Agreement between PG-SGA Short Form, MUST and SNAQ in hospital patients

Rationale: The Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA) is a validated instrument to assess malnutrition and its risk factors in clinical populations. Its patient component, PG-SGA Short Form (SF), can be used as screening instrument. In this cross-sectional study we aimed to assess agreement between the PG-SGA SF, Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST), and Short Nutritional Assessment Questionnaire (SNAQ) in patients at the University Medical Center Groningen, The Netherlands. Methods: Malnutrition risk was assessed by PG-SGA SF, MUST, and SNAQ in 81 patients from the Departments Ear Nose Throat (ENT), Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMS) and Orthopedics. Point scores of PG-SGA SF=4-8, MUST=1, and SNAQ=2 were classified as ‘medium malnutrition risk’, and PG-SGA SF≥9, MUST ≥2, and SNAQ ≥3 as ‘high malnutrition risk’. Agreement in classification for malnutrition risk was assessed by weighted kappa (κ) and intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC). A p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: According to the PG-SGA SF, MUST and SNAQ, respectively 65%, 81%, and 80% of all patients were classified as ‘low malnutrition risk’; 24%, 8% and 6% as ‘medium malnutrition risk’; 11%, 10% and 14% as ‘high malnutrition risk’.Agreement between PG-SGA SF and MUST (κ=0.452, ICC=0.448; p<0.001), and between PG-SGA SF and SNAQ (κ=0.395, ICC=0.395; p<0.001) were both fair. In patients from the Departments ENT and OMS, PG-SGA SF classified more patients at medium/high malnutrition risk (n=26) as compared to the MUST (n=12) or SNAQ (n=14). Conclusion: We found only fair agreement between the PG-SGA SF and MUST and SNAQ, respectively. The PG-SGA SF classified three and four times more patients at medium malnutrition risk, compared to MUST and SNAQ respectively, due to its scoring on symptoms and activities/functioning. Hence, the PG-SGA SF may help facilitate proactive prevention of malnutrition

In-vivo optical monitoring of the efficacy of epidermal growth factor receptor targeted photodynamic therapy: The effect of fluence rate

Targeted photodynamic therapy (PDT) has the potential to improve the therapeutic effect of PDT due to significantly better tumor responses and less normal tissue damage. Here we investigated if the efficacy of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) targeted PDT using cetuximab-IRDye700DX is fluence rate dependent. Cell survival after treatment with different fluence rates was investigated in three cell lines. Singlet oxygen formation was investigated using the singlet oxygen quencher sodium azide and singlet oxygen sensor green (SOSG). The long-term response (to 90 days) of solid OSC-19-luc2-cGFP tumors in mice was determined after illumination with 20, 50, or 150 mW·cm−2. Reflectance and fluorescence spectroscopy were used to monitor therapy. Singlet oxygen was formed during illumination as shown by the increase in SOSG fluorescence and the d

Reorganizing the Multidisciplinary Team Meetings in a Tertiary Centre for Gastro-Intestinal Oncology Adds Value to the Internal and Regional Care Pathways. A Mixed Method Evaluation.

Introduction: The reorganisation of the structure of a Gastro-Intestinal Oncology Multidisciplinary Team Meeting (GIO-MDTM) in a tertiary centre with three care pathways is evaluated on added value. Methods: In a mixed method investigation, process indicators such as throughput times were analysed and stakeholders were interviewed regarding benefits and drawbacks of the reorganisation and current MDTM functioning. Results: For the hepatobiliary care pathway, the time to treatment plan increased, but the time to start treatment reduced significantly. The percentage of patients treated within the Dutch standard of 63 days increased for the three care pathways. From the interviews, three themes emerged: added value of MDTMs, focus on planning integrated care and awareness of possible improvements. Discussion: The importance of evaluating interventions in oncology care pathways is shown, including detecting unexpected drawbacks. The evaluation provides insight into complex dynamics of the care pathways and contributes with recommendations on functioning of an MDTM. Conclusions: Throughput times are only partly determined by oncology care pathway management, but have influence on the functioning of MDTMs. Process indicator information can help to reflect on integration of care in the region, resulting in an increase of patients treated within the Dutch standard

Does multidisciplinary videoconferencing between a head-and-neck cancer centre and its partner hospital add value to their patient care and decision-making? A mixed-method evaluation

OBJECTIVES: Given the difficulties in diagnosing and treating head-and-neck cancer, care is centralised in the Netherlands in eight head-and-neck cancer centres and six satellite regional hospitals as preferred partners. A requirement is that all patients of the partner should be discussed in a multidisciplinary team meeting (MDT) with the head-and-neck centre as part of a Dutch health policy rule. In this mixed-method study, we evaluate the value that the video-conferenced MDT adds to the MDTs in the care pathway, quantitative regarding recommendations given and qualitative in terms of benefits for the teams and the patient. DESIGN: A sequential mixed-method study. SETTING: One oncology centre and its partner in the Northern part of the Netherlands. PARTICIPANTS: Head-and-neck cancer specialists presenting patient cases during video-conferenced MDT over a period of 6 months. Semistructured interviews held with six medical specialists, three from the centre and three from the partner. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Percentage of cases in which recommendations were given on diagnostic and/or therapeutic plans during video-conferenced MDT. RESULTS: In eight of the 336 patient cases presented (2%), specialists offered recommendations to the collaborating team (three given from centre to partner and five from partner to centre). Recommendations mainly consisted of alternative diagnostic modalities or treatment plans for a specific patient. Interviews revealed that specialists perceive added value in discussing complex cases because the other team offered a fre

Criteria for trismus in head and neck oncology

The aim of this study was to determine a functional cut-off point for trismus in head and neck oncology. In total, 89 patients (13 dentate, 30 partially dentate and 46 edentulous) treated for cancer of the oral cavity or oropharynx were asked whether they experienced a limited mouth opening. The mandibular function impairment questionnaire (MFIQ) was filled out and mouth opening was measured. The proportion correctly predicted (proportion true positives + proportion true negatives) was calculated. For cut-off points from 25 to 45 mm, differences in MFIQ scores of the restricted and non-restricted groups were analyzed. A receiver operating curve was constructed. The proportion correctly predicted was highest for cut-off Point <= 35 mm (0.81), with a sensitivity of 0.71 and a specificity of 0.98. Differences in perceived mandibular function impairments were significant for all cut-off points of 35 mm or less. For the total group, the area under curve was 0.87. For the subgroups of dentate, partially dentate and edentulous patients, no consistent cut-off points Could be found oil the basis of the proportion correctly predicted and the significance of the difference in MFIQ scores. A mouth opening of <= 35 mm is a functional cut-off Point for trismus in head and neck oncology patients