Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Jan D. Kampmann, Mads Nybo, Frans Brandt, Henrik Stovring, Per Damkier, Daniel P. Henriksen, Lars C. Lund
Summary: A guideline recommending statin use for individuals with chronic kidney disease and a glomerular filtration rate below 60 ml/min/1.73 m(2) was published in 2013. However, a study conducted in Denmark found no difference in statin use before and after the publication of the guideline.
BASIC & CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY & TOXICOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Alice Rose Carter, Dipender Gill, George Davey Smith, Amy E. Taylor, Neil M. Davies, Laura D. Howe
Summary: Individuals with lower educational attainment are less likely to report using statins for primary cardiovascular prevention, even with an equivalent cardiovascular risk, which contributes to health inequalities.
Article
Social Sciences, Interdisciplinary
Mark Green, Elena Musi, Francisco Rowe, Darren Charles, Frances Darlington Pollock, Chris Kypridemos, Andrew Morse, Patricia Rossini, John Tulloch, Andrew Davies, Emily Dearden, Henrdramoorthy Maheswaran, Alex Singleton, Roberto Vivancos, Sally Sheard
Summary: COVID-19 pandemic has led to the proliferation of misinformation on social media, potentially disrupting official information sharing, but a study on the first UK lockdown announcement shows that there was no significant increase in misinformation on Twitter post-announcement, with an increase in COVID-19-related bot activity.
BIG DATA & SOCIETY
(2021)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Matias Ortiz De Zarate, Emmanouil Mentzakis, Simon D. S. Fraser, Paul Roderick, Paul Rutter, Carmine Ornaghi
Summary: The study found that the overall trend of statin prescriptions was mainly driven by a decrease in acquisition costs triggered by patent expiration, with NICE guidelines not seeming to affect prescription trends. There were significant differences in the prescription of the most cost-effective statins among GPs, and it was suggested that the NHS could achieve substantial savings if all GP practices prescribed only the most cost-effective treatment.
JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Munerah Almulhem, Rasiah Thayakaran, Shahjehan Hanif, Tiffany Gooden, Neil Thomas, Jonathan Hazlehurst, Abd A. Tahrani, Wasim Hanif, Krishnarajah Nirantharakumar
Summary: This study investigated the prescribing patterns of antibiotics among Pakistani and Bangladeshi immigrants during Ramadan in the UK. The findings suggest that fasting during Ramadan does not increase the likelihood of antibiotic prescription in this population.
Article
Primary Health Care
Sarah L. Lay-Flurrie, James P. Sheppard, Richard J. Stevens, Christian Mallen, Carl Heneghan, F. D. Richard Hobbs, Bryan Williams, Jonathan Mant, Richard J. McManus
Summary: The study investigated the impact of NICE guideline changes on hypertension-related consultation rates in general practice, finding a decrease in consultation rates associated with the guideline changes.
BRITISH JOURNAL OF GENERAL PRACTICE
(2021)
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Barbara S. Wiggins, James M. Backes, Daniel Hilleman
Summary: 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors, known as statins, are considered the first-line pharmacologic therapy for reducing LDL-C. However, they can have possible adverse effects, with musculoskeletal problems being the most common side effect. Nonadherence to statin therapy can have a negative impact on patient care, thus understanding risk factors, diagnosis, and management is important for optimizing care.
Article
Respiratory System
Syed A. Shah, Jennifer K. Quint, Bright Nwaru, Aziz Sheikh
Summary: The study found a significant reduction in primary care attendance for asthma exacerbations during the COVID-19 pandemic. This reduction was observed across all age groups, both sexes, and in most regions of England.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Audrey Huili Lim, Norazida Ab Rahman, Hazimah Hashim, Mardhiyah Kamal, Tineshwaran Velvanathan, Mary Chiew Fong Chok, Sheamini Sivasampu
Summary: This study aimed to describe and evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on antibiotic use in public primary care clinics in Malaysia. The findings indicate a significant decrease in antibiotic utilization in primary care clinics following the COVID-19 pandemic compared to the preceding years.
