Initial Assessment Of Patients Research Articles

206. The Utility of Lactate as a Biomarker for Sepsis in Cancer Patients

BackgroundSerum lactate is included in the initial assessment of patients with sepsis. However, cancer patients develop lactic acidosis for a variety of reasons and are underrepresented in most studies. Therefore, elevated lactate levels may lead to overdiagnosis of sepsis and excessive antibiotic use. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the utility of lactate as a biomarker for sepsis in cancer patients. The primary endpoint is the rate of 24-hour lactate clearance between infectious and non-infectious causes of lactic acidosis in cancer patients. Secondary objectives explore the duration of antibiotic therapy (DOT), the impact of liver metastasis on serum lactate levels, and the role of procalcitonin in distinguishing between infectious and non-infectious causes of lactic acidosis.MethodsRetrospective chart review by Antimicrobial Stewardship teamFigure 1: Study design ResultsPreliminary data from a random subset of our sample (45/150) suggests there is no difference in mean serum lactate levels between infectious and non-infectious groups (4.6 vs 6.4). However, a substantial difference exists in the rate of 24h lactate clearance, although the difference was not statistically significant (58.3% vs 33%; p=0.13) (Fig2). There was a significant difference in antibiotic DOT (12.6 vs 3.3; p< 0.0001) presumably due to robust antimicrobial stewardship practices. Consistent with previous studies, there was a significant difference in procalcitonin levels between groups (27.2 vs 1.5, p=0.04).A sub-analysis of non-infectious patients with liver metastasis revealed a statistically significant difference in the rate of lactate clearance (21% vs 61.5%, p=0.03) (Fig3) suggesting that liver involvement impacts lactate clearance. Antibiotic DOT were also longer in non-infectious patients with liver metastasis (4.53 vs 1.38, p=0.02).Comparing end points between cancer patients with and witthout infection. Liver involvement affecting Lactate clearance in patients without infection. ConclusionCancer patients often manifest SIRS criteria at baseline which may lead to the overdiagnosis of infection and excessive antibiotic usage. Our observation is that lactate clearance as opposed to degree of lactic acidosis may be a more accurate indicator of infection in cancer patients especially those with liver involvement. This information may mitigate unnecessary antibiotic use in cancer patients with persistent lactic acidosis unrelated to infection.Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

Multiphase CT Angiography: A Useful Technique in Acute Stroke Imaging—Collaterals and Beyond

Multiphase CTA offers several important advantages over the traditional single-phase CTA technique in acute ischemic stroke, including improved detection of large-vessel occlusion, improved characterization of collateral status, improved tolerance of patient motion and poor hemodynamics, and higher interrater reliability. These benefits are gleaned at little additional cost in terms of time, risk to the patient, and capital expense. Existing data suggest that there are important benefits to using multiphase CTA in lieu of single-phase CTA in the initial vessel assessment of patients with acute stroke.

Role of diagnostic imaging in diagnosis by Covid-19

The diagnosis from Covid-19 provides the set of several examinations such as: clinical examinations, laboratory examinations, radiographic examinations. Using radiological imaging, RX and chest CT, it is possible to evaluate the impairment of lung function and thanks to this aspect it is possible to define the severity and clinical conditions of the patient. In this way, it allows timely therapeutic intervention especially if the patient shows a mild condition in such a way as to avoid the onset of further complications. Chest X-rays allow both an initial assessment of patients and the possibility to perform a differential diagnosis towards other possible causes of lung parenchyma involvement. The CT scan, which highlights the peculiar characteristics of COVID pneumonia, is performed both as diagnostic confirmation and in the patient’s follow-up.

The relationship between magnesium levels and mortality in the respiratory intensive care unit.

Magnesium deficiency is defined as a pathophysiologic factor in numerous illnesses. This study aims to define the effects of magnesium levels on patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) regarding length of stay in the ICU, length of mechanical ventilation (MV), and 28-day mortality.The following data were collected during initial assessment of patients admitted to the ICU with acute respiratory failure (ARF). Demographic data, magnesium and potassium levels, Charlson's Comorbidity Index (CCI), Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) scores, length of MV, length of hospital stay in the ICU, 28-day mortality, and ICU discharge status.In the initial serum analysis prior to treatment of patients in the ICU, the mortality rate of the patient group with hypermagnesemia was found to be statistically significant when compared with other magnesium levels (P = .018). Apart from renal failure, ICU mortality is higher in the hypermagnesemia group than other groups.Hypermagnesemia is an electrolyte abnormality that is generally seen in older individuals and those with serious comorbidity and it can be used in mortality prediction.

2020 ACC/AHA Guideline for the Management of Patients With Valvular Heart Disease: A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Joint Committee on Clinical Practice Guidelines.

2020 ACC/AHA Guideline for the Management of Patients With Valvular Heart Disease: A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Joint Committee on Clinical Practice Guidelines.

Removal of the Prehospital Tourniquet in the Emergency Department.

Life-threatening hemorrhage from extremity injuries can be effectively controlled in the prehospital environment through direct pressure, wound packing, and the use of tourniquets. Early tourniquet application has been prioritized for rapid control of severe extremity hemorrhage and is a cornerstone of prehospital trauma resuscitation guidelines. Emergency physicians must be knowledgeable regarding the initial assessment and appropriate management of patients who present with a prehospital tourniquet in place. An interdisciplinary group of experts including emergency physicians, trauma surgeons, and tactical and Emergency Medical Services physicians collaborated to develop a stepwise approach to the assessment and removal (discontinuation) of an extremity tourniquet in the emergency department after being placed in the prehospital setting. We have developed a best-practices guideline to serve as a resource to aid the emergency physician in how to safely remove a tourniquet. The guideline contains five steps that include: 1) Determine how long the tourniquet has been in place; 2) Evaluate for contraindications to tourniquet removal; 3) Prepare for tourniquet removal; 4) Release the tourniquet; and 5) Monitor and reassess the patient. These steps outlined will help emergency medicine clinicians appropriately evaluate and manage patients presenting with tourniquets in place. Tourniquet removal should be performed in a systematic manner with plans in place to immediately address complications.

Initial Assessment and Monitoring of Patients with Chronic Hypoparathyroidism: A Systematic Current Practice Survey.

Chronic hypoparathyroidism (HypoPT) is associated with significant morbidity and impaired quality of life (QoL). The goals of management for chronic HypoPT include improvement in QoL and the prevention of both hypo- and hypercalcemia symptoms and long-term complications. Several groups have provided consensus statements and guidelines on the management of HypoPT; however, due to limited evidence, these recommendations have largely been based on literature reviews, expert opinion, and consensus statements. The objective of this study was to use a systematic approach to describe current practice for the initial assessment and follow-up of patients with chronic HypoPT. We developed a survey asking experts in the field to select the responses that best reflect their current practice. The survey found no differences in responses between nonsurgical and postsurgical patient assessment. For new patients, respondents usually performed an assessment of serum lab profile (calcium [either albumin-adjusted or ionized], magnesium, creatinine, phosphate, 25-hydroxyvitamin D), 24-hour urine (creatinine,calcium), and a renal ultrasound to evaluate for the presence of nephrocalcinosis or nephrolithiasis. For follow-up patients, most respondents perform blood tests and urine tests every 6 months or less frequently. The reported clinical practice patterns for monitoring for complications of chronic HypoPT vary considerably among respondents. Based on the responses in this systematic expert practice survey, we provide practice suggestions for initial assessment and follow-up of patients with chronic HypoPT. In addition, we highlight areas with significant variation in practice and identify important areas for future research. © 2022 The Authors. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR).

Guideline of guidelines for kidney and bladder stones.

