Using a pragmatically adapted, low-cost contingency management intervention to promote heroin abstinence in individuals undergoing treatment for heroin use disorder in UK drug services (PRAISE): a cluster randomised trial

INTRODUCTION

Most individuals treated for heroin use disorder receive opioid agonist treatment (OAT)(methadone or buprenorphine). However, OAT is associated with high attrition and persistent, occasional heroin use. There is some evidence for the effectiveness of contingency management (CM), a behavioural intervention involving modest financial incentives, in encouraging drug abstinence when applied adjunctively with OAT. UK drug services have a minimal track record of applying CM and limited resources to implement it. We assessed a CM intervention pragmatically adapted for ease of implementation in UK drug services to promote heroin abstinence among individuals receiving OAT.

DESIGN

Cluster randomised controlled trial.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

552 adults with heroin use disorder (target 660) enrolled from 34 clusters (drug treatment clinics) in England between November 2012 and October 2015.

INTERVENTIONS

Clusters were randomly allocated 1:1:1 to OAT plus 12× weekly appointments with: (1) CM targeted at opiate abstinence at appointments (CM Abstinence); (2) CM targeted at on-time attendance at appointments (CM Attendance); or (3) no CM (treatment as usual; TAU). Modifications included monitoring behaviour weekly and fixed incentives schedule.

MEASUREMENTS

Primary outcome: heroin abstinence measured by heroin-free urines (weeks 9-12).

SECONDARY OUTCOMES

heroin abstinence 12 weeks after discontinuation of CM (weeks 21-24); attendance; self-reported drug use, physical and mental health.

RESULTS

CM Attendance was superior to TAU in encouraging heroin abstinence. Odds of a heroin-negative urine in weeks 9-12 was statistically significantly greater in CM Attendance compared with TAU (OR=2.1; 95% CI 1.1 to 3.9; p=0.030). CM Abstinence was not superior to TAU (OR=1.6; 95% CI 0.9 to 3.0; p=0.146) or CM Attendance (OR=1.3; 95% CI 0.7 to 2.4; p=0.438) (not statistically significant differences). Reductions in heroin use were not sustained at 21-24 weeks. No differences between groups in self-reported heroin use.

CONCLUSIONS

A pragmatically adapted CM intervention for routine use in UK drug services was moderately effective in encouraging heroin abstinence compared with no CM only when targeted at attendance. CM targeted at abstinence was not effective.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

ISRCTN 01591254.

Role of cardiometabolic risk in the association between accumulation of affective symptoms across adulthood and mid-life cognitive function: national cohort study

BACKGROUND

Affective symptoms are associated with cognition in mid-life and later life. However, the role of cardiometabolic risk in this association has not been previously examined.

AIMS

To investigate how cardiometabolic risk contributes to associations between affective symptoms and mid-life cognition.

METHOD

Data were used from the National Child Development Study (NCDS), a sample of people born in Britain during one week in 1958. Measures of immediate and delayed memory, verbal fluency and information processing speed and accuracy were available at age 50. Affective symptoms were assessed at ages 23, 33 and 42 years and a measure of accumulation was derived. A cardiometabolic risk score was calculated from nine cardiometabolic biomarkers at age 44. Path models were run to test these associations, adjusting for sex, education, socioeconomic position and affective symptoms at age 50.

RESULTS

After accounting for missing data using multiple imputation, path models indicated significant indirect associations between affective symptoms and mid-life immediate memory (β = -0.002, s.e. = 0.001, P = 0.009), delayed memory (β = -0.002, s.e. = 0.001, P = 0.02) and verbal fluency (β = -0.002, s.e. = 0.001, P = 0.045) through cardiometabolic risk.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that cardiometabolic risk may play an important role in the association between affective symptoms and cognitive function (memory and verbal fluency). Results contribute to understanding of biological mechanisms underlying associations between affective symptoms and cognitive ageing, which can have implications for early detection of, and intervention for, those at risk of poorer cognitive outcomes.

Pulmonary artery injury in left atrial appendage closure device implantation: a systematic review of a potentially fatal complication

Background

Pulmonary artery (PA) injury is a rarely reported complication following percutaneous left atrial appendage closure (LAAC). This study aims to systematically review all reported cases of PA injury associated with LAAC.

