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Rijk MH, Platteel TN, van den Berg TMC, Geersing GJ, Little P, Rutten FH, van Smeden M, Venekamp RP. Prognostic factors and prediction models for hospitalisation and all-cause mortality in adults presenting to primary care with a lower respiratory tract infection: a systematic review. BMJ Open 2024; 14:e075475. [PMID: 38521534 PMCID: PMC10961536 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-075475] [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: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To identify and synthesise relevant existing prognostic factors (PF) and prediction models (PM) for hospitalisation and all-cause mortality within 90 days in primary care patients with acute lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI). DESIGN Systematic review. METHODS Systematic searches of MEDLINE, Embase and the Cochrane Library were performed. All PF and PM studies on the risk of hospitalisation or all-cause mortality within 90 days in adult primary care LRTI patients were included. The risk of bias was assessed using the Quality in Prognostic Studies tool and Prediction Model Risk Of Bias Assessment Tool tools for PF and PM studies, respectively. The results of included PF and PM studies were descriptively summarised. RESULTS Of 2799 unique records identified, 16 were included: 9 PF studies, 6 PM studies and 1 combination of both. The risk of bias was judged high for all studies, mainly due to limitations in the analysis domain. Based on reported multivariable associations in PF studies, increasing age, sex, current smoking, diabetes, a history of stroke, cancer or heart failure, previous hospitalisation, influenza vaccination (negative association), current use of systemic corticosteroids, recent antibiotic use, respiratory rate ≥25/min and diagnosis of pneumonia were identified as most promising candidate predictors. One newly developed PM was externally validated (c statistic 0.74, 95% CI 0.71 to 0.78) whereas the previously hospital-derived CRB-65 was externally validated in primary care in five studies (c statistic ranging from 0.72 (95% CI 0.63 to 0.81) to 0.79 (95% CI 0.65 to 0.92)). None of the PM studies reported measures of model calibration. CONCLUSIONS Implementation of existing models for individualised risk prediction of 90-day hospitalisation or mortality in primary care LRTI patients in everyday practice is hampered by incomplete assessment of model performance. The identified candidate predictors provide useful information for clinicians and warrant consideration when developing or updating PMs using state-of-the-art development and validation techniques. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER CRD42022341233.
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Affiliation(s)
- Merijn H Rijk
- Department of General Practice, Julius Centre for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Tamara N Platteel
- Department of General Practice, Julius Centre for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Teun M C van den Berg
- Department of General Practice, Julius Centre for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Geert-Jan Geersing
- Department of General Practice, Julius Centre for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Paul Little
- Primary Care and Population Science, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Frans H Rutten
- Department of General Practice, Julius Centre for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Maarten van Smeden
- Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Roderick P Venekamp
- Department of General Practice, Julius Centre for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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Spiekerkoetter U, Bick D, Scott R, Hopkins H, Krones T, Gross ES, Bonham JR. Genomic newborn screening: Are we entering a new era of screening? J Inherit Metab Dis 2023; 46:778-795. [PMID: 37403863 DOI: 10.1002/jimd.12650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/06/2023]
Abstract
Population newborn screening (NBS) for phenylketonuria began in the United States in 1963. In the 1990s electrospray ionization mass spectrometry permitted an array of pathognomonic metabolites to be identified simultaneously, enabling up to 60 disorders to be recognized with a single test. In response, differing approaches to the assessment of the harms and benefits of screening have resulted in variable screening panels worldwide. Thirty years on and another screening revolution has emerged with the potential for first line genomic testing extending the range of screening conditions recognized after birth to many hundreds. At the annual SSIEM conference in 2022 in Freiburg, Germany, an interactive plenary discussion on genomic screening strategies and their challenges and opportunities was conducted. The Genomics England Research project proposes the use of Whole Genome Sequencing to offer extended NBS to 100 000 babies for defined conditions with a clear benefit for the child. The European Organization for Rare Diseases seeks to include "actionable" conditions considering also other types of benefits. Hopkins Van Mil, a private UK research institute, determined the views of citizens and revealed as a precondition that families are provided with adequate information, qualified support, and that autonomy and data are protected. From an ethical standpoint, the benefits ascribed to screening and early treatment need to be considered in relation to asymptomatic, phenotypically mild or late-onset presentations, where presymptomatic treatment may not be required. The different perspectives and arguments demonstrate the unique burden of responsibility on those proposing new and far-reaching developments in NBS programs and the need to carefully consider both harms and benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ute Spiekerkoetter
- Department of Pediatrics, Adolescent Medicine and Neonatology, Faculty of Medicine, University Children's Hospital, Freiburg, Germany
| | | | | | | | - Tanja Krones
- URPP Human Reproduction Reloaded - H2R and Institute of Biomedical Ethics and History of Medicine, University Hospital/University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - James R Bonham
- International Society of Neonatal Screening, Maarssen, The Netherlands
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Mull HJ, Kabdiyeva A, Ndugga N, Gordon SH, Garrido MM, Pizer SD. What is the role of selection bias in quality comparisons between the Veterans Health Administration and community care? Example of elective hernia surgery. Health Serv Res 2023; 58:654-662. [PMID: 36477645 PMCID: PMC10154155 DOI: 10.1111/1475-6773.14113] [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] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate the relationship between community care (CC) treatment and a postoperative surgical complication in elective hernia surgery among Veterans using multiple approaches to control for potential selection bias. DATA SOURCES AND STUDY SETTING Veterans Health Administration (VHA) data sources included Corporate Data Warehouse (VHA encounters and patient data), the Program Integrity Tool and Fee tables (CC encounters), the Planning Systems Support Group (geographic information), and the Paid file (VHA primary care providers). STUDY DESIGN Prior works suggest patient outcomes are better in VHA than in CC settings; however, these studies may not have appropriately accounted for the selection of higher-risk cases into CC. We estimated (1) a naïve logistic regression model to calculate the effect of CC setting on the probability of a complication, controlling for facility fixed effects and patient and procedure characteristics, and (2) a 2-stage model using the hernia patient's primary care provider's 1-year prior CC referral rate as the instrument. DATA COLLECTION We identified patients residing ≤40 miles from a VHA surgical facility with elective VHA or CC hernia surgery from 2018 to 2019. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Of 7991 hernia surgeries, 772 (9.7%) were in CC. The overall complication rate was 4.2%; 286/7219 (4.0%) among VHA surgeries versus 51/5772 (6.6%, p < 0.05) in CC. We observed a 2.8 percentage point increase in the probability of postoperative complication given CC surgery (95% confidence interval: 0.7, 4.8) in the naïve model. After accounting for the VHA provider's historical rate of CC referral, we no longer observed a relationship between surgery setting and risk of postoperative complication. CONCLUSIONS After accounting for the selection of higher-risk patients to CC settings, we found no difference in hernia surgery postoperative complications between CC and VHA. Future VHA and non-VHA comparisons should account for unobserved as well as observed differences in patients seen in each setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hillary J. Mull
- Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research (CHOIR)VA Boston Healthcare SystemBostonMassachusettsUSA
- Department of SurgeryBoston University School of MedicineBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Aigerim Kabdiyeva
- Partnered Evidence‐based Policy Resource Center (PEPReC)Department of Veterans AffairsBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Nambi Ndugga
- Partnered Evidence‐based Policy Resource Center (PEPReC)Department of Veterans AffairsBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Sarah H. Gordon
- Department of Health LawPolicy and Management, Boston University School of Public HealthBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Melissa M. Garrido
- Partnered Evidence‐based Policy Resource Center (PEPReC)Department of Veterans AffairsBostonMassachusettsUSA
- Department of Health LawPolicy and Management, Boston University School of Public HealthBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Steven D. Pizer
- Partnered Evidence‐based Policy Resource Center (PEPReC)Department of Veterans AffairsBostonMassachusettsUSA
- Department of Health LawPolicy and Management, Boston University School of Public HealthBostonMassachusettsUSA
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Boussageon R, Blanchard C, Charuel E, Menini T, Pereira B, Naudet F, Kassai B, Gueyffier F, Cucherat M, Vaillant-Roussel H. Project rebuild the evidence base (REB): A method to interpret randomised clinical trials and their meta-analysis to present solid benefit-risk assessments to patients. Therapie 2022:S0040-5957(22)00177-9. [PMID: 36371260 DOI: 10.1016/j.therap.2022.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2021] [Revised: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Evidence-based medicine is the cornerstone of shared-decision making in healthcare today. The public deserves clear, transparent and trust-worthy information on drug efficacy. Yet today, many drugs are prescribed and used without solid evidence of efficacy. Clinical trials and randomised clinical trials (RCTs) are the best method to evaluate drug efficacy and side effects. In a shared medical decision-making approach, general practitioners need drug assessment based on patient-important outcomes. The aim of project rebuild the evidence base (REB) is to bridge the gap between the data needed in clinical practice and the data available from clinical research. The drugs will be assessed on clinical patient important outcomes and for a population. Using the Cochrane tools, we propose to analyse for each population and outcome: 1) a meta-analysis based on RCTs with a low risk of bias overall; 2) an evaluation of results of confirmatory RCTs; 3) a statistical analysis of heterrogeneity between RCTs and 4) an analysis of publication bias. Depending on the results of these analyses, the evidence will be categorized in 4 different levels: firm evidence, evidence (to be confirmed), signal or absence of evidence. Project REB proposes a method for reading and interpreting RCTs and their meta-analysis to produce quality data for general practitioners to focus on risk-benefit assessment in the interest of patients. If this data does not exist, it could enable clinical research to better its aim.
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No Recommendation Is (at Least Presently) the Best Recommendation: An Updating Quality Appraisal of Recommendations on Screening for Scoliosis. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19116659. [PMID: 35682242 PMCID: PMC9180347 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19116659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Revised: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Recommendations addressing screening for scoliosis differ substantially. Systematically developed guidelines are confronted by consensus and opinion-based statements. This paper elaborates on the issue of the standards of development and reporting of current guidelines and recommendation statements, as well as on the methodological quality of the corresponding evidence syntheses. The SORT classification and the AMSTAR 2 tool were used for those purposes, respectively. Publications included in the analysis differed substantially in terms of their methodological quality. Based on the SORT and AMSTAR 2 scores, the 2018 US PSTF recommendation statement and systematic review on screening for scoliosis are trustworthy and high-quality sources of evidence and aid for decision making. The recommendation statement on insufficient evidence to formulate any recommendations is, paradoxically, very informative. Significantly, updated opinion-based position statements supporting screening for scoliosis acknowledged the importance of research evidence as a basis for recommendation formulation and are more cautious and balanced than formerly. Expert opinions, not built on properly presented analyses of evidence, are at odds with evidence-based practice. Nonetheless, contemporary principles of screening programs, especially those addressing people's values and preferences, and the possible harms of screening, remain underrepresented in both research and recommendations addressing screening for scoliosis.
