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Banzi R, Garattini S. Paving the way towards medicines for women and men. Eur J Clin Pharmacol 2024; 80:1255-1256. [PMID: 38592471 DOI: 10.1007/s00228-024-03683-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Rita Banzi
- Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri - IRCCS, Via Mario Negri 2, Milan, Italy
| | - Silvio Garattini
- Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri - IRCCS, Via Mario Negri 2, Milan, Italy.
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2
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McKnight U, Farsides B, Soni S, Will C. Treating Mycoplasma genitalium (in pregnancy): a social and reproductive justice concern. Monash Bioeth Rev 2024:10.1007/s40592-024-00200-7. [PMID: 38990510 DOI: 10.1007/s40592-024-00200-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024]
Abstract
Antimicrobial Resistance is a threat to individual and to population health and to future generations, requiring "collective sacrifices" in order to preserve antibiotic efficacy. 'Who should make the sacrifices?' and 'Who will most likely make them?' are ethical concerns posited as potentially manageable through Antimicrobial Stewardship. Antimicrobial stewardship almost inevitably involves a form of clinical cost-benefit analysis that assesses the possible effects of antibiotics to treat a diagnosed infection in a particular patient. However, this process rarely accounts properly for patients - above and beyond assessments of potential (non)compliance or adherence to care regimes. Drawing on a vignette of a pregnant woman of colour and migrant diagnosed with Mycoplasma genitalium, a sexually transmissible bacterium, this article draws out some of the ethical, speculative, and practical tensions and complexities involved in Antimicrobial Stewardship. We argue that patients also engage in a form of cost-benefit analysis influenced by experiences of reproductive and social (in)justice and comprising speculative variables - to anticipate future possibilities. These processes have the potential to have effects above and beyond the specific infection antimicrobial stewardship was activated to address. We contend that efforts to practice and research antimicrobial stewardship should accommodate and incorporate these variables and acknowledge the structures they emerge with(in), even if their components remain unknown. This would involve recognising that antimicrobial stewardship is intricately connected to other social justice issues such as immigration policy, economic justice, access to appropriate medical care, racism, etc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulla McKnight
- The Sociology and Criminology Department, University of Sussex, Freeman Building G30, Falmer Brighton, BN1 9QE, UK.
| | | | - Suneeta Soni
- Consultant in Sexual Health and HIV, University Hospitals Sussex, Honorary Clinical Senior Lecturer, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Falmer, UK
| | - Catherine Will
- The Sociology and Criminology Department, University of Sussex, Freeman Building G30, Falmer Brighton, BN1 9QE, UK
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3
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Baynam G, Baker S, Steward C, Summar M, Halley M, Pariser A. Increasing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in Rare Disease Clinical Trials. Pharmaceut Med 2024:10.1007/s40290-024-00529-8. [PMID: 38977611 DOI: 10.1007/s40290-024-00529-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 07/10/2024]
Abstract
Diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) are foundational principles for clinical trials and medical research. In rare diseases clinical research, where numbers of participants are already challenged by rarity itself, maximizing inclusion is of particular importance to clinical trial success, as well as ensuring the generalizability and relevance of the trial results to the people affected by these diseases. In this article, we review the medical and gray literature and cite case examples to provide insights into how DEIA can be proactively integrated into rare diseases clinical research. Here, we particularly focus on genetic diversity. While the rare diseases DEIA literature is nascent, it is accelerating as many patient advocacy groups, professional societies, training and educational organizations, researcher groups, and funders are setting intentional strategies to attain DEIA goals moving forward, and to establish metrics to ensure continued improvement. Successful examples in underserved and underrepresented populations are available that can serve as case studies upon which rare diseases clinical research programs can be built. Rare diseases have historically been innovation drivers in basic, translational, and clinical research, and ultimately, all populations benefit from data diversity in rare diseases populations that deliver novel insights and approaches to how clinical research can be performed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gareth Baynam
- Rare Care Centre, Perth Children's Hospital, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Simeón Baker
- Genomics England, London, UK
- HealthWeb Solutions, London, UK
