Research on medication use in the neonatal intensive care unit

Introduction: Research on medication use aims at assessing how much of current pharmacotherapy is rational. In neonates, this is hampered by extensive off-label drug use and limited knowledge.

Areas covered: We report on medication use research and have conducted a systematic review of observational studies on medication use to provide an updated overview on characteristics, objectives, methods, and patterns in hospitalized neonates. Moreover, a review on aspects of medication use for opioids, anti-epileptics, gastric acid-related disorders and respiratory stimulants with emphasis on trends and impact of interventions is presented, illustrating how research on medication use can contribute to improved neonatal pharmacotherapy and more focused research. Medication use reports describe patterns and provide signals on irrational use, benchmarking, or can guide research priorities. Moreover, this may generate information on how neonatal health topics and their pharmacotherapy are handled over time or across regions.

Expert opinion: Research on medicine utilization is relevant, since it will inform us on aspects like trends, variability, or about the impact and pattern of implementation of guidelines in neonates. Further progress necessitates to merge datasets on medication use with clinical characteristics, and perinatal drug use remains an area in need of additional research.     

基础医学综合实验与实验设计课程教学改革实践

本着以课程为中心的原则，研究组在基础医学综合实验课程建设、运行方式、教学方法改革等方面积极探索；以联系疾病、联系应用为导向，广泛开展基于疾病动物模型制备及干预过程的实验教学；增加"创新性"实验项目，确保课程内容体现出前沿性和时代性；以生物医学前沿方法训练引领课程建设，着力培养学员的学习能力、实践能力和创新能力。此外，在优化以实践应用、创新性为导向的课程内容建设的基础上，打造虚拟仿真实验项目，尝试线上线下混合式教学，全方位提升学员的实践运用能力。     

Mortality,length of stay and costs associated with acute graft-versus-host disease during hospitalization for allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

Objective: Acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) is a common and life-threatening complication of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). The extent to which aGVHD increases inpatient costs associated with allo-HSCT has not been thoroughly evaluated. In this analysis, mortality, hospital length of stay (LOS) and costs associated with aGVHD during allo-HSCT admissions are evaluated.

Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of discharge records from the National Inpatient Sample database for patients receiving allo-HSCT between 1 January 2009 and 31 December 2013. Allo-HSCT discharges with an aGVHD diagnosis were included in the aGVHD group and those without any graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) diagnosis comprised the non-GVHD group. Mortality, LOS and costs were compared between the two groups, as well as within subgroups, including age (<18 vs. ≥18 years) and survival status (alive vs. deceased) at discharge.

Results: Overall, mortality (16.2% vs. 5.3%; p?<?.01), median hospital LOS (42.0 vs. 26.0 days; p?<?.01) and median total costs ($173,144 vs. $98,982; p?<?.01) were significantly increased in patients with aGVHD versus those without GVHD during hospitalizations for allo-HSCT, irrespective of age group. Patients with aGVHD who were <18 years of age had a lower mortality rate but greater hospital LOS and total costs versus patients aged ≥18 years. Patients who died during allo-HSCT hospitalization had longer LOS and incurred greater costs than those who survived in both the aGVHD and non-GVHD groups.

Conclusion: Occurrence of aGVHD during allo-HSCT admissions resulted in a tripling of the mortality rate and a near doubling of hospital LOS and total costs. In addition, death during allo-HSCT hospitalizations was associated with greater healthcare utilization and costs. Effectively mitigating aGVHD may improve survival and substantially reduce hospital LOS and costs for allo-HSCT.     

Cost of postoperative complications: How to avoid calculation errors

Postoperative complications(PC) are a basic health outcome, but no surgery service in the world records and/or audits the PC associated with all the surgical procedures it performs. Most studies that have assessed the cost of PC suffer from poor quality and a lack of transparency and consistency. The payment system in place often rewards the volume of services provided rather than the quality of patients' clinical outcomes. Without a thorough registration of PC, the economic costs involved cannot be determined. An accurate, reliable appraisal would help identify areas for investment in order to reduce the incidence of PC,improve surgical results, and bring down the economic costs. This article describes how to quantify and classify PC using the Clavien-Dindo classification and the comprehensive complication index, discusses the perspectives from which economic evaluations are performed and the minimum postoperative follow-up established, and makes various recommendations. The availability of accurate and impartially audited data on PC will help reduce their incidence and bring down costs. Patients, the health authorities, and society as a whole are sure to benefit.     

城市血吸虫病综合防治措施的研究

目的探索快速控制城市血吸虫病流行的综合措施。方法在城市血吸虫病流行区选择3个试点现场,南津港、太平桥2个点采取以化疗为主的综合防治措施,小柳叶洲点采取以环境改造灭螺为主的综合防治措施。结果南津港点3年居民血吸虫感染率分别为2.80%、2.60%和2.24%,并发生急性血吸虫病2例;感染螺平均密度分别为0.0009、0.0027、0.0020只/0.1m2。小柳叶洲点3年无居民粪检阳性者,无急性血吸虫病例,哨鼠感染率为0,没有查到感染性钉螺。太平桥点3年居民感染率分别为1.18%、0.20%和0.26%,无急性血吸虫病例,家畜感染率分别为6.35%、3.57%和3.85%,2004年发现感染性钉螺,平均密度为0.0001只/0.1m2。结论在城市血吸虫病流行区,采取以环境改造灭螺为主、人群化疗、健康教育、药物灭螺灭蚴的综合防治措施能快速控制疫情。采取以化疗为主的综合防治措施,难以有效控制疫情。