Rajjo, Tamim

ABSTRACT Objective This study assessed the impact of sex and age on weight loss outcomes in patients receiving tirzepatide in real‐world clinical practice. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study of adults with overweight or obesity who initiated tirzepatide at Mayo Clinic between June 2022 and May 2024 and completed ≥ 12 months of continuous therapy. Primary outcome was total body weight loss percentage (TBWL%) at 15 months, stratified by sex and age groups (≤ 45, 46–59, ≥ 60 years). Results Among 1039 patients (57% women; mean age 56 ± 11 years), women achieved significantly greater TBWL% than men after 15 months of treatment (15.1% vs. 10.7%, p < 0.001). Patients aged ≤ 45 years had greater weight loss than those ≥ 60 years (15.1% vs. 12.3%, p = 0.024). In multivariable analyses, greater weight loss was independently associated with female sex, absence of type 2 diabetes, no prior obesity medication use, no concomitant weight gain‐promoting medications, and higher tirzepatide dosage. Age was not an independent predictor. Conclusions Sex, but not age, predicted weight loss with tirzepatide among individuals using the medication continuously for ≥ 12 months. These findings underscore the importance of incorporating sex‐specific considerations into personalized obesity treatment strategies.

Objective: The objective of this investigation was to evaluate the agreement rate on judgments made using the Murad tool by different systematic review teams. Introduction: Evaluating the methodological quality of case reports and case series is challenging but some tools do exist for this purpose. We leveraged the presence of studies that have been evaluated by different systematic review teams to assess the inter-consensus agreement among different teams on Murad tool domains. Methods: Using a back-citation method, we identified systematic reviews that used the Murad tool and retrieved all the included primary studies. We selected studies that were assessed by more than 1 systematic review team. We calculated observed agreement and Gwet’s agreement coefficient on judgments made about each signaling question. Results: We identified 982 systematic reviews that cited the Murad tool and collectively cited 59,080 references. The final data comprised of 81 duplicated case reports and series assessed by more than 1 systematic review team. Overall, the signaling questions had very high observed agreement with 5 of the 8 questions having agreement over 75%. The signaling questions with the highest agreement addressed the adequacy of the ascertainment of the exposure (coefficient 0.959), ascertainment of the outcome (coefficient 0.829), presence of a dose-response gradient (perfect agreement), and clarity of reporting (coefficient 0.755). Conclusion: The current study demonstrates overall high agreement among different systematic review teams that used the Murad tool for appraisal of the same case series and case reports. Leveraging duplicated studies across systematic reviews is a feasible way to retrospectively assess the reliability of the tool.

Importance Suicide is a leading cause of death among young people and an escalating public health crisis. Objective To assess the effectiveness and harms of available treatments for suicidal thoughts and behaviors among youths at heightened risk for suicide. Evidence Review A systematic review was conducted searching databases including MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Scopus, and various gray literature sources from January 1, 2000, to September 26, 2024. We included randomized clinical trials, comparative observational studies, and before-after studies of psychosocial interventions, pharmacologic interventions, neurotherapeutics, emerging therapies, and combination therapies. Eligible patients were youths (aged 5-24 years) with heightened risk for suicide, adolescents from racial and ethnic minority groups known to be at increased risk of suicide, or those exposed to crime or violence. Pairs of independent reviewers selected and appraised studies. Findings This review included 65 studies (33 randomized clinical trials, 13 comparative observational studies, and 19 before-after studies) reporting on 14 534 patients (median age, 15.1 years; 75.1% female patients). Psychosocial interventions comprised psychotherapy interventions (33 studies; cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, collaborative assessment and management of suicidality, dynamic deconstructive psychotherapy, attachment-based family therapy, and family-focused therapy), acute (ie, 1-4 sessions or contacts) psychosocial interventions (19 studies; safety planning, family-based crisis management, motivational interviewing crisis interventions, continuity of care after crisis, and brief adjunctive treatments), and school- or community-based psychosocial interventions (13 studies; social network interventions, school-based skills interventions, suicide awareness or gatekeeper programs, and community-based, culturally tailored adjunct programs). Dialectical behavior therapy showed moderate strength of evidence for reducing suicidal ideation. Other categories of psychosocial treatments showed insufficient to low strength of evidence for reducing suicidal outcomes. None of the studies evaluated adverse events. The evidence base on pharmacologic treatment for youths at risk of suicide was largely nonexistent. Conclusions and Relevance This systematic review found that the current evidence on available interventions targeting youths at heightened risk of suicide is uncertain. Medication, neurotherapeutics, and emerging therapies remain unstudied among this population. The limited evidence base calls for the development of novel, developmentally and trauma-informed treatments, as well as multilevel interventions to target the increasing suicide risk among youths.

