Due to the high postoperative mortality, tools for an adaequate risk stratification are important to identify high-risk patients undergoing the Norwood procedure. As a marker of ventricular wall stress, NT-proBNP might be of particular interest in these children.

This study evaluated whether NT-proBNP’s age-adjusted z-score (“zlog-NT-proBNP”) predicts outcomes after stage I Norwood procedure.

Patients who underwent the Norwood procedure between 1 January 2011 and 31 December 2022, with perioperative NT-proBNP measurements available were enrolled. Since reference intervals of NT-proBNP are highly age-dependent, age-adjusted zlog-NT-proBNP was used. Serial zlog-NT-proBNP values were analysed to predict the occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events after the Norwood procedure. Major adverse cardiovascular events was defined as death, resuscitation, or mechanical circulatory support. Secondary endpoints were re-operation and re-intervention for shunt.

A total of 139 patients underwent the Norwood procedure and had at least one NT-proBNP measurement available. Preoperative zlog-NT-proBNP measurements (median 3.7, interquartile range 3.1–4.19) showed no association with the occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events or mortality. Zlog-NT-proBNP early after ICU admission (3.2, interquartile range 2.4–3.8) was predictive of mortality but showed no association with the occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events. Zlog-NT-proBNP before ICU discharge (3.2, interquartile range 2.8–3.8) was significantly associated with the occurrence of both major adverse cardiovascular events (hazard ratio 1.83, 95% confidence interval 1.25–2.67, P = 0.002) and death (hazard ratio 2.1, 95% CI 1.4–3.2, P < 0.001).

High zlog-NT-proBNP levels after the Norwood surgery were strongly associated with the occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular events and death. Therefore, zlog-NT-proBNP has the potential to identify high-risk patients before life-threatening complications occur.

The sutureless repair technique has been favoured due to its purported reduction in post-operative pulmonary venous obstruction rates. This study aims to compare the outcomes of conventional versus sutureless repair techniques in Total Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Drainage.

In this retrospective single-centre analysis (2012–2022), we evaluated children who underwent conventional or sutureless repair for isolated total anomalous pulmonary venous drainage, excluding complex cardiac anomalies and incomplete data. Patients were categorised into conventional (Group C, n = 58) and sutureless (Group S, n = 41) groups. Primary outcomes included mortality, morbidity, and post-operative complications. Statistical analysis included Mann–Whitney U, chi-square, and Fisher’s exact tests where appropriate.

Supracardiac type predominated in both groups (53.4% in Group C and 70.7% in Group S), with higher cardiac type frequency in Group C (24.1% versus 2.4%, p = 0.016). Early complications occurred in 58.5% versus 53.4% of cases in Groups S and C, respectively (p = 0.767). The mortality rate (17.2% versus 14.6%, p = 0.944) and post-operative pulmonary venous obstruction (21.2% versus 19.0%, p = 0.809) were higher in Group C, though not significantly. Mean cardiopulmonary bypass times were comparable between groups (105 versus 89 minutes, p = 0.424).

In this comprehensive analysis of paediatric Total Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Drainage repair, both conventional and sutureless techniques demonstrated comparable safety profiles and clinical outcomes. These findings suggest that surgical approach selection should be individualised based on patient characteristics and surgeon expertise. Further prospective studies with larger cohorts are needed to validate these observations.

To investigate the relationship between maternal age and nutritional status, and test associations between maternal nutritional status and child mortality with a focus on maternal obesity.

Secondary analysis of data from nationally representative cross-sectional sample of women of reproductive ages (15–49 years) and their children under 5 years. The outcome variable for maternal nutritional status was BMI, classified into underweight (BMI < 18·50 kg/m2), normal weight (18·50–24·99 kg/m2), overweight (25·0–29·9 kg/m2) and obesity (>=30·0 kg/m2). Child mortality was captured with five binary variables measuring the risk of dying in specific age intervals (neonatal, post-neonatal, infant, childhood and under-five mortality).

The most recent Demographic and Health Surveys from Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The final samples consisted of 7892 women of reproductive ages (15–49 years) and 19 003 children aged 0–59 months.

The prevalence of obesity was estimated at 3·4 %; it increased with maternal age. Furthermore, obesity unevenly affected provinces in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: Kinshasa, South Kivu, North Kivu and Maniema were most affected. Finally, maternal obesity showed mixed effects on child mortality.