- School of Health Studies, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | | | | | - Meghan Halley
- Stanford Center for Biomedical Ethics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
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Idnay B, Fang Y, Stanley E, Ruotolo B, Chung WK, Marder K, Weng C. Promoting equity in clinical research: The role of social determinants of health. J Biomed Inform 2024; 156:104663. [PMID: 38838949 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbi.2024.104663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 06/02/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study aims to investigate the association between social determinants of health (SDoH) and clinical research recruitment outcomes and recommends evidence-based strategies to enhance equity. MATERIALS AND METHODS Data were collected from the internal clinical study manager database, clinical data warehouse, and clinical research registry. Study characteristics (e.g., study phase) and sociodemographic information were extracted. Median neighborhood income, distance from the study location, and Area Deprivation Index (ADI) were calculated. Mixed effect generalized regression was used for clustering effects and false discovery rate adjustment for multiple testing. A stratified analysis was performed to examine the impact in distinct medical departments. RESULTS The study sample consisted of 3,962 individuals, with a mean age of 61.5 years, 53.6 % male, 54.2 % White, and 49.1 % non-Hispanic or Latino. Study characteristics revealed a variety of protocols across different departments, with cardiology having the highest percentage of participants (46.4 %). Industry funding was the most common (74.5 %), and digital advertising and personal outreach were the main recruitment methods (58.9 % and 90.8 %). DISCUSSION The analysis demonstrated significant associations between participant characteristics and research participation, including biological sex, age, ethnicity, and language. The stratified analysis revealed other significant associations for recruitment strategies. SDoH is crucial to clinical research recruitment, and this study presents evidence-based solutions for equity and inclusivity. Researchers can tailor recruitment strategies to overcome barriers and increase participant diversity by identifying participant characteristics and research involvement status. CONCLUSION The findings highlight the relevance of clinical research inequities and equitable representation of historically underrepresented populations. We need to improve recruitment strategies to promote diversity and inclusivity in research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Betina Idnay
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, the United States of America
| | - Yilu Fang
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, the United States of America
| | - Edward Stanley
- Compliance Applications, Information Technology, the United States of America
| | - Brenda Ruotolo
- Institutional Review Board for Human Subjects Research, the United States of America
| | - Wendy K Chung
- Department of Pediatrics, the United States of America
| | - Karen Marder
- Department of Neurology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, the United States of America
| | - Chunhua Weng
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, the United States of America.
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5
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Metcalfe A, Stephenson N, Cairncross ZF, Scime NV, Fidler‐Benaoudia M. Exclusion of pregnant and lactating persons from breast cancer clinical trials: a review of active trials registered on ClinicalTrials.gov. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand 2024; 103:707-715. [PMID: 37377224 PMCID: PMC10993330 DOI: 10.1111/aogs.14599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Treatment of pregnancy-associated breast cancer is complex, as providers try to balance risks to the pregnant person and the developing fetus. Given increased case fatality and increasing incidence, there is a pressing need understand the efficacy and safety of different treatment regimens in this population; however, pregnant and lactating people have traditionally been excluded from participating in randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Given recent efforts to expand the inclusion criteria for oncology RCTs, this study aimed to review the inclusion/exclusion criteria of current breast cancer RCTs to assess what proportion of trials permitted enrollment of pregnant and lactating persons. MATERIAL AND METHODS We conducted a comprehensive search of ClinicalTrials.gov in January 2022 to identify interventional studies of breast cancer in adults that were actively recruiting. The primary outcomes were the exclusion of pregnant and lactating people. RESULTS The search identified 1706 studies, of which 1451 met eligibility criteria. Overall, 69.4% and 54.8% of studies excluded pregnant and lactating people, respectively. The exclusion of pregnant and lactating persons differed by study characteristics but extended across all trial designs, locations, phases and interventions. Exclusion of pregnant and lactating persons was most common in trials where the intervention was biological (86.3%), drug (83.5%) or radiation (81.5%). CONCLUSIONS The exclusion of pregnant and lactating people from clinical trials contributes to evidence gaps in how to treat this population. A paradigm shift is needed that focuses on how research can be used to protect pregnant people from future harms, instead of protecting pregnant people from research-related risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy Metcalfe
