Initial Assessment Of Patients Research Articles

The predictive value of HCT-CI and CCI comorbidity indices in predicting survival and mortality before allogeneic stem cell transplantation in acute leukemia patients: A single-centre experience

Objective: Acute leukemia often involves comorbidities, impacting treatment decisions and patient outcomes. Clinicians commonly use the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) and the Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Comorbidity Index (HCT-CI) to assess their influence. However, their effectiveness in predicting survival and non-relapse mortality (NRM) in acute leukemia patients under 65 undergoing allogeneic stem cell transplantation remains unclear. Patients and Methods: We conducted a retrospective single-center analysis on adults diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) or acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). The study included 35 patients, comprising 16 AML and 19 ALL cases. Patients were categorized based on age-adjusted HCT-CI and CCI scores. Results: The 2-year NRM rate was determined to be 51.4%. Statistical analysis found no significant associations between age-adjusted CCI (p=0.217) and age-adjusted HCT-CI (p=0.102) with NRM. However, median overall survival significantly varied based on risk levels (p=0.003), HCT-CI groups (p=0.009), and CCI groups (p=0.011). Conclusion: Using age-adjusted HCT-CI and CCI for comorbidity scoring in initial assessment of acute leukemia patients and those under 65 shows promise. However, these indices were ineffective in predicting NRM, emphasizing the importance of considering other significant pre-transplant factors like genetic risk, conditioning regimens, and donor type.

Using HIS administrative data for initial assessment of comorbid patients’ status (Covid-19 case)

Abstract Background Despite numerous published articles, most of the studies on COVID-19 focused on influence of clinical characteristics and treatments on severity. Yet, the epidemiological viewpoint was rarely discussed. Based on our experience with comorbid hospitalized COVID-19 patients, we aim to show that HIS administrative data can be used to identify individuals that are more prone to worse outcome thus improving patient management not only during pandemics. Methods A retrospective single-center study was conducted using archived anonymized HIS administrative data for all 8319 COVID-19 patients in the university hospital ‘Saint Marina’-Varna, Bulgaria, in the period 14/06/2020-31/12/2021. Up to 7 comorbidities per patient were registered in HIS with ICD-10 codes, used for our analyses. Non-parametric tests and logistic regression were used at α=.05, 95%CI. Results Comorbid patients were 5741(69%), 50.3% ≥69y, 52% male; 1602(27.9%) died, 64% ≥69y, 54.4% male. Deceased were older (p< .01) and had more comorbidities (p< .01). Multimorbid patients (OR = 4.43; 3.80-5.17), male (OR = 4.72; 3.83-5.82) and older ones (OR = 1.91; 1.57-2.34) had higher odds of dying. The odds of dying increased with the number of comorbidities from OR=.635; .559-.721 for 1 to OR = 4.23; 3.28-5.46 for 7. From 4967 comorbid diseases (451 ICD-10 codes), only those from code groups A, J, N, E, I, Z were suitable for analysis. Patients with A41.9 (OR = 213.69; 52.88-863.43), J80 (OR = 52.88; 32.58-85.56), N17 (OR = 18.63; 10.24-33.87), E11.7 (OR = 4.72; 3.09-7.19), I13.2 (OR = 4.67; 3.151-6.93), Z95 (OR = 3.81; 2.74-5.31), I63 (OR = 3.56; 2.25-5.61), E66 (OR = 3.12; 2.10-4.64) died more often. Conclusions Our findings match the results based on EMR data: death with COVID-19 was associated with comorbidities (sepsis, acute RDS and kidney, heart and renal failure, diabetes, cerebral infarction, obesity, implants and grafts), age, gender, i.e. HIS administrative data can be used for quick assessment of comorbid patients’ status. Key messages • HIS administrative data can be used for quick assessment of multimorbidity and following personalized treatment is highly recommended to decrease hospital mortality not only in times of pandemic. • Older Bulgarians have many comorbidities from ICD code groups A, J, N, E, I, Z, and are more prone to death, especially in times of pandemic. Public health measures are needed to prevent comorbidity.

Prediction of a Cephalometric Parameter and Skeletal Patterns from Lateral Profile Photographs: A Retrospective Comparative Analysis of Regression Convolutional Neural Networks.

Background/Objectives: Cephalometric analysis has a pivotal role in the quantification of the craniofacial skeletal complex, facilitating the diagnosis and management of dental malocclusions and underlying skeletal discrepancies. This study aimed to develop a deep learning system that predicts a cephalometric skeletal parameter directly from lateral profile photographs, potentially serving as a preliminary resource to motivate patients towards orthodontic treatment. Methods: ANB angle values and corresponding lateral profile photographs were obtained from the medical records of 1600 subjects (1039 female and 561 male, age range 3 years 8 months to 69 years 1 month). The lateral profile photographs were randomly divided into a training dataset (1250 images) and a test dataset (350 images). Seven regression convolutional neural network (CNN) models were trained on the lateral profile photographs and measured ANB angles. The performance of the models was assessed using the coefficient of determination (R2) and mean absolute error (MAE). Results: The R2 values of the seven CNN models ranged from 0.69 to 0.73, and the MAE values ranged from 1.46 to 1.53. Among the seven models, InceptionResNetV2 showed the highest success rate for predictions of ANB angle within 1° of range and the highest performance in skeletal class prediction, with macro-averaged accuracy, precision, recall, and F1 scores of 73.1%, 78.5%, 71.1%, and 73.0%, respectively. Conclusions: The proposed deep CNN models demonstrated the ability to predict a cephalometric skeletal parameter directly from lateral profile photographs, with 71% of predictions being within 2° of accuracy. This level of accuracy suggests potential clinical utility, particularly as a non-invasive preliminary screening tool. The system's ability to provide reasonably accurate predictions without radiation exposure could be especially beneficial for initial patient assessments and may enhance efficiency in orthodontic workflows.

Measuring the crowding of emergency departments: an assessment of the NEDOCS in Lombardy, Italy, and the development of a new objective indicator based on the waiting time for the first clinical assessment

BackgroundThere is no ubiquitous definition of Emergency Department (ED) crowding and several indicators have been proposed to measure it. The National ED Overcrowding Study (NEDOCS) score is among the most popular, even though it has been severely criticised. We used the waiting time for the physician’s initial assessment to evaluate the performance of the NEDOCS and proposed a new crowding indicator based on this objective measure.MethodsTo evaluate the NEDOCS, we used the 2022 data of all the Lombardy EDs and compared the distribution of waiting times across the five levels of the NEDOCS at ED arrival. To construct the new indicator, we estimated the centre-specific relationship between the total number of ED patients and the waiting time of those with minor or deferrable urgency. We defined seven classes of waiting times and calculated how many patients corresponded to an average waiting time in the classes. These centre-specific cutoffs were used to define the 7-level crowding indicator. The indicator was then compared to the NEDOCS score and validated on the first six months of 2023 data.ResultsPatients’ waiting time did not increase at the increase of the NEDOCS score, suggesting the absence of a relationship between this score and the effect of ED crowding on the ED capacity of evaluating new patients. The indicator we propose is easy to estimate in real-time and based on centre-specific cutoffs, which depend on the volume of yearly accesses. We observed minimal agreement between the proposed indicator and the NEDOCS in most EDs, both in the development and validation datasets.ConclusionsWe proposed to quantify ED crowding using the waiting time for physician’s initial assessment of patients with minor or deferrable urgency, which increases in crowding situations due to the prioritization of urgent patients. The centre-specific cutoffs avoid the problem of the heterogeneity of the volume of accesses and organization among EDs, while enabling a fair comparison between centres.

Clinical and radiological profile of cervical spine injuries in maxillofacial trauma patients reporting to a tertiary trauma centre in central Kerala

