An economic impact of incorrect referrals for MRI and CT scans. A retrospective analysis

Background and aims: Up to date, no research on the economic efficacy of diagnostic modalities, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computerized tomography (CT), has been done in Central Asia. The aim of this study was to analyse the inappropriate appointments of MRI and CT scanning procedures in Kazakhstan. Methods: We used the imaging diagnostic reports and medical records from 9725 planned outpatient CT and MRI exams performed in two major hospitals in Almaty. The study period was for the period 2014-2019. The independent experts-radiologists evaluated the MRI and CT exams for validity using the ACR® compliance standards and RCR recommendations. Results: The results showed that the combined costs of MRI and CT scans increased by $17.982 between 2014 ($22.537) and 2019 ($40.519), p = 0.002. The highest rate of MRI examinations was observed in 2019, with a rate of 6.9 per 10,000 people. It was determined that in 2019 the highest rate for men who undertook CT was equal to 12.4 per 10,000 people, while for women it was equivalent to 5.7 per 10,000 patients. The majority of non-corresponding imaging examinations (n = 1304) were referred for MRI and CT scans by general practitioners. We detected the irrational referrals for head and neck radiological examinations in n = 178 (13.7%) cases, and the abdominal cavity checks in n = 249 (19.1%) cases (p = 0.001). The main portion of erroneously unreasonable referrals for examination of the abdominal organs was made by surgeons in n = 43 (3.3%) cases. Conclusion: The findings indicated an increase in the number of referrals for unnecessary CT and MRI tests over the research period (2014-2019). It had a substantial impact on the rise in healthcare system expenses. The results demonstrate the need for the education of GPs and improving the approaches for diagnostics

Synthetic amphoteric cryogels as an antidote against acute heavy metal poisoning

The effectiveness of an amphoteric cryogel (AAC) as an oral sorbent (enerosorbent) for the treatment of acute poisoning of small animals (rats) with heavy metals (HMs) was studied in in vivo experiments. The morphological structure of the cryogel was examined using scanning electron microscopy/energy-dispersive X-ray analysis and confocal microscopy. The use of the cryogel in the treatment of rats administered an LD50 dose of Cd(NO3)2, CsNO3, Sr(NO3)2, or HgCl2 in aqueous solution showed their high survival rate compared to the control group, which did not receive such treatment. The histological and chemical analysis of internal tissues and the biochemical analysis of the blood of the experimental animals showed the effectiveness of the cryogel in protecting the animals against the damaging effect of HMs on the organism comparable with unithiol, a chelating agent based on 2,3-dimercapto-1-propane sulfonic acid sodium salt (DMPS) approved for the treatment of acute poisoning with some heavy metals

Global, regional, and national burden of colorectal cancer and its risk factors, 1990–2019: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

Funding: F Carvalho and E Fernandes acknowledge support from Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P. (FCT), in the scope of the project UIDP/04378/2020 and UIDB/04378/2020 of the Research Unit on Applied Molecular Biosciences UCIBIO and the project LA/P/0140/2020 of the Associate Laboratory Institute for Health and Bioeconomy i4HB; FCT/MCTES through the project UIDB/50006/2020. J Conde acknowledges the European Research Council Starting Grant (ERC-StG-2019-848325). V M Costa acknowledges the grant SFRH/BHD/110001/2015, received by Portuguese national funds through Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT), IP, under the Norma Transitória DL57/2016/CP1334/CT0006.proofepub_ahead_of_prin

The global burden of cancer attributable to risk factors, 2010-19 : a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

Background Understanding the magnitude of cancer burden attributable to potentially modifiable risk factors is crucial for development of effective prevention and mitigation strategies. We analysed results from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019 to inform cancer control planning efforts globally. Methods The GBD 2019 comparative risk assessment framework was used to estimate cancer burden attributable to behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risk factors. A total of 82 risk-outcome pairs were included on the basis of the World Cancer Research Fund criteria. Estimated cancer deaths and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) in 2019 and change in these measures between 2010 and 2019 are presented. Findings Globally, in 2019, the risk factors included in this analysis accounted for 4.45 million (95% uncertainty interval 4.01-4.94) deaths and 105 million (95.0-116) DALYs for both sexes combined, representing 44.4% (41.3-48.4) of all cancer deaths and 42.0% (39.1-45.6) of all DALYs. There were 2.88 million (2.60-3.18) risk-attributable cancer deaths in males (50.6% [47.8-54.1] of all male cancer deaths) and 1.58 million (1.36-1.84) risk-attributable cancer deaths in females (36.3% [32.5-41.3] of all female cancer deaths). The leading risk factors at the most detailed level globally for risk-attributable cancer deaths and DALYs in 2019 for both sexes combined were smoking, followed by alcohol use and high BMI. Risk-attributable cancer burden varied by world region and Socio-demographic Index (SDI), with smoking, unsafe sex, and alcohol use being the three leading risk factors for risk-attributable cancer DALYs in low SDI locations in 2019, whereas DALYs in high SDI locations mirrored the top three global risk factor rankings. From 2010 to 2019, global risk-attributable cancer deaths increased by 20.4% (12.6-28.4) and DALYs by 16.8% (8.8-25.0), with the greatest percentage increase in metabolic risks (34.7% [27.9-42.8] and 33.3% [25.8-42.0]). Interpretation The leading risk factors contributing to global cancer burden in 2019 were behavioural, whereas metabolic risk factors saw the largest increases between 2010 and 2019. Reducing exposure to these modifiable risk factors would decrease cancer mortality and DALY rates worldwide, and policies should be tailored appropriately to local cancer risk factor burden. Copyright (C) 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY 4.0 license.Peer reviewe

