Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is delivered across diverse health-system contexts. In Southeast Asia (SEA), PD has been promoted to expand kidney replacement therapy access where haemodialysis capacity, geography and resources constrain care. This protocol describes a scoping review focused on reported PD clinical outcomes in SEA, with North America used only as a prespecified external comparator rather than as a control group, global benchmark or proxy for best practice.

This scoping review will follow Joanna Briggs Institute guidance and will be reported using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). PRISMA Protocols (PRISMA-P) items are addressed where applicable. The review will be conducted from 1 May 2026 to 31 October 2026. Searches will identify sources published from 1 January 2000 to the planned final search date of 31 July 2026. MEDLINE, Embase, CENTRAL, Global Index Medicus, Google Scholar, citation searching and selected registry, professional, governmental and conference sources will be searched. No language restriction will be applied at the search stage. Eligible evidence will include peer-reviewed studies, registry or professional reports, governmental or institutional reports and conference abstracts or posters with extractable PD outcome data. Non-English sources will be screened using machine translation and extracted using targeted translation of relevant sections when feasible. Outcomes of interest include patient survival, technique survival and transition to haemodialysis, peritonitis and other infectious complications, hospitalisation and health service utilisation, cardiovascular outcomes, catheter-related complications and patient-reported outcomes when reported as clinical endpoints. Findings will be summarised descriptively and mapped by outcome domain and by region, with contextual factors noted when reported.

Ethics approval is not required because this review will synthesise published literature only. Findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publication and conference presentations, and the extracted dataset and search strategies will be shared in supplementary materials or an online repository, subject to journal policy.

This protocol is registered on the Open Science Framework (OSF): https://osf.io/3dkvx/.

Hypertension is a major risk factor for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, and a relationship between altitude and hypertension has been demonstrated. To better characterise this relationship, this study investigated the prevalence of hypertension and its association with altitude in community-dwelling older adults living at different altitudes in Xinjiang, northwest China.

A cross-sectional study.

Xinjiang, China.

50 778 community-dwelling older adults residing at varying altitudes across Xinjiang.

A multistage stratified sampling method was used to conduct an epidemiological survey from January 2019 to December 2019 among 50 778 community-dwelling older adults aged ≥60 years who were long-term residents of Kashgar (1289 m), Hami (738 m) and Turpan (35 m), Xinjiang. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to evaluate the association between altitude and hypertension risk.

Mean systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) showed significant variations (both p

In community-dwelling older adults residing in lowland to mid-elevation zones (35–1289 m) of Xinjiang, the prevalence and risk of hypertension were found to be inversely associated with residential altitude. These findings may reflect an environmental gradient effect specific to mid-to-low altitude settings, and their generalisability may be limited to populations at higher altitudes (>1500 m) or regions with distinct ethnic, genetic or healthcare backgrounds. Furthermore, it should be emphasised that this association likely reflects altitude-related environmental factors rather than direct physiological effects of hypoxia. Additional studies are warranted to further elucidate these complex relationships.

To evaluate the role of community pharmacy in the prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) among minority ethnic groups and to identify key barriers and facilitators influencing engagement with pharmacy-based CVD prevention services.

Systematic review using thematic synthesis to analyse both qualitative data and narratively synthesised quantitative data taking a convergent data synthesis approach. Searches were conducted from inception to 16 October 2024 across CINAHL Ultimate (EBSCOhost), EMBASE (Ovid), PubMed (NLM), Scopus (Elsevier) and Web of Science (Clarivate), supplemented by Google Scholar for grey literature and backward and forward citation tracking to identify additional studies.

Community pharmacy settings across multiple countries, including the UK and international contexts.

Minority ethnic groups accessing community pharmacy services and community pharmacy professionals involved in delivering CVD prevention interventions.

Community pharmacy-based CVD prevention interventions, specifically services addressing CVD risk factors.

Outcomes comprised qualitative insights, including barriers and facilitators to engagement with community pharmacy-led CVD prevention services.

