Provision of inguinal hernia surgery in first‐referral hospitals across low‐ and middle‐income countries:Secondary analysis of an international cohort study

Introduction: Surgical care in first‐referral hospitals (FRHs) in low‐ and middle‐income countries (LMICs) is poorly characterized. Inguinal hernia repair can act as a good tracer condition. This study aimed to evaluate the variation in hernia repair across different hospital types in LMICs. Methods: We conducted a secondary analysis of an international prospective cohort study of hernia surgery. Data was collected from consecutive patients undergoing primary inguinal hernia repair between 30 January and May 21, 2023. We characterized patients from LMICs, comparing first‐referral, secondary, and tertiary hospitals. Emergency surgery, financing methods, mesh use, and complications were defined as key performance measures relevant for FRHs. A multilevel logistic regression model was used to test associations between complications and hospital type. Results: This analysis included 8155 patients undergoing hernia repair across 328 hospitals in 55 LMICs. Most patients were male (89.8%, 7324/8155), of working age (mean age 41.6, SD 25.3). Emergency surgery rates were similar across first‐referral, secondary and tertiary hospitals (11.1%, 10.9%, and 9.6%, respectively). Patients in FRHs were most likely to experience out‐of‐pocket payments (31.4%, 9.4%, and 17.4%). They also had lower rates of mesh use (71.9%, 82.1%, and 84.1%) and higher postoperative complication rates (19.1%, 12.5%, and 14.0%), although complications were similar after adjustment (adjusted odds ratio 1.71, 95% CI 0.83–3.54, p = 0.148). Discussion: This sample of FRHs is capable of delivering simple elective surgery, reducing the burden on subsequent referral hospitals. To scale these surgical pathways, FRHs need support to increase the use of mesh and ensure cost protection for patients

Value of ultrasonography as a marker of early response to abatacept in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and an inadequate response to methotrexate: results from the APPRAISE study

Objectives: To study the responsiveness of a combined power Doppler and greyscale ultrasound (PDUS) score for assessing synovitis in biologic-naïve patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) starting abatacept plus methotrexate (MTX). Methods: In this open-label, multicentre, single-arm study, patients with RA (MTX inadequate responders) received intravenous abatacept (∼10 mg/kg) plus MTX for 24 weeks. A composite PDUS synovitis score, developed by the Outcome Measures in Rheumatology–European League Against Rheumatism (OMERACT–EULAR)-Ultrasound Task Force, was used to evaluate individual joints. The maximal score of each joint was added into a Global OMERACT–EULAR Synovitis Score (GLOESS) for bilateral metacarpophalangeal joints (MCPs) 2–5 (primary objective). The value of GLOESS containing other joint sets was explored, along with clinical efficacy. Results: Eighty-nine patients completed the 24-week treatment period. The earliest PDUS sign of improvement in synovitis was at week 1 (mean change in GLOESS (MCPs 2–5): −0.7 (95% CIs −1.2 to −0.1)), with continuous improvement to week 24. Early improvement was observed in the component scores (power Doppler signal at week 1, synovial hyperplasia at week 2, joint effusion at week 4). Comparable changes were observed for 22 paired joints and minimal joint subsets. Mean Disease Activity Score 28 (C reactive protein) was significantly reduced from weeks 1 to 24, reaching clinical meaningful improvement (change ≥1.2) at week 8. Conclusions: In this first international prospective study, the composite PDUS score is responsive to abatacept. GLOESS demonstrated the rapid onset of action of abatacept, regardless of the number of joints examined. Ultrasound is an objective tool to monitor patients with RA under treatment. Trial registration number: NCT00767325

New Light on Methylthiolation Reactions

A novel enzyme, named RimO for ribosomal modification (Anton et al., 2008) catalyzes the methylthiolation of aspartate 88 of the S12 ribosomal protein in Escherichia coli and shows a strong similarity with the iron-sulfur enzyme MiaB involved in the methylthiolation of tRNAs