Attendance and Yield Over Three Rounds of Population-Based Fecal Immunochemical Test Screening

OBJECTIVES: Fecal immunochemical test (FIT) screening for colorectal cancer (CRC) requires timely successive rounds for an optimal preventive effect. However, data on attendance and trend in yield over multiple rounds of FIT screening are limited. We therefore conducted a consecutive third round of FIT screening in a population-based CRC screening trial. METHODS: Average-risk subjects aged 50-74 years were approached for three rounds of 1-sample FIT (OC-sensor) screening. Subjects with a hemoglobin level >= 50 ng/ml (>= 10 mu g Hb/g) feces were referred for colonoscopy. Subjects with a positive FIT in previous rounds were not re-invited for FIT screening. RESULTS: In the first round, 7,501 subjects were invited. The participation rate was 62.6 % in the first round, 63.2 % in the second round, and 68.3 % in the third round (P 70 % of all eligible subjects participating at least once over three rounds. The decline in screen-detected AN over three screening rounds is compatible with a decreased prevalence of AN as a result of repeated FIT screening. These findings provide strong evidence for the effectiveness of FIT screening and stress the importance of ongoing research over multiple screening rounds

Monitoring cognitive change in multiple sclerosis using a computerized cognitive battery

Background: Cognitive monitoring that can detect short-term change in multiple sclerosis is challenging. Computerized cognitive batteries such as the CogState Brief Battery can rapidly assess commonly affected cognitive domains. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to establish the acceptability and sensitivity of the CogState Brief Battery in multiple sclerosis patients compared to controls. We compared the sensitivity of the CogState Brief Battery to that of the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test over 12 months. Methods: Demographics, Expanded Disability Status Scale scores, depression and anxiety scores were compared with CogState Brief Battery and Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test performances of 51 patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, 19 with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis and 40 healthy controls. Longitudinal data in 37 relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients were evaluated using linear mixed models. Results: Both the CogState Brief Battery and the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test discriminated between multiple sclerosis and healthy controls at baseline (p<0.001). CogState Brief Battery tasks were more acceptable and caused less anxiety than the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test (p<0.001). In relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients, reaction time slowed over 12 months (p<0.001) for the CogState Brief Battery Detection (mean change -34.23 ms) and Identification (-25.31 ms) tasks. Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test scores did not change over this time. Conclusions: The CogState Brief Battery is highly acceptable and better able to detect cognitive change than the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test. The CogState Brief Battery could potentially be used as a practical cognitive monitoring tool in the multiple sclerosis clinic setting