American College Research Articles

Systemic correlates of cutaneous manifestations of lupus erythematosus.

We aimed to investigate the prevalence of skin disease among patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and determine whether LE skin disease had clinical or serologic correlates with SLE. We reviewed records of 335 patients with SLE (seen at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA) and abstracted skin manifestations, fulfilled mucocutaneous SLE criteria, and clinical and serologic parameters. Of the 231 patients with skin manifestations, 57 (24.7%) had LE-specific conditions, 102 (44.2%) had LE-nonspecific conditions, and 72 (31.2%) had both. LE skin disease was associated with photosensitivity, anti-Smith antibodies, and anti-U1RNP antibodies (all P < 0.001). Patients without LE skin disease more commonly had elevated C-reactive protein levels (P = 0.01). Patients meeting 2-4 mucocutaneous American College of Rheumatology criteria less commonly had cytopenia (P = 0.004) or anti-double-stranded DNA antibodies (P = 0.004). No significant associations were observed for systemic involvement (renal, hematologic, neurologic, and arthritis) when comparing patients with or without LE skin involvement. LE skin involvement was not significantly associated with internal SLE disease flare, number of medications, or overall survival. LE skin disease commonly occurs in patients with SLE. The presence of LE skin disease had no mitigating impact on the severity of SLE sequelae, disease flares, number of medications, or overall survival.

Growing Adoption of Immunohistochemistry by Mohs Micrographic Surgeons: A National Medicare Trend Analysis

BACKGROUND Immunohistochemical (IHC) staining can be used alongside Mohs micrographic surgery to aid in margin assessment of subtle tumors, yet existing estimates of IHC utilization have primarily relied on survey or older data that lacks stratification. OBJECTIVE To characterize national IHC utilization trends by Mohs surgeons, stratifying by surgeon characteristics and modeling future adoption. METHODS Longitudinal analysis of 2014 to 2021 Medicare Public Use Files. RESULTS In 2021, 158 of 2,058 Mohs surgeons (7.7%) used IHC as compared with 4.0% in 2014 (average annual growth rate [AAGR] +3.6%). Adoption change was highest in the Northeast (AAGR +19.9%), whereas volume growth was greatest in the West (AAGR +25.2%). Multivariable regression revealed significantly greater utilization propensity among Mohs surgeons in academics (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 3.36), American College of Mohs Surgery (ACMS) members (aOR 2.12), and Micrographic Dermatologic Surgery (MDS)-certified surgeons (aOR 1.66). CONCLUSION Mohs surgeons are steadily incorporating IHC into practice across all regions, with volume growth driven by higher adoption rates. Greater utilization among ACMS members, recipients of MDS certification, and those in academics suggests value of formalized training in enhancing comfort. Additional educational opportunities at conferences may aid in recognition of value and help identify solutions to address integration challenges.

Not all operative time is created equal: operative time in relation to 30-day complications in benign laparoscopic hysterectomies

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To assess the relationship between operative time and specific 30-day postoperative complications across different intervals of operation duration in total laparoscopic hysterectomies (TLHs).DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study.SETTING: American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) database from 2011 to 2020.PATIENTS: 131,146 TLH cases.INTERVENTIONS: Eligible cases included benign laparoscopic hysterectomies with operative times between 20 and 499 min. We excluded cases involving disseminated cancer, emergency surgery, supracervical approaches, or concomitant procedures.MEASUREMENTS: Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the relationship between specific postoperative complications and operative time. Spline regression was used to analyze differences in the association between postoperative complications and operative time across different tertiles of operative duration.MAIN RESULTS: Multivariable logistic regression analysis demonstrated a significant association between operative time and complication occurrence for each complication type investigated, including unplanned readmission, urinary tract infections, superficial surgical site infections, blood transfusion administration, return to the operating room, and deep organ space infections. Multivariable logistic spline regression demonstrated that operative time contributed more strongly to the odds of a complication for shorter procedures than longer procedures. This relationship was more pronounced for major complications than minor complications.CONCLUSION: Operative time is a stronger risk factor for developing complications for shorter duration procedures than longer procedures. This is especially evident in major complications such as return to the operating room and deep organ space infections. Our results suggest that longer procedure duration may not affect the likelihood of a complication as much as previously thought, and operative times should not be a primary factor in deciding to convert to laparotomy or alter post-operative management.

