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PURPOSE: Parametric regression models have been the main statistical method for identifying average treatment effects. Causal machine learning models showed promising results in estimating heterogeneous treatment effects in causal inference. Here we aimed to compare the application of causal random forest (CRF) and linear regression modelling (LRM) to estimate the effects of organisational factors on ICU efficiency. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 277,459 patients admitted to 128 Brazilian and Uruguayan ICUs over three years. ICU efficiency was assessed using the average standardised efficiency ratio (ASER), measured as the average of the standardised mortality ratio (SMR) and the standardised resource use (SRU) according to the SAPS-3 score. Using a causal inference framework, we estimated and compared the conditional average treatment effect (CATE) of seven common structural and organisational factors on ICU efficiency using LRM with interaction terms and CRF. RESULTS: The hospital mortality was 14 %; median ICU and hospital lengths of stay were 2 and 7 days, respectively. Overall median SMR was 0.97 [IQR: 0.76,1.21], median SRU was 1.06 [IQR: 0.79,1.30] and median ASER was 0.99 [IQR: 0.82,1.21]. Both CRF and LRM showed that the average number of nurses per ten beds was independently associated with ICU efficiency (CATE [95 %CI]: -0.13 [-0.24, -0.01] and -0.09 [-0.17,-0.01], respectively). Finally, CRF identified some specific ICUs with a significant CATE in exposures that did not present a significant average effect. CONCLUSION: In general, both methods were comparable to identify organisational factors significantly associated with CATE on ICU efficiency. CRF however identified specific ICUs with significant effects, even when the average effect was nonsignificant. This can assist healthcare managers in further in-dept evaluation of process interventions to improve ICU efficiency.

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OBJECTIVES: Clinical quality registries (CQRs) have been implemented worldwide by several medical specialties aiming to generate a better characterization of epidemiology, treatments, and outcomes of patients. National ICU registries were created almost 3 decades ago to improve the understanding of case-mix, resource use, and outcomes of critically ill patients. This narrative review describes the challenges, proposed solutions, and evidence generated by National ICU registries as facilitators for research and quality improvement. DATA SOURCES: English language articles were identified in PubMed using phrases related to ICU registries, CQRs, outcomes, and case-mix. STUDY SELECTION: Original research, review articles, letters, and commentaries, were considered. DATA EXTRACTION: Data from relevant literature were identified, reviewed, and integrated into a concise narrative review. DATA SYNTHESIS: CQRs have been implemented worldwide by several medical specialties aiming to generate a better characterization of epidemiology, treatments, and outcomes of patients. National ICU registries were created almost 3 decades ago to improve the understanding of case-mix, resource use, and outcomes of critically ill patients. The initial experience in European countries and in Oceania ensured that through locally generated data, ICUs could assess their performances by using risk-adjusted measures and compare their results through fair and validated benchmarking metrics with other ICUs contributing to the CQR. The accomplishment of these initiatives, coupled with the increasing adoption of information technology, resulted in a broad geographic expansion of CQRs as well as their use in quality improvement studies, clinical trials as well as international comparisons, and benchmarking for ICUs. CONCLUSIONS: ICU registries have provided increased knowledge of case-mix and outcomes of ICU patients based on real-world data and contributed to improve care delivery through quality improvement initiatives and trials. Recent increases in adoption of new technologies (i.e., cloud-based structures, artificial intelligence, machine learning) will ensure a broader and better use of data for epidemiology, healthcare policies, quality improvement, and clinical trials.

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AIMS: In Envigado, Colombia, the Secretariat of Health has implemented, since 2011, an interprofessional program involving nurses to support and train relatives to improve the quality of life of people with a loss of autonomy and their family caregivers. The objectives of this study are to assess the outcomes of this program and to explore the contextual elements and mechanisms that can explain these outcomes. DESIGN: This article presents the research protocol for a realist evaluation that will be carried out to gather the perspectives of various local stakeholders involved. METHODS: Four outcomes on family caregivers will be measured quantitatively using self-administered questionnaires and numerical scales. Contextual elements and mechanisms will then be explored qualitatively through focus groups and individual interviews. An iterative analysis will enable the refinement of a program theory. RESULTS: The results will inform a program theory that underlies the outcomes of the family caregiver support and training program. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: Community stakeholders, family caregivers, people with a loss of autonomy and their relatives will be involved in data collection and/or in the validation of the program theory.