Twenty-three studies met the eligibility criteria. Five overarching themes were identified: trust, systemic barriers, culturally tailored language, cultural and religious influences and family and social networks. Community pharmacies undertook varied CVD-related roles, most commonly CVD screening and diabetes management with additional contributions to smoking cessation, weight and lipid management, health promotion and medication adherence. Community pharmacies showed potential to support CVD prevention among minority ethnic groups. However, engagement was limited by language barriers, cultural beliefs, lack of trust in healthcare providers and organisational constraints such as time pressures and limited training. Facilitators included culturally tailored interventions, language concordance and strong pharmacist-patient relationships.

Evidence from the UK remains limited, highlighting a need for further research into the role of community pharmacy in reducing CVD disparities among minority ethnic groups. International evidence suggests significant potential for pharmacy-based interventions, but improved cultural competence, targeted service design and greater awareness of determinants of equitable healthcare are essential. Future research should focus on optimising culturally responsive pharmacy-led CVD prevention strategies.

CRD42024579766.

While exercise adherence is known to vary during cancer treatment, little is known about what predicts these changes during chemotherapy or within individual treatment cycles for breast cancer. We examined changes in adherence and its predictors (1) across chemotherapy treatment and (2) within treatment cycles in women undergoing (neo-)adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer.

This study is based on data from the Phys-Can multicentre parallel randomised trial.

The exercise intervention was conducted at public gyms in three Swedish university cities.

178 women undergoing (neo-)adjuvant chemotherapy without any chemotherapy treatment delays and had any adherence data were included in the analysis.

Participants in the Phys-Can trial were randomised to either high or low-to-moderate intensity combined endurance and resistance training.

The primary outcome variable for this secondary analysis of Phys-Can trial data was adherence to endurance and resistance training. Bayesian multilevel growth curve models were used to examine adherence to resistance and endurance training throughout the chemotherapy treatment period and within chemotherapy cycles. Potential predictors of adherence included exercise intensity, chemotherapy dose, muscle strength, body mass index, cardiorespiratory fitness, fatigue and age. Results are reported with 95% credibility intervals (CrIs).

Adherence to endurance and resistance training declined on average across the chemotherapy treatment by 1% (95% CrI –1.5, –0.5) and 5.2% (95% CrI –6.8, –3.6), respectively, per week. Adherence decreased within the chemotherapy treatment cycle by 2.4% for endurance (95% CrI –4.2, –0.7) and 6.1% (95% CrI –8.2, –4.1) for resistance training, respectively. Higher baseline fitness predicted better adherence to endurance exercise (β=1.2, 95% CrI 0.1, 2.3), while high-intensity training predicted a steeper decline (β=–1.2, 95% CrI –2.2, 0.2). No significant predictors were found for adherence to resistance training over time.

Women with breast cancer may require additional support to maintain exercise adherence during the later stages of chemotherapy and during the second and third weeks of their chemotherapy cycles. Those with lower pretreatment fitness levels may benefit from more intensive support to sustain engagement in exercise.

The Phys-Can trial was registered in Clinical trials: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02473003,

Chronic central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) can cause progressive and permanent vision loss. Although photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a primary treatment option globally, it is not approved for CSC worldwide, limiting therapeutic access. The REPLAY trial is a phase III, investigator-initiated trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of reduced-fluence PDT (rf-PDT) for chronic CSC to seek the first regulatory approval globally.

This study comprises two cohorts. The ‘untreated cohort’ is a multicentre, randomised, placebo-controlled, double-masked trial involving 60 patients with untreated, fovea-involving chronic CSC, randomised 2:1 to receive a single rf-PDT or placebo treatment. The ‘previously treated cohort’ is a single-arm, open-label trial for up to 10 patients with recurrent CSC after PDT. The primary endpoint for both cohorts is the proportion of eyes with a complete resolution of subfoveal fluid at 12 weeks post-treatment, assessed by optical coherence tomography. Secondary endpoints include changes in best-corrected visual acuity, central choroidal thickness, recurrence rates and incidence of adverse events over a 48 week follow-up.

The study protocol was approved by the Kyoto University Hospital Institutional Review Board, IRB of Chiba University Hospital, Tokyo Women’s Medical University Institutional Review Board and Institutional Review Board of Kansai Medical University Hospital. Written informed consent is obtained from all participants. The results will be disseminated through publication in a peer-reviewed journal and presentations at scientific conferences.

jRCT2051230156 (URL: https://jrct.mhlw.go.jp/latest-detail/jRCT2051230156).

Extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) poses a significant diagnostic and economic challenge in HIV endemic, low-resource settings due to its complex presentation and current diagnostic tools limitations. While accurate and timely diagnosis is critical for reducing morbidity, mortality and health system costs, economic evaluations of EPTB diagnostics remain sparse and fragmented. This protocol aims to map existing evidence on the economic evaluation of diagnostic innovations for EPTB in low-resource settings.

This scoping review protocol follows the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodological framework and registered on the Open Science Framework. Peer-reviewed articles, grey literature and official reports published between 2000 and 2025 will be searched in PubMed, MEDLINE, Google Scholar, Scopus and Science Direct. The search strategy is structured using the Population, Intervention, Comparator, Outcome, Time, Study design and Setting (PICOTSS) framework, and will be peer-reviewed using the Peer Review of Electronic Search Strategies (PRESS) guideline. Study selection, data charting and extraction will be performed independently by two reviewers. Data will be charted iteratively, and the methodological quality of selected economic evaluations will be appraised using the Drummond checklist. Results will be synthesised in narrative summaries and tabular formats. Final reporting will follow the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) reporting guideline.

For review of previously published data, ethical approval is not required. Findings will be disseminated in professional networks, stakeholder meetings and a peer-reviewed journal.

OSF Registration DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/BTCPG

To investigate the risk factors for primary non-central malposition of peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) tip in neonates admitted to the neonatal surgical department, compare the malposition rates across different insertion sites in disease types, and explore whether different diseases affect PICC tip malposition.

A retrospective case–control study conducted in accordance with the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) statement.

A 3A women’s and children’s hospital in South China (Guangdong Province).

A total of 558 neonates aged ≤28 days who underwent PICC insertion between January 2019 and November 2024 were enrolled. Neonates with congenital circulatory system malformations, incomplete clinical data and death or treatment withdrawal before tip positioning were excluded.

The primary outcome was the incidence of primary non-central PICC tip malposition confirmed by X-ray or ultrasound within 24 h after insertion. Secondary outcomes included comparison of primary non-central PICC tip malposition rates across different insertion sites and comparison of primary PICC tip malposition rates by insertion sites across different disease groups.

558 neonates were included in this study, including 460 cases with PICC tip in place and 98 with PICC tip malposition. In binary logistic regression analysis, the PICC insertion site was considered an independent risk factor (OR 2.908, 95% CI 1.748, 4.840, p

Medical staff can choose appropriate upper or lower limb veins for PICC insertion without worrying about the impact of abdominal diseases or thoracic diseases on non-central PICC tip malposition. PICC insertion via the head and neck veins should be performed with caution in neonates, as these sites carry a high risk of primary non-central tip malposition compared with other insertion sites.

Ethnic communities provide an appropriate setting for examining patterns of pregnancy and childbirth. Policy-making aimed at improving maternal health will be rendered ineffective in the absence of knowledge and comprehension of the traditions and beliefs associated with childbirth. The objective of this study was to cross-ethnically compare childbirth experiences.

This research used a cross-sectional methodology and was conducted in 2023. The sampling in the cities of Tabriz (Azeri), Sanandaj (Kurdish), Babol (Mazani), Khorramabad (Lur), Ahvaz (Arab) and Tehran (Fars) was conducted using the cluster random approach. The data collection instruments included questionnaires of sociodemographic and obstetric characteristics and childbirth experience (Childbirth Experience Questionnaire 2.0). In bivariate analysis, a one-way analysis of variance test was employed. In contrast, a general linear model (GLM) was used in multivariate analysis to adjust for the influence of sociodemographic and obstetric characteristics. The data were analysed using SPSS V.24 software. The p value less than 0.05 was considered significant.

Health centres in cities with different ethnic groups all over Iran.

For this purpose, 1331 women from six ethnic groups who were referred to health centres were selected 4 to 6 weeks after giving vaginal birth.

