The development and validation of the Score for the Prediction of Postoperative Respiratory Complications (SPORC-2) to predict the requirement for early postoperative tracheal re-intubation: a hospital registry study

Postoperative pulmonary complications are associated with an increase in mortality, morbidity and healthcare utilisation. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality recommends risk assessment for postoperative respiratory complications in patients undergoing surgery. In this hospital registry study of adult patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery between 2005 and 2017 at two independent healthcare networks, a prediction instrument for early postoperative tracheal re-intubation was developed and externally validated. This was based on the development of the Score for Prediction Of Postoperative Respiratory Complications. For predictor selection, stepwise backward logistic regression and bootstrap resampling were applied. Development and validation cohorts were represented by 90,893 patients at Partners Healthcare and 67,046 patients at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, of whom 699 (0.8%) and 587 (0.9%) patients, respectively, had their tracheas re-intubated. In addition to five pre-operative predictors identified in the Score for Prediction Of Postoperative Respiratory Complications, the final model included seven additional intra-operative predictors: early post-tracheal intubation desaturation; prolonged duration of surgery; high fraction of inspired oxygen; high vasopressor dose; blood transfusion; the absence of volatile anaesthetic use; and the absence of lung-protective ventilation. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for the new score was significantly greater than that of the original Score for Prediction Of Postoperative Respiratory Complications (0.84 [95%CI 0.82–0.85] vs. 0.76 [95%CI 0.75–0.78], respectively; p < 0.001). This may allow clinicians to develop and implement strategies to decrease the risk of early postoperative tracheal re-intubation.     

Premature Ticagrelor Discontinuation in Secondary Prevention of Atherosclerotic CVD: JACC Review Topic of the Week

Ticagrelor is a cornerstone of modern antithrombotic therapy alongside aspirin in patients with acute coronary syndrome and after percutaneous coronary intervention. Adverse effects such as bleeding and dyspnea have been associated with premature ticagrelor discontinuation, which may limit any potential advantage of ticagrelor over clopidogrel. The randomized trials of ticagrelor captured adverse events, offering the opportunity to more precisely quantify these effects across studies. Therefore, a meta-analysis of 4 randomized clinical trials of ticagrelor conducted between January 2007 and June 2017 was performed to quantify the incidence and causes of premature ticagrelor discontinuation. Among 66,870 patients followed for a median 18 months, premature ticagrelor discontinuation was seen in 25%; bleeding was the most common cause of discontinuation followed by dyspnea. Versus the comparators, the relative risk of dyspnea-related discontinuation during follow-up was 6.4-fold higher, the relative risk of bleeding was 3.2-fold higher, and the relative risk of discontinuation due to any adverse event was 59% higher for patients receiving ticagrelor. Understanding these potential barriers to adherence to ticagrelor is crucial for informed patient-physician decision making and can inform future efforts to improve ticagrelor adherence. This review discusses the incidence, causes, and biological mechanisms of ticagrelor-related adverse effects and offers strategies to improve adherence to ticagrelor.     

新生儿重症监护病房中重症肺炎多种菌感染相关因素分析

目的分析新生儿重症监护病房(NICU)中重症肺炎新生儿多种菌感染危险因素。方法回顾分析2014年1月至2019年5月收入NICU的1 057例重症细菌肺炎新生儿的临床资料,分析其多种菌感染的危险因素。结果单因素分析显示,胎龄(37周)、出生体质量(2 500 g)、发病日龄(7 d)、羊水污染(Ⅱ、Ⅲ度)、感染类型(医院感染)、住院时间(≥14天)、机械通气、Apagar评分(7分)、胎膜早破、抗菌药物使用天数(≥10天)、更换抗菌药物(≥3种)、联合使用抗菌药物(≥3种)12个因素是NICU中重症肺炎新生儿多种菌感染的危险因素,差异有统计学意义(P均0.05)。多因素分析显示,更换抗菌药物(≥3种)、Apagar评分(7分)、感染类型(医院感染)、机械通气、羊水污染(Ⅱ、Ⅲ度)是NICU中重症肺炎新生儿多种菌感染的独立危险因素(P0.05)。结论临床应针对主要危险因素采取综合防控措施,减少NICU新生儿重症肺炎多种菌感染。     