Effectiveness of a virtual reality trainer for retention of tourniquet application skills for hemorrhage control among emergency medicine residents.

With a rise in mass casualty incidents, training in hemorrhage control using tourniquets has been championed as a basic-and lifesaving-procedure for bystanders and medical professionals alike. The current standard for training is in-person (IP) courses, which can be limited based on instructor availability. Virtual reality (VR) has demonstrated the potential to improve the accuracy of certain medical tasks but has not yet been developed for hemorrhage control. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a VR hemorrhage trainer in learner retention of tourniquet application when compared to traditional IP instructor teaching among a cohort of emergency medicine residents practicing in a Level I trauma center. This was a prospective, observational study of 53 emergency medicine residents at an inner-city program. Participants were randomly assigned to either the control or the VR group. On Day 0, all residents underwent a training session (IP vs. VR) for the proper, stepwise application of a tourniquet, as defined by the American College of Trauma Surgeons. Each participant was then assessed on the application of a tourniquet by a blinded instructor using the National Registry Hemorrhage Control Skills Lab rubric. After 3 months, each resident was reevaluated on the same rubric, with subsequent data analysis on successful tourniquet placement (measured as under 90 s) and time to completion. Of the 53 participants, the IP training group had an initial pass rate of 97% (28/29) compared to 92% (22/24) in the VR group (p = 0.58). On retention testing, the IP training group had a pass rate of 95% (20/21) compared to 90% (18/20) in the VR group (p = 0.62). Stratifying the success of tourniquet placement by level of resident training did not demonstrate any statistically significant differences. In this pilot study of emergency medicine residents, we found no significant differences in successful hemorrhage control by tourniquet placement between those trained with VR compared to a traditional IP course among emergency medicine residents. While more studies with greater power are needed, the results suggest that VR may be a useful adjunct to traditional IP medical training.

Significance of High-Frequency Sonography for the Subclinical Progression of Rheumatoid Arthritis.

This study aims to investigate the use of high-frequency sonography as a tool for detecting inflammatory and destructive changes in the hand and foot joints of patients with early and long-term RA. This study employs a prospective cohort design involving 162 patients diagnosed with Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who meet the American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism (ACR/EULAR) classification criteria. Patients were divided into two groups based on disease duration: Group 1 (n = 74) included patients with a disease duration of up to 2 years, or early РА (ERA;), Group 2 (n = 88) consisted of patients with a disease duration exceeding 2 years, or long-term persistent РА (LtRA). All patients underwent a clinical assessment of their joints, as well as radiography and arthrosonography, at the beginning of the study and again at 6 and 12 months later. In the general group of patients, ultrasound examination revealed signs of synovitis in the joints of the hands more frequently (66%) compared with clinical examination (56% by a number of swollen joints [NSJ] and 55% by a number of painful joints [NPJ], P < .01). After 6 months of treatment, 12% of the patients achieved full US remission and 24% achieved partial US remission. Within the scope of comprehensive RA diagnostics, arthrosonography of the joints of the hands and feet, utilizing a combination of greyscale and power Doppler, may surpass radiography in detecting early RA. This method allows for a more accurate assessment of disease activity and progression rates.

Creation of a sexual risk index from the American College Health Association-National College Health Assessment (ACHA-NCHA) III to compare nontraditional and traditional student sexual risk

Objective To examine the utility of a novel sexual risk index (SRI) to better use National College Health Assessment (NCHA) sexual health-related questions. Methods The first phase included discussions, testing, and recoding of the initial set of items. In the second phase, a correlation analysis was run; items were systematically removed to achieve a Cronbach’s alpha of .714. Results All currently enrolled students in Spring 2020 at medium-sized, 4-year public university in Florida were recruited (n = 4,850) for the NCHA. Of the 441 total respondents, 223 students were included in the SRI analyses. Most had very low SRI scores, indicating few sexual risks. Nontraditional students were half as likely to experience academic challenges as compared to traditional students (TS; OR = .487, p = .033), while increasing SRI scores (OR = 1.182, p = .022) and decreasing GPA scores (OR = −1.975, p < .001) were associated with an increased likelihood of self-reporting academic challenges. Conclusions Results suggest high utility and reliability of the SRI. The use of the SRI provides a better overall picture of sexual risk-taking through a score rather than comparison of individual NCHA items.

