To evaluate the association between metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), metabolic-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), and the risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) and benign colorectal neoplasms (BCN), and to explore whether liver fibrosis/cirrhosis modifies these associations.

Retrospective cohort study with 1:1 propensity score matching.

Global, multicentre real-world analysis using deidentified electronic health records from over 130 healthcare organisations in the TriNetX Global Collaborative Network.

Hospitalised adults aged 45–75 years between October 2019 and October 2024. Patients with prior diagnoses of colorectal neoplasia or other chronic liver diseases were excluded. Final matched cohorts included 138 902 MASLD and non-MASLD patients, 3715 MASH and non-MASH patients, and 1312 MASH patients with and without fibrosis.

Primary outcomes: Incidence of CRC and BCN. Secondary outcome: Combined incidence of CRC and BCN. Outcomes were assessed with and without controlling for metabolic risk factors using Cox proportional hazards models.

MASLD was associated with increased risks of CRC (HR 2.71, 95% CI 2.29 to 3.20) and BCN (HR 2.50, 95% CI 2.38 to 2.63), both p

MASLD and MASH are independent risk factors for CRC and BCN, irrespective of metabolic comorbidities. Fibrosis/cirrhosis does not significantly influence CRC risk. These findings support the need to revisit CRC screening guidelines for patients with MASLD/MASH. Further prospective studies are warranted to explore underlying mechanisms and evaluate preventative interventions.

Despite increasing proportions of underrepresented minority (URM) medical school graduates, their progression into surgical training and leadership remains disproportionately low. Barriers such as financial constraints, limited mentorship and implicit bias contribute to this disparity, creating a disconnect between the diversity of patient populations and those providing care. While interventions such as mentorship programmes and pipeline initiatives have been implemented, their overall effectiveness has not been systematically evaluated. The primary aim of this scoping review is to map the current landscape of interventions, programmes and policies designed to enhance access to surgical careers for URM learners.

Searches will be conducted on EMBASE, Web of Science and OVID MEDLINE. Three independent reviewers will screen references, extract data and perform analyses with disagreements adjudicated by a fourth reviewer. This review will include studies conducted across all levels of training: secondary (high school or secondary school), postsecondary (undergraduate, medical school) and postgraduate (residency, fellowship), with no geographical restrictions. The definition of URM will be accepted as reported within each individual study, allowing for variability in racial, ethnic, gender, socioeconomic or other criteria. The review will include any structured interventions, programmes or policies aimed at increasing URM representation in surgical education. Data on the nature, duration and target population of each intervention will be extracted. The primary outcome will be the reported impact of interventions on URM representation or participation in surgical education. Secondary outcomes will include characteristics of the study participants, definitions of URM status and any qualitative or quantitative evaluations of intervention effectiveness.

Research ethics approval is not required under University of Toronto policy. Study results will be reported according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines. Results will be disseminated to relevant stakeholders at conference presentation(s) and submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal.

To assess the implementation feasibility and acceptability of a structured digital psychosocial communication tool (DIALOG+) to strengthen the quality of person-centric care in psychiatric settings within Pakistan and India.

A hybrid inductive and thematic qualitative analysis using individual interviews (IDIs) and focus group discussions (FGDs).

Two psychiatric hospitals (Karwan-e-Hayat and Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre) in Karachi, Pakistan and one psychiatric care organisation (Schizophrenia Research Foundation) in Chennai, India

Interviews were conducted with 8 mental health clinicians and 40 patients who completed the DIALOG+ pilot as well as wider stakeholders, that is, 12 mental health clinical providers, 15 caregivers of people with psychosis and 13 mental health experts.

A technology-assisted communication tool (DIALOG+) to structure routine meetings and inform care planning, consisting of monthly sessions over a period of 3 months. The intervention comprises a self-reported assessment of patient satisfaction and quality of life on eight holistic life domains and three treatment domains, followed by a four-step solution-focused approach to address the concerns raised in chosen domains for help.

Key insights for the implementation feasibility and acceptability of DIALOG+ were assessed qualitatively using inductive thematic analysis of 22 IDIs and 8 FGDs with 54 individuals.

