Pre-hospital management, procedural performance and outcomes for primary percutaneous coronary intervention in st-elevation myocardial infarction in the netherlands: Insights from the dutch cohort of the apposition-III trial

Aim The aim of this study was to achieve useful insights into pre-hospital management and procedural performance for ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in the Netherlands by extrapolating patient characteristics, and procedural and clinical outcomes of the Dutch patient cohort from the APPOSITION-III trial. Methods This is a retrospective analysis from the APPOSITION-III trial with respect to the geographical borders of STEMI management. The APPOSITION-III trial was a European registry for the use of the STENTYS self-expandable stent in STEMI patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI). 965 Patients were enrolled mainly in the Netherlands (n = 420, 43.5 % of the overall study population), Germany (n = 165) and France (n = 131). The data from the Dutch cohort were compared with both the overall study population, and the French and German cohorts, respectively, as well as the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) STEMI guidelines. Results In this trial there was a wide inter-country variation on symptom-to-balloon time, 165 minutes (120–318) in the Netherlands, 270 minutes (180–650) in Germany and 360 minutes (120–480) in France, respectively. In general, a preload of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) combined with heparin was more often performed in the Dutch and French cohort than in the German cohort. DAPT at discharge was high across the whole APPOSITION-III population. No important differences were seen between the different groups according to the endpoints major adverse cardiac event and stent thrombosis. Conclusion In the Dutch cohort of an European multicentre STEMI study (APPOSITION-III trial), the performance in terms of symptom-to-balloon time, and pre-, peri- and post-procedural medical treatment is in line with the recommendations of ESC STEMI guidelines

Direct stenting with the Bx VELOCITY balloon-expandable stent mounted on the Raptor rapid exchange delivery system versus predilatation in a European randomized Trial: the VELVET trial.

Abstract AIMS: This study examined the six-month angiographic results of direct coronary stenting, and compared the nine-month safety, efficacy and cost of this strategy versus stenting after balloon predilatation. METHODS: In phase I of VELVET, 122 patients (mean age = 62.3 +/- 10.1 years, 77% male, 11% with diabetes) with angina pectoris or myocardial ischemia resulting from a single de novo 51% to 95% coronary stenosis underwent direct stenting. The endpoints of phase I included angiographic findings and rates of major adverse cardiac events up to six months of follow-up. In phase II, 401 patients (mean age = 61.3 +/- 10.8 years, 79% male, 16% with diabetes) with angina pectoris or documented myocardial ischemia resulting from single or multiple, de novo or restenotic, coronary lesions were randomized between direc

Post COVID-19 implications on genetic diversity and genomics research & innovation: A call for governance and research capacity. White paper.

This is the final version. Available from the Food and Agriculture Organisation via the DOI in this record. At a time of significant technological change and digitization in the biological sciences, the COVID19 pandemic has highlighted again the inequities in the research and innovation ecosystem. Based on a consultation with an internationally diverse group of stakeholders from multiple fields and professions, and on a broadly representative set of case studies, this report offers a new approach to the global governance of genetic diversity and genomic research and innovation. We recommend that in addition to the many valuable efforts at the macro-policy level and at the micro-level of projects, teams and organizations, the global community concerned with genetic diversity and genomic research and innovation should devise and implement a meso-level initiative that includes three main components: 1. First, it should establish a new professional capacity to govern research and innovation at the meso-level. Governance capacity, built through a networked community of practice, has the benefit of connecting and integrating macrolevel policy intentions with micro-level actions. It facilitates a consistent professional basis from which local and regional level flexibilities can generate new norms of reflection that better integrate multiple synergies, reconcile tensions, recognize inequities, and redress persistent inequalities. 2. Second, the global community should redouble efforts to build research capacity in genomic research and innovation in the Global South and for Indigenous Peoples. Such an effort should be focused on broader programmatic objectives that facilitate cross-national and cross-regional collaboration, as well as enhancing research communities in the Global South and in Indigenous communities. Together, the twin capacities of governance and research can reduce power differentials among diverse actors and support crisisbased imperatives for data openness. 3. Third, we recommend that existing global policy frameworks interface with research governance and capacity investment. This meso-level approach should gain the commitment and support from national and international policy bodies, embedded within existing specific issue-areas (health, agriculture, environment). A new approach, one that can better respond to global crises though more open, inclusive and equitable participation in research and innovation, is necessary to resolve the tensions among openness, innovation and equity that the current discourse on genetic diversity reiterates. Failure to systematically address the social and technical governance challenges will result in further fragmentation, inequity and vulnerability for decades to come. Conversely, investing in the current historical moment of the pandemic to build twin capacities for meso-level governance and research is poised to prevent and/or reduce the impact of future ecological crises, while contributing to planetary sustainability and prosperity in the 21st century for current and future generations.European CommissionAlan Turing Institut

A survey of Sub-Saharan African medical schools

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Sub-Saharan Africa suffers a disproportionate share of the world's burden of disease while having some of the world's greatest health care workforce shortages. Doctors are an important component of any high functioning health care system. However, efforts to strengthen the doctor workforce in the region have been limited by a small number of medical schools with limited enrolments, international migration of graduates, poor geographic distribution of doctors, and insufficient data on medical schools. The goal of the Sub-Saharan African Medical Schools Study (SAMSS) is to increase the level of understanding and expand the baseline data on medical schools in the region.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The SAMSS survey is a descriptive survey study of Sub-Saharan African medical schools. The survey instrument included quantitative and qualitative questions focused on institutional characteristics, student profiles, curricula, post-graduate medical education, teaching staff, resources, barriers to capacity expansion, educational innovations, and external relationships with government and non-governmental organizations. Surveys were sent via e-mail to medical school deans or officials designated by the dean. Analysis is both descriptive and multivariable.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Surveys were distributed to 146 medical schools in 40 of 48 Sub-Saharan African countries. One hundred and five responses were received (72% response rate). An additional 23 schools were identified after the close of the survey period. Fifty-eight respondents have been founded since 1990, including 22 private schools. Enrolments for medical schools range from 2 to 1800 and graduates range from 4 to 384. Seventy-three percent of respondents (n = 64) increased first year enrolments in the past five years. On average, 26% of respondents' graduates were reported to migrate out of the country within five years of graduation (n = 68). The most significant reported barriers to increasing the number of graduates, and improving quality, related to infrastructure and faculty limitations, respectively. Significant correlations were seen between schools implementing increased faculty salaries and bonuses, and lower percentage loss of faculty over the previous five years (<it>P </it>= 0.018); strengthened institutional research tools (<it>P </it>= 0.00015) and funded faculty research time (<it>P </it>= 0.045) and greater faculty involvement in research; and country compulsory service requirements (<it>P </it>= 0.039), a moderate number (1-5) of post-graduate medical education programs (<it>P </it>= 0.016) and francophone schools (<it>P </it>= 0.016) and greater rural general practice after graduation.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The results of the SAMSS survey increases the level of data and understanding of medical schools in Sub-Saharan Africa. This data serves as a baseline for future research, policies and investment in the health care workforce in the region which will be necessary for improving health.</p

COMPARE LAAO: Rationale and design of the randomized controlled trial "COMPARing Effectiveness and safety of Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion to standard of care for atrial fibrillation patients at high stroke risk and ineligible to use oral anticoagulation therapy"

Contains fulltext : 252137.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Open Access)BACKGROUND: Left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) provides an alternative to oral anticoagulation (OAC) for stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). In patients with a long-term or permanent contraindication for OAC randomized controlled trial (RCT) data is lacking. STUDY OBJECTIVES: To assess the efficacy and safety of LAAO in AF patients who are ineligible to use OAC. The co-primary efficacy endpoint is (1) time to first occurrence of stroke (ischemic, hemorrhagic, or undetermined) and (2) time to first occurrence of the composite of stroke, transient ischemic attack (TIA), and systemic embolism (SE). The primary safety endpoint is the 30-day rate of peri-procedural complications. STUDY DESIGN: This is a multicenter, investigator-initiated, open-label, blinded endpoint (PROBE), superiority-driven RCT. Patients with AF, a CHA₂DS₂-VASc score ≥2 for men and ≥3 for women and a long-term or permanent contraindication for OAC will be randomized in a 2:1 fashion to the device- or control arm. Patients in the device arm will undergo percutaneous LAAO and will receive post-procedural dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) per protocol, while those in the control arm will continue their current treatment consisting of no antithrombotic therapy or (D)APT as deemed appropriate by the primary responsible physician. In this endpoint-driven trial design, assuming a 50% lower stroke risk of LAAO compared to conservative treatment, 609 patients will be followed for a minimum of 1 and a maximum of 5 years. Cost-effectiveness and budget impact analyses will be performed to allow decision-making on reimbursement of LAAO for the target population in the Netherlands. SUMMARY: The COMPARE LAAO trial will investigate the clinical superiority in preventing thromboembolic events and cost-effectiveness of LAAO in AF patients with a high thromboembolic risk and a contraindication for OAC use. NCT TRIAL NUMBER: NCT04676880

Exploring partnership: Reflections on an international collaboration.

yesThis article explores some of the challenges involved in a collaborative mental health partnership, drawing on the reflections of two project members from the Chainama College of Health Sciences in Zambia and the Leeds Metropolitan University in England. The aim of the project was to support the education and training of the mental health workforce in Zambia as services shift from institutional to community-based care. The discussion is located within Gray’s ‘three-pronged dilemma’ and debates concerning the internationalisation agenda in social work and higher education. The conclusion emphasises the benefits and tensions of partnership working between ‘developed’ and ‘developing’ countries

The Ethics of Ethics Reviews in Global Health Research: Case Studies Applying a New Paradigm

With increasing calls for global health research there is growing concern regarding the ethical challenges encountered by researchers from high-income countries (HICs) working in low or middle-income countries (LMICs). There is a dearth of literature on how to address these challenges in practice. In this article, we conduct a critical analysis of three case studies of research conducted in LMICs.We apply emerging ethical guidelines and principles specific to global health research and offer practical strategies that researchers ought to consider. We present case studies in which Canadian health professional students conducted a health promotion project in a community in Honduras; a research capacity-building program in South Africa, in which Canadian students also worked alongside LMIC partners; and a community-university partnered research capacity-building program in which Ecuadorean graduate students, some working alongside Canadian students, conducted community-based health research projects in Ecuadorean communities.We examine each case, identifying ethical issues that emerged and how new ethical paradigms being promoted could be concretely applied.We conclude that research ethics boards should focus not only on protecting individual integrity and human dignity in health studies but also on beneficence and non-maleficence at the community level, explicitly considering social justice issues and local capacity-building imperatives.We conclude that researchers from HICs interested in global health research must work with LMIC partners to implement collaborative processes for assuring ethical research that respects local knowledge, cultural factors, the social determination of health, community participation and partnership, and making social accountability a paramount concern

Clinical Ethics in Gabon: The Spectrum of Clinical Ethical Issues Based on Findings from In-Depth Interviews at Three Public Hospitals

Introduction Unlike issues in biomedical research ethics, ethical challenges arising in daily clinical care in Sub-Saharan African countries have not yet been studied in a systematic manner. However this has to be seen as a distinct entity as we argue in this paper. Our aim was to give an overview of the spectrum of clinical ethical issues and to understand what influences clinical ethics in the Sub-Saharan country of Gabon. Materials and Methods In-depth interviews with 18 health care professionals were conducted at three hospital sites in Gabon. Interview transcripts were analyzed using a grounded theory approach (open and axial coding),giving a qualitative spectrum of categories for clinical ethical issues. Validity was checked at a meeting with study participants and other health care experts in Gabon after analysis of the data. Results Twelve main categories (with 28 further-specified subcategories) for clinical ethical issues were identified and grouped under three core categories: A) micro level: "confidentiality and information","interpersonal, relational and behavioral issues","psychological strain of individuals",and "scarce resources";B) meso level: "structural issues of medical institutions","issues with private clinics","challenges connected to the family",and "issues of education, training and competence";and C) macro level: "influence of society, culture, religion and superstition","applicability of western medicine","structural issues on the political level",and "legal issues". Discussion Interviewees reported a broad spectrum of clinical ethical issues that go beyond challenges related to scarce financial and human resources. Specific socio-cultural, historical and educational backgrounds also played an important role. In fact these influences are central to an understanding of clinical ethics in the studied local context. Further research in the region is necessary to put our study into perspective. As many participants reported a lack of awareness of ethical issues amongst other health care professionals in daily clinical practice, we suggest that international organizations and national medical schools should consider infrastructure and tools to improve context-sensitive capacity building in clinical ethics for Sub-Saharan African countries like Gabon