Long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on physical activity and estimated cardiorespiratory fitness in south American adults: a multi-country cross-sectional online survey.

Background: Restriction measures during the COVID-19 pandemic may have reduced opportunities to engage in physical activity. This study explored the changes in self-reported physical activity level (PAL), risk factors, and estimated cardiorespiratory fitness (eCRF) among south American adults by comparing data reflecting the pre-pandemic period to data collected during the survey.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional online survey between July 2021 through March 2022 using validated questionnaires (e.

World health Organization's guidance for tracking non-communicable diseases towards sustainable development goals 3.4: an initiative for facility-based monitoring.

Background: Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) account for over 60% of annual global deaths, disproportionately affecting low- and middle-income countries. This trend undermines progress toward Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3.4, which seeks to reduce premature mortality from NCDs by one-third by 2030.

Characterizing the Venezuelan situation between 2014-2020 in a population-based study using seven key indicators.

Background: Venezuela has faced a crisis over the past decade. This study aims to characterize the crisis and identify the population's most vulnerable subgroups.

Methods: Follow-up data (2018-2020) from 1,257 subjects (35% of the total) who participated in the nationally representative sample of the Venezuelan Study of Cardiometabolic Health (EVESCAM, 2014-2017) were analyzed.

Refined selection of individuals for preventive cardiovascular disease treatment with a transformer-based risk model.

Background: Although statistical models have been commonly used to identify patients at risk of cardiovascular disease for preventive therapy, these models tend to over-recommend therapy. Moreover, in populations with pre-existing diseases, the current approach is to indiscriminately treat all, as modelling in this context is currently inadequate. This study aimed to develop and validate the Transformer-based Risk assessment survival (TRisk) model, a novel deep learning model, for predicting 10-year risk of cardiovascular disease in both the primary prevention population and individuals with diabetes.

Cardiovascular risk management in adults with diagnosed diabetes in Mexico from 2016-2023: A retrospective analysis of nationally representative surveys.

Background: Effective cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk management is a cornerstone of optimal diabetes care. Here, we estimated the prevalence and determinants of CVD risk factor control amongst individuals with diagnosed diabetes in Mexico.

Methods: We analyzed data from individuals with diagnosed diabetes ≥20 years from the 2016-2023 Mexican National Health and Nutrition Surveys.

Cancer Incidence in Kabul, Afghanistan: The First Report From the Population-Based Cancer Registry.

Background: Establishing a population-based cancer registry is crucial for understanding cancer incidence, identifying risk factors, and developing effective cancer control programs. The Kabul Cancer Registry (KCR), Afghanistan's first population-based cancer registry, was established in 2018. The purpose of this study was to estimate the incidence of cancer in Kabul between 2018 and 2020.

Human capital and lifetime income gains of scaling-up small-quantity lipid nutrient supplements among children under 2 years: A modelling analysis.

Undernutrition in early childhood is associated with adverse health and developmental outcomes later in life and remains a persistent global public health problem. Providing small-quantity lipid nutrient supplements (SQ-LNS) to children aged 6-24 months improves child growth and neurodevelopmental outcomes, but the potential long-term benefits to human capital have not been previously estimated. We estimated the potential returns to schooling and lifetime income attributable to increasing coverage of SQ-LNS for children <2 years of age from 0% to 50% or 90% per five-year birth cohort in five countries (Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Pakistan, and Uganda) with a high burden of undernutrition.

Performance of the revised World Health Organization cardiovascular disease risk prediction models for the Middle East and North Africa: a validation study in the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study.

Objectives: We aimed to evaluate the performance of the revised World Health Organization (WHO) models in predicting the 10-year risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in Iran, as part of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

Study Design And Setting: We analyzed data from the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study (TLGS), including 5162 participants (2241 men) aged 40-80 years without CVD at baseline (the third examination, 2006-2008), for the occurrence of CVD (myocardial infarction (MI), coronary heart disease (CHD) death, and stroke). We assessed the statistical performance of original and regionally recalibrated models, both laboratory- and non-laboratory-based, using discrimination (C-statistic) calibration (calibration plot and observed-to-expected[O:E] ratio) and clinical performance applying net benefit (NB), a measure of true positives (TP) penalized for a weight of false positives (FP), a decimal value representing the expected proportion of TP outcomes among total population.

Implementing a Low-Calorie diet to Enhance weight loss in the diabetes Prevention Program during a humanitarian Crisis: A pilot pragmatic randomized trial in Venezuela.

Background: Preventing type 2 diabetes during humanitarian crises is under-researched. In Venezuela, a third of adults have prediabetes amid a prolonged crisis.

Aim: This study assessed the effectiveness of an intensive weight reduction strategy aimed at achieving a 7% weight loss in Venezuelan individuals with elevated risk of type 2 diabetes.

Optimal risk thresholds for prescribing statins as primary prevention of cardiovascular disease in Iranian general population: a benefit-harm modelling study.

Purpose: The use of statins for the primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) is associated with various beneficial outcomes, alongside certain undesirable effects. This study aims to determine optimal risk thresholds above which statin therapy yields a net benefit, considering both the positive effects and potential adverse effects, as well as their probabilities and patient preferences.

Methods: Quantitative benefit-harm balance modeling was applied to the Iranian general population aged 40 to 75 years with no history of CVD.

Cardiovascular Disease Training Programmes: Three Schemes to Train Leaders for Future Challenges.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) represents the largest burden of disease globally and despite the availability of strong evidence supporting cost-effective treatments for people with CVD, the implementation of these treatments remains low, especially in low-income settings. Shortages in workforce have led to focus on how to increase clinical capacity. However, a simplistic focus on training clinicians will not fill the gaps in research, policy and implementation, which also need to be addressed at the same time.

Sociodemographic and Clinical Predictors of Weight Gain During the First Year of Antiretroviral Therapy among Adults Living With HIV in Urban Tanzania.

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) has improved the survival of people living with HIV (PLHIV) but this success has been accompanied by an increase in noncommunicable diseases. We conducted a prospective cohort study of 4000 adult PLHIV who were initiating ART in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, to assess weight gain during the first year of treatment and associated sociodemographic and clinical factors. Anthropometric data were collected at ART initiation and monthly follow-up visits.

Long-term statin use and risk of cancers: a target trial emulation study.

Background And Objectives: Controversy exists regarding potential cancer risks associated with long-term statin use. This study aimed to use real-world data to investigate the association between cancer incidence and sustained statin use over a 10-year period.

Methods: Using territory-wide public electronic medical records in Hong Kong, we emulated a sequence of nested target trials on patients who met indications for statin initiation in each calendar month from January 2009 to December 2011.

Predicting cardiovascular disease risk using photoplethysmography and deep learning.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are responsible for a large proportion of premature deaths in low- and middle-income countries. Early CVD detection and intervention is critical in these populations, yet many existing CVD risk scores require a physical examination or lab measurements, which can be challenging in such health systems due to limited accessibility. We investigated the potential to use photoplethysmography (PPG), a sensing technology available on most smartphones that can potentially enable large-scale screening at low cost, for CVD risk prediction.

Benefits and Risks Associated With Statin Therapy for Primary Prevention in Old and Very Old Adults : Real-World Evidence From a Target Trial Emulation Study.

Background: There is little consensus on using statins for primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and all-cause mortality in adults aged 75 years or older due to the underrepresentation of this population in randomized controlled trials.

Objective: To investigate the benefits and risks of using statins for primary prevention in old (aged 75 to 84 years) and very old (aged ≥85 years) adults.

Design: Sequential target trial emulation comparing matched cohorts initiating versus not initiating statin therapy.

Self-Administration of Aspirin After Chest Pain for the Prevention of Premature Cardiovascular Mortality in the United States: A Population-Based Analysis.

Background: Aspirin, an effective, low-cost pharmaceutical, can significantly reduce mortality if used promptly after acute myocardial infarction (AMI). However, many AMI survivors do not receive aspirin within a few hours of symptom onset. Our aim was to quantify the mortality benefit of self-administering aspirin at chest pain onset, considering the increased risk of bleeding and costs associated with widespread use.

Evaluating different low-density lipoprotein cholesterol thresholds to initiate statin for prevention of cardiovascular diseases in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A target trial emulation study.

Aim: The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of statin therapy for primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) when initiating therapy at different baseline low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Materials And Methods: Using territory-wide public electronic medical records in Hong Kong, we emulated a sequence of trials on patients with T2DM with elevated LDL-C levels in every calendar month from January 2008 to December 2014. Pooled logistic regression was applied to obtain the hazard ratios for the major CVDs (stroke, myocardial infarction, heart failure), all-cause mortality and major adverse events (myopathies and liver dysfunction) of statin therapy.

Cardiometabolic and renal phenotypes and transitions in the United States population.

Cardiovascular and renal conditions have both shared and distinct determinants. In this study, we applied unsupervised clustering to multiple rounds of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 1988 to 2018, and identified 10 cardiometabolic and renal phenotypes. These included a 'low risk' phenotype; two groups with average risk factor levels but different heights; one group with low body-mass index and high levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; five phenotypes with high levels of one or two related risk factors ('high heart rate', 'high cholesterol', 'high blood pressure', 'severe obesity' and 'severe hyperglycemia'); and one phenotype with low diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and low estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR).