From the "what" to the "how": Teaching integrative medicine-related skills to medical students during COVID-19

ObjectiveTo examine the impact of an integrative medicine (IM) course on self-perceived IM-related communication and research skills.MethodsA 3-day mandatory "hybrid" (online and in-person) IM course was held within COVID-19 restrictions for 161 pre-clerkship medical students, with workshops facilitated by mentor healthcare professionals (IM and non-IM) and student-directed tasks. Self-perceived levels of 6 IM-related skills were scored (from 1 to 5) for history-taking; communicating with patients with "alternative" health-beliefs; referral to IM consultations; assessing risks/benefits; and working with non-medical IM practitioners.Results137 students (85.1%) completed pre-/post-course questionnaires, with overall scores improving from pre-course (1.98 ± 0.92) to post-course (3.31 ± 0.63; p < 0.0001), for the entire group and student subgroups (with vs. without prior IM experience). Multivariate analysis found no association between age, gender, primary language or prior experience with IM and improvement in skill scores.ConclusionsThe IM course increased self-perceived skill levels, reflecting the course curriculum and workshops. Further research needs to explore the application of these skills during clinical training.Practice implicationsTeaching medical students about IM in a course comprising communication and research skills was shown to be feasible and effective. The application of IM-related skills needs to be evaluated during the clinical clerkship.     

Treatment sequence network meta-analysis in Crohn’s disease: a methodological case study

Objective: Several biologic therapies are available for the treatment of mild-to-moderate Crohn’s disease (CD). This network meta-analysis (NMA) aimed to assess the comparative efficacy of ustekinumab, adalimumab, vedolizumab and infliximab in the maintenance of clinical response and remission after 1?year of treatment.

Methods: A systematic literature search was performed to identify relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Key outcomes of interest were clinical response (CD activity index [CDAI] reduction of 100 points; CDAI-100) and remission (CDAI score under 150 points; CDAI < 150). A treatment sequence Bayesian NMA was conducted to account for the re-randomization of patients based on different clinical definitions, the lack of similarity of the common comparator for each trial and the full treatment pathway from the induction phase onwards.

Results: Thirteen RCTs were identified. Ustekinumab 90?mg q8w was associated with statistically significant improvement in clinical response relative to placebo and vedolizumab 300?mg. For clinical remission, ustekinumab 90?mg q8w was associated with statistically significant improvement relative to placebo and vedolizumab 300?mg q8w. Findings from sub-population analyses had similar results but were not statistically significant.

Conclusions: The NMA suggest that ustekinumab is associated with the highest likelihood of reaching response or remission at 1?year compared with placebo, adalimumab and vedolizumab. Results should be interpreted with caution because this is a novel methodology; however, the treatment sequence analysis may be the most methodologically sound analysis to derive estimates of comparative efficacy in CD in the absence of head-to-head evidence.     

Motivation for participating in phase 1 vaccine trials: Comparison of an influenza and an Ebola randomized controlled trial

Introduction/Hypothesis

Recruitment of participants into phase 1 vaccine clinical trials can be challenging since these vaccines have not been used in humans and there is no perceived benefit to the participant. Occasionally, as was the case with a phase 1 clinical trial of an Ebola vaccine in Halifax, Canada, during the 2014–2016 West African Ebola virus outbreak, recruitment is less difficult. In this study, we explored the motivations of participants in two phase 1 vaccine trials that were concurrently enrolling at the same centre and compared the motivations of participants in a high-profile phase 1 Ebola vaccine trial to those in a less high-profile phase 1 adjuvanted seasonal influenza vaccine study.

Neuromodulation in Psychiatric disorders: Experimental and Clinical evidence for reward and motivation network Deep Brain Stimulation: Focus on the medial forebrain bundle

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) in psychiatric illnesses has been clinically tested over the past 20 years. The clinical application of DBS to the superolateral branch of the medial forebrain bundle in treatment‐resistant depressed patients—one of several targets under investigation—has shown to be promising in a number of uncontrolled open label trials. However, there are remain numerous questions that need to be investigated to understand and optimize the clinical use of DBS in depression, including, for example, the relationship between the symptoms, the biological substrates/projections and the stimulation itself. In the context of precision and customized medicine, the current paper focuses on clinical and experimental research of medial forebrain bundle DBS in depression or in animal models of depression, demonstrating how clinical and scientific progress can work in tandem to test the therapeutic value and investigate the mechanisms of this experimental treatment. As one of the hypotheses is that depression engenders changes in the reward and motivational networks, the review looks at how stimulation of the medial forebrain bundle impacts the dopaminergic system.     

Anticoagulation Strategies in Patients With Cancer: JACC Review Topic of the Week

Patients with active cancer are at an increased risk of arterial and venous thromboembolism (VTE) and bleeding events. Historically, in patients with cancer, low molecular weight heparins have been preferred for treatment of VTE, whereas warfarin has been the standard anticoagulant for stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). More recently, direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) have been demonstrated to reduce the risk of venous and arterial thromboembolism in large randomized clinical trials of patients with VTE and AF, respectively, thus providing an attractive oral dosing option that does not require routine laboratory monitoring. In this review, we summarize available clinