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• The high prevalence of patients who are lost to follow-up illustrates the difficulty of long-term surveillance of a certain proportion of patients in bariatric surgery. The main determining reasons are related to clinical, social and geographic factors. • Compared to medical treatment, bariatric surgery increases life-expectancy of obese patients. Nonetheless, excess mortality can be observed in the long-term, related essentially to nutritional deficiencies, addictions and suicide attempts. • Antecedent psychiatric history and crossover or transfer addictions (alcohol, gambling, substance abuse) are possible reasons for postoperative difficulties and the elevated risk for suicide. • The risk for re-operation at five years is higher for gastric bypass than for sleeve gastrectomy. • The risk of marginal ulcer after gastric bypass is 1.5 per 100 patient years, i.e. 10 times the risk in the overall population. • Better information given to patients and physicians regarding long-term surveillance should help anticipate and prevent nutritional and vitamin deficiencies of patients lost to follow-up. Bariatric surgery is now recognized as the most effective treatment of morbid obesity, leading to durable weight loss and resolution of associated co-morbidities. Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy are the two most widely used operations today. However, potentially serious medical, surgical, and/or psychiatric complications can occur that raise questions regarding the benefits of this type of surgery. These complications can lead to surgical re-operations, iterative hospitalizations, severe nutritional deficiencies and psychological disorders. Indeed, death from suicide is said to be three times higher than in non-operated obese patients. These results are of concern, all the more because of the high prevalence of patients lost to follow-up (for various and multifactorial reasons) after bariatric surgery. However, better knowledge of post-surgical sequelae could improve the information provided to patients, the preoperative evaluation of the benefit/risk ratio, and, for patients undergoing surgery, the completeness and quality of follow-up as well as the detection and management of complications. The development of new strategies for postoperative follow-up such as telemedicine but also the mobilization of all the actors along the healthcare pathway can make inroads and warrant further study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reporting high-quality bariatric surgery outcomes depends on participant attrition and level of study participation among enrolled participants. Our aims are to report participant attrition, active enrollment, and level of participation, and to evaluate pre-surgery sociodemographic, physical health, and psychosocial factors as predictors of attrition and level of participation through 5 years. The Longitudinal Assessment of Bariatric Surgery-2 study which enrolled 2458 adults undergoing a first bariatric surgical procedure at 1 of 6 US cites from 2006 through 2009. In-person research assessments were conducted pre-surgery and annually for five years. Extensive retention strategies including offering remote assessments (telephone, email, mail, or a combination) were fully implemented in 2009. Among living participants, including those inactivated, annual follow-up assessments were categorized as in-person, remote or missed through 5 years. By year 5, 1.7% of participants had died and 3.2% had withdrawn or were inactivated by the study staff; thus, attrition was 4.9% (n = 121). Controlling for site and calendar year, missed assessments increased from 14.7%–21.8% between years 1 and 2 and then stayed relatively stable (20.8%–19.6%) for years 3–5. Younger age, male sex, White race, lower body mass index, smoking, illicit drug use, and higher weight loss expectations preoperatively were independently associated with a higher likelihood of a missed versus in-person assessment across follow-up. The LABS-2 participant attrition was low. The percentage of missed assessments did not increase after year 2, perhaps due to implementation of a comprehensive retention plan. Predictors of missed assessments highlight subgroups to target for focused retention efforts. [Display omitted] • Low LABS-2 attrition rate over 5-years may be due to a robust retention plan. • Specific pre-surgery features independently relate to attrition and participation. • Predictors of attrition/missed assessments highlight targets for retention plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the follow-up of children diagnosed with deafness in neonatal hearing screening and risk factors for hearing loss. METHODS: Quantitative, cross-sectional, and retrospective study to evaluate factors associated with hearing loss and the follow-up of cases of children diagnosed with audiological dysfunction, by analyzing electronic medical records of 5,305 children referred to a Specialized Center in Type I Rehabilitation, from January/2016 to February/2020, in the city of Manaus, Amazonas. The statistical study used Pearson's chi-square test and binary logistic regression in which odds ratio scans were obtained with reliability intervals of 95%. RESULTS: Of the 5,305 children referred for the otoacoustic emission retest, 366 (6.9%) failed the retest. Children diagnosed with sensorineural hearing loss continued in the study, totaling 265 (72.4%). Only 58 (21.9%) children continued in the study to its end, of these 39 had received hearing aids at that point; and 16 (41%) had surgical indication for cochlear implants, of which only 3 (18.7%) had undergone surgery. Among the risk factors for hearing loss, we found 2.6 times more chance of failure in the otoacoustic emissions retest in those children who had a family history of hearing loss and ICU stay. CONCLUSION: Although the screening flow reaches a large part of live births, the