18 results on '"Besor O"'
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2. Respiratory outcomes of onasemnogene abeparvovec treatment for spinal muscular atrophy: national real-world cohort study.
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Lavie M, Rochman M, Armoni Domany K, Golan Tripto I, Be'er M, Besor O, Sagi L, Aharoni S, Ginsberg M, Noyman I, and Levine H
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- Humans, Infant, Male, Female, Treatment Outcome, Noninvasive Ventilation methods, Cohort Studies, Infant, Newborn, Genetic Therapy methods, Recombinant Fusion Proteins, Respiratory Insufficiency therapy, Respiratory Insufficiency etiology, Spinal Muscular Atrophies of Childhood therapy, Biological Products therapeutic use
- Abstract
Onasemnogene abeparvovec (OA) is a novel gene replacement therapy for patients with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). This study provides real-world respiratory data for pediatric SMA patients receiving OA who were assessed before and one year after treatment in a multicenter cohort study conducted from 2019 to 2021. Twenty-five OA-treated SMA patients (23 with type 1 and 2 with type 2; median age at treatment 6.1 months, with a range of 0.36-23 months) were included. Sixteen were treatment-naïve, and nine had received various prior treatments. Two patients died due to respiratory failure during the study period. Of the remaining 23 patients, four were put on non-invasive ventilation (NIV), bringing ventilated patients to a total of ten during the post-treatment year. Three patients required permanent NIV support, while 13 did not require any respiratory support. Ventilation time decreased from 14.3 to 11.1 hours per day, and respiratory hospitalizations decreased by 26% (from 0.76 to 0.57 per life year). Fifteen of the 23 patients maintained full oral nutrition at study closure compared to 20 of the 25 at study initiation. This real-world data analysis demonstrates that OA may improve respiratory outcomes in SMA patients. Importantly, compounding factors, such as age at treatment initiation, treatment combinations, and natural history, may influence the respiratory course, thus highlighting the need for standardized long-term management. What is Known: • Respiratory failure is a leading cause of mortality in untreated spinal muscular atrophy type 1 patients. • Onasemnogene abeparvovec (OA) improves neurological outcomes, but real-world respiratory data are limited. What is New: • Our real-world analysis suggests OA may improve respiratory outcomes. • Age at treatment and treatment combinations may also influence respiratory trajectory., Competing Interests: Declarations. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)
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- 2024
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3. Long-Term Disability After Traumatic Spinal Injuries: A Military Retrospective Study.
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Akavian I, Cohen B, Gendler S, Almog O, Besor O, Radomislensky I, Balagour Greenstein L, Ankory R, Nitzan I, and Talmy T
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Background: Traumatic spinal injuries (TSI) pose a significant life-long burden, impacting both military and civilian populations. Assessing long-term outcomes is crucial for comprehending the enduring consequences of the initial insult and informing effective prevention and management strategies. Most existing studies have narrowly focused on subsets of traumatic cord injuries, leaving a gap in understanding the broader impact of severe spinal trauma. This study aims to examine severe TSIs in military personnel, who may face unique risk factors and injury patterns, and its association with long-term disability., Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted on all military personnel who suffered traumatic injuries (Injury Severity Score ≥ 9) from 1997 to 2020. Severe spinal injuries were defined using the spinal Abbreviated Injury Scale ≥ 3 (n = 95), and compared to all other injuries as a reference group (n = 1,394). Data were extracted and cross-referenced from three distinct nationwide registries-pre-hospital, admission, and rehabilitation. Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the impact of spinal injuries on long-term disabilities (defined as the highest possible disability tier). The study received approval from the institutional review board of the Israel Defense Forces Medical Corps., Results: Motor vehicle accidents and falls were the primary causes of spinal injuries (50.5% and 15.8%, respectively). The median age at injury was 20 years (interquartile range 19-22). Personnel with spinal trauma had a significantly higher prevalence of Injury Severity Score ≥ 25 (46.3% vs. 19.9%, P < .001), longer median hospital stays (11 vs. 8 days, P = .036), and increased intensive care unit admissions (55% vs. 40%, P = .05). The median follow-up duration was 10.9 years (interquartile range 6.7-14.3). Spinal injuries were associated with a more than 10-fold increase in the adjusted odds ratio for severe permanent disability (11.92, 95% CI, 5.95-23.72)., Conclusion: Upon long-term follow-up, military personnel with severe TSI exhibit a significantly higher prevalence of debilitating disability compared to those with significant non-spinal traumatic injuries. These findings highlight the critical need for targeted prevention strategies and improved management of spinal injuries to reduce long-term disability. Strengths of this study include its extensive follow-up period and the use of multiple nationwide registries. However, the study may be limited by potential discrepancies in identity matching across databases and the reliance on disability claims, which may underrepresent the true prevalence of long-term disability. Future research should explore the efficacy of early interventions and rehabilitation strategies in mitigating long-term disability following spinal injuries. This study underscores the importance of developing evidence-based policies to enhance care for individuals with TSIs., (© The Association of Military Surgeons of the United States 2024. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site–for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.)