Urological organizations publish detailed evidence-based guidelines to support the urologists in the management of urolithiasis. Our objective was to provide clear guidance on the management of urolithiasis, compare the American Urological Association (AUA) and European Association of Urologists (EAU) guidelines, and present an algorithm for different clinical scenarios. The latest AUA and EAU guidelines on urolithiasis were evaluated for the level of evidence and grade of recommendation. All recommendations on management of urolithiasis (surgical and medical management) were reviewed and included. Both the organizations provide guidance for initial patient assessment, imaging requirements, and therapeutic options, including surgical intervention and medical therapy. In addition, these guidelines provide advice for managing specific patient groups, including pediatric patients and pregnant patients. Although there is a general concordance between both the groups, differences exist particularly for recommended modality of surgical intervention depending on stone location and size. Although both the guidelines were broadly similar, we also highlighted the variations in the level of evidence and grade of recommendation. Although these guidelines provide a valuable evidence-based framework to support the management of urinary tract stones, their implementation must be tailored to individual patient needs and available resources.

Impact of Nursing Methodology Training Sessions on Completion of the Virginia Henderson Assessment Record.

The Virginia Henderson model, integrated in the computer application GACELA Care, helps to standardise the nursing assessment and establish precise and personalised nursing diagnoses. The aim was to determine the extent of completion of the initial patient assessment record after nurses following a training programme on nursing methodology. A quasi-experimental, retrospective, randomised, observational, single-group study was performed in two stages: pre-training and post-training. Voluntary training sessions were held for the nurses that work with GACELA Care. The completion of the initial patient assessment using the needs of Virginia Henderson and the Norton scale was evaluated before and after the training sessions. Completion of the needs of Virginia Henderson in the initial patient assessment increased from 94.2% to 100% (p = 0.014). Completion of “hygiene/skin” increased significantly from 83.3% to 95.8% (pre-training and post-training, respectively). The remaining needs did not show statistical significance. Recording of the Norton scale increased from 63.13% to 92.5% (p < 0.001). The training sessions on nursing methodology have improved the completion of records and inclusion of normal characteristics, defining characteristics and risk factors, and improving pressure ulcer risk assessment through the Norton scale.

Assessment of patients with acute respiratory symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic by Telemedicine: clinical features and impact on referral.

ABSTRACTObjective:To characterize variables associated with referral to the emergency department following Telemedicine consultation during the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods:Cross-sectional retrospective study conducted between March and May 2020, with a sample of 500 adult patients. The inclusion criterion was the manifestation of respiratory symptoms, regardless of type.Results:The mean age of patients was 34.7±10.5 years, and 59% were women. Most patients (62.6%) perceived their own health status as malaise and some (41.4%) self-diagnosed COVID-19. Cough (74.4%), rhinorrhea (65.6%), sore throat (38.6%) and sneezing (20.6%) were the most common infection-related symptoms. Overall, 29.4% and 16% of patients reported dyspnea and chest pain, respectively. The Roth score was calculated for a sizeable number of patients (67.6%) and was normal, moderately altered or severely altered in 83.5%, 10.7% and 5.6% of patients, respectively. The percentage of suspected COVID-19 cases was 67.6%. Of these, 75% were managed remotely and only one quarter referred for emergency assessment.Conclusion:Telemedicine assessment is associated with reclassification of patient's subjective impression, better inspection of coronavirus disease 2019 and identification of risk patients. Referral is therefore optimized to avoid inappropriate in-person assessment, and low-risk patients can be properly guided. Telemedicine should be implemented in the health care system as a cost-effective strategy for initial assessment of acute patients.

Usability of Remote Assessment of Exercise Capacity for Pulmonary Telerehabilitation Program.

Pulmonary rehabilitation [PR] has been successfully carried out via telemedicine however initial patient assessment has been traditionally conducted in PR centers. The first step in PR is assessment of patient's exercise capacity which allows individualized prescription of safe and effective exercise program. With COVID-19 pandemics assessment of patients in PR centers has been limited resulting in significant reduction of patients undergoing life-saving PR. The goal of this pilot study was to introduce approaches for remote assessment of exercise capacity using videoconferencing platforms and provide initial usability assessment of this approach by conducing cognitive walkthrough testing. We developed a remote assessment system that supports comprehensive physical therapy assessment necessary for prescription of a personalized exercise program tailored to individual fitness level and limitations in gait and balance of the patient under evaluation. Usability was assessed by conducting cognitive walkthrough and system usability surveys. The usability inspection of the remote exercise assessment demonstrated overall high acceptance by all study participants. Our next steps in developing user-centered interface should include usability evaluation in different subgroups of patients with varying socio-economic background, different age groups, computer skills, literacy and numeracy.