Clinicians and patients ascribed value to the efficiency and structure that DIALOG+ introduced to consultations but agreed it was challenging to adopt in busy outpatient settings. Appointment systems and selective criteria for who is offered DIALOG+ were recommended to better manage workload. Caregiver involvement in DIALOG+ delivery was strongly emphasised by family members, along with pictorial representation and relevant life domains by patients to enhance the acceptability of the DIALOG+ approach.

Findings highlight that the feasibility of implementing DIALOG+ in psychiatric care is closely tied to strategies that address clinician workload. Promoting institutional ownership in strengthening resource allocation is essential to reduce the burden on mental health professionals in order to enable them to provide more patient-centric and holistic care for people with psychosis. Further research is required to explore the appropriateness of including caregivers in DIALOG+ delivery to adapt to communal cultural attitudes in South Asia.

Diagnosing pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) in children is challenging owing to paucibacillary disease, non-specific symptoms and signs and challenges in microbiological confirmation. Chest X-ray (CXR) interpretation is fundamental for diagnosis and classifying disease as severe or non-severe. In adults with PTB, there is substantial evidence showing the usefulness of artificial intelligence (AI) in CXR interpretation, but very limited data exist in children.

A prospective two-stage study of children with presumed PTB in three sites (one in South Africa and two in Pakistan) will be conducted. In stage I, eligible children will be enrolled and comprehensively investigated for PTB. A CXR radiological reference standard (RRS) will be established by an expert panel of blinded radiologists. CXRs will be classified into those with findings consistent with PTB or not based on RRS. Cases will be classified as confirmed, unconfirmed or unlikely PTB according to National Institutes of Health definitions. Data from 300 confirmed and unconfirmed PTB cases and 250 unlikely PTB cases will be collected. An AI-CXR algorithm (qXR) will be used to process CXRs. The primary endpoint will be sensitivity and specificity of AI to detect confirmed and unconfirmed PTB cases (composite reference standard); a secondary endpoint will be evaluated for confirmed PTB cases (microbiological reference standard). In stage II, a multi-reader multi-case study using a cross-over design will be conducted with 16 readers and 350 CXRs to assess the usefulness of AI-assisted CXR interpretation for readers (clinicians and radiologists). The primary endpoint will be the difference in the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of readers with and without AI assistance in correctly classifying CXRs as per RRS.

The study has been approved by a local institutional ethics committee at each site. Results will be published in academic journals and presented at conferences. Data will be made available as an open-source database.

PACTR202502517486411

Pharmacogenomic testing could potentially reduce the number of adverse drug reactions and improve treatment outcomes through tailoring treatment to an individual’s genetic makeup. Despite its benefits and the ambitions to integrate into routine care, the implementation of pharmacogenomic testing in primary care settings remains limited. This study aims to qualitatively explore the views of healthcare professionals (HCPs) and patients on implementing pharmacogenomic testing in the UK National Health Service (NHS) primary care setting and to estimate the cost-effectiveness of service-delivery implementation by comparing different HCPs’ models of care.

This study consists of three workstreams (WS). WS1 is semi-structured interviews with General Practitioners, pharmacists, nurses and patients (24 participants) to explore implementation issues, including the perceived barriers and facilitators to delivering a pharmacogenomic service. WS2 consists of focus groups (between 24–36 participants) with genomic experts to develop practical pharmacogenomic-guided clinical pathways for primary care. WS3 will estimate the cost-effectiveness of implementing pharmacogenomic testing when led by different HCPs incorporating parameters from the literature, expert opinions, as well as data from WS1 and WS2.

Thematic analysis will be used to analyse the qualitative data from WS1 and WS2, mapping findings onto the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research domains, which will also be used as the theoretical framework. WS3 will be a decision-analytic model developed in Microsoft Excel to compare the cost-effectiveness of pharmacist-led, GP-led, nurse-led or multidisciplinary pathways.

This study has been approved by the NHS Health Research Authority and Health and Care Research Wales (24/PR/1088). Findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations and engagement with NHS policymakers and Genomics England.