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- 2024
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4. Assessment of Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDs) Risk among Adolescent Acrobatic Gymnasts.
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Besor O, Redlich N, Constantini N, Weiler-Sagie M, Monsonego Ornan E, Lieberman S, Bentur L, and Bar-Yoseph R
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Energy imbalance exposes athletes to relative energy deficiency in sports (REDs) syndrome. Data on energy consumption, REDs, and bone mineral density (BMD) in adolescent acrobatic gymnasts, especially in males, are scarce. Our aim was to examine the eating habits, energy balance, body composition, and BMD of these athletes. In this study, 18 healthy adolescents participating in competitive acrobatic gymnastics completed a questionnaire, underwent a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scan (DXA), received a food log, and had their activities monitored for 3 days. Eighteen acrobats were enrolled (mean age: 14.3 ± 1.2 years; males: 6/18). The mean total body BMD Z-score was 0.4 ± 1.0. Top-position acrobats (7/18) had significantly lower total body BMD Z-scores than base-positioned acrobats (-0.2 ± 0.3 vs. 0.8 ± 0.3, p = 0.032), though their forearms were not significantly different (0.2 ± 0.5 vs. 0.8 ± 0.7, p = 0.331). No sex differences were found for BMD Z-scores, BMI, or energy availability. The BMD parameters of the acrobats were within the normal range for a healthy pediatric population, although three had low BMDs (<-1 SD) for healthy athletes. Total body and LS BMD Z-scores were significantly lower in top-position athletes compared to base-position athletes. These findings suggest personalized (top vs. base) training programs (high-impact training) that may achieve better health outcomes.
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- 2024
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5. Simultaneous tibio-talar fusion and tibial lengthening for end-stage ankle arthritis.
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Besor O, Eidelman M, and Kotlarsky P
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- Adolescent, Young Adult, Humans, Female, Child, Preschool, Child, Adult, Middle Aged, Male, Tibia surgery, Ankle, Retrospective Studies, Ankle Joint diagnostic imaging, Ankle Joint surgery, Arthrodesis adverse effects, Arthrodesis methods, Treatment Outcome, Arthritis surgery, Talus surgery
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Purpose: Arthrodesis of the ankle joint is an accepted treatment option in patients with end-stage ankle arthritis. The goal is to achieve fusion between the tibia and the talus, thereby stabilizing the joint and alleviating pain. There might be associated limb length discrepancy, especially in post-traumatic and post-infectious cases. These patients require limb lengthening and arthrodesis. The purpose of this study is to report our experience with simultaneous ankle arthrodesis and lengthening using external fixation in adolescent and young adult patients., Methods: This retrospective case series included all patients treated in our hospital by concomitant ankle arthrodesis and tibial lengthening procedures on the same limb, using ring external fixation system. All surgeries included distal tibial joint surface resection and the talar dome, thereby correcting any associated deformity at the ankle. The arthrodesis was fixed and compressed using ring external fixator. A concurrent proximal tibial osteotomy was done, and limb lengthening, or bone transport was performed., Results: Eight patients operated between the years 2012-2020 were included in this study. Median patient age was 20.4 years (range 4-62 years), 50% women. Median limb lengthening was 20 mm (range 10-55 mm), and median final leg length discrepancy (LLD) was 7.5 mm (range 1-72 mm). The most common complication recorded was pin tract infection, which resolved with empiric antibiotics in all cases., Conclusion: Based on our experience, combined arthrodesis and proximal tibial lengthening is efficient solution that provides stable ankle and restores length of the tibia even in complex and challenging situations., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag France SAS, part of Springer Nature.)
