William Leung

Calcium intake and risk of fracture: systematic review

Objective To examine the evidence underpinning recommendations to increase calcium intake through dietary sources or calcium supplements to prevent fractures. Design Systematic review of randomised controlled trials and observational studies of calcium intake with fracture as an endpoint. Results from trials were pooled with random effects meta-analyses. Data sources Ovid Medline, Embase, PubMed, and references from relevant systematic reviews. Initial searches undertaken in July 2013 and updated in September 2014. Eligibility criteria for selecting studies Randomised controlled trials or cohort studies of dietary calcium, milk or dairy intake, or calcium supplements (with or without vitamin D) with fracture as an outcome and participants aged >50. Results There were only two eligible randomised controlled trials of dietary sources of calcium (n=262), but 50 reports from 44 cohort studies of relations between dietary calcium (n=37), milk (n=14), or dairy intake (n=8) and fracture outcomes. For dietary calcium, most studies reported no association between calcium intake and fracture (14/22 for total, 17/21 for hip, 7/8 for vertebral, and 5/7 for forearm fracture). For milk (25/28) and dairy intake (11/13), most studies also reported no associations. In 26 randomised controlled trials, calcium supplements reduced the risk of total fracture (20 studies, n=58 573; relative risk 0.89, 95% confidence interval 0.81 to 0.96) and vertebral fracture (12 studies, n=48 967. 0.86, 0.74 to 1.00) but not hip (13 studies, n=56 648; 0.95, 0.76 to 1.18) or forearm fracture (eight studies, n=51 775; 0.96, 0.85 to 1.09). Funnel plot inspection and Egger’s regression suggested bias toward calcium supplements in the published data. In randomised controlled trials at lowest risk of bias (four studies, n=44 505), there was no effect on risk of fracture at any site. Results were similar for trials of calcium monotherapy and co-administered calcium and vitamin D. Only one trial in frail elderly women in residential care with low dietary calcium intake and vitamin D concentrations showed significant reductions in risk of fracture. Conclusions Dietary calcium intake is not associated with risk of fracture, and there is no clinical trial evidence that increasing calcium intake from dietary sources prevents fractures. Evidence that calcium supplements prevent fractures is weak and inconsistent.

Calcium intake and bone mineral density: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective To determine whether increasing calcium intake from dietary sources affects bone mineral density (BMD) and, if so, whether the effects are similar to those of calcium supplements. Design Random effects meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Data sources Ovid Medline, Embase, Pubmed, and references from relevant systematic reviews. Initial searches were undertaken in July 2013 and updated in September 2014. Eligibility criteria for selecting studies Randomised controlled trials of dietary sources of calcium or calcium supplements (with or without vitamin D) in participants aged over 50 with BMD at the lumbar spine, total hip, femoral neck, total body, or forearm as an outcome. Results We identified 59 eligible randomised controlled trials: 15 studied dietary sources of calcium (n=1533) and 51 studied calcium supplements (n=12 257). Increasing calcium intake from dietary sources increased BMD by 0.6-1.0% at the total hip and total body at one year and by 0.7-1.8% at these sites and the lumbar spine and femoral neck at two years. There was no effect on BMD in the forearm. Calcium supplements increased BMD by 0.7-1.8% at all five skeletal sites at one, two, and over two and a half years, but the size of the increase in BMD at later time points was similar to the increase at one year. Increases in BMD were similar in trials of dietary sources of calcium and calcium supplements (except at the forearm), in trials of calcium monotherapy versus co-administered calcium and vitamin D, in trials with calcium doses of ≥1000 versus <1000 mg/day and ≤500 versus >500 mg/day, and in trials where the baseline dietary calcium intake was <800 versus ≥800 mg/day. Conclusions Increasing calcium intake from dietary sources or by taking calcium supplements produces small non-progressive increases in BMD, which are unlikely to lead to a clinically significant reduction in risk of fracture.

A mobile phone intervention increases physical activity in people with cardiovascular disease: Results from the HEART randomized controlled trial