The aim of the study was to determine the clinical and radiological profile of patients with cervical spine injuries in maxillofacial trauma patients following road traffic accidents in central Kerala. Percentage of cervical spine injuries associated with maxillofacial injuries, age and sex distribution, frequency of the type of cervical spine injury were studied. A descriptive cross sectional study was conducted on two hundred and fifty patients with maxillofacial trauma who reported to the Department Of Oral and Maxillofacial surgery, Government Dental College, Kottayam between July 2023 and June 2024 and who gave the consent for the study.Clinical evaluation of cervical spine was undertaken as the part of the initial assessment of all trauma patients. Neck pain was assessed with visual analog scale of 1-10 and altered sensations in upper limbs were evaluated. Lateral neck x-ray was taken to rule out cervical injury in all patients without C.T scan. The data was entered into MS excel spread sheet and analysed using SPSS version 20. Proportions were used to study categorical variables, mean and standard deviation were used for quantitative variables. Chi square test was used to test the difference in proportions of categorical variables. p values less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant in the data. The study has shown that there is a statistically significant occurrence of cervical spine injuries in maxillofacial trauma victims in road traffic accidents. The presence of maxillofacial trauma with cervical spine injury mandates prompt management with immediate reference to neurosurgeon to reduce morbidity.

Predictors of Post-COVID-19 Recovery: A Single-Center Study

Background: The average duration of recovery time in COVID-19 patients after contracting can be affected by various factors. Understanding the average duration of recovery time is important in formulating preventive measures/interventions. This study aims to assess predictors of post-COVID-19 recovery. Methods: This observational longitudinal study was conducted among COVID-19 patients admitted to Vasei Hospital in Sabzevar, Iran in 2021. Data were extracted from the Hospital Information System. COVID-19 Experiences (COVEX) questionnaire was used to assess the type and severity of symptoms. Patients who were admitted to the hospital were assessed at baseline and were followed up one month and two months after discharge through telephone calls. Chi-square test was used to examine the association between demographic variables, clinical variables, disease symptoms, and time to recovery. Results: A total of 250 COVID-19 cases were followed up for 30 and 60 days after discharge. The mean duration of recovery from COVID-19 was significantly higher in women, old patients, those with higher BMI, cases without physical activity, those with severe chest CT scan results, patients with severe diseases, and those who were discharged after 30 days (P-Value< 0.05). Patients with dry cough and chest pain were less likely to make a full recovery after 30 days. The cases with dry cough, headache, dyspnea, and chest pain were less likely to make a full recovery after 60 days than those without (P-Value< 0.05). Conclusion: Health providers in healthcare centers should give priority to high-risk groups (e.g. those with severe chest radiography results, and those with severe disease severity). The presence of dry cough and chest pain was found to be a risk factor for delayed recovery. Initial assessment of COVID-19 patients, such as chest CT scans, can predict the severity of the disease and unfavorable outcomes. Moreover, it seems the management of comorbidities can play a vital role in recovery from COVID-19.

APACHE II versus CURB-65 as a Prognostic Score to Assess Severity of Pneumonia Causing Sepsis in Critically Ill Patients

Abstract Background The Pneumonia Severity Index (PSI) and CURB-65 score are commonly used to stratify patients based on mortality risk in both clinical and research settings. However, their comparative predictive accuracy remains a subject of debate. Aim of the Work The aim of this study is to compare the efficacy between CURB-65 and APACHE II in assessment of the severity of pneumonia causing sepsis and predicting mortality in critically ill patients. Methods This study aimed to compare the efficacy of CURB-65 and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) scores in assessing pneumonia-induced sepsis severity and predicting mortality in critically ill patients. Two groups were formed, with Group A assessed using CURB-65 and Group B assessed using APACHE II scores. The study was conducted at the Critical Care department of Ain Shams University Hospitals, Cairo, Egypt. Results Our findings were in agreement with previous studies on various parameters such as mean arterial pressure, respiratory rate, and temperature. However, significant differences were observed in pulse and Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS). In contrast to other reports, our study did not find any significant difference in total leukocyte count between the two groups. Conclusion The CURB-65 score showed statistically significant differences in certain parameters between the survivor and non-survivor groups. The APACHE II score performed better than CURB-65 as an initial prognostic assessment in patients with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) pneumonia. Moreover, the area under the ROC curve for APACHE II was greater than that for CURB-65, indicating better predictive accuracy for 28-day mortality. The choice between these scoring systems should be carefully considered when assessing the severity and predicting mortality in critically ill patients with pneumonia-induced sepsis. Further studies are warranted to validate these findings and optimize patient outcomes.

Strengthening vaccination assessment at a southern oncology center: A quality improvement endeavor.