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- 2023
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6. Should I Ask Doctor Google? Reliability of Israeli Web-based Information Regarding General Orthopedic Injuries and Symptoms.
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Steinfeld Y, Besor O, Yonai Y, Berkovich Y, Apt E, Rinott N, and Keren Y
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- Humans, Reproducibility of Results, Israel, Information Sources, Internet, Search Engine, Physicians
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Background: Websites serve as a source of medical information for a large part of the public, some claim to be a substitute for a physician's consultation. Many patients meet a physician after conducting internet research. Medical staff are concerned that internet sources of information are unreliable and may lead to erroneous decisions by patients., Objectives: To examine the reliability of web-based sources of information (through the Google™ search engine) regarding five common orthopedic complaints and injuries., Methods: We performed a search of five common orthopedic complaints and injuries using the Google search engine. The reliability of web-based information was measured by the DISCERN tool, which is a valid and verified tool for examining the reliability of medical information sources to the public. The reliability of 47 websites was examined by two orthopedic surgeons and two senior residents., Results: The overall average score given to the sites was 2.8, on a scale of 1 to 5. We found that the higher the site appeared in the search results, the higher the quality of its information. Commercial sites scored higher than general internet information sources., Conclusions: The internet network is a very broad source of information. For those who lack scientific education and training it is not easy to distinguish between reliable and unreliable or biased sources. The trend of searching for medical information and self-healing is increasing. We must strengthen the network with reliable sources by creating official scientific position papers by medical teams and promoting them online.
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- 2023
7. SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Variant: Clinical Presentation and Occupational Implications in Young and Healthy IDF Soldiers.
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Akavian I, Nitzan I, Talmy T, Nitecki M, Gendler S, and Besor O
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- Humans, Male, Cross-Sectional Studies, Female, Surveys and Questionnaires, Adult, Young Adult, Israel epidemiology, COVID-19 epidemiology, Military Personnel statistics & numerical data, SARS-CoV-2
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Introduction: To this date, there is little known about the symptoms, their duration, and occupational implications of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the military population. Decisions regarding implementing precaution measures are based on data deriving from the general population. Moreover, the Omicron variant seems to cause a disease with lesser severity than previous variants. We aimed to describe the clinical presentation and estimate the loss of workdays due to mild COVID-19 during an Omicron predominant wave among a young, healthy, and mostly vaccinated military population., Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional, survey-based study among IDF soldiers who replied to an online questionnaire following recovery from COVID-19. Data included self-reported vaccination status, symptoms presentation and duration, and service-related sick days. Student's t-test and chi-square test of independence were used to compare differences in continuous and categorical variables, respectively. A binary logistic regression analysis was performed to estimate the odds ratio and 95% CIs for prolonged symptom duration (4 days and above) by participants' characteristics. The IDF medical corps institutional review board approved this study., Results: A total of 199 soldiers, with a mean age of 21.9 years, were included in the study. Upper respiratory tract symptoms, headache, and constitutional symptoms were found to be the most common among symptomatic soldiers. The median reported time for inability to continue the daily routine, including work, was 5 days [Interquartile range (IQR), 0-10]. Median duration of symptoms was 4 days (IQR, 0-10). In addition, women were found to have longer symptomatic disease (odds ratio = 2.34; 95% CI, 1.20-4.52)., Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate that even among a young and fully vaccinated population, COVID-19 caused by the Omicron variant may result in substantial medical leave from military service, compared to common cold or influenza virus infection. Our study sample was relatively small; however, the response rate was high and our results shed light on the yet-to-be fully characterized Omicron variant-related COVID-19. Despite the current common perception of COVID-19 as a self-limiting mild disease with low burden of symptoms, our findings show the potential occupational burden of infection with COVID-19 on military units and their readiness and could be considered when discussing public health restrictions and further steps taken to minimize outbreaks ramifications., (© The Association of Military Surgeons of the United States 2022. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)
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- 2023
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8. Impact of an Enhanced Transtheoretical Model Intervention (ETMI) Workshop on the Attitudes and Beliefs Regarding Low Back Pain of Primary Care Physicians in the Israeli Navy.