Methods

PubMed/Medline, SCOPUS, EMBASE, Google Scholar and the MAUDE databases were searched to find studies reporting PA injury during or after LAAC with the Amplatzer Amulet (AA), Amplatzer Cardiac Plug (ACP) or Watchman device through October 2019. Categorical data were reported in terms of numbers and/or percentages (%).

Results

We found 13 cases (mean age 71.4 yrs) with reported PA injury associated with LAAC. Of these, 9 were case reports, 3 were reported in observational studies, and 1 was in the MAUDE database. Most cases (n=8) were reported in Europe followed by Australia (n=2) and Asia (n=2). The indication for device implantation in all patients was a high bleeding risk with anticoagulation for atrial fibrillation. Five cases were reported with the ACP (1/5 patients died), 5 with AA (2/5 patients died), and 3 with the Watchman (1/2 patients died). Acute and late presentations following implantation were reported for all three devices. 69.2% of cases (9/13) occurred acutely (during or within 24 hours of intervention). Of these, 3/9 occurred during device implantation. 2/4 of the delayed cases occurred >2 weeks following implantation. The mortality rate for acute and delayed cases was 22% (2/9 patients) and 50% (2/4 patients), respectively. A majority of the cases were attributable to barb/strut/hook injury of the PA. PA injury was associated with a mortality rate of approximately 31%. All surviving patients were managed with surgical intervention.

Conclusion

PA injury is an infrequently reported complication following LAAC and is associated with high mortality. Cases can present acutely (intra-procedurally or within 24 hours) or delayed (>24 hours post-implantation). A majority of cases are due to direct injury of the PA by the struts/hooks/barbs of the device. Practitioners should be cognizant of this life-threatening complication, which requires a high index of suspicion for diagnosis and can occur weeks after device implantation.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding source: None

Rates and causes of readmissions following index admissions for Takotsubo syndrome-a meta-analysis of 118,941 index hospitalizations

Background

Rising trends in takotsubo syndrome (TTS)-related complications warrant data to identify the rate, causes and predictors of readmission on a large scale. We conducted the first-ever meta-analysis to evaluate the pooled rate of short-term and long-term readmissions after index TTS admissions.

Methods

PubMed/Medline, EMBASE and SCOPUS databases were systematically reviewed to find studies through October 2019 reporting rates and causes of readmission following index TTS admissions. Random effects models were used to estimate pooled rates and causes of readmissions and I2 statistics were used to report inter-study heterogeneity.

Results

A total of 16 cohorts with 118,941 TTS index admissions (mean age 65–75 yrs; female >85%, median follow-up 272.5 days) revealed a 16.6% [95% CI-13.2%-20.3%, I2=99%] pooled rate of readmission. Short-term and long-term pooled readmission rates are displayed in Fig.1. The readmission rate was higher in cohorts with young patients (<70 vs. >70 yrs), smaller sample size (n<100 vs. n>100) and single-centres vs. multicentres. Studies published from the USA (16.4% vs. 14.9%) had a higher readmission rate as compared to Italy. The most frequent causes were cardiac (40.6%), respiratory (15.7%) and renal (7.0%). Among readmissions with cardiac diagnoses, heart failure was most common (40.1%).

Conclusions

This global meta-analysis revealed that the pooled rate of readmission following index TTS admissions was ∼17% and causes were mainly cardiac or respiratory.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding source: None

Living alone and risk of dementia: A systematic review and meta-analysis

AIMS

To systematically review longitudinal studies on living alone and incident dementia, to pool the results in a meta-analysis and calculate the population risk.

METHODS

Embase, Medline and PsycInfo were searched from inception to August 2019 for longitudinal cohort studies of people living alone and risk of dementia. Relative risks (RR) were extracted and effect sizes pooled, with a sensitivity analysis for risk of bias (QUIPS quality rating tool). Population Attributable Fraction (PAF) was calculated, with prevalence of living alone calculated from UK Census data.

RESULTS

Twelve studies were identified for inclusion, nine of which had low risk of bias. The pooled effect size indicated an elevated risk of incident dementia when living alone (all studies RR = 1.30; 95 % CI: 1.15-1.46; low risk of bias studies (RR = 1.31; 95 % CI: 1.13-1.51). The PAF for living alone was 8.9 %.

CONCLUSIONS

Social isolation is a more important risk factor for dementia than previously identified, with living alone associated with greater population risk than physical inactivity, hypertension, diabetes and obesity.

Prioritising health research in KwaZulu-Natal: has the research conducted met the research needs?