322 Background: The 2013 revision of the Standards for Adult Immunization Practice by the National Vaccine Advisory Committee (NVAC) mandated healthcare professionals to evaluate and ensure adult patients' immunization. Additionally, the 2024 recommendations from the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) stressed the importance of determining vaccination status of adults newly diagnosed with cancer, to safeguard against vaccine-preventable diseases. Our 2022-2023 cumulative assessment rate for flu vaccination was 64%, and COVID-19 vaccination status was not being assessed in the electronic medical record (EMR). This prevented us from identifying patients who would benefit from vaccination. Methods: A quality improvement initiative was initiated at Norton Cancer Institute – Downtown Office, focusing on enhancing vaccination assessment. Launching in October 2024, the initiative targeted flu and COVID-19 vaccination assessment, with updates to flu assessment questions and the implementation of a COVID-19 assessment flowsheet in the EMR. Best practice advisories (BPAs) were employed to prompt nurse clinicians and providers to order vaccines based on patient responses. Staff compliance was reinforced through tailored training sessions for medical assistants responsible for initial patient assessments, with an emphasis on reconciling external records to improve assessment accuracy. A de-identified data set was created to analyze workflow compliance, the data was abstracted from the relational databases of our institution's EMR system. Abstraction queries were written in SQL using the Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio platform. Results: Following the implementation of the initiative, there was an increase in vaccination assessment completion rates for both Flu and Covid-19. Flu assessment rates improved from 64% at the end of the 2022-2023 flu season to 76% during the 2023-2024 flu season. The implementation of Covid-19 Vaccination assessment workflow also resulted in increased assessment rates each month of the initiative, starting in October with initial rate of 36% and ending in March with 67% cumulative assessment rate. Conclusions: The targeted intervention increased vaccination assessment practices within the oncology setting; by improving clinical workflow to better align with NVAC guidelines and ASCO recommendations for assessment of vaccination status. By Improving vaccination assessment processes our hope is to improve rates of vaccination for oncology patients.

High affective temperamental load as a clinical marker of bipolar disorder: applications in low-resource settings

Objective We aimed to test the performance of the short version of the Temperamental Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris, and San Diego-Auto questionnaire (Short-TEMPS-A) as a tool for bipolar disorder (BD) status detection in an outpatient sample with affective disorders, using Cyclothymic-Hyperthymic High Temperamental Load (HTL-CH) as the criterion for a positive test. Methods We enrolled 201 euthymic female and male adult outpatients (73.1% female; mean age 47.3 ± 16 years), with BD (42.79%), and other affective disorders (major depressive disorder (20.9%), or anxiety disorders (36.32%)) in a public general hospital in South-Central Chile. Diagnosis was made using the Structured Clinical Interview for axis I. All subjects completed the Short-TEMPS-A. HTL-CH was defined using a cutoff of ≥75% in the hyperthymic or cyclothymic subscales of the Short-TEMPS-A. We estimated the HTL-CH likelihood of BD versus non-BD using multiple logistic regression modeling to control for possible confounders. The performance of HTL-CH as a tool for BD status evaluation was assessed using area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC ROC) analysis. Results Patients with HTL-CH had an OR = 7.55 (CI95% = 2.11–26.96) of having a BD status. HTL-CH showed good psychometric properties for BD status detection, correctly classifying 74.13% of patients. AUC ROC was 0.74 (CI95%=0.68–0.81). Conclusions HTL-CH, as assessed by the Short-TEMPS-A, was able to detect BD status accurately and reliably in affective outpatients. The Short-TEMPS-A might be a useful tool in aiding clinicians to detect BD, particularly during initial assessment of affective patients in low-resource settings.