- Department of Obstetrics and GynaecologyUniversity of CalgaryCalgaryAlbertaCanada
- Department of Community Health SciencesUniversity of CalgaryCalgaryAlbertaCanada
- Department of MedicineUniversity of CalgaryCalgaryAlbertaCanada
| | - Nikki Stephenson
- Department of Obstetrics and GynaecologyUniversity of CalgaryCalgaryAlbertaCanada
| | - Zoe F. Cairncross
- Department of Obstetrics and GynaecologyUniversity of CalgaryCalgaryAlbertaCanada
| | - Natalie V. Scime
- Department of Health & SocietyUniversity of Toronto ScarboroughTorontoOntarioCanada
| | - Miranda Fidler‐Benaoudia
- Department of Community Health SciencesUniversity of CalgaryCalgaryAlbertaCanada
- Department of Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention Research, Cancer Care Alberta, Alberta Health ServicesCalgaryAlbertaCanada
- Department of OncologyUniversity of CalgaryCalgaryAlbertaCanada
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6
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Franklin BD, Bartel R, Howitt P. Avoiding harm through hearing our patients. BMJ 2024; 384:q532. [PMID: 38448087 DOI: 10.1136/bmj.q532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Bryony Dean Franklin
- NIHR North West London Patient Safety Research Collaboration, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, UK
| | | | - Peter Howitt
- Centre for Health Policy, Institute of Global Health Innovation, Imperial College London, London, UK
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Farkas K, Stanek A, Zbinden S, Borea B, Ciurica S, Moore V, Maguire P, Abola MTB, Alajar EB, Marcoccia A, Erer D, Casanegra AI, Sharebiani H, Sprynger M, Kavousi M, Catalano M. Vascular Diseases in Women: Do Women Suffer from Them Differently? J Clin Med 2024; 13:1108. [PMID: 38398419 PMCID: PMC10889109 DOI: 10.3390/jcm13041108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2024] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
According to the World Health Organization, cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death among women worldwide, yet its magnitude is often underestimated. Biological and gender differences affect health, diagnosis, and healthcare in numerous ways. The lack of sex and gender awareness in health research and healthcare is an ongoing issue that affects not only research but also treatment and outcomes. The importance of recognizing the impacts of both sex and gender on health and of knowing the differences between the two in healthcare is beginning to gain ground. There is more appreciation of the roles that biological differences (sex) and sociocultural power structures (gender) have, and both sex and gender affect health behavior, the development of diseases, their diagnosis, management, and the long-term effects of an illness. An important issue is the knowledge and awareness of women about vascular diseases. The risk of cardiovascular events is drastically underestimated by women themselves, as well as by those around them. The purpose of this review is to draw attention to improving the medical care and treatment of women with vascular diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katalin Farkas
- Department of Angiology, Szent Imre University Teaching Hospital, Tétényi út 12-16, 1115 Budapest, Hungary
- VAS-European Independent Foundation in Angiology/Vascular Medicine, Via GB Grassi 74, 20157 Milan, Italy; (A.S.); (S.Z.); (B.B.); (S.C.); (M.T.B.A.); (A.M.); (D.E.); (H.S.); (M.S.); (M.K.); (M.C.)
| | - Agata Stanek
- VAS-European Independent Foundation in Angiology/Vascular Medicine, Via GB Grassi 74, 20157 Milan, Italy; (A.S.); (S.Z.); (B.B.); (S.C.); (M.T.B.A.); (A.M.); (D.E.); (H.S.); (M.S.); (M.K.); (M.C.)
- Department of Internal Medicine, Angiology and Physical Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia, Batorego 15 Street, 41-902 Bytom, Poland
| | - Stephanie Zbinden
- VAS-European Independent Foundation in Angiology/Vascular Medicine, Via GB Grassi 74, 20157 Milan, Italy; (A.S.); (S.Z.); (B.B.); (S.C.); (M.T.B.A.); (A.M.); (D.E.); (H.S.); (M.S.); (M.K.); (M.C.)
- Department of Angiology, Zurich University Hospital, Ramistrasse 100, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Barbara Borea
- VAS-European Independent Foundation in Angiology/Vascular Medicine, Via GB Grassi 74, 20157 Milan, Italy; (A.S.); (S.Z.); (B.B.); (S.C.); (M.T.B.A.); (A.M.); (D.E.); (H.S.); (M.S.); (M.K.); (M.C.)
- Department of Angiology and Haemostasis, Geneva University Hospitals, Rue Gabrielle-Perret-Gentil 4, 1205 Genève, Switzerland
| | - Simina Ciurica
- VAS-European Independent Foundation in Angiology/Vascular Medicine, Via GB Grassi 74, 20157 Milan, Italy; (A.S.); (S.Z.); (B.B.); (S.C.); (M.T.B.A.); (A.M.); (D.E.); (H.S.); (M.S.); (M.K.); (M.C.)
