The Association of Mercury and ALT with Obesity in Korean Adults Using Data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey for 11 Years(KNHANES 2005,2008-2017)

The association between heavy metals in the blood and obesity has been examined in many studies.However,inconsistencies have been observed in the results of these studies.The present study was conducted using data from 119,181 participants of the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey(KNHANES)for 11 years in 2005 and between 2008 and 2017.The subjects with missing heavy metal blood tests,health interview data,and health examination data were excluded from the study.The study population comprised 1,844 individuals(972 men,and 872 women)who were eligible for inclusion.It was found that obesity and abdominal obesity were associated with an increase in both blood mercury(P<0.001)and alanine aminotransferase(ALT)(P<0.001).After adjusting the confounding factors,those with concurrent high levels of ALT and the highest tertile of mercury showed an increased risk of obesity(odds ratio 4.46,95%confidence interval 2.23-8.90,P<0.001)as well as abdominal obesity(odds ratio 5.36,95%confidence interval 2.57-11.17,P<0.001).The interrelationship of mercury and ALT with the parameters of body mass index(P for interaction=0.009)and waist circumference(P for interaction=0.012),respectively,have been observed to be significant,suggesting that the reciprocal relationship could contribute to obesity and abdominal obesity.

Low skeletal muscle mass is associated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in Korean adults： the Fifth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

BACKGROUND： Sarcopenia and non-alcoholic fatty liver dis- ease （NAFLD） share similar pathophysiological mechanisms, and the relationship between sarcopenia and NAFLD has been recently investigated. The study investigated whether low skel- etal muscle mass is differentially associated with NAFLD by gender in Korean adults. METHODS： We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of the data from the Fifth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The skeletal muscle index （SMI） was obtained by the appendicular skeletal muscle mass divided by the weight. NAFLD was defined as a fatty liver index （FLI） 〉60 in the absence of other chronic liver disease. RESULTS： Among the included subjects, 18.3% （SE： 1.4%） in men and 7.0% （SE： 0.7%） in women were classified as having FLI-defined NAFLD. Most of the risk factors for FLI-defined NAFLD showed a significant negative correlation with the SMI in both genders. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that low SMI was associated with FLI-defined NAFLD, inde- pendent of other metabolic and lifestyle parameters in both genders [males： odds ratio （OR）=1.35; 95% confidence inter- val （CI）： 1.17-1.54; females： OR=1.36; 95% CI： 1.18-1.55]. The magnitude of the association between FLI-defined NAFLD and low SMI was higher in middle aged to elderly males （OR-1.50; 95% CI： 1.22-1.84） than in males less than 45 years of age （OR=1.25; 95% CI： 1.02-1.52） and in premenopausal females （OR=l.50; 95% CI： 1.12-2.03） than in postmenopausal females （OR-1.36; 95% CI： 1.20-1.54）.CONCLUSIONS： Low SMI is associated with the risk of FLI- defined NAFLD independent of other well-known metabolic risk factors in both genders. This association may differ ac- cording to age group or menopausal status. Further studies are warranted to confirm this relationship.

The National Health and Medical Research Council

Introduction The National Health and Medical Research Council （NHMRC） is Australia＇s leading expert body promoting the development and maintenance of public and individual health standards. NHMRC brings together within a single national organisation the functions of research funding and development of advice. One of its strengths is that it draws upon the resources of all components of the health system, including governments, medical practitioners, nurses and allied health professionals, researchers, teaching and research institutions, public and private program managers service administrators, community health organisations, social health researchers and consumers.