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Adherent-invasive E. coli (AIEC) is a pathotype associated with the etiopathogenesis of Crohn's disease (CD), albeit with an as-yet unclear role. The main pathogenic mechanisms described for AIEC are adherence to epithelial cells, invasion of epithelial cells, and survival and replication within macrophages. A few virulence factors have been described as participating directly in these phenotypes, most of which have been evaluated only in AIEC reference strains. To date, no molecular markers have been identified that can differentiate AIEC from other E. coli pathotypes, so these strains are currently identified based on the phenotypic characterization of their pathogenic mechanisms. The identification of putative AIEC molecular markers could be beneficial not only from the diagnostic point of view but could also help in better understanding the determinants of AIEC pathogenicity. The objective of this study was to identify molecular markers that contribute to the screening of AIEC strains. For this, we characterized outer membrane protein (OMP) profiles in a group of AIEC strains and compared them with the commensal E. coli HS strain. Notably, we found a set of OMPs that were present in the AIEC strains but absent in the HS strain. Moreover, we developed a PCR assay and performed phylogenomic analyses to determine the frequency and distribution of the genes coding for these OMPs in a larger collection of AIEC and other E. coli strains. As result, it was found that three genes (chuA, eefC, and fitA) are widely distributed and significantly correlated with AIEC strains, whereas they are infrequent in commensal and diarrheagenic E. coli strains (DEC). Additional studies are needed to validate these markers in diverse strain collections from different geographical regions, as well as investigate their possible role in AIEC pathogenicity.

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BACKGROUND: Intersectoral oral health promotion entails the participation of local communities. IOHP interventions were introduced in Peru in primary schools in 2013 but oral health among schoolchildren living in rural Andean communities remains suboptimal. OBJECTIVES: To understand the contextual elements and the underlying mechanisms associated with intersectoral oral health promotion interventions' current effects on schoolchildren living in remote rural Andean communities. METHOD: A realist evaluation was carried out in three rural Andean communities where intersectoral oral health promotion interventions aimed at schoolchildren have been implemented. Following an evaluation of the effects among schoolchildren, contextual elements and mechanisms were explored with various stakeholders involved in intersectoral oral health promotion through focus groups and semi-structured interviews. Subsequently, an iterative data analysis and a validation process resulted in the identification of context-mechanism configurations. RESULTS: Previous positive experiences of collaboration, a focus on communication, feelings of being respected and considered, and development of leadership and trust among stakeholders involved in intersectoral oral health promotion were elements of configurations that positively influence intersectoral oral health promotion. On the other hand, unfavorable physical, social and political environments, previous negative health experiences, feelings of not being respected or considered, demotivation, development of mistrust and insufficient leadership were shown to negatively influence outcomes. CONCLUSION: This research highlights the complexity associated with the deployment of intersectoral oral health promotion interventions in rural communities. Local stakeholders should be further involved to build trust, to facilitate coordination processes among remote rural communities and oral health professionals, and to optimize deployment of intersectoral oral health promotion interventions.

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Objetivos: Efectuar la traducción y la adaptación transcultural al español del Questionnaire on Knowledge, At- titudes and Behaviors related to Oral Health (QKAB-OH) y estudiar la coherencia interna de esta versión del cuestionario. Material y métodos: El proceso de traducción, adaptación y validación del QKAB-OH se realizó en base a la síntesis de varias líneas directrices relacionadas con el proceso de traducción y adaptación de cues- tionarios. La coherencia interna de la versión traducida de este cuestionario se evaluó mediante una muestra no probabilística de niños de 9 a 13 años que viven en distritos o comunidades rurales andinas. Resultados: La coherencia interna se evaluó mediante una muestra de 70 niños. Para el conjunto de las secciones de la versión al español del QKAB-OH, el alfa de Cronbach es de 0,73. Conclusiones: Este proceso proporciona validez al con- tenido del cuestionario y una coherencia interna satisfactoria. Puede utilizarse para evaluar los comportamientos, las actitudes y los conocimientos relacionados con la salud bucodental de los niños peruanos (9 a 13 años) que viven en el área rural alto andino.