The prevalence of obesity is still low; however, provinces are unevenly affected. Therefore, interventions and programmes to improve nutrition should incorporate geographical disparities to tackle adverse child outcomes associated with maternal obesity, to limit negative consequences of maternal obesity, including non-communicable diseases which might be a strong impediment to reach Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 2 and 3.

Studies show that people with severe mental illness (SMI) have a greater risk of dying from colorectal cancer (CRC). These studies mostly predate the introduction of national bowel cancer screening programmes (NBCSPs) and it is unknown if these have reduced disparity in CRC-related mortality for people with SMI.

We compared mortality rates following CRC diagnosis at colonoscopy between a nationally representative sample of people with and without SMI who participated in Australia’s NBCSP. Participation was defined as the return of a valid immunochemical faecal occult blood test (iFOBT). We also compared mortality rates between people with SMI who did and did not participate in the NBCSP. SMI was defined as receiving two or more Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme prescriptions for second-generation antipsychotics or lithium.

Amongst NBCSP participants, the incidence of CRC in the SMI cohort was lower than in the controls (hazard ratio [HR] 0.77, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.61–0.98). In spite of this, their all-cause mortality rate was 1.84 times higher (95% CI 1.12–3.03), although there was only weak evidence of a difference in CRC-specific mortality (HR 1.82; 95% CI 0.93–3.57). People with SMI who participated in the NBCSP had better all-cause survival than those who were invited to participate but did not return a valid iFOBT (HR 0.67, 95% CI 0.50–0.88). The benefit of participation was strongest for males with SMI and included improved all-cause and CRC-specific survival.

Participation in the NBCSP may be associated with improved survival following a CRC diagnosis for people with SMI, especially males, although they still experienced greater mortality than the general population. Approaches to improving CRC outcomes in people with SMI should include targeted screening, and increased awareness about the benefits or participation.

Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (Trial ID: ACTRN12620000781943).

Evidence is largely limited regarding the extent to which abnormal behavioural profiles, including physical inactivity, sedentary behaviour and inadequate sleep duration, impact long-term health conditions in individuals with pre-existing depression.

To investigate the associations between accelerometer-derived daily movement behaviours and mortality in individuals with pre-existing depression.

Between 2013 and 2015, a total of 10 914 individuals with pre-existing depression were identified from the UK Biobank through multiple sources including self-reported symptoms, records of antidepressant usage and diagnostic recording based on the 10th Revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) codes F32–F33. These participants were subsequently followed up until 2021. Wrist-worn accelerometers were used for objective measurement of sleep duration, sedentary behaviour, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and light physical activity (LPA) over a span of seven consecutive days.

During a median follow-up of 6.9 years, 434 deaths occurred among individuals with pre-existing depression. We observed a U-shaped association between sleep duration and mortality in individuals with pre-existing depression, with the lowest risk occurring at approximately 9 h/day. Both MVPA and LPA exhibited an L-shaped pattern in relation to mortality, indicating that engaging in higher levels of physical activity was associated with lower risk of mortality in individuals with pre-existing depression, but the beneficial effect reached a plateau after 50 min/day for MVPA and 350 min/day for LPA. We found a positive association between sedentary time and mortality, and the risk apparently increased above 8 h/day. Moreover, substituting 1 hour/day of sedentary time with LPA or MVPA was significantly associated with a 12% (hazard ratio: 0.88, 95% CI: 0.83–0.94) and 24% (hazard ratio: 0.76, 95% CI: 0.61–0.94) lower risk of mortality, respectively.

Our study found the beneficial effect of adequate sleep duration, high levels of physical activity and short sedentary time on risk of mortality among individuals with pre-existing depression.

Previous studies have shown that patients who are readmitted to the hospital from a skilled nursing facility (SNF) have a higher mortality rate. The objective of this study is to determine factors associated with high mortality rate for older adults who require hospital readmission while on presumed short stay in SNF to trigger a goals-of-care discussion.

Retrospective study of 847 patients aged 65 and above who were discharged from 1 large urban academic medical center to multiple SNF in 2019.

