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Investigating dysfunctional cognition change as a putative mechanism of CBT for youth anxiety, OCD and PTSD: protocol for an individual participant data meta-analysis

Por: Buric · I. · Klein · A. · Rapee · R. M. · Levis · B. · Kendall · P. C. · Storch · E. A. · Mobach · L.
Introduction

Anxiety disorders, obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are common in children and adolescents and can lead to significant impairment. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) with exposure is the first-line treatment, yet approximately half of treated youth do not achieve full remission. Dysfunctional cognitions—negative automatic thoughts, maladaptive beliefs and distorted interpretations—are considered key targets of CBT, but evidence in youth is mixed and underpowered. This study will examine whether change in dysfunctional cognitions mediates treatment outcome in anxiety, OCD and PTSD symptoms and whether this association varies across individual characteristics.

Methods and analysis

An individual participant data meta-analysis (IPDMA) of randomised controlled trials of CBT for youth aged 5–18 years with anxiety disorders, OCD or PTSD will be conducted. The search strategy includes the databases APA PsycINFO, MEDLINE and Web of Science Core Collection from inception to 8 September 2025. It is supplemented by screening reference lists, trial registries, grey literature and outreach to relevant research groups. Eligible trials must include at least one validated measure of dysfunctional cognitions administered at minimum pre- and post-treatment, and clinical outcomes assessed at post-treatment and follow-up. The two primary outcomes are (1) child-reported symptom severity and (2) clinician-rated clinical severity. Data will be harmonised for dysfunctional cognition scores, moderators (age, gender, socioeconomic status, comorbidity), and primary outcomes. One-stage Bayesian mixed-effects models will examine whether changes in dysfunctional cognitions predict improvements in primary outcomes and whether these effects are moderated by individual characteristics. Missing data will be addressed using multiple imputation within the Bayesian framework, and study-level heterogeneity will be modelled using random intercepts and slopes.

Ethics and dissemination

All datasets will be de-identified and managed under General Data Protection Regulation standards. Each included trial will have ethical approval permitting data sharing and reuse, and the secondary analysis of the shared datasets has been approved by the University of Amsterdam. Findings will be disseminated via a peer-reviewed publication, scientific conferences and open sharing of analysis scripts and harmonisation procedures.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD420251139130.

Impact of outer width of the metacarpal diaphysis on the identification of low bone mass in children

by Samantha Hertz, Finnegan Klein, Todd L. Bredbenner, Miranda Cosman, Karl J. Jepsen

Developing a strong skeleton during growth is critical for minimizing fractures later in life. Prior work showed that bone mass varied with external bone size, a measure of the outer bone width. We tested how this association affected the identification of children with low bone mass. Radiographs of the nondominant hand of 45 White females and 54 White males, all ~ 8 years old, were assessed and second metacarpal length (Le) and the midshaft outer and inner widths were measured at the 40, 50, and 60% midshaft sites. The average total area (Tt.Ar), a measure of the area enclosed by the periosteal surface, and cortical area (Ct.Ar), a measure of bone mass, were calculated assuming a circular cross-section. Individuals were sorted into tertiles using robustness (Tt.Ar/Le). Z-scores were calculated for Ct.Ar first using the cohort mean and standard deviation and second using each robustness tertile mean and standard deviation. Females and males with Z-scores in the lower 33% range were identified for the group-average and tertile-specific average comparisons. Agreement between the two reference group approaches was determined using Cohen’s kappa statistic for each sex. The percentage of individuals identified with low Ct.Ar depended on whether Z-scores were compared to the group average or tertile-specific averages. When compared to the group average, 67% of females and 56% of males identified with lower Ct.Ar were from the narrowest tertile, whereas 0% of females and 22% of males were from the widest tertile. For females and males, Cohen’s kappa coefficient showed almost perfect agreement for the intermediate tertile (kappa coefficient > 0.84), but agreement was only poor to moderate (kappa coefficient 

SARS-CoV-2 infections among pregnant women--testing behaviour and neonatal and maternal health outcomes: a Dutch retrospective population-based cohort study

Por: Klein · P. P. F. · Crone · L. · Struijs · J. N.
Objectives

To provide population-level insights into COVID-19 testing behaviour and test results among all pregnant women in the Netherlands and to assess the effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy on maternal and neonatal health outcomes.

