OBJECTIVES: To describe and summarize the assessment of knowledge and perceptions about CVD risk and preventive approaches among patients with T2DM.
METHODS: A scoping review methodology was adopted, and three scientific databases, Google Scholar, Science Direct, and PubMed were searched using predefined search terms. A multistage screening process that considered relevancy, publication year (2009-2019), English language, and article type (original research) was followed. We formulated research questions focused on the assessment of levels of knowledge and perceptions of the illness relevant to CVD prevention and the identification of associated patients' characteristics.
RESULTS: A total of 16 studies were included. Patients were not confident to identify CVD risk and other clinical consequences that may occur in the prognostic pathway of T2DM. Furthermore, patients were less likely to identify all CV risk factors indicating a lack of understanding of the multi-- factorial contribution of CVD risk. Patients' beliefs about medications were correlated with their level of adherence to medications for CVD prevention. Many knowledge gaps were identified, including the basic disease expectations at the time of diagnosis, identification of individuals' CVD risk factors, and management aspects. Knowledge and perceptions were affected by patients' demographic characteristics, e.g., educational level, race, age, and area of residence.
CONCLUSION: There are knowledge gaps concerning the understanding of CVD risk among patients with T2DM. The findings necessitate educational initiatives to boost CVD prevention among patients with T2DM. Furthermore, these should be individualized based on patients' characteristics, knowledge gaps, disease duration, and estimated CVD risk.
RECENT FINDINGS: There has been a growing appreciation for an independent link between NAFLD and CVD, culminating in a scientific statement by the American Heart Association in 2022. More recently, studies have begun to identify biomarkers of the three NAFLD phases as potent predictors of cardiovascular risk. Despite the body of evidence supporting a connection between hepatic biomarkers and CVD, more research is certainly needed, as some studies find no significant relationship. If this relationship continues to be robust and readily reproducible, NAFLD and its biomarkers may have an exciting role in the future of cardiovascular risk prediction, possibly as risk-enhancing factors or as components of novel cardiovascular risk prediction models.
METHODS: A systematic review was conducted to explore all prognostic risk factors in studies published from the initial to June 2024 among 5 Databases included PubMed / Medline, Scopus, EBSCOhost, Web of Science, and Cochran Library. The quality of the methodology was analyzed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Data analysis was performed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 29.
RESULTS: Sixty-four studies involving 18,958 participants with a mean age of 38.46 years and females 63.03% were included in the quantitative meta-analysis. Functional outcomes were primarily measured using the Modified Rankin Scale (mRS), with scores ≥ 2 or ≥ 3 indicating poor outcomes in 35.00% and 60.00% of studies, respectively. For general information, age (InOR = 0.98, 95% CI 0.53-1.43), intracranial hemorrhage (OR = 3.79, 95% CI 2.77-5.20), and ischemic infarction (OR = 3.18, 95% CI 2.40-4.23) were associated with poor functional outcomes. For general and neurological symptoms, headache (OR = 0.22, 95% CI 0.17-0.29), seizure (OR = 2.74, 95% CI 1.76-4.27), focal deficit (OR = 4.72, 95% CI 3.86-5.78), coma (OR = 11.60, 95% CI 6.12-21.98), and consciousness alteration (OR = 7.07, 95% CI 4.15-12.04) were outstanding factors. The blood biomarkers of NLR (log OR = 1.72, 95% CI 0.96-2.47), lymphocytes (Cohen's d = -0.63, 95 CI -0.78--0.47), and D-dimer (lnOR = 1.34, 95% CI 0.87-1.80) were the three most frequently reported factors. Parenchymal lesion (OR = 4.71, 95% CI 1.12-19.84) and deep cerebral venous thrombosis (OR = 6.30, 95% CI 2.92-13.63) in radiological images were two frequently reported factors. CVST patients with cancer (OR = 3.87, 95% CI 2.95-5.07) or high blood glucose levels (OR = 3.52, 95% CI 1.61-7.68) were associated with poor functional outcomes. In the meta-regression analysis, ischemic infarction (P = 0.032), consciousness alteration (P risk factors included age, intracranial hemorrhage, seizures, coma, D-dimer, parenchymal lesions, and hyperglycemia. This systematic review provides a comprehensive overview of the prognostic risk factors for poor functional outcomes in patients undergoing CVST, which can guide clinical decision-making and future research.
TRIAL REGISTRATION: This systematic review and meta-analysis has been registered with INPLASY (International Platform of Registered Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Protocols), and the registration number is INPLASY202480072. The registration period is 14 August 2024.
OBJECTIVE: The present study aims to determine the factors associated with malaria infection among forest rangers by systematically reviewing electronic articles from three databases (EBSCOhost, ScienceDirect, and ResearchGate).
METHODS: The current review was prepared based on the updated preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. First, three independent reviewers screened the titles and abstracts of the data collected. The information was then stored in Endnote20 based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The articles were critically appraised with the mixed methods appraisal tool (MMAT) to assess their quality.
RESULT: A total of 103, 31, and 51 articles from EBSCOhost, ScienceDirect, and ResearchGate, respectively, were selected, resulting in 185 unique hits. Nevertheless, only 63 full-text publications were assessed following a rigorous selection screening, from which only five were included in the final review. The studies revealed that several factors contribute to malaria infection among forest rangers. The parameters were classified into sociodemographic, individual, and living condition-related.
CONCLUSION: A better understanding of malaria progresses and identifying its potential risk factors is essential to impact worker well-being. The findings might be utilised to improve malaria infection prevention programme implementations, hence maximising their success. Pre-employment and regular health screenings could also aid in evaluating and identifying potential risks for malaria infection among forest rangers.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients with at least one EEG recording were recruited. The EEG and clinical data were collated.
RESULTS: Two hundred and fifty patients underwent EEG and 154 (61.6%) were found to have abnormal EEG. The abnormal changes consist of theta activity (79,31.6%), delta activity (20, 8%), focal discharges (41,16.4%) and generalised discharges (14, 5.6%). Older patients had 3.481 higher risk for EEG abnormalities, p=0.001. Patients who had focal seizures had 2.240 higher risk of having EEG abnormalities, p<0.001. Low protein level was a risk for EEG abnormalities, p=0.003.
CONCLUSION: This study emphasised that an abnormal EEG remains a useful tool in determining the likelihood for seizures in a hospital setting. The risk factors for EEG abnormality in hospitalised patients were age, focal seizures and low protein level. The EEG may have an important role as part of the workup in hospitalised patients to aid the clinician to tailor their management in a holistic manner.