A diagnostic prediction model for hypertension in Han and Yugur population from the China National Health Survey (CNHS)

Background:The prevalence of hypertension is high among Chinese adults,thus,identifying non-hypertensive individuals at high risk for intervention will help to improve the efficiency of primary prevention strategies.Methods:The cross-sectional data on 9699 participants aged 20 to 80 years were collected from the China National Health Survey in Gansu and Hebei provinces in 2016 to 2017,and they were nonrandomly split into the training set and validation set based on location.Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to develop the diagnostic prediction model,which was presented as a nomogram and a website with risk classification.Predictive performances of the model were evaluated using discrimination and calibration,and were further compared with a previously published model.Decision curve analysis was used to calculate the standardized net benefit for assessing the clinical usefulness of the model.Results:The Lasso regression analysis identified the significant predictors of hypertension in the training set,and a diagnostic model was developed using logistic regression.A nomogram with risk classification was constructed to visualize the model,and a website(https://chris-yu.shinyapps.io/hypertension_risk_prediction/)was developed to calculate the exact probabilities of hypertension.The model showed good discrimination and calibration,with the C-index of 0.789(95%confidence interval[CI]:0.768,0.810)through internal validation and 0.829(95%CI:0.816,0.842)through external validation.Decision curve analysis demonstrated that the model was clinically useful.The model had a higher area under receiver operating characteristic curves in training and validation sets compared with a previously published diagnostic model based on Northern China population.Conclusion:This study developed and validated a diagnostic model for hypertension prediction in Gansu Province.A nomogram and a website were developed to make the model conveniently used to facilitate the individualized prediction of hypertension in the general population of Han and Yugur.

Efficiency of resource allocation in the hospital sector after global budgeting under National Health Insurance

Background Taiwan has implemented a National Health Insurance （NHI） program to provide uniform comprehensive coverage since 1995. Forced by the severe financial deficit, global budgeting is introduced to replace the original payment system in Taiwan＇s NHI. Under global budgeting system, the total budget is distributed to six geographical regions in Taiwan. There is no pre-determined budget for each hospital. In order to investigate the longitudinal trend of how global budgeting influences health care resource, it is essential to estimate the efficiency of resource allocation in Taiwan＇s NHI. Methods Data Envelopment Analysis （DEA） and Malmquist index （MI） are used to investigate the 8-year panel data of 23 cities and counties which was collected from the annual report from the Department of Health, Taiwan, China. A value of MI greater than 1 indicates that total factor productivity progress has occurred, while a value of MI less than 1 indicates productivity loss. Results As a result, 37 of the 184 DMUs in the analysis were found to be relatively efficient during the period, in which 14 of 23 DMUs are efficient in 2002 right after adopting globe budgeting. A trend of MI declines between 2002 and 2009 implies the volume of health care services decrease after adopting global budgeting system. Production efficiency has been improved after global budgeting implies that behaviors of health providers control cost and avoid wasting resource at macro level. Conclusions The regressive MI indicates the hospitals redistribute health care resource to eliminate unnecessary treatment and to control the growth of service volume under global budgeting system. Hence, a trend of declining MI focuses on health care resource redistribution rather than efficiency improvement in this study.

Public satisfaction with the quality of First Health Facility Services in Indonesia: Does sociodemographic matter?

Objective:To investigate individual characteristics related to satisfaction with the quality of First Health Facility Services(FHFS)in Indonesia.Methods:This cross-sectional study analyzes national representation data.Meanwhile,the study involved 9846 representative respondents in 2019.Respondent’s satisfaction with FHFS based on the five dimensions of service quality(SERVQUAL)is a dependent variable.Independent variables consist of sex,marital status,age,education,employment,insurance ownership,and economics.The study used multivariate logistic regression to explain the relationship between individual characteristics and FSHS quality.Results:77.3%Respondents were satisfied with FHFS,with the highest order of satisfaction dimensions being assurance(59.4%),empathy(57.3%),reliability(53.6%),responsiveness(52.7%),and then tangibility(49.1%).Multivariate logistic analysis showed that divorce was 1.48 more likely than never-married to be satisfied(95%CI 1.17-1.87).Employees were 0.77 less likely than the unemployed to get satisfied(95%CI 0.70-0.86).Respondents with higher education was 0.82 less likely than those with primary education to be satisfied(95%CI 0.67-0.99).Meanwhile,respondents who had government-run insurance were 1.61 more likely than uninsured to be satisfied(95%CI 1.42-1.80).Moreover,the rich were 0.82 less likely than the poor to get satisfied(95%CI 0.73-0.92).Conclusions:Community satisfaction with FHFS is generally high,though some areas could be improved.Demographic factors are still strongly related to satisfaction ratings.The government can assess the quality of services in accordance with standards and disseminate information about service standards for primary facilities to all levels of society,ensuring that service satisfaction is rated as good by all groups.