Workflow Analysis Driven Recommendations for Integration of Electronically-Enhanced Sexually Transmitted Infection Screening Tools in Pediatric Emergency Departments.

Adolescents are disproportionately affected by sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Failure to diagnose and treat STIs in a timely manner may result in serious sequelae. Adolescents frequently access the emergency department (ED) for care. Although ED-based STI screening is acceptable to both patients and clinicians, understanding how best to implement STI screening processes into the ED clinical workflow without compromising patient safety or efficiency is critical. The objective of this study was to conduct direct observations documenting current workflow processes and tasks during patient visits at six Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network (PECARN) EDs for site-specific integration of STI electronically-enhanced screening processes. Workflow observations were captured via TaskTracker, a time and motion electronic data collection application that allows researchers to categorize general work processes and record multitasking by providing a timestamp of when tasks began and ended. Workflow was captured during 118 patient visits across six PECARN EDs. The average time to initial assessment by the most senior provider was 76min (range 59-106min, SD = 43min). Care teams were consistent across sites, and included attending physicians, advanced practice providers, nurses, registration clerks, technicians, and students. A timeline belt comparison was performed. Across most sites, the most promising implementation of a STI screening tool was in the patient examination room following the initial patient assessment by the nurse.

EACVI survey on investigations and imaging modalities in chronic coronary syndromes.

AimsThe European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging (EACVI) Scientific Initiatives Committee performed a global survey to evaluate current practice for the assessment and management of patients with suspected and confirmed chronic coronary syndromes.Methods and resultsOne-hundred and ten imaging centres from 37 countries across the world responded to the survey. Most non-invasive investigations for coronary artery disease were widely available, except cardiovascular magnetic resonance (available 40% centres). Coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) and nuclear scans were reported by a multi-disciplinary team in only a quarter of centres. In the initial assessment of patients presenting with chest pain, only 32% of respondents indicated that they rely on pre-test probability for selecting the optimal imaging test while 31% proceed directly to CCTA. In patients with established coronary artery disease and recurrent chest pain, respondents opted for stress echocardiography (27%) and nuclear stress perfusion scans (26%). In asymptomatic patients with coronary artery disease and an obstructive (>70%) right coronary artery stenosis, 58% of respondents were happy to pursue medical therapy without further testing or intervention. This proportion fell to 29% with left anterior descending artery stenosis and 1% with left main stem obstruction. In asymptomatic patients with evidence of moderate-to-severe myocardial ischaemia (15%), only 18% of respondents would continue medical therapy without further investigation.ConclusionDespite guidelines recommendations pre-test probability is used to assess patients with suspected coronary artery in a minority of centres, one-third of centres moving directly to CCTA. Clinicians remain reticent to pursue a strategy of optimal medical therapy without further investigation or intervention in patients with controlled symptoms but obstructive coronary artery stenoses or myocardial ischaemia.

Assessment of diaphragm dysfunction during cardiac rehabilitation after heart surgery: the role of ultrasound imaging