Comparison of Work Relative Value Units Assigned to Urological and Gynecological Surgical Procedures.

We sought to determine if work relative value unit differences exist between analogous, sex-specific procedures. Representatives from the AUA and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists independently reviewed the entire procedural code set and identified sex-specific procedures that had an analogous procedure in the opposite sex. These pairs were then evaluated and compared using current American Medical Association Relative Value Scale Update Committee methodology. Comparable code pair values were then examined to determine any systemic bias in the work relative value units assigned between the procedures. Mean differences and 95% confidence intervals were used to determine any differences in procedure or physician time values. The methodology used considered global period, intraservice time, total time, hospital days, postoperative office visits, and the date of the committee review. Of the 10 directly analogous code pairs reviewed, 7 of the female procedures had higher work relative value unit differences (range 0.29-6.47), and 3 of the male procedures had higher work relative value unit differences (range 1.23-2.34). There was no statistical difference between the code pair work relative value units. The work relative value unit per minute of intraservice time and total time were not statistically different. In this study, we compared operative procedures performed in women with clinically comparable operative procedures performed in men that had similar surgical approaches, global periods, and valuation methodologies. Overall, no statistical differences in work relative value units were demonstrated.

Unlocking Health Literacy: The Ultimate Guide to Hypertension Education From ChatGPT Versus Google Gemini.

Background Google Gemini (Google, Mountain View, CA) represents the latest advances in the realm of artificial intelligence (AI) and has garnered attention due to its capabilities similar to the increasingly popular ChatGPT (OpenAI, San Francisco, CA). Accurate dissemination of information on common conditions such as hypertension is critical for patient comprehension and management. Despite the ubiquity of AI, comparisons between ChatGPT and Gemini remain unexplored. Methods ChatGPT and Gemini were asked 52 questions derived from the American College of Cardiology's (ACC) frequently asked questions on hypertension, following a specified prompt. Prompts included: no prompting (Form 1), patient-friendly prompting (Form 2), physician-level prompting (Form 3), and prompting for statistics/references (Form 4). Responses were scored as incorrect, partially correct, or correct. Flesch-Kincaid (FK) grade level and word count were recorded. Results Across all forms, scoring frequencies were as follows: 23 (5.5%) incorrect, 162 (38.9%) partially correct, and 231 (55.5%) correct. ChatGPT showed higher rates of partially correct answers than Gemini (p = 0.0346). Physician-level prompts resulted in a higher word count across both platforms (p < 0.001). ChatGPT showed a higher FK grade level (p = 0.033) in physician-friendly prompting. Gemini exhibited a significantly higher mean word count (p < 0.001); however, ChatGPT had a higher FK grade level across all forms (p > 0.001). Conclusion To our knowledge, this study is the first to compare cardiology-related responses from ChatGPT and Gemini, two of the most popular AI chatbots. The grade level for most responses was collegiate level, which was above average for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommendations, but on par with most online medical information. Both chatbots responded with a high degree of accuracy, with inaccuracies being rare. Therefore, it is reasonable that cardiologists suggest either chatbot as a source of supplementary education.

Impact of Nutritional Education Intervention on Food Choice Motivations and Eating Behaviors Among Latin American University Students

ABSTRACT Background Nutritional interventions can help to develop healthy eating patterns during the transition to university, which is a critical transition for all college students. Purpose This research aims to analyze eating behaviors and food choices through sustainable nutritional education interventions with college students from a multinational university in Latin-America. Methods The nutritional intervention had eight sessions emphasizing lifestyle nutrition patterns. There was an intervention group (n = 85), and a control group (n = 80). This research evaluated the eating behaviors and food choice motivators before and after the intervention. Results The nutrition education interventions showed that the group under intervention improved, changing from unhealthy to moderately healthy habits, whereas the control groups remained in unhealthy eating behaviors. Food choice motivations slightly differ from the two groups after the intervention. Discussion The control group students reflected on their lack of awareness of good eating habits so that current trends could influence their food choices in social networks associated with the pandemic, economic factors, and supply. Translation to Health Education Practice The findings from this research highlight opportunities for Certified Health Education Specialists focused on project development and evaluation.

Prevalence and appropriateness of omeprazole prescription in dogs at a veterinary teaching hospital before and after the publication of the ACVIM consensus statement on the rational administration of gastrointestinal protectants.

Overprescribing of acid suppressants is a common phenomenon in human and small animal patients, leading to potential deleterious gastrointestinal (GI) and non-GI consequences. The impact of consensus statements on veterinary prescribing habits in clinical practice have not been fully evaluated. This study aimed to compare the prescribing habits of the proton pump inhibitor (PPI), omeprazole, in dogs in an academic veterinary teaching hospital before and after the publication of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) consensus statement on rational use of gastrointestinal protectants. Evaluation of the prescribing habits of omeprazole in dogs during the years 2017 and 2021 was retrospectively compared. These years were selected to reflect a 12-month period prior to and following the publication of the consensus statement. One hundred dogs from each year were randomly selected. Dose, frequency of administration, duration of treatment, concurrent prescription of more than one gastroprotectant and indications for prescribing omeprazole were analyzed. A significant increase in the cases that received omeprazole q12h (p < 0.0001) or that underwent a tapering dose after ≥4 week-therapy (p > 0.0001) was detected after the publication of the 2018 ACVIM consensus statement. Considering the indications, there was also a significant increase in the appropriate prescription of omeprazole in the second compared to the first period of study (p < 0.0001). Fifteen of 16 clinicians (94%) involved in the prescription of omeprazole indicated that their reading of the consensus statement had changed their clinical practice regarding PPI administration in dogs. These results support the beneficial impact of the ACVIM consensus statement on the judicious prescribing of omeprazole in an academic veterinary hospital. These results should not be extrapolated to first-opinion veterinary practices, and further efforts should be made to ensure that PPIs are prescribed prudently with a clear indication and regular review of the appropriateness of continued administration to minimize possible risks and adverse drug interactions.

Carotid Body Tumor Excision with and without Carotid Artery Reconstruction: Equivalency of 30-Day Outcomes over 12 Years in the American College of Surgery National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) Database

Background: Carotid body tumors (CBTs) are rare benign tumors that arise from the chemoreceptor tissue located at the carotid bifurcation that require excision if symptomatic. Depending on the size and location of the tumor, the carotid artery may need to be repaired after resection. This study aims to assess whether CBT excision with artery resection had higher rates of 30-day postoperative outcomes compared with CBT excision without artery resection. Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study. Patients were identified in the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) registry from 2005 to 2017. They were divided into two groups, based on Current Procedural Terminology (CPT®) codes: group A had CBT excision without carotid artery excision (CPT code 60600) and group B with carotid artery excision (CPT code 60605). Patient demographic characteristics, co-morbidities, and 30-days postoperative outcomes were compared between the two groups. Categorical data were analyzed using Pearson’s X2 or Fisher exact tests and presented as proportions (percentages). Continuous data were analyzed using parametric or non-parametric tests as appropriate. Statistical significance was defined as p &lt; 0.05. Statistical analysis was performed using the SPSS statistical software package. Results: A total of 463 patients were identified, 410 (88.4%) in group A and 53 (11.4%) in group B. Overall, there were 291 (62.9%) women. A higher proportion of women underwent CBT excision only, compared to men (91.1% [265/291] vs. 84.3% [145/172], p &lt; 0.0001). Demographics and comorbidities were similar between groups. There was no significant difference in the 30-day postoperative outcomes. The reoperation rate was higher in group B (3.8% vs. 1.5%, p = 0.334), while the readmission rate was higher in group A (3.2% vs. 0% p = 0.269), and both were not significantly different. Overall morbidity and serious morbidity were higher in group B (7.5% vs. 5.9%, p = 0.626) and lower in group A (5.7% vs. 3.9%, p = 0.544), respectively, but were not significantly different. Operative time (mean, SD) was higher in group B (187 ± 107 vs. 138 ± 66 min, p &lt; 0.001). However, the median (IQR) of hospital length of stay (LOS) was similar (2 [1, 4] vs. 2 [1, 3] days, p = 0.134). Conclusions: Overall, no difference was noted in the 30-day postoperative outcome between the two surgical approaches of CBT. However, operative time was longer when artery resection was performed. Further research to determine the factors predicting the need for carotid artery resection among patient gender is needed.

