Analysis of Benefit of Intensive Care Unit Transfer for Deteriorating Ward Patients: A Patient-Centered Approach to Clinical Evaluation

Importance It is unknown which deteriorating ward patients benefit from intensive care unit (ICU) transfer. Objectives To use an instrumental variable (IV) method that assesses heterogeneity and to evaluate estimates of person-centered treatment effects of ICU transfer and 28-day hospital mortality by age and illness severity. Design, Setting, and Participants An analysis of a prospective cohort study from November 1, 2010, to December 31, 2011. The dates of this analysis were June 1, 2017, to June 30, 2018. The setting was a multicenter study of 49 UK National Health Service hospitals. Participants were 9192 deteriorating ward patients assessed for ICU transfer (4596 matched pairs). The study matched on baseline characteristics to strengthen the IV and to balance observed confounders between the comparison groups. Exposures Transfer to the ICU or continued care on general wards. Main Outcomes and Measures Mortality at 28 days (primary outcome) and 90 days. To address unobserved confounding, ICU bed availability was the IV for whether or not a patient was transferred. The study used the IV approach to evaluate estimates of treatment effect of ICU transfer and mortality according to age and physiological severity alone and in combination. Results Both comparison groups included 4596 patients. In the group assessed with “many” ICU beds available (median, 7), 52.8% were male, and the mean (SD) age was 65.2 (17.7) years; in the group assessed with “few” ICU beds available (median, 2), 53.3% were male, and the mean (SD) age was 65.0 (17.3) years. The overall 28-day mortality estimates were 23.2% (2090 predicted deaths) if all of the matched patients were transferred vs 28.1% (2534 predicted deaths) if none of the matched patients were transferred, an estimated risk difference of −4.9% (95% CI, −26.4% to 16.6%). The estimated effects of ICU transfer differed by age and by physiological severity according to the National Early Warning Score (NEWS): the absolute risk differences in 28-day mortality after ICU transfer ranged from 7.7% (95% CI, −5.5% to 21.0%) for ages 18 to 23 years to −5.0% (95% CI -26.5% to 16.6%) for age 78 to 83 years and ranged from 3.7% (95% CI, −12.1% to 19.5%) for NEWS of 0 to −25.4% (95% CI, −50.6% to −0.2%) for NEWS of 19. The absolute risk differences for elderly patients (≥75 years) were −11.6% (95% CI, −39.0% to 15.8%) for those with high NEWS (>6), −4.8% (95% CI, −30.5% to 20.9%) for those with moderate NEWS (5-6), and −1.0% (95% CI, −24.8% to 22.8%) for those with low NEWS (<5). The corresponding estimates for subgroups of younger patients (<75 years) were −8.4% (95% CI, −31.0% to 14.1%), −2.1% (95% CI, −21.1% to 16.9%), and 1.4% (95% CI, −14.5% to 17.4%). Conclusions and Relevance This study using a this person-centered IV approach found that the benefits of ICU care may increase among patients at high levels of baseline physiological severity across different age groups, especially among elderly patients

Smartphone apps for total hip replacement and total knee replacement surgery patients: a systematic review

Purpose: The aim of this study was to critically examine the content of smartphone apps produced for patients undergoing total hip replacement and total knee replacement surgery. Materials and methods: A systematic search was conducted across the five most popular smartphone app stores: iTunes; Google Play; Windows Mobile; Blackberry App World; and Nokia Ovi. Apps were identified for screening if they: targeted total hip replacement or total knee replacement patients; were free of charge; and were in English. App quality assessment was conducted independently by three reviewers using the Mobile App Rating Scale. Results: 15 apps met the inclusion criteria. On the 5-point Mobile App Rating Scale, the mean overall app quality score was 3.1. Within the Mobile App Rating Scale, the “Aesthetics” subscale had the most inconsistency across all apps, generating the highest and lowest mean scores (4.7 and 1, respectively). The “functionality” subscale had the highest mean score (3.8) among the four subscales, and the “information” subscale had the lowest mean score (2.7). Conclusion: This study highlights that despite a wide range of apps currently available to total hip replacement and total knee replacement patients, there is significant variability in their quality. Future efforts should be made to develop apps in partnership with patients, to improve the content, interactivity and relevance of apps

Influence of arthritis and non-arthritis related factors on areal bone mineral density (BMDa) in women with longstanding inflammatory polyarthritis: a primary care based inception cohort