National Institutes of Health Funding for disease categories related to Neural Regeneration Research

The National Institutes of Health （NIH）, a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is the nation＇s medical research agency-making important discoveries that improve health and save lives.Thanks in large part to NIH-funded medical research, Americans today are living longer and healthier. Life expectancy in the United States has jumped from 47 years in 1900 to 78 years as reported in 2009, and disability in people over age 65 has dropped dramatically in the past 3 decades. In recent years, nationwide rates of new diagnoses and deaths from all cancers combined have fallen significantly.

Description of the National Institutes of Health

Introduction The National Institutes of Health （NIH）, a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is the nation＇s medical research agency-making important discoveries that improve health and save lives.Thanks in large part to NIH-funded medical research, Americans today are living longer and healthier. Life expectancy in the United States has jumped from 47 years in 1900 to 78 years as reported in 2009, and disability in people over age 65 has dropped dramatically in the past 3 decades. In recent years, nationwide rates of new diagnoses and deaths from all cancers combined have fallen significantly.

Association between Serum Ferritin Levels and Metabolic-associated Fatty Liver Disease in Adults:a Cross-sectional Study Based on the NHANES

Objective Ferritin,initially acting as an iron-storage protein,was found to be associated with metabolic diseases.Our study was designed to investigate the association between serum ferritin and metabolic-associated fatty liver disease(MAFLD)using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey(NHANES)of the United State of America.Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted,enrolling a total of 2145 participants from the NHANES in the 2017–2018 cycles.Hepatic steatosis and liver fibrosis were assessed by ultrasound images and several non-invasive indexes.Multiple regression analysis was conducted to determine the associations between serum ferritin concentration and MAFLD and liver fibrosis.Results The analysis revealed that participants with higher serum ferritin levels(Q3 and Q4 groups)had a higher prevalence of MAFLD than those with the lowest serum ferritin levels[Q3 vs.Q1:OR=2.17(1.33,3.53),P<0.05 in fatty liver index(FLI);Q4 vs.Q1:OR=3.13(1.91,5.13),P<0.05 in FLI].Additionally,participants with the highest serum ferritin levels(Q4 group)displayed a higher prevalence of liver fibrosis[Q4 vs.Q1:OR=2.59(1.19,5.62),P<0.05 in liver stiffness measurement;OR=5.06(1.12,22.94),P<0.05 in fibrosis-4 index],with significantly increased risk observed in participants with concomitant diabetes[OR=7.45(1.55,35.72),P=0.012].Conclusion Our study revealed that elevated serum ferritin levels are associated with a higher prevalence of MAFLD and advanced liver fibrosis in patients.Elevated serum ferritin levels combined with diabetes are important risk factors for liver fibrosis.

Assessment of the triglyceride glucose index in adult patients with chronic diarrhea and constipation