Objectives: To carry out the translation, cross-cultural adaptation and internal coherence of the Questionnaire on Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviors related to Oral Health (QKAB-OH) Spanish version. Material and methods: The translation, adaptation and preliminary validation process of QKAB-OH was carried out based on a synthesis of several guidelines related to the process of translation and adaptation of questionnaires. The internal consistency of the translated version of the questionnaire was evaluated using a non-probabilistic sam- ple of children aged 9 to 13 years old living in rural Andean districts or communities. Results: Seventy children were recruited for the study. Cronbach's alpha of the QKAB-OH Spanish version (all sections included) was 0.73. Conclusions: This questionnaire adaptation appears to have a good face validity and a satisfactory internal consistency. It could therefore be used to evaluate behaviors, attitudes and knowledge related to oral health with Peruvian children (aged 9-13) living in high Andean rural area.

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BACKGROUND: Intersectoral collaboration, known to promote more sustainable change within communities, will be examined in an oral health promotion program (OHPP). In Peru, an OHPP was implemented by the Ministry of Health, to reduce the incidence of caries in schoolchildren. In rural Andean communities, however, these initiatives achieved limited success. The objectives of this project are: (1) to understand the context and the underlying mechanisms associated with Peruvian OHPP's current effects among school children living in rural Andean communities and (2) to validate a theory explaining how and under which circumstances OHP intersectoral interventions on schoolchildren living in rural Andean communities produce their effects. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Through a realist evaluation, the context, underlying mechanisms and programme outcomes will be identified. This process will involve five different steps. In the first and second steps, a logic model and an initial theory are developed. In the third step, data collection will permit measurement of the OHHP's outcomes with quantitative data, and exploration of the elements of context and the mechanisms with qualitative data. In the fourth and fifth steps, iterative data analysis and a validation process will allow the identification of Context-Mechanism-Outcome configuration, and validate or refine the initial theory. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This research project has received approval from the Comité d'éthique de la recherche en santé chez l'humain du Centre hospitalier universitaire de Sherbrooke. The initial theory and research results will be published in relevant journals in public health and oral health. They will also be presented at realist evaluation and health promotion international conferences.

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BACKGROUND: The aim of this investigation was to compare ventilation at different levels of positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) with regard to clinical important outcomes of intensive care unit (ICU) patients without acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) at onset of ventilation. METHODS: Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing a lower level of PEEP with a higher level of PEEP was performed. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. RESULTS: Twenty-one RCTs (1393 patients) were eligible. PEEP ranged from 0 to 10 cmH2O and from 5 to 30 cmH2O in the lower PEEP and the higher PEEP arms of included RCTs, respectively. In-hospital mortality was not different between the two PEEP arms in seven RCTs (risk ratio [RR] 0.87; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.62-1.21; I 2 = 26%, low quality of evidence [QoE]), as was duration of mechanical ventilation in three RCTs (standardized mean difference [SMD] 0.68; 95% CI -0.24 to 1.61; I 2 = 82%, very low QoE). PaO2/FiO2 was higher in the higher PEEP arms in five RCTs (SMD 0.72; 95% CI 0.10-1.35; I 2 = 86%, very low QoE). Development of ARDS and the occurrence of hypoxemia (2 RCTs) were lower in the higher PEEP arms in four RCTs and two RCTs, respectively (RR 0.43; 95% CI 0.21-0.91; I 2 = 56%, low QoE; RR 0.42; 95%-CI 0.19-0.92; I 2 = 19%, low QoE). There was no association between the level of PEEP and any hemodynamic parameter (four RCTs). CONCLUSION: Ventilation with higher levels of PEEP in ICU patients without ARDS at onset of ventilation was not associated with lower in-hospital mortality or shorter duration of ventilation, but with a lower incidence of ARDS and hypoxemia, as well as higher PaO2/FiO2. These findings should be interpreted with caution, as heterogeneity was moderate to high, the QoE was low to very low, and the available studies prevented us from addressing the effects of moderate levels of PEEP.