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The aim of this analysis was to determine the relative influence of disease and non-disease factors on areal bone mineral density (BMD_a) in a primary care based cohort of women with inflammatory polyarthritis.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Women aged 16 years and over with recent onset inflammatory polyarthritis were recruited to the Norfolk Arthritis Register (NOAR) between 1990 and 1993. Subjects were examined at both baseline and follow up for the presence of tender, swollen and deformed joints. At the 10^thanniversary visit, a sub-sample of women were invited to complete a bone health questionnaire and attend for BMD_a(Hologic, QDR 4000). Linear regression was used to examine the association between BMD_awith both (i) arthritis-related factors assessed at baseline and the 10^thanniversary visit and (ii) standard risk factors for osteoporosis. Adjustments were made for age.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>108 women, mean age 58.0 years were studied. Older age, decreasing weight and BMI at follow up were all associated with lower BMD_aat both the spine and femoral neck. None of the lifestyle factors were linked. Indices of joint damage including 10^thanniversary deformed joint count and erosive joint count were the arthritis-related variables linked with a reduction in BMD_aat the femoral neck. By contrast, disease activity as determined by the number of tender and or swollen joints assessed both at baseline and follow up was not linked with BMD_aat either site.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Cumulative disease damage was the strongest predictor of reduced femoral bone density. Other disease and lifestyle factors have only a modest influence.</p

Boosting Long-term Memory via Wakeful Rest: Intentional Rehearsal is not Necessary, Automatic Consolidation is Sufficient.

<div><p>People perform better on tests of delayed free recall if learning is followed immediately by a short wakeful rest than by a short period of sensory stimulation. Animal and human work suggests that wakeful resting provides optimal conditions for the consolidation of recently acquired memories. However, an alternative account cannot be ruled out, namely that wakeful resting provides optimal conditions for intentional rehearsal of recently acquired memories, thus driving superior memory. Here we utilised non-recallable words to examine whether wakeful rest boosts long-term memory, even when new memories could not be rehearsed intentionally during the wakeful rest delay. The probing of non-recallable words requires a recognition paradigm. Therefore, we first established, via Experiment 1, that the rest-induced boost in memory observed via free recall can be replicated in a recognition paradigm, using concrete nouns. In Experiment 2, participants heard 30 non-recallable non-words, presented as ‘foreign names in a bridge club abroad’ and then either rested wakefully or played a visual spot-the-difference game for 10 minutes. Retention was probed via recognition at two time points, 15 minutes and 7 days after presentation. As in Experiment 1, wakeful rest boosted recognition significantly, and this boost was maintained for at least 7 days. Our results indicate that the enhancement of memory via wakeful rest is <i>not</i> dependent upon intentional rehearsal of learned material during the rest period. We thus conclude that consolidation is <i>sufficient</i> for this rest-induced memory boost to emerge. We propose that wakeful resting allows for superior memory consolidation, resulting in stronger and/or more veridical representations of experienced events which can be detected via tests of free recall and recognition.</p></div

Investigating the impact of poverty on colonization and infection with drug-resistant organisms in humans: a systematic review

Background Poverty increases the risk of contracting infectious diseases and therefore exposure to antibiotics. Yet there is lacking evidence on the relationship between income and non-income dimensions of poverty and antimicrobial resistance. Investigating such relationship would strengthen antimicrobial stewardship interventions. Methods A systematic review was conducted following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. PubMed, Ovid, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, CINAHL, PsychINFO, EBSCO, HMIC, and Web of Science databases were searched in October 2016. Prospective and retrospective studies reporting on income or non-income dimensions of poverty and their influence on colonisation or infection with antimicrobial-resistant organisms were retrieved. Study quality was assessed with the Integrated quality criteria for review of multiple study designs (ICROMS) tool. Results Nineteen articles were reviewed. Crowding and homelessness were associated with antimicrobial resistance in community and hospital patients. In high-income countries, low income was associated with Streptococcus pneumoniae and Acinetobacter baumannii resistance and a seven-fold higher infection rate. In low-income countries the findings on this relation were contradictory. Lack of education was linked to resistant S. pneumoniae and Escherichia coli. Two papers explored the relation between water and sanitation and antimicrobial resistance in low-income settings. Conclusions Despite methodological limitations, the results suggest that addressing social determinants of poverty worldwide remains a crucial yet neglected step towards preventing antimicrobial resistance

Conservative versus liberal oxygenation targets in critically ill children: the randomised multiple-centre pilot Oxy-PICU trial

