Bowel preparation protocol for hospitalized patients ages 50 years or older:A randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND The incidence and mortality rate of colorectal cancer progressively increase with age and become particularly prominent after the age of 50 years.Therefore,the population that is≥50 years in age requires long-term and regular colonoscopies.Uncomfortable bowel preparation is the main reason preventing patients from undergoing regular colonoscopies.The standard bowel preparation regimen of 4-L polyethylene glycol(PEG)is effective but poorly tolerated.AIM To investigate an effective and comfortable bowel preparation regimen for hospitalized patients≥50 years in age.METHODS Patients were randomly assigned to group 1(2-L PEG+30-mL lactulose+a lowresidue diet)or group 2(4-L PEG).Adequate bowel preparation was defined as a Boston bowel preparation scale(BBPS)score of≥6,with a score of≥2 for each segment.Non-inferiority was prespecified with a margin of 10%.Additionally,the degree of comfort was assessed based on the comfort questionnaire.RESULTS The proportion of patients with a BBPS score of≥6 in group 1 was not significantly different from that in group 2,as demonstrated by intention-to-treat(91.2%vs 91.0%,P=0.953)and per-protocol(91.8%vs 91.0%,P=0.802)analyses.Furthermore,in patients≥75 years in age,the proportion of BBPS scores of≥6 in group 1 was not significantly different from that in group 2(90.9%vs 97.0%,P=0.716).Group 1 had higher comfort scores(8.85±1.162 vs 7.59±1.735,P<0.001),longer sleep duration(6.86±1.204 h vs 5.80±1.730 h,P<0.001),and fewer awakenings(1.42±1.183 vs 2.04±1.835,P=0.026)than group 2.CONCLUSION For hospitalized patients≥50 years in age,the bowel preparation regimen comprising 2-L PEG+30-mL lactulose+a low-residue diet produced a cleanse that was as effective as the 4-L PEG regimen and even provided better comfort.

Age,blood tests and comorbidities and AIMS65 risk scores outperform Glasgow-Blatchford and pre-endoscopic Rockall score in patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding

BACKGROUND Upper gastrointestinal(GI)bleeding is a life-threatening condition with high mortality rates.AIM To compare the performance of pre-endoscopic risk scores in predicting the following primary outcomes:In-hospital mortality,intervention(endoscopic or surgical)and length of admission(≥7 d).METHODS We performed a retrospective analysis of 363 patients presenting with upper GI bleeding from December 2020 to January 2021.We calculated and compared the area under the receiver operating characteristics curves(AUROCs)of Glasgow-Blatchford score(GBS),pre-endoscopic Rockall score(PERS),albumin,international normalized ratio,altered mental status,systolic blood pressure,age older than 65(AIMS65)and age,blood tests and comorbidities(ABC),including their optimal cut-off in variceal and non-variceal upper GI bleeding cohorts.We subsequently analyzed through a logistic binary regression model,if addition of lactate increased the score performance.RESULTS All scores had discriminative ability in predicting in-hospital mortality irrespective of study group.AIMS65 score had the best performance in the variceal bleeding group(AUROC=0.772;P<0.001),and ABC score(AUROC=0.775;P<0.001)in the non-variceal bleeding group.However,ABC score,at a cut-off value of 5.5,was the best predictor(AUROC=0.770,P=0.001)of inhospital mortality in both populations.PERS score was a good predictor for endoscopic treatment(AUC=0.604;P=0.046)in the variceal population,while GBS score,(AUROC=0.722;P=0.024),outperformed the other scores in predicting surgical intervention.Addition of lactate to AIMS65 score,increases by 5-fold the probability of in-hospital mortality(P<0.05)and by 12-fold if added to GBS score(P<0.003).No score proved to be a good predictor for length of admission.CONCLUSION ABC score is the most accurate in predicting in-hospital mortality in both mixed and non-variceal bleeding population.PERS and GBS should be used to determine need for endoscopic and surgical intervention,respectively.Lactate can be used as an additional tool to risk scores for predicting inhospital mortality.

Ailogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation for malignant hematological diseases in patients older than 50 years of age

Objective To investigate the efficiency and safety of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation for malignant hematological diseases in patients older than 50 years of age. Methods From May 2002 to January 2010,35 patients P 】 50 years with malignant hematological diseases received allogeneic hematopoietic

Analysis of Factors Influencing the Cumulative Pregnancy Outcome of In Vitro Fertilization-Embryo Transfer in Women Aged 35 Years and Older with Normal Ovarian Reserve