稽留流产孕早期预测模型的构建与验证

目的构建稽留流产(missed abortion,MA)患者在孕早期流产危险因素列线图。方法纳入2017年2月至2019年10月因稽留流产于中国建筑第二工程局职工医院治疗的孕妇125例为研究组,随机纳入同时期正常孕妇126例为对照组,分析两组患者临床基本资料:年龄、环境因素、动物接触史、叶酸使用、文化程度、流产情况、疾病史、激素水平等。采用Logistic回归分析对孕早期发生稽留流产的危险因素进行分析,应用R软件建立孕早期稽留流产预测列线图,并进行验证。结果研究组孕妇年龄、睾酮(testosterone,T)水平高于对照组,而催乳素(prolactin,PRL)、雌二醇(estradiol,E2)、孕酮(progesterone,P)水平低于对照组,差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05);Logistic回归分析提示孕妇年龄(OR=1.809,P=0.003)、吸烟饮酒(OR=78.120、P=0.044)、职业暴露(OR=61.238,P=0.021)、T水平(OR=5.432,P=0.001)是孕早期发生MA的危险因素。PRL(OR=0.376,P=0.003)、E2(OR=0.258,P=0.016)、P(OR=0.396,P=0.005)是孕早期发生MA的保护因素。预测孕早期MA发生的相关危险因素的C-index为0.912(95%CI:0.874-0.943)。结论列线图中孕妇年龄、环境因素、激素水平能较准确的预测孕早期发生MA的风险。     

Japanese Versus Non-Japanese Patients with Transient Ischemic Attack or Minor Stroke: Subanalysis of TIA registry.org

BackgroundTIAregistry.org is an international cohort of patients with transient ischemic attack (TIA) or minor stroke within 7 days before enrollment in the registry. Main analyses of 1-year follow-up data have been reported.⁵ We conducted subanalysis on the baseline and 1-year follow-up data of Japanese patients.MethodsThe patients were classified into 2 groups based on Japanese ethnicity, Japanese (345) and non-Japanese (3238), and their baseline data and 1-year event rates were compared. We also determined risk factors and predictors of 1-year stroke.ResultsCurrent smoking, regular alcohol drinking, intracranial arterial stenosis, and small vessel occlusion; and hypertension, dyslipidemia, coronary artery disease, and extracranial arterial stenosis were more and less common among Japanese patients, respectively. Stroke risk was higher and TIA risk was lower at 1-year follow-up among Japanese patients. The baseline risk factors for recurrent stroke were diabetes, alcohol drinking, and large artery atherosclerosis. Independent predictors of 1-year stroke risk were prior congestive heart failure and alcohol consumption.ConclusionsThe two populations of patients featured differences in risk factors, stroke subtypes, and outcome events. Predictors of recurrent stroke among Japanese patients included congestive heart failure and regular alcohol drinking. Strategies to attenuate residual risk of stroke aside from adherence to current guidelines should take our Japanese-patient specific findings into account.     

Association between de novo lipogenesis susceptibility genes and coronary artery disease

Background and aimsCoronary artery disease (CAD) is the principal cause of death in individuals with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The aim of this study was to use genetic epidemiology to study the association between de novo lipogenesis (DNL), one of the major pathways leading to NAFLD, and CAD risk.Methods and resultsDNL susceptibility genes were used as instruments and selected using three approaches: 1) genes that are associated with both high serum triglycerides and low sex hormone-binding globulin, both downstream consequences of DNL (unbiased approach), 2) genes that have a known role in DNL (biased approach), and 3) genes that have been associated with serum fatty acids, used as a proxy of DNL. Gene-CAD effect estimates were retrieved from the meta-analysis of CARDIoGRAM and the UK Biobank (～76014 cases and ～264785 controls). Effect estimates were clustered using a fixed-effects meta-analysis. Twenty-two DNL susceptibility genes were identified by the unbiased approach, nine genes by the biased approach and seven genes were associated with plasma fatty acids. Clustering of genes selected in the unbiased and biased approach showed a statistically significant association with CAD (OR:1.016, 95%CI:1.012; 1.020 and OR:1.013, 95%CI:1.007; 1.020, respectively), while clustering of fatty acid genes did not (OR:1.004, 95%CI:0.996–1.011). Subsequent exclusion of potential influential outliers did reveal a statistically significant association (OR:1.009, 95%CI:1.000; 1.018).ConclusionsDNL susceptibility genes are associated with an increased risk of CAD. These findings suggest that DNL may be involved in the pathogenesis of CAD and favor further development of strategies that target NAFLD through DNL.     