dropout rates during the process are high, therefore, the socioeconomic and geographic characteristics of regions such as the Amazon should be considered as relevant factors to the evasion of rehabilitation programs of these children. Hospitalization in the neonatal ICU and family history of hearing loss in the investigations could be identified as the main and most important factors for alteration of the otoacoustic emissions retests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The information associated with loss to follow-up (LFU) patients may affect real-world data evaluation of the use of biologics that is not being adequately captured in registries. Methods: We identified all patients (Pts) treated with biologics in our center who had no visits registered for more than 6 months, in the Rheumatic Diseases Portuguese Register, Reuma.pt. We retrieved baseline information from Reuma.pt and from the hospital electronic clinical record. We then performed a telephonic interview to characterize the reasons for LFU at our day care unit. For Pts unable to be contacted by telephone a letter of invitation to an appointment at the hospital was sent. Results: From a total of 794 Pts registered in Reuma.pt at our center with active biologic therapy 227 did not have any information registered in the last 6 months. Of this, 36 Pts were on biologic therapy prescribed by other departments and maintained follow-up in these departments. 102 Pts had suspended biologic administration by medical indication and this information was registered in the hospital electronic clinical records but not updated in Reuma.pt. For 89 Pts no information could be retrieved from either the hospital electronic clinical record or Reuma.pt and we classified these Pts as true LFU. 26 of these LFU Pts were being followed up in another Rheumatology center. 26 of the LFU Pts died. 11 Pts had an adverse effect. 4 Pts of the LFU were considering to be in remission. We were not able to contact 15 of the LFU pts. Conclusion: Identifying LFU Pts and clarifying the reason for the loss of data in a register contributes to a better knowledge on strategies to discontinue biologics in stable pts, to a better pharmacovigilance of adverse effects and to more efficiency in data capture by registries. Due to data protection reasons it was impossible to have access to the Pts's death certificates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Follow-up after bariatric surgery is important if we are to identify long-term complications at an early stage and thereby improve long-term outcome. Despite great efforts, many patients are lost to follow-up. Definition of characteristics of patients failing to attend follow-up could help in defining a specific group for whom extra resources may be applied to improve the situation. To identify characteristics of patients failing to attend follow-up 2 years after laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery. Multicenter study, Sweden. Post hoc analysis of a randomized clinical trial in which preoperative patient characteristics and postoperative outcome measures were compared between patients who attended or did not attend a 2-year follow-up visit after laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery. Of the 2495 patients included, 260 did not attend a 2-year follow-up visit. Factors associated with higher risk for failure to attend were younger age (adjusted odds ratio [OR].96, 95% confidence interval [CI].94–.98/yr, P <.001); male sex (adjusted OR 2.34, 95% CI 1.51–3.63, P <.001); depression (adjusted OR 1.61, 95% CI 1.05–2.47, P =.029); history of smoking (adjusted OR 1.78, 95% CI 1.26–2.51, P =.001); being single (adjusted OR 1.47, 95% CI 1.03–2.11, P =.036); and being first-generation immigrant (adjusted OR 1.74, 95% CI 1.05–2.88; P =.032). Elementary occupation (adjusted OR.42, 95% CI.18–.99, P =.047) was associated with lower risk. These findings indicate that there are preoperative characteristics that may help in identifying patients likely to fail to attend follow-up visits after laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery. Special effort should be made to inform these patients of the importance of follow-up and to encourage them to attend. Younger age, male gender, depression, ethnicity, marital status and smoking all influence the risk not to attend 2-year follow-up visit. Preoperative characteristics can be used to identify patients at risk for failure to attend follow-up visits after gastric bypass surgery [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background--Premature treatment discontinuation and loss to follow-up (LTFU) with unknown outcomes leave uncertainty about the true efficacy and safety of a treatment and a lack of confidence in the results of any trial. We reviewed the extent of (and trends over time in) reporting LTFU and treatment discontinuation in large studies in chronic heart failure published since 1990. Methods and Results--Online databases were systematically reviewed to identify randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs) in chronic heart failure with >400 participants and utilizing all-cause mortality as a component of the primary or secondary end point. Assessments were made of documentation of treatment discontinuation, LTFU, inclusion of and completeness of a Consolidated Standards Of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) diagram, and whether LTFU was differentiated from withdrawal of consent. Sixty-eight trials were identified, with >154 000 participants. Reasons for treatment discontinuation in pharmacotherapy trials were infrequently reported (35%), particularly in a CONSORT diagram (20%). Eighty-three percent of trials reported LTFU, although only 34% of these differentiated LTFU for vital status from withdrawal of consent. Use of a CONSORT diagram increased over time, although reporting of LTFU in the CONSORT diagram remained low overall at 