BACKGROUND Accumulating evidence suggests that the gut microbiome is involved in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance(IR).However,the link between two of the most prevalent bowel disorders,chronic diarrhea and constipation,and the triglyceride glucose(TyG)index,a marker of IR,has not yet been investigated.AIM To investigate the potential association between TyG and the incidence of chronic diarrhea and constipation.METHODS This cross-sectional study enrolled 2400 participants from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey database from 2009-2010.TyG was used as an exposure variable,with chronic diarrhea and constipation as determined by the Bristol Stool Form Scale used as the outcome variables.A demographic investigation based on TyG quartile subgroups was performed.The application of multivariate logistic regression models and weighted generalized additive models revealed potential correlations between TyG,chronic diarrhea,and constipation.Subgroup analyses were performed to examine the stability of any potential associations.RESULTS In the chosen sample,chronic diarrhea had a prevalence of 8.00%,while chronic constipation had a prevalence of 8.04%.In multiple logistic regression,a more prominent positive association was found between TyG and chronic diarrhea,particularly in model 1(OR=1.45;95%CI:1.17-1.79,P=0.0007)and model 2(OR=1.40;95%CI:1.12-1.76,P=0.0033).No definite association was observed between the TyG levels and chronic constipation.The weighted generalized additive model findings suggested a more substantial positive association with chronic diarrhea when TyG was less than 9.63(OR=1.89;95%CI:1.05-3.41,P=0.0344),and another positive association with chronic constipation when it was greater than 8.2(OR=1.74;95%CI:1.02-2.95,P=0.0415).The results of the subgroup analyses further strengthen the extrapolation of these results to a wide range of populations.CONCLUSION Higher TyG levels were positively associated with abnormal bowel health.

Chinese herbal medicine decreases incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma in diabetes mellitus patients with regular insulin management

BACKGROUND Type 2 diabetes mellitus(DM)is an independent risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC),while insulin is a potent mitogen.Identifying a new therapeutic modality for preventing insulin users from developing HCC is a critical goal for researchers.AIM To investigate whether regular herbal medicine use can decrease HCC risk in DM patients with regular insulin control.METHODS We used data acquired from the Taiwan,Chinaese National Health Insurance research database between 2000 and 2017.We identified patients with DM who were prescribed insulin for>3 months.The herb user group was further defined as patients prescribed herbal medication for DM for>3 months per annum during RESULTS We initially enrolled 657144 DM patients with regular insulin use from 2000 to 2017.Among these,46849 patients had used a herbal treatment for DM,and 140547 patients were included as the matched control group.The baseline variables were similar between the herb users and nonusers.DM patients with regular herb use had a 12%decreased risk of HCC compared with the control group[adjusted hazard ratio(aHR)=0.88,95%CI=0.80–0.97].The cumulative incidence of HCC in the herb users was significantly lower than that of the nonusers.Patients with a herb use of>5 years cumulatively exhibited a protective effect against development of HCC(aHR=0.82,P<0.05).Of patients who developed HCC,herb users exhibited a longer survival time than nonusers(aHR=0.78,P=0.0001).Additionally,we report the top 10 herbs and formulas in prescriptions and summarize the potential pharmacological effects of the constituents.Our analysis indicated that Astragalus propinquus(Huang Qi)plus Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge(Dan Shen),and Astragalus propinquus(Huang Qi)plus Trichosanthes kirilowii Maxim.(Tian Hua Fen)were the most frequent combination of single herbs.Meanwhile,Ji Sheng Shen Qi Wan plus Dan Shen was the most frequent combination of herbs and formulas.CONCLUSION This large-scale retrospective cohort study reveals that herbal medicine may decrease HCC risk by 12%in DM patients with regular insulin use.

Associations between remnant cholesterol levels and mortality in patients with diabetes

