Can the Multidimensional Prognostic Index Improve the Identification of Older Hospitalized Patients with COVID-19 Likely to Benefit from Mechanical Ventilation? An Observational,Prospective, Multicenter Study

ObjectiveData on prognostic tools for indicating mechanical ventilation in older people with COVID-19 are still limited. The aim of this research was to evaluate if the Multidimensional Prognostic Index (MPI), based on the Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA), may help physicians in identifying older hospitalized patients affected by COVID-19 who might benefit from mechanical ventilation.DesignLongitudinal, multicenter study.Settings and Participants502 older people hospitalized for COVID-19 in 10 European hospitals.MethodsMPI was calculated using 8 different domains typical of the CGA. A propensity score, Cox's regression analysis was used for assessing the impact of mechanical ventilation on rehospitalization/mortality for 90 days' follow-up, stratified by MPI = 0.50. The accuracy of MPI in predicting negative outcomes (ie, rehospitalization/mortality) was assessed using the area under the curve (AUC), and the discrimination with several indexes like the Net Reclassification Improvement (NRI) and the Integrated Discrimination Improvement (IDI).ResultsAmong 502 older people hospitalized for COVID-19 (mean age: 80 years), 152 were treated with mechanical ventilation. In the propensity score analysis, during the 90-day follow-up period, there were 44 rehospitalizations and 95 deaths. Mechanical ventilation in patients with MPI values ≥ 0.50, indicating frailer participants, was associated with a higher risk of rehospitalization/mortality (hazard ratio 1.56, 95% CI 1.09-2.23), whereas in participants with MPI values < 0.50 this association was not significant. The accuracy of the model including age, sex, respiratory parameters, and MPI was good (AUC = 0.783) as confirmed by an NRI of 0.2756 (P < .001) and an IDI of 0.1858 (P < .001), suggesting a good discrimination of the model in predicting negative outcomes.Conclusions and ImplicationsMPI could be useful for better individualizing older people hospitalized by COVID-19 who could benefit from mechanical ventilation.     

A Cross-Sectional,Correlational Study Comparing Individual Characteristics of Younger and Older Nursing Home Residents using Western Canadian Resident Assessment Instrument–Minimum Data Set (RAI-MDS) 2.0

ObjectiveTo compare characteristics of nursing home (NH) residents by age categories in Western Canada.DesignA cross-sectional, correlational analysis of secondary data.Setting and Participants89,231 residents living in Western Canada NHs in the provinces of Alberta, Manitoba, and British Columbia in 2016 and 2017.MethodsResident characteristics (age, sex, marital status, body mass index, medical diagnoses, cognitive function, physical function, depressive symptoms) came from the Resident Assessment Instrument–Minimum Data Set 2.0 and were analyzed using chi-square, analysis of variance, and post hoc pairwise tests. Human developmental stage age categories were used to create 5 age groups: 18-34, 35-50, 51-64, 65-80, and 81 years and older.ResultsThe demographics, medical diagnoses, cognitive function, and physical function characteristics of NH residents among 5 age groups differed considerably (all P < .001). Residents aged 18-34 years were predominately male, never married, with a higher incidence of paralysis and traumatic brain injury. Residents aged 35-50 years had a higher incidence of stroke and multiple sclerosis, and residents aged 51-64 years mainly were morbidly obese and more prone to depression. Residents aged 65-80 years were predominately married and more prone to diabetes, and residents aged 81 years and older were predominately widowed, with a higher incidence of dementia compared with others.Conclusions and ImplicationsFindings describe the uniqueness of younger NH age groups and indicate that the youngest NH residents often have the severe disability and a modest support system (as defined by partnered status) compared to older residents in NHs. Future studies must analyze longitudinal data that track the growth of, and changes in, residents’ health and functional status.     

商场空气卫生质量评价方法的研究

目的：建立一个对商场室内空气质量做综合评价的方法。方法：借助重庆市5家商场空气监测数据建立多元判别模型,将各检测点空气区分为不清洁空气、清洁空气、最清洁空气三类,通过各商场各类空气的比例判断该商场的综合状况及不同商场空气质量的优劣。结果：评价结果与实际情况相符合。结论：该方法可在实际中推广使用。     

Quality of dictated feedback associated with SIMPL operative assessments of pediatric surgical trainees

BackgroundSIMPL is a workplace-based operative performance assessment tool which allows for dictated feedback (DF). To better understand the value of DF, we sought to characterize the type and quality of DF generated during SIMPL evaluations.MethodsThematic analysis of DF from SIMPL assessments between June 2017 and December 2018 at a single pediatric surgery fellowship program was performed. Comments were categorized as specific, encouraging or corrective. Categories were combined to determine DF quality as effective, mediocre or ineffective.ResultsOf 781 SIMPL assessments (21 faculty, 5 trainees), 451 (57%) had DF. Most comments were encouraging (93%) and specific (65%). Only 21% were corrective, 17% had entrustment features, and 8% had an explicit learning plan. Feedback quality was deemed mediocre (45%), ineffective (33%) and effective (21%).ConclusionSIMPL dictated feedback was mostly encouraging and specific. To improve quality, feedback should incorporate learning plans as well as corrective and entrustment features.     

