Association of anthropometric measures with kidney disease progression and mortality: a retrospective cohort study of pre-dialysis chronic kidney disease patients referred to a specialist renal service

Background: Although elevated body mass index (BMI) is a predictor of better clinical outcomes in dialysis patients, the evidence in pre-dialysis chronic kidney disease (CKD) is conflicting. Clinical measures of central obesity may be better prognostic indicators, although investigation has been limited. The aim of this study was to assess the predictive value of anthropometric measures for kidney failure progression and mortality in stage 3-4 CKD. Methods: The study included newly referred stage 3-4 CKD patients at a single centre between 1/1/2008 and 31/12/2010. The associations between clinical measures of obesity (BMI, waist circumference [WC] and conicity index [ConI]) and time to a composite primary outcome of doubling of serum creatinine, commencement of renal replacement therapy or mortality were evaluated using the Kaplan-Meier method and multivariable Cox regression models. Results: Over a median follow-up period of 3.3 years, 229 (25.4 %) patients of a total population of 903 experienced the composite primary renal outcome. When compared to normal BMI (18.5-24.9 kg/m2, n = 174), the risk of the composite primary outcome was significantly lower in both the overweight (BMI 25-29.9 kg/m2, n = 293; adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 0.50, 95 % CI 0.33-0.75) and obese class I/II groups (BMI 30-39.9 kg/m2, n = 288; HR 0.62, 95 % CI 0.41-0.93), but not in the obese class III group (BMI ≥40 kg/m2, n = 72; HR 0.94, 95 % CI 0.52-1.69). All-cause mortality was also lower in the overweight group (HR 0.50, 95 % CI 0.30-0.83). WC and ConI were not associated with either the composite primary outcome or mortality. Conclusion: BMI in the overweight range is associated with reduced risks of kidney disease progression and all-cause mortality in stage 3-4 CKD. WC and ConI were not independent predictors of these outcomes in this population

Prophylactic antibiotics for inhibiting preterm labour with intact membrane (Review)

Background: The aetiology of preterm birth is complex and there is evidence that subclinical genital tract infection influences preterm labour in some women but the role of prophylactic antibiotic treatment in the management of preterm labour is controversial. Since rupture of the membranes is an important factor in the progression of preterm labour, it is important to see if the routine administration of antibiotics confers any benefit or causes harm, prior to membrane rupture. Objectives: To assess the effects of prophylactic antibiotics administered to women in preterm labour with intact membranes, on maternal and neonatal outcomes. Search methods: We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group's Trials Register (31 August 2013). Selection criteria: Randomised trials that compared antibiotic treatment with placebo or no treatment for women in preterm labour (between 20 and 36 weeks' gestation) with intact membranes. Data collection and analysis: Two review authors independently assessed trial eligibility, and undertook quality assessment and data extraction. We contacted study authors for additional information. Results are presented using risk ratio (RR) for categorical data and mean difference (MD) for data measured on a continuous scale with their respective 95% confidence intervals (CI). The number needed to treat to benefit (NNTB) and the number needed to treat to harm (NNTH) was calculated where appropriate. Main results: In this update (2013), with the addition of three trials (305 women), the large ORACLE II 2001 trial continues to dominate the results of this review. This review now includes a total of 14 studies randomising 7837 women. No significant difference was shown in perinatal or infant mortality for infants of women allocated to any prophylactic antibiotics compared with no antibiotics. However, an increase in neonatal deaths was shown for infants of women receiving any prophylactic antibiotics when compared with placebo (RR 1.57, 95% CI 1.03 to 2.40; NNTH 149, 95% CI 2500 to 61). No reduction in preterm birth or other clinically important short-term outcomes for the infant were shown. Long-term child outcomes to seven years of age were available for infants in the UK enrolled in the ORACLE II trial. Comparing any antibiotics with placebo, a marginally non-statistically significant increase was shown in any functional impairment (RR 1.10, 95% CI 0.99 to 1.23) and cerebral palsy (CP) (RR 1.82, 95% CI 0.99 to 3.34). In subgroup analysis, CP was statistically significantly increased for infants of women allocated to macrolide and beta-lactam antibiotics combined compared with placebo (RR 2.83, 95% CI 1.02 to 7.88; NNTH 35, 95% CI 333 to 9). Further, exposure to any macrolide antibiotics (including erythromycin alone or erythromycin plus co-amoxiclav) versus no macrolide antibiotics (including placebo and co-amoxiclav alone) was shown to increase neonatal death (RR 1.52, 95% CI 1.05 to 2.19; NNTH 139, 95% CI 1429 to 61), any functional impairment (RR 1.11, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.20; NNTH 24, 95% CI 263 to 13) and CP (RR 1.90, 95% CI 1.20 to 3.01; NNTH 64, 95% CI 286 to 29). Exposure to any beta-lactam (beta-lactam alone or in combination with macrolide antibiotics) versus no beta-lactam antibiotics resulted in more neonatal deaths (RR 1.51, 95% CI 1.06 to 2.15; NNTH 143, 95% CI 1250 to 63) and CP (RR 1.67, 95% CI 1.06 to 2.61; NNTH 79, 95% CI 909 to 33), however no difference was shown in functional impairment. Maternal infection was reduced with the use of any prophylactic antibiotics compared with placebo (RR 0.74, 95% CI 0.63 to 0.86; NNTB 34, 95% CI 24 to 63) and any beta-lactam compared with no beta-lactam antibiotics (RR 0.80, 95% CI 0.69 to 0.92; NNTB 47, 95% CI 31 to 119). However, caution should be exercised with this finding due to the possibility of bias shown by funnel plot asymmetry. Any beta-lactam compared with no beta-lactam antibiotics was associated with an increase in maternal adverse drug reaction (RR 1.61, 95% CI 1.02 to 2.54; NNTH 17, 95% CI 526 to 7). Authors' conclusions: This review did not demonstrate any benefit in important neonatal outcomes with the use of prophylactic antibiotics for women in preterm labour with intact membranes, although maternal infection may be reduced. Of concern, is the finding of short- and longer-term harm for children of mothers exposed to antibiotics. The evidence supports not giving antibiotics routinely to women in preterm labour with intact membranes in the absence of overt signs of infection. Further research is required to develop sensitive markers of subclinical infection for women in preterm labour with intact membranes, as this is a group that might benefit from future novel interventions, including new modalities of antibiotic therapy. The results of this review demonstrate the need for future trials in the area of preterm birth to include assessment of long-term neurodevelopmental outcome

