Family practice
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In primary care, health professionals use blood tests to investigate nonspecific presentations to inform referral decisions. Reference ranges for the commonly used blood tests in western countries were developed in predominately White populations, and so may perform differently when applied to non-White populations. Knowledge of ethnic variation in blood test results in healthy/general populations could help address ethnic inequalities in cancer referral for diagnosis and outcomes. ⋯ There is evidence of ethnic differences in average values of haemoglobin, MCV, CRP, and albumin in healthy/general populations. Further research is needed to explore the reasons for these differences. Systematic review registration: CRD42021274580.
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Meta Analysis
Self-help interventions for the prevention of relapse in mood disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Self-help interventions may offer a scalable adjunct to traditional care, but their effectiveness in relapse prevention is not well-established. Objectives: This review aimed to assess their effectiveness in preventing relapses among individuals with mood disorders. ⋯ Self-help interventions demonstrate a modest preventative effect on relapse in mood disorders, despite low to very low certainty. Future research is essential to identify which elements of self-help interventions are most effective.
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There are currently different management guidelines for patients undergoing elective total hip arthroplasty (THA) or total knee arthroplasty (TKA) that are on long-term anticoagulation. The timing of discontinuation and restarting the anticoagulation is challenging during the postoperative care, which often involves general practitioners and physiotherapists. ⋯ Systematic Review of Level III studies.
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Primary aldosteronism (PA) is the most common treatable and potentially curable cause of secondary hypertension. Prompt diagnosis and management by primary care physicians (PCPs) is important given the increased risk of cardiovascular complications however screening rates are low in primary care. Our aim was to identify factors that influence screening behaviour for PA among PCPs. ⋯ Low awareness, inadequate guidelines, and poor access to testing were identified as key barriers to PA screening. Targeted education sessions for PCPs, clear guidelines, and closer proximity to diagnostic centres may be required to improve PA detection in primary care.
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Primary aldosteronism (PA) is the most common treatable and potentially curable cause of secondary hypertension. Prompt diagnosis and management by primary care physicians (PCPs) is important given the increased risk of cardiovascular complications however screening rates are low in primary care. Our aim was to identify factors that influence screening behaviour for PA among PCPs. ⋯ Low awareness, inadequate guidelines, and poor access to testing were identified as key barriers to PA screening. Targeted education sessions for PCPs, clear guidelines, and closer proximity to diagnostic centres may be required to improve PA detection in primary care.