Background
We report findings of a qualitative evaluation of fixed-dose combination therapy for patients with established atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) attending Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) clinics in Lebanon. Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide, and humanitarian actors are increasingly faced with the challenge of providing care for chronic diseases such as ASCVD in settings where health systems are disrupted. Secondary prevention strategies, involving 3–5 medications, are known to be effective for patients at risk of heart attack or stroke, but supply and adherence are challenging in humanitarian settings. Fixed dose combination therapy, combining two or more medications in one tablet, may be a strategy to address this.
Methods
The evaluation was nested within a prospective mixed-methods study in which eligible ASCVD patients were followed for 1 year during (i) 6 months of usual care then (ii) 6 months of fixed dose combination (FDC) therapy. After 1 year, we conducted in-depth interviews with a purposive sample of patients, MSF staff and external stakeholders. Interviews focused on acceptability and sustainability of the fixed dose therapy intervention. Interview data were analysed thematically, informed by thea Theoretical Framework of Acceptability. Additional attention was paid to non-typical cases in order to test and strengthen analysis.
Results
Patients and health care providers were positive about the FDC intervention. For patients, acceptability was related to ease of treatment and trust in MSF staff, while, for staff, it was related to perceived improvements in adherence, having a good understanding of the medication and its use, and fitting well with their priorities for patient’s wellbeing. External stakeholders were less familiar with FDC therapy. While external clinicals expressed concerns about treatment inflexibility, non-clinician stakeholder interviews suggested that cost-effectiveness would have a major influence on FDC therapy acceptability. Sustainability was tied to the future role of MSF care provision and coherence with the local health system.
Conclusions
For patients and clinic staff, FDC was an acceptable treatment approach for secondary prevention of ASCVD disease in two MSF clinics in Lebanon. Sustainability is more complex and calls for better alignment of care with public systems.
Summary
This prospective study reports the design and results obtained after the EMPODaT project implementation. This project was funded by the Tempus programme of the European Commission with the objective to implement a common postgraduate programme on organ donation and transplantation (ODT) in six selected universities from Middle East/North Africa (MENA) countries (Egypt, Lebanon and Morocco). The consortium, coordinated by the University of Barcelona, included universities from Spain, Germany, Sweden and France. The first phase of the project was to perform an analysis of the current situation in the beneficiary countries, including existing training programmes on ODT, Internet connection, digital facilities and competences, training needs, and ODT activity and accreditation requirements. A total of 90 healthcare postgraduate students participated in the 1‐year training programme (30 ECTS academic credits). The methodology was based on e‐learning modules and face‐to‐face courses in English and French. Training activities were evaluated through pre‐ and post‐tests, self‐assessment activities and evaluation charts. Quality was assessed through questionnaires and semi‐structured interviews. The project results on a reproducible and innovative international postgraduate programme, improvement of knowledge, satisfaction of the participants and confirms the need on professionalizing the activity as the cornerstone to ensure organ transplantation self‐sufficiency in MENA countries.
Objective: To assess the prevalence of high blood pressure (BP) and cardiovascular risk factors among marathon runners during Beirut-Marathon 2014. Methods: A total of 325 marathon runners were divided into 42 km and 10 km groups. They were assessed for cardiovascular risk factors by measuring their BP and answering a questionnaire. The questionnaire composed of 22 questions related to demographic information, risk factors, medical history, family history, medical checkups, use of antihypertensive drugs and definition of hyponatremia. Results: There were 30 runners in the 42 km group and 295 in the 10 km group interviewed. The majority of 42 km runners were males 29 (96.7%) vs. 205 (69.5%) in the 10 km group, (P = 0.001). The 42 km group was older than 10 km group (47 ± 13.8 years vs. 38.5 ± 14.6 years; P = 0.0025). The prevalence of hypertension was 46.7% in the 42 km group as compared to 31.2% in the 10 km group (P = 0.08). Systolic BP (SBP) was higher in 42 km group vs. 10 km group (143 ± 22.4 mm Hg vs. 129.9 ± 17.8 mm Hg; P = 0.0004). The heart rate was lower among 42 km vs. 10 km group (71 ± 11.1 bpm vs. 84 ± 16 bpm; P < 0.0001). Only 10% of the runners in both groups reported that they have hypertension (HTN). Conclusion: There is a high prevalence of HTN among marathon runners but minorities were aware that they have hypertension. The 42 km runners tend to be older with higher systolic blood pressure as compared to the 10 km runners.
The majority of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation patients develop acute kidney injury, and 40-60% require renal replacement therapy. This study aimed to examine determinants of major adverse kidney events in extracorporeal membrane oxygenation survivors.
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