35%. Conclusions--Participant low through RCTs in chronic heart failure has not been uniformly reported, and the use of a complete CONSORT diagram has been low, although it seems to be improving. All study participants should be accounted for within a CONSORT diagram in any RCT to enable the practicing cardiologist to interpret how the results should influence his/her clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Diagnostic chest CT frequently results in abnormal findings that require follow-up. We assessed the timeliness of follow-up after CT abnormalities were identified in symptomatic smokers at high risk for developing lung cancer.Methods: In an academic primary care network, we identified current smokers aged 55-79 years who received a diagnostic chest CT to evaluate symptoms during 2012. Medical chart abstraction identified radiologist recommendations and follow-up care. The outcome was the proportion of patients who received timely follow-up (within 30 days of recommendation) after an abnormal chest CT. We assessed for predictors of compliance with recommended follow-up.Results: Of 3,257 eligible smokers, 446 (14%) had a chest CT during 2012. We excluded 70 patients who already had lung cancer, died, had imaging done elsewhere, or left the practice. Of the remaining 376 patients, 337 (90%) had abnormal chest CT findings, and 184 (55%) had a specific follow-up recommendation. Among those with recommended follow-up, only 102 of 184 (55%) had timely follow-up. Those who had a CT performed to evaluate pulmonary disease and those receiving care in community health centers were more likely to receive timely follow-up. Of 27 patients newly diagnosed with lung cancer, 18 (67%) had their first oncology visit within 30 days of diagnosis.Conclusions: Among patients undergoing diagnostic chest CTs, most received follow-up for abnormal findings, but it was often delayed. Systems to support patients in obtaining recommended follow-up are needed to ensure that the benefits of lung cancer screening translate into usual clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Randomised controlled trials are the ideal way to assess the effects of interventions. Small trials are useful for generating pilot data to determine samples sizes for larger trials, but can produce unreliable or biased results if they are considered in their own right. We investigate the impact of small sample sizes due to either inadequate recruitment targets or high attrition rates on the results of fatty acid intervention trials. Data from our large trial of DHA supplementation during pregnancy with minimal attrition are used for illustration. Our findings demonstrate that recruiting fewer participants or neglecting to follow up difficult participants can lead to substantially different results and alter conclusions about the effectiveness of the intervention. Developing strategies for overcoming these inadequacies should be a top priority in fatty acid intervention trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objective: To identify baseline participant variables in the domains of demographics, medical/psychosocial history, injury characteristics, and postinjury functional status associated with longitudinal follow-up completeness in persons with traumatic brain injury (TBI) using the TBI Model Systems (TBIMS) National Database (NDB). Design: Exhaustive chi-square automatic interaction detection was used to identify factors that classified participants according to level of follow-up completeness. Setting: Retrospective analysis of a multi-center longitudinal database. Participants: Individuals (N=8249) enrolled in the TBIMS NDB between 1989 and 2009 who were eligible for at least the first (year 1) follow-up up to the fifth (year 15) follow-up. Interventions: None. Main Outcome Measures: Follow-up completeness as defined by 6 different longitudinal response patterns (LRPs): completing all follow-ups, wave nonresponse, dropping out, completing no follow-ups without formally withdrawing, formally withdrawing before completing any follow-ups, and formally withdrawing after completing some follow-ups. Results: Completing all follow-ups was associated with higher levels of education, living with parents or others, and having acute care payer data entered in the NDB. Subgroups more vulnerable to loss to follow-up (LTFU) included those with less education, racial/ethnic minority backgrounds, those with better motor functioning on rehabilitation discharge, and those for whom baseline data on education, employment, and acute care payer were not collected. No subgroups were found to be more likely to have the LRPs of dropping out or formal withdrawal. Conclusions: These data identify subgroups in which retention strategies beyond those most commonly used might reduce LTFU in longitudinal studies of persons with TBI, such as the TBIMS, and suggest future investigations into factors associated with missing baseline data. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Introduction: It is not uncommon for patients with HIV infection to miss scheduled visits in outpatient clinics without justifying the failure to appear or reschedule the appointment. Few studies have assessed the impact of inconsistent follow-ups on resource use and disease outcomes in this patient population. Objective: To assess the effect of missing scheduled visits to the outpatient clinic on the health outcomes of HIV-infected patients. Methods: Between January and June 2006, we conducted a prospective observational study monitoring assistance at an outpatient HIV/AIDS clinic of a tertiary hospital within a public health care system in a developed country. The short-term subsequent events (deaths and admissions) of the population were observed from January to December 2006. Results: Of the 1,733 HIV patients who were scheduled in the outpatient clinic, 103 met the criteria of missing scheduled visit (5.9%). Hospital admissions and mortality rates