Prevalence and follow-up of potentially inappropriate medication and potentially omitted medication in older patients with cancer - The PIM POM study

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of Potentially Inappropriate Medication (PIMs) and Potentially Omitted Medication (POMs) in older patients with cancer. Materials and Methods: In this prospective observational study (hospital) pharmacists conducted comprehensive medication reviews in older patients with cancer (aged >= 65 years) receiving parenteral chemotherapy and/or immunotherapy at the Deventer Hospital. PIMs and POMs were identified using the Screening Tool of Older Persons' potentially inappropriate Prescriptions (STOPP), the Screening Tool to Alert doctors to the Right Treatment (START), and pharmacists' expert opinion. Recommendations regarding PIMs and POMs were communicated to the patient's oncologist/haematologist and follow-up was measured. Associations between covariates and the prevalence of PIMs and POMs were statistically analysed. Results: For the 150 patients included, 180 PIMs and 86 POMs were identified with a prevalence of 78%. Using pharmacists' expert opinion in addition to only STOPP/START criteria contributed to 49% of the PIMs and 23% of the POMs. A follow-up action was required in 73% of the 266 PIMs and POMs. Number of medicines and Charlson Comorbidity Index score were both associated with having at least one PIM and/or POM (p = .031 and p = .016, respectively). Conclusion: The prevalence of PIMs and POMs and subsequent follow-up in older patients with cancer is high. A pharmacist-led comprehensive medication review is a good instrument to identify these PIMs and POMs and to optimize patients' treatment. A complete approach, including pharmacists' expert opinion, is recommended to identify all PIMs and POMs in clinical practice. (C) 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd

The value of radiographic markers in the diagnostic work-up of rotator cuff tears, an arthroscopic correlated study

Objective To evaluate the value of radiographs during the diagnostic work-up of rotator cuff tears, using arthroscopy as reference standard. Materials and methods This retrospective study included 236 shoulders of 236 patients. All radiographs were evaluated for inferior cortical acromial sclerosis, lateral acromial spur, superior migration of the humeral head, greater tubercle cysts, and subacromial space calcifications. Predictive value of these radiographic signs in predicting rotator cuff tears was determined with arthroscopy as reference standard. Results According to arthroscopy, 131 shoulders were diagnosed with rotator cuff tears. Seventy-two out of 131 shoulders (55%) had inferior cortical acromial sclerosis, 37 (28%) lateral acromial spur, 21 (16%) superior migration of the humeral head, 7 (5%) greater tubercle cysts and 15 subacromial space calcifications (11%). Inferior cortical acromial sclerosis (P = 0.001), lateral spur (P = 0.001), superior migration (P = 0.002), and cysts (P = 0.03) were significantly and independently associated with rotator cuff tears, whereas subacromial calcifications (p = 0.21) was not. Inferior cortical acromial sclerosis, superior migration, lateral acromial spur, and cysts combined have a positive predictive value of 78%. Conclusions The combination of inferior cortical acromial sclerosis, lateral acromial spur, superior migration of the humeral head, and greater tubercle cysts has a high positive predictive value for the presence of full-thickness rotator cuff tears. In patients with a high suspicion for having a rotator cuff tear based on radiographic findings, MRI can be performed directly without the delay and costs caused by an additional ultrasound exam

Vitamin D and mortality: Individual participant data meta-analysis of standardized 25-hydroxyvitamin D in 26916 individuals from a European consortium

Source at http://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0170791Background:Vitamin D deficiency may be a risk factor for mortality but previous meta-analyses lacked standardization of laboratory methods for 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) concentrations and used aggregate data instead of individual participant data (IPD). We therefore performed an IPD meta-analysis on the association between standardized serum 25(OH)D and mortality.Methods:In a European consortium of eight prospective studies, including seven general population cohorts, we used the Vitamin D Standardization Program (VDSP) protocols to standardize 25(OH)D data. Meta-analyses using a one step procedure on IPD were performed to study associations of 25(OH)D with all-cause mortality as the primary outcome, and with cardiovascular and cancer mortality as secondary outcomes. This meta-analysis is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02438488.Findings:We analysed 26916 study participants (median age 61.6 years, 58% females) with a median 25(OH)D concentration of 53.8 nmol/L. During a median follow-up time of 10.5 years, 6802 persons died. Compared to participants with 25(OH)D concentrations of 75 to 99.99 nmol/L, the adjusted hazard ratios (with 95% confidence interval) for mortality in the 25(OH)D groups with 40 to 49.99, 30 to 39.99, and Interpretation:In the first IPD meta-analysis using standardized measurements of 25(OH)D we observed an association between low 25(OH)D and increased risk of all-cause mortality. It is of public health interest to evaluate whether treatment of vitamin D deficiency prevents premature deaths

Incidence and prognostic factors for postoperative frozen shoulder after shoulder surgery: a prospective cohort study