- Department of Cardiology, Marie Curie Civil Hospital, CHU Charleroi, Chaussée de Bruxelles 140, 6042 Lodelinsart, Belgium
| | - Vanessa Moore
- European Institute of Women’s Health, Ashgrove House, Kill Avenue, Dún Laoghaire, A96 N9K0 Dublin, Ireland; (V.M.); (P.M.)
| | - Peggy Maguire
- European Institute of Women’s Health, Ashgrove House, Kill Avenue, Dún Laoghaire, A96 N9K0 Dublin, Ireland; (V.M.); (P.M.)
| | - Maria Teresa B. Abola
- VAS-European Independent Foundation in Angiology/Vascular Medicine, Via GB Grassi 74, 20157 Milan, Italy; (A.S.); (S.Z.); (B.B.); (S.C.); (M.T.B.A.); (A.M.); (D.E.); (H.S.); (M.S.); (M.K.); (M.C.)
- Clinical Research Department, Education, Training and Research Services, Philippine Heart Center, University of the Philippines College of Medicine, 547 Pedro Gil Street, Manila 1000, Metro Manila, Philippines
| | - Elaine B. Alajar
- Manila Doctors Hospital, 667 United Nations Ave, Ermita, Manila 1000, Metro Manila, Philippines;
| | - Antonella Marcoccia
- VAS-European Independent Foundation in Angiology/Vascular Medicine, Via GB Grassi 74, 20157 Milan, Italy; (A.S.); (S.Z.); (B.B.); (S.C.); (M.T.B.A.); (A.M.); (D.E.); (H.S.); (M.S.); (M.K.); (M.C.)
- Angiology and Autoimmunity Medical Unit, Rare Diseases Reference Center for Systemic Sclerosis, Sandro Pertini Hospital, 00157 Rome, Italy
| | - Dilek Erer
- VAS-European Independent Foundation in Angiology/Vascular Medicine, Via GB Grassi 74, 20157 Milan, Italy; (A.S.); (S.Z.); (B.B.); (S.C.); (M.T.B.A.); (A.M.); (D.E.); (H.S.); (M.S.); (M.K.); (M.C.)
- Gazi University Hospital, Mevlana Blv. No:29, Yenimahalle, Ankara 06560, Turkey
| | - Ana I. Casanegra
- Gonda Vascular Center, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Mayo Clinic, 200 1st Street SW, Rochester, MN 55901, USA;
| | - Hiva Sharebiani
- VAS-European Independent Foundation in Angiology/Vascular Medicine, Via GB Grassi 74, 20157 Milan, Italy; (A.S.); (S.Z.); (B.B.); (S.C.); (M.T.B.A.); (A.M.); (D.E.); (H.S.); (M.S.); (M.K.); (M.C.)
- Support Association of Patients of Buerger’s Disease, Buerger’s Disease NGO, Mashhad 9183785195, Iran
| | - Muriel Sprynger
- VAS-European Independent Foundation in Angiology/Vascular Medicine, Via GB Grassi 74, 20157 Milan, Italy; (A.S.); (S.Z.); (B.B.); (S.C.); (M.T.B.A.); (A.M.); (D.E.); (H.S.); (M.S.); (M.K.); (M.C.)
- Department of Cardiology, University Hospital of Liège, Hospital Boulevard, 4000 Liege, Belgium
| | - Maryam Kavousi
- VAS-European Independent Foundation in Angiology/Vascular Medicine, Via GB Grassi 74, 20157 Milan, Italy; (A.S.); (S.Z.); (B.B.); (S.C.); (M.T.B.A.); (A.M.); (D.E.); (H.S.); (M.S.); (M.K.); (M.C.)
- Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Dr. Molewaterplein 40, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Mariella Catalano
- VAS-European Independent Foundation in Angiology/Vascular Medicine, Via GB Grassi 74, 20157 Milan, Italy; (A.S.); (S.Z.); (B.B.); (S.C.); (M.T.B.A.); (A.M.); (D.E.); (H.S.); (M.S.); (M.K.); (M.C.)