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Gion M, Cardinali G, Guzzinati S, Morandi P, Trevisiol C, Fabricio ASC, Rugge M, Zorzi M. Use of Routine Health Datasets to Assess the Appropriateness of Diagnostic Tests in the Follow-Up of Breast Cancer Patients: A Population-Based Study on 3930 Patients. Risk Manag Healthc Policy 2022; 15:1087-1100. [PMID: 35615584 PMCID: PMC9126654 DOI: 10.2147/rmhp.s342072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Accepted: 03/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) recommend against intensive follow-up in asymptomatic women with breast cancer (BC). The present study assessed the adherence to CPGs of diagnostic tests ordering during BC follow-up by exploring routinely collected health data through an algorithm developed to distinguish patients according to their status at follow-up. Patients and Methods A retrospective population-based cohort study was performed monitoring the diagnostic tests ordered during 5 years of follow-up in all BC cases incident in 2013 in the Veneto Region, Italy. Data were extracted from the Veneto Tumour Registry, the Hospital Discharge Records and the Outpatients' Records of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Procedures. The algorithm was developed using information on infusion of anticancer agents, imaging exams ordered, and death. Results The algorithm classified patients by status at follow-up in four groups: (i) probably no-evidence-of-disease (NED), (ii) suspicious signs of relapse not confirmed, (iii) increased risk of relapse and (iv) advanced disease at presentation or progressive disease. A total of 3930 consecutive incident cases were followed-up for 5 years, corresponding to 17,184 person-years, 15,345 of which pertaining to NED cases. In NED cases, 32,900 tumour markers and 15,858 imaging exams were ordered. Liver ultrasonography and chest radiography were most frequently ordered. Conclusion In contrast with recommendations of CPGs, a substantial overordering of tumour markers and imaging exams occurred in NED BC patients. The developed algorithm can be repeatedly applied to routine health datasets for regular monitoring of the adherence to CPGs and of the impact of interventions to improve appropriateness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Massimo Gion
- Regional Center for Biomarkers, Department of Clinical Pathology, Azienda ULSS 3 Serenissima, Venice, Italy
| | - Giulia Cardinali
- Management Control Unit, Azienda ULSS 3 Serenissima, Venice, Italy
| | | | - Paolo Morandi
- Medical Oncology Unit, Azienda ULSS 3 Serenissima, Venice, Italy
| | | | | | - Massimo Rugge
- Veneto Tumour Registry, Azienda Zero, Padua, Italy
- University of Padova, Department of Medicine DIMED, Padua, Italy
| | - Manuel Zorzi
- Veneto Tumour Registry, Azienda Zero, Padua, Italy
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Bandovas JP, Leal B, Reis-de-Carvalho C, Sousa DC, Araújo JC, Peixoto P, Henriques SO, Vaz Carneiro A. Broadening risk factor or disease definition as a driver for overdiagnosis: A narrative review. J Intern Med 2022; 291:426-437. [PMID: 35253285 PMCID: PMC9314822 DOI: 10.1111/joim.13465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Medical overuse-defined as the provision of health services for which potential harms exceed potential benefits-constitutes a paradigm of low-value care and is seen as a threat to the quality of care. Value in healthcare implies a precise definition of disease. However, defining a disease may not be straightforward since clinical data do not show discrete boundaries, calling for some clinical judgment. And, if in time a redefinition of disease is needed, it is important to recognize that it can induce overdiagnosis, the identification of medical conditions that would, otherwise, never cause any significant symptoms or lead to clinical harm. A classic example is the impact of recommendations from professional societies in the late 1990s, lowering the threshold for abnormal total cholesterol from 240 mg/dl to 200 mg/dl. Due to these changes in risk factor definition, literally overnight there were 42 million new cases eligible for treatment in the United States. The same happened with hypertension-using either the 2019 NICE guidelines or the 2018 ESC/ECC guidelines criteria for arterial hypertension, the proportion of people overdiagnosed with hypertension was calculated to be between 14% and 33%. In this review, we will start by discussing resource overuse. We then present the basis for disease definition and its conceptual problems. Finally, we will discuss the impact of changing risk factor/disease definitions in the prevalence of disease and its consequences in overdiagnosis and overtreatment (a problem particularly relevant when definitions are widened to include earlier or milder disease).
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Affiliation(s)
- João Pedro Bandovas
- Department of General Surgery, Centro Hospitalar Universitário de Lisboa Central, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Beatriz Leal
- Department of Anesthestics, Instituto Português de Oncologia de Lisboa Francisco Gentil, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Catarina Reis-de-Carvalho
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Medicine, Centro Hospitalar Universitário Lisboa Norte, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - David Cordeiro Sousa
- Vision Sciences Study Center, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal.,Vitreoretinal Unit, Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
| | - João Cruz Araújo
- Family Medicine Department, Unidade de Saúde Familiar Gualtar, Braga, Portugal
| | - Pedro Peixoto
- Department of Family Medicine, Unidade de Saúde Familiar do Mar, Póvoa de Varzim, Portugal
| | | | - António Vaz Carneiro
- Institute for Evidence Based Healthcare, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
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Dedhia PH, Saucke MC, Long KL, Doherty GM, Pitt SC. Physician Perspectives of Overdiagnosis and Overtreatment of Low-Risk Papillary Thyroid Cancer in the US. JAMA Netw Open 2022; 5:e228722. [PMID: 35467735 PMCID: PMC9039765 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.8722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
This survey study assesses physicians’ recommendations regarding overdiagnosis and overtreatment of thyroid nodules and low-risk papillary thyroid cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priya H. Dedhia
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus
| | - Megan C. Saucke
- Wisconsin Surgical Outcomes Research Program, Department of Surgery, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison
| | - Kristin L. Long
- Division of Endocrine Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison
| | - Gerard M. Doherty
- Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Brigham Health, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Susan C. Pitt
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Paediatric flat feet are a common presentation in primary care; reported prevalence approximates 15%. A minority of flat feet can hurt and limit gait. There is no optimal strategy, nor consensus, for using foot orthoses (FOs) to treat paediatric flat feet. OBJECTIVES To assess the benefits and harms of foot orthoses for treating paediatric flat feet. SEARCH METHODS We searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE, and Embase to 01 September 2021, and two clinical trials registers on 07 August 2020. SELECTION CRITERIA We identified all randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of FOs as an intervention for paediatric flat feet. The outcomes included in this review were pain, function, quality of life, treatment success, and adverse events. Intended comparisons were: any FOs versus sham, any FOs versus shoes, customised FOs (CFOs) versus prefabricated FOs (PFOs). DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS We followed standard methods recommended by Cochrane. MAIN RESULTS We included 16 trials with 1058 children, aged 11 months to 19 years, with flexible flat feet. Distinct flat foot presentations included asymptomatic, juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), symptomatic and developmental co-ordination disorder (DCD). The trial interventions were FOs, footwear, foot and rehabilitative exercises, and neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES). Due to heterogeneity, we did not pool the data. Most trials had potential for selection, performance, detection, and selective reporting bias. No trial blinded participants. We present the results separately for asymptomatic (healthy children) and symptomatic (children with JIA) flat feet. The certainty of evidence was very low to low, downgraded for bias, imprecision, and indirectness. Three comparisons were evaluated across trials: CFO versus shoes; PFO versus shoes; CFO versus PFO. Asymptomatic flat feet 1. CFOs versus shoes (1 trial, 106 participants): low-quality evidence showed that CFOs result in little or no difference in the proportion without pain (10-point visual analogue scale (VAS)) at one year (risk ratio (RR) 0.85, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.67 to 1.07); absolute decrease (11.8%, 95% CI 4.7% fewer to 15.8% more); or on withdrawals due to adverse events (RR 1.05, 95% CI 0.94 to 1.19); absolute effect (3.4% more, 95% CI 4.1% fewer to 13.1% more). 2. PFOs versus shoes (1 trial, 106 participants): low to very-low quality evidence showed that PFOs result in little or no difference in the proportion without pain (10-point VAS) at one year (RR 0.94, 95% CI 0.76 to 1.16); absolute effect (4.7% fewer, 95% CI 18.9% fewer to 12.6% more); or on withdrawals due to adverse events (RR 0.99, 95% CI 0.79 to 1.23). 3. CFOs versus PFOs (1 trial, 108 participants): low-quality evidence found no difference in the proportion without pain at one year (RR 0.93, 95% CI 0.73 to 1.18); absolute effect (7.4% fewer, 95% CI 22.2% fewer to 11.1% more); or on withdrawal due to adverse events (RR 1.00, 95% CI 0.90 to 1.12). Function and quality of life (QoL) were not assessed. Symptomatic (JIA) flat feet 1. CFOs versus shoes (1 trial, 28 participants, 3-month follow-up): very low-quality evidence showed little or no difference in pain (0 to 10 scale, 0 no pain) between groups (MD -1.5, 95% CI -2.78 to -0.22). Low-quality evidence showed improvements in function with CFOs (Foot Function Index - FFI disability, 0 to 100, 0 best function; MD -18.55, 95% CI -34.42 to -2.68), child-rated QoL (PedsQL, 0 to 100, 100 best quality; MD 12.1, 95% CI -1.6 to 25.8) and parent-rated QoL (PedsQL MD 9, 95% CI -4.1 to 22.1) and little or no difference between groups in treatment success (timed walking; MD -1.33 seconds, 95% CI -2.77 to 0.11), or withdrawals due to adverse events (RR 0.58, 95% CI 0.11 to 2.94); absolute difference (9.7% fewer, 20.5 % fewer to 44.8% more). 2. PFOs versus shoes (1 trial, 25 participants, 3-month follow-up): very low-quality evidence showed little or no difference in pain between groups (MD 0.02, 95% CI -1.94 to 1.98). Low-quality evidence showed no difference between groups in function (FFI-disability MD -4.17, 95% CI -24.4 to 16.06), child-rated QoL (PedsQL MD -3.84, 95% CI -19 to 11.33), or parent-rated QoL (PedsQL MD -0.64, 95% CI -13.22 to 11.94). 3. CFOs versus PFOs (2 trials, 87 participants): low-quality evidence showed little or no difference between groups in pain (0 to 10 scale, 0 no pain) at 3 months (MD -1.48, 95% CI -3.23 to 0.26), function (FFI-disability MD -7.28, 95% CI -15.47 to 0.92), child-rated QoL (PedsQL MD 8.6, 95% CI -3.9 to 21.2), or parent-rated QoL (PedsQL MD 2.9, 95% CI -11 to 16.8). AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS Low to very low-certainty evidence shows that the effect of CFOs (high cost) or PFOs (low cost) versus shoes, and CFOs versus PFOs on pain, function and HRQoL is uncertain. This is pertinent for clinical practice, given the economic disparity between CFOs and PFOs. FOs may improve pain and function, versus shoes in children with JIA, with minimal delineation between costly CFOs and generic PFOs. This review updates that from 2010, confirming that in the absence of pain, the use of high-cost CFOs for healthy children with flexible flat feet has no supporting evidence, and draws very limited conclusions about FOs for treating paediatric flat feet. The availability of normative and prospective foot development data, dismisses most flat foot concerns, and negates continued attention to this topic. Attention should be re-directed to relevant paediatric foot conditions, which cause pain, limit function, or reduce quality of life. The agenda for researching asymptomatic flat feet in healthy children must be relegated to history, and replaced by a targeted research rationale, addressing children with indisputable foot pathology from discrete diagnoses, namely JIA, cerebral palsy, congenital talipes equino varus, trisomy 21 and Charcot Marie Tooth. Whether research resources should continue to be wasted on studying flat feet in healthy children that do not hurt, is questionable. Future updates of this review will address only relevant paediatric foot conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela M Evans
- Discipline of Podiatry, School of Allied Health, Human Services and Sport, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Keith Rome
- Division of Rehabilitation & Occupation Studies, AUT University, Auckland 1020, New Zealand
| | - Matthew Carroll
- Department of Podiatry, School of Clinical Sciences, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Fiona Hawke
- School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medicine, The University of Newcastle, Ourimbah, Australia
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10