Frozen shoulder is a potential complication after shoulder surgery. It is a clinical condition that is often associated with marked disability and can have a profound effect on the patient's quality of life. The incidence, etiology, pathology and prognostic factors of postoperative frozen shoulder after shoulder surgery are not known. The purpose of this explorative study was to determine the incidence of postoperative frozen shoulder after various operative shoulder procedures. A second aim was to identify prognostic factors for postoperative frozen shoulder after shoulder surgery. 505 consecutive patients undergoing elective shoulder surgery were included in this prospective cohort study. Follow-up was 6 months after surgery. A prediction model was developed to identify prognostic factors for postoperative frozen shoulder after shoulder surgery using the TRIPOD guidelines. We nominated five potential predictors: gender, diabetes mellitus, type of physiotherapy, arthroscopic surgery and DASH score. Frozen shoulder was identified in 11% of the patients after shoulder surgery and was more common in females (15%) than in males (8%). Frozen shoulder was encountered after all types of operative procedures. A prediction model based on four variables (diabetes mellitus, specialized shoulder physiotherapy, arthroscopic surgery and DASH score) discriminated reasonably well with an AUC of 0.712. Postoperative frozen shoulder is a serious complication after shoulder surgery, with an incidence of 11%. Four prognostic factors were identified for postoperative frozen shoulder: diabetes mellitus, arthroscopic surgery, specialized shoulder physiotherapy and DASH score. The combination of these four variables provided a prediction rule for postoperative frozen shoulder with reasonable fit. Level II, prospective cohort study

The development of the Patient Expectations of Shoulder Surgery survey

BACKGROUND: Patient satisfaction after a surgical procedure is dependent on meeting preoperative expectations. There is currently no patient expectations survey available for patients undergoing shoulder surgery that is validated, reliable, and easy to use in daily practice. The aim of this study was to develop a Patient Expectations of Shoulder Surgery (PESS) survey. METHODS: In 315 patients, answers to an open-ended question about patient expectations were collected before shoulder surgery to develop the PESS survey. Patients' expectations of the PESS survey were associated with clinical outcome (change of Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand score). Content validity was assessed by a panel of 10 patients scheduled for shoulder surgery, and test-retest reliability was evaluated. RESULTS: Six items were included in the PESS survey: pain relief, improved range of motion, improved ability to perform daily activities, improved ability to perform work, improved ability to participate in recreational activities and sports, and stop shoulder from dislocating. Three of the 6 expectations were significantly associated with clinical outcome after shoulder surgery. Test-retest reliability was high with an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.52-0.92. DISCUSSION: The PESS survey is a valid and reliable survey that can be used in future clinical research and in daily orthopedic practice. We believe that the preoperative evaluation of patient expectations should be a standard procedure before shoulder surgery

Minimally Invasive versus Open Approach for Right-Sided Colectomy: A Study in 12,006 Patients from the Dutch Surgical Colorectal Audit

Background: There is ongoing debate whether laparoscopic right colectomy is superior to open surgery. The purpose of this study was to address this issue and arrive at a consensus using data from a national database. Methods: Patients who underwent elective open or laparoscopic right colectomy for colorectal cancer during the period 2009-2013 were identified from the Dutch Surgical Colorectal Audit. Complications that occurred within 30 days after surgery and 30-day mortality rates were calculated and compared between open and laparoscopic resection. Results: In total, 12,006 patients underwent elective open or laparoscopic surgery for right-sided colorectal cancer. Of these, 6,683 (55.7%) underwent open resection and 5,323 (44.3%) underwent laparoscopic resection. Complications occurred within 30 days after surgery in the laparoscopic group in 26.1% of patients and in 32.1% of patients in the open group (p <0.001). Thirty-day mortality was also significantly lower in the laparoscopic group (2.2 vs. 3.6% p <0.001). Conclusion: In this non-randomized, descriptive study conducted in the Netherlands, open right colectomy seems to have a higher risk for complications and mortality as compared to laparoscopic right colectomy, even after correction for confounding factors. (C) 2018 S. Karger AG, Base

Risk of a Recurrent Cardiovascular Event in Individuals With Type 2 Diabetes or Intermediate Hyperglycemia The Hoorn Study

