

Evaluation of strength of primary care in Europe.

Design and setting

International comparative cross-sectional study performed in 2009–2010, involving 27 EU member states, plus Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and Turkey.

Method

Outcome measures covered three dimensions of primary care structure: primary care governance, economic conditions of primary care, and primary care workforce development; and four dimensions of primary care service-delivery process: accessibility, comprehensiveness, continuity, and coordination of primary care. The primary care dimensions were operationalised by a total of 77 indicators for which data were collected in 31 countries. Data sources included national and international literature, governmental publications, statistical databases, and experts’ consultations.

Results

Countries with relatively strong primary care are Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, and the UK. Countries either have many primary care policies and regulations in place, combined with good financial coverage and resources, and adequate primary care workforce conditions, or have consistently only few of these primary care structures in place. There is no correlation between the access, continuity, coordination, and comprehensiveness of primary care of countries.

Conclusion

Variation is shown in the strength of primary care across Europe, indicating a discrepancy in the responsibility given to primary care in national and international policy initiatives and the needed investments in primary care to solve, for example, future shortages of workforce. Countries are consistent in their primary care focus on all important structure dimensions. Countries need to improve their primary care information infrastructure to facilitate primary care performance management.