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Science, Inter-University Research Center on Vascular Disease, University of Milan, GB Grassi 74, 20157 Milan, Italy
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Suh JW, Floud S, Reeves GK, Cairns BJ, Wright FL. Multimorbidity of cardiovascular disease subtypes in a prospective cohort of 1.2 million UK women. Open Heart 2023; 10:e002552. [PMID: 38097361 PMCID: PMC10729279 DOI: 10.1136/openhrt-2023-002552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Cardiovascular multimorbidity (CVM) is the co-occurrence of multiple cardiovascular disease subtypes (CVDs) in one person. Because common patterns and incidence of CVM are not well-described, particularly in women, we conducted a descriptive study of CVM in the Million Women Study, a large population-based cohort of women. METHODS UK women aged 50-64 years were followed up using hospital admissions and mortality records for an average of 19 years. CVM was defined as having ≥2 of 19 selected CVDs. The age-specific cumulative incidence of CVM between age 60 and 80 years was estimated. The numbers and proportions of individual, pairs and other combinations of CVDs that comprised incident CVM were calculated. For each individual CVD subtype, age-standardised proportions of the counts of other co-occurring CVDs were estimated. RESULTS The age-specific likelihood of having CVM nearly doubled every 5 years between age 60 and 80 years. Among 1.2 million women without CVD at study baseline, 16% (n=196 651) had incident CVM by the end of follow-up. Around half of all women with CVM had a diagnosis of ischaemic heart disease (n=102 536) or atrial fibrillation (n=96 022), almost a third had heart failure (n=72 186) and a fifth had stroke (n=40 442). The pair of CVDs with the highest age-adjusted incidence was ischaemic heart disease and atrial fibrillation (18.95 per 10 000 person-years). Over 60% of individuals with any given CVD subtype also had other CVDs, after age standardisation. CONCLUSIONS CVM is common. The majority of women with any specific CVD subtype eventually develop at least one other. Clinical and public health guidelines for CVD management should acknowledge this high likelihood of CVM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jae Won Suh
- Cancer Epidemiology Unit, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Research Department of Clinical, Educational & Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Sarah Floud
- Cancer Epidemiology Unit, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Gillian K Reeves
- Cancer Epidemiology Unit, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Benjamin J Cairns
- Our Future Health, London, UK
- Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Frances Lucy Wright
- Unit of Health-Care Epidemiology, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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9
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Subramanian A, Lee SI, Hemali Sudasinghe SPB, Wambua S, Phillips K, Singh M, Azcoaga-Lorenzo A, Cockburn N, Wang J, Fagbamigbe A, Usman M, Damase-Michel C, Yau C, Kent L, McCowan C, OReilly D, Santorelli G, Hope H, Kennedy J, Mhereeg M, Abel KM, Eastwood KA, Black M, Loane M, Moss N, Brophy S, Brocklehurst P, Dolk H, Nelson-Piercy C, Nirantharakumar K. Detection and evaluation of signals associated with exposure to individual and combination of medications in pregnancy: a signal detection study protocol. BMJ Open 2023; 13:e073162. [PMID: 37813531 PMCID: PMC10565241 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-073162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Considering the high prevalence of polypharmacy in pregnant women and the knowledge gap in the risk-benefit safety profile of their often-complex treatment plan, more research is needed to optimise prescribing. In this study, we aim to detect adverse and protective effect signals of exposure to individual and pairwise combinations of medications during pregnancy. METHODS AND ANALYSIS Using a range of real-world data sources from the UK, we aim to conduct a pharmacovigilance study to assess the safety of medications prescribed during the preconception period (3 months prior to conception) and first trimester of pregnancy. Women aged between 15 and 49 years with a record of pregnancy within the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) Pregnancy Register, the Welsh Secure Anonymised Information Linkage (SAIL), the Scottish Morbidity Record (SMR) data sets and the Northern Ireland Maternity System (NIMATS) will be included. A series of case control studies will be conducted to estimate measures of disproportionality, detecting signals of association between a range of pregnancy outcomes and exposure to individual and combinations of medications. A multidisciplinary expert team will be invited to a signal detection workshop. By employing a structured framework, signals will be transparently assessed by each member of the team using a questionnaire appraising the signals on aspects of temporality, selection, time and measurement-related biases and confounding by underlying disease or comedications. Through group discussion, the expert team will reach consensus on each of the medication exposure-outcome signal, thereby excluding spurious signals, leaving signals suggestive of causal associations for further evaluation. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION Ethical approval has been obtained from the Independent Scientific Advisory Committee, SAIL Information Governance Review Panel, University of St. Andrews Teaching and Research Ethics Committee and Office for Research Ethics Committees Northern Ireland (ORECNI) for access and use of CPRD, SAIL, SMR and NIMATS data, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Siang Ing Lee