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Besor O, Brand R, Feldman R, Nudelman Y, Shahar Y, Finestone AS, and Ben Ami N
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- Humans, Israel, Transtheoretical Model, Surveys and Questionnaires, Low Back Pain drug therapy, Physicians, Primary Care
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Low back pain (LBP) is a major cause of discomfort and disability. Physicians' attitudes and beliefs influence the way patients with LBP are diagnosed and treated. The objective of the study is the assessment of military primary care physicians' attitudes towards LBP and the effect of an enhanced transtheoretical model intervention (ETMI) workshop on them. We evaluated the impact of a 90-min ETMI workshop on the attitudes and beliefs of primary care physicians in the Israeli Navy on LBP. Outcomes were assessed using the Attitudes to Back Pain Scale in Musculoskeletal Practitioners questionnaire (ABS-mp). Participants responded before and after the workshop, and responses were compared to a control group of primary care physicians in the Air and Space Force. The intervention group included 22 participants and the control group included 18 participants. Both groups were heterogenic (gender, age, seniority). In both groups, primary care physicians reported the common use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and over-the-counter (OTC) pain medications and often included physical activity and physiotherapy in the treatment plan. Physicians mentioned reassurance and suggestions of early return to physical activity as part of their appointment. There was a positive correlation between questionnaire items suggesting the physician tended to a biomedical approach and reporting the use of imaging modalities (r = 0.451, p = 0.005). After attending the workshop, physicians were significantly more likely to recommend an early return to physical activity (18 ± 0.48 vs. 16.4 ± 0.52, p = 0.04). An ETMI workshop had a minor impact on the attitudes and beliefs of primary care physicians regarding LBP, but a statistically significant impact was noted on return to physical activity recommendations. These findings may be important in the military setting.
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- 2023
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9. Lockdown Fatigue in Pediatric Respiratory Patients: Lessons from the First COVID-19 Year.
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Cahal M, Amirav I, Rochman M, Be'er M, Besor O, and Lavie M
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Lockdown policies have been implemented worldwide to limit the spread of COVID-19. “Lockdown fatigue” is a state of exhaustion related to the accumulating effects of repeated lockdowns. The aim of the current study was to examine the effects of repeated lockdowns on children with respiratory disorders. Data on children aged 0−18 years old with respiratory disorders were collected by an electronic survey during the third lockdown in Israel. The retrieved information included demographics and baseline medical status, respiratory clinical status during the third lockdown compared to pre-lockdown periods, lockdown adherence, lifestyle modifications and caregiver emotional status. The results were compared to those of a similar questionnaire distributed during the first lockdown. A total of 234 patients (62% males, 37% females, mean age 6.8 years (confidence interval 6.1−7.5)) were enrolled. Respiratory symptoms and exacerbation frequency were reduced in 76 (35.5%) and 58 (27.4%) patients, respectively, compared to the pre-lockdown period and similar to the first lockdown (p = 0.840 and p = 0.063, respectively). However, compared to the first lockdown, the third lockdown was associated with greater use of reliever medications (p = 0.006), less use of inhaled corticosteroids as routine treatment (p = 0.027), and more pediatric emergency room visits and hospitalizations (p = 0.001 and p < 0.001, respectively). The results also showed an increase in sedentary lifestyle (e.g., reduced physical activity (p = 0.025), less healthy eating habits (p = 0.001)) and reduced adherence to lockdown policies (p < 0.001). These data show that the continuing stability of clinical improvement during lockdown was accompanied by deleterious sequelae that potentially indicate “lockdown fatigue” among children with respiratory disorders.
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- 2022
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10. Asthma risk after a pediatric intensive care unit admission for respiratory syncytial virus bronchiolitis.