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Paediatric flat feet are a common presentation in primary care; reported prevalence approximates 15%. A minority of flat feet can hurt and limit gait. There is no optimal strategy, nor consensus, for using foot orthoses (FOs) to treat paediatric flat feet. OBJECTIVES To assess the benefits and harms of foot orthoses for treating paediatric flat feet. SEARCH METHODS We searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE, and Embase to 01 September 2021, and two clinical trials registers on 07 August 2020. SELECTION CRITERIA We identified all randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of FOs as an intervention for paediatric flat feet. The outcomes included in this review were pain, function, quality of life, treatment success, and adverse events. Intended comparisons were: any FOs versus sham, any FOs versus shoes, customised FOs (CFOs) versus prefabricated FOs (PFOs). DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS We followed standard methods recommended by Cochrane. MAIN RESULTS We included 16 trials with 1058 children, aged 11 months to 19 years, with flexible flat feet. Distinct flat foot presentations included asymptomatic, juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), symptomatic and developmental co-ordination disorder (DCD). The trial interventions were FOs, footwear, foot and rehabilitative exercises, and neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES). Due to heterogeneity, we did not pool the data. Most trials had potential for selection, performance, detection, and selective reporting bias. No trial blinded participants. We present the results separately for asymptomatic (healthy children) and symptomatic (children with JIA) flat feet. The certainty of evidence was very low to low, downgraded for bias, imprecision, and indirectness. Three comparisons were evaluated across trials: CFO versus shoes; PFO versus shoes; CFO versus PFO. Asymptomatic flat feet 1. CFOs versus shoes (1 trial, 106 participants): low-quality evidence showed that CFOs result in little or no difference in the proportion without pain (10-point visual analogue scale (VAS)) at one year (risk ratio (RR) 0.85, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.67 to 1.07); absolute decrease (11.8%, 95% CI 4.7% fewer to 15.8% more); or on withdrawals due to adverse events (RR 1.05, 95% CI 0.94 to 1.19); absolute effect (3.4% more, 95% CI 4.1% fewer to 13.1% more). 2. PFOs versus shoes (1 trial, 106 participants): low to very-low quality evidence showed that PFOs result in little or no difference in the proportion without pain (10-point VAS) at one year (RR 0.94, 95% CI 0.76 to 1.16); absolute effect (4.7% fewer, 95% CI 18.9% fewer to 12.6% more); or on withdrawals due to adverse events (RR 0.99, 95% CI 0.79 to 1.23). 3. CFOs versus PFOs (1 trial, 108 participants): low-quality evidence found no difference in the proportion without pain at one year (RR 0.93, 95% CI 0.73 to 1.18); absolute effect (7.4% fewer, 95% CI 22.2% fewer to 11.1% more); or on withdrawal due to adverse events (RR 1.00, 95% CI 0.90 to 1.12). Function and quality of life (QoL) were not assessed. Symptomatic (JIA) flat feet 1. CFOs versus shoes (1 trial, 28 participants, 3-month follow-up): very low-quality evidence showed little or no difference in pain (0 to 10 scale, 0 no pain) between groups (MD -1.5, 95% CI -2.78 to -0.22). Low-quality evidence showed improvements in function with CFOs (Foot Function Index - FFI disability, 0 to 100, 0 best function; MD -18.55, 95% CI -34.42 to -2.68), child-rated QoL (PedsQL, 0 to 100, 100 best quality; MD 12.1, 95% CI -1.6 to 25.8) and parent-rated QoL (PedsQL MD 9, 95% CI -4.1 to 22.1) and little or no difference between groups in treatment success (timed walking; MD -1.33 seconds, 95% CI -2.77 to 0.11), or withdrawals due to adverse events (RR 0.58, 95% CI 0.11 to 2.94); absolute difference (9.7% fewer, 20.5 % fewer to 44.8% more). 2. PFOs versus shoes (1 trial, 25 participants, 3-month follow-up): very low-quality evidence showed little or no difference in pain between groups (MD 0.02, 95% CI -1.94 to 1.98). Low-quality evidence showed no difference between groups in function (FFI-disability MD -4.17, 95% CI -24.4 to 16.06), child-rated QoL (PedsQL MD -3.84, 95% CI -19 to 11.33), or parent-rated QoL (PedsQL MD -0.64, 95% CI -13.22 to 11.94). 3. CFOs versus PFsO (2 trials, 87 participants): low-quality evidence showed little or no difference between groups in pain (0 to scale, 0 no pain) at 3 months (MD -1.48, 95% CI -3.23 to 0.26), function (FFI-disability MD -7.28, 95% CI -15.47 to 0.92), child-rated QoL (PedsQL MD 8.6, 95% CI -3.9 to 21.2), or parent-rated QoL (PedsQL MD 2.9, 95% CI -11 to 16.8). AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS Low to very low-certainty evidence shows that the effect of CFOs (high cost) or PFOs (low cost) versus shoes, and CFOs versus PFOs on pain, function and HRQoL is uncertain. This is pertinent for clinical practice, given the economic disparity between CFOs and PFOs. FOs may improve pain and function, versus shoes in children with JIA, with minimal delineation between costly CFOs and generic PFOs. This review updates that from 2010, confirming that in the absence of pain, the use of high-cost CFOs for healthy children with flexible flat feet has no supporting evidence, and draws very limited conclusions about FOs for treating paediatric flat feet. The availability of normative and prospective foot development data, dismisses most flat foot concerns, and negates continued attention to this topic. Attention should be re-directed to relevant paediatric foot conditions, which cause pain, limit function, or reduce quality of life. The agenda for researching asymptomatic flat feet in healthy children must be relegated to history, and replaced by a targeted research rationale, addressing children with indisputable foot pathology from discrete diagnoses, namely JIA, cerebral palsy, congenital talipes equino varus, trisomy 21 and Charcot Marie Tooth. Whether research resources should continue to be wasted on studying flat feet in healthy children that do not hurt, is questionable. Future updates of this review will address only relevant paediatric foot conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela M Evans
- Discipline of Podiatry, School of Allied Health, Human Services and Sport, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Keith Rome
- Division of Rehabilitation & Occupation Studies, AUT University, Auckland 1020, New Zealand
| | - Matthew Carroll
- Department of Podiatry, School of Clinical Sciences, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Fiona Hawke
- School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medicine, The University of Newcastle, Ourimbah, Australia
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11
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Wal A, Khandai M, Vig H, Srivastava P, Agarwal A, Wadhwani S, Wal P. Evidence-Based Treatment, assisted by Mobile Technology to Deliver, and Evidence-Based Drugs in South Asian Countries. ARCHIVES OF PHARMACY PRACTICE 2022. [DOI: 10.51847/d5zeajvk6x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
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12
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Dewar G, Brockbank B, Randall J. Computed Tomography Colonography (CTC): Is It Really the Non-Invasive Option We Think It Is? A Patient Experience Study. J Patient Exp 2022; 9:23743735221117926. [PMID: 35968057 PMCID: PMC9364188 DOI: 10.1177/23743735221117926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Aims: Computed tomography colonography (CTC) is seen as a more
tolerable alternative to colonoscopy, but patients struggle with the steps
required for optimal diagnostic imaging. This prospective study aims to
understand the experience of patients undergoing CTC. Methods: A
survey was completed by a convenience sample of patients before and after CTC
over 7 months. The 13-item questionnaire covered pre-test information, overall
and specific experience of the test. The responses were tabulated and analyzed
using descriptive statistics. Qualitative free-text responses were coded for
content and thematic analysis. Results: At a response rate of 51%,
surveys were received from 41 patients. Overall, most patients (54%) found the
investigation better than expected. However, 18% stated they were not informed
of potential side effects. Side effects were experienced by 49% of patients,
including diarrhea (34%) and abdominal pain (24%). About 59% experienced
discomfort with gas insufflation, and 86% found turning during the investigation
difficult. Conclusion: A significant proportion of patients
undergoing CTC experience side effects and difficulties completing the
investigation. Patient information is important to improve patient experience of
CTC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Greg Dewar
- Bristol Royal Infirmary, University Hospitals Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | | | - Jonathan Randall
- Bristol Royal Infirmary, University Hospitals Bristol, Bristol, UK
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13
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Anisman H, Kusnecov AW. Cancer therapies: Caveats, concerns, and momentum. Cancer 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-323-91904-3.00001-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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14
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Beriault DR, Gilmour JA, Hicks LK. Overutilization in laboratory medicine: tackling the problem with quality improvement science. Crit Rev Clin Lab Sci 2021; 58:430-446. [PMID: 33691585 DOI: 10.1080/10408363.2021.1893642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Overutilization of tests and treatments is a widespread problem in contemporary heath care, and laboratory medicine is no exception. It is estimated that 10-70% of laboratory tests may be unnecessary, with estimates in the literature varying depending on the situation and the laboratory test. Inappropriate use of laboratory tests can lead to further unnecessary testing, adverse events, inaccurate diagnoses, and inappropriate treatments. Altogether, this increases the risk of harm to a patient, which can be physical, psychological, or financial in nature. Overutilization in healthcare is driven by complex factors including care delivery models, litigious practice environments, and medical and patient culture. Quality improvement (QI) methods can help to tackle overutilization. In this review, we outline the global healthcare problem of laboratory overutilization, particularly in the developed world, and describe how an understanding of and application of quality improvement principles can help to address this challenge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel R Beriault
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, St. Michael's Hospital, Unity Health Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Julie A Gilmour
- Division of Endocrinology, St. Michael's Hospital, Unity Health Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Lisa K Hicks
- Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Division of Hematology and Oncology, St. Michael's Hospital, Unity Health Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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15
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Placebo Response in Patients with Oral Therapy for Overactive Bladder: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Eur Urol Focus 2021; 8:239-252. [PMID: 33674256 DOI: 10.1016/j.euf.2021.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2020] [Revised: 01/10/2021] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
CONTEXT The role of a placebo response in the management of overactive bladder (OAB) remains unclear. OBJECTIVE The aim of this review is to methodically study the placebo response extracted from the control arms of randomized clinical trials assessing therapy in patients with OAB. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION Medline (PubMed), The Cochrane Library, EMBASE, and Scopus were searched to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published until September 2019. Randomized placebo-controlled trials investigating oral drug therapy for OAB were included. The articles were critically appraised by two reviewers. The primary outcomes were the placebo response in the main patient-reported urinary outcomes together with assessing the impact of patient demographic factors on the placebo response. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS The initial search resulted in 1982 records after reviewing the titles and abstracts, and reference lists of other systematic reviews; 57 studies with an overall estimated 12 901 patients were included in the meta-analysis. The included studies were of overall high/acceptable quality. The standardized mean difference was -0.45 (95% confidence interval [CI] -0.51 to -0.40; p<0.001) for daily micturition episodes, -0.33 (95% CI -0.42 to -0.24; p<0.001) for daily nocturia episodes, -0.46 (95% CI -0.55 to -0.37; p<0.001) for urgency urinary incontinence episodes, -0.50 (95% CI -0.61 to -0.39; p<0.001) for daily urgency episodes, -0.51 (95% CI -0.60 to -0.43; p<0.001) for daily incontinence episodes, and 0.25 (95% CI 0.211-0.290; p<0.001) for volume voided per micturition. The meta-regression of age-related impact of the placebo response on nocturia showed a slope of -0.02 (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS Placebo has a statistically significant effect on improving symptoms and signs associated with OAB; this effect is age dependent. However, there is no consensus on what change of OAB symptoms and signs is clinically meaningful for the affected patient. Taken together, the placebo response seems to be non-negligible in OAB, supporting the need for placebo control in RCTs. PATIENT SUMMARY Placebo is an inert treatment method often used in clinical research for comparison with active treatment. However, studies show that placebo has an effect of its own. A placebo response means the total improvement resulting from receiving a placebo. In our study, placebo had a significant role in improving the symptoms of overactive bladder.