Background

The KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Health Act of 2009 mandates the Provincial Health Research and Ethics Committee to develop health research priorities for the province. During 2013, the KZN Department of Health embarked on a research prioritisation process for the province. Priority research questions were generated by an inclusive process, in which a variety of stakeholders in health research in the province were engaged. The aim of this study was to determine whether research conducted at public health facilities in KZN between 01 January 2014 and 31 March 2017 met the research priorities of the province developed through the provincial research prioritisation process of 2013.

Methods

This was a mixed methods study. Qualitative thematic analysis was used to categorise priority research questions generated in the priority-setting process and the titles of research projects conducted after that process into themes. Quantitative analysis was used to determine the correlation between themes of the priority questions, and those of the research projects conducted after the prioritisation exercise. Statistical Package for Social Science version 25 was used to analyse the data.

Results

In 72% of thematic areas, there were disproportionately more priority questions than there were research projects conducted. There is thus a large disjuncture between the priorities developed through the provincial research prioritisation process of 2013 and the research projects conducted after that process in terms of major research areas.

Conclusions

Ensuring that research conducted responds to priority questions raised is important because it ensures that research responds to locally important issues and to the concerns of local actors. Local health managers, communities and researchers should work together to ensure that the research conducted in their areas respond to the research priorities of those areas. Health Research Committees and local ethics committees can play important roles in facilitating the responsiveness to research priorities.

Temporal Relationship Between Depressive Symptoms and Cognition in Mid and Late Life: A Longitudinal Cohort Study

OBJECTIVES

To examine the bidirectional temporal relationship between depressive symptoms and cognition in relation to risk, reaction, and prodrome.

DESIGN

Cross-lag analysis of longitudinal data collected online at baseline and 12-month follow-up.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

A United Kingdom population cohort of 11,855 participants aged 50 years and over.

MEASURES

Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (depressive symptoms), cognitive measures: Paired Associate Learning, Verbal Reasoning, Spatial Working Memory, and Digit Span.

RESULTS

Depressive symptoms predicted a decline in paired associates learning [β = -.020, P = .013, (95% confidence interval [CI], ‒.036, -.004)] and verbal reasoning [β = -.014, P = .016, (95% CI ‒.025, -.003)] but not vice versa. Depressive symptoms predicted [β = -.043, P < .001, (95% CI ‒.060, -.026); β = -.029, P < .001, (95% CI ‒.043, -.015)] and were predicted by [β = -.030, P = < .001, (95% CI ‒.047, -.014); β = -.025, P = .003, (95% CI ‒.041, -.009)], a decline in spatial working memory and verbal digit span, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

Depressive symptoms may be either a risk factor or prodrome for cognitive decline. In addition, a decline in attention predicts depressive symptoms. Clinical implications and implications for further research are discussed.

Circulating Sex Steroid Measurements of Men by Mass Spectrometry Are Highly Reproducible after Prolonged Frozen Storage

Long-term studies investigating hormone-dependent cancers and reproductive health often require prolonged frozen storage of serum which assumes that the steroid molecules and measurements are stable over that time. Previous studies of reproducibility of circulating steroids have relied upon flawed historical rather than contemporaneous controls. We measured serum testosterone (T), dihydrotestosterone (DHT), estradiol (E2) and estrone (E1) in 150 randomly selected serum samples by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) from men 70 years or older (mean age 77 years) in the CHAMP study. The original measurements in 2009 were repeated 10 years later using the identical serum aliquot (having undergone 2-4 freeze-thaw cycles in the interim) in 2019 together with another never-thawed aliquot of the same serum sample. The results of all three sets of measurements were evaluated by Passing-Bablok regression and Bland-Altman difference analysis. Serum androgens (T, DHT) and estrogens (E2, E1) measured by LC-MS display excellent reproducibility when stored for 10 years at -80 C without thawing. Serum T and DHT displayed high level of reproducibility across all three sets of measurements. Multiple freeze-thaw cycles over those storage conditions do not significantly affect serum T, DHT and E1 concentrations but produce a modest increase (21%) in serum E2 measurements.

Tackling smoking among out of school youth in South Africa: An analysis of friendship ties

Background

Friendships during adolescence play a significant role in the initiation and maintenance of tobacco use. Smoking behaviour among adolescent friends has not been explored among out of school youth (OSY) in South Africa. Out of school youth (OSY), described as those between 13 and 20 years old, have not completed their schooling and are not currently enrolled in school, are at greater risk for tobacco use.