Design

Retrospective population-based cohort study.

Setting

Dutch registry data on maternal and neonatal health outcomes linked with COVID-19 testing and sociodemographic data for the study period 2020 and 2021.

Participants

To study testing behaviour, all pregnant women who gave birth in the Netherlands during 2020 and 2021 were included (N=322 720). To study the effects of maternal infection, women who gave birth between June 2020 and September 2021 and who were tested for COVID-19 were included (N=68 059).

Primary and secondary outcome measures

For testing behaviour: number of COVID-19 tests performed and COVID-19 test results. For neonatal health outcomes: preterm birth, low birth weight for gestational age (small for gestational age (SGA)), BIG2 (preterm birth and/or SGA), Apgar score at 5 min below seven (low Apgar), Apgar score at 5 min below four (very low Apgar), neonatal intensive care unit admission, congenital anomalies and mortality. For maternal health outcomes: major postpartum haemorrhage (>1000 mL), severe ruptures (third or fourth degree), type of delivery and episiotomy.

Results

Compared with the reference group (women aged 30–34), women under 20 had the lowest probability of being tested (16.5% vs 31.3%; OR 0.43, 95% CI 0.38 to 0.49), but when tested, they had significantly higher odds of testing positive (19.3% vs 12.9%; OR 1.62, 95% CI 1.21 to 2.14). Women originating from ‘other African’ countries were least likely to be tested (15.1%; OR 0.37, 95% CI 0.35 to 0.39), while women whose country of origin was ‘Morocco’ were most likely to test positive when tested (33.4%; OR 3.63, 95% CI 3.35 to 3.93). While over all trimesters a SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy did not show significant effects, an infection during the first trimester was associated with an increased risk of preterm birth (5.2% vs 6.4%; OR 1.25, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.52) and a low 5-min Apgar score (1.9% vs 2.9%; OR 1.50, 95% CI 1.12 to 2.02). No significant adverse maternal health effects were observed.

Conclusion

There were significant differences in testing behaviour and the probability of testing positive for COVID-19 among pregnant women from different age groups, countries of origin and socioeconomic backgrounds. SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy was not associated with significant effects on maternal health outcomes, and only limited effects on neonatal health were observed. Only infections occurring in the first trimester were linked to an increased risk of preterm births and low 5-min Apgar scores.

Role of health workers and representative health worker organisations in LMIC pharmaceutical policy: a scoping review protocol

Por: Eisenkraft Klein · D. · Noor · M. N. · Eiwanger · L. · Linton · J. · Ellis · U. · Sriram · V.
Introduction

Health workers (HWs) and their representative health worker organisations (RHWOs) contribute to the design of pharmaceutical policy in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), but their roles remain underappreciated. HWs and RHWOs can influence drug development, distribution, financing and access; however, which specific aspects HWs and RHWOs contribute to, and how they create change, remains insufficiently mapped within the global health literature. This protocol describes our process for conducting a scoping review to derive, describe, and classify existing literature on how HWs and RHWOs engage in pharmaceutical policy processes in LMICs.

Methods and analysis

This review will follow the updated Arksey and O’Malley five-stage scoping review framework supported by iterations of methodological guidance and will be reported according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews. We will search Ovid Medline, Ovid Embase and CAB Global Health for English-language peer-reviewed literature published between 2005 and 2025. Studies must discuss HW and RHWO involvement or influence in pharmaceutical policy or describe the roles, governance contexts or strategies of HWs or RHWOs in the context of pharmaceutical policy. Two reviewers will independently screen titles, abstracts and full texts using Covidence software to determine eligibility. We will chart data using Excel and summarise the findings thematically. We will consult stakeholders in the final stage of this review to provide feedback on the results of our review and guide our findings further in terms of actionable policy implications.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethics approval is not required for this scoping review of published literature. Findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications, academic presentations and policy engagement with global health actors. This review will inform future research and support evidence-informed pharmaceutical policymaking in LMICs.

