To Örebro University

PURPOSE: Time management is essential to handle daily life in today's society. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the Swedish version of the Let's Get Organised (LGO-S) intervention to improve time-management skills for adults with impaired time management due to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism or mental disorders compared to treatment as usual (TAU), which is individual occupational therapy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a multi-centre, open, two-armed pragmatic randomised controlled trial. The setting was out-patient adult habilitation centres and psychiatric clinics. At baseline the study had 75 participants aged 19-61 years (mean 32.3 years) whereof 44 were women.

RESULTS: Both intervention groups showed statistically significant improvements in time-management skills, organisation and planning, emotional regulation, general self-efficacy and satisfaction with activities at post-intervention test. Most of these within-group improvements were sustained after 3 months. Changes in time-management skills between LGO-S and TAU intervention were not statistically significant at post-intervention or after 3-months. Programme completers in LGO-S had significantly better time management skills at the 3-month follow-up than non-completers.

CONCLUSIONS: This pragmatic RCT, conducted in a clinical environment including participants with complex difficulties, showed that both LGO-S and individual occupational therapy are clinically useful/applicable interventions that effectively improve time-management skills.

Introduction & Objectives: The diagnostic workup for suspected prostate cancer is often emotionally distressing and may negatively affect patients’ well-being. Considerable variability exists in waiting times across diagnostic pathways, yet evidence on how such delays influence psychological distress is limited. Objective: To assess whether a fast-track diagnostic workup reduces psychological and physiological stress among men with suspected prostate cancer.

Materials & Methods: In this randomized clinical trial, 304 men referred for suspected prostate cancer at the Urology Department, Örebro University Hospital (Sweden), were randomized to either a fast-track diagnostic workup—aiming for the shortest possible waiting time—or usual care. Primary outcomes were patient-reported symptoms of distress (anxiety, depression, perceived stress, and sleep disruption); secondary outcomes included physiological stress markers, such as diurnal salivary cortisol. Data were collected from randomization to 12 months post-enrollment.

Results: Men in the fast-track group had a significantly shorter waiting time to their first consultation (median 7 days) compared with the usual care group (median 35 days). During the first six months, participants in the fast-track arm reported lower levels of distress, anxiety, and perceived stress, and improved sleep quality. Among those undergoing prostate biopsy, the strongest intervention effect was seen one to four weeks post-procedure. For men subsequently diagnosed with prostate cancer, the effect was most pronounced one week after biopsy. Differences between groups were no longer evident at 12 months. Diurnal cortisol profiles indicated a more favorable stress pattern in th efast-track group, especially during the period surrounding diagnostic disclosure.

Conclusions: A fast-track diagnostic workup for suspected prostate cancer substantially reduces psychological and physiological stress during the diagnostic phase. These findings support the implementation of accelerated diagnostic pathways in urological practice to improve patient experience and potentially reduce stress-related health risks.

There is evidence that persistent dysregulation of the immune system caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection may increase susceptibility to other infections. Here, we assessed whether it is associated with subsequent diagnoses of infectious mononucleosis due to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV-IM). Residents of Sweden aged 3-100 years without a prior diagnosis of EBV-IM were followed between January 1, 2020, and November 30, 2022, comprising a total of 9 978 860 participants. Individuals were categorized into those without a COVID-19 diagnosis, those with a positive SARS-CoV-2 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test only - less severe exposure, and those admitted to hospital with COVID-19 - more severe exposure. Cox regression was used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for the association between the exposure, modeled as a time-varying covariate, and EBV-IM occurrence. EBV-IM rates per 100 000 person-years and 95% CIs were 4.6 (4.4-4.9) for individuals not diagnosed with COVID-19, 7.8 (6.9-8.9) for those with a positive SARS-CoV-2 test only, and 10.5 (6.2-17.6) for patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19. HR and 95% CI were 1.61 (1.39-1.88) for people with a positive PCR test only and 5.71 (3.33-9.79) for those admitted to hospital with COVID-19 compared with people without a COVID-19 diagnosis, after adjustment for birth year, sex, Swedish healthcare region, region of birth, and Charlson comorbidity index. SARS-CoV-2 infection was associated with a subsequent raised risk of EBV-IM, including among those with less severe acute infection, signaling immune perturbation and the possibility of further delayed sequelae linked with EBV-IM.

