Clinical Practice Guideline Update Research Articles

Modern approaches to the treatment of anemia of malignant neoplasms

Anemia in patients with cancer is a common concomitant condition. The development of anemia in cancer has a multifactorial pathogenesis, including inflammation, metastasis of solid tumors to the bone marrow and displacement of normal hematopoiesis sprouts in the bone marrow by tumor cells in hemoblastosis, myelosuppression against the background of chemo/radiation therapy, nutritional insufficiency due to anorexia, etc. Anemia in cancer patients reduces the quality of life, the response to antitumor therapy, increases the risk of tumor progression and is an independent factor negatively affecting survival. The article discusses the tactics of managing patients with anemia in accordance with the Clinical recommendations of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation “Anemia in malignant neoplasms” and “Management of CancerAssociated Anemia With Erythropoiesis-Stimulating Agents: ASCO/ASH Clinical Practice Guideline Update”. The results of clinical studies are presented, which indicate the effectiveness of the use of erythropoiesis-stimulating drugs (including epoetin alpha) in oncological practice, which reduce the need for hemotransfusions and increase hemoglobin levels in patients with anemia against the background of antitumor chemotherapy.

Polytrauma in Children—Epidemiology, Acute Diagnostic Evaluation, and Treatment.

Inadequate clinical experience still causes uncertainty in the acute diagnostic evaluation and treatment of polytrauma in children (with or without coagulopathy). This review deals with the main aspects of the acute care of severely injured children in the light of current guidelines and other relevant literature, in particular airway control, volume and coagulation management, acute diagnostic imaging, and blood coagulation studies in the shock room. This review is based on literature retrieved by a selective search in PubMed, Medline (OVIDSP), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Epistemonikos covering the period January 2001 to August 2023. Review articles and the updated S2k clinical practice guideline on polytrauma management in childhood were considered. Most accidents in childhood occur at home and in the child's free time, with varying mechanisms and patterns of injury depending on age. The outcome of treatment depends largely on the presence or absence or traumatic brain injury, which affects 66% of children with polytrauma and is thus the most common type of injury in this group, and of hemorrhagic shock with or without coagulopathy. Acute care follows the ABCDE algorithms with attention to special features in children, including age-specific reference values. According to a registry study, coagulopathy and hypovolemic shock are associated with 22% and 17% mortality, respectively. Treatment in a pediatric trauma reference center of the trauma network is recommended. Computed tomography (CT) should be carried out in children in accordance with defined criteria (PECARN), as a team decision and with the use of age-specific low-dose CT protocols. In children as in adults, viscoelasticity-based point-of-care tests enable the prompt diagnosis of relevant coagulopathies and their treatment in consideration of age-specific target values. The administration of tranexamic acid remains controversial. 4% of polytrauma patients are children. Because children differ from adults both anatomically and physiologically, the diagnostic evaluation and management of polytrauma in children presents a special challenge. The evidence base for pediatric polytrauma management is still inadequate; current recommendations are based on consensus, in consideration of the special features of children compared to adults.

A Review of Clinical Practice Guidelines for Physiotherapy Management of Patients with Non-Specific Low Back Pain

Background: Despite the availability of various clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) offering evidence-based recommendations, there exists a global diversity in physiotherapy practices for managing patients with non-specific low back pain (NSLBP). In this review, we aim to critically appraise and map the current evidence regarding physiotherapy management for patients with NSLBP. Methods: A search strategy was formulated and searched in MEDLINE, Scopus, EBSCOhost, PEDro and Google Scholar between 2013 and 2023 in English. Critical appraisal was performed using International Centre for Allied Health Evidence (iCAHE) guideline checklist. Results: A total of 12 CPGs met the selection criteria were synthesised. Exercise therapy, physical activity and manual therapy were consistently recommended for patients with NSLBP across most guidelines, irrespective of symptom duration. Cognitive-behavioural therapy was frequently advised for those with chronic NSLBP. However, notable absences of recommendations for electrotherapy, mechanical traction, bed rest, and lumbar corsets in NSLBP management. Moreover, emerging treatments such as shock wave therapy and cognitive-functional therapy were not extensively addressed in the guidelines. Conclusion: Multimodal and active forms of physiotherapy management were predominantly recommended in most of the guidelines. However, there is a clear necessity for updated CPG that effectively integrate biopsychosocial approaches into the management of patients with NSLBP.

Pharmacological and neurosurgical management of cerebral palsy and dystonia: Clinical practice guideline update.