- Institute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | | | - Steven Wambua
- Institute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Katherine Phillips
- Institute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Megha Singh
- Institute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Amaya Azcoaga-Lorenzo
- Division of Population and Behavioural Sciences, University of Saint Andrews School of Medicine, St. Andrews, Fife, UK
- Hospital Rey Juan Carlos. Research Network on Chronicity, Primary Care and Health Promotion-RICAPPS (RICORS), Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Fundación Jimenez Diaz, Madrid, Spain
| | - Neil Cockburn
- Institute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Jingya Wang
- Institute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Adeniyi Fagbamigbe
- Division of Population and Behavioural Sciences, University of Saint Andrews School of Medicine, St. Andrews, Fife, UK
- Department of Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Muhammad Usman
- Division of Population and Behavioural Sciences, University of Saint Andrews School of Medicine, St. Andrews, Fife, UK
| | - Christine Damase-Michel
- Medical and Clinical Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Université Toulouse III, Toulouse, France
- Center for Epidemiology and Research in Population Health (CERPOP), INSERM, Toulouse, France
| | - Christopher Yau
- Nuffield Department of Women's and Reproductive Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Lisa Kent
- Centre for Public Health, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - Colin McCowan
- Division of Population and Behavioural Sciences, University of Saint Andrews School of Medicine, St. Andrews, Fife, UK
| | - Dermot OReilly
- Centre for Public Health, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | | | - Holly Hope
- Centre for Women's Mental Health, Faculty of Biology Medicine & Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | | | | | - Kathryn Mary Abel
- Centre for Women's Mental Health, Faculty of Biology Medicine & Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
- Manchester Mental Health & Social Care Trust, Manchester, UK
| | - Kelly-Ann Eastwood
- Centre for Public Health, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
- University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust, Bristol, UK
| | - Mairead Black
- Aberdeen Centre for Women's Health Research, School of Medicine, Medical Science and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Maria Loane
- The Institute of Nursing and Health Research, University of Ulster, Belfast, UK
| | | | - Sinead Brophy
- Data Science, Medical School, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
| | - Peter Brocklehurst
- Institute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Helen Dolk
- The Institute of Nursing and Health Research, University of Ulster, Belfast, UK
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10
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Vijayasingham L, Bischof E, Ateghang-Awankem B, Rumaney M, Otmani Del Barrio M, Cheah PY, Ter-Meulen AS, Tannenbaum C, Morgan R, Wolfe J. Acting on sex and gender in medical innovation is good for business. BMJ 2023; 381:e072242. [PMID: 37286208 DOI: 10.1136/bmj-2022-072242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Evelyne Bischof
- Shanghai University of Medicine and Health Sciences, College of Basic Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Renji University Hospital of Jiatong School of Medicine, Renji, Shanghai, China
- International Center for Multimorbidity and Complexity in Medicine (ICMC), Universität Zürich, Switzerland
| | | | | | | | - Phaik Yeong Cheah
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (MORU), Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Cara Tannenbaum
- Faculties of Medicine and Pharmacy at the Université de Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Institute of Gender and Health, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Canada
| | - Rosemary Morgan
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, USA
| | - Jeannette Wolfe
- Department of Emergency Medicine, UMass Chan Medical School-Baystate Campus, Springfield, USA
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11
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Shaaban S, Ji Y. Pharmacogenomics and health disparities, are we helping? Front Genet 2023; 14:1099541. [PMID: 36755573 PMCID: PMC9900000 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2023.1099541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Pharmacogenomics has been at the forefront of precision medicine during the last few decades. Precision medicine carries the potential of improving health outcomes at both the individual as well as population levels. To harness the benefits of its initiatives, careful dissection of existing health disparities as they relate to precision medicine is of paramount importance. Attempting to address the existing disparities at the early stages of design and implementation of these efforts is the only guarantee of a successful just outcome. In this review, we glance at a few determinants of existing health disparities as they intersect with pharmacogenomics research and implementation. In our opinion, highlighting these disparities is imperative for the purpose of researching meaningful solutions. Failing to identify, and hence address, these disparities in the context of the current and future precision medicine initiatives would leave an already strained health system, even more inundated with inequality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sherin Shaaban
