The Mental Health of First Nations Children in Manitoba: A Population-Based Retrospective Cohort Study Using Linked Administrative Data: La santé mentale des enfants des Premières Nations au Manitoba : une étude de cohorte rétrospective dans la population, à l'aide de données administratives liées

OBJECTIVE

First Nations children face a greater risk of experiencing mental disorders than other children from the general population because of family and societal factors, yet there is little research examining their mental health. This study compares diagnosed mental disorders and suicidal behaviours of First Nations children living on-reserve and off-reserve to all other children living in Manitoba.

METHOD

The research team, which included First Nations and non-First Nations researchers, utilized population-based administrative data that linked de-identified individual-level records from the 2016 First Nations Research File to health and social information for children living in Manitoba. Adjusted rates and rate ratios of mental disorders and suicide behaviours were calculated using a generalized linear modelling approach to compare First Nations children (n = 40,574) and all other children (n = 197,109) and comparing First Nations children living on- and off-reserve.

RESULTS

Compared with all other children, First Nations children had a higher prevalence of schizophrenia (adjusted rate ratio (aRR): 4.42, 95% confidence interval (CI), 3.36 to 5.82), attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD; aRR: 1.21, 95% CI, 1.09 to 1.33), substance use disorders (aRR: 5.19; 95% CI, 4.25 to 6.33), hospitalizations for suicide attempts (aRR: 6.96; 95% CI, 4.36 to 11.13) and suicide deaths (aRR: 10.63; 95% CI, 7.08 to 15.95). The prevalence of ADHD and mood/anxiety disorders was significantly higher for First Nations children living off-reserve compared with on-reserve; in contrast, hospitalization rates for suicide attempts were twice as high on-reserve than off-reserve. When the comparison cohort was restricted to only other children in low-income areas, a higher prevalence of almost all disorders remained for First Nations children.

CONCLUSION

Large disparities were found in mental health indicators between First Nations children and other children in Manitoba, demonstrating that considerable work is required to improve the mental well-being of First Nations children. Equitable access to culturally safe services is urgently needed and these services should be self-determined, planned, and implemented by First Nations people.

Life Course Predictors of Young Men Surviving to Age 90 in a Cohort Study: The Manitoba Follow-up Study

The purpose of this study was to identify factors at various time points in life that are associated with surviving to age 90. Data from men enrolled in a cohort study since 1948 were considered in 12-year intervals. Logistic regression models were constructed with the outcome of surviving to age 90. Factors were: childhood illness, blood pressure (BP), body mass index (BMI), chronic diseases, and electrocardiogram (ECG) findings. After 1996, the Short Form-36 was added. A total of 3,976 men were born in 1928 or earlier, and hence by the end of our study window in 2018, each had the opportunity of surviving to age 90. Of these, 721 did live to beyond his 90th birthday.The factors in 1948 which predicted surviving were: lower diastolic BP, lower BMI, and not smoking. In 1960, these factors were: lower BP, lower BMI, not smoking, and no major ECG changes. In 1972, these factors were lower BP, not smoking, and fewer disease states. In 1984, these factors were lower systolic BP, not smoking, ECG changes, and fewer disease states. In 1996, the factors were fewer disease states and higher physical and mental health functioning. In 2008, only higher physical functioning predicted survival to the age of 90. In young adulthood, risk factors are important predictors of surviving to age 90; in mid-life, chronic illnesses emerge, and in later life, functional status becomes predominant.

Comparison of Mortality Rate and Severity of Pulmonary Involvement in Coronavirus Disease-2019 Adult Patients With and Without Type 2 Diabetes: A Cohort Study

OBJECTIVES

Patients with diabetes are potentially at higher risk of mortality due to coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19). In this study, we aimed to compare the outcomes and severity of pulmonary involvement in COVID-19 patients with and without diabetes.

METHODS

In this cohort study, we recruited patients with diabetes who were hospitalized due to COVID-19 during the period from February 2020 to May 2020. Hospitalized individuals without diabetes were enrolled as control subjects. All patients were followed for 90 days and clinical findings and patients' outcomes were reported.