Dystonia, typically characterized by slow repetitive involuntary movements, stiff abnormal postures, and hypertonia, is common among individuals with cerebral palsy (CP). Dystonia can interfere with activities and have considerable impact on motor function, pain/comfort, and ease of caregiving. Although pharmacological and neurosurgical approaches are used clinically in individuals with CP and dystonia that is causing interference, evidence to support these options is limited. This clinical practice guideline update comprises 10 evidence-based recommendations on the use of pharmacological and neurosurgical interventions for individuals with CP and dystonia causing interference, developed by an international expert panel following the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE) approach. The recommendations are intended to help inform clinicians in their use of these management options for individuals with CP and dystonia, and to guide a shared decision-making process in selecting a management approach that is aligned with the individual's and the family's values and preferences.

Opportunities for Expanding the Integration of Palliative Care in Oncology Care.

Patients with cancer and their families comprise a significant population served by palliative care. Close collaboration between oncology clinicians and palliative care teams has demonstrated improved patient-centered care, especially when this care is integrated early in the course of the disease. The American Society of Clinical Oncology recently released their updated clinical practice guidelines for palliative care in oncology, which provide new opportunities for collaboration to expand the scope of care.

Racial and Ethnic Minorities Underrepresented in Pain Management Guidelines for Total Joint Arthroplasty: A Meta-analysis.

Total joint arthroplasty aims to improve quality of life and functional outcomes for all patients, primarily by reducing their pain. This goal requires clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) that equitably represent and enroll patients from all racial/ethnic groups. To our knowledge, there has been no formal evaluation of the racial/ethnic composition of the patient population in the studies that informed the leading CPGs on the topic of pain management after arthroplasty surgery. Using papers included in the 2021 Anesthesia and Analgesia in Total Joint Arthroplasty Clinical Practice Guidelines and comparing them with US National census data, we asked: (1) What is the representation of racial/ethnic groups in randomized controlled trials compared with their representation in the US national population? (2) Is there a relationship between the reporting of racial/ethnic groups and year of data collection/publication, location of study, funding source, or guideline section? Participant demographic data (study year published, study type, guideline section, year of data collection, study site, study funding, study size, gender, age, and race/ethnicity) were collected from articles cited by this guideline. Studies were included if they were full text, were primary research articles conducted primarily within the United States, and if they reported racial and ethnic characteristics of the participants. The exclusion criteria included duplicate articles, articles that included the same participant population (only the latest dated article was included), and the following article types: systematic reviews, nonsystematic reviews, terminology reports, professional guidelines, expert opinions, population-based studies, surgical trials, retrospective cohort observational studies, prospective cohort observational studies, cost-effectiveness studies, and meta-analyses. Eighty-two percent (223 of 271) of articles met inclusion criteria. Our original literature search yielded 27 papers reporting the race/ethnicity of participants, including 24 US-based studies and three studies conducted in other countries; only US-based studies were utilized as the focus of this study. We defined race/ethnicity reporting as the listing of participants' race or ethnicity in the body, tables, figures, or supplemental data of a study. National census information from 2000 to 2019 was then used to generate a representation quotient (RQ), which compared the representation of racial/ethnic groups within study populations to their respective demographic representation in the national population. An RQ value greater than 1 indicates an overrepresented group and an RQ value less than 1 indicates an underrepresented group, relative to the US population. Primary outcome measures of RQ value versus time of publication for each racial/ethnic group were evaluated with linear regression analysis, and race reporting and manuscript parameters were analyzed with chi-square analyses. Two US-based studies reported race and ethnicity independently. Among the 24 US-based studies reporting race/ethnicity, the overall RQ was 0.70 for Black participants, 0.09 for Hispanic participants, 0.1 for American Indian/Alaska Natives, 0 for Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders, 0.08 for Asian participants, and 1.37 for White participants, meaning White participants were overrepresented by 37%, Black participants were underrepresented by 30%, Hispanic participants were underrepresented by 91%, Asian participants were underrepresented by 92%, American Indian/Alaska Natives were 90% underrepresented, and Native Hawaiian Pacific Islanders were virtually not represented compared with the US national population. On chi-square analysis, there were differences between race/ethnicity reporting among studies with academic, industry, and dual-supported funding sources (χ2 = 7.449; p = 0.02). Differences were also found between race/ethnicity reporting among US-based and non-US-based studies (χ2 = 36.506; p < 0.001), with 93% (25 of 27) of US-based studies reporting race as opposed to only 7% (2 of 27) of non-US-based studies. Finally, there was no relationship between race/ethnicity reporting and the year of data collection or guideline section referenced. The 2021 Anesthesia and Analgesia in Total Joint Arthroplasty Clinical Practice Guidelines provide evidence-based recommendations that reflect the current standards in orthopaedic surgery, but the studies upon which they are based overwhelmingly underenroll and underreport racial/ethnic minorities relative to their proportions in the US population. As these factors impact analgesic administration, their continued neglect may perpetuate inequities in outcomes after TJA. Our study demonstrates that all non-White racial/ethnic groups were underrepresented relative to their proportion of the US population in the 2021 Anesthesia and Analgesia in Total Joint Arthroplasty Clinical Practice Guidelines, underscoring a weakness in the orthopaedic surgery evidence base and questioning the overall external validity and generalizability of these combined CPGs. An effort should be made to equitably enroll and report outcomes for all racial/ethnic groups in any updated CPGs.