BACKGROUND Dyslipidemia is frequently present in patients with diabetes.The associations of remnant cholesterol and mortality remains unclear in patients with diabetes.AIM To explore the associations of remnant cholesterol with all-cause and cardiovas-cular mortality in patients with diabetes.METHODS This prospective cohort study included 4740 patients with diabetes who par-ticipated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 1999 through 2018.Remnant cholesterol was used as the exposure variable,and all-cause and cardiovascular mortality were considered outcome events.Outcome data were obtained from the National Death Index,and all participants were followed from the interview date until death or December 31,2019.Multivariate proportional Cox regression models were used to explore the associations between exposure and outcomes,in which remnant cholesterol was modeled as both a categorical and a continuous variable.Restricted cubic splines(RCSs)were calculated to assess the nonlinearity of associations.Subgroup(stratified by sex,age,body mass index,and duration of diabetes)and a series of sensitivity analyses were performed to evaluate the robustness of the associations.RESULTS During a median follow-up duration of 83 months,1370 all-cause deaths and 389 cardiovascular deaths were documented.Patients with remnant cholesterol levels in the third quartile had a reduced risk of all-cause mortality[hazard ratio(HR)95%confidence interval(CI):0.66(0.52-0.85)];however,when remnant cholesterol was modeled as a continuous variable,it was associated with increased risks of all-cause[HR(95%CI):1.12(1.02-1.21)per SD]and cardiovascular[HR(95%CI):1.16(1.01-1.32),per SD]mortality.The RCS demonstrated nonlinear associations of remnant cholesterol with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality.Subgroup and sensitivity analyses did not reveal significant differences from the above results.CONCLUSION In patients with diabetes,higher remnant cholesterol was associated with increased risks of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality,and diabetes patients with slightly higher remnant cholesterol(0.68-1.04 mmol/L)had a lower risk of all-cause mortality.

Association of total bilirubin with depression risk in adults with diabetes:A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND Individuals with diabetes mellitus are more likely to experience depression,although most patients remain undiagnosed.The relation between total bilirubin and depression has been increasingly discussed,but limited studies have examined the association of total bilirubin with depression risk in adults with diabetes,which warrants attention.AIM To investigate the association between total bilirubin levels and the risk of depression in adults with diabetes.METHODS The study included adults with diabetes from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007-2018.Depression was determined using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9.Multivariable logistic regression,propensity scorematched analysis and restricted cubic spline models were utilized to investigate the association between total bilirubin levels and depression risk in adults with diabetes.RESULTS The study included 4758 adults with diabetes,of whom 602(12.7%)were diagnosed with depression.After adjusting for covariates,we found that diabetic adults with lower total bilirubin levels had a higher risk of depression(OR=1.230,95%CI:1.006-1.503,P=0.043).This association was further confirmed after propensity score matching(OR=1.303,95%CI:1.034-1.641,P=0.025).Subgroup analyses showed no significant dependence of age,body mass index,sex,race or hypertension on this association.Restricted cubic spline models displayed an inverted U-shaped association of total bilirubin levels with depression risk within the lower range of total bilirubin levels.The depression risk heightened with the increasing levels of total bilirubin,reaching the highest risk at 6.81μmol/L and decreasing thereafter.CONCLUSION In adults with diabetes,those with lower levels of total bilirubin were more likely to have depressive symptoms.Serum total bilirubin levels may be used as an additional indicator to assess depression risk in adults with diabetes.

Dietary fiber intake and its association with diabetic kidney disease in American adults with diabetes:A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND Dietary fiber(DF)intake may have a protective effect against type 2 diabetes(T2D);however,its relationship with diabetic kidney disease(DKD)remains unclear.AIM To investigate the potential association between DF intake and the prevalence of DKD in individuals diagnosed with T2D.METHODS This cross-sectional study used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey collected between 2005 and 2018.DF intake was assessed through 24-h dietary recall interviews,and DKD diagnosis in individuals with T2D was based on predefined criteria,including albuminuria,impaired glomerular filtration rate,or a combination of both.Logistic regression analysis was used to assess the association between DF intake and DKD,and comprehensive subgroup and sensitivity analyses were performed.RESULTS Among the 6032 participants,38.4%had DKD.With lower DF intake-T1(≤6.4 g/1000 kcal/day)-as a reference,the adjusted odds ratio for DF and DKD for levels T2(6.5-10.0 g/1000 kcal/day)and T3(≥10.1 g/1000 kcal/day)were 0.97(95%CI:0.84-1.12,P=0.674)and 0.79(95%CI:0.68-0.92,P=0.002),respectively.The subgroup analysis yielded consistent results across various demographic and health-related subgroups,with no statistically significant interactions(all P>0.05).CONCLUSION In United States adults with T2D,increased DF intake may be related to reduced DKD incidence.Further research is required to confirm these findings.

Association between serum estradiol level and appendicular lean mass index in middle-aged postmenopausal women

BACKGROUND Previous studies investigating the association between loss of estrogen at menopause and skeletal muscle mass came to contradictory conclusions.AIM To evaluate the association between serum estradiol level and appendicular lean mass index in middle-aged postmenopausal women using population-based data.METHODS This study included 673 postmenopausal women,aged 40-59 years,from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 2013 and 2016.Weighted multivariable linear regression models were used to evaluate the association between serum E2 Level and appendicular lean mass index(ALMI).When non-linear associations were found by using weighted generalized additive model and smooth curve fitting,two-piecewise linear regression models were further applied to examine the threshold effects.RESULTS There was a positive association between serum E2 level and ALMI.Compared to individuals in quartile 1 group,those in other quartiles had higher ALMI levels.An inverted U-shaped curve relationship between serum E2 Level and ALMI was found on performing weighted generalized additive model and smooth curve fitting,and the inflection point was identified as a serum E2 level of 85 pg/mL.CONCLUSION Our results demonstrated an inverted U-shaped curve relationship between serum E2 levels and ALMI in middle-aged postmenopausal women,suggesting that low serum E2 levels play an important in the loss of muscle mass in middleaged postmenopausal women.

The Performance of a Health System in Romania Ensures a Present for a Stable Healthy Population,Without Negative Influences of the Past

Regardless of the existing situations,economic crises,epidemics,or causes determined by the effects triggered in the foreign policy of the European Union states,health becomes a factor of maximum urgency in the state of a state,in order to have a healthy population.Ro mania now has both funding sources and revenues allocated to the establishment of the Single National Health Insurance Fund,major conditions for having an efficient health system.The National House of Health Insurance becomes the binder in the establishm ent and use of the Single National Health Fund,in the organization and coordination of projects for the development of the public and private health system,so that through the framework contract,legally constituted,we can look at the health system from needs up to the consumption of health services.No matter how much we analyze the health system in the country,it becomes efficient in the future,even if we have an aging population with pressing needs from a demographic point of view.Through a consist ent monitoring of the management in the health system and the attraction of medical personnel,after graduation,in hospital units,the balance of medical personnel vs.patient can become favorable.Family doctors must have the most important role in the h ealth system,in the existing conditions considering that the prevention and elimination of waiting time in hospitals are strictly related to the urgency of the medical services provided in time by them.Hospital units can reduce the degree of illness of t he population in the shortest possible time through monthly reporting of existing problems,including nosocomial infections.When there are well-established funding resources,the ways of their use and distribution are known,there are qualified medical pe rsonnel who can provide medical services to the population,upon returning to the country after specialization in other countries,we can clearly discuss that Romania has development levers of the public and private health system,in any condition.We must think that a transparent and prepared health system can therefore affect any country to have a healthy people,when the medical act is viewed through the lens of seriousness,humanity,professional values.

Neighborhood predictors of short sleep duration and bedtime irregularity among children in the United States: results from the 2019-2020 National Surveyof Children's Health

Background Environmental factors may contribute to short sleep duration and irregular bedtime in children.Neighborhood factors and children's sleep duration and bedtime regularity remain a less investigated area.The aim of this study was to investigate the national and state-level proportions of children with short sleep duration and irregular bedtime and their neighborhood predictors.Methods A total of 67,598 children whose parents completed the National Survey of Children's Health in 2019-2020 were included in the analysis.Survey-weighted Poisson regression was used to explore the neighborhood predictors of children's short sleep duration and irregular bedtime.Results The prevalence of short sleep duration and irregular bedtime among children in the United States(US)was 34.6%[95%confidence interval(CI)=33.8%-35.4%]and 16.4%(95%CI=15.6%-17.2%)in 2019-2020,respectively.Safe neighborhoods,supportive neighborhoods,and neighborhoods with amenities were found to be protective factors against children's short sleep duration,with risk ratios ranging between 0.92 and 0.94,P<0.05.Neighborhoods with detracting elements were associated with an increased risk of short sleep duration[risk ratio(RR)=1.06,95%CI=1.00-1.12]and irregular bedtime(RR=1.15,95%CI=1.03-1.28).Child race/ethnicity moderated the relationship between neighborhood with amenities and short sleepduration.Conclusions Insufficient sleep duration and irregular bedtime were highly prevalent among US children.A favorable neighborhood environment can decrease children's risk of short sleep duration and irregular bedtime.Improving the neighborhood environment has implications for children's sleep health,especially for children from minority racial/ethnic groups.

