Comparison of methods to identify and characterize Post-COVID syndrome using electronic health records and questionnaires

Background: Some of those infected with coronavirus suffer from post-COVID syndrome (PCS). However, an uniform definition of PCS is lacking, causing uncertainty about the prevalence and nature of this syndrome. We aim to improve understanding by operationalizing different definitions of PCS in different data sources and describing features and clinical subtypes.Methods: We use different methods and data sources. First, a cohort with electronic health records (EHR) from general practices (GPs) and GP out-of-hours-services combined with sociodemographic data for n≈1.000.000 individuals. Second, questionnaires among n=276 individuals who had been infected with coronavirus. Using both data sources, we operationalized definitions of PCS to calculate frequency and characteristics. In a subgroup of the EHR data we conducted community detection analyses to explore possible clinical subtypes of PCS.Results: The frequency of PCS ranged from 15-33%, depending on the method and data source. Across all methods and definitions, the mean age of individuals with PCS was around 53 years and they were more often female. There were small sex differences in the type of symptoms and overall symptoms were persistent for 6 months. Exploratory network analysis revealed three possible clinical subtypes.Discussion: We showed that frequency rates of post-COVID syndrome differ between methods and data sources, but characteristics of the affected individuals are quite stable. Overall, PCS is a heterogeneous syndrome affecting a significant group of individuals who need adequate care. Future studies should focus on care trajectories and qualitative measures such as experiences and quality of life of individuals living with PCS

Chronic non-specific abdominal complaints in general practice: a prospective study on management, patient health status and course of complaints

BACKGROUND: While in general practice chronic non-specific abdominal complaints are common, there is insufficient data on the clinical course and the management of these complaints. Aim of this study was to present a primary care based profile of these chronic complaints including health care involvement, health status and clinical course. METHODS: Thirty general practitioners (GPs) and patients from their practices participated in a prospective follow-up study. All patients and GPs were asked to complete questionnaires at baseline and at 6, 12 and 18 months of follow-up. The GPs provided information on diagnostic and therapeutic management and on referral concerning 619 patients with chronic non-specific abdominal complaints, while 291 patients provided information about health status and clinical course of the complaints. RESULTS: When asked after 18 months of follow-up, 51,7% of the patients reported an equal or worsened severity of complaints. General health perception was impaired and patients had high scores on SCL-anxiety and SCL-depression scales. Diagnostic tests other than physical examination and laboratory tests were not frequently used. Medication was the most frequent type of treatment. The persistence of chronic non-specific abdominal complaints was quite stable. CONCLUSION: Once non-specific chronic abdominal complaints have become labelled as chronic by the attending physician, little improvement can be expected. The impact on patients' physiological and psychological well-being is large. GPs use a variety of diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. Research into the evidence base of currently applied management strategies is recommended

What can We Learn From High-Performing Screening Programs to Increase Bowel Cancer Screening Participation in Australia?

Funding Information: This work was supported by the University of Melbourne, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, Human Ethics Advisory Group. Project title: “Consultation to understand international differences in bowel cancer screening participation,” ID 2057312.1 Funding Information: The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This work was supported by Engagement Research Funding from the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Australia. Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s) 2022.Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most diagnosed cancer in men and women and second most common cause of cancer death in Australia; Australia’s CRC incidence and mortality are among the world’s highest. The Australian National Bowel Cancer Screening Program began in 2006; however, only 33% of those approached for the first time by the Program between 2018 and 2019 returned the kit. Of the 5.7 million kits sent during this period, only 44% were returned. Our aim was to identify practices and features of national bowel cancer screening programs in countries with similar programs but higher screening participation, to identify potential interventions for optimising Australian CRC screening participation. Methods: We searched published and grey literature for CRC screening programs reporting at least 50% screening participation using postal invitation and free return of iFOBT home kits. Interviews were conducted with cancer registry staff and academic researchers, focused on participant and practitioner engagement in screening. Results: National programs in Netherlands, Scotland, Denmark, and Finland reported over 50% screening participation rates for all invitation rounds. Shared characteristics include small populations within small geographic areas relative to Australia; relatively high literacy; a one-sample iFOBT kit; national registration systems for population cancer screening research; and screening program research including randomised trials of program features. Conclusions: Apart from the one-sample kit, we identified no single solution to persistent Australian low uptake of screening. Research including randomised trials within the program promises to increase participation. Impact: This screening program comparison suggests that within-program intervention trials will lead to increased Australian screening participation.Peer reviewe