Updated Clinical Practice Guidelines in Resuscitation and the Management of Respiratory Distress Syndrome in Extremely Preterm Infants during Two Epochs in Romania: Impact on Outcomes.

Adequate perinatal management is essential in caring for extremely preterm (EP) infants. We aimed to evaluate and compare the impact of different protocols on short-term outcomes. A retrospective study was conducted on EP infants in a Romanian perinatal tertiary center during 2008-2012 and 2018-2022. Data on 270 EP infants (121 in period I, 149 in period II) were analyzed collectively and stratified into two subgroups by gestational age. Initial FiO2 administration (100% vs. 40%% p < 0.001), lung recruitment at birth (19.0% vs. 55.7% p < 0.001), early rescue surfactant administration (34.7% vs. 65.8%; p < 0.001), and the mechanical ventilation rate (98.3% vs. 58.4%; p < 0.001) were significantly improved during period II. Survival rates of EP infants significantly improved from 41.3% to 72.5%, particularly in the 26-28 weeks subgroup (63.8% to 83%). Compared to period I, the overall frequency of severe IVH decreased in period II from 30.6% to 14.1%; also, BPD rates were lower (36.6% vs. 23.4%; p = 0.045) in the 26-28 weeks subgroup. Despite improvements, there were no significant differences in the frequencies of NEC, sepsis, PVL, ROP, or PDA. Implementing evidence-based clinical guidelines can improve short-term outcomes.

Concordance between essential medicines lists and diabetes guidelines in Latin America and the CaribbeanConcordância entre as listas de medicamentos essenciais e diretrizes para diabetes na América Latina e no Caribe

Conduct an analysis to determine the existence and updating of national essential medicines lists (EMLs) and clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for the treatment of diabetes in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC); and compare the medicines included in each country's list and guidelines both with each other and with those of the World Health Organization (WHO). Cross-sectional study. EMLs and CPGs for diabetes were found on the websites of the Pan American Health Organization and national health authorities. Medicines were noted and analyzed according to pharmacological group, based on the fourth level of nomenclature of the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) classification system. F1 scoring was used to assess the proximity of EMLs to the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines (MLEM). Of the total number of countries, 87.2% have EMLs, and 91% have CPGs (78% and 45% updated in the last five years, respectively). Compared to the six hypoglycemic groups of the MLEM, the EMLs had a median (range) of 6 (4-13) and an F1 score of 0.80; This indicates proper alignment. CPGs had a median (range) of 12 (1-12) hypoglycemic drugs compared to eight in the WHO guidelines. CPGs had a median of 15 more drugs than their respective EMLs. While most LAC countries have EMLs and CPGs for diabetes, the lack of concordance among them limits their effectiveness. It is necessary to align the processes and criteria for the development of these two tools for policymaking on medicines.

Prehospital management of chest injuries in severely injured patients-a systematic review and clinical practice guideline update.

Our aim was to review and update the existing evidence-based and consensus-based recommendations for the management of chest injuries in patients with multiple and/or severe injuries in the prehospital setting. This guideline topic is part of the 2022 update of the German Guideline on the Treatment of Patients with Multiple and/or Severe Injuries. MEDLINE and Embase were systematically searched to May 2021. Further literature reports were obtained from clinical experts. Randomised controlled trials, prospective cohort studies, cross-sectional studies, and comparative registry studies were included if they compared interventions for the detection and management of chest injuries in severely injured patients in the prehospital setting. We considered patient-relevant clinical outcomes such as mortality and diagnostic test accuracy. Risk of bias was assessed using NICE 2012 checklists. The evidence was synthesised narratively, and expert consensus was used to develop recommendations and determine their strength. Two new studies were identified, both investigating the accuracy of in-flight ultrasound in the detection of pneumothorax. Two new recommendations were developed, one recommendation was modified. One of the two new recommendations and the modified recommendation address the use of ultrasound for detecting traumatic pneumothorax. One new good (clinical) practice point (GPP) recommends the use of an appropriate vented dressing in the management of open pneumothorax. Eleven recommendations were confirmed as unchanged because no new high-level evidence was found to support a change. Some evidence suggests that ultrasound should be considered to identify pneumothorax in the prehospital setting. Otherwise, the recommendations from 2016 remained unchanged.

Role of thromboprophylaxis during neoadjuvant chemotherapy before radical cystectomy in patients with bladder cancer: Results of a multicenter retrospective cohort study.

598 Background: Patients undergoing radical cystectomy are at risk of developing venous thromboembolic events (VTE), with most VTEs occurring during neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The ASCO Clinical Practice Guideline Update recommends thromboprophylaxis in cancer patients with a high risk of VTE and a low risk of bleeding. However, the risks of VTE and bleeding with or without thromboprophylaxis in bladder cancer patients scheduled for radical cystectomy have not been well evaluated. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients with non-metastatic bladder cancer undergoing cystectomy across 28 centers in 13 countries between 1990 and 2021. Inverse probability weighting analyses were performed to estimate the effect of thromboprophylaxis during neoadjuvant chemotherapy on VTE and bleeding. Results: Of 4886 patients, 4631 (95%) received neither thromboprophylaxis nor anticoagulation during chemotherapy. Thromboprophylaxis during neoadjuvant chemotherapy was prescribed in 151 (3%) patients mainly being enoxaparin (80%) with a median duration of 94 (range 38 to 104) days. In inverse probability weighting analyses, patients with thromboprophylaxis compared to patients without thromboprophylaxis during chemotherapy had not only a lower VTE (HR 0.32 [95% CI, 0.12 to 0.81], p-value = 0.016) but also a lower bleeding risk (HR 0.03 [95% CI, 0.09 to 0.12], p-value: &lt;0.0001). Conclusions: In this retrospective analysis, the benefit of thromboprophylaxis during neoadjuvant chemotherapy before cystectomy is in line with data from randomized trials in other malignancies. Our data suggests thromboprophylaxis seems protective against VTEs during neoadjuvant chemotherapy in bladder cancer patients planned for cystectomy. The ASCO guidelines recommending thromboprophylaxis during chemotherapy should therefore also be regarded as a standard of care in patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy before cystectomy.

Obesity in Children and Adolescents: 2022 Update of Clinical Practice Guidelines for Obesity by the Korean Society for the Study of Obesity.

The prevalence of obesity in children and adolescents has been gradually increasing in recent years and has become a major health problem. Childhood obesity can readily progress to adult obesity. It is associated with obesity-related comorbidities, such as type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, obstructive sleep apnea, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and the risk factor for cardiovascular disease. It is important to make an accurate assessment of overweight and obesity in children and adolescents with consideration of growth and development. Childhood obesity can then be prevented and treated using an appropriate treatment goal and safe and effective treatment strategies. This article summarizes the clinical practice guidelines for obesity in children and adolescents that are included in the 8th edition of the Clinical Practice Guidelines for Obesity of the Korean Society for the Study of Obesity.

Practice guidelines for management of uterine corpus cancer in Korea: a Korean Society of Gynecologic Oncology consensus statement.

The Korean Society of Gynecologic Oncology (KSGO) had been making an effort to standardize and enhance the quality of domestic uterine corpus cancer treatment by developing updated clinical practice guidelines in 2021. The KSGO revised the guidelines based on a literature search using 4 key elements: Population, Intervention, Comparison, and Outcome framework. These elements include the evaluation of the efficacy and safety of immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment in recurrent/advanced endometrial cancer patients who have failed platinum-based chemotherapy, as well as the effect of combined treatment with trastuzumab in patients with HER2/neu-positive endometrial cancer. Additionally, the guideline assessed the efficacy and safety of omitting lymph node dissection in low-risk endometrial cancer patients, investigated the effect of sentinel lymph node mapping in early-stage endometrial cancer surgery, addressed the outcome of chemoradiation therapy as a postoperative treatment in patients with advanced (stage III-IVA) endometrial cancer, and explored the impact of initial treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors on survival in patients with advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer patients.

Clinical Practice Guidelines for Brain Metastasis From Solid Tumors.