Assessing Drug Use Indicators in Health Insurance Facilities, Gezira State, Sudan, 2017-2018

Background: Inappropriate use of medicines is a global concern with serious consequences related to prescribing, dispensing, and use. WHO estimated that 50% of medicines are not used correctly on their journey from the facility to home. Objective: To assess medicines use using WHO drug core indicators regarding prescribing, patient, and facilities. Setting: Outpatients, Health centers in Wadmadani locality (Urban area) in Gezira State, Sudan. Method: A cross-sectional, prospective, analytical study was conducted in 30 health centers and 60 patients from each center were selected using a simple random sampling technique. WHO indicators form was used to collect data containing different variables. T-test at a level of confidence of 95% was used to test differences between indicators. Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) was used for data analysis. Results: The main prescribing indicators were 2.5 ± 0.6 for drugs per encounter, 44.1% ± 14.2%. Generic 54 ± 18.0 antibiotics, 12.0% ± 9.3% injectable, and 95.2% ± 11.5% of drugs were prescribed according to the NHIF-EML. The main patient’s indicators were, 2.9 ± 0.8 minutes for consultation time, 99.5 ± 36.8 seconds for dispensing time, and 72.5% ± 16.0% for medicines actually dispensed, 49.0% ± 18.0% for medicines adequately labeled, and 22.5% ± 7.3% of the patient’s knowledge about the correct dose. The Facility specific indicators were 66.7% for the availability of a copy of EML, while the percentage of key drugs in the stock was 75.3% ± 11.6%. No statistically significant differences were found between direct and indirect facilities except in generic prescribing. Main Outcome Measure: • Interventions to improve Generic and antibiotics prescribing indicators. • The patient-to-physician ratio should be revised to optimize consultation time. • The availability of key drugs should be improved to make sure effective treatment. • The pharmacy cadre should be oriented and trained to improve patients’ compliance. Conclusion: The study concluded that there was irrational use of medicines when investigated by WHO drug core indicators. So, the study recommended interventions to improve the rationale prescribing, dispensing, and use of medicines.

Development of an Arabic version of the National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire as a tool to study eye diseases patients in Egypt

AIM:To develop and test an Arabic version of the National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire-25(NEI-VFQ-25).METHODS:NEI-VFQ-25 was translated into Arabic according to WHO translation guidelines. We enrolled adult consenting patients with bilateral chronic eye diseases who presented to 14 hospitals across Egypt from October to December 2012, and documented their clinical findings. Psychometric properties were then tested using STATA.RESULTS:We recruited 379 patients, whose mean age was(54.5±15)y. Of 46.2% were males, 227 had cataract,31 had glaucoma, 23 had retinal detachment, 37 had diabetic retinopathy, and 61 had miscellaneous visual defects. Non-response rate and the floor and ceiling numbers of the Arabic version(ARB-VFQ-25) were calculated. Internal consistency was high in all subscales(except general health), with Cronbach-α ranging from0.702-0.911. Test-retest reliability was high(intraclass correlation coefficient 0.79).CONCLUSION:RB-VFQ-25 isareliableandvalidtool for assessing visual functions of Arabic speaking patients. However, some questions had high non-response rates and should be substituted by available alternatives. Our results support the importance of including self-reported visual functions as part of routine ophthalmologic examination.