Influencing factors and predictive model for left atrial appendage emptying velocity in nonvalvular AF patients.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia, significantly increasing the risk of death and stroke. The left atrial appendage (LAA) plays a crucial role in the development of AF. Reduced left atrial appendage emptying velocity (LAAEV) is an important indicator of nonvalvular AF, associated with thrombosis and recurrence after catheter ablation. This study aims to identify factors influencing LAAEV and construct a predictive model for LAAEV in nonvalvular AF patients. This retrospective cohort study included 1,048 nonvalvular AF patients hospitalized at the Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University from January 1, 2015, to December 31, 2021. Patients underwent transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography and had complete laboratory data. Statistical analyses included binary logistic regression and multiple linear regression to identify independent predictors of reduced LAAEV and construct a predictive model. Patients were divided into two groups: reduced LAAEV (<40 cm/s) and normal LAAEV (≥40 cm/s). The reduced LAAEV group included 457 patients (43.61%), with significant differences in age, gender, alcohol consumption, heart failure (HF), ischemic stroke, AF type, resting heart rate, CHA2DS2-VASc score, serum creatinine (SCR), serum uric acid (SUA), estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1C), β2 macroglobulin (B2M), left atrial diameter (LAD), and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) compared to the normal LAAEV group. Logistic regression analysis identified age (OR 0.974, 95% CI 0.951-0.997, P = 0.028), HF (OR 0.637, 95% CI 0.427-0.949, P = 0.027), AF type [Persistent AF vs. PAF (OR 0.063, 95% CI 0.041-0.095, P = 0) Long-standing Persistent AF vs. PAF (OR 0.077, 95% CI 0.043-0.139, P = 0)], LAD (OR 0.872, 95% CI 0.836-0.91, P < 0.001), and LVEF (OR 1.057, 95% CI 1.027-1.089, P = 0) as independent predictors of reduced LAAEV. Multiple linear regression analysis included age, AF type, LAD, and LVEF in the final predictive model, explaining 43.5% of the variance in LAAEV (adjusted R² = 0.435). Age, HF, type of AF, LAD, and LVEF are independent predictors of reduced LAAEV. The predictive model (LAAEV = 96.567-15.940 × AFtype-1.309 × LAD-0.18 × Age + 37.069 × LVEF) demonstrates good predictive value, aiding in the initial assessment and management of nonvalvular AF patients.

Moving forward in Rheumatoid Arthritis-Associated Interstitial Lung Disease Screening.

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are at increased risk of developing interstitial lung disease compared to the general population, a complication that is associated with significant morbidity and high mortality. Given its frequency and severity, ILD should always be considered during both the initial assessment and follow-up of RA patients. However, there is currently no consensus on which RA patients should be screened for ILD. In recent years, several scientific societies have developed specific screening proposals. According to the recommendations of the Spanish, American, and Austrian rheumatology societies, it is not necessary to screen all individuals with RA, and it should be tailored to each patient based on clinical risk factors. In contrast, the Portuguese Societies of Rheumatology and Pulmonology advocate for systematic screening of all RA patients. Risk factors for the development of ILD in RA patients are well identified, and several screening tools for RA-ILD based on these risk factors have been developed. However, all of these tools still require further validation. To address this issue, the ANCHOR-RA study, a multinational cross-sectional initiative, has been launched to develop a multivariable model for predicting RA-ILD, which could provide valuable guidance for screening practices in clinical settings. In addition to certain biochemical and genetic predictive markers, lung ultrasound appears to be a useful screening tool. When combined with clinical evaluation and risk factor assessment, it can help identify which patients require a thoracic HRCT evaluation, which remains the gold standard for confirming an ILD diagnosis.

EP372 - Initial assessment and management of patients presenting with renal colic

Abstract Aims Abdominal colic secondary to nephrolithiasis is a common presentation to the A &amp; E. Aim of our study is to evaluate the assessment and management of these patients in the first 24 hours of presentation and compare it to standards. Methods Patients admitted to a single surgical unit in a tertiary care hospital with renal or ureteric colic were included in the study. British association of urological surgeon’s guidelines were used as standard. Guidelines were as follows,NSAIDs for analgesia.CT KUB should be performed within 14 hours of admission.Urine dipstick, culture, serum creatinine, electrolyte, calcium, urate, FBC, CRP, clotting screen if per cutaneous intervention is planned. Blood culture if patient is pyrexial or has signs of SIRS. Results Out of 41 patients, 10 (24.3%) were given NSAIDS for pain relief, 16 (39 %) had CT KUB in 14 hours of admission, while 24 (58.5%) had ultrasound abdomen as the first investigation. All patients had FBC, urea, electrolytes, creatinine, urine routine and culture sent. Serum Calcium was sent for only 9 (21.9%) patients. CRP was sent for 8 (19.5%) patients. Out of 4 pyrexial patients, blood culture was sent for 2(50%) patients. Conclusion NSAIDs unless contraindicated, should be used for management of pain instead of antispasmodics. Serum calcium should be sent for all patients with renal colic. Pyrexial patients with urolithiasis should have blood cultures performed. CR KUB plain should be done for all patients of urolithiasis unless a clear contraindication like pregnancy, young age exists. Reference- https://www.baus.org.uk/professionals/baus_business/publications/133/guidelines_for_the_management_of_acute_ureteric_colic/