Pathway-based, reaction-specific annotation of disease variants for elucidation of molecular phenotypes.

Germline and somatic mutations can give rise to proteins with altered activity, including both gain and loss-of-function. The effects of these variants can be captured in disease-specific reactions and pathways that highlight the resulting changes to normal biology. A disease reaction is defined as an aberrant reaction in which a variant protein participates. A disease pathway is defined as a pathway that contains a disease reaction. Annotation of disease variants as participants of disease reactions and disease pathways can provide a standardized overview of molecular phenotypes of pathogenic variants that is amenable to computational mining and mathematical modeling. Reactome (https://reactome.org/), an open source, manually curated, peer-reviewed database of human biological pathways, in addition to providing annotations for >11 000 unique human proteins in the context of ∼15 000 wild-type reactions within more than 2000 wild-type pathways, also provides annotations for >4000 disease variants of close to 400 genes as participants of ∼800 disease reactions in the context of ∼400 disease pathways. Functional annotation of disease variants proceeds from normal gene functions, described in wild-type reactions and pathways, through disease variants whose divergence from normal molecular behaviors has been experimentally verified, to extrapolation from molecular phenotypes of characterized variants to variants of unknown significance using criteria of the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics and the Association for Molecular Pathology. Reactome's data model enables mapping of disease variant datasets to specific disease reactions within disease pathways, providing a platform to infer pathway output impacts of numerous human disease variants and model organism orthologs, complementing computational predictions of variant pathogenicity. Database URL: https://reactome.org/.

Diagnostic Accuracy of Raman Spectroscopy Integrated With Polarized Light Microscopy for Calcium Pyrophosphate-Associated Arthritis.

We studied the performance of integrated Raman polarized light microscopy (iRPolM) for the identification of calcium pyrophosphate (CPP)-associated arthritis (CPPD). This is a diagnostic accuracy study including 400 consecutive synovial fluid samples from a single hospital in the Netherlands. Accuracy measures were calculated against polarized light microscopy (PLM) and the 2023 American College of Rheumatology (ACR)/EULAR criteria set for CPPD. The interrater reliability between iRPolM and the 2023 ACR/EULAR criteria set for CPPD was strong (κ = 0.88). The diagnostic performance of iRPolM compared to the 2023 ACR/EULAR criteria set was sensitivity 86.0% (95% confidence interval [CI] 73.3-94.2), specificity 99.1% (95% CI 97.5-99.8), positive likelihood ratio 100.33 (95% CI 32.3-311.3), negative likelihood ratio 0.14 (95% CI 0.07-0.28), positive predictive value 93.5% (95% CI 82.2-97.8), negative predictive value 98.0% (95% CI 82.2-97.8), and accuracy 97.5% (95% CI 95.5-98.8). We allowed rheumatologists to rate the certainty of their microscopic identification of CPP and found a large correspondence between iRPolM and a certain identification (κ = 0.87), whereas only 10% of the uncertain CPP identifications could be confirmed with iRPolM. We identified several novel particle types in synovial fluid analysis, including calcium carbonate crystals, deposited carotenoids, microplastics, and three types of Maltese cross birefringent objects. iRPolM can easily identify CPP crystals with a strong diagnostic performance. PLM alone is not specific enough to reliably resolve complicated cases, and the implementation of Raman spectroscopy in rheumatology practice can be of benefit to patients with suspected CPPD.

Exploring the clinical utility of exome sequencing/mono, duo, trio in prenatal testing: a retrospective study in a tertiary care centre in south India.