RESULTS

Over a period of 4 months, 127 patients with diabetes and 127 individuals without diabetes with a diagnosis of COVID-19 were recruited. Their mean age was 65.70±12.51 years. Mortality was higher in the group with diabetes (22.8% vs 15.0%; p=0.109), although not significantly. More severe pulmonary involvement (p=0.015), extended hospital stay (p<0.001) and greater need for invasive ventilation (p=0.029) were reported in this population. Stepwise logistic regression revealed that diabetes was not independently associated with mortality (p=0.092). Older age (odds ratio [OR], 1.054; p=0.003), aggravated pulmonary involvement on admission (OR, 1.149; p=0.001), presence of comorbidities (OR, 1.290; p=0.020) and hypothyroidism (OR, 6.576; p=0.021) were associated with mortality. Diabetic foot infection had a strong positive correlation with mortality (OR, 49.819; p=0.016), whereas insulin therapy had a negative correlation (OR, 0.242; p=0.045).

CONCLUSIONS

The mortality rate due to COVID-19 did not differ significantly between patients with or without diabetes. Older age, macrovascular complications and presence of comorbidities could increase mortality in people with diabetes. Insulin therapy during hospitalization could attenuate the detrimental effects of hyperglycemia and improve prognosis of patients with COVID-19 and diabetes.

Association between treatment with oral third-generation cephalosporin antibiotics and mortality outcomes in Ebola virus disease: a multinational retrospective cohort study

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the association between oral third-generation cephalosporin antibiotic treatment and mortality in Ebola virus disease (EVD).

METHODS

This retrospective cohort studied EVD-infected patients admitted to five Ebola Treatment Units in Sierra Leone and Liberia during 2014-15. Empiric treatment with cefixime 400 mg once daily for five days was the clinical protocol; however, due to resource variability, only a subset of patients received treatment. Data on sociodemographics, clinical characteristics, malaria status and Ebola viral loads were collected. The primary outcome was mortality compared between cases treated with cefixime within 48 h of admission to those not treated within 48 h. Propensity scores were derived using clinical covariates. Mortality between treated and untreated cases was compared using propensity-matched conditional logistic regression and bootstrapped log-linear regression analyses to calculate an odds ratio (OR) and relative risk (RR), respectively, with associated 95% confidence intervals (CI).

RESULTS

Of 424 cases analysed, 360 (84.9%) met the cefixime treatment definition. The mean age was 30.5 years and 40.3% were male. Median cefixime treatment duration was 4 days (IQR: 3, 5). Among cefixime-treated patients, mortality was 54.7% (95% CI: 49.6-59.8%) vs. 73.4% (95% CI: 61.5-82.7%) in untreated patients. In conditional logistic regression, mortality likelihood was significantly lower among cases receiving cefixime (OR = 0.48, 95% CI: 0.32-0.71; P = 0.01). In the bootstrap analysis, a non-significant risk reduction was found with cefixime treatment (RR = 0.82, 95% CI: 0.64-1.16, P = 0.11).

CONCLUSION

Early oral cefixime may be associated with reduced mortality in EVD and warrants further investigation.

Critical evaluation of the appetite test for children with severe acute malnutrition

OBJECTIVES

The appetite test is used to risk stratify for children with severe acute malnutrition (SAM) in inpatient or outpatient care. The test is recommended in guidelines despite lack of evidence. We evaluated its ability to identify children at risk of a poor treatment outcome.

METHODS

We conducted an observational study of children diagnosed with SAM at three health facilities in Ethiopia. The appetite test was done independently, and the result did not affect decisions about hospitalisation and clinical care. Data were analysed using mixed linear and logistic regression models.

RESULTS

Appetite was tested in 298 (89%) of 334 children enrolled; 56 (19%) passed. Children failing the appetite test had a 6.6% higher weight gain per day (95% CI: 2.6, 10.8) adjusted for type of treatment, oedema, duration of follow-up and age than children passing the test. We found medical complications in 179 (54%) children. Medical complications were associated with blood markers of metabolic disturbance. Children with medical complications tended to have lower weight gain than those without complications (3.5%, 95% CI: -0.25, 7.0). Neither the appetite test nor medical complications were correlated with bacteraemia or treatment failure.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings question the use of the appetite test to identify children who need inpatient care. An assessment of medical complications alone could be a useful risk indicator but needs to be evaluated in other settings.

Time-Varying Risk for Breast Cancer Following Initiation of Glucose-Lowering Therapy in Women with Type 2 Diabetes: Exploring Detection Bias

OBJECTIVES

To explore detection bias in the association between glucose-lowering therapies and breast cancer in a cohort of women with type 2 diabetes.