How Do Nurses Experience Relational Work in the Emergency Department—Qualitative Study

IntroductionThis study aimed to explore how nurses experience relational work in the emergency department. MethodsA qualitative design with 34 focus group interviews using an abductive thematic analysis were completed for this study. Participants were recruited from an annual mandatory continuous learning program in 2020-2022 at 2 university hospitals in the Capital Region of Denmark. We applied semistructured interviews in an instructor-supported reflection session on the topic “relational nursing care.” Group discussion was supported by an interview guide addressing key elements of the nurse-patient relationship as described in the fundamentals of care framework. ResultsAcute care nurses’ attention was primarily directed toward the initial patient assessment, rather than toward the later stages of the patient trajectory. Forming a relationship with the patient was highly individual and done at the discretion of each nurse. The key elements of relational nursing were not mutually exclusive, but the findings could be separated into biomedical and relational care, where biomedical tasks took precedence. DiscussionRelational care in the emergency department is optional and individually performed. Moreover, emergency nurses lack a vocabulary to express this type of work. Consequently, there is a risk that patients’ psychosocial needs are not sufficiently met. According to the emergency nurses participating in this study, nurses fall short when performing and describing relational care. Nurses need more knowledge to address the psychosocial patient needs during short-term hospital admissions. Relational care and patient centeredness also need to be acknowledged by nursing leaders and further developed.

The contribution of paramagnetic rim and cortical lesions to physical and cognitive disability at multiple sclerosis clinical onset: evaluating the power of MRI and OCT biomarkers.

In multiple sclerosis (MS), imaging biomarkers play a crucial role in characterizing the disease at the time of diagnosis. MRI and optical coherence tomography (OCT) provide readily available biomarkers that may help to define the patient's clinical profile. However, the evaluation of cortical and paramagnetic rim lesions (CL, PRL), as well as retinal atrophy, is not routinely performed in clinic. To identify the most significant MRI and OCT biomarkers associated with early clinical disability in MS. Brain, spinal cord (SC) MRI, and OCT scans were acquired from 45 patients at MS diagnosis to obtain: brain PRL and non-PRL, CL, SC lesion volumes and counts, brain volumetric metrics, SC C2-C3 cross-sectional area, and retinal layer thickness. Regression models assessed relationships with physical disability (Expanded Disability Status Scale [EDSS]) and cognitive performance (Brief International Cognitive Assessment for Multiple Sclerosis [BICAMS]). In a stepwise regression (R2 = 0.526), PRL (β = 0.001, p = 0.023) and SC lesion volumes (β = 0.001, p = 0.017) were the most significant predictors of EDSS, while CL volume and age were strongly associated with BICAMS scores. Moreover, in a model where PRL and non-PRL were pooled, only the contribution of SC lesion volume was retained in EDSS prediction. OCT measures did not show associations with disability at the onset. At MS onset, PRL and SC lesions exhibit the strongest association with physical disability, while CL strongly contribute to cognitive performance. Incorporating the evaluation of PRL and CL into the initial MS patient assessment could help define their clinical profile, thus supporting the treatment choice.

Ocular surface disorders: office procedures for the allergist/clinical immunologist.

Ocular surface disorders (OSDs) are a prevalent and often debilitating condition encountered in clinical practice, particularly by allergists and clinical immunologists. A comprehensive guide to office procedures for evaluating and managing OSDs, with a specific focus on ocular allergies, would assist in the evaluation process that begins with an initial patient assessment utilizing standardized forms to systematically gather detailed medical history, symptomatology, and environmental exposure data. This structured approach ensures a thorough understanding of the patient's condition and facilitates targeted interventions. In addition to allergy testing, the assessment of the tear film is essential for a comprehensive evaluation of OSDs. The Schirmer test is employed to quantify tear production, providing objective data on tear film adequacy and guiding interventions for tear film deficiencies. This multifaceted diagnostic approach ensures that all contributing factors to OSDs are identified and appropriately managed. By integrating these office procedures, allergists and clinical immunologists can enhance their diagnostic accuracy and therapeutic efficacy, ultimately improving patient outcomes. This manuscript provides a practical resource, outlining some of the methodologies and clinical applications of each procedure, and highlighting their role in the holistic management of OSDs in allergic patients.

