Depression, anxiety, and stress mediate the associations between internet gaming disorder, insomnia, and quality of life during the COVID-19 outbreak

Background: or many individuals, the COVID-19 outbreak has increased their psychological distress, changed their behaviors, and impacted their health. With more time spent indoors, many individuals have engaged in increased videogame playing. However, the associations between such behaviors during the COVID-19 outbreak period is unclear. Objective: The present study examined the mediating role of psychological distress (depression, anxiety, and stress) in the association between internet gaming disorder (IGD) and two health outcomes (insomnia quality of life) among adolescents during this COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A cross-sectional study comprising adolescents (N = 1512) aged 13–18 years (mean age = 15.51 years) was utilized to assess measures on insomnia, depression, anxiety, and stress, IGD, and quality of life during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: There were small to large significant relationships between the variables. Psychological distress (i.e., depression, anxiety, and stress) served as a strong mediator in the association between IGD and insomnia and quality of life. IGD directly influenced insomnia and quality of life among the participants. Conclusions: IGD is associated with different psychosocial outcomes comprising multiple pathways. Parents need to pay special attention to how much time and how frequently their children play videogames. Parents may need to assist their children in coping with psychological distress during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic period

Travel burden and clinical presentation of retinoblastoma: analysis of 1024 patients from 43 African countries and 518 patients from 40 European countries

BACKGROUND: The travel distance from home to a treatment centre, which may impact the stage at diagnosis, has not been investigated for retinoblastoma, the most common childhood eye cancer. We aimed to investigate the travel burden and its impact on clinical presentation in a large sample of patients with retinoblastoma from Africa and Europe. METHODS: A cross-sectional analysis including 518 treatment-naïve patients with retinoblastoma residing in 40 European countries and 1024 treatment-naïve patients with retinoblastoma residing in 43 African countries. RESULTS: Capture rate was 42.2% of expected patients from Africa and 108.8% from Europe. African patients were older (95% CI -12.4 to -5.4, p<0.001), had fewer cases of familial retinoblastoma (95% CI 2.0 to 5.3, p<0.001) and presented with more advanced disease (95% CI 6.0 to 9.8, p<0.001); 43.4% and 15.4% of Africans had extraocular retinoblastoma and distant metastasis at the time of diagnosis, respectively, compared to 2.9% and 1.0% of the Europeans. To reach a retinoblastoma centre, European patients travelled 421.8 km compared to Africans who travelled 185.7 km (p<0.001). On regression analysis, lower-national income level, African residence and older age (p<0.001), but not travel distance (p=0.19), were risk factors for advanced disease. CONCLUSIONS: Fewer than half the expected number of patients with retinoblastoma presented to African referral centres in 2017, suggesting poor awareness or other barriers to access. Despite the relatively shorter distance travelled by African patients, they presented with later-stage disease. Health education about retinoblastoma is needed for carers and health workers in Africa in order to increase capture rate and promote early referral

Screening of five strains of rhizobium meliloti for ability to effect nodulation on alfalfa (medicago sativa [L])

No Abstract. Journal of the Ghana Science Association Vol. 2 (2) 1999: pp.4-

Review of novel therapeutic targets for improving heart failure treatment based on experimental and clinical studies

Kwadwo Osei Bonsu,1,2 Isaac Kofi Owusu,3 Kwame Ohene Buabeng,4 Daniel Diamond Reidpath,1 Amudha Kadirvelu1 1School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Sunway Campus, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, Bandar Sunway, Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia; 2Accident and Emergency Directorate, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, 3Department of Medicine, 4Department of Clinical and Social Pharmacy, College of Health Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi,&nbsp;Ghana Abstract: Heart failure (HF) is a major public health priority due to its epidemiological transition and the world&rsquo;s aging population. HF is typified by continuous loss of contractile function with reduced, normal, or preserved ejection fraction, elevated vascular resistance, fluid and autonomic imbalance, and ventricular dilatation. Despite considerable advances in the treatment of HF over the past few decades, mortality remains substantial. Pharmacological treatments including &beta;-blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, and aldosterone antagonists have been proven to prolong the survival of patients with HF. However, there are still instances where patients remain symptomatic, despite optimal use of existing therapeutic agents. This understanding that patients with chronic HF progress into advanced stages despite receiving optimal treatment has increased the quest for alternatives, exploring the roles of additional pathways that contribute to the development and progression of HF. Several pharmacological targets associated with pathogenesis of HF have been identified and novel therapies have emerged. In this work, we review recent evidence from proposed mechanisms to the outcomes of experimental and clinical studies of the novel pharmacological agents that have emerged for the treatment of HF. Keywords: novel treatment, experimental and clinical studies, therapeutic targets, heart failur

Adherence to Antithrombotic Therapy for Patients Attending a Multidisciplinary Thrombosis Service in Canada &ndash; A Cross-Sectional Survey