OBJECTIVE: To investigate risk of a recurrent cardiovascular event and its predictors in a population-based cohort. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Participants of the Hoorn Study who had experienced a first cardiovascular event after baseline (n = 336) were followed with respect to a recurrent event. Absolute risk of a recurrent event was calculated for individuals with normal glucose metabolism, intermediate hyperglycemia, and type 2 diabetes. Cox regression models were used to investigate which variables, measured before the first vascular event, predicted a recurrent event using the stepwise backward procedure. RESULTS: During a median follow-up of 4.1 years, 44% (n = 148) of the population developed a recurrent vascular event. The rate of recurrent events per 100 person-years was 7.2 (95% CI 5.8–8.7) in individuals with normal glucose metabolism, compared with 9.8 (6.6–14.0) in individuals with intermediate hyperglycemia and 12.5 (8.5–17.6) in individuals with type 2 diabetes. Higher age (hazard ratio 1.02 [95% CI 1.00–1.04]), male sex (1.56 [1.08–2.25]), waist circumference (1.02 [1.02–1.03]), higher systolic blood pressure (1.01 [1.01–1.02]), higher HbA(1c) (%, 1.13 [0.97–1.31]/ mmol/mol, 1.01 [1.00–1.03]), and family history of myocardial infarction (1.38 [0.96–2.00]) predicted a recurrent cardiovascular event. CONCLUSIONS: Individuals with type 2 diabetes, but not individuals with intermediate hyperglycemia, are at increased risk for a recurrent vascular event compared with individuals with normal glucose metabolism. In people with a history of cardiovascular disease, people at increased risk of a recurrent event can be identified based on the patient’s risk profile before the first event

Comparison of Outcomes and Intervention Among Patients With Non-ST-Segment Elevation Acute Myocardial Infarction of Those With a Left Circumflex Versus Those With a Non-Left Circumflex-Related Coronary Artery (From the ELISA-3 Trial)

Previous studies found that patients with an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) due to occlusion of the left circumflex (LC) coronary artery often present without ST-elevation, leading to a delay in diagnosis and revascularization, a larger infarct size, and a worse prognosis. In this subgroup analysis of the ELISA-3 study (early or late intervention in high-risk non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndromes [NSTE-ACS]) incidence, characteristics and prognosis of LC-related NSTE-ACS was investigated, and the outcome of early versus late invasive strategy was compared. In 383 of 542 patients the culprit vessel could be identified, with the LC artery in 112 (29%) of them. Patients with LC-related ACS had more often single vessel disease and underwent percutaneous coronary intervention more and CABG less frequently. The primary end point of the combined incidences of death, myocardial infarction, and recurrent ischemia at 30-day follow-up occurred in 9.0% of LC versus 16.5% of non-LC-related ACS (p = 0.057). Enzymatic infarct size and incidence of bleeding were comparable. Of patients with LC-related ACS, 62 were assigned to an early and 50 to a late invasive treatment with a median time from admission to angiography of 5.5 and 65.7 hours, respectively. The primary end point occurred in 9.7% and 8.0%, respectively (p = 1.00) with comparable enzymatic infarct size and bleeding. In conclusion, no significant differences in outcome were found between patients with an LC- and a non-LC-related NSTE-ACS. In LC-related NSTE-ACS, angiography within 12 hours of admission is feasible but not superior to angiography after more than 48 hours. (C) 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

The Association of Mitochondrial Content with Prevalent and Incident Type 2 Diabetes

Context: It has been shown that mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) content is associated with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and related traits. However, empirical data, often based on small samples, did not confirm this observation in all studies. Therefore, the role of mtDNA content in T2D remains elusive. Objective: In this study, we assessed the heritability of mtDNA content in buccal cells and analyzed the association of mtDNA content in blood with prevalent and incident T2D. Design and Setting: mtDNA content from cells from buccal and blood samples was assessed using a real-time PCR-based assay. Heritability of mtDNA content was estimated in 391 twins from th

The Diabetes Pearl: Diabetes biobanking in The Netherlands

Background: Type 2 diabetes is associated with considerable comorbidity and severe complications, which reduce quality of life of the patients and require high levels of healthcare. The Diabetes Pearl is a large cohort of patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, covering different geographical areas in the Netherlands. The aim of the study is to create a research infrastructure that will allow the study of risk factors, including biomarkers and genetic determinants for severe diabetes complications. Methods/design: Baseline examinations began November 2009 and will continue through 2012. By the end of 2012, it is expected that 7000 patients with type 2 diabetes will be included in the Diabetes Pearl cohort. To ensure quality of the data collected, standard operation procedures were developed and used in all 8 recruitment centers. From all patients who provide informed consent, the following information is collected: personal information, medication use, physical examination (antropometry, blood pressure, electrocardiography (ECG), retina photographs, ankle-brachial index, peripheral vibration perception), self-report questionnaire (socio-economic status, lifestyle, (family) history of disease, and psychosocial well-being), laboratory measurements (glucose, A1c, lipid profile, kidney function), biobank material (storage of urine and blood samples and isolated DNA). All gathered clinical data and biobank information is uploaded to a database for storage on a national level. Biobanks are maintained locally at all recruitment centers. Discussion: The Diabetes Pearl is large-scale cohort of type 2 diabetes patients in the Netherlands aiming to study risk factors, including biomarkers and genetic markers, for disease deterioration and the development of severe diabetes complications. As a result of the well-designed research design and the national coverage, the Diabetes Pearl data can be of great value to national and international researchers with an interest in diabetes related research