METHODS

This was a retrospective, population-based cohort study. We identified new users of metformin, sulfonylureas, thiazolidinediones and insulin during the index period of January 1, 2003, to December 31, 2010. The main outcome was incident breast cancer, and patients were followed up from drug exposure index date until death, diagnosis of another type of cancer, termination of medical insurance or December 31, 2010. To explore detection bias, we split follow-up time into 2 discrete time periods of 0 to 3 months and 3 months to 6 years after drug index date. We performed time-varying Cox regression analyses, including duration of cumulative drug exposure and ever/never drug exposure for each glucose-lowering therapy into our model. The reference was no use of the same drug-exposure category.

RESULTS

There were 22,169 women with type 2 diabetes, with a mean (SD) age of 53.0 (9.2) years and mean (SD) follow up of 2.2 (1.5) years. Hazard ratios for breast cancer in the first 3 months following initiation of metformin, sulfonylurea or thiazolidinedione were 0.66 (0.43 to 1.02), 0.74 (0.44 to 1.25) and 0.67 (0.38 to 1.18), respectively. In the later period of 3 months to 6 years following drug start, hazard ratios (95% CI) for breast cancer were 1.00 (0.98 to 1.02), 1.01 (0.98 to 1.03) and 0.98 (0.95 to 1.01) for metformin, sulfonylurea and thiazolidinedione cumulative exposure, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that no detection bias exists for glucose-lowering therapies and breast cancer in this population.

Statin Use and the Risk for Incident Diabetes Mellitus in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome after Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: A Population-Based Retrospective Cohort Study in Taiwan

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to examine the association between statin use by individuals and the risk for incident diabetes mellitus in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients who were hospitalized for ACS between January 1, 2006, and December 31, 2010, and who had undergone PCI (n=30,665); the data were retrieved from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. A propensity score technique was used to establish a 1:1 matched cohort for statin users and non-statin users (n=9043 for each group). The risk for incident diabetes mellitus in statin users compared to non-statin users for patients with ACS after PCI was estimated by the multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression model.

RESULTS

Statin use was associated with a significant increase of 27% in the risk for new-onset diabetes mellitus (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 1.27, 95% CI 1.14 to 1.41) compared to non-statin use in the matched cohort. The matched cohort analysis indicated that almost all individual statins were associated with a statistically significant increase in the risk for new-onset diabetes mellitus compared to those without statin use.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study indicated an association between increased risk for new-onset diabetes mellitus and statin use. Because the benefits of statins in prevention of morbidity and mortality in patients with ACS are well-established, clinical decision making should not be changed for patients with existing cardiovascular disease in whom statin therapy is recommended.

Incidence, risk factors and causes of death in an HIV care programme with a large proportion of injecting drug users

OBJECTIVES

To identify factors influencing mortality in an HIV programme providing care to large numbers of injecting drug users (IDUs) and patients co-infected with hepatitis C (HCV).

METHODS

A longitudinal analysis of monitoring data from HIV-infected adults who started antiretroviral therapy (ART) between 2003 and 2009 was performed. Mortality and programme attrition rates within 2 years of ART initiation were estimated. Associations with individual-level factors were assessed with multivariable Cox and piece-wise Cox regression.

RESULTS

A total of 1671 person-years of follow-up from 1014 individuals was analysed. Thirty-four percent of patients were women and 33% were current or ex-IDUs. 36.2% of patients (90.8% of IDUs) were co-infected with HCV. Two-year all-cause mortality rate was 5.4 per 100 person-years (95% CI, 4.4-6.7). Most HIV-related deaths occurred within 6 months of ART start (36, 67.9%), but only 5 (25.0%) non-HIV-related deaths were recorded during this period. Mortality was higher in older patients (HR = 2.50; 95% CI, 1.42-4.40 for ≥40 compared to 15-29 years), and in those with initial BMI < 18.5 kg/m(2) (HR = 3.38; 95% CI, 1.82-5.32), poor adherence to treatment (HR = 5.13; 95% CI, 2.47-10.65 during the second year of therapy), or low initial CD4 cell count (HR = 4.55; 95% CI, 1.54-13.41 for <100 compared to ≥100 cells/μl). Risk of death was not associated with IDU status (P = 0.38).

CONCLUSION

Increased mortality was associated with late presentation of patients. In this programme, death rates were similar regardless of injection drug exposure, supporting the notion that satisfactory treatment outcomes can be achieved when comprehensive care is provided to these patients.