Kwadwo Osei Bonsu,1 Stephanie Young,1,2 Tiffany Lee,1,2 Hai Nguyen,1 Rufaro S Chitsike3,4 1School of Pharmacy, Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador, St John’s, NL, A1B 3V6, Canada; 2Pharmacy Program, Eastern Region Health Authority, St John’s, NL, A1B 3V6, Canada; 3Division of Medicine (Hematology), Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador, St John’s, NL, A1B 3V6, Canada; 4Division of Hematology, Eastern Region Health Authority, St John’s, NL, A1B 3V6, CanadaCorrespondence: Kwadwo Osei Bonsu, School of Pharmacy, Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador, 300 Prince Philip Drive, St John’s, NL, A1B 3V6, Canada, Email [email protected]: Poor medication adherence puts patients who require antithrombotic therapy at greater risk of complications. We started a multidisciplinary Adult Outpatient Thrombosis Service in 2017 in a Canadian health authority and were interested in the level of medication adherence in the population attending.Aim(S): The aim of this study is to assess adherence to antithrombotic medications for patients attending a multidisciplinary Thrombosis Service.Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey of outpatients seen at the Thrombosis Service between 2017 and 2019 using the 12-item validated Adherence to Refills and Medications Scale (ARMS) to assess adherence to antithrombotic (anticoagulants and antiplatelet) therapy. Linear regression analysis examined the factors associated with adherence to antithrombotic therapy.Results: Of 1058 eligible patients, 53.2% responded to the survey. Seventeen were excluded from the analysis for missing more than 6 responses to the 12 items on the ARMS. About 55% (n = 297) were on direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs), 19% (n = 102) on warfarin, 5.0% (n = 27) on low molecular weight heparin, 3.3% (n = 18) on antiplatelet therapy and 18% (n = 96) were no longer on antithrombotic therapy. Nearly half (47%, n = 253) had taken antithrombotic therapy for 1– 5 years while 28% (n = 150) and 25% (n = 137) had taken antithrombotic treatments for 5 years, respectively. Most patients (87%, n = 475) were ≥ 50 years and half (51%, n = 277) were male. The mean adherence score was 13.9 (SD± 2.2) and 88% (n = 481) of participants were adherent to antithrombotic treatment (ARMS = 12– 16). Multivariable linear regression showed that patients with post-graduate education had 0.4% lower adherence to antithrombotic therapy as compared with elementary education (β = 0.0039, p = 0.048). Patients with prior antithrombotic agent use > 5 years had 0.5% lower adherence to antithrombotic treatment compared to patients with < 1 year (β = 0.0047, p = 0.0244).Conclusion: Self-reported adherence to antithrombotic therapy was high (88%) within a multidisciplinary Thrombosis Service. Patients with advanced education and prolong duration of antithrombotic therapy were more likely to have lower self-reported adherence to antithrombotic treatment.Keywords: medication adherence, self-reported adherence, multidisciplinary care, thrombosis service, anticoagulation management program, antithrombotic therap

Statin Treatment and Clinical Outcomes of Heart Failure Among Africans: An Inverse Probability Treatment Weighted Analysis

Background--Randomized control trials of statins have not demonstrated significant benefits in outcomes of heart failure (HF). However, randomized control trials may not always be generalizable. The aim was to determine whether statin and statin type- lipophilic or -hydrophilic improve long-term outcomes in Africans with HF. Methods and Results--This was a retrospective longitudinal study of HF patients aged ≥18 years hospitalized at a tertiary healthcare center between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2013 in Ghana. Patients were eligible if they were discharged from first admission for HF (index admission) and followed up to time of all-cause, cardiovascular, and HF mortality or end of study. Multivariable time-dependent Cox model and inverse-probability-of-treatment weighting of marginal structural model were used to estimate associations between statin treatment and outcomes. Adjusted hazard ratios were also estimated for lipophilic and hydrophilic statin compared with no statin use. The study included 1488 patients (mean age 60.3±14.2 years) with 9306 person-years of observation. Using the time-dependent Cox model, the 5-year adjusted hazard ratios with 95% CI for statin treatment on all-cause, cardiovascular, and HF mortality were 0.68 (0.55-0.83), 0.67 (0.54-0.82), and 0.63 (0.51- 0.79), respectively. Use of inverse-probability-of-treatment weighting resulted in estimates of 0.79 (0.65-0.96), 0.77 (0.63- 0.96), and 0.77 (0.61-0.95) for statin treatment on all-cause, cardiovascular, and HF mortality, respectively, compared with no statin use. Conclusions--Among Africans with HF, statin treatment was associated with significant reduction in mortality.</p

Beyond lipid lowering: pleiotropic effects of statins in heart failure

Cardiolog