Risk communication in a patient decision aid for radiotherapy in breast cancer: How to deal with uncertainty?

Background and aimPatient decision aids for oncological treatment options, provide information on the effect on recurrence rates and/or survival benefit, and on side-effects and/or burden of different treatment options. However, often uncertainty exists around the probability estimates for recurrence/survival and side-effects which is too relevant to be ignored. Evidence is lacking on the best way to communicate these uncertainties. The aim of this study is to develop a method to incorporate uncertainties in a patient decision aid for breast cancer patients to support their decision on radiotherapy.MethodsFirstly, qualitative interviews were held with patients and health care professionals. Secondly, in the development phase, thinking aloud sessions were organized with four patients and 12 health care professionals, individual and group-wise.ResultsConsensus was reached on a pictograph illustrating the whole range of uncertainty for local recurrence risks, in combination with textual explanation that a more exact personalized risk would be given by their own physician. The pictograph consisted of 100 female icons in a 10 x 10 array. Icons with a stepwise gradient color indicated the uncertainty margin. The prevalence and severity of possible side-effects were explained using verbal labels.ConclusionsWe developed a novel way of visualizing uncertainties in recurrence rates in a patient decision aid. The effect of this way of communicating risk uncertainty is currently being tested in the BRASA study (NCT03375801).     

What Is Really Needed to Provide Effective,Person-Centered Care for Behavioral Expressions of Dementia? Guidance from The Alzheimer's Association Dementia Care Provider Roundtable

In April, 2019, the Alzheimer's Association Dementia Care Provider Roundtable convened to discuss common challenges faced when implementing person-centered, non-pharmacological practices in long-term care and other settings that provide care and programs for persons living with dementia, and to develop relevant, specific guidance from the perspective of administrative leaders from 23 long-term and community-based care provider organizations (representing home, community-based, and residential care). Guidance related to 5 practice areas emerged from the facilitated discussion: having a foundational person-centered culture, conceptualizing behaviors as expressions and focusing on behavioral support, identifying antecedents and placing person-centeredness before protocols, modifying training to promote person-centered culture, and valuing implementation flexibility. In developing the practice guidance, a related list of priority areas for research and policy were also identified.     

营养风险与腹膜后肿瘤患者住院时间的相关性研究

目的 探讨营养风险与腹膜后肿瘤患者住院时间的相关性。方法 采用回顾性研究，选取2012年1月至2018年12月四川大学华西医院血管外科新入院腹膜后肿瘤患者60例，采用营养风险筛查表评估患者营养风险，收集患者体质指数、围术期血红蛋白和白蛋白水平、住院天数、术后恶心呕吐发生情况、术后排气、排便时间和首次进食时间。采用单因素分析比较不同患者住院时间，采用多重线性逐步回归分析患者住院时间的影响因素。结果 纳入的60例腹膜后肿瘤患者中，40例患者（66.7%）术前存在营养风险，52例患者（86.7%）术后存在营养风险；单因素分析显示，患者术前、术后营养风险 （术前P<0.001，术后P=0.043）、术前白蛋白 （P=0.019）、术后血红蛋白 （P=0.019）、术后白蛋白（P=0.025） 水平以及术后恶心呕吐 （P=0.001） 均会影响患者的住院时间；患者住院时间与围术期营养风险筛查工具评分、术后首次进食时间、术后排气时间和排便时间具有相关性，且相关性强（r=0.759~0.770； P<0.01）；多因素分析显示术前营养风险是腹膜后肿瘤患者住院时间的重要预测因素（β=0.399）。结论 术前营养风险是腹膜后肿瘤患者住院时间的预测因子。