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16
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Sharma S, Traeger AC, O'Keeffe M, Copp T, Freeman A, Hoffmann T, Maher CG. Effect of information format on intentions and beliefs regarding diagnostic imaging for non-specific low back pain: A randomised controlled trial in members of the public. PATIENT EDUCATION AND COUNSELING 2021; 104:595-602. [PMID: 32854984 DOI: 10.1016/j.pec.2020.08.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Revised: 07/23/2020] [Accepted: 08/15/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effects of information format on intentions to request diagnostic imaging for non-specific low back pain in members of the public. METHODS We performed a three arm, 1:1:1, superiority randomised trial on members of the public. Participants were randomised to one of the three groups: a Standard Care Leaflet group (standard information on low back pain), a Neutral Leaflet group (balanced information on the benefits and harms of imaging) and a Nudge Leaflet group (with behavioural cues to emphasise the harms of unnecessary imaging). Our primary outcome was intention to request imaging for low back pain. RESULTS 418 participants were randomised. After reading the leaflet, intention to request imaging (measured on an 11-point scale (0 = definitely would not request to 10 = definitely would request) was lower in the Nudge Leaflet group (mean = 4.6, SD = 3.4) compared with the Standard Care Leaflet group (mean = 5.3, SD = 3.3) and the Neutral Leaflet group (mean = 5.3, SD = 3.0) (adjusted mean difference between Nudge and Neutral, -1.0 points, 95%CI -1.6 to -0.4). CONCLUSION Framing information to emphasise potential harms from overdiagnosis reduced intention to request diagnostic imaging for low back pain. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS Nudge leaflets could help clinicians manage patient pressure for unnecessary tests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sweekriti Sharma
- Institute for Musculoskeletal Health, The University of Sydney and Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
| | - Adrian C Traeger
- Institute for Musculoskeletal Health, The University of Sydney and Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Mary O'Keeffe
- Institute for Musculoskeletal Health, The University of Sydney and Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Tessa Copp
- Sydney School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Alexandra Freeman
- Winton Centre for Risk and Communication, Centre for Mathematical Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Tammy Hoffmann
- Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, Institute for Evidence-Based Healthcare, Bond University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
| | - Chris G Maher
- Institute for Musculoskeletal Health, The University of Sydney and Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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17
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Trevisiol C, Cani I, Fabricio ASC, Gion M, Giometto B, De Massis P. Serum Tumor Markers in Paraneoplastic Neurologic Syndromes: A Systematic Review of Guidelines. Front Neurol 2021; 11:607553. [PMID: 33536995 PMCID: PMC7848074 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2020.607553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose: Algorithms for the detection of a malignancy in patients with unclear neurologic symptoms of suspicious paraneoplastic origins are not universally applied. Frequently, circulating tumor markers (TMs) are considered a valuable tool for cancer diagnosis in patients with paraneoplastic neurologic syndromes (PNS). Our aim was to extract the recommendations on the use of TMs and onconeural antibodies (Abs) for the diagnosis of malignancies in PNS from clinical practice guidelines and put them forward as evidence in a common framework to facilitate diffusion, dissemination, and implementation. Methods: Systematic literature searches were performed for guidelines on both oncology and PNS published since 2007. Guidelines containing information and recommendations for clinical practice pertaining to the screening and diagnosis of PNS were selected. Information on circulating TMs and onconeural Abs was extracted and synthesized in consecutive steps of increasing simplification. Results: We retrieved 799 eligible guidelines on oncology for the potential presence of information on PNS but only six covered treated diagnosis or the screening of cancer in PNS, which were then selected. Seventy-nine potentially relevant guidelines on PNS were identified as eligible and 15 were selected. Synoptic tables were prepared showing that classical TMs are not recommended for the screening or the diagnosis of a malignancy in patients with a suspected PNS. Neither should onconeural Abs be considered to screen for the presence of a malignancy, although they could be helpful to define the probability of the paraneoplastic origin of a neurologic disorder. Conclusion: The present work of synthesis may be a useful tool in the diffusion, dissemination, and implementation of guideline recommendations, potentially facilitating the decrease of the inappropriate use of circulating biomarkers for cancer screening in the presence of PNS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Trevisiol
- Veneto Institute of Oncology IOV-Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Padua, Italy
| | - Ilaria Cani
- Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences (DIBINEM), Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Aline S C Fabricio
- Regional Center for Biomarkers, Department of Clinical Pathology and Transfusion Medicine, Venice, Italy
| | - Massimo Gion
- Regional Center for Biomarkers, Department of Clinical Pathology and Transfusion Medicine, Venice, Italy
| | - Bruno Giometto
- U.O. Neurologia, Santa Chiara Hospital, Azienda Provinciale per i Servizi Sanitari (APSS), Trento, Italy
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18
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Armstrong N. Overdiagnosis and overtreatment: a sociological perspective on tackling a contemporary healthcare issue. SOCIOLOGY OF HEALTH & ILLNESS 2021; 43:58-64. [PMID: 32964516 DOI: 10.1111/1467-9566.13186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2019] [Revised: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 08/11/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Overdiagnosis and overtreatment are increasingly discussed as a significant problem in contemporary healthcare but are yet to receive any significant sociological attention, over and above that which is arguably transferable from the medicalisation literature. Overdiagnosis and overtreatment are often constructed as problems best addressed by educating patients and clinicians, and improving the relationships between them. The emergence of tools seeking to support decision-making and to facilitate patients' asking questions about whether interventions are really necessary supports this conceptualisation. This article questions whether significant traction on overdiagnosis and overtreatment is possible through these means alone, arguing that even when professionals and patients may wish to do less rather than more, the system within which care is delivered and received can make this challenging to achieve. Drawing on Scott's (Sociology, 2018, 52, 3) 'sociology of nothing', the article demonstrates that a sociological perspective on overdiagnosis and overtreatment recasts them as issues that must be understood as a consequence of the organisational, financial and cultural attributes of the system, not just individual interactions, and advances a research agenda for the area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie Armstrong
- Social Science Applied to Health Improvement Research (SAPPHIRE) Group, Department of Health Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
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19
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Unger JP, Morales I, De Paepe P, Roland M. Neo-Hippocratic healthcare policies: professional or industrial healthcare delivery? A choice for doctors, patients, and their organisations. BMC Health Serv Res 2020; 20:1067. [PMID: 33292193 PMCID: PMC7724692 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-020-05890-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ethical medical practice requires managing health services to promote professionalism and secure accessibility to care. Commercially financed and industrially managed services strain the physicians' clinical autonomy and ethics because the industry's profitability depends on commercial, clinical standardisation. Private insurance companies also reduce access to care whilst fragmenting and segmenting health systems. Against this background, given the powerful, symbolic significance of their common voice, physicians' and patients' organisations could effectively leverage together political parties and employers' organisations to promote policies favouring access to professional care. MAIN TEXT To provide a foundation for negotiations between physicians' and patients' organisations, we propose policy principles derived from an analysis of rights-holders and duty-bearers' stakes, i.e., patients, physicians and health professionals, and taxpayers. Their concerns are scrutinised from the standpoints of public health and right to health. Illustrated with post-WWII European policies, these principles are formulated as inputs for tentative action-research. The paper also identifies potential stumbling blocks for collective doctor/patient negotiations based on the authors' personal experience. The patients' concerns are care accessibility, quality, and price. Those of physicians and other professionals are problem-solving capacity, autonomy, intellectual progress, ethics, work environment, and revenue. The majority of taxpayers have an interest in taxes being progressive and public spending on health regressive. Mutual aid associations tend to under-estimate the physician's role in delivering care. Physicians' organisations often disregard the mission of financing care and its impact on healthcare quality. CONCLUSION The proposed physicians-patients' alliance could promote policies in tune with professional ethics, prevent European policies' putting industrial concerns above suffering and death, bar care financing from the ambit of international trade treaties, and foster international cooperation policies consistent with the principles that inspire the design of healthcare policies at home and so reduce international migration. To be credible partners in this alliance, physicians' associations should promote a public health culture amongst their members and a team culture in healthcare services. To promote a universal health system, patients' organisations should strive to represent universal health interests rather than those of patients with specific diseases, ethnic groups, or social classes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Pierre Unger
- Department of Public Health, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nationalestraat 155, B-2000 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Ingrid Morales
- Office de la Naissance et de l’Enfance, French Community of Belgium, Chaussée de Charleroi 95, B-1060 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Pierre De Paepe
- Department of Public Health, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nationalestraat 155, B-2000 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Michel Roland
- Département de Médecine Générale, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Route de Lennik, 808, BP 612/1, B-1070 Brussels, Belgium
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20
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Ooi K. The Pitfalls of Overtreatment: Why More Care is not Necessarily Beneficial. Asian Bioeth Rev 2020; 12:399-417. [PMID: 33717342 PMCID: PMC7747436 DOI: 10.1007/s41649-020-00145-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2020] [Revised: 08/05/2020] [Accepted: 08/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Overtreatment refers to interventions that do not benefit the patient, or where the risk of harm from the intervention is likely to outweigh any benefit the patient will receive. It can account for up to 30% of health care costs, and is increasingly recognised as a widespread problem across nations and within clinical and scientific communities. There are a number of inter-related factors that drive overtreatment including the expanding definition of diseases, advertising and the influence of the pharmaceutical industry, how doctors are trained and remunerated, demands from patients (and their families) and the fear of complaints leading doctors to practise defensively. This paper discusses a number of ethical and practical issues arising from overtreatment that doctors and patients should be aware of. It also considers the flow-on effects of overtreatment such as the increased cost of care, increase in work load for health professionals, and wastage as resources are diverted from more genuine and pressing needs. In addition, there are references to a number of Medical Council of New Zealand statements about what good medical practice means in an environment of resource limitation. The paper concludes with a few measures that doctors and patients could take to reduce overtreatment but acknowledges that health care is extremely complex so it would be unrealistic to eliminate overtreatment entirely.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kanny Ooi
- Medical Council of New Zealand, Wellington, New Zealand
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21
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Hensher M, Canny B, Zimitat C, Campbell J, Palmer A. Health care, overconsumption and uneconomic growth: A conceptual framework. Soc Sci Med 2020; 266:113420. [PMID: 33068872 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2020.113420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Revised: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 10/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Concerns have grown in recent decades that economic growth in many rich countries may, in fact, be uneconomic. Uneconomic growth occurs when expansion in economic activity causes environmental and social costs that are greater than the benefits of that additional activity. Health care has enjoyed a close historical relationship with economic growth, with health care spending consistently growing faster than GDP over the long term. This paper explores the possible relationship between health care and uneconomic growth. It summarises the rapidly growing evidence on the harms caused by poor quality health care and by the overuse of health care, and on the environmental harms caused by health care systems. Further, it develops a conceptual framework for considering the overconsumption of health care and the joint harms to human health and the natural environment that ensue. This framework illustrates how health-damaging overconsumption in the wider economy combines with unnecessary or low-quality health care to create a cycle of "failure demand" and defensive expenditure on health care services. Health care therefore provides important sectoral insights on the phenomenon of uneconomic growth. There are rich opportunities for interdisciplinary research to quantify the joint harms of overconsumption in health and health care, and to estimate the optimal scale of the health sector from novel perspectives that prioritise human and planetary health and well-being over GDP and profit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Hensher
- Deakin Health Economics, Deakin University, BC3, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, VIC, 3125, Australia; Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Medical Science 1, 17 Liverpool Street, Hobart, TAS, 7000, Australia.
| | - Ben Canny
- School of Medicine, University of Tasmania, Medical Science 1, 17 Liverpool Street, Hobart, TAS, 7000, Australia.
| | - Craig Zimitat
- Curtin Learning and Teaching, Curtin University, T.L. Robertson Library, GPO Box U1987, Perth, WA, 6845, Australia.
| | - Julie Campbell
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Medical Science 1, 17 Liverpool Street, Hobart, TAS, 7000, Australia.
| | - Andrew Palmer
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Medical Science 1, 17 Liverpool Street, Hobart, TAS, 7000, Australia.