Natural language processing and entrustable professional activity text feedback in surgery: A machine learning model of resident autonomy

BackgroundEntrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) contain narrative ‘entrustment roadmaps’ designed to describe specific behaviors associated with different entrustment levels. However, these roadmaps were created using expert committee consensus, with little data available for guidance. Analysis of actual EPA assessment narrative comments using natural language processing may enhance our understanding of resident entrustment in actual practice.MethodsAll text comments associated with EPA microassessments at a single institution were combined. EPA—entrustment level pairs (e.g. Gallbladder Disease—Level 1) were identified as documents. Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA), a common machine learning algorithm, was used to identify latent topics in the documents associated with a single EPA. These topics were then reviewed for interpretability by human raters.ResultsOver 18 months, 1015 faculty EPA microassessments were collected from 64 faculty for 80 residents. LDA analysis identified topics that mapped 1:1 to EPA entrustment levels (Gammas >0.99). These LDA topics appeared to trend coherently with entrustment levels (words demonstrating high entrustment were consistently found in high entrustment topics, word demonstrating low entrustment were found in low entrustment topics).ConclusionsLDA is capable of identifying topics relevant to progressive surgical entrustment and autonomy in EPA comments. These topics provide insight into key behaviors that drive different level of resident autonomy and may allow for data-driven revision of EPA entrustment maps.     

Remote unaffiliated presurgical psychosocial evaluations: a qualitative assessment of the attitudes of ASMBS members

BackgroundA psychosocial evaluation is an important component of the preoperative assessment process for people seeking metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS), and is required for accreditation of MBS programs. Recently, independent companies without affiliations with MBS programs have been marketing remotely administered, unaffiliated psychosocial evaluations for MBS (RUS), and American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) members have raised concerns about these evaluations.ObjectivesTo explore ASMBS members’ beliefs about RUS.SettingOnline survey.MethodsWe developed a survey to evaluate ASMBS members’ opinions, experiences, and/or concerns about in-person and RUS psychosocial evaluations for MBS.ResultsIn total, 635 ASMBS members responded to the online survey and 156 responded to an open-ended question on RUS. Responses were coded based on a manual developed for this study, yielding themes of concerns about the quality of RUS, lack of ongoing relationships in RUS, and conditions under which/reasons why RUS evaluations could be acceptable.ConclusionRespondents expressed both interest in and concerns about RUS in pre-MBS psychosocial evaluations. Use of RUS has the potential to improve access to MBS by providing a convenient and efficient means of completing the psychosocial evaluation. Conversely, respondents expressed concerns about the background and training of RUS providers, the quality of the reports, and the limited relationships between the RUS provider and both the MBS patient and the MBS team. We discuss the clinical and research implications of response themes, particularly for patients in rural areas or those who have other barriers to care.     

胃肠道癌腹膜转移的化疗策略

腹膜转移是严重影响胃肠道癌患者预后的独立不良因素,"种子-土壤"学说被认为是解释腹膜转移的主要理论。由于腹膜转移结节初发时体积小,早期诊断尤为困难,因此,腹膜转移的风险评估就显得尤为重要。目前诊断方法已由临床病理因素逐渐向细胞学、乃至分子层面纵深发展,而包括影像组学在内的多组学整合评估,也进一步丰富了腹膜转移的精准诊断。腹膜转移可导致癌性腹水、肠梗阻及恶液质等相关并发症,是胃肠道癌治疗的难点。以系统化疗为基础、手术和腹腔热灌注化疗(HIPEC)等多种方法相结合,是胃肠道癌腹膜转移的有效治疗手段。如何富集潜在获益的腹膜转移患者,如何判定转化手术的时机,如何进一步优化现有治疗方案,特别是转化手术后的患者如何制定治疗方案等,仍需通过完善研究设计和开展前瞻性随机对照研究来解决。切实延长胃肠道癌腹膜转移患者的生存期,是持续努力的目标。     

耶鲁抽动症整体严重度量表在儿科临床的初步应用

目的 为量化评估儿童抽动障碍症状的严重程度,翻译并初步应用耶鲁抽动症整体严重度量表（Ｙale Ｇic Ｓeverity Ｓcale,ＹＧＴＳＳ）。方法 对７２例抽动障碍病儿分别于 治疗前和治疗２周后作ＹＧＴＳＳ抽动评分,同时由病儿或监护人按显效、有效和无效自行评定疗效。比较７２例患儿中三种不同类型（暂时性抽动,慢性抽动和抽－秽语综合征）之间的积分差别,比较三组不同疗效病儿之间ＹＧＴＳＳ积分变化的差别。结果 治疗开始前