Background Previous studies have demonstrated disparities in the utilization of diabetes technology among youth with type 1 diabetes (T1D) based on race and socioeconomic status (SES). Few studies have examined these differences on a national scale or among youth with commercial health insurance. Aim To investigate differences in the fill rates of insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) among commercially insured children with T1D across diverse racial and SES groups. Methods Using medical and pharmacy claims included in the OptumLabs Data Warehouse, we calculated the proportion of youth <18 years with T1D who had a fill for an insulin pump or a CGM, overall and stratified by race/ethnicity and annual household income, between 2011 and 2021. Results Among 13,246 youth with T1D, 36.1% had CGM and 30.9% had pump fills. White youth had higher CGM and pump fills than black (CGMs: 35.8% vs 22.5%; pumps: 31.9% vs 21.2%, p<0.001) and Hispanic (CGMs: 35.8% vs 32.6%, p=0.047; pumps: 31.9% vs 25.0%, p<0.001). Youth from households with income <US$40,000 had lower CGM and pump fills than those with income ≥US$200,000 (CGM 25.4% vs 43.8%; pumps: 22.4% vs 38.8%, p<0.001). Within similar incomes <US$40,000, black youth had fewer CGM and pump fills than white youth (CGM: 15.2% vs 27.9%, p=0.006; pumps: 12.9% vs 25.5%, p=0.004). This racial difference disappeared with income ≥US$200,000 (CGMs: 47.5% for black vs 43.1% for white; pumps: 45.9% for black vs 38.3% for white, p=0.45 and p=0.57, respectively). Conclusions In a cohort of commercially insured youth with T1D, both race and income are important factors that can independently influence the use of diabetes technology. Racial disparities decrease with higher income and disappear at incomes ≥US$200,000. Black youth with income <US$40,000 are at the highest exclusion risk from essential technologies. Greater effort is needed at both the system and individual levels to mitigate these disparities.

Abstract Disclosure: M. Salama: None. R. Basmaci: None. T. Rajjo: None. O. Chuzhyk: None. A.N. Lteif: None. A. Al Nofal: None. Objective: Heightened societal acceptance of transgender youth and increased awareness of their unmet medical needs have led to a rise in referrals for hormonal therapy. There is limited literature available on the metabolic outcomes of hormone therapy on transgender youth. We investigated how the different metabolic markers of cardiovascular disease change after the initiation of gender-affirming hormonal therapy in transgender adolescents. Methods: A Retrospective, observational cohort study based on chart review of all children with gender dysphoria (under 18 years of age) who were evaluated in the Pediatric Endocrinology Clinic in a tertiary care center between January 2015 and December 2022. Children's demographic information, baseline weight, height, BMI, hematocrit, lipid profile, ALT, prolactin, and HbA1C levels were obtained before and after the initiation of gender-affirming hormonal therapy. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was employed for paired analysis, while the chi-square test was used as appropriate. Results: We identified 106 transgender youth who were included in the analysis, with a median age at the start of hormonal therapy of 16 years (IQR: 15-17); comprising 68 trans-males (64%) and 38 trans-females (36%). The median treatment duration was 34 months (IQR: 18-54). Among trans-males, ALT levels increased post-treatment (mean difference 6.851 U/L, p &lt; 0.001), as did BMI Z scores (mean difference 0.257, p &lt; 0.001) and LDL-C (mean difference 12.734 mg/dl, p = 0.002), triglycerides (mean difference 10.18 mg/dl, p = 0.009), non-HDL-C (mean difference 12.8 mg/dl, p = 0.002), and total cholesterol (mean difference 10.18 mg/dl, p = 0.02). No significant differences were observed in HbA1C and HDL-C post-treatment. Among transfemales, BMI Z-scores were higher post-treatment (mean difference 0.27, p = 0.007), with increased total cholesterol (mean difference 19.88 mg/dl, p = 0.008), LDL-C (mean difference 12.6 mg/dl, p = 0.02), and HDL-C (mean difference 11.38 mg/dl, p &lt; 0.001). Other variables did not significantly differ pre-and post-treatment. Ten transfemales with measured prolactin levels pre- and post-treatment showed no statistically significant differences. Conclusion: This pilot study revealed increased BMI Z scores following the commencement of hormone therapy in both trans-male and trans-female youths. Moreover, masculinizing treatment led to increased ALT levels. Furthermore, the cardiometabolic profile exhibited diverse alterations, particularly higher LDL-C levels in both cohorts. These findings underscore the necessity for close monitoring of these parameters during the treatment of transgender youth. Larger prospective randomized controlled trials are essential to comprehensively assess the impact of gender-affirming therapy on transgender youth. Presentation: 6/2/2024