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22
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Gogebakan KC, Berry EG, Geller AC, Sonmez K, Leachman SA, Etzioni R. Strategizing Screening for Melanoma in an Era of Novel Treatments: A Model-Based Approach. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2020; 29:2599-2607. [PMID: 32958498 DOI: 10.1158/1055-9965.epi-20-0881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Revised: 08/05/2020] [Accepted: 09/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Benefit-harm tradeoffs of melanoma screening depend on disease risk and treatment efficacy. We developed a model to project outcomes of screening for melanoma in populations with different risks under historic and novel systemic treatments. METHODS Computer simulation model of a screening program with specified impact on overall and advanced-stage incidence. Inputs included meta-analyses of treatment trials, cancer registry data, and a melanoma risk prediction study RESULTS: Assuming 50% reduction in advanced stage under screening, the model projected 59 and 38 lives saved per 100,000 men under historic and novel treatments, respectively. With 10% increase in stage I, the model projects 2.9 and 4.7 overdiagnosed cases per life saved and number needed to be screened (NNS) equal to 1695 and 2632 under historical and novel treatments. When screening was performed only for the 20% of individuals with highest predicted risk, 34 and 22 lives per 100,000 were saved under historic and novel treatments. Similar results were obtained for women, but lives saved were lower. CONCLUSIONS Melanoma early detection programs must shift a substantial fraction of cases from advanced to localized stage to be sustainable. Advances in systemic therapies for melanoma might noticeably reduce benefits of screening, but restricting screening to individuals at highest risk will likely reduce intervention efforts and harms while preserving >50% of the benefit of nontargeted screening. IMPACT Our accessible modeling framework will help to guide population melanoma screening programs in an era of novel treatments for advanced disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kemal Caglar Gogebakan
- Cancer Early Detection Advanced Research Center, Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Elizabeth G Berry
- Department of Dermatology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Alan C Geller
- Division of Public Health Practice, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Kemal Sonmez
- Cancer Early Detection Advanced Research Center, Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Sancy A Leachman
- Department of Dermatology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Ruth Etzioni
- Division of Public Health Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington. .,Department of Statistics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
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Płaszewski M, Grantham W, Jespersen E. Screening for scoliosis - New recommendations, old dilemmas, no straight solutions. World J Orthop 2020; 11:364-379. [PMID: 32999857 PMCID: PMC7507078 DOI: 10.5312/wjo.v11.i9.364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2020] [Revised: 05/29/2020] [Accepted: 09/01/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
This opinion review considers the prevailing question of whether to screen or not to screen for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. New and improved standards of people-oriented care and person-centredness, as well as improved principles of preventive screening and guideline development, have been postulated and implemented in health care systems and cultures. Recommendations addressing screening for scoliosis differ substantially, in terms of their content, standards of development and screening principles. Some countries have discontinued issuing recommendations. In the last decade, a number of updated and new recommendations and statements have been released. Systematically developed guidelines and recommendations are confronted by consensus and opinion-based statements. The dilemmas and discrepancies prevail. The arguments concentrate on the issues of the need for early detection through screening in terms of the effectiveness of early treatment, on costs and cost-effectiveness issues, scientific and epidemiologic value of screenings, and the credibility of the sources of evidence. The problem matter is of global scale and applies to millions of people. It regards clinical and methodological dilemmas, but also the matter of vulnerable and fragile time of adolescence and, more generally, children's rights. The decisions need to integrate people's values and preferences - screening tests need to be acceptable to the population, and treatments need to be acceptable for patients. Therefore we present one more crucial, but underrepresented in the discussion, issue of understanding and implementation of the contemporary principles of person-centred care, standards of preventive screening, and guideline development, in the context of screening for scoliosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maciej Płaszewski
- Department of Rehabilitation in Biała Podlaska, Józef Piłsudski University of Physical Education, Biała Podlaska 21-500, Poland
| | - Weronika Grantham
- Faculty of Physical Education and Health in Biała Podlaska, Józef Piłsudski University of Physical Education, Biała Podlaska 21-500, Poland
| | - Ejgil Jespersen
- Department of Rehabilitation in Biała Podlaska, Józef Piłsudski University of Physical Education, Biała Podlaska 21-500, Poland
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Munblit D, Perkin MR, Palmer DJ, Allen KJ, Boyle RJ. Assessment of Evidence About Common Infant Symptoms and Cow's Milk Allergy. JAMA Pediatr 2020; 174:599-608. [PMID: 32282040 DOI: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2020.0153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Sales of specialized formula for managing cow's milk allergy (CMA) have increased, triggering concern that attribution of common infant symptoms, such as crying, vomiting, and rashes, to CMA may be leading to overdiagnosis, which could undermine breastfeeding. OBJECTIVE To understand whether CMA guideline recommendations might promote CMA overdiagnosis or undermine breastfeeding. EVIDENCE REVIEW We reviewed recommendations made in CMA guidelines and critically appraised 2 key recommendations. First, we reviewed relevant literature summarizing whether maternal or infant dietary exclusion of cow's milk is effective for managing common infant symptoms. Second, we reviewed published data on breastmilk composition and thresholds of reactivity in CMA to estimate the probability that cow's milk protein in human breastmilk can trigger symptoms in infants with CMA. We also documented the level of commercial involvement in CMA guidelines. FINDINGS We reviewed 9 CMA guidelines published from 2012 to 2019. Seven suggest considering CMA as a cause of common infant symptoms. Seven recommend strict maternal cow's milk exclusion for managing common symptoms in breastfed infants. We found CMA proven by food challenge affects approximately 1% of infants, while troublesome crying, vomiting, or rashes are each reported in 15% to 20% of infants. We found clinical trials do not provide consistent support for using maternal or infant cow's milk exclusion to manage common symptoms in infants without proven CMA. We estimated that for more than 99% infants with proven CMA, the breastmilk of a cow's milk-consuming woman contains insufficient milk allergen to trigger an allergic reaction. Three CMA guidelines were directly supported by formula manufacturers or marketing consultants, and 81% of all guideline authors reported a conflict of interest with formula manufacturers. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Recommendations to manage common infant symptoms as CMA are not evidence based, especially in breastfed infants who are not directly consuming cow's milk. Such recommendations may cause harm by undermining confidence in breastfeeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Munblit
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, England.,Department of Paediatrics and Paediatric Infectious Diseases, Institute of Child Health, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Michael R Perkin
- Population Health Research Institute, St George's, University of London, Cranmer Terrace, London, England
| | - Debra J Palmer
- Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Katie J Allen
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Robert J Boyle
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, England.,Centre for Evidence-Based Dermatology, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, England
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25
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Thombs B, Turner KA, Shrier I. Defining and Evaluating Overdiagnosis in Mental Health: A Meta-Research Review. PSYCHOTHERAPY AND PSYCHOSOMATICS 2020; 88:193-202. [PMID: 31340212 DOI: 10.1159/000501647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2019] [Accepted: 06/21/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Overdiagnosis is thought to be common in some mental disorders, but it has not been defined or examined systematically. Assessing overdiagnosis in mental health requires a consistently applied definition that differentiates overdiagnosis from other problems (e.g., misdiagnosis), as well as methods for quantification. OBJECTIVES Our objectives were to (1) describe how the term "overdiagnosis" has been defined explicitly or implicitly in published articles on mental disorders, including usages consistent (overdefinition, overdetection) and inconsistent (misdiagnosis, false-positive test results, overtreatment, overtesting) with accepted definitions of overdiagnosis; and (2) identify examples of attempts to quantify overdiagnosis. METHOD We searchedPubMed through January 5, 2019. Articles on mental disorders, excluding neurocognitive disorders, were eligible if they usedthe term "overdiagnosis" in the title, abstract, or text. RESULTS We identified 164 eligible articles with 193 total explicit or implicit uses of the term "overdiagnosis." Of 9 articles with an explicit definition, only one provided a definition that was partially consistent with accepted definitions. Of all uses, 11.4% were consistent, and 76.7% were related to misdiagnosis and thus inconsistent. No attempts to quantify the proportion of patients who were overdiagnosed based on overdetection or overdefinition were identified. CONCLUSIONS There are few examples of mental health articles that describe overdiagnosis consistent with accepted definitions and no examples of quantifying overdiagnosis based on these definitions. A definition of overdiagnosis based on diagnostic criteria that include people with transient or mild symptoms not amenable to treatment (overdefinition) could be used to quantify the extent of overdiagnosis in mental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brett Thombs
- Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Québec, Canada, .,Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Québec, Canada, .,Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montreal, Québec, Canada, .,Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Québec, Canada, .,Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Québec, Canada, .,Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Québec, Canada,
| | - Kimberly A Turner
- Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Québec, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Québec, Canada
| | - Ian Shrier
- Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Québec, Canada.,Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montreal, Québec, Canada
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26
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Bradko V, Castillo H, Janardhan S, Dahl B, Gandy K, Castillo J. Towards Guideline-Based Management of Tethered Cord Syndrome in Spina Bifida: A Global Health Paradigm Shift in the Era of Prenatal Surgery. Neurospine 2019; 16:715-727. [PMID: 31284336 PMCID: PMC6944994 DOI: 10.14245/ns.1836342.171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2019] [Revised: 04/08/2019] [Accepted: 06/01/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
An estimated 60% of the world's population lives in Asia, where the incidence of neural tube defects is high. Aware that tethered cord syndrome (TCS) is an important comorbidity, the purpose of this systematic review was to explore the treatment of TCS among individuals living with spina bifida (SB) in Asia. MEDLINE and Embase databases were searched for relevant studies published from January 2000 to June 2018. Search terms such as 'spinal dysraphism,' 'spinabifida,' 'diastematomyelia,' 'lipomeningocele,' 'lypomyelomeningocele,' 'meningomyelocele,' and 'tethered cord syndrome' were used in diverse combinations. Of the 1,290 articles that were identified in accordance with PRISMA (Preferred Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines, 15 Asia-based studies met the inclusion criteria. Significant differences in the diagnostic criteria and management of TCS were documented. As the surgical techniques for prenatal closure of the spinal defect continue to evolve, their adoption internationally is likely to continue. In this setting, a clear and evidence-based approach to the definition and management of TCS is essential. The recent publication by the Spina Bifida Association of America of their updated care guidelines may serve as a tool used to promote a systematized approach to diagnosing and treating TCS among individuals with SB in the region, as well as globally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viachaslau Bradko
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Division of Orthopedic and Scoliosis Surgery, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Heidi Castillo
- Developmental Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Texas Children’s Hospital/Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Shruthi Janardhan
- Hematology-Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Benny Dahl
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Division of Orthopedic and Scoliosis Surgery, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Kellen Gandy
- Department of Pediatrics, Staten Island University Hospital, Staten Island, NY, USA
| | - Jonathan Castillo
- Developmental Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Texas Children’s Hospital/Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