Two years and counting: a prospective cohort study on the scope and severity of post-COVID symptoms across diverse patient groups in the Netherlands--insights from the CORFU study

Por: Klein · D. O. · Waardenburg · S. F. · Janssen · E. B. N. J. · Wintjens · M. S. J. N. · Imkamp · M. · Heemskerk · S. C. M. · Birnie · E. · Bonsel · G. J. · Warle · M. C. · Jacobs · L. M. C. · Hemmen · B. · Verbunt · J. · van Bussel · B. C. T. · van Santen · S. · Kietelaer · B. L. J.
Importance

Little research has been done on post-COVID symptoms at 24 months postinfection and on the association these may have on health-related quality of life (HRQOL).

Objective

We assessed the prevalence and severity of post-COVID symptoms and quantified EuroQol 5 Dimension 5 Level (EQ-5D-5L), self-perceived health question (EuroQol Visual Analogue Scale (EQ-VAS)) and health utility scores (HUS) up to 24 months follow-up.

Design

The longitudinal multiple cohort CORona Follow-Up (CORFU) study combines seven COVID-19 patient cohorts and a survey among the general public. The participants received questionnaires on several time points. Participants were stratified by: without a known SARS-CoV-2 infection (control group), proven SARS-CoV-2 infection but non-hospitalised, proven SARS-CoV-2 infection hospitalised to the ward, and proven SARS-CoV-2 infection hospitalised to the intensive care unit (ICU).

Setting

In this study, data of seven COVID-19 patient cohorts and a survey among the general public are included.

Participants

Former COVID-19 patients and controls participated in this cohort study.

Main outcomes and measures

Former COVID-19 patients and non-COVID-19 controls were sent questionnaires on symptoms associated with post-COVID condition. The CORFU questionnaire included 14 symptom questions on post-COVID condition using a five-level Likert-scale format. Furthermore, HRQOL was quantified using the EuroQol EQ-5D-5L questionnaire: EQ-VAS and the EQ-5D-5L utility score. The EQ-5D-5L questionnaire includes five domains that are scored on a five-point Likert scale: mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort and anxiety/depression.

Results

A total of 901 participants (and 434 controls) responded at 24 months follow-up. In all former COVID-19 patients, the presence of post-COVID condition at 24 months was observed in 62 (42.5%, 95% CI 34.3% to 50.9%) of the non-hospitalised patients, 333 (65.0%, 95% CI 60.7% to 69.2%) of the hospitalised ward patients and 156 (63.2%, 95% CI 56.8% to 69.2%) of the ICU patients, respectively (p

Conclusions

Many former COVID-19 patients experience post-COVID symptoms at 24 months follow-up, with the highest prevalence in hospitalised participants. Also, former patients reported a lower HRQOL.

Trial registration number

The CORFU study was registered at clinicaltrials.gov (registration number NCT05240742).

Geographic environments, daily activities and stress in Luxembourg (the FragMent study): a protocol combining map-based questionnaires, geographically explicit ecological momentary assessment and vocal biomarkers of stress

Por: Perchoux · C. · Topalian · N. · Klein · S. · Chaix · B. · Tharrey · M. · Röcke · C. · Gerber · P. · Klein · O. · Missling · A. · Omrani · H. · Helbich · M. · Van Dyck · D. · Kestens · Y. · Dijst · M. · Fagherazzi · G.
Introduction