Abstract Introduction Effective pain and anxiety management during the perioperative phase remains a challenge for patients undergoing surgeries and other invasive procedures. The current standard of care involves prescribing analgesics to treat these conditions; however, there has been recent interest in applying multimodal strategies that limit the use of these medications. One such modality is meditation, which has been shown to be effective in alleviating various physical and psychological symptoms in other settings. This systematic review aims to assess how current meditative practices affect perioperative pain and anxiety. Methods We conducted a systematic review of randomized controlled trials following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses guidelines. A comprehensive literature search was conducted using PubMed MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, APA PsycINFO, EBM Reviews, Scopus, and Web of Science for all available dates. Our primary outcomes of interest were patient‐reported pain and anxiety scores using the Visual Analog Scale, the Brief Pain Inventory, the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale, the State‐Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). For the HADS and STAI scales, only the anxiety and anxiety‐state subgroups were reported, respectively. Results The literature search yielded 1746 articles. A total of 286 full‐text articles were screened, and 16 studies were included in this systematic review. A total of eight studies assessed pain scores after invasive procedures; five reported improvements in pain scores, and three reported no change after meditative practices. Ten studies assessed anxiety outcomes after invasive procedures: nine reported a decrease in overall anxiety levels as a result of meditation practices while one study reported no change in anxiety scores. Conclusion Data from this limited literature suggests that different meditation practices could be effective in alleviating pain and anxiety within the perioperative phase for patients undergoing various types of invasive procedures. Future prospective studies are needed to determine whether routine meditation in the perioperative setting is effective in mitigating perioperative pain and anxiety.

Abstract Interventions for adolescent weight management that are ready to use in clinical settings are needed to address the obesity epidemic and improve the health and wellbeing of affected adolescents. This report describes the systematic process our team followed to adapt an evidence-based intervention (EBI) for adolescent weight management from its randomized control trial protocol to a package for delivery in a group-based telehealth format within a medical center. The EBI adaptation was clinician initiated, prompted by identified practice needs, and involved collaboration of the clinical team with the EBI developer. The process was guided by the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, Maintenance (RE-AIM) framework and followed key steps for adapting EBIs to new contexts. RE-AIM-aligned adaptations included telehealth delivery and broader inclusion criteria, separate clinical and research evaluation batteries, adaptations to fit the clinical practice, practical fidelity checklists to guide and record session delivery, and continuous quality improvement processes aimed to facilitate program longevity and family engagement. The process culminated in a package of adapted intervention materials deemed by stakeholders as appropriate to the practice and congruent with the EBI model. This report provides a much-needed practical demonstration of the translation of an EBI for adolescent weight management from research protocol to group telehealth delivery in a medical center. Key lessons include the value of clinician-researcher collaboration, the breadth of resources needed to adapt EBIs for real-world delivery, and the importance of considering delivery context in implementation and evaluation decisions, including defining inclusion criteria, staffing, and outcomes assessments.

Background: Perinatal factors including gestational age, birthweight, size for gestational age, delivery route, maternal parity, maternal age, maternal education, socioeconomic status, race, and sex, are associated with the future risk of obesity and co-morbid conditions. This study evaluated the relationship of birthweight for gestational age and perinatal factors with severe obesity and dyslipidemia in adulthood. Methods: We conducted a population-based, retrospective birth cohort study of infants born to residents of Olmsted County, MN between 1976 and 1982. Outcomes were assessed after age 18 years until October 2020, including severe obesity (BMI ≥ 40 kg/m 2 ) and dyslipidemia (total cholesterol ≥200 mg/dL, non-high density lipoprotein [non-HDL] cholesterol ≥145 mg/dL or HDL cholesterol <40 mg/dL). We obtained mother’s age, education level, and parity as well as newborn sex, race, type of delivery, single/multiple birth, gestational age, and birthweight from birth certificate data. Individual-level socioeconomic status (SES) of the household at birth was determined with the HOUSES index. Results: Of 10 938 birth cohort subjects, 7394 had clinic visits after age 18 years and were included, with 2630 having severe obesity (n = 798) or dyslipidemia (n = 2357) as adults. In multivariable models, female sex, singleton birth, less maternal education, and lower SES defined by HOUSES were independently associated with an increased risk of severe obesity in adulthood. Non-white race, singleton birth, and lower birthweight were independently associated with adult dyslipidemia. Birthweight for gestational age was not associated with severe obesity or dyslipidemia. Conclusion: Perinatal factors were associated with both severe obesity and dyslipidemia in adulthood. Lower SES at birth was predictive of severe obesity in adulthood, highlighting the opportunity to investigate modifiable perinatal social determinants to reduce the risk of severe obesity.