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Garcia AN, Cook C, Rhon D. Which patients do not seek additional medical care after a self-management class for low back pain? An observational cohort. Clin Rehabil 2019; 33:1831-1842. [PMID: 31353943 DOI: 10.1177/0269215519865013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES (1) To identify baseline variables associated with patients that sought no additional care during the 12 months following a single self-management education session for low back pain (LBP), and (2) in those who sought care, to determine whether the same variables were associated with low versus high downstream LBP-related healthcare utilization. DESIGN An observational cohort. SETTING Single large military hospital. PARTICIPANTS A total of 733 patients with LBP. INTERVENTION Single self-management education session. MAIN OUTCOMES Eleven variables were explored in two distinct logistic regression models: (1) no additional care versus additional care, and (2) low versus high number of additional visits in the additional care group. RESULTS In the first model, not being on active duty service (odds ratio (OR) = 1.98, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.37-2.86), low baseline disability (OR = 1.02, 95% CI = 1.00-1.04), low baseline fear-avoidance related to work (OR = 1.02, 95% CI = 1.00-1.03), and, in the last year, no opioid prescriptions (OR = 1.44, 95% CI = 1.00-2.07), physical therapy (OR = 1.63, 95% CI = 1.00-2.65), or sleep disorder diagnosis (OR = 1.62, 95% CI = 1.05-2.51) significantly increased the odds that patients would not seek any additional care. In the second model, not being on active duty service (OR = 2.18, 95% CI = 1.38-3.46), low baseline disability (OR = 1.04, 95% CI = 1.02-1.06), and no opioid prescriptions in the prior year (OR = 2.19, 95% CI = 1.42-3.37) increased the odds that patients would have less visits (⩽2 visits). CONCLUSION Our study found several variables that helped determine whether patients would seek little or no additional care during the 12 months following a self-management education class for LBP.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Chad Cook
- Duke University Division of Physical Therapy, Duke Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Duke Clinical Research Institute, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Daniel Rhon
- Duke University Division of Physical Therapy, Duke Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Duke Clinical Research Institute, Durham, NC, USA.,Physical Performance Service Line, Army Office of the Surgeon General, Falls Church, VA, USA
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Park MJ, Green J, Jung HS, Park YS. Trajectories of change after a health-education program in Japan: decay of impact in anxiety, depression, and patient-physician communication. PeerJ 2019; 7:e7229. [PMID: 31341730 PMCID: PMC6637923 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.7229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2019] [Accepted: 06/01/2019] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Health education can benefit people with chronic diseases. However, in previous research those benefits were small, and reinforcement to maintain them was not effective. A possible explanation is that the benefits appeared to be small and reinforcement appeared to be ineffective because those analyses mixed data from two latent groups: one group of people who needed reinforcement and one group of people who did not. The hypothesis is that mixing the data from those two different groups caused the true effects to be “diluted.” Methods To test that hypothesis we used data from the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program in Japan, focusing on anxiety, depression, and patient-physician communication. To identify latent trajectories of change after the program, we used growth-mixture modeling. Then, to find out which baseline factors were associated with trajectory-group membership, we used logistic regression. Results Growth-mixture modeling revealed two trajectories—two groups that were defined by distinct patterns of change after the program. One of those patterns was improvement followed by backsliding: decay of impact. On anxiety and depression the decay of impact was large enough to be clinically important, and its prevalence was as high as 50%. Next, logistic regression analysis revealed that being in the decay-of-impact group could be predicted from multimorbidity, low self-efficacy, and high scores on anxiety or depression at baseline. In addition, one unexpected finding was an association between multimorbidity and better patient-physician communication. Conclusions These results support the hypothesis that previous findings (i.e., apparently small effect sizes and apparently ineffective reinforcement) actually reflect “dilution” of large effects, which was caused by mixing of data from distinct groups. Specifically, there was one group with decay of impact and one without. Thus, evaluations of health education should include analyses of trajectory-defined groups. These results show how the group of people who are most likely to need reinforcement can be identified even before the educational program begins. Extra attention and reinforcement can then be tailored. They can be focused specifically to benefit the people with the greatest need.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Jeong Park
- Department of Nursing, College of Nursing, Konyang University, Daejeon, South Korea.,Department of Health Communication, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Joseph Green
- Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hun Sik Jung
- College of Global Business, Konyang University, Nonsan, South Korea
| | - Yoon Soo Park
- College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
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29
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Jegerlehner S, Chiolero A, Aujesky D, Rodondi N, Germann S, Konzelmann I, Bulliard JL. Recent incidence and surgery trends for prostate cancer: Towards an attenuation of overdiagnosis and overtreatment? PLoS One 2019; 14:e0210434. [PMID: 30716740 PMCID: PMC6361620 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0210434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2018] [Accepted: 12/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Screening for prostate cancer is frequent in high-income countries, including Switzerland. Notably due to overdiagnosis and overtreatment, various organisations have recently recommended against routine screening, potentially having an impact on incidence, mortality, and surgery rates. Our aim was therefore to examine whether secular trends in the incidence and mortality of prostate cancer, and in prostatectomy rates, have recently changed in Switzerland. Methods We conducted a population-based trend study in Switzerland from 1998 to 2012. Cases of invasive prostate cancer, deaths from prostate cancer, and prostatectomies were analysed. We calculated changes in age-standardised prostate cancer incidence rates, stratified by tumor stage (early, advanced), prostate cancer-specific mortality, and prostatectomy rates. Results The age-standardised incidence rate of prostate cancer increased greatly in men aged 50–69 years (absolute mean annual change +4.6/100,000, 95% CI: +2.9 to +6.2) between 1998 and 2002, and stabilised afterwards. In men aged ≥ 70 years, the incidence decreased slightly between 1998 and 2002, and more substantially since 2003. The incidence of early tumor stages increased between 1998 and 2002 only in men aged 50–69 years, and then stabilised, while the incidence of advanced stages remained stable across both age strata. The rate of prostatectomy increased markedly until 2002, more so in the 50 to 69 age range than among men aged ≥ 70 years; it leveled off after 2002 in both age strata. Trends in surgery were driven by radical prostatectomy. Since 1998, the annual age-standardised mortality rate of prostate cancer slightly declined in men aged 50–69 years (absolute mean annual change -0.1/100,000, 95% CI: -0.2 to -0.1) and ≥ 70 years (absolute mean annual change -0.5/100,000, 95% CI: -0.7 to -0.3). Conclusions The increases in the incidence of early stage prostate cancer and prostatectomy observed in Switzerland among men younger than 70 years have concomitantly leveled off around 2002/2003. Given the decreasing mortality, these trends may reflect recent changes in screening and clinical workup practices, with a possible attenuation of overdiagnosis and overtreatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Jegerlehner
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Institute of Primary Health Care (BIHAM), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Arnaud Chiolero
- Division of Chronic Diseases, IUMSP, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland
- Institute of Primary Health Care (BIHAM), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Observatoire valaisan de la santé (OVS), Sion, Switzerland
- Department of Epidemiology, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Drahomir Aujesky
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Nicolas Rodondi
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Institute of Primary Health Care (BIHAM), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Simon Germann
- Division of Chronic Diseases, IUMSP, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland
- Observatoire valaisan de la santé (OVS), Sion, Switzerland
| | | | - Jean-Luc Bulliard
- Division of Chronic Diseases, IUMSP, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), Lausanne, Switzerland
- * E-mail:
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30
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Brichko L, Mitra B, Cameron P. When guidelines guide us to harm. Emerg Med Australas 2018; 30:740-742. [PMID: 30456792 DOI: 10.1111/1742-6723.13189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2018] [Accepted: 09/13/2018] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Brichko
- Emergency and Trauma Centre, Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Biswadev Mitra
- Emergency and Trauma Centre, Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,National Trauma Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Peter Cameron
- Emergency and Trauma Centre, Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,National Trauma Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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31
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Hofmann B. Getting personal on overdiagnosis: On defining overdiagnosis from the perspective of the individual person. J Eval Clin Pract 2018; 24:983-987. [PMID: 30066394 DOI: 10.1111/jep.13005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2018] [Revised: 06/26/2018] [Accepted: 07/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
How can overdiagnosis be defined, explained, and estimated on an individual level? The answers to this question are essential for persons to be able to make informed choices and give valid consents for tests. Traditional conceptions of overdiagnosis tend to depend on counterfactual thinking and prophetic abilities as you would have to know what would happen in the future if you did not test now. To avoid this, overdiagnosis can be defined in terms of the chance of diagnosing a person with a disease when this does not avoid or reduce manifest disease. To be able to relate this to 1's own life and deliberation, I argue that we need answers to specific questions such as the following: If I am tested, and the test and subsequent test results are positive, but I am not treated, what is the chance that I would not experience and suffer from manifest disease? A definition of overdiagnosis that aims at providing answers to this question is as follows: Prospectively overdiagnosis (of an individual person) is given by the estimated chance that a person having a positive test result would not experience and suffer from manifest disease if not treated or followed up in any way. Getting personal on overdiagnosis directs the attention of overdiagnosis estimates towards what matters in medicine: the experience of individual persons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bjørn Hofmann
- Institute for the Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Gjøvik, Norway.,Centre of Medical Ethics, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
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32
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Berlin R, Gruen R, Best J. Systems Medicine Disease: Disease Classification and Scalability Beyond Networks and Boundary Conditions. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2018; 6:112. [PMID: 30131956 PMCID: PMC6090066 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2018.00112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2018] [Accepted: 07/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
In order to accommodate the forthcoming wealth of health and disease related information, from genome to body sensors to population and the environment, the approach to disease description and definition demands re-examination. Traditional classification methods remain trapped by history; to provide the descriptive features that are required for a comprehensive description of disease, systems science, which realizes dynamic processes, adaptive response, and asynchronous communication channels, must be applied (Wolkenhauer et al., 2013). When Disease is viewed beyond the thresholds of lines and threshold boundaries, disease definition is not only the result of reductionist, mechanistic categories which reluctantly face re-composition. Disease is process and synergy as the characteristics of Systems Biology and Systems Medicine are included. To capture the wealth of information and contribute meaningfully to medical practice and biology research, Disease classification goes beyond a single spatial biologic level or static time assignment to include the interface of Disease process and organism response (Bechtel, 2017a; Green et al., 2017).
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard Berlin
- Department of Computer Science, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, United States
| | - Russell Gruen
- Department of Surgery, Nanyang Institute of Technology in Health and Medicine, Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - James Best
- Lee Kong China School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
- Imperial College, London, United Kingdom
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33
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Camargo KRD. On health needs: the concept labyrinth. CAD SAUDE PUBLICA 2018; 34:e00113717. [PMID: 29947659 DOI: 10.1590/0102-311x00113717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2017] [Accepted: 03/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
This study aims to reflect on the intertwining of certain key ideas about what we call "health" within the hegemonic biomedical paradigm: health, disease, health needs, medicalization and medical-industrial complex. This reflection is based on the philosophical contributions of Heller and Wiggins on needs; on the discussion of some authors, especially Canguilhem, about health and illness; and Collins' sociology of expertise. After pointing out some of the conundrums that arise from the conceptual fluidity of the topics abovementioned, we present a path forward, based on Collins' proposals about the role of experts in political arguments, to resituate the discussion on health needs.