The following are the mean (SD) scores (scoring range: 1–4) for the childbirth experiences of the participating women: Azeri 2.31 (0.32), Kurdish 2.14 (0.31), Fars 2.26 (0.42), Mazani 1.93 (0.38), Lur 2.14 (0.4) and Arab 2.06 (0.18). Results from GLM multivariate analysis showed that while Azeri (B: 0.25; 95% CI 0.16 to 0.35; p

Women of different Iranian ethnicities have varying childbirth experiences. Women of Azeri and Fars ethnic groups report higher satisfaction with childbirth than those of others. Mazeni women had the lowest mean scores for having a positive birth experience. To offer compassionate and effective treatment for their patients, healthcare providers must have a deep understanding of cultural diversity.

While health research about persons of South Asian ancestry has been conducted for decades in Canada, it often uses pathologising approaches that fail to consider historical, social and political factors shaping health disparities. Further, this research rarely engages South Asian communities in meaningful ways, reinforcing feelings of disconnect and longstanding mistrust. Greater collaboration and transparency are needed to build trust and generate credible findings. The aims of this research protocol are to (1) examine how community engagement has been implemented in health research involving South Asian populations, (2) explore the experiences of both South Asian community members and academics involved in community-engaged research and (3) develop a framework guiding health research with and for South Asian communities in Canada, titled PRinciples to Operationalize Community Engagement, Equity, and Sustainability in South Asian Health Research in Canada (PROCESS).

This ongoing codesigned concurrent multimethods study is being conducted with community partners across Canadian provinces. First, the scoping review is examining how community engagement has been operationalised in health research involving South Asian populations in Canada. We are performing a search in Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), MEDLINE, Web of Science, Scopus and PsycINFO databases for articles published between 2003 and 2024 referring to the concept of community engagement in South Asian health research. Two reviewers are independently completing abstract and full-text reviews based on preselected eligibility criteria. Data are being extracted from peer-reviewed studies using a data extraction framework. Findings will be aggregated and synthesised using descriptive content analyses. Second, a qualitative descriptive study is being conducted to explore the experiences of diverse stakeholders, including academics and community partners who are partaking in academic health research focused on South Asians. Semistructured interviews are being analysed using an inductive thematic content analysis. Results from the scoping review and qualitative interviews will be triangulated to detect emerging themes and patterns, which will enable the identification of principles to be incorporated within a draft of the PROCESS framework. In the final phase, we will use a modified Delphi process to iteratively codevelop the PROCESS framework with community partners and researchers across Canada.

The Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences Institutional Review Board at McGill University approved the study’s protocol (24-05-080). Results will be submitted for publication in peer-reviewed journals and presented in academic and community forums. Results will also be shared with diverse audiences across Canada through multiple formats, including articles, conferences, infographics and social media, with the aim of raising awareness and promoting the adoption of research principles and practices for engaging South Asian communities in health research. This research received funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (Grant #507768).

Suicide is a major public health concern among youth in Canada and worldwide. The most rapid increases in suicidal ideation, self-harm, and suicide attempts have been observed among adolescent girls, particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic. Recent studies report disproportionately high rates of emergency department visits and hospitalisations for suicide-related concerns among adolescent girls. Despite these concerning trends, limited evidence exists on the life trajectories, needs, and service pathways of adolescent girls who attempt suicide. This protocol describes a qualitative suicide audit focused on adolescent girls aged 12–17 who were hospitalised following a suicide attempt in two regions of the province of Québec, Canada. The aim is to understand developmental trajectories, document services received and identify individual, relational and systemic factors influencing these trajectories to generate recommendations that inform suicide prevention.

Using a narrative qualitative design and a community-based research approach, data will be collected from semi-structured interviews with adolescents and parents, parent questionnaires and hospital health records. These data will be integrated to develop anonymised case vignettes. A multidisciplinary panel, including clinicians, health system stakeholders, community partners and individuals with lived experience, will review each case to identify gaps and strengths in care and generate case-level and cross-case recommendations for clinical practice, health policy and professional training.

Ethics approval was obtained from the research ethics committee (REC) of the Centre intégré de santé et de services sociaux de Chaudière-Appalaches, which serves as the reviewing REC, with administrative reviews underway at two other health authorities. Findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations and collaborative knowledge-mobilisation activities with clinical and community partners, including practice-oriented tools and accessible materials for adolescents and parents.