- Department of Pathology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States,ARUP Laboratories, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States,*Correspondence: Sherin Shaaban,
| | - Yuan Ji
- Department of Pathology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States,ARUP Laboratories, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
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12
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Nolan LN, Hughes L. Premenstrual exacerbation of mental health disorders: a systematic review of prospective studies. Arch Womens Ment Health 2022; 25:831-852. [PMID: 35867164 DOI: 10.1007/s00737-022-01246-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Mental health disorders can be exacerbated during periods of hormonal fluctuation (e.g. pregnancy, menopause), and the risk factors for sensitivity to these fluctuations are similar to those of mental disorders (e.g. trauma). However, the extent to which hormonal fluctuations during the menstrual cycle impact symptoms of preexisting mental disorders remains unclear. Prospective methodology is considered the gold standard for measuring symptoms across the menstrual cycle. Thus, the aim of the review was to address this knowledge gap by summarising all available studies prospectively measuring symptoms of mental disorders across the menstrual cycle. A systematic review with narrative synthesis was conducted; meta-analysis was precluded due to methodological heterogeneity of included studies. Electronic databases MEDLINE, Embase, PyschINFO and CINAHL were systematically searched from inception. Risk of bias for individual studies was assessed using a modified version of the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. The search identified 629 studies from which 35 met inclusion criteria. There was clear evidence of symptom exacerbation during the perimenstrual phase for psychotic disorders, panic disorder, eating disorders, depression and borderline personality disorder. Less consistent evidence was found for anxiety, and a different pattern of symptom exacerbation was observed in bipolar disorder. Sample size and methodology varied considerably amongst studies. Overall, there was mixed evidence for perimenstrual exacerbation across mental disorders, which could be partly explained by methodological limitations of the studies. However, hormonal fluctuations during the menstrual cycle may exacerbate psychiatric symptoms in a subgroup of individuals who are hormone sensitive.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Liz Hughes
- School of Health and Social Care, Edinburgh Napier University, Edinburgh, UK
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13
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Shawahna R, Zaid L. Concentrations of antiseizure medications in breast milk of lactating women with epilepsy: A systematic review with qualitative synthesis. Seizure 2022; 98:57-70. [PMID: 35427849 DOI: 10.1016/j.seizure.2022.03.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2021] [Revised: 03/20/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent position papers and guidelines encourage women with epilepsy (WWE) to exclusively breastfeed their infants because the benefits to their infants outweigh the potential adverse effects caused by exposure to antiseizure medications (ASMs). OBJECTIVE The objectives of this review were: to evaluate concentrations of ASMs in breastmilk of lactating WWE, qualitatively synthesize evidence that can be used to estimate theoretical doses as estimated daily intake (EDI) and relative infant dose (RID) of ASMs, and to evaluate potential risks to infants as a result of exposure to ASMs from breastmilk. METHODS This systematic review was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) as CRD42020223645. The databases: MEDLINE/PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL/EBSCO, COCHRANE, SpringerLink, ScienceDirect, Summon, WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform, and SCOPUS were systematically searched. A qualitative synthesis was adopted in this study. RESULTS A total of 15 records were included in this systematic review. The included studies reported levels of 8 ASMs in the breastmilk of WWE. The highest RIDs of carbamazepine, lamotrigine, primidone, phenobarbital, gabapentin, valproic acid, ethosuximide, levetiracetam, and topiramate were 3.70%, 36.33%, 4.96%, 3.15%, 4.37%, 1.90%, 31.49%, 12.50%, and 12.18%, respectively. Breastfeeding might be limited or even discontinued when signs of excessive sedation/drowsiness and/or poor weight gain are evident on infants exposed to primidone and phenobarbital, ethosuximide/primidone, or ethosuximide/phenobarbital. CONCLUSIONS Concentrations of ASMs can be detected in breastmilk of WWE and plasma/serum of infants exposed via breastmilk. Healthcare providers and WWE might use the findings of this study to make informed decisions on the safety of breastfeeding while taking ASMs.