Stress is nearly ubiquitous in everyday life; however, it imposes a tremendous burden worldwide by acting as a risk factor for most physical and mental diseases. The effects of geographic environments on stress are supported by multiple theories acknowledging that natural environments act as a stress buffer and provide deeper and quicker restorative effects than most urban settings. However, little is known about how the temporalities of exposure to complex urban environments (duration, frequency and sequences of exposures) experienced in various locations – as shaped by people’s daily activities – affect daily and chronic stress levels. The potential modifying effect of activity patterns (ie, time, place, activity type and social company) on the environment–stress relationship also remains poorly understood. Moreover, most observational studies relied quasi-exclusively on self-reported stress measurements, which may not accurately reflect the individual physiological embodiment of stress. The FragMent study aims to assess the extent to which the spatial and temporal characteristics of exposures to environments in daily life, along with individuals’ activity patterns, influence physiological and psychological stress.

Methods and analysis

A sample of 2000 adults aged 18–65 and residing in the country of Luxembourg completed a traditional and a map-based questionnaire to collect data on their perceived built, natural and social environments, regular mobility, activity patterns and chronic stress at baseline. A subsample of 200 participants engaged in a 15-day geographically explicit ecological momentary assessment (GEMA) survey, combining a smartphone-enabled global positioning system (GPS) tracking and the repeated daily assessment of the participants’ momentary stress, activities and environmental perceptions. Participants further complete multiple daily vocal tasks to collect data on vocal biomarkers of stress. Analytical methods will include machine learning models for stress prediction from vocal features, the use of geographic information systems (GIS) to quantify dynamic environmental exposures in space and time, and statistical models to disentangle the environment–stress relationships.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethical approval (LISER REC/2021/024.FRAGMENT/4-5-9-10) was granted by the Research Ethics Committee of the Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research (LISER), Luxembourg. Results will be disseminated via conferences, peer-review journal papers and comic strips. All project outcomes will be made available at https://www.fragmentproject.eu/.

Investigation of the combined effects of cannabidiol plus naltrexone on alcohol craving in alcohol dependence: study protocol of a phase II randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trial - ICONICplus Trial

Por: Vetter · S. · Weinberg · J. · Thomas · B. C. · Kirchner · M. · Thalmann · P. · Klose · C. · Pfisterer · M. · Kölsch · T. · Oesterle · S. · Vollstaedt-Klein · S. · Koopmann · A. · Lenz · B. · Kiefer · F. · Link · T. · Bach · P.
Introduction

Alcohol dependence (AD) is highly prevalent and has severe consequences on health and quality of life. However, the efficacy of approved pharmacotherapies such as naltrexone (NTX) remains limited, highlighting the need for novel pharmacotherapeutic approaches. Cannabidiol (CBD) is a promising candidate, which has shown potential to reduce craving and alcohol use by modulating brain circuits involved in craving and addiction. Preclinical studies suggest that CBD may enhance NTX’s therapeutic effects.

Methods and analysis

This is a three-armed, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel group, multicentre phase II clinical trial. A total of 150 patients with AD will be randomised (1:1:1) to receive either 800 mg or 1200 mg CBD plus 50 mg oral NTX or placebo plus 50 mg oral NTX for 14 days. Alcohol craving will be assessed using the Obsessive Compulsive Drinking Scale (OCDS-G) where the primary endpoint is the change from baseline to the end of treatment. Secondary outcomes include craving during the entire study, quality of life, depressive symptoms, anxiety, patient-reported outcomes, neural brain activation, CBD plasma levels, time to relapse, alcohol use and treatment safety. For the comparison of each experimental group to the control group, a strata-adjusted (centre and baseline OCDS-G) van Elteren test is applied with adjustment for multiple testing by Bonferroni-Holm.

Ethics and dissemination

The trial has been approved by the Ethics Committee and the competent authority (ID: B_03510). All participants will provide written informed consent. An independent Data and Safety Monitoring Board will monitor safety. This trial complies with national and international regulations.

Trial registration number

NCT06845124; EU Trial Number: 2024-518164-12-00.

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