Abstract Background Diaphragm dysfunction is a frequent and underdiagnosed complication of cardiac surgery. It can cause dyspnoea, decreased exercise performance and, in more severe cases, respiratory failure. Ultrasonography (US) is a valuable, non-invasive technique for the assessment of diaphragm function. Only few trials have been conducted using US to evaluate diaphragm functional recovery after cardiovascular rehabilitation (CR). Purpose The aim of the study was to assess with US the incidence of diaphragm dysfunction after heart surgery and to define the impact of an inpatient CR programme on diaphragm functional recovery. Methods We performed a single-centre prospective cohort study, enrolling 185 patients hospitalized in our CR unit: 99 patients underwent mitral valve repair or replacement, 28 tricuspid valve repair or replacement, 53 aortic valve replacement, 30 coronary artery bypass grafting, 59 combined surgery and 14 other surgical procedures. Diaphragm US was performed at admission and after 10 rehabilitative sessions. We assess the following parameters on quiet breathing: excursion, time of inspiration, time of a respiratory cycle and contraction velocity (slope) in M-mode on the right anterior subcostal projections and thickening fraction (TF) in B-mode on the right intercostal projections. TF was defined as [(thickness at end inspiration–thickness at end expiration)/thickness at end expiration]. Results The median excursion at admission was 1.6 cm. Patients with excursion &amp;lt;2 cm (lower limit for the general population) were considered with diaphragm dysfunction. Following cardiac surgery, the incidence of diaphragm dysfunction was 70.8%. Patients with excursion &amp;lt;2 cm at admission gained an important benefit from CR, with a significant improvement in TF (p&amp;lt;0.001), excursion (p&amp;lt;0.001), time of inspiration (p&amp;lt;0.001), time of a respiratory cycle (p&amp;lt;0.001) and slope (p&amp;lt;0.001). Conversely, in patients with excursion ≥2 cm there was no significant improvement in slope (p=0.539) and excursion (p=0.179). At the final assessment, diaphragm function recovered in 50.5% of the patients, whilst 49.5% had a failure of recovery (excursion relative change between admission and discharge &amp;lt;33%). The multivariate analysis identified combined surgery (OR 3.08; 95% CI 1.59–5.99, p=0.001) and post-surgical pneumothorax (OR 3.05; 95% CI 1.23–7.55, p=0.036) as independent predictors of failure of diaphragm function recovery. Conclusions US might be a valuable tool for initial and follow-up assessment of patients after cardiac surgery. CR has been shown to be an effective strategy to improve diaphragm parameters in patients with post-surgical dysfunction. Patients undergoing combined surgery or developing post-surgical pneumothorax might benefit from a personalised rehabilitation programme to improve diaphragm function. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: None

Évaluation d’un syndrome clinique d’hyperactivité vésicale non neurologique

International guidelines exist regarding the initial assessment of patients suffering from overactive bladder (OAB). To synthesize current knowledge on the evaluation of OAB. A systematic literature review based on Pubmed, Embase, Google Scholar was conducted in June 2020. An accurate taking of history and assessment of lower urinary tract symptoms are the first steps of the evaluation of patients with OAB. In addition, the search of risk factors for OAB, the exclusion of urological causes which can be responsible for urgency and the identification of therapeutic contra-indications are essential. The clinical examination and a 3-to 7-day bladder diary are part of the initial assessment. Self-questionnaires validated in French measure patients' bother and the impact on quality of life. The urine strip or culture eliminates a urinary tract infection. Urinary cytology and cystoscopy investigate a bladder tumor in case of risk factor. The post-void residual volume has to be measured in case of voiding symptoms. Urodynamics and imaging are not first-line tests. The understanding of the initial evaluation of OAB is essential to introduce treatments adapted to patients' bother.

Clinical application of the COVID-19 Reporting and Data System (CO-RADS) in patients with suspected SARS-CoV-2 infection: observational study in an emergency department

• CO-RADS improves the risk classification by 65.8% in patients affected by COVID-19. • CO-RADS combined with RT-PCR presents an AUC of 0.98 for patients with COVID-19. • CO-RADS improves the risk classification by 82.1% in patients not affected by COVID-19.

Review article: Pre‐hospital provider clinical judgement upon arrival to the emergency department: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

Pre-hospital providers (PHPs) undertake initial patient assessment, often spending considerable time with patients prior to arrival at ED. However, continuity of this assessment with ongoing care of patients in the ED is limited, with repeated assessment in the ED, starting with the process of triage in hospital. A systematic review of the literature was conducted to assess the ability of PHPs to predict patient outcomes in the ED. Manuscripts were screened and were eligible for inclusion if they included patients transported by non-physician PHPs to the ED and assessed ability of PHPs to predict triage scores, clinical course, treatment requirements or disposition from ED. The initial search returned 10 753 unique articles. After screening and full text review, 10 studies were included in data analysis. Of these, six assessed prediction of disposition (admission versus discharge) from ED, two compared triage score application, one assessed prediction of clinical requirements and one assessed prediction of mortality prior to discharge. Prediction of admission across five studies had a pooled sensitivity of 0.73 (95% confidence interval 0.67-0.79) and specificity of 0.78 (95% confidence interval 0.69-0.85). Triage score application had weighted kappa variables of 0.409 and 0.452 indicating moderate agreement on assessment priority between PHPs and triage nurses. The ability of PHPs to assign triage scores, predict clinical course and predict disposition from the ED have mild concordance with clinical assessment by ED staff. This is an area of potential expansion in PHPs' role; however, training would be required prior to implementation.