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Shishi Li, Youlin Zhang, Yan Yang, Sining Chen, Zhiqian Yang, Chaoying Kuang, Yuzhen Zhong, Fanna Liu
Summary: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of statin use before surgery on postoperative renal outcomes in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. The results showed that pre-ICU statin use was significantly associated with decreased risk in hospital and 30-day mortality. The preoperative use of >= 80 mg Atorvastatin may improve the prognosis of CSA-AKI.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Yongin Cho, Yujin Jeong, Da Hea Seo, Seong Hee Ahn, Seongbin Hong, Young Ju Suh, So Hun Kim
Summary: The study found that in elderly Asian patients without clinically recognized atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD), statin treatment significantly reduced the risk of cardiovascular mortality and was associated with a reduction in ischemic stroke in patients with diabetes.
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Ashish Sarraju, Gabriela Spencer-Bonilla, Sukyung Chung, Sofia Gomez, Jiang Li, Paul Heidenreich, Latha Palaniappan, Fatima Rodriguez
Summary: This retrospective cohort study examined statin treatment patterns and incident ASCVD among older adults aged 65-79 for primary prevention. It found that patients over 75 years old were less likely to receive moderate- or high-intensity statin prescriptions, and had a higher risk of incident ASCVD compared to younger counterparts. Further research is needed to understand the reasons for age-based differences in statin use and ASCVD risk among older adults.
JOURNAL OF GENERAL INTERNAL MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
G. B. John Mancini, Arnold Ryomoto, Eunice Yeoh, Liam R. Brunham, Robert A. Hegele
Summary: This study aims to compare algorithms used in North America and Europe for identifying patients who need statin treatment and considering risk enhancers and de-enhancers. The results show substantial differences among different algorithms in risk assessment, and even for patients with the same burden of risk factors, different conclusions may be drawn.
EUROPEAN HEART JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Sulaiman Somani, Marieke Meija van Buchem, Ashish Sarraju, Tina Hernandez-Boussard, Fatima Rodriguez
Summary: This study analyzed over a decade of statin-related discussions on Reddit to gain insight into public perceptions about statins. The discussions covered topics such as lifestyle, side effects, research appraisals, pharmaceutical industry bias, and more. The majority of discussions had a neutral or negative sentiment. The study demonstrates the potential of using AI to analyze social media data and inform strategies for addressing barriers to statin use and adherence.
Article
Geography
Ashley Hardaker, Theresa Bodner, Norman Dandy
Summary: In recent years, tree planting as a response to climate change has gained significant attention from policymakers, scientists, the media, and the public. However, the need for land for afforestation poses a challenge, as agricultural activities occupy vast areas globally. This study examines the representation of tree planting in the leading agricultural publications in the UK, Farmers Guardian and Farmers Weekly. The findings reveal minimal coverage of tree planting, with only a small percentage of articles focusing on this topic. Within this limited coverage, four themes were identified, ranging from hostility towards replacing agricultural practices with trees on farms to occasional recognition of the role of trees in climate change mitigation. The lack of legitimization in media coverage presents a significant barrier to woodland expansion on agricultural land. The study emphasizes the potential role of farming media outlets in promoting understanding and normalizing the integration of trees into farming systems for climate change mitigation.
JOURNAL OF RURAL STUDIES
(2022)
Article
Respiratory System
Eric Lavigne, Niilo Ryti, Antonio Gasparrini, Francesco Sera, Scott Weichenthal, Hong Chen, Teresa To, Greg J. Evans, Liu Sun, Aman Dheri, Lionnel Lemogo, Serge Olivier Kotchi, Dave Stieb
Summary: This study evaluated the associations between short-term variations in outdoor concentrations of ambient air pollution and emergency department visits for COVID-19. The results showed that exposure to higher levels of particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide were associated with an increased risk of COVID-19 emergency department visits. The association was stronger for individuals who were hospitalized after the emergency department visit.
Article
Primary Health Care
Helen Strongman, Emily Herrett, Rod Jackson, Michael Sweeting, Alexander R. Lyon, Susannah Stanway, Claire Lawson, Umesh Kadam, Liam Smeeth, Krishnan Bhaskaran
Summary: This study aimed to assess whether cancer diagnosis should be included in cardiovascular risk scores. The results showed that including a 1-year cancer survivorship variable in a QRISK3-based model met the threshold for inclusion for males, but not females. When considering cancer type, the threshold was met for both sexes with a history of haematological cancer, and for males but not females with a history of solid cancers. Developers should consider including cancer history variables in future cardiovascular risk models.