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Be'er M, Bushmitz S, Cahal M, Sadot E, Yochpaz S, Besor O, Amirav I, and Lavie M
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- Case-Control Studies, Child, Child, Preschool, Hospitalization, Humans, Infant, Intensive Care Units, Pediatric, Respiratory Syncytial Viruses, Retrospective Studies, Risk Factors, Asthma complications, Asthma epidemiology, Bronchiolitis complications, Bronchiolitis epidemiology, Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections complications, Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections diagnosis, Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections epidemiology
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Background: Admission to a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) has been associated with respiratory consequences in children with asthma and carries major implications for management control. Whereas respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) bronchiolitis has been associated with increasing intensity of wheezing, the relationship between RSV-bronchiolitis PICU admission and future asthma is unclear. This retrospective case-control study evaluated whether hospitalization in the PICU due to RSV bronchiolitis is more likely to be associated with future asthma in early life compared with hospitalization in a general pediatric ward., Methods: Children hospitalized due to RSV bronchiolitis between 2007 and 2019 in the PICU (study group) were compared to those hospitalized in a general pediatric ward (controls). Asthma prevalence was assessed by a follow-up questionnaire based on The International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood questionnaire., Results: Sixty-three PICU patients and 66 controls were included. The PICU patients presented with more severe disease during RSV hospitalization. At follow-up, significantly more PICU patients aged 3-6 years had physician-diagnosed asthma, respiratory symptoms during the previous 12 months, and underwent respiratory treatment since hospital discharge compared to controls (14 [60.9%] vs. 4 [18.2%] patients; 15 [65.2%] vs. 6 [27.3%]; and 16 [69.6%] vs. 8 [36.4%]; respectively). These differences were no longer observed after 6 years of age., Conclusions: Children admitted to the PICU for RSV bronchiolitis are at higher risk for asthma in subsequent pre-school years and will require close respiratory follow-up than those admitted to general pediatric wards. Admission venue should be queried when asthma is suspected., (© 2022 The Authors. Pediatric Pulmonology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)
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- 2022
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11. Can the Enhanced Transtheoretical Model Intervention (ETMI) Impact the Attitudes and Beliefs Regarding Low Back Pain of Family Medicine Residents.
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Shahar YB, Goldstein R, Nudelman Y, Besor O, and Ben Ami N
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- Attitude of Health Personnel, Family Practice, Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice, Humans, Surveys and Questionnaires, Transtheoretical Model, Low Back Pain therapy
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Background: Low back pain has been the leading cause for disability worldwide for several decades, and clinical guidelines for its management clearly emphasize a multifactorial approach. Yet, current guidelines are still not well implemented by clinicians., Objectives: To explore the attitudes of family medicine residents regarding low back pain and to determine whether they positively correlate with their treatment approaches. To test if these attitudes can be affected by the Enhanced Transtheoretical Model Intervention (ETMI), a guideline-based workshop., Methods: Participants completed an online questionnaire regarding their attitudes toward low back pain and clinical habits, after which they attended an online ETMI educational workshop. One month later all participants were asked to complete the questionnaire a second time. Statistical analysis was conducted to explore the attitudes of the residents and clinical approaches, as well as any associations between them, as well as possible differences pre- and post-intervention., Results: The participants exhibited highly psychologically oriented attitudes. Correlations between the attitudes and treatment did not show consistent coherency. Results regarding the participants clinical approaches were revealed to have two distinct and opposed inclinations: biomedically and biopsychosocially. Last, results for the re-activation subscale were significantly higher post-intervention., Conclusions: Family medicine residents seem to be highly psychologically oriented regarding low back pain; however, they do not necessarily treat their patients accordingly. Their clinical choices seem to follow two different approaches: guideline-consistent and non-guideline-consistent. An ETMI guideline-based workshop may sway their attitudes toward re-activation of patients. Further research is needed to determine whether similar results would arise in larger physician populations.
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- 2022
12. Associations between density and quality of health promotion programmes and built environment features across Jerusalem.