Timing of surgery following SARS-CoV-2 infection: an international prospective cohort study.

Peri-operative SARS-CoV-2 infection increases postoperative mortality. The aim of this study was to determine the optimal duration of planned delay before surgery in patients who have had SARS-CoV-2 infection. This international, multicentre, prospective cohort study included patients undergoing elective or emergency surgery during October 2020. Surgical patients with pre-operative SARS-CoV-2 infection were compared with those without previous SARS-CoV-2 infection. The primary outcome measure was 30-day postoperative mortality. Logistic regression models were used to calculate adjusted 30-day mortality rates stratified by time from diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection to surgery. Among 140,231 patients (116 countries), 3127 patients (2.2%) had a pre-operative SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis. Adjusted 30-day mortality in patients without SARS-CoV-2 infection was 1.5% (95%CI 1.4-1.5). In patients with a pre-operative SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis, mortality was increased in patients having surgery within 0-2 weeks, 3-4 weeks and 5-6 weeks of the diagnosis (odds ratio (95%CI) 4.1 (3.3-4.8), 3.9 (2.6-5.1) and 3.6 (2.0-5.2), respectively). Surgery performed ≥ 7 weeks after SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis was associated with a similar mortality risk to baseline (odds ratio (95%CI) 1.5 (0.9-2.1)). After a ≥ 7 week delay in undertaking surgery following SARS-CoV-2 infection, patients with ongoing symptoms had a higher mortality than patients whose symptoms had resolved or who had been asymptomatic (6.0% (95%CI 3.2-8.7) vs. 2.4% (95%CI 1.4-3.4) vs. 1.3% (95%CI 0.6-2.0), respectively). Where possible, surgery should be delayed for at least 7 weeks following SARS-CoV-2 infection. Patients with ongoing symptoms ≥ 7 weeks from diagnosis may benefit from further delay

Global variations in diabetes mellitus based on fasting glucose and haemogloblin A1c

Fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) are both used to diagnose diabetes, but may identify different people as having diabetes. We used data from 117 population-based studies and quantified, in different world regions, the prevalence of diagnosed diabetes, and whether those who were previously undiagnosed and detected as having diabetes in survey screening had elevated FPG, HbA1c, or both. We developed prediction equations for estimating the probability that a person without previously diagnosed diabetes, and at a specific level of FPG, had elevated HbA1c, and vice versa. The age-standardised proportion of diabetes that was previously undiagnosed, and detected in survey screening, ranged from 30% in the high-income western region to 66% in south Asia. Among those with screen-detected diabetes with either test, the agestandardised proportion who had elevated levels of both FPG and HbA1c was 29-39% across regions; the remainder had discordant elevation of FPG or HbA1c. In most low- and middle-income regions, isolated elevated HbA1c more common than isolated elevated FPG. In these regions, the use of FPG alone may delay diabetes diagnosis and underestimate diabetes prevalence. Our prediction equations help allocate finite resources for measuring HbA1c to reduce the global gap in diabetes diagnosis and surveillance.peer-reviewe

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

Prevalence of chronic kidney disease in Kazakhstan: evidence from a national cross-sectional study