With advancements in systemic cancer therapies, the incidence and diagnosis of brain metastases (BMs) have increased, necessitating updated clinical practice guidelines. There also were developments in neurosurgical and radiotherapeutic modalities for intracranial lesions, as well as advances in immune and targeted therapies for BMs of systemic cancers. Recently, the ASCO-SNO-ASTRO and EANO-ESMO have published clinical guidelines for BMs from solid tumors. The ASCO-SNO-ASTRO guidelines, published in 2021, underwent a systematic literature review and critical evaluation by their Expert Panel, addressing the key questions in various therapies such as surgery, radiotherapy, and systemic therapy for the recommendations. Similarly, the EANO-ESMO guidelines, also published in 2021, involved a selection of relevant literature by expert authors, with final references confirmed through consensus, focusing on prevention, diagnosis, therapy, and follow-up. This review aims to provide an overview of the recent clinical practice guidelines for BMs from solid tumors, based on these two recently developed guidelines.

Updated Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Long COVID.

"Long COVID" is a term used to describe a condition when the symptoms and signs associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) persist for more than three months among patients infected with COVID-19; this condition has been reported globally and poses a serious public health issue. Long COVID can manifest in various forms, highlighting the need for appropriate evaluation and management by experts from various fields. However, due to the lack of clear clinical definitions, knowledge of pathophysiology, diagnostic methods, and treatment protocols, it is necessary to develop the best standard clinical guidelines based on the scientific evidence reported to date. We developed this clinical guideline for diagnosing and treating long COVID by analyzing the latest research data collected from the start of the COVID-19 pandemic until June 2023, along with the consensus of expert opinions. This guideline provides recommendations for diagnosis and treatment that can be applied in clinical practice, based on a total of 32 key questions related to patients with long COVID. The evaluation of patients with long COVID should be comprehensive, including medical history, physical examination, blood tests, imaging studies, and functional tests. To reduce the risk of developing long COVID, vaccination and antiviral treatment during the acute phase are recommended. This guideline will be revised when there is a reasonable need for updates based on the availability of new knowledge on the diagnosis and treatment of long COVID.

Updated Clinical Practice Guidelines for Management of Hyperbilirubinemia in Infants Born at 35 Weeks or More Gestation.

Given the prevalence of jaundice in newborns, and the consequences of untreated hyperbilirubinemia, the long-awaited revised clinical practice guidelines for hyperbilirubinemia were finally released in August 2022 by the American Academy of Pediatrics as an update to the 2004 guidelines on the same topic. As new evidence and data become available, it is important for pediatricians and neonatologists to re-assess their clinical decision-making over time to ensure that patients are receiving the best care possible. With improvements in medical equipment and medical technology, and growing concerns about the overtreatment of hyperbilirubinemia, the newest clinical practice guidelines attempt to tackle the prevention, risk assessment, monitoring, and treatment of hyperbilirubinemia with these things in mind. [Pediatr Ann. 2023;52(12):e436-e439.].

673. Sniffing Out Adherence: Evaluation of a Clostridioides difficile guideline at a Tertiary Academic Medical Center

Abstract Background Tufts Medical Center’s (TMC) Antimicrobial Stewardship Team (AMT) in collaboration with gastroenterology (GI) developed an institutional treatment algorithm to guide appropriate inpatient management of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI). The CD treatment algorithm was revised in April 2022 to reflect updated national clinical practice guidelines and disseminated to TMC providers. Our study aimed to assess provider compliance to TMC’s CD treatment algorithm. Methods A retrospective study of adult patients hospitalized from April 15, 2022 to October 31, 2022 and tested for CD was conducted. We collected patient demographics, white blood cell count, serum creatinine (SC), length of stay, CD treatment, Infectious Diseases (ID) &amp; GI consult, occurence of severe CDI (defined as white blood cell &amp;gt; 15 K/uL or SC &amp;gt; 1.5 mg/dL), occurrence of recurrent CDI, and immunocompromised status (defined by having had organ or bone marrow transplant, receiving immunomodulatory therapy or chronic steroids). A 2-step Clostridioides difficile (CD) testing algorithm was used. For CD toxin A/B &amp; glutamate dehydrogenase antigen (GDH) indeterminate results, reflex to nucleic amplification test (NAAT) was performed only with AMT approval. Results A total of 111 inpatients had CD toxin/GDH stool testing; 70 (63%) positive and 41 (37%) indeterminate. Of patients who had an indeterminate CD toxin/GDH, none had subsequent CD NAAT testing, and none receive CDI treatment. Of the others, 81 (73%), 23 (21%), and 7 (6%) were diagnosed with non-severe, severe, and fulminant CDI, respectively. The overall adherence to the institutional CD treatment algorithm was 58% (figure 1). More patients were appropriately treated with oral vancomycin (11, 65%) compared to those who were appropriately treated with fidaxomicin (9, 24%). Guidance adherence was (3) 38% among patients who had one or more recurrent episodes of CD, and none received suggested ID or GI consultation for additional CDI treatment consideration. Conclusion Adherence to institutional CD treatment algorithm was low. This study highlights opportunities to improve prescription of first line CDI therapy, especially among patients who are at higher risk for recurrence. Disclosures Maureen Campion, PharmD, BCIDP, Shinoigi: Speaker