Introduction Previous research has shown that nursing home applicants had negative experiences of living and receiving care in their ordinary housing due to several factors, such as difficulties in everyday activities and being depressed. However, whether these experiences stand solely for nursing home applicants, or are common in an older population in general needs to be investigated.

Aim of this study was to compare nursing home applicants with matched older adults with respect to difficulties in everyday life, life satisfaction and depressive mood.

Methods Using a case-control design, 34 participants (17 in each group) were compared using Wilcoxon signed rank test for continuous variables and McNemar test for binary variables. The magnitude of associations was explored using conditional logistic regression.

Results Nursing home applicants experienced more difficulties in daily life and were more depressed than their matched peers, and this difference between groups was significant. To experience several difficulties in everyday life and being depressed increased the odds for a nursing home application.

Conclusions As aging in place is the societal norm, older adults with increased likelihood of nursing home applications need to be identified and catered for in an early stage, to prevent nursing home admission.

BACKGROUND: A rapid shift has occurred from vitamin K antagonists toward direct oral anticoagulants, which have a lower risk of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). However, effects on clinical outcomes after ICH are understudied. We aimed to describe the prevalence of antithrombotic drugs and to study the prognosis among prestroke functionally independent Swedish patients with ICH.

METHODS AND RESULTS: We identified all patients diagnosed with nontraumatic ICH in 2017 to 2021 from the Swedish Stroke Register (n=13 155) and assessed death and functional outcome at 3 months after ICH in prestroke functionally independent patients (n=10 014). Functional outcome was estimated among 3-month survivors on the basis of self-reported activities of daily living scores. Risks of outcomes were estimated using Poisson regression. In 13 155 patients, 14.5% used direct oral anticoagulant, 10.1% vitamin K antagonists, and 21.6% antiplatelets at ICH onset. Among 10 014 pre-stroke activities of daily living-independent patients, oral anticoagulants and antiplatelets were associated with increased mortality risk (adjusted risk ratio, 1.27 [95% CI, 1.13-1.43]; P<0.001; and adjusted risk ratio, 1.23 [95% CI, 1.13-1.34]; P<0.001 respectively). Mortality risk did not statistically differ between antiplatelets and oral anticoagulants nor between direct oral anticoagulant and vitamin K antagonists. Among 5126 patients with nonmissing functional outcome (69.1% of survivors), antiplatelets (adjusted risk ratio, 1.06 [95% CI, 0.99-1.13]; P=0.100) and oral anticoagulants (adjusted risk ratio, 1.01 [95% CI, 0.92-1.12]; P=0.768) were not statistically significantly associated with functional dependence.

CONCLUSIONS: There was no statistically significant difference in mortality risk between direct oral anticoagulant and vitamin K antagonists in prestroke functionally independent patients (unadjusted for oral anticoagulant class indication). Furthermore, mortality risk in antiplatelet and oral anticoagulant users might differ less than previously suggested.

Background: Viral infections, particularly Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), have been linked with risk of multiple sclerosis (MS). Given the evidence that SARS- CoV-2 infection can have consequences for the central nervous system (CNS) and autoimmune disorders, it might increase risk of MS and other demyelinating diseases of the CNS.

Objectives: We aimed to assess whether SARS- CoV-2 infection is associated with subsequent diagnoses of non-MS demyelinating CNS diseases, MS, and infectious mononucleosis (IM) due to EBV—an important MS risk factor.