Charts of 847 patients admitted to SNF after an acute hospital stay were reviewed; their overall 1-year mortality rate was 28.3%. The 1-year mortality rate among individuals readmitted to the hospital within 30 days of discharge to SNF was 50%, whereas for those who did not require readmission, the rate was 22%. For the most common diagnostic categories of nervous system, and musculoskeletal, patients with readmission to hospital within 30 days of discharge to SNF had a roughly threefold higher 1-year mortality rate. Worse frailty score on hospital readmission, poor nutrition, and weight loss were the most impactful individual factors carrying a higher degree of mortality of up to 83%.

Hospital discharge to SNF and readmission from SNF within 30 days, further decline in functional status, and malnutrition characterize high-risk groups that should trigger care preference and prognostic discussions with patients as these events may be markers of vulnerability and are associated with high 1-year mortality rates.

Wildfires have escalated into a global threat with profound impacts on health, society, and the environment. The increasing frequency and intensity of these disasters, influenced by climate change and urban expansion, necessitate a comprehensive understanding of their direct health consequences.

This study conducted a retrospective analysis of global wildfire disasters from January 2000 to December 2023, utilizing data from the Emergency Events Database (EM-DAT). The analysis focused on the direct health outcomes—mortalities and injuries—excluding indirect effects such as smoke inhalation. Data were meticulously cleaned, categorized, and analyzed using quantitative methods, with statistical tests employed to validate the findings.

The study identified 309 significant wildfire disasters, with forest fires accounting for 80% of these events. These incidents resulted in 1890 fatalities and 14 360 injuries, with the highest tolls observed in Southern Europe, Northern America, and the Australia-New Zealand region. A notable rise in wildfire incidents was observed over the study period, underscoring the critical intersections between climate change, urban expansion, and wildfire risks. The analysis highlighted significant geographical and temporal patterns, emphasizing the regions and factors contributing to heightened wildfire vulnerability.

The findings underscore the urgent need for robust disaster preparedness and effective mitigation strategies. Integrating advanced early warning systems and Traditional Ecological Knowledge into wildfire management practices is essential. The study calls for proactive public health measures and interdisciplinary approaches to address the multifaceted challenges posed by wildfires. Continuous research and policy formulation are crucial to protect vulnerable communities and mitigate the increasing threat of wildfires globally.

We aimed to report an overview of trends in suicide mortality and years of life lost (YLLs) among adolescents and young adults aged 10–24 years by sex, age group, Socio-demographic Index (SDI), region and country from 1990 to 2021 as well as the suicide mortality with age, period and birth cohort effects.

Estimates and 95% uncertainty intervals for suicide mortality and YLLs were extracted from the Global Burden of Diseases Study 2021. Joinpoint analysis was used to calculate the annual percentage change (APC) and average annual percentage change (AAPC) to describe the mortality and rate of YLLs trends. Age, period and cohort model was utilized to disentangle age, period and birth cohort effects on suicide mortality trends.

Globally, suicide mortality and the rate of YLLs among adolescents and young adults both declined from 1990 to 2021 (AAPC: −1.6 [−2.1 to −1.2]). In 2021, the global number of suicide death cases was 112.9 thousand [103.9–122.2 thousand] and led to 7.9 million [7.2–8.6 million] YLLs. A significant reduction in suicide mortality was observed in all sexes and age groups. By SDI quintiles, the high SDI region (AAPC: −0.3 [−0.6 to 0.0]) had the slowest decline trend, and low-middle SDI region remained the highest suicide mortality till 2021 (7.8 per 100,000 population [6.9–8.6]). Most SDI regions showed generally lower period and cohort effects during the study period, whereas high SDI region showed more unfavourable risks, especially period and cohort effects in females. Regionally, Central Latin America (AAPC: 1.7 [1.1–2.3]), Tropical Latin America (AAPC: 1.5 [0.9–2.0]), High-income Asia Pacific (AAPC: 1.2 [0.7–1.7]) and Southern sub-Saharan Africa (AAPC: 0.8 [0.4–1.2]) had the significance increase in suicide mortality. In 2021, Southern sub-Saharan Africa had the highest mortality (10.5 per 100,000 population [8.6–12.5]). Nationally, a total of 29 countries had a significant upward trend in suicide mortality and rate of YLLs over the past three decades, and certain countries in low-middle and middle regions exhibited an extremely higher burden of suicide.

Global suicide mortality and the rate of YLLs among adolescents and young adults both declined from 1990 to 2021, but obvious variability was observed across regions and countries. Earlier mental health education and targeted management are urgently required for adolescents and young adults in certain areas.