Chronic care websites

BACKGROUND: Care complexity can occur when patients experience health challenges simultaneously with social barriers including food and/or housing insecurity, lack of transportation or other factors that impact care and patient outcomes. People with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) may experience care complexity due to the chronicity of their condition and other biopsychosocial factors. There are few standardised instruments that measure care complexity and none that measure care complexity specifically in people with RA...

OBJECTIVES: Early identification of sarcopenia in patients with chronic liver disease is crucial for patient management and prevention of severe complications. We aimed to assess the effectiveness of Ishii score, Strength, Assistance with Walking, Rise from a Chair, Climb Stairs and Falls (SARC-F), SARC-F and Calf Circumference (SARC-CalF), and Mini Sarcopenia Risk Assessment-7 (MSRA-7) to screen sarcopenia in patients with chronic liver disease. METHODS: This prospective study included patients with chronic liver disease in the infectious department of a tertiary hospital in Sichuan, China...

CONTEXT: Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) experience pain as both symptom and comorbidity. There has been no evaluation of the recommendations for pain management in updated clinical practice guidelines (CPGs). OBJECTIVES: Update the evidence on pain management, determine alignment of pain management recommendations with best-practice, and advocate for optimal pain management in patients with COPD. METHODS: PubMed, Guideline International Network, Guideline Portal, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, National Institute for Healthcare Excellence, Scottish International Guidelines Network, Institute of Medicine, grey literature, national websites, and bibliographies were searched...

BACKGROUND: Up to 30% of children have constipation at some stage in their life. Although often short-lived, in one-third of children it progresses to chronic functional constipation, potentially with overflow incontinence. Optimal management strategies remain unclear. OBJECTIVE: To determine the most effective interventions, and combinations and sequences of interventions, for childhood chronic functional constipation, and understand how they can best be implemented...

BACKGROUND: Atopic dermatitis is a chronic relapsing inflammatory skin condition. One of the most common skin disorders in children, atopic dermatitis typically manifests before the age of 5 years, but it can develop at any age. Atopic dermatitis is characterised by dry, inflamed skin accompanied by intense itchiness (pruritus). OBJECTIVES: To appraise the clinical and cost effectiveness of abrocitinib, tralokinumab and upadacitinib within their marketing authorisations as alternative therapies for treating moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis compared to systemic immunosuppressants (first-line ciclosporin A or second-line dupilumab and baricitinib)...

INTRODUCTION: Rural areas face significant disparities in dialysis care compared to urban areas due to limited access to dialysis facilities, longer travel distances, and a shortage of healthcare professionals. The objective of this study is to conduct a national examination of rural-urban differences in quality of dialysis care offered across counties in the U.S. METHODS: Data was gathered from Medicare-certified dialysis facilities in 2020 from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services website...

BACKGROUND: To improve the implementation of clinical trial interventions, there is a need to facilitate communication between key stakeholders and research teams. Community Advisory Boards (CAB) bring together a range of stakeholders not historically included in the research process to inform and work collaboratively with research teams. OBJECTIVE: To describe our procedures and processes for (1) integration of a CAB into a pragmatic clinical trial of a telehealth-delivered group mindfulness program for persons with chronic low back pain (cLBP) within primary care, and (2) for the rapid uptake and implementation of CAB recommendations...

BACKGROUND: Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS®) Dyspnea Activity Motivation & Requirement item pool and sleep related impairments (SRI) item bank are designed in assessing the impact of dyspnea and sleep and guiding patient management. However, to effectively utilize this tool in Arabic-speaking populations, it is essential to perform a thorough translation and cultural adaptation process. Therefore, the aim of the study is to translate and cross-culturally adapt the translated items of the PROMIS® dyspnea activity motivation and requirement and SRI into Arabic...

BACKGROUND: Depression is the second most common chronic condition affecting women of reproductive age; 23.4% of women enter pregnancy with depression and use of Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) in pregnancy is often necessary for maternal wellbeing. However, SSRI use during pregnancy can cause congenital malformations, post-partum haemorrhage (PPH) and Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the newborn (PPHN). In UK primary care, prescribing formularies are one medium by which prescribers are provided with local medicines advice...

Informal care is a key pillar of long-term care provision across Europe and will likely play an even greater role in the future. Thus, research that enhances our understanding of caregiving experiences becomes increasingly relevant. The ENTWINE iCohort Study examines the personal, psychological, social, economic, and geographic factors that shape caregiving experiences. Here, we present the baseline cohort of the study and describe its design, recruitment methods, data collection procedures, measures, and early baseline findings...