Diagnostic yield of upper tract imaging performed for hematuria screening: Results from a national, privately-insured cohort

ObjectivesTo increase the population-level understanding of upper tract imaging evaluation during risk-based hematuria assessment. Using a national, privately-insured cohort, we evaluated the rates of imaging and the diagnostic yield of each imaging modality. We hypothesized that the rate of upper tract disease would be low and that the benefit of computed tomography over renal ultrasound would be limited. MethodsWe identified patients with an incident diagnosis of microscopic or gross hematuria between 2010 and 2015 within the MarketScan database. Multivariable logistic regression was used to predict the adjusted likelihood of any upper tract finding, with a subset analysis limited to malignant outcomes. ResultsWe identified 466,710 patients; 150,880 (32.3%) received ultrasound, 219,449 (47.0%) received computed tomography, and 96,381 (20.7%) received other imaging. Ultrasound detected 1,469 findings among 150,880 patients (1%); computed tomography detected 3,764 findings among 219,449 patients (1.7%); other imaging detected 2,612 findings among 96,381 patients (2.7%) (P < 0.0001). When adjusted for comorbidities, increased age, male sex, increased Elixhauser index, gross hematuria, and CT or other imaging were associated with upper tract findings, in the overall and subset analysis (all p < 0.0001). ConclusionsThe diagnostic yield of imaging is higher than expected; however, the detection rate remained low. As supported by updated clinical practice guidelines, clinicians should pursue risk-based imaging strategies during hematuria evaluation, although these data may support increased utilization of ultrasound at the initial evaluation.

Diagnosis and management of congenital diaphragmatic hernia: a 2023 update from the Canadian Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Collaborative

ObjectiveThe Canadian Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH) Collaborative sought to make its existing clinical practice guideline, published in 2018, into a ‘living document’.Design and main outcome measuresCritical appraisal of CDH literature...

Diagnostic accuracy of using capnography in verification of nasogastric tube placement among adult patients in hospital settings: Protocol of a diagnostic study.

To determine the diagnostic accuracy of end-tidal carbon dioxide (ETCO2) detection using capnography for verifying the correct placement of nasogastric tubes (NGTs) among adult patients in hospital settings. A prospective observational diagnostic study will be conducted. Patients ≥ 18-year-old and requiring the insertion of an NGT will be recruited using a convenience sampling method from 39 general medical and geriatric wards, intensive care units, accident and emergency departments, and subacute/rehabilitation/infirmary wards in 21 acute or subacute/convalescent/extended care hospitals. ETCO2 detection by sidestream capnography, which indicates an airway intubation of an NGT when a capnogram waveform or an ETCO2 level > 10mmHg (1.33 kPa) occurs, will serve as the index test. The reference standards will be the X-ray performed and pH value of gastric aspiration (pH ≤ 5.5) after the index test. Each participant will be included only once. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of capnography will be calculated to assess the diagnostic performance of capnography. The variability in diagnostic accuracy in participants with different characteristics will be explored by using chi-squared or Fisher's exact tests. The time spent and the cost of the tests will be compared using the paired t-test. All statistical tests will be two-sided with a level of significance set at 0.05. This study will provide evidence on the diagnostic accuracy of capnography in verifying NGT placement and its applicability to patients in hospitals settings, since this evidence is limited in the current literature. In addition, it will help identify the optimal combination of tests in verifying the correct placement of NGTs and inform the update of clinical practice guidelines and stakeholders' decisions on the adoption of ETCO2 detection as a routine method for verifying NGT placement. ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT05817864.

Fever and neutropenia in pediatric oncology and stem cell transplant patients: an editorial commentary on updated international clinical practice guidelines

Fever and neutropenia in pediatric oncology and stem cell transplant patients: an editorial commentary on updated international clinical practice guidelines