were significantly higher in the missing scheduled visit group compared to non-missing scheduled visits (27.2% vs 8.9%; P<.001 and 5.8% vs 0.7%; P<.001, respectively). Patients with missing scheduled visits had a higher risk of hospital admissions (odds ratio [OR] 2.4; 95% Cl, 1.4-4) and mortality (OR 6.7; 95% Cl, 2.2-18.5) adjusted by age, CD4 cell count, HIV stage, and category of transmission. Conclusions: Missing scheduled visits was an independent predicting factor for hospital admission and mortality. It is warranted to monitor and implement resources to reduce missed appointments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: RCTs (randomized controlled trials) are the preferred source of evidence to support professional societies' guidelines. The fragility index (FI), defined as the minimum number of patients whose status would need to switch from nonevent to event to render a statistically significant result nonsignificant, quantitatively estimates the robustness of RCT results. We evaluate RCTs supporting current guidelines on myocardial revascularization using the FI and FI minus number of patients lost to follow-up.Methods and Results: The FI and FI minus number of patients lost to follow-up of RCTs supporting the 2012 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Guideline for the Diagnosis and Management of Patients with Stable Ischemic Heart Disease, the 2014 Focused Update of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Guideline for the Diagnosis and Management of Patients with Stable Ischemic Heart Disease, and the 2018 European Society of Cardiology/European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery Guidelines for Myocardial Revascularization were calculated. Of 414 RCTs identified, 160 were eligible for FI calculation. The median FI was 8.0 (95% CI, 5.0-9.0) and the median FI minus number of patients lost to follow-up was 1.0 (95% CI, 0.0-3.0). FI was ≤3, indicating very limited robustness, in 44 (27.5%) RCTs, and was lower than the number LTF, indicating limited robustness, in 68 (42.5%) RCTs. FI was significantly (all P<0.05) correlated with the sample size, number of events, statistical power, journal impact factor, use of intention-to-treat analysis, and of composite end points and negatively correlated with the use of percutaneous interventions in the treatment arm and the P-value level.Conclusions: More than a quarter of RCTs that support current guidelines on myocardial revascularization have a FI of 3 or lower, and over 40% of trials reveal a FI that is lower than the number of patients lost to follow-up. These findings suggest that the robustness of the findings that support current myocardial revascularization guidelines is tenuous and vulnerable to change as new evidence from RCTs appears. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Facebook, a popular social media site, allows users to communicate and exchange information. Social media sites can also be used as databases to search for individuals, including cohort participants. Retaining and tracking cohort participants are essential for the validity and generalizability of data in longitudinal research. Despite numerous strategies to minimize loss to follow-up, maintaining contact with participants is time-consuming and resource-intensive. Social media may provide alternative methods of contacting participants who consented to follow-up but could not be reached, and thus are potentially "lost to follow-up."Objective: The aim of this study was to determine if Facebook was a feasible method for identifying and contacting participants of a longitudinal pregnancy cohort who were lost to follow-up and re-engaging them without selection bias.Methods: This study used data from the All Our Families cohort. Of the 2827 mother-child dyads within the cohort, 237 participants were lost to follow-up. Participants were considered lost to follow-up if they had agreed to participate in additional research, completed at least one of the perinatal questionnaires, did not complete the 5-year postpartum questionnaire, and could not be contacted after numerous attempts via phone, email, or mail. Participants were considered to be matched to a Facebook profile if 2 or more characteristics matched information previously collected. Participants were sent both a friend request and a personal message through the study's Facebook page and were invited to verify their enrollment in the study. The authors deemed a friend request was necessary because of the reduced functionality of nonfriend direct messaging at the time. If the participant accepted the study's friend request, then a personalized message was sent. Participants were considered reconnected if they accepted the friend request or responded to any messages. Participants were considered re-engaged if they provided up-to-date contact information.Results: Compared with the overall cohort, participants who were lost to follow-up (n=237) were younger (P=.003), nonmarried (P=.02), had lower household income (P<.001), less education (P<.001), and self-identified as being part of an ethnic minority (P=.02). Of the 237 participants considered lost to follow-up, 47.7% (113/237) participants were identified using Facebook. Among the 113 identified participants, 77.0% (87/113) were contacted, 32.7% (37/113) were reconnected, and 17.7% (20/113) were re-engaged. No significant differences were found between those identified on Facebook (n=113) and those who were not able to be identified (n=124).Conclusions: Facebook identified 47.6% (113/237) of participants who were considered lost to follow-up, and the social media site may be a practical tool for reconnecting with participants. The results from this study demonstrate that social networking sites, such as Facebook, could be included in the development of retention practices and can be implemented at any point in cohort follow-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]