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14
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Hussain M, Fatima M, Muhammad Iqbal S, Asif M, Saadullah M, Kashif-Ur-Rehman, Mukhtar I, Ahmad Khan I, Parveen S, Fayyaz T, Shabbir N, Kanwal A, Shaukat S, Fatima M, Ikram N, Majeed A, Parveen F, Tariq M, Barkat MQ, Zeng LH, Wu X. COVID-19 vaccine trials and sex-disaggregated data. Expert Rev Vaccines 2022; 21:285-288. [PMID: 34894982 PMCID: PMC8726001 DOI: 10.1080/14760584.2022.2015331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Musaddique Hussain
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, Pakistan
| | - Mehwish Fatima
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, Pakistan
| | - Shahid Muhammad Iqbal
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Asif
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, Pakistan
| | - Malik Saadullah
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Government College University, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Kashif-Ur-Rehman
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, Pakistan
| | - Imran Mukhtar
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, Pakistan
| | - Imran Ahmad Khan
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, Pakistan
| | - Sajida Parveen
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, Pakistan
| | - Tehreem Fayyaz
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, Pakistan
| | - Najia Shabbir
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, Pakistan
| | - Aisha Kanwal
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, Pakistan
| | - Saira Shaukat
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, Pakistan
| | - Mobeen Fatima
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, Pakistan
| | - Nadia Ikram
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, Pakistan
| | - Abdul Majeed
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Bahauddin Zakariya University, MultanPakistan
| | - Farzana Parveen
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Bahauddin Zakariya University, MultanPakistan
| | | | - Muhammad Qasim Barkat
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou City, China
| | - Ling-Hui Zeng
- Department of Pharmacology, Zhejiang University City College, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ximei Wu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou City, China
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15
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White J, Tannenbaum C, Klinge I, Schiebinger L, Clayton J. The Integration of Sex and Gender Considerations Into Biomedical Research: Lessons From International Funding Agencies. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2021; 106:3034-3048. [PMID: 34137862 PMCID: PMC8475217 DOI: 10.1210/clinem/dgab434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
To improve the outcomes of research and medicine, government-based international research funding agencies have implemented various types of policies and mechanisms with respect to sex as a biological variable and gender as a sociocultural factor. After the 1990s, the US National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), and the European Commission (EC) began requesting that applicants address sex and gender considerations in grant proposals, and offering resources to help the scientific community integrate sex and gender into biomedical research. Although it is too early to analyze data on the success of all of the policies and mechanisms implemented, here we review the use both of carrots (incentives) and sticks (requirements) developed to motivate researchers and the entire scientific research enterprise to consider sex and gender influences on health and in science. The NIH focused on sex as a biological variable (SABV) aligned with an initiative to enhance reproducibility through rigor and transparency; CIHR instituted a sex- and gender-based analysis (SGBA) policy; and the EC required the integration of the "gender dimension," which incorporates sex, gender, and intersectional analysis into research and innovation. Other global efforts are briefly summarized. Although we are still learning what works, we share lessons learned to improve the integration of sex and gender considerations into research. In conjunction with refining and expanding the policies of funding agencies and mechanisms, private funders/philanthropic groups, editors of peer-reviewed journals, academic institutions, professional organizations, ethics boards, health care systems, and industry also need to make concerted efforts to integrate sex and gender into research, and we all must bridge across silos to promote systemwide solutions throughout the biomedical enterprise. For example, policies that encourage researchers to disaggregate data by sex and gender, the development of tools to better measure gender effects, or policies similar to SABV and/or SGBA adopted by private funders would accelerate progress. Uptake, accountability for, and a critical appraisal of sex and gender throughout the biomedical enterprise will be crucial to achieving the goal of relevant, reproducible, replicable, and responsible science that will lead to better evidence-based, personalized care for all, but especially for women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie White
- Office of Research on Women’s Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20817, USA
- Correspondence: Jamie White, MS, Office of Research on Women’s Health, National Institutes of Health, 6707 Democracy Blvd, Ste 400, Bethesda, MD 20817, USA.
| | - Cara Tannenbaum
- Institute of Gender and Health, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Montreal, Quebec H3W 1W5, Canada
| | - Ineke Klinge
- Rapporteur H2020 Gendered Innovations 2, European Commission, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Londa Schiebinger
- History of Science, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA
| | - Janine Clayton
- Office of Research on Women’s Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20817, USA
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16
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Laycock HC, Mullins E. The role of anaesthetists in women's health. Anaesthesia 2021; 76 Suppl 4:3-5. [PMID: 33682090 DOI: 10.1111/anae.15404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- H C Laycock
- Department of Paediatric Anaesthesia and Pain, Great Ormond Street Hospital, London, UK.,Faculty of Medicine, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - E Mullins
- Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, London, UK
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