BACKGROUND: People with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease have high levels of anxiety and depression, which is associated with increased morbidity and poor uptake of effective treatments, such as pulmonary rehabilitation. Cognitive-behavioural therapy improves mental health of people with long-term conditions and could potentially increase uptake of pulmonary rehabilitation, enabling synergies that could enhance the mental health of people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease...

BACKGROUND: A corneal abrasion is a flaw in the cornea's epithelial surface, which is located in the front of the eye. It causes recurrent erosions, corneal inflammation, and chronic corneal defects. In a context with limited resources, the goal of this review was to provide an evidence-based procedure for perioperative risk stratification, prevention, and management of corneal abrasion during non-ocular surgery. METHODS: A medical search engines of PUBMED, GOOGLE SCHOLAR, COCHRANE REVIEW, and PUBMED CENTERAL to get access for current and updated evidence on procedures on risk stratification, prevention and management of corneal abrasion for non-ocular surgery...

OBJECTIVE: To examine the use of a web-based, self-directed health priorities identification tool for older adults with multiple chronic conditions (MCCs). METHODS: We recruited a gender- and racially-diverse, highly educated sample of older adults with MCCs to engage with our My Health Priorities tool, then complete a semi-structured interview. Thematic analysis was used to examine interview transcripts. RESULTS: Twenty-one participants shared perspectives on the acceptability and use of the tool...

BACKGROUND: Hidradenitis suppurativa is a chronic inflammatory skin disease characterised by recurrent inflammatory lesions and skin tunnels in flexural sites such as the axilla. Deroofing of skin tunnels and laser treatment are standard hidradenitis suppurativa interventions in some countries but not yet introduced in the United Kingdom. OBJECTIVE: To understand current hidradenitis suppurativa management pathways and what influences treatment choices to inform the design of future randomised controlled trials...

AIM: Shared decision-making is recommended for patients considering treatment options for severe aortic stenosis (AS) and chronic coronary artery disease (CAD). This review aims to systematically identify and assess patient decision aids (PtDAs) for chronic CAD and AS and evaluate the international evidence on their effectiveness for improving the quality of decision-making. METHODS AND RESULTS: Five databases (Cochrane, CINAHL, Embase, MEDLINE, PsycInfo), clinical trial registers and 30 PtDA repositories/websites were searched from 2006 to March 2023...

Objectives: This review aimed to assess characteristics of telehealth in pain management for adult patients with chronic pain and their family care partners and review current evidence of the effectiveness of telehealth for pain management. Based on the Revised Symptom Management model, this review identified types of chronic pain management strategies and symptom management outcomes delivered by telehealth. Methods: We conducted a systematic review of four electronic databases, PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, PsycINFO, and Embase, using combinations of keywords, including "telehealth," "caregivers," and "pain...

IMPORTANCE: Patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) who have a sustained deep molecular response using tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) can safely attempt to stop their use. As these medications are very costly, this change in treatment protocols may result in large savings. OBJECTIVE: To estimate future savings from attempting to stop TKI use among patients with CML who have deep molecular response. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: A microsimulation model was developed for this decision analytical modeling study to estimate costs for US adults moving from using a TKI, to attempting discontinuation and then reinitiating TKI therapy, if clinically appropriate...

Objective: The Non-Opioid Pain Alleviation Information Network (NOPAINMN) project was designed to identify, consolidate, and map evidence-based non-opioid and non-pharmacological pain management complementary and integrative health (CIH) modalities for chronic pain management across Minnesota into a searchable and informational website (www.nopainmn.org). Methods: The Academic Consortium for Integrative Medicine & Health's Pain Task Force White Paper identifying evidence-based research of non-pharmacological pain practice (NPPC) was reviewed and referenced...

BACKGROUND: Forward with Dementia is a co-designed campaign to improve communication of dementia diagnosis and post-diagnostic support. METHODS: Webinars, a website, social and traditional media, and promotions through project partners were used to disseminate campaign messages to health and social care professionals (primary audience) and people with dementia and carers (secondary audience). The campaign ran between October 2021 and June 2022, with 3-months follow-up...

BACKGROUND: Approaches to treating end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) may vary internationally based on the availability of care and other factors. We performed a systematic review to understand the international variability in ESKD epidemiology, management, and outcomes. METHODS: We systematically searched Pubmed for population-based studies of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and ESKD epidemiology and management. Population-level data from 23 pre-designated nations were eligible for inclusion if they pertained to people receiving dialysis or kidney transplant for ESKD...