Aim

The main aim of this study is to examine whether the smoking behaviour of OSY is associated with that of their OSY friends.

Methods

Respondent driven sampling was used to recruit OSY and their OSY friends. A mixed effects logistic regression with a random intercept across school-province combinations was used to analyse survey data. Race and gender were also incorporated into the analyses as effect moderators (n = 391).

Results

Results of this study confirm that cigarette smoking was common among OSY and their OSY friends, with 53.5% of the respondents smoking in the past month (SD = 0.44). When OSY friends were either all non-smokers or half their friends were non-smokers, Coloured (mixed race) OSY were less likely to smoke compared to Black African and Other (mostly Asian descent) OSY.

Conclusion

Cultural norms and values associated with the different race groups may play a role in the smoking behaviour of out of school youth friends. Understanding this relationship is useful for identifying those OSY that are vulnerable to the behaviours that place them at risk of tobacco related morbidity and mortality.

•

Smoking was common among out of school youth and their out of school youth friends.

•

Racial differences were found in out of school youth smoking and their friends.

•

Cultural norms and values influence smoking behaviour of out of school youth friends.

Attitude towards and factors affecting uptake of population-based BRCA testing in the Ashkenazi Jewish population: a cohort study

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate factors affecting unselected population-based BRCA testing in Ashkenazi Jews (AJ).

DESIGN

Cohort-study set within recruitment to the GCaPPS trial (ISRCTN73338115).

SETTING

North London AJ population.

POPULATION OR SAMPLE

Ashkenazi Jews women/men >18 years, recruited through self-referral.

METHODS

Ashkenazi Jews women/men underwent pre-test counselling for BRCA testing through recruitment clinics (clusters). Consenting individuals provided blood samples for BRCA testing. Data were collected on socio-demographic/family history/knowledge/psychological well-being along with benefits/risks/cultural influences (18-item questionnaire measuring 'attitude'). Four-item Likert-scales analysed initial 'interest' and 'intention-to-test' pre-counselling. Uni- and multivariable logistic regression models evaluated factors affecting uptake/interest/intention to undergo BRCA testing. Statistical inference was based on cluster robust standard errors and joint Wald tests for significance. Item-Response Theory and graded-response models modelled responses to 18-item questionnaire.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Interest, intention, uptake, attitude towards BRCA testing.

RESULTS

A total of 935 individuals (women = 67%/men = 33%; mean age = 53.8 (SD = 15.02) years) underwent pre-test genetic-counselling. During the pre-counselling, 96% expressed interest in and 60% indicated a clear intention to undergo BRCA testing. Subsequently, 88% opted for BRCA testing. BRCA-related knowledge (P = 0.013) and degree-level education (P = 0.01) were positively and negatively (respectively) associated with intention-to-test. Being married/cohabiting had four-fold higher odds for BRCA testing uptake (P = 0.009). Perceived benefits were associated with higher pre-counselling odds for interest in and intention to undergo BRCA testing. Reduced uncertainty/reassurance were the most important factors contributing to decision-making. Increased importance/concern towards risks/limitations (confidentiality/insurance/emotional impact/inability to prevent cancer/marriage ability/ethnic focus/stigmatisation) were significantly associated with lower odds of uptake of BRCA testing, and discriminated between acceptors and decliners. Male gender/degree-level education (P = 0.001) had weaker correlations, whereas having children showed stronger (P = 0.005) associations with attitudes towards BRCA testing.

CONCLUSIONS

BRCA testing in the AJ population has high acceptability. Pre-test counselling increases awareness of disadvantages/limitations of BRCA testing, influencing final cost-benefit perception and decision-making on undergoing testing.

TWEETABLE ABSTRACT

BRCA testing in Ashkenazi Jews has high acceptability and uptake. Pre-test counselling facilitates informed decision-making.

Psychological interventions on a specialist Early Intervention Inpatient Unit: An opportunity to engage?

BACKGROUND

This study explored engagement with psychology on a specialist early intervention psychosis inpatient unit, with a focus on whether demographics or admission factors impacted on engagement.

METHOD

This was a retrospective cohort study using data extracted from patient notes for all service users who were admitted to an Early Intervention ward during a specified 6-month period. One hundred and one records were identified.