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de Graaf G, Postmus D, Westerink J, Buskens E. The early economic evaluation of novel biomarkers to accelerate their translation into clinical applications. COST EFFECTIVENESS AND RESOURCE ALLOCATION 2018; 16:23. [PMID: 29946228 PMCID: PMC6006586 DOI: 10.1186/s12962-018-0105-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2018] [Accepted: 06/02/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Translating prognostic and diagnostic biomarker candidates into clinical applications takes time, is very costly, and many candidates fail. It is therefore crucial to be able to select those biomarker candidates that have the highest chance of successfully being adopted in the clinic. This requires an early estimate of the potential clinical impact and commercial value. In this paper, we aim to demonstratively evaluate a set of novel biomarkers in terms of clinical impact and commercial value, using occurrence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in type-2 diabetes (DM2) patients as a case study. METHODS We defined a clinical application for the novel biomarkers, and subsequently used data from a large cohort study in The Netherlands in a modeling exercise to assess the potential clinical impact and headroom for the biomarkers. RESULTS The most likely application of the biomarkers would be to identify DM2 patients with a low CVD risk and subsequently withhold statin treatment. As a result, one additional CVD event in every 75 patients may be expected. The expected downstream savings resulted in a headroom for a point-of-care device ranging from €119.09 at a willingness to accept of €0 for one additional CVD event, to €0 at a willingness to accept of €15,614 or more. CONCLUSION It is feasible to evaluate novel biomarkers on outcomes directly relevant to technological development and clinical adoption. Importantly, this may be attained at the same point in time and using the same data as used for the evaluation of association with disease and predictive power.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gimon de Graaf
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, PO Box 30.001, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Douwe Postmus
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, PO Box 30.001, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jan Westerink
- Department of Vascular Medicine, University Medical Center Utrecht, PO Box 85.500, 3508 GA Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Erik Buskens
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, PO Box 30.001, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands
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Shapiro J. "Violence" in medicine: necessary and unnecessary, intentional and unintentional. Philos Ethics Humanit Med 2018; 13:7. [PMID: 29890993 PMCID: PMC5994834 DOI: 10.1186/s13010-018-0059-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2018] [Accepted: 05/13/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023] Open
Abstract
We are more used to thinking of medicine in relation to the ways that it alleviates the effects of violence. Yet an important thread in the academic literature acknowledges that medicine can also be responsible for perpetuating violence, albeit unintentionally, against the very individuals it intends to help. In this essay, I discuss definitions of violence, emphasizing the importance of understanding the term not only as a physical perpetration but as an act of power of one person over another. I next explore the paradox of a healing profession that is permeated with violence sometimes necessary, often unintentional, and almost always unrecognized. Identifying the construct of "physician arrogance" as contributory to violence, I go on to identify different manifestations of violence in a medical context, including violence to the body; structural violence; metaphoric violence; and the practice of speaking to or about patients (and others in the healthcare system in ways that minimize or disrespect their full humanity. I further suggest possible explanations for the origins of these kinds of violence in physicians, including the fear of suffering and death in relation to vicarious trauma and the consequent concept of "killing suffering"; as well as why patients might be willing to accept such violence directed toward them. I conclude with brief recommendations for attending to root causes of violence, both within societal and institutional structures, and within ourselves, offering the model of the wounded healer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna Shapiro
- Department of Family Medicine, UC Irvine School of Medicine, Rte 81, Bldg 200, Ste 835; 101 City Dr. South, Orange, CA, 92651, USA.
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Armstrong N. Overdiagnosis and overtreatment as a quality problem: insights from healthcare improvement research. BMJ Qual Saf 2018; 27:571-575. [DOI: 10.1136/bmjqs-2017-007571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2017] [Revised: 01/18/2018] [Accepted: 03/10/2018] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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Concin H, Nagel G. Preventing overdiagnosis in mammography screening - a public health perspective. Horm Mol Biol Clin Investig 2017; 32:/j/hmbci.2017.32.issue-1/hmbci-2017-0040/hmbci-2017-0040.xml. [PMID: 29252194 DOI: 10.1515/hmbci-2017-0040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2017] [Accepted: 07/26/2017] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Prevention and management of breast cancer in order to provide high quality health care is an important public health issue. The existence of overdiagnosis for breast-cancer was controversial for a long time but is now broadly accepted. Overdiagnosis is defined as the diagnosis of "disease" that will never cause symptoms or death during a patient's ordinarily expected lifetime. Estimates of the overdiagnosis rate for breast cancer range up to 54% of screen-detected localized tumors. New approaches, such as the identification of high risk groups or primary prevention approaches could be more relevant from the public health perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hans Concin
- Agency for Preventive and Social Medicine (aks), Rheinstrasse 61, 6900 Bregenz, Austria, Phone: +43 5574/202-0
| | - Gabriele Nagel
- Agency for Preventive and Social Medicine (aks), Rheinstrasse 61, 6900 Bregenz, Austria
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Chen J, Chen Y, Hu P, Zhou T, Xu X, Pei X. Risk assessment of infected children with Pseudomonas aeruginosa pneumonia by combining host and pathogen predictors. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2017; 57:82-87. [PMID: 29146549 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2017.11.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2017] [Revised: 11/06/2017] [Accepted: 11/12/2017] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
The current criteria of pneumonia severity, which mainly depend on clinical manifestations and laboratory findings from blood routine tests and X-ray examination, are still of great significance in preliminary diagnosis. However, the utility of traditional severe pneumonia indexes (SPI) without considering high virulence and multidrug resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa has limitations. Thus, it is of great value to make a risk assessment, which can serve as a complementary option for incomplete clinical diagnosis. This study aims to determine risk factors related to severe pneumonia and to comprehensively evaluate the risk conditions of infected children with P. aeruginosa pneumonia. We collected the clinical information of 184 hospitalized children with P. aeruginosa pneumonia and measured pathogen data on virulence factors and drug resistance. The risk assessment matrix was formed from the significant host and pathogen predictors, and the risk score was determined by the clinical references and the optimal critical values (OCV) of the receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves. There were 103 (56%) and 81 (44%) infected children diagnosed as mild and severe pneumonia by SPI, respectively. Seven risk factors were significantly associated with severe pneumonia, including body temperature, respiratory rate, C-reactive protein, elastase, exotoxin-A, exoenzyme-U and multidrug resistances. Among 184 infected children, the risk assessment matrix displayed 62 cases (34%) at high risk, 51 cases (28%) at medium risk, and 71 cases (38%) at low risk in terms of pneumonia severity. On the basis of the SPI preliminary diagnosis, the risk assessment prompted that 31% (32/103) mild patients would be faced with a poorer outcome and 23% (19/81) severe patients might get a better prognosis. Therefore, the well-established assessment indicates that the interplay between host response, antibiotic resistance, and virulence may modulate the severity of P. aeruginosa pneumonia in infected children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiayi Chen
- Department of Public Health Laboratory Sciences, West China School of Public Health, Sichuan University, 16#, Section 3, Renmin South Road, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Yuhang Chen
- Department of Public Health Laboratory Sciences, West China School of Public Health, Sichuan University, 16#, Section 3, Renmin South Road, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Pengwei Hu
- Department of Public Health Laboratory Sciences, West China School of Public Health, Sichuan University, 16#, Section 3, Renmin South Road, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China; Shenzhen Nanshan Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 95#, Nanshang Road, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518054, China.
| | - Tao Zhou
- Department of Public Health Laboratory Sciences, West China School of Public Health, Sichuan University, 16#, Section 3, Renmin South Road, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Xin Xu
- Department of Public Health Laboratory Sciences, West China School of Public Health, Sichuan University, 16#, Section 3, Renmin South Road, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Xiaofang Pei
- Department of Public Health Laboratory Sciences, West China School of Public Health, Sichuan University, 16#, Section 3, Renmin South Road, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China.
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Gilmore S. Melanoma screening: Informing public health policy with quantitative modelling. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0182349. [PMID: 28945758 PMCID: PMC5612464 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0182349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2016] [Accepted: 07/17/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Australia and New Zealand share the highest incidence rates of melanoma worldwide. Despite the substantial increase in public and physician awareness of melanoma in Australia over the last 30 years–as a result of the introduction of publicly funded mass media campaigns that began in the early 1980s –mortality has steadily increased during this period. This increased mortality has led investigators to question the relative merits of primary versus secondary prevention; that is, sensible sun exposure practices versus early detection. Increased melanoma vigilance on the part of the public and among physicians has resulted in large increases in public health expenditure, primarily from screening costs and increased rates of office surgery. Has this attempt at secondary prevention been effective? Unfortunately epidemiologic studies addressing the causal relationship between the level of secondary prevention and mortality are prohibitively difficult to implement–it is currently unknown whether increased melanoma surveillance reduces mortality, and if so, whether such an approach is cost-effective. Here I address the issue of secondary prevention of melanoma with respect to incidence and mortality (and cost per life saved) by developing a Markov model of melanoma epidemiology based on Australian incidence and mortality data. The advantages of developing a methodology that can determine constraint-based surveillance outcomes are twofold: first, it can address the issue of effectiveness; and second, it can quantify the trade-off between cost and utilisation of medical resources on one hand, and reduced morbidity and lives saved on the other. With respect to melanoma, implementing the model facilitates the quantitative determination of the relative effectiveness and trade-offs associated with different levels of secondary and tertiary prevention, both retrospectively and prospectively. For example, I show that the surveillance enhancement that began in 1982 has resulted in greater diagnostic incidence and reduced mortality, but the reduced mortality carried a significant cost per life saved. I implement the model out to 2028 and demonstrate that the enhanced secondary prevention that began in 1982 becomes increasingly cost-effective over the period 2013–2028. On the other hand, I show that reductions in mortality achieved by significantly enhancing secondary prevention beyond 2013 levels are comparable with those achieved by only modest improvements in late-stage disease survival. Given the ballooning costs of increased melanoma surveillance, I suggest the process of public health policy decision-making–particularly with respect to the public funding of melanoma screening and discretionary mole removal–would be better served by incorporating the results of quantitative modelling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen Gilmore
- Skin and Cancer Foundation, Melbourne, Australia
- Dermatology Research Centre, Diamantina Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
- * E-mail:
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Gion M, Cardinali G, Trevisiol C, Zappa M, Rainato G, Fabricio ASC. Indicators of inappropriate tumour marker use through the mining of electronic health records. J Eval Clin Pract 2017; 23:895-902. [PMID: 28503788 DOI: 10.1111/jep.12754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2016] [Revised: 03/08/2017] [Accepted: 03/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE, AIMS, AND OBJECTIVES Although the issue of monitoring appropriateness of tumour markers (TMs) request in outpatients remains crucial, proper indicators are still demanding. The present study developed and explored indicators of inappropriate TM ordering in outpatients through the data mining of electronic health records (EHRs). METHODS Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), alfa-fetoprotein (AFP), carbohydrate antigen (CA)125, CA15.3, CA19.9, and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) ordered in outpatients during a year were examined by mining EHRs of a Local Health Authority in Italy. Evidence-based criteria were used to develop performance indicators. Demographic and clinical information associated with TM orders were examined. RESULTS A total of 80 813 TMs were ordered in 52 536 outpatients (1.54 markers/patient). Indicators related to disease codes, gender, age, and TM repetitions were developed, and their application showed that (1) CA15.3 and CEA are prevalently requested in patients with cancer (79.2% and 65.6%) whereas the other TMs are largely requested also in patients without cancer; (2) requests of PSA in women and of CA125 or CA15.3 in men are negligible; (3) although requests in people older than 80 years are relevant (16.4% of total), the highest rate of request of all markers occurs in patients aged 40 to 79 years; (4) CA15.3 and CEA are mainly requested in cancer cases between 50 and 79 years and AFP, CA19.9, and CA125 in those between 60 and 69 years; (5) <50% of PSA orders are associated with cancer code for all age intervals; and (6) multiple repetitions of AFP, CA125, CA15.3, CA19.9, and CEA are prevalent in cancer patients or benign diseases to which TMs are appropriate, whereas PSA repetitions occur mainly in patients without cancer. CONCLUSIONS The developed indicators resulted suitable to monitor TM overordering in outpatients through the mining of EHRs. The present study is a first approach towards the use of big-data mining for TM appropriateness evaluation purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Massimo Gion
- Centro Regionale Specializzato e Programma Regionale Biomarcatori, AULSS 3 Serenissima, Venice, Italy
| | | | | | - Marco Zappa
- Clinical and Descriptive Epidemiology Unit, ISPO Cancer Research and Prevention Institute, Florence, Italy
| | | | - Aline S C Fabricio
- Centro Regionale Specializzato e Programma Regionale Biomarcatori, AULSS 3 Serenissima, Venice, Italy
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Djulbegovic B, Guyatt GH. Progress in evidence-based medicine: a quarter century on. Lancet 2017; 390:415-423. [PMID: 28215660 DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(16)31592-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 460] [Impact Index Per Article: 65.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2016] [Revised: 08/21/2016] [Accepted: 08/26/2016] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
In response to limitations in the understanding and use of published evidence, evidence-based medicine (EBM) began as a movement in the early 1990s. EBM's initial focus was on educating clinicians in the understanding and use of published literature to optimise clinical care, including the science of systematic reviews. EBM progressed to recognise limitations of evidence alone, and has increasingly stressed the need to combine critical appraisal of the evidence with patient's values and preferences through shared decision making. In another progress, EBM incorporated and further developed the science of producing trustworthy clinical practice guidelines pioneered by investigators in the 1980s. EBM's enduring contributions to clinical medicine include placing the practice of medicine on a solid scientific basis, the development of more sophisticated hierarchies of evidence, the recognition of the crucial role of patient values and preferences in clinical decision making, and the development of the methodology for generating trustworthy recommendations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Djulbegovic
- University of South Florida Program for Comparative Effectiveness Research, and Division of Evidence Based Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA; H Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa General Hospital, Tampa, FL, USA.