Abstract To date, there have been no large-scale national studies of the prevalence of chronic kidney disease in Kazakhstan. It includes the research based on the analysis of the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). The aim of this study was to investigate the population prevalence of CKD and associated risk factors in Kazakhstan. The cross-sectional study consisted of a nationally representative sample of n = 6 720 adults aged 18 to 69 from 14 regions and 3 major cities in Kazakhstan. The study covered the period from October 2021 to May 2022. The WHO STEPS questionnaire was used for the survey. For the diagnosis of CKD, creatinine levels in collected blood samples were measured to assess eGFR. Demographic characteristics were collected and studied. The total and adjusted prevalence of factors associated with the presence of CKD were calculated and analysed using logistic regression. 73.5% (n = 4940) of participants had normal eGFR, while 25.2% (n = 1695) had mild CKD (eGFR = 60–89 mL/min/1.7 m2). The overall prevalence of CKD with eGFR < 60 ml/min/1.7 m2 was 1.3% (n = 85), of which 0.2% (n = 15) had eGFR < 45 ml/min/1.7 m2. A mild degree of CKD was most often determined in residents of the East Kazakhstan region in 10.4%, and in 7.8–8.0% of cases. The majority of CKD patients was detected in the East Kazakhstan region and Almaty city, 15.3% and 10.6% of cases respectively. In mild and CKD with GFR < 60 ml/min/1.7 m2, the age of participants was 50–69 years in 61.5% and 78.8% of cases, respectively (p < 0.001). In addition to the association with the place of residence, a statistically significant relationship was found between the risk of developing CKD and underweight (OR 1.43, 95% CI (1.09–1.88), p < 0.001), as well as the presence of obesity (OR 1.24, 95% CI (0.99–1.53), p = 0.04). We observed the prevalence of CKD with eGFR < 60 ml/min/1.7 m2 at the level of 1.3%. However, a fairly large part of study participants had a mild CKD (25.2%). The results of this study can be used for the optimization of the doctors workload and the timely provision of care to patients with CKD

The Recent Progress and Applications of Digital Technologies in Healthcare: A Review

Background. The implementation of medical digital technologies can provide better accessibility and flexibility of healthcare for the public. It encompasses the availability of open information on the health, treatment, complications, and recent progress on biomedical research. At present, even in low-income countries, diagnostic and medical services are becoming more accessible and available. However, many issues related to digital health technologies remain unmet, including the reliability, safety, testing, and ethical aspects. Purpose. The aim of the review is to discuss and analyze the recent progress on the application of big data, artificial intelligence, telemedicine, block-chain platforms, smart devices in healthcare, and medical education. Basic Design. The publication search was carried out using Google Scholar, PubMed, Web of Sciences, Medline, Wiley Online Library, and CrossRef databases. The review highlights the applications of artificial intelligence, “big data,” telemedicine and block-chain technologies, and smart devices (internet of things) for solving the real problems in healthcare and medical education. Major Findings. We identified 252 papers related to the digital health area. However, the number of papers discussed in the review was limited to 152 due to the exclusion criteria. The literature search demonstrated that digital health technologies became highly sought due to recent pandemics, including COVID-19. The disastrous dissemination of COVID-19 through all continents triggered the need for fast and effective solutions to localize, manage, and treat the viral infection. In this regard, the use of telemedicine and other e-health technologies might help to lessen the pressure on healthcare systems. Summary. Digital platforms can help optimize diagnosis, consulting, and treatment of patients. However, due to the lack of official regulations and recommendations, the stakeholders, including private and governmental organizations, are facing the problem with adequate validation and approbation of novel digital health technologies. In this regard, proper scientific research is required before a digital product is deployed for the healthcare sector

Study of Kazakhstan inpatient childhood asthma: assessment of prevalence and factors influencing treatment adherence

Background: Up to date, the assessment of adherence to the treatment of children with asthma in Kazakhstan has not been carried out yet. Objective: The study aimed to evaluate the level of therapeutic adherence of paediatric patients with asthma in urban and rural areas of Kazakhstan. In addition, the validity and reliability of a structured scale for assessing adherence in patients with asthma was also scrutinized. Methods: A prospective study of verified cases of bronchial asthma of 518 children in the dispensary control in the Children’s City Clinical Hospital N2 (Almaty, Kazakhstan) was conducted in the period from 2018 to 2020. Children with asthma were sub-divided into 2 groups: urban and rural residents. The demographic and clinical characteristics, external and social factors of the patients were analysed. Patient adherence to treatment was assessed using the Lebanese Medication Adherence Scale-14(LMAS-14). The reliability was tested using the measure of internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha). Data were collected after the discharge from the hospital (T1) and after 6 months (T2). Results: Urban and rural patients made up 81.3% vs. 18.7% respectively. Children aged 5-12 years accounted for 70.6%. Male gender was predominant in all groups (p=0.73). Better financial situation, education were noted by 90.5% and 95.5% of urban parents (p=0.001). The influence of external factors (dampness, coal heating and possession of pets) was higher in rural areas (p=0.001).The results of study based on the LMAS-14 questionnaire (T1 period) showed no significant differences. However, in the T2 period, the adherence of urban children was higher than rural ones (p=0.001). The Cronbach’s α was 0.606 for the total score. According to the results of a survey after 18 months, a significant relationship was found between the levels of adherence and the frequency of asthma attacks (p=0.001). Conclusion: In 2018-2020, a low therapeutic adherence of children with asthma, especially in a rural area, was detected in the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Our findings indicate the necessity to develop effective measures to regulate and increase adherence to treatment of patients, especially those living in rural areas