RESULTS

Sixty-eight (67.3%) of the service users engaged in psychological therapy, 45.6% (n = 47) attended psychology groups and 58.4% (n = 59) engaged in individual psychology sessions. Service users admitted to the ward voluntarily were more likely to engage in individual psychology sessions in comparison to those admitted under section of the mental health act (β = -0.270, P < .005). Length of admission predicted engagement with groups (β = 0.38, P < .001) and individual psychology sessions (β = 0.408, P < .001). Ethnicity, gender and number of admissions did not predict engagement in psychology.

CONCLUSIONS

Psychological interventions are acceptable on a specialist early intervention psychosis inpatient ward and offer an opportunity to engage service users. Engagement was not predicted by demographic factors typically seen in community settings. Implications arising from these differences are discussed.

Neonatal hyperlipidemia with pancreatitis: Novel gene mutation of lipoprotein lipase

Lipoprotein lipase (LPL) deficiency is an autosomal recessive metabolic disorder with varying presentation in infancy and childhood, whereas clinical manifestations are rare in neonatal period. The estimated prevalence is one in a million births. A 23-day-old baby was admitted with complaints of fever, vomiting, and lethargy. Blood sample drawn appeared lipemic. Lipemia retinalis was noted on funduscopic examination. Biochemical analysis revealed abnormal lipid profile with severe hypertriglyceridemia (10,300 mg/dL) and elevated serum lipase level (517 IU/L) indicative of LPL deficiency with acute pancreatitis. LPL deficiency was suspected and was confirmed by molecular genetic testing, which revealed a novel mutation in LPL gene. Dietary management and gemfibrozil were started following which serum triglyceride level decreased and serum lipase level normalized. The patient is following up regularly for growth and development monitoring.

Positive reinforcement targeting abstinence in substance misuse (PRAISe): Study protocol for a Cluster RCT & process evaluation of contingency management

There are approximately 256,000 heroin and other opiate users in England of whom 155,000 are in treatment for heroin (or opiate) addiction. The majority of people in treatment receive opiate substitution treatment (OST) (methadone and buprenorphine). However, OST suffers from high attrition and persistent heroin use even whilst in treatment. Contingency management (CM) is a psychological intervention based on the principles of operant conditioning. It is delivered as an adjunct to existing evidence based treatments to amplify patient benefit and involves the systematic application of positive reinforcement (financial or material incentives) to promote behaviours consistent with treatment goals. With an international evidence base for CM, NICE recommended that CM be implemented in UK drug treatment settings alongside OST to target attendance and the reduction of illicit drug use. While there was a growing evidence base for CM, there had been no examination of its delivery in UK NHS addiction services. The PRAISe trial evaluates the feasibility, acceptability, clinical and cost effectiveness of CM in UK addiction services. It is a cluster randomised controlled effectiveness trial of CM (praise and financial incentives) targeted at either abstinence from opiates or attendance at treatment sessions versus no CM among individuals receiving OST. The trial includes an economic evaluation which explores the relative costs and cost effectiveness of the two CM intervention strategies compared to TAU and an embedded process evaluation to identify contextual factors and causal mechanisms associated with variations in outcome. This study will inform UK drug treatment policy and practice. Trial registration ISRCTN 01591254.

The association between biopsychosocial factors and disability in a national health survey in South Africa

The association between psychosocial factors and disability is less clear. This study investigated the biological and psychosocial (employment and psychological distress) factors associated with level of disability in an adult sample in South Africa. Data were analysed from a cross-sectional survey among adults aged 18-64 (n = 4974). Multiple linear regression was used to investigate the associations of the selected variables with disability. The mean percentage score on the WHODAS scale of disability was 5.31% (95% CI: 4.74-5.88). Age (p < 0.001) and race (p = 0.0002) were significantly associated with disability, and history of stroke (β = 7.19, 95% CI: 3.19-11.20) and heart-related conditions (β = 2.08, 95% CI: [0.23-3.93) showed positive associations. Of the psychosocial variables, psychological distress (β = 10.49 [8.63-12.35]) showed a strong positive association while employment (-1.62 [-2.36 to -0.88]) showed a negative association with disability. The association between demographic factors, medical conditions and increased disability confirms the findings in the literature. The finding that psychological distress is associated with increased disability has not been frequently reported. This study highlights specific psychosocial targets that may be usefully addressed by health policies and interventions in order to improve disability management.