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Besor O, Paltiel O, Manor O, Donchin M, Rauch O, and Kaufman-Shriqui V
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- Adult, Cross-Sectional Studies, Environment Design, Humans, Residence Characteristics, Walking, Built Environment, Health Promotion
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Background: Health promotion programmes (HPPs) have the potential to influence individual health, depending on their quality and characteristics. Little is known about how they interact with built environment features and neighbourhood demographics in cities with substantial health disparities., Methods: Using the European Quality Instrument for Health Promotion (EQUIHP), we assessed the quality of HPPs, operating between 2016 and 2017, among adults aged 18-75 in Jerusalem. Areas were characterized by ethnicity and area socioeconomic level. Health information (body mass index, physical activity level) was obtained from the city profile survey. Geospatial information on the location and length of walking paths and bicycle lanes was obtained. Spearman correlations were used to assess associations among variables., Results: Ninety-three HPPs operating in 349 locations in Jerusalem were identified. Programmes were unevenly distributed across urban planning areas (UPAs), with the highest density observed in the southwest, areas populated mainly by non-orthodox Jewish residents. However, the best performing HPPs based on EQUIHP score were in the north and east UPAs, inhabited primarily by Arab residents. At a neighbourhood level, characteristics of the built environment positively correlated with higher total EQUIHP scores: the ratio between walking lane length to the neighbourhood's population size (r = 0.413, P < 0.001) and length of bicycle lane per population (r = 0.309, P = 0.5). Median EQUIHP score negatively correlated with the number of programmes per neighbourhood size (m2) (r = -0.327, P = 0.006) and neighbourhood average socioeconomic status (SES; r = -0.266, P = 0.027)., Conclusions: Our findings suggest that higher quality HPPs were preferentially located in areas of lower SES and served minority populations in Jerusalem., (© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.)
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- 2021
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13. Respiratory syncytial virus bronchiolitis among refugees and asylum seekers from war-torn countries.
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Lavie M, Maymon D, Diamant N, Cahal M, Be'er M, Besor O, Lahat S, and Amirav I
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- Humans, Infant, Respiratory Syncytial Viruses, Retrospective Studies, Bronchiolitis, Refugees, Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections diagnosis, Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections epidemiology
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Background: Bronchiolitis is a prominent illness in children with a high burden in the developing world. Our objective was to assess bronchiolitis severity among infants and toddlers of refugees and asylum seekers who fled from developing countries with high disease burden to a developed country., Study Design: A retrospective cohort comparative-group study of children 0-24 months of age who were admitted with a diagnosis of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) bronchiolitis to a tertiary university-affiliated medical center during 2009-2017. The refugees and asylum seekers (study group) were mostly from war-torn African countries, and the control group was comprised of children from Israel (controls), a developed country. The primary outcome was length of stay (LOS), and the secondary outcomes were nutritional support and disease characteristics., Results: A total of 185 patients were included (92 refugees and 93 controls). The mean LOS was higher for the former compared to the latter (4.7 ± 3.2 vs. 3.5 ± 2 days, respectively, p = .004). More hospitalized refugees required nutritional support compared to controls (48% vs. 24%, respectively, p = .002). No differences were found in vital signs, physical findings and symptoms, laboratory results, or complications., Conclusions: Refugees and asylum seekers from developing countries presented with a longer RSV bronchiolitis disease course and required more nutritional support compared to their Israeli counterparts. This may suggest a more severe disease., (© 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)
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- 2021
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14. Real-time effects of COVID-19 pandemic lockdown on pediatric respiratory patients.