BACKGROUND: Oxygen saturation monitoring for children receiving respiratory support is standard worldwide. No randomised clinical trials have compared peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO_{2}) targets for critically ill children. The harm of interventions to raise SpO_{2} to > 94% may exceed their benefits. METHODS: We undertook an open, parallel-group randomised trial of children > 38 weeks completed gestation and  94%) or a conservative oxygenation group (SpO_{2} = 88–92% inclusive). Outcomes were measures of feasibility: recruitment rate, protocol adherence and acceptability, between-group separation of SpO_{2} and safety. The Oxy-PICU trial was registered before recruitment: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT03040570. RESULTS: A total of 159 children met the inclusion criteria, of whom 119 (75%) were randomised between April and July 2017, representing a rate of 10 patients per month per site. The mean time to randomisation from first contact with an intensive care team was 1.9 (SD 2.2) h. Consent to continue in the study was obtained in 107 cases (90%); the children’s parents/legal representatives were supportive of the consent process. The median (interquartile range, IQR) of time-weighted individual mean SpO_{2} was 94.9% (92.6–97.1) in the conservative oxygenation group and 97.5% (96.2–98.4) in the liberal group [difference 2.7%, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.3–4.0%, p < 0.001]. Median (IQR) time-weighted individual mean FiO_{2} was 0.28 (0.24–0.37) in the conservative group and 0.37 (0.30–0.42) in the liberal group (difference 0.08, 95% CI 0.03–0.13, p < 0.001). There were no significant between-group differences in length of stay, duration of organ support or mortality. Two prespecified serious adverse events (cardiac arrests) occurred, both in the liberal oxygenation group. CONCLUSION: A definitive clinical trial of peripheral oxygen saturation targets is feasible in critically ill children

Knee arthroscopy and exercise versus exercise only for chronic patellofemoral pain syndrome: a randomized controlled trial

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Arthroscopy is often used to treat patients with chronic patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS). As there is a lack of evidence, we conducted a randomized controlled trial to study the efficacy of arthroscopy in patients with chronic PFPS.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A total of 56 patients with chronic PFPS were randomized into two treatment groups: an <it>arthroscopy group </it>(<it>N </it>= 28), treated with knee arthroscopy and an 8-week home exercise program, and a <it>control group </it>(<it>N </it>= 28), treated with the 8-week home exercise program only. The arthroscopy included finding-specific surgical procedures according to current recommendations. The primary outcome was the Kujala score on patellofemoral pain and function at 9 months following randomization. Secondary outcomes were visual analog scales (VASs) to assess activity-related symptoms. We also estimated the direct healthcare costs.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Both groups showed marked improvement during the follow-up. The mean improvement in the Kujala score was 12.9 (95% confidence interval (CI) 8.2–17.6) in the arthroscopy group and 11.4 (95% CI 6.9–15.8) in the control group. However, there was no difference between the groups in mean improvement in the Kujala score (group difference 1.1 (95% CI -7.4 - 5.2)) or in any of the VAS scores. Total direct healthcare costs in the arthroscopy group were estimated to exceed on average those of the control group by €901 per patient (<it>p </it>< 0.001).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>In this controlled trial involving patients with chronic PFPS, the outcome when arthroscopy was used in addition to a home exercise program was no better than when the home exercise program was used alone.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN 41800323</p

Genetic Background Can Result in a Marked or Minimal Effect of Gene Knockout (GPR55 and CB2 Receptor) in Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis Models of Multiple Sclerosis

PMCID: PMC379391

Incidence and characteristics of distal radius fractures in a southern Swedish region

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The incidence of distal radius fracture has increased substantially during the last 50 years according to several studies that estimated the overall incidence in various general populations. The incidence of fracture classified according to severity has not been well documented. The aim of this population-based study was to estimate the overall and type-specific incidence rates of distal radius fracture in a representative population in southern Sweden.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>During 2001, all persons older than 18 years with acute distal radius fracture in the southern Swedish region of Northeastern Scania were prospectively recorded. A radiologist classified the fractures according to the AO system and measured volar tilt and ulnar variance. A fracture with volar tilt outside a range of -5° to 20° and/or ulnar variance of 2 mm or greater was defined as displaced.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>335 persons with acute distal radius fracture were recorded during the 1-year period. The overall incidence rate was 26 (95% confidence interval 23–29) per 10,000 person-years. Among women the incidence rate increased rapidly from the age of 50 and reached a peak of 119 per 10,000 person-years in women 80 years and older. The incidence rate among women 50 to 79 years old (56 per 10,000 person-years) was lower than that reported in previous studies of similar populations. Among men the incidence rate was low until the age of 80 years and older when it increased to 28 per 10,000 person-years. Fractures classified as AO type A comprised about 80% of the fractures in women and 64% in men. Almost two-thirds of all fractures were displaced and among men and women 80 years and older more than 80% of the fractures were displaced.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The incidence rate of distal radius fracture in women 50 to 79 years old was lower than previously reported, which may indicate declining incidence in this group. In both sexes, the incidence was highest in the age group of 80 years and older. With a growing number of elderly in the general population, the impact of distal radius fracture in the future may be considerable.</p