Methods: All residents of Sweden aged 3–100 years were followed between 1st January 2020 and 30th November 2022, excluding those with demyelinating disease prior to 2020, resulting in 9,981,915 individuals. Exposure was classified as SARS- Cov-2 uninfected or infected, the latter divided by severity, and mod-elled as a time-varying covariate (uninfected, infection without hospital admission and infected with hospital admission). Cox regression assessed the risk of three separate outcomes: hospital-diagnosed non-MS demyelinating diseases; MS; and IM due t oEBV, adjusting for sex, year of birth (age), Charlson comorbidity index, healthcare region and country of birth.

Results: Hospital admission for COVID-19 was associated with raised risk of subsequent non-MS demyelinating disease. Rates per 100 000 person years (and 95% confidence intervals [CI]) were 3.8 (3.6– 4.1) among those without a COVID-19 diagnosis and 9.0 (5.1–15.9) among those admitted to hospital for COVID-19, with an adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) and 95% CI of 2.31 (1.30– 4.10). Equivalent associations with MS were rates of 9.5 (9.1–9.9) and 21.0 (14.5–30.5) per 100,000, and an aHR of 2.48 (1.70–3.61). For subsequent IM due to EBV, hospital admission for COVID-19 was associated with a rate of 10.5 (6.2–17.8) per 100,000 compared with 4.7 (4.4–5.0) for those without COVID-19, and an aHR of 5.63 (3.29–9.66).

Conclusions: There was increased risk of CNS demyelinating diseases among people admitted to hospital for COVID-19. COVID-19 was also associated with a raised risk of IM due to EBV, an established risk factor for MS. It is possible that at least a proportion of these associations is due to surveillance or referral bias (due to a previous hospital admission for infection), so future research should continue to follow the population that had COVID-19 for development of MS and other demyelinating diseases, which can have long asymptomatic and prodromal phases.

Demyelinating diseases including multiple sclerosis are associated with prior infectious exposures, so we assessed whether SARS-CoV-2 infection is associated with subsequent diagnoses of non-multiple sclerosis demyelinating diseases and multiple sclerosis. All residents of Sweden aged 3-100 years were followed between 1 January 2020 and 30 November 2022, excluding those with demyelinating disease prior to 2020, comprising 9 959 818 individuals divided into uninfected and those who were infected were categorized into those with and without hospital admission for the infection as a marker of infection severity. Cox regression assessed the risk of two separate outcomes: hospital diagnosed non-multiple sclerosis demyelinating diseases of the CNS and multiple sclerosis. The exposures were modelled as time-varying covariates (uninfected, infection without hospital admission and infected with hospital admission). Hospital admission for COVID-19 was associated with raised risk of subsequent non-multiple sclerosis demyelinating disease, but only 12 individuals had this outcome among the exposed, and of those, 7 has an unspecified demyelinating disease diagnosis. Rates per 100 000 person-years (and 95% confidence intervals) were 3.8 (3.6-4.1) among those without a COVID-19 diagnosis and 9.0 (5.1-15.9) among those admitted to hospital for COVID-19, with an adjusted hazard ratio and (and 95% confidence interval) of 2.35 (1.32-4.18, P = 0.004). Equivalent associations with multiple sclerosis (28 individuals had this outcome among the exposed) were rates of 9.5 (9.1-9.9) and 21.0 (14.5-30.5) and an adjusted hazard ratio of 2.48 (1.70-3.61, P < 0.001). Only a small number of non-multiple sclerosis demyelinating disease diagnoses were associated with hospital admission for COVID-19, and while the number with multiple sclerosis was somewhat higher, longer duration of follow-up will assist in identifying whether the associations are causal or due to shared susceptibility or surveillance bias, as these diseases can have long asymptomatic and prodromal phases.

PURPOSE: Time management skills are essential for handling daily life in a modern society. People with ADHD, Autism spectrum disorder or mental disorders may have affected time management, which for example might lead to poor occupational balance, low self-efficacy and difficulites to maintain family and working life. Let’s Get Organized’(LGO) is a manual-based group intervention to improve time management skills. The aim of this trial was to evaluate the efficiency of the Swedish version of LGO (LGO-S) compared to treatment as usual (individual occupational therapy) to improve time management for adults with impaired time management skills due to neurodevelopmental or mental disorders.