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Cahal M, Amirav I, Diamant N, Be'er M, Besor O, and Lavie M
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- Adolescent, Anxiety, COVID-19 prevention & control, Child, Child, Preschool, Communicable Disease Control, Exercise, Female, Humans, Infant, Infant, Newborn, Male, Sedentary Behavior, Sleep, Surveys and Questionnaires, COVID-19 epidemiology, Caregivers psychology, Life Style, Pandemics, SARS-CoV-2
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Objective: A national lockdown was implemented in Israel to slow the viral spread of COVID-19. We assessed the real-time effects of the lockdown on disease expression and lifestyle modifications in pediatric patients with chronic respiratory disorders., Methods: An anonymous electronic questionnaire was distributed during lockdown (March-May 2020) to caregivers of patients with chronic respiratory disorders. The primary outcome was change in disease expression and the secondary outcomes were changes in lifestyle and caregivers' emotional status., Results: The clinical status of one-third of the 445 participating patients (age 0-18 years) reportedly improved, including decreased respiratory symptoms (n = 133, 33%), exacerbation frequency (n = 147, 35%), and use of reliever medications (n = 101, 27.4%). The condition of ~10% of the patients worsened. Clinical improvement was noted mostly in young patients <5 years (p = .001), asthmatic patients (p = .033), and patients with multiple underlying respiratory disorders (p = .015). Patients whose condition significantly worsened were more likely to be >5 years (p < .001), had increased screen time, decreased physical activity, and shorter sleep duration compared to their younger counterparts (p = .008, <.001, and .001, respectively). Caregivers' reports (n = 236 [58%]) of their own anxiety levels and perceptions of the patients' elevated health risk were increased, regardless of the children's actual clinical status., Conclusion: COVID-19 lockdown was associated with clinical improvement/stability for most of the surveyed children; however, their caregivers' anxiety level was heightened. An increased sedentary lifestyle was reported mostly in older children., (© 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)
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- 2021
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15. Hope During COVID-19 Lockdown.
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Redlich Amirav D, Besor O, and Amirav I
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Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic has changed daily life in unexpected ways including strict lockdowns periods that may shape hope. Method This study compared hope levels among an online sample of 584 adults in late April 2020 during the COVID-19 lockdown (2020 survey) to 884 adult internet users who participated in the 2019 Hope Barometer survey which was performed six months prior to the COVID-19 pandemic (2019 survey). Both surveys used identical validated hope and depression measures. Results Despite high degrees of depression, hope levels slightly but significantly increased in the 2020 survey compared to the 2019 survey. Differences between the 2019 and 2020 surveys appeared across all demographic groups, with no differences related to age, sex, or education. Conclusions Despite the increased depression, the COVID-19 lockdown was associated with significantly higher hope levels., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2021, Redlich Amirav et al.)
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- 2021
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16. A city-wide health promotion programme evaluation using EQUIHP: Jerusalem Community-Academic Partnership (J-CAP).
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Besor O, Manor O, Paltiel O, Donchin M, Rauch O, and Kaufman-Shriqui V
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- Exercise, Female, Humans, Male, Program Evaluation, Health Promotion, Schools
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Background: While health promotion initiatives are common, too little is known about their quality, impact and sustainability. Fragmentation between sectors exists and programme evaluation initiatives lack consistency, making comparison of outcomes challenging., Methods: We used a 'snowball' methodology to detect health promotion programmes (HPPs) in the Municipality of Jerusalem, excluding those in schools. The European Quality Instrument for Health Promotion (EQUIHP) was adapted and used to examine programme quality. The tool was pre-tested among stakeholders, and translated into Hebrew and Arabic between March and December 2017. Trained research assistants collected information on four domains using in-person interviews: (i) compliance with international principles of HPPs, (ii) development and implementation, (iii) project management and (iv) sustainability of programmes., Results: Overall, 93 programmes, including 33 670 participants, were ascertained and evaluated. The majority of HPPs (54.8%) addressed nutrition and physical activity, with 58.1% targeting the non-orthodox Jewish population and 68.8% aimed at both sexes. Cronbach's alpha scores were 0.968 for the entire EQUIHP tool and 0.802, 0.959, 0.918 and 0.718 for the subdomains of Framework, Project Development, Project Management and Sustainability, respectively. Median domain scores were 0.83, 0.61, 0.76 and 0.75. Median score of the entire tool was 0.67. HPPs operated by the Municipality scored lower than those of non-governmental organizations and health providers/organizations in every domain except for Project Management., Conclusion: A systematic city-wide evaluation of HPPs is feasible and uncovers strengths and weaknesses, including sustainability and variability by programme provider. Academic-community partnerships may assist planning and improving HPPs in the city., (© The Author(s) 2019. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.)
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- 2020
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17. Relation of the degree of obesity in childhood to adipose tissue insulin resistance.