Evaluation of an automated platelet aggregation method for detection of congenital or acquired platelet function defects.

Light transmission aggregometry (LTA) is the most widely used laboratory method for an initial screening of patients with a suspected platelet function defect (PFD), and its use has also been proposed for assessing the efficacy of antiplatelet treatment (APT). An automated LTA method has been developed by Sysmex (Kobe, Japan) on a routine coagulation analyzer (CS-2400), together with a new research parameter called PAL (platelet aggregation level) to evaluate patients on APT. We evaluated the performance of CS-2400 compared to a stand-alone lumi-dual-aggregometer device in the diagnosis of PFD and in assessing the efficacy of APT. For these purposes, the study population was represented by a cohort of 23 patients with a previous diagnosis of PFD and a cohort of 28 patients on APT. Compared to healthy volunteers, patients with PFD showed a statistically significant reduction (p<0.05) in the maximal %light transmission, irrespective of the agonist used, both with the CS-2400 and the lumi-dual-aggregometer. As regards PFD patients, CS-2400 was effective in identifying the more severe defects, with a good sensibility and specificity, but less effective in identifying milder forms of PFD, such as platelet secretion defects. Patients on APT showed a statistically significant (p=0.001) reduced median %light transmission and PAL scores compared to healthy controls. Thanks to this LTA technology, CS-2400, a routine coagulation analyzer widely available in routine laboratories, could prove useful for initial assessment of patients with a suspected PFD. Moreover, the PAL scores were a fairly accurate reflection of the platelet response to APT.

Cognitive assessment of post-stroke patients with and without aphasia: The Hebrew version of the Cognitive Assessment for Stroke Patients (CASP) vs. the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA)

Cognitive screening assessments for neurological deficits are critical to the initial assessment of post-stroke patients. However, most measures are not designed for post-stroke patients and in particular not for people with aphasia (PWA), because they rely on language functions. The Cognitive Assessment for Stroke Patients (CASP) is a screening test that can also be administered to PWA, and was recently adapted into Hebrew. The current study aimed to compare the performance of post-stroke patients on the Hebrew versions of the CASP and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Forty medical records of post-stroke patients were retrospectively examined: Twenty participants without aphasia and 20 PWA. The data included demographics, total CASP and MoCA scores, and scores in specific cognitive domains. Correlations were found between total CASP and MoCA scores, for all participants as well as for each group separately. Comparisons between groups revealed significantly higher performance of the participants without aphasia on the MoCA, but not on the CASP. Clinically, these findings suggest that the Hebrew version of the CASP can be implemented as a formal cognitive screening test for post-stroke patients, including PWA. It can help identifying PWA’s cognitive state and differentiate between language and cognitive impairments, hence, contributing in planning targeted treatment.

Predictors of radiographic pneumonia in febrile children with cancer presenting to the emergency department