DESIGN: Multi-center two-armed open parallel randomized controlled trail (RCT). Participants (n=88) from nine out-patient psychiatric or habilitation care units were randomized into 1) Let’s Get Organized (LGO-S) and 2) individual occupational therapy (treatment as usual).

METHOD: Both groups received intervention for 10 weeks. Data was collected pre-, post- and three months post intervention. Primary outcome measure was self-assessed time management skills. Secondary outcome measures were self assessed planning and organisational skills, regulation of emotions, satisfaction with daily occupations and self-efficacy.

RESULTS: Both LGO and Individual occupational therapy showed statistically significant improvements in time management skills after intervention (p<0.001 in both groups). The results were maintained at the three month follow-up. There were no statistically significant differences between groups. Analyzes of secondary outcomes are ongoing and will be presented at the conference.

CONCLUSION: Both LGO and individual occupational therapy had a positive effect on the participants’ time management skills. Conclusions about secondary outcomes and possible correlations will be presented at the conference.

BACKGROUND: Androgens may play a role in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and host responses as the virus is dependent on the androgen-regulated protein transmembrane serine protease 2 for cell entry. Studies have indicated that prostate cancer patients receiving androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) are at reduced risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and serious complications compared with patients without ADT, but data are inconsistent.

METHODS: A total of 655 prostate cancer patients who were under surveillance at two urology departments in Sweden on April 1, 2020 were included in the study as well as 240 patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). At follow-up early in 2021, the participants completed a questionnaire containing information about symptoms compatible with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Blood samples were also collected for the assessment of SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies (SARS-CoV-2 Total; Siemens). We used multivariable logistic regression models to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between ADT and the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

RESULTS: The cumulative incidence of SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity was 13.4% among patients receiving ADT and 10.4% among patients without ADT. After adjusting for potential confounders, we observed no differences in symptoms or risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection between patients with and without ADT (OR: 0.98; 95% CI: 0.52-1.85). Higher body mass index, Type 1 diabetes, and prostate cancer severity, defined by high Gleason score (8-10; OR: 2.06; 95% CI: 1.04-4.09) or elevated levels of prostate-specific antigen (>20 µg/l; OR: 2.15; 95% CI: 1.13-4.07) were associated with increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Overall, the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection was not higher among men with prostate cancer than among men with BPH.

CONCLUSIONS: Our results do not support the hypothesis that ADT use in prostate cancer patients reduces the risk or symptom severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection or that prostate cancer patients are at increased risk of COVID-19 compared with men without prostate cancer.

OBJECTIVES: Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is an autoimmune liver disease that may progress into liver cirrhosis. Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) is known to prevent or delay the disease progression, but little is known about work incapacity in PBC patients. We aimed to compare clinical outcomes (transplantation-free survival; cirrhosis development) and sick leave in patients with PBC with and without UDCA therapy.

METHODS: The medical records of 526 patients with PBC diagnosed from 2004 to 2016 were reviewed retrospectively. Sick leave data retrieved from the Swedish Social Insurance Agency were analysed for a sub-cohort of patients and matched controls. Cox regression was used for analysis of clinical outcomes. Logistic and conditional logistic regressions were used for sick leave analysis.

RESULTS: A total of 10.6% of patients died and 3.4% received liver transplantation over a median follow-up time of 5.7 years. UDCA-untreated patients (HR 3.62 (95%CI 2.02-6.49)) and UDCA non-responders (HR 3.78 (95% CI 1.87-7.66)) had higher mortality or transplantation rates than UDCA responders. Patients with PBC had higher odds of sick leave (OR 2.50; 95% CI 1.69-3.70) than matched controls. Untreated patients were more likely to be on sick leave (OR 3.22; 95% CI 1.12-9.25) two years after diagnosis than UDCA responders.

CONCLUSION: Both untreated patients and UDCA non-responders had lower liver transplantation-free survival rates than UDCA responders. Patients with PBC were more likely to be on sick leave compared to matched controls from the general population.