Exploring Professional Nurses’ Use of the Nursing Process at Selected Public Hospitals in Limpopo, South Africa

The nursing process is regarded as a systematic approach in which professional nurses use problem-solving to identify, plan and implement nursing interventions to enhance quality patient care. The steps of the nursing process include assessment, nursing diagnosis, planning, implementation and evaluation. However, nurses’ effective and efficient use of the nursing process steps in public hospitals still poses a challenge due to several factors. The current study is significant to nursing practice as the nursing process remains a standard of nursing practice for hospitals to provide quality patient care. The purpose of the study was to explore professional nurses’ use of the assessment and implementation steps of the nursing process at selected public hospitals in the Vhembe District, Limpopo, South Africa. A qualitative, phenomenological, descriptive, explorative and contextual research design was used. Non-probability purposive sampling was used to select professional nurses who were using the nursing process in the nursing care units until data saturation was reached with 13 participants. The data was collected using semi-structured one-on-one interviews using an interview guide, and then analysed using Tesch’s open-coding method where themes and sub-themes emerged. The study found that the participants’ initial assessment of patients during admission is an achievable performance, while implementation of the set nursing intervention is still a challenge on different levels. It is recommended that a problem-based learning approach be made a compulsory practical teaching method in order to equip nurses with the knowledge of the nursing process at all nursing education institutions.

Initial Assessment and Stabilisation of the Head Trauma Patient

Head trauma cases can be a daunting emergency to be faced with. These patients require an efficient and thorough assessment and have specific nursing requirements. In order to achieve a positive outcome, it is therefore important that nurses feel confident in identifying the signs that indicate deterioration and are able to alert the veterinary surgeon to them. It is also vital that nurses know the best way to be prepared for the patient's admission to the practice. The principles of the initial assessment are to triage any life-threatening presenting conditions and limit the effects of the secondary trauma to reduce intracranial pressure. The mainstay of stabilising these patients requires intensive nursing care, intravenous therapy, hyperosmolar therapy and pain management. This article discusses the pathophysiology, initial nursing interventions and considerations for the initial assessment and stabilisation of head trauma cases.

Perbedaan Glasgow Coma Scale dan Rapid Emergency Medicine Score dalam Memprediksi Outcome Pasien Trauma Kepala di Instalasi Gawat Darurat

Initial assessment of patients with head trauma is an influence on the management of patients with head trauma. GCS was developed to describe the level of consciousness in patients with head trauma. Whereas REMS is a scoring system that has been used widely in various countries to predict the mortality of patients coming to the emergency room. The purpose of this study was to determine the differences in the effectiveness of REMS and GCS scoring on the outcome of head trauma patients in the Emergency Departement. This study uses an analytic observational design with a retrospective cohort approach. The sample consisted of 181 patients where the sampling was carried out using a purposive sampling technique in which the researchers selected samples according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria of the existing population. Bivariate analysis conducted in this study used the Somers'd test and the Spearman test. The Area Under Receiver Operating Characteristics (AUROC) is used to assess the ability of REMS and GCS scoring to distinguish good outcomes and bad outcomes. The results of this study indicate that REMS and GCS scoring has a p-value&lt;0,05 which means there is a significant relationship with the outcome of head trauma patients. From the results of the AUROC analysis, the AUC value was 0.753 for REMS, and the AUC was 0.769 for GCS. The ability of REMS and GCS to predict the outcome of head trauma patients shows good performance. So that both can be considered used as an early detection system or Early Warning Score System (EWSS) in head trauma patients in the Emergency Departement.