With the availability of Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) diagnosis of genetic disorders has improved significantly. Its use is also applicable to ascertain diagnosis and management in a perinatal setting. The study aims to detect the genetic aetiology of various congenital structural and functional defects using NGS technology in the reproductive cohort at a tertiary centre. The secondary objective is to address challenges in the interpretation of variants. This was a retrospective study of couples who underwent exome sequencing (Mono-testing proband only or Duo-testing parents only or Trio-testing proband and parents) for suspected single gene disorders between years 2020-2022 at a tertiary care perinatal center in the South India. American College of Medical Genetics (ACMG) guidelines were followed to classify the pathogenicity of the variants identified by exome sequencing. The overall diagnostic yield as defined by pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants obtained was (23/43) 53.4 %. The individual subsets have the following diagnostic yield viz., Mono 5/6 (83 %); Carrier 16/32 (50 %); Trio 2/5 (40 %). Diagnostic yield was significantly higher in consanguineous couples. However, miscarriage history, and organ system involvement did not have a significant effect on the diagnostic yield. Prenatal diagnosis was offered for seven patients based on the exome result. One fetus was confirmed with a compound heterozygous pathogenic variant. Diagnostic yield of exome sequencing in our cohort was 53 %. The detection of pathogenic variants was maximum in those cases undergoing mono exome sequencing. In places where there is a high prevalence of consanguinity and endogamy, NGS may be offered as first line test in the context of prenatal diagnosis.

Navigating social and academic isolation: a qualitative exploration of American university students’ perspectives and experiences early in the COVID-19 pandemic

Objective: To qualitatively explore the multifaceted impacts of the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic on the lives of American university students. Method: Undergraduate students in general education courses at a mid-sized public Western U.S. university were recruited to complete a Qualtrics survey that evaluated their perceptions, beliefs, and behaviours towards COVID-19. Thematic analysis identified prevailing themes regarding the positive and negative changes to students’ lives during the pandemic. Results: Participants included undergraduate students (N = 241) between the ages of 18 and 24 (74.7% women), with 49.4% identifying as White. Thematic analysis of the survey identified several codes encompassed by six key themes: (1) shifting social interactions; (2) wellness; (3) school; (4) financial changes; (5) loss of experiences; and (6) political turmoil. Conclusion: Some students identified positive consequences (e.g., more family time, more flexible schedule), while almost all students reported negative consequences (e.g., difficulty with time management and organisation, loss of job or income) of the COVID-19 pandemic. University communities should consider providing additional academic, financial, and mental health resources to students to further mitigate the lasting consequences of the pandemic.

Prospective Validation of First-Trimester Screening for Preterm Preeclampsia in Nulliparous Women (PREDICTION Study).

Fetal Medicine Foundation (FMF) studies suggest that preterm preeclampsia can be predicted in the first trimester by combining biophysical, biochemical, and ultrasound markers and prevented using aspirin. We aimed to evaluate the FMF preterm preeclampsia screening test in nulliparous women. We conducted a prospective multicenter cohort study of nulliparous women recruited at 11 to 14 weeks. Maternal characteristics, mean arterial blood pressure, PAPP-A (pregnancy-associated plasma protein A), PlGF (placental growth factor) in maternal blood, and uterine artery pulsatility index were collected at recruitment. The risk of preterm preeclampsia was calculated by a third party blinded to pregnancy outcomes. Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to estimate the detection rate (sensitivity) and the false-positive rate (1-specificity) for preterm (<37 weeks) and for early-onset (<34 weeks) preeclampsia according to the FMF screening test and according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists criteria. We recruited 7554 participants including 7325 (97%) who remained eligible after 20 weeks of which 65 (0.9%) developed preterm preeclampsia, and 22 (0.3%) developed early-onset preeclampsia. Using the FMF algorithm (cutoff of ≥1 in 110 for preterm preeclampsia), the detection rate was 63.1% for preterm preeclampsia and 77.3% for early-onset preeclampsia at a false-positive rate of 15.8%. Using the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists criteria, the equivalent detection rates would have been 61.5% and 59.1%, respectively, for a false-positive rate of 34.3%. The first-trimester FMF preeclampsia screening test predicts two-thirds of preterm preeclampsia and three-quarters of early-onset preeclampsia in nulliparous women, with a false-positive rate of ≈16%. URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT02189148.

Influence of elevated liver enzyme level on 30-day mortality rates in patients undergoing nonemergency orthopedic surgery

BackgroundThe effect of elevated preoperative liver enzyme levels on postoperative outcomes is a topic of concern to clinicians. This study explored the association between elevated preoperative liver enzyme levels and surgical outcomes in patients undergoing orthopedic surgery.MethodsUsing the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database, we obtained data on adult patients who received nonemergency orthopedic surgery under general anesthesia between 2011 and 2021.ResultsWe evaluated the data of 477,524 patients, of whom 6.1% (24 197 patients) had elevated preoperative serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT) levels. An elevated SGOT level was significantly associated with 30-day postoperative mortality (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.62; 95% confidence interval, 1.39 to 1.90). We determined that the mortality rate rose with SGOT levels. The results remained unchanged after propensity score matching.ConclusionElevated preoperative SGOT levels constitute an independent risk factor for 30-day postoperative mortality and are proportionately associated with the risk of 30-day postoperative mortality.