BRITISH JOURNAL OF GENERAL PRACTICE
(2023)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Barrak Alahmad, Haitham Khraishah, Dominic Roye, Ana Maria Vicedo-Cabrera, Yuming Guo, Stefania I. Papatheodorou, Souzana Achilleos, Fiorella Acquaotta, Ben Armstrong, Michelle L. Bell, Shih-Chun Pan, Micheline de Sousa Zanotti Stagliorio Coelho, Valentina Colistro, Tran Ngoc Dang, Do Van Dung, Francesca K. De Donato, Alireza Entezari, Yue-Liang Leon Guo, Masahiro Hashizume, Yasushi Honda, Ene Indermitte, Carmen Iniguez, Jouni J. K. Jaakkola, Ho Kim, Eric Lavigne, Whanhee Lee, Shanshan Li, Joana Madureira, Fatemeh Mayvaneh, Hans Orru, Ala Overcenco, Martina S. Ragettli, Niilo R. I. Ryti, Paulo Hilario Nascimento Saldiva, Noah Scovronick, Xerxes Seposo, Francesco Sera, Susana Pereira Silva, Massimo Stafoggia, Aurelio Tobias, Eric Garshick, Aaron S. Bernstein, Antonella Zanobetti, Joel Schwartz, Antonio Gasparrini, Petros Koutrakis
Summary: A study found that exposure to extreme hot and cold temperatures is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease mortality. The study used data from 567 cities in 27 countries and found a positive correlation between high and low temperatures and mortality from various cardiovascular diseases. The highest risks were observed for heart attacks and stroke during exposure to extreme temperatures.
Editorial Material
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Lina Madaniyazi, Aurelio Tobias, Ana M. Vicedo-Cabrera, Jouni J. K. Jaakkola, Yasushi Honda, Yuming Guo, Joel Schwartz, Antonella Zanobetti, Michelle L. Bell, Ben Armstrong, Michael J. Campbell, Klea Katsouyanni, Andy Haines, Kristie L. Ebi, Antonio Gasparrini, Masahiro Hashizume
Article
Substance Abuse
Dan Lewer, Thomas D. Brothers, Antonio Gasparrini, John Strang
Summary: The rate of drug poisoning deaths in England and Wales has been increasing annually since 2010. The study found seasonal and cyclical variations in these deaths, with peaks occurring in Spring and briefly at New Year. This suggests the involvement of external triggers.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Kristine Belesova, Antonio Gasparrini, Paul Wilkinson, Ali Sie, Rainer Sauerborn
Summary: We examined the relationship between child survival and annual crop yield reductions at different stages of early-life development in a subsistence farming population in Burkina Faso. The study found that child survival was particularly vulnerable to cereal-crop yield reductions during the period of nonexclusive breastfeeding.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF EPIDEMIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Respiratory System
Garyfallos Konstantinoudis, Cosetta Minelli, Holly Ching Yu Lam, Elaine Fuertes, Joan Ballester, Bethan Davies, Ana Maria Vicedo-Cabrera, Antonio Gasparrini, Marta Blangiardo
Summary: This study aims to evaluate the association between asthma hospitalisation and warm temperature and investigate vulnerabilities by age, sex, time, and space. Results show that for every 1 degree Celsius increase in ambient summer temperature, there is a 1.11% increase in asthma hospitalisation risk. The effect is highest for males aged 16-64 and decreases over time. Populations in Yorkshire and the Humber and East and West Midlands are the most vulnerable.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Emily Herrett, Keith Tomlin, Liang-Yu Lin, Laurie A. Tomlinson, Mark Jit, Andrew Briggs, Michael Marks, Frank Sandmann, John Parry, Christopher Bates, Jessica Morley, Seb Bacon, Benjamin Butler-Cole, Viyaasan Mahalingasivam, Alan Dennison, Deb Smith, Ethan Gabriel, Amir Mehrkar, Ben Goldacre, Liam Smeeth, Rosalind M. M. Eggo
Summary: This study aims to understand the impact of long COVID on health-related quality of life and productivity in English primary care patients. Participants will be asked to complete questionnaires through a smartphone app, covering aspects such as HRQoL, productivity, and symptoms of long COVID. Analysis will be conducted using the OpenSAFELY data platform to estimate the impact on HRQoL, productivity, and cost to the NHS.