Aim To determine the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a mobile phone intervention to improve exercise capacity and physical activity behaviour in people with ischaemic heart disease (IHD). Methods and results In this single-blind, parallel, two-arm, randomized controlled trial adults (n = 171) with IHD were randomized to receive a mobile phone delivered intervention (HEART; n = 85) plus usual care, or usual care alone (n = 86). Adult participants aged 18 years or more, with a diagnosis of IHD, were clinically stable as outpatients, able to perform exercise, able to understand and write English, and had access to the Internet. The HEART (Heart Exercise And Remote Technologies) intervention involved a personalized, automated package of text messages and a secure website with video messages aimed at increasing exercise behaviour, delivered over 24 weeks. All participants were able to access usual community-based cardiac rehabilitation, which involves encouragement of physical activity and an offer to join a local cardiac support club. All outcomes were assessed at baseline and 24 weeks and included peak oxygen uptake (PVO2; primary outcome), self-reported physical activity, health-related quality of life, self-efficacy and motivation (secondary outcomes). Results showed no differences in PVO2 between the two groups (difference −0.21 ml kg−1 min−1, 95% CI: −1.1, 0.7; p = 0.65) at 24 weeks. However significant treatment effects were observed for selected secondary outcomes, including leisure time physical activity (difference 110.2 min/week, 95% CI: −0.8, 221.3; p = 0.05) and walking (difference 151.4 min/week, 95% CI: 27.6, 275.2; p = 0.02). There were also significant improvements in self-efficacy to be active (difference 6.2%, 95% CI: 0.2, 12.2; p = 0.04) and the general health domain of the SF36 (difference 2.1, 95% CI: 0.1, 4.1; p = 0.03) at 24 weeks. The HEART programme was considered likely to be cost-effective for leisure time activity and walking. Conclusions A mobile phone intervention was not effective at increasing exercise capacity over and above usual care. The intervention was effective and probably cost-effective for increasing physical activity and may have the potential to augment existing cardiac rehabilitation services.

Nurse turnover in New Zealand: costs and relationships with staffing practises and patient outcomes

AIMS To determine the rates and costs of nurse turnover, the relationships with staffing practises, and the impacts on outcomes for nurses and patients. BACKGROUND In the context of nursing shortages, information on the rates and costs of nursing turnover can improve nursing staff management and quality of care. METHODS Quantitative and qualitative data were collected prospectively for 12 months. A re-analysis of these data used descriptive statistics and correlational analysis techniques. RESULTS The cost per registered nurse turnover represents half an average salary. The highest costs were related to temporary cover, followed by productivity loss. Both are associated with adverse patient events. Flexible management of nursing resources (staffing below budgeted levels and reliance on temporary cover), and a reliance on new graduates and international recruitment to replace nurses who left, contributed to turnover and costs. CONCLUSIONS Nurse turnover is embedded in staffing levels and practises, with costs attributable to both. A culture of turnover was found that is inconsistent with nursing as a knowledge workforce. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT Nurse managers did not challenge flexible staffing practices and high turnover rates. Information on turnover and costs is needed to develop strategies that retain nurses as knowledge-based workers.

Current and future economic burden of osteoporosis in New Zealand

BackgroundOsteoporosis is recognized as a serious health condition in developed as well as developing countries. There are no accurate estimates of the extent of the burden of osteoporosis in New Zealand. The purpose of this study was to estimate the economic burden of osteoporosis in New Zealand using data from international studies and population and health services information from New Zealand.ObjectiveTo estimate the number of osteoporotic fractures and cost of treatment and management of osteoporosis and osteoporotic fractures to the health system in New Zealand in 2007 and to project the future burden in 2013 and 2020.MethodsHospitalizations for hip fractures were combined with New Zealand census data and estimates from previous studies to estimate the expected number of osteoporotic vertebral, humeral, pelvic and other sites fractures in 2007. Health services usage and costs were estimated by combining data from New Zealand hospitals, the New Zealand Health Survey on the number of people diagnosed with osteoporosis, and the New Zealand Health Information Service (NZHIS) on pharmaceutical treatments. All prices are in New Zealand dollars (

Cost-effectiveness of pedometer-based versus time-based Green Prescriptions : the Healthy Steps study

NZ), year 2007 values. Losses in QALYs resulting from osteoporotic fractures were used to indicate the impact on morbidity and mortality. The lost QALYs and economic cost associated with osteoporosis were projected to 2013 and 2020 using population projections from the New Zealand census.ResultsThere were an estimated 84 354 osteoporotic fractures in New Zealand in 2007, including 3803 hip and 27994 vertebral fractures. Osteoporosis resulted in a loss of 11249 QALYs. The total direct cost of osteoporosis was

New graduate separations from New Zealand's nursing workforce in the first 5 years after registration: a retrospective cohort analysis of a national administrative data set 2005–2010

NZ330 million, including

Sun Protection Among New Zealand Primary School Children

NZ212 million to treat the fractures,

Adjuvant Trastuzumab in HER2-Positive Early Breast Cancer by Age and Hormone Receptor Status: A Cost-Utility Analysis

NZ85 million for care after fractures and

A national quitline service and its promotion in the mass media: modelling the health gain, health equity and cost–utility

NZ34 million for treatment and management of the estimated 70 631 people diagnosed with osteoporosis. Sensitivity analysis suggested the results were robust to assumptions regarding the number of fractures receiving medical treatment. Hospitalization costs represented a significant component of total costs. The cost of treatment and management of osteoporosis is expected to increase to over