Whole Blood and Blood Component Resuscitation in Trauma: Interaction and Association with Mortality.

Evaluate the interaction between whole blood (WB) and blood component resuscitation in relation to mortality following trauma. WB is increasingly available in civilian trauma resuscitation, and it is typically transfused concomitantly with blood components. The interaction between WB and blood component transfusions is unclear. Adult trauma patients with a shock index >1 who received ≥4 combined units of red blood cells (RBC) or WB within 4 hours across 501 United States trauma centers were included using the American College of Surgeons Trauma Quality Improvement Program (ACS-TQIP) database. The associations between 1)WB resuscitation and mortality, 2)WB to total transfusion volume ratio (WB:TTV) and mortality, 3)balanced blood component transfusion in the setting of combined WB and component resuscitation and mortality were evaluated with multivariable analysis. A total of 12,275 patients were included (WB: 2,884 vs. component-only: 9,391). WB resuscitation was associated with lower odds of 4-hour (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 0.81 [0.68-0.97]), 24-hour, and 30-day mortality compared to component-only. Higher WB:TTV ratios were significantly associated with lower 4-hour, 24-hour, and 30-day mortality, with a 13% decrease in odds of 4-hour mortality for each 10% increase in the WB:TTV ratio (0.87 [95%CI:0.80 - 0.94]). Balanced blood component transfusion was associated with significantly lower odds of 4-hour (aOR: 0.45 [95%CI: 0.29 - 0.68]), 24-hour, and 30-day mortality in the setting of combined WB and blood component resuscitation. WB resuscitation, higher WB:TTV ratios, and balanced blood component transfusion in conjunction with WB were associated with lower mortality in trauma patients presenting in shock requiring 4 units of RBC and/or WB transfusion within 4 hours of arrival.

Overlapping Surgery Verbiage in Informed Consent Documents.

To assess informed consent documents from United States (US) institutions for verbiage regarding overlapping surgery. Overlapping surgery remains a controversial practice. Recent guidance from the Senate Finance Committee and American College of Surgeons emphasizes transparency with patients regarding this practice through the informed consent process, but it remains unclear how many institutions adopted their recommendations. Informed consent documents were collected from a national sample of 104 institutions and assessed for verbiage regarding overlapping surgery and/or attending absence during a surgical case. The verbiage of these forms was further analyzed for inclusion of key terms (e.g., "overlapping surgery," "critical portions") as well as transparency regarding surgeon absence. Thirty (29%) forms included verbiage regarding overlapping surgery and/or surgeon absence during a case. Most of these 30 utilized the terms "overlapping surgery" or "critical portions" (18 [60%] and 25 [83%], respectively), although only 3 (10%) explicitly stated that portions of the procedure that may be performed in the absence of the attending surgeon. Six forms (20%) specifically stated who may perform the procedure without the attending present, and 3 forms (10%) had patients acknowledge this section of the consent form with an additional signature or initial. Only 2 of the forms (7%) fulfilled all of the criteria set forth by the SFC. Detailed information regarding overlapping surgery is infrequently included in hospitals' procedure informed consent documents. Forms that include this information rarely provide explicit statements of attending presence and trainee participation, raising concerns regarding surgeon-patient transparency.

Wilderness Medical Society Clinical Practice Guidelines for Medical Direction of Search and Rescue Teams.

The Wilderness Medical Society convened a panel to review available evidence supporting practices for medical direction of search and rescue teams. This panel included of members of the Wilderness Medical Society Search and Rescue Committee, the National Association of EMS Physicians Wilderness Committee, and leadership of the Mountain Rescue Association. Literature about definitions and terminology, epidemiology, currently accepted best practices, and regulatory and legal considerations was reviewed. The panel graded available evidence supporting practices according to the American College of Chest Physicians criteria and then made recommendations based on that evidence. Recommendations were based on the panel's collective clinical experience and judgment when published evidence was lacking.