Optimizing the diagnostic work-up of acute uncomplicated urinary tract infections

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Most diagnostic tests for acute uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs) have been previously studied in so-called single-test evaluations. In practice, however, clinicians use more than one test in the diagnostic work-up. Since test results carry overlapping information, results from single-test studies may be confounded. The primary objective of the Amsterdam Cystitis/Urinary Tract Infection Study (ACUTIS) is to determine the (additional) diagnostic value of relevant tests from patient history and laboratory investigations, taking into account their mutual dependencies. Consequently, after suitable validation, an easy to use, multivariable diagnostic rule (clinical index) will be derived.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Women who contact their GP with painful and/or frequent micturition undergo a series of possibly relevant tests, consisting of patient history questions and laboratory investigations. Using urine culture as the reference standard, two multivariable models (diagnostic indices) will be generated: a model which assumes that patients attend the GP surgery and a model based on telephone contact only. Models will be made more robust using the bootstrap. Discrimination will be visualized in high resolution histograms of the posterior UTI probabilities and summarized as 5^th, 10^th, 25^th50^th, 75^th, 90^th, and 95^thcentiles of these, Brier score and the area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (ROC) with 95% confidence intervals. Using the regression coefficients of the independent diagnostic indicators, a diagnostic rule will be derived, consisting of an efficient set of tests and their diagnostic values.</p> <p>The course of the presenting complaints is studied using 7-day patient diaries. To learn more about the natural history of UTIs, patients will be offered the opportunity to postpone the use of antibiotics.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>We expect that our diagnostic rule will allow efficient diagnosis of UTIs, necessitating the collection of diagnostic indicators with proven added value. GPs may use the rule (preferably after suitable validation) to estimate UTI probabilities for women with different combinations of test results. Finally, in a subcohort, an attempt is made to identify which indicators (including antibiotic treatment) are useful to prognosticate recovery from painful and/or frequent micturition.</p

Nederlandse huisartsen zuinig met antibiotica bij vermoeden urineweginfectie

Waarom dit onderzoek? Bij vrouwen met symptomen die suggestief zijn voor een ongecompliceerde urineweginfectie (UWI-symptomen) worden in sommige landen vaker antibiotica voorgeschreven dan in andere. Niet duidelijk is of dit verklaard kan worden door verschillen in klachtenpresentatie en eigenschappen van de verwekkers, en of dit gepaard gaat met verschillen in hersteltijd. Onderzoeksvraag Zijn er internationale verschillen in klachtenpresentatie, microbiologie, behandeling en hersteltijd bij vrouwen met UWI-symptomen? Hoe werd dit onderzocht? In een descriptieve studie in Wales, Engeland, Spanje en Nederland noteerden huisartsen die aan onderzoeksnetwerken verbonden waren bij vrouwen met UWI-symptomen eenmalig gegevens over klachten, eventueel urinestickonderzoek en het beleid; daarnaast werd een urinekweek verricht om eventuele pathogenen en hun resistentiepatronen te detecteren en om te bepalen of het beleid daarmee in overeenstemming was. De vrouwen zelf noteerden de volgende 14 dagen hun klachten en informatie over eventuele vervolgcontacten. Belangrijkste resultaten Er werden 797 vrouwen geïncludeerd: 213 in Wales, 246 in Engeland, 205 in Spanje en 133 in Nederland. De klachten, de pathogenen, hun resistentiepatronen en de hersteltijd waren vergelijkbaar tussen de landen. In Nederland was het hoogste percentage urinekweken positief (64%) en was het minst vaak een antibioticum voorgeschreven (59%), versus respectievelijk 24/24/42% en 93/95/95% in Wales/Engeland/Spanje. Met 67% had in Nederland het hoogste percentage vrouwen het ‘juiste’ vervolg gekregen (óf een positieve urinekweek en een antibioticum dat paste bij de gevoeligheid, óf een negatieve urinekweek en geen antibioticum), maar ook was het vaakst ‘ten onrechte’ geen antibioticum voorgeschreven bij een positieve urinekweek, namelijk bij 16%, versus respectievelijk 24/25/30% en 1/0/1% in Wales/Engeland/Spanje. Het percentage vrouwen dat 1 of meer vervolgcontacten rapporteerde was echter niet het hoogst in Nederland (28%, vs. 34/27/9% in Wales/Engeland/Spanje). Consequenties voor de praktijk Dat het percentage positieve urinekweken in Nederland met afstand het hoogst was is opvallend en doet vermoeden dat de patiëntenselectie voorafgaand aan of tijdens het bezoek aan de huisartspraktijk anders plaatsvond dan in Engeland, Wales en Spanje. Het relatief lage percentage antibiotica dat werd voorgeschreven en het relatief hoge percentage dat daarvan ‘terecht’ was, suggereren een adequaat voorschrijfgedrag in Nederland ten opzichte van de andere drie landen. De betekenis van de bevinding dat in Nederland relatief veel vrouwen met een microbiologisch bevestigde urineweginfectie geen antibioticum hadden gekregen, is niet duidelijk, maar aangezien er niet vaker vervolgcontacten plaatsvonden dan in de andere landen lijkt dit geen noemenswaardige gevolgen te hebben gehad. Besproken artikel: Butler CC, et al. Variations in presentation, management, and patient outcomes of urinary tract infection: a prospective four-country primary care observational cohort study. Br J Gen Pract. 2017;67:e830-41. Medlinedoi: 10.3399/bjgp17X69364