| | - Gordon H Guyatt
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, and Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
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Saini V, Garcia-Armesto S, Klemperer D, Paris V, Elshaug AG, Brownlee S, Ioannidis JPA, Fisher ES. Drivers of poor medical care. Lancet 2017; 390:178-190. [PMID: 28077235 DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(16)30947-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 141] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
The global ubiquity of overuse and underuse of health-care resources and the gravity of resulting harms necessitate an investigation of drivers to inform potential solutions. We describe the network of influences that contribute to poor care and suggest that it is driven by factors that fall into three domains: money and finance; knowledge, bias, and uncertainty; and power and human relationships. In each domain the drivers operate at the global, national, regional, and individual level, and are modulated by the specific contexts within which they act. We discuss in detail drivers of poor care in each domain.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sandra Garcia-Armesto
- Aragon Agency for Research and Development, Zaragoza, Spain; Aragon Health Sciences Institute, Aragon, Spain
| | - David Klemperer
- Ostbayerische Technische Hochschule Regensburg, Fakultät Angewandte Sozial-und Gesundheitswissenschaften, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Valerie Paris
- Health Division, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Paris, France
| | - Adam G Elshaug
- Lown Institute, Brookline, MA, USA; Menzies Centre for Health Policy, School of Public Health, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Shannon Brownlee
- Lown Institute, Brookline, MA, USA; Department of Health Policy, Havard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - John P A Ioannidis
- Stanford Prevention Research Center, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Department of Health Research and Policy, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Department of Statistics, Stanford University School of Humanities and Sciences and Meta-Research Innovation Center at Stanford, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Elliott S Fisher
- The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH, USA
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Brownlee S, Chalkidou K, Doust J, Elshaug AG, Glasziou P, Heath I, Nagpal S, Saini V, Srivastava D, Chalmers K, Korenstein D. Evidence for overuse of medical services around the world. Lancet 2017; 390:156-168. [PMID: 28077234 PMCID: PMC5708862 DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(16)32585-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 535] [Impact Index Per Article: 76.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2015] [Revised: 06/29/2016] [Accepted: 07/18/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Overuse, which is defined as the provision of medical services that are more likely to cause harm than good, is a pervasive problem. Direct measurement of overuse through documentation of delivery of inappropriate services is challenging given the difficulty of defining appropriate care for patients with individual preferences and needs; overuse can also be measured indirectly through examination of unwarranted geographical variations in prevalence of procedures and care intensity. Despite the challenges, the high prevalence of overuse is well documented in high-income countries across a wide range of services and is increasingly recognised in low-income countries. Overuse of unneeded services can harm patients physically and psychologically, and can harm health systems by wasting resources and deflecting investments in both public health and social spending, which is known to contribute to health. Although harms from overuse have not been well quantified and trends have not been well described, overuse is likely to be increasing worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shannon Brownlee
- Lown Institute, Brookline, MA, USA; Department of Health Policy, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Cambridge, MA, USA.
| | - Kalipso Chalkidou
- Institute for Global Health Innovation, Imperial College, London, UK
| | - Jenny Doust
- Center for Research in Evidence-Based Practice, Bond University, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia
| | - Adam G Elshaug
- Lown Institute, Brookline, MA, USA; Menzies Centre for Health Policy, School of Public Health, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Paul Glasziou
- Center for Research in Evidence-Based Practice, Bond University, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia
| | - Iona Heath
- Royal College of General Practitioners, London, UK
| | | | | | - Divya Srivastava
- LSE Health, London School of Economics and Political Science, London, UK
| | - Kelsey Chalmers
- Menzies Centre for Health Policy, School of Public Health, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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Csillag AD, Quirk AR, Chan MV, Ridley LJ. Minimal preparation CT: A literature review of a minimally invasive imaging technique for colorectal cancer in a frail, aged population. J Med Imaging Radiat Oncol 2017; 62:14-20. [DOI: 10.1111/1754-9485.12630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2016] [Accepted: 04/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Andrew D Csillag
- Department of Radiology; Concord Repatriation General Hospital Sydney; Concord New South Wales Australia
| | - Anna R Quirk
- Royal Prince Alfred Hospital; Sydney New South Wales Australia
| | - Michael V Chan
- Department of Radiology; Concord Repatriation General Hospital Sydney; Concord New South Wales Australia
| | - Lloyd J Ridley
- Department of Radiology; Concord Repatriation General Hospital Sydney; Concord New South Wales Australia
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Walker MJ, Rogers W. Defining disease in the context of overdiagnosis. MEDICINE, HEALTH CARE, AND PHILOSOPHY 2017; 20:269-280. [PMID: 27848107 DOI: 10.1007/s11019-016-9748-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Recently, concerns have been raised about the phenomenon of 'overdiagnosis', the diagnosis of a condition that is not causing harm, and will not come to cause harm. Along with practical, ethical, and scientific questions, overdiagnosis raises questions about our concept of disease. In this paper, we analyse overdiagnosis as an epistemic problem and show how it challenges many existing accounts of disease. In particular, it raises questions about conceptual links drawn between disease and dysfunction, harm, and risk. We argue that 'disease' should be considered a vague concept with a non-classical structure. On this view, overdiagnosed cases are 'borderline' cases of disease, falling in the zone between cases that are clearly disease, and cases that are clearly not disease. We then develop a précising definition of disease designed to provide practical help in preventing and limiting overdiagnosis. We argue that for this purpose, we can define disease as dysfunction that has a significant risk of causing severe harm to the patient.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Jean Walker
- Philosophy Department, Macquarie University, Sydney, 2109, Australia.
| | - Wendy Rogers
- Philosophy Department and the Department of Clinical Medicine, Macquarie University, Sydney, 2109, Australia
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Nicholson B. Detecting cancer in primary care: Where does early diagnosis stop and overdiagnosis begin? Eur J Cancer Care (Engl) 2017; 26. [DOI: 10.1111/ecc.12692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/19/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- B.D. Nicholson
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences; University of Oxford; Oxford UK
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Hensher M, Tisdell J, Zimitat C. “Too much medicine”: Insights and explanations from economic theory and research. Soc Sci Med 2017; 176:77-84. [DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2017.01.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2016] [Revised: 01/10/2017] [Accepted: 01/16/2017] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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Moynihan R, Sims R, Hersch J, Thomas R, Glasziou P, McCaffery K. Communicating about overdiagnosis: Learning from community focus groups on osteoporosis. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0170142. [PMID: 28158214 PMCID: PMC5291414 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0170142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2016] [Accepted: 12/29/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Overdiagnosis is considered a risk associated with the diagnosis of osteoporosis-as many people diagnosed won't experience harm from the condition. As yet there's little evidence on community understanding of overdiagnosis outside cancer- where it is an established risk of some screening programs-or effective ways to communicate about it. We examined community understanding around overdiagnosis of osteoporosis, to optimise communication strategies about this problem. METHODS AND FINDINGS Using a qualitative design we recruited a community sample of women, 50-80 years, from the Gold Coast community around Bond University, Australia, using random digit dialing, and conducted 5 focus groups with 41 women. A discussion guide and 4-part presentation were developed and piloted, with independent review from a consumer and clinical experts. Initial discussion had 4 segments: osteoporosis; bone density vs. other risk factors; medication; and overdiagnosis. The second half included the 4 short presentations and discussions on each. Analysis used Framework Analysis method. Initially participants described osteoporosis as bone degeneration causing some fear, demonstrated imprecise understanding of overdiagnosis, had a view osteoporosis couldn't be overdiagnosed as bone scans provided "clear cut" results, expressed belief in early diagnosis, and interest in prevention strategies enabling control. Following presentations, participants expressed some understanding of overdiagnosis, preference for describing osteoporosis as a "risk factor" not "disease", concern about a poor risk-benefit ratio for medications, and surprise and unease the definition of osteoporosis decided bone density of young women was "normal", without age adjustment. Limitations include English-speaking backgrounds of the sample and complex materials. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest a gap between community expectations and how experts sometimes arbitrarily set low diagnostic thresholds which label those at risk as "diseased". Optimal communication about overdiagnosis could build on community scepticism about treatments, encouraging weighing up benefits and harms of tests and diagnoses, and framing this information as positively adding to knowledge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ray Moynihan
- Centre for Research in Evidence-Based Practice, Bond University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
| | - Rebecca Sims
- Centre for Research in Evidence-Based Practice, Bond University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
| | - Jolyn Hersch
- School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Rae Thomas
- Centre for Research in Evidence-Based Practice, Bond University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
| | - Paul Glasziou
- Centre for Research in Evidence-Based Practice, Bond University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
| | - Kirsten McCaffery
- School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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Need for Knowledge Translation to Improve Tumor Marker Application. Int J Biol Markers 2016; 31:e331. [DOI: 10.5301/jbm.5000250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/13/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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