Background:To investigate the factors associating with the cumulative clinical pregnancy outcome of in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer(IVF-ET)in women aged 35 years and older with normal ovarian reserve.Methods:A total of 358 patients undergoing IVF-ET at the Department of Reproductive Medicine,the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University between January 2014 and June 2016 were analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazards model.Results:The probability of pregnancy in women 35-37 years of age and 38-40 years of age was 75.9%(95%confidence interval[CI]:75.1%-76.7%)and 66.9%(95%CI:65.6%-68.2%),respectively,and it was 37.8%(95%CI:34.7%-41.1%)in women aged 40 years and older.Univariate analysis(hazard ratio[HR]:2.50,95%CI:1.647-3.774)and multivariate analysis(HR:2.17,95%CI:1.427-3.268)showed a correlation between the number of retrieved oocytes and successful pregnancy.Conclusions:The number of retrieved oocytes plays a key role in the pregnancy outcome of women aged 35 years and older with normal ovarian reserve.We recommend the number of retrieved oocytes be increased for women aged 35 years and older with normal ovarian reserve.

The strategic framework of tuberculosis control and prevention in the elderly:a scoping review towards End TB targets

With the rapid pace of population ageing,tuberculosis(TB)in the elderly increasingly becomes a public health challenge.Despite the increasing burden and high risks for TB in the elderly,targeted strategy has not been well understood and evaluated.We undertook a scoping review to identify current TB strategies,research and policy gaps in the elderly and summarized the results within a strategic framework towards End TB targets.Databases of Embase,MEDLINE,Global health and EBM reviews were searched for original studies,review articles,and policy papers published in English between January 1990 and December 2015.Articles examining TB strategy,program,guideline or intervention in the elderly from public health perspective were included.Nineteen articles met the inclusion criteria.Most of them were qualitative studies,issued in high-and middle-income countries and after 2000.To break the chain of TB transmission and reactivation in the elderly,infection control,interventions of avoiding delay in diagnosis and containment are essential for preventing transmission,especially in elderly institutions and aged immigrants;screening of latent TB infection and preventive therapy had effective impacts on reducing the risk of reactivation and should be used less reluctantly in older people;optimizing early case-finding with a high index of suspicion,systematic screening for prioritized high-risk groups,initial empirical and adequate follow-up treatment with close monitoring and evaluation,as well as enhanced programmatic management are fundamental pillars for active TB elimination.Evaluation of TB epidemiology,risk factors,impacts and cost-effectiveness of interventions,adopting accurate and rapid diagnostic tools,shorter and less toxic preventive therapy,are critical issues for developing strategy in the elderly towards End TB targets.TB control strategies in the elderly were comprehensively mapped in a causal link pathway.The framework and principals identified in this study will help to evaluate and improve current program,develop targeted strategy,as well as raise more discussions on the research priority settings and policy transitions.Given the scarceness of policy and evaluated interventions,as well as the unawareness of shifting TB epidemiology and strategy especially in developing countries,the increasing need of a ready TB program for the elderly warrants further research.

Improving tuberculosis case detection in underdeveloped multi-ethnic regions with high disease burden:a case study of integrated control program in China

Background:In the underdeveloped multi-ethnic regions of China,high tuberculosis(TB)burden and regional inequity in access to healthcare service increase the challenge of achieving the End TB goals.Among all the provinces,the highest TB burden is reported in Xinjiang,where ethnic minorities and older people have suffered most.However,current case-finding strategy is inadequate given the complex social determinants and suboptimal case detection rates.Thus,we developed an integrated TB control program to improve case detection and conducted a pilot in Xinjiang from 2014 to 2015.In this case study,we summarized the activities and key findings.We also shared the experiences and challenges of implementing interventions and provided recommendations to inform the TB control program in the future.Case presentation:The pilot interventions were implemented in one selected town in Yining based on local TB control programs.By applying tailor-made educational materials,outreach TB educational activities were conducted in diverse ways.In 22 Masjids,the trained imams promoted TB education to the Muslims,covering 20,440 persontimes in 88 delivered preaching sessions.In seven schools,1944 students were educated by the teachers and contributed to educating 6929 family members.In the village communities,13,073 residents participated in household education and screening.Among them,12,292 people aged under 65 years were investigated for suspicious pulmonary TB symptoms,where six TB patients were diagnosed out of 89 TB suspects;781 older people were mobilized for screening directly by chest X-ray,where 10 patients were diagnosed out of 692 participants.Supportive healthcare system,multi-sectoral cooperation and multi-channel financing mechanism were the successful experiences of implementation.The interventions were proved to be more effective than the previous performance:the number of TB suspects consulting doctors and patients detected increased by 50%and 26%,respectively.The potential challenges,implications and recommendations should been taken into account for further program improvement.Conclusions:In underdeveloped multi-ethnic regions with high TB burden,improving case detection is necessary and the interventions can be feasible and effective within a supportive system.More intensive educational and training approaches,a high index of TB suspicion and prioritization of older people in screening are recommended.To sustain and scale up the program,the impacts,cost-effectiveness,feasibility and acceptability of interventions warrant further research and evaluation in each specific context.