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Charlotte Warren-Gash, Jennifer A. Davidson, Helen Strongman, Emily Herrett, Liam Smeeth, Judith Breuer, Amitava Banerjee
Summary: This study investigated the association between cardiovascular risk and severe COVID-19 among adults in England. The findings showed that individuals without diagnosed cardiovascular disease but with raised cardiovascular risk were more likely to experience severe COVID-19 outcomes, suggesting the importance of prioritizing their prevention and treatment.
LANCET REGIONAL HEALTH-EUROPE
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Samuel Luthi, Christopher Fairless, Erich M. Fischer, Noah Scovronick, Micheline De Sousa Zanotti Stagliorio Coelho, Yue Leon Guo, Yuming Guo, Yasushi Honda, Veronika Huber, Jan Kysely, Eric Lavigne, Dominic Roye, Niilo Ryti, Susana Silva, Ales Urban, Antonio Gasparrini, David N. Bresch, Ana M. Vicedo-Cabrera
Summary: Current research focuses on the impact of rising temperatures on heat-related mortality, but it is unclear how climate change will exacerbate the effects of extreme summer seasons on human health. This study combines empirical heat-mortality relationships with climate model data to predict future highly impactful summer seasons. The findings emphasize the urgent need for mitigation and adaptation measures to reduce the impact on human lives.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Christopher T. Rentsch, Victoria Gar, Rohini Mathur, Sophie V. Eastwood, Liam Smeeth, Nish Chaturvedi, Krishnan Bhaskaran
Summary: Sex-specific risks for incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) across the full glycemic spectrum were examined. Both men and women with pre-diabetes, undiagnosed diabetes, and diagnosed diabetes were at higher risks of CVD than those with normal glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), with relative increases more pronounced in women. Modifiable factors, such as obesity and the use of antihypertensive and statin medications, largely explained the excess risks in both men and women. Attention to weight reduction strategies and greater use of antihypertensive and statin medications could reduce sex disparities in risk of CVD among people with and without diabetes.
LANCET REGIONAL HEALTH-EUROPE
(2023)
Meeting Abstract
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Stefan Agewall, Susanne Breitner, Masna Rai, Massimo Stafoggia, Francesca De'Donato, Evangelia Samoli, Sofi A. Zafeiratou, Liliana Vazquez Fernandez, Shilpa Rao, Antonio Gasparrini, Pierre Masselot, Kristin Aunan, Alexandra Schneider, Siqi Zhang
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF CARDIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Yixiang Zhu, Cheng He, Antonio Gasparrini, Ana Maria Vicedo-Cabrera, Cong Liu, Jovine Bachwenkizi, Lu Zhou, Yuexin Cheng, Lena Kan, Renjie Chen, Haidong Kan
Summary: This study found that global warming has an impact on the prevalence of childhood anemia and projected an increase in childhood anemia burden due to climate change. Under a high-emission scenario, there will be a significant increase in childhood anemia cases, emphasizing the importance of climate mitigation and adaptation strategies in low- and middle-income countries.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Enny S. Paixao, Andrea J. F. Ferreira, Julia M. Pescarini, Kerry L. M. Wong, Emanuelle Goes, Rosemeire Fiaccone, Guilherme Lopes de Oliveira, Poliana Reboucas, Andrey Moreira Cardoso, Liam Smeeth, Mauricio L. Barreto, Laura C. Rodrigues, Maria Yury Ichihara
Summary: This study estimated the ethnoracial inequalities in maternal and congenital syphilis in Brazil, indicating that Black and Parda/Brown women are at a higher risk. Effective control of high-risk populations is necessary for the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of syphilis.
LANCET GLOBAL HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Jeremy P. Brown, Kevin Wing, Clemence Leyrat, Stephen J. Evans, Kathryn E. Mansfield, Angel Y. S. Wong, Liam Smeeth, Nicholas W. Galwey, Ian J. Douglas
Summary: The association between fluoroquinolone use and aortic aneurysm or dissection may be affected by confounding factors. When confounding is taken into account, there is no significant association, providing reassurance about the safety of fluoroquinolones with respect to aortic aneurysm or dissection. Fluoroquinolone use does not increase the risk of developing aortic aneurysm or dissection.