Postpartum health professional contact for improving maternal and infant health outcomes for healthy women and their infants (Protocol)

This is the protocol for a review and there is no abstract. The objectives are as follows: To assess the effect of health professional contact (e.g. home visits, telehealth contact (other than by telephone), or visits to clinics) with postpartum women, not enrolled in specialised programs, within the first four weeks following hospital discharge on maternal and infant health outcomes

Finishing the euchromatic sequence of the human genome

The sequence of the human genome encodes the genetic instructions for human physiology, as well as rich information about human evolution. In 2001, the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium reported a draft sequence of the euchromatic portion of the human genome. Since then, the international collaboration has worked to convert this draft into a genome sequence with high accuracy and nearly complete coverage. Here, we report the result of this finishing process. The current genome sequence (Build 35) contains 2.85 billion nucleotides interrupted by only 341 gaps. It covers ∼99% of the euchromatic genome and is accurate to an error rate of ∼1 event per 100,000 bases. Many of the remaining euchromatic gaps are associated with segmental duplications and will require focused work with new methods. The near-complete sequence, the first for a vertebrate, greatly improves the precision of biological analyses of the human genome including studies of gene number, birth and death. Notably, the human enome seems to encode only 20,000-25,000 protein-coding genes. The genome sequence reported here should serve as a firm foundation for biomedical research in the decades ahead

Sharing of clinical data in a maternity setting: How do paper hand-held records and electronic health records compare for completeness?

Background Historically, the paper hand-held record (PHR) has been used for sharing information between hospital clinicians, general practitioners and pregnant women in a maternity shared-care environment. Recently in alignment with a National e-health agenda, an electronic health record (EHR) was introduced at an Australian tertiary maternity service to replace the PHR for collection and transfer of data. The aim of this study was to examine and compare the completeness of clinical data collected in a PHR and an EHR. Methods We undertook a comparative cohort design study to determine differences in completeness between data collected from maternity records in two phases. Phase 1 data were collected from the PHR and Phase 2 data from the EHR. Records were compared for completeness of best practice variables collected The primary outcome was the presence of best practice variables and the secondary outcomes were the differences in individual variables between the records. Results Ninety-four percent of paper medical charts were available in Phase 1 and 100% of records from an obstetric database in Phase 2. No PHR or EHR had a complete dataset of best practice variables. The variables with significant improvement in completeness of data documented in the EHR, compared with the PHR, were urine culture, glucose tolerance test, nuchal screening, morphology scans, folic acid advice, tobacco smoking, illicit drug assessment and domestic violence assessment (p = 0.001). Additionally the documentation of immunisations (pertussis, hepatitis B, varicella, fluvax) were markedly improved in the EHR (p = 0.001). The variables of blood pressure, proteinuria, blood group, antibody, rubella and syphilis status, showed no significant differences in completeness of recording. Conclusion This is the first paper to report on the comparison of clinical data collected on a PHR and EHR in a maternity shared-care setting. The use of an EHR demonstrated significant improvements to the collection of best practice variables. Additionally, the data in an EHR were more available to relevant clinical staff with the appropriate log-in and more easily retrieved than from the PHR. This study contributes to an under-researched area of determining data quality collected in patient records

Using reflection. Mentoring midwifery students in India

Purpose:\ua0This study aims to offer guidance to lecturers and undergraduate midwifery students in using reflective practice and to offer a roadmap for academic staff accompanying undergraduate midwifery students on international clinical placements.Design: Drawing on reflection within the Constructivist Theory, the Gibbs Reflective Cycle (GRC) provides opportunities to review experiences and share new knowledge by working through five stages—feelings, evaluation, analysis, conclusion and action plan.Findings:\ua0 The reflections of the midwifery students in this study provide insight into expectations prior to leaving for international placement, practical aspects of what local knowledge is beneficial, necessary teaching and learning strategies and the students’ cultural awareness growth.Implications: The analysis and a reflective approach have wider implications for universities seeking to improve preparations when embarking on an international clinical placement. It can also inform practices that utilise reflection as an impetus to shape midwifery students to be more receptive to global health care issues

Preparing\ua0students to respond to heightened emotions in field practice: a multi-disciplinary study

Students in social work, nursing and midwifery often encounter heightened emotions in themselves and others while on placement. In this paper we report on a pilot study of social work, nursing, midwifery students’ perceptions of their educational preparation for responding to heightened emotions on placement and their views about an educational intervention we designed to assist them in responding to these. Our study involved an initial survey of 36 students across the three disciplines. In the survey we focused on identifying the types of emotions students expected to encounter in themselves and patients or service users during placement. We also sought information about participants’ confidence in responding to these emotions. Participants (25) then agreed to participate in an educational intervention introducing them to concepts of emotion regulation and evidence-informed principles responding to heightened emotions in themselves and in others. Participants anticipated experiencing a range of heightened emotions while on placement and were concerned about their ability to manage these emotions. We report on participants’ perceptions of the usefulness of the educational intervention and their suggestions for improving student preparation for understanding and responding to heighted emotions in practice