Decision-making given surrogate outcomes

BACKGROUND: Opinions differ about the extent to which intervention research should and can directly assess the main patient-important health outcomes, what role surrogate endpoints can play, and which requirements should then apply to the scientific underpinning of clinical and policy decisions. METHOD: In a commentary we elaborate on this and provide guidance for dealing with related dilemmas. CONCLUSIONS: Ethical, methodological and practical reasons for decision making based on surrogate endpoints can be that (1) reaching the intended patient-important health outcome would take too long to await direct RCT-based evidence, (2) experimental conditions have limited sustainability over time; and (3) the plausibility of an intervention's clinical efficacy, given the already available evidence regarding surrogate endpoints, goes beyond equipoise. Given an expected increase of interventions with a long term patient-important health outcome perspective, dealing with surrogate endpoints will remain an important challenge. Appropriately dealing with a surrogate endpoint includes (1) the assessment of its predictive value for the intended patient-important outcome, where GRADE guidelines for assessing 'indirectness' and 'causal chain analysis' can be helpful; (2) transparency of (absence of) evidence; (3) adequately updating the 'knowledge mosaic'; (4) weighing different perspectives and values, and (5) monitoring whether adjustments need to be made. The remaining level of uncertainty must be balanced against the urgency of clinical or societal decision making and the disadvantages of postponing this. Criteria for using surrogate endpoints are suggested. Patients, citizens and policy makers can be involved in agreeing upon these criteria

The role of primary care in informing and supporting people with limited health literacy in the Netherlands during the COVID-19 pandemic:a qualitative interview study

BACKGROUND: During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, people have been confronted with a large amount of information about the virus and the governmental measures against its spreading. However, more than a quarter of individuals have limited health literacy (HL), meaning that they have difficulty finding, understanding, and applying health information. The purpose of this interview study was to investigate how individuals with limited HL acquire information about COVID-19 and governmental measures, what difficulties they experience in understanding and applying it, and what may be needed to overcome these difficulties. We also addressed other problems that they might face as a result of the pandemic. Using our findings, we aimed to make recommendations on the possible role of primary care in informing and supporting patients with limited HL during the pandemic. METHODS: Between June and October 2020, 28 individuals with limited HL were interviewed by phone (age range 20-84). The interviews were semi-structured and focused on the first months of the pandemic in the Netherlands (March/April/May 2020). RESULTS: The participants generally found COVID-19-related information abundant and complicated, and sometimes contradictory. Information provision by their own health care professionals was highly appreciated, especially in the context of chronic illnesses. General health care problems resulting from COVID-19 measures were postponement of regular care and difficulty with digital contacts. CONCLUSIONS: Individuals with limited HL may benefit from provision of COVID-19-related information and support by their own health care providers. This applies in particular to patients with chronic illnesses. Primary care professionals are in the ideal position to take this role