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Hagman E, Besor O, Hershkop K, Santoro N, Pierpont B, Mata M, Caprio S, and Weiss R
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- Adolescent, Area Under Curve, Body Mass Index, Child, Cohort Studies, Correlation of Data, Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 complications, Fasting metabolism, Female, Humans, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Postprandial Period physiology, Severity of Illness Index, United States, Adipose Tissue metabolism, Blood Glucose metabolism, Fatty Acids, Nonesterified blood, Insulin Resistance physiology, Pediatric Obesity diagnosis, Pediatric Obesity metabolism
- Abstract
Aims: In this study, we investigated whether adipose tissue insulin resistance (IR) is affected by the degree of obesity during the fasting and post-prandial state, independent of glucose tolerance among obese children and adolescents. We also tested whether systemic subclinical inflammation is associated with adipose tissue IR., Methods: Subjects were recruited to the Yale Pathophysiology of Type 2 Diabetes in Youth Study (NCT01967849). An oral glucose-tolerance test was performed to establish glucose-tolerance status and blood samples were drawn for measurement of free fatty acids (FFAs), to calculate the area under the curve (AUC) of FFA. Adipose tissue insulin resistance was calculated as the product of insulin and FFA concentrations., Results: In total, 671 children and adolescents (58.6% females) were included with a mean age of 13.3(2.7) years and BMI Z score of 2.45(0.31). The degree of obesity emerged as an independent predictor of both fasting and post-prandial adipose IR, p < 0.0001. Higher degree of obesity was associated with greater AUC FFA (lower suppression) compared to lower degree of obesity, p = 0.01. Furthermore, higher levels of IL-6 were positively associated with post-prandial adipose tissue IR, p = 0.02., Conclusions: The degree of obesity in childhood and adolescence is strongly associated with adipose tissue IR independent of glucose tolerance. This is reflected not only in calculated indices of adipose IR but also in lower suppression of FFAs during the OGTT regardless of glucose tolerance or fasting adipose tissue IR. Furthermore, markers of subclinical inflammation such as IL-6 are associated with adipose tissue IR, independent of other factors.
- Published
- 2019
- Full Text
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18. Adipose Insulin Resistance in Obese Adolescents Across the Spectrum of Glucose Tolerance.
- Author
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Hershkop K, Besor O, Santoro N, Pierpont B, Caprio S, and Weiss R
- Subjects
- Adolescent, Child, Cross-Sectional Studies, Female, Glucose Tolerance Test, Humans, Male, Young Adult, Adipose Tissue metabolism, Blood Glucose metabolism, Glucose Intolerance metabolism, Insulin Resistance physiology, Obesity metabolism
- Abstract
Context: Adipocytes represent an important insulin-responsive tissue taking an active part in glucose metabolism., Objective: This study sought to assess adipose tissue insulin resistance (IR) across the spectrum of glucose tolerance and to test its relation with free fatty acid (FFA) suppression during an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT)., Design and Setting: A cross-sectional analysis of a pediatric clinic-derived cohort of obese adolescents., Patients or Other Participants: Participants age 7-20 y with a body mass index that exceeded the 95th percentile for their age and sex., Intervention(s): A standard oral glucose tolerance test., Main Outcome Measures: The adipose tissue insulin resistance index (calculated as the product of fasting insulin and FFA concentrations) (Adipose IR) and the area under curve of FFAs during the OGTT were compared between glucose tolerance categories., Results: A total of 962 obese children and adolescents participated in this study. Adipose IR significantly increased across glucose tolerance categories (P for trend < .001). Within the normal glucose tolerance participants, an increase in adipose IR was observed related to an increase in 2-hr glucose levels. In a subsample of participants who underwent abdominal imaging for determination of lipid partitioning (n = 115), a tight relation of visceral fat (r = 0.34; P < .001) and the visceral/sc fat ratio (r = 0.55; P < .001) with the Adipose IR index was evident. Greater area under the curve FFAs (lower FFA suppression) during the OGTT was evident with worsening glucose tolerance (P for trend < .001). Glucose tolerance category, degree of obesity (body mass index-z score), IL-6, and low adiponectin emerged as significant predictors of the Adipose IR., Conclusions: Adipose IR is associated with reduced suppression of FFAs during the OGTT and with an altered adipocytokine profile. The negative relation with insulin secretion deserves further longitudinal investigation in the context of deteriorating glucose tolerance.
- Published
- 2016
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
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