BackgroundFever is a common presenting complaint to the pediatric emergency department (PED), especially among oncology patients. While bacteremia has been extensively studied in this population, pneumonia has not. Some studies suggest that chest X-ray (CXR) does not have a role in the investigation of neutropenic fever in the absence of respiratory symptoms, yet non-neutropenic pediatric oncology patients were excluded from these studies. ObjectiveWe aimed to determine the incidence of CXRs ordered for febrile pediatric oncology patients, irrespective of their absolute neutrophil count (ANC), and to evaluate the rates of radiographic pneumonia as well as predictors of the latter in this group. MethodThis study was conducted in the PED at the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC), an Eastern Mediterranean tertiary-care hospital. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of acutely febrile pediatric cancer patients, younger than 18 years, presenting to a tertiary center from 2014 to 2018. We included one randomly selected febrile visit per patient. Fever was defined as a single oral temperature ≥38 °C within 24 h of presentation. We collected data on patient characteristics and outcomes. Our primary outcome was radiographic pneumonia; our secondary outcome was whether a CXR was done or not. We defined radiographic pneumonia as a consolidation, pleural effusion, infiltrate, pneumonia, “infiltrate vs. atelectasis,” or possible pneumonia mentioned by the radiologist. SPSS was used for the statistical analysis. ResultsWe reviewed a total of 664 medical charts and included data from 342 febrile pediatric patients in our analysis. Of these, 64 (18.7%) had a CXR performed. Overall, 16 (25%) had radiographic pneumonia while 48 (75%) did not. Patients were significantly more likely to have a CXR performed if they presented with upper respiratory tract symptoms, cough (p < 0.001 for both), or abnormal lung auscultation at the bedside (p = 0.004). Patients were also less likely to have a CXR done if they were asymptomatic upon admission to the PED (p < 0.001). However, neither cough nor shortness of breath nor abnormal lung examinations were significant predictors of a positive CXR (p = 0.17, 0.43, and 0.669, respectively). Patients with radiographic pneumonia were found to be significantly younger (4.29 vs. 6 years, p = 0.03), with a longer time since their last chemotherapy (15 vs. 7 days, p = 0.005), and were given intravenous (IV) bolus in the PED (87.5% vs. 56.3%, p = 0.02). Interestingly, patients with higher white blood cell (WBC) counts were more likely to have radiographic pneumonia (4850 vs. 1750, p = 0.01). Having a cough and an abnormal lung examination on presentation increased the odds of having a CXR (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 6.6; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.4–12.8 and aOR: 4.5; 95% CI: 1.1–18.3, respectively). Returning to the PED for the same complaint within 2 weeks was associated with lower odds of a CXR at the index visit (aOR: 0.3; 95% CI: 0.1–0.6). For every year the child is older, the odds of having radiographic pneumonia decreased by 0.8 (95% CI: 0.6–0.98). However, for every day since the last chemotherapy session, the odds increased by 1.1 (95% CI: 1.01–1.12). ConclusionIn our sample, CXR was not commonly performed in the initial assessment of febrile cancer patients in the PED, unless respiratory symptoms or an abnormal lung examination was noted. However, these were not significant predictors of radiographic pneumonia. Further studies are needed to identify better predictors of pneumonia in this high-risk population.

Acute and Chronic Ilio-Femoral Venous Reconstruction.

Ilio-femoral venous reconstruction has progressed from being only performed by a limited number of pioneers (often using equipment repurposed from other areas of interventional radiology) to a discrete subspecialty of endovascular practice with a dedicated range of tools and increasingly evolved techniques to secure optimal results. This review is intended to reflect the modern practice of ilio-femoral stenting in the acute and chronic settings, from initial patient assessment to completion of procedure and follow-up care.

Assessment of venous congestion with venous excess ultrasound score in the prognosis of acute heart failure in the emergency department: a prospective study.

In acute decompensated heart failure (HF), systemic venous congestion contributes to patients' symptoms and hospital admissions. The purpose of our study is to determine if venous congestion, examined using the venous excess ultrasound (VExUS) score, predicts HF-related hospitalization and mortality in patients admitted to the emergency department (ED) with acute decompensated HF. Fifty patients admitted for acute HF in ED underwent ultrasound (US) assessment according to the VExUS score within the first 24 and 72 h. All patients were followed up with a telephone call at 30 and 60 days after hospital discharge. On admission, 56% had a VExUS score of 3. After 72 h, 32% had no more signs of congestion at the Doppler VExUS examination (inferior vena cava < 2 cm, VExUS score of 0); a similar percentage still exhibited a VExUS score of 3 despite therapy. Eighty per cent of patients were hospitalized after admission to the ED, while six (15%) died in-hospital; all exhibited a first-assessment VExUS score of 3. No patient with a VExUS score < 3 died during the study. During short-term follow-up, 18 patients were readmitted to the ED for acute decompensated HF. Ninety-four per cent of the readmitted patients had a VExUS score of 3 at the Doppler assessment at the first ED admission. Severe venous congestion, defined as a VExUS score of 3 at the initial assessment of patients with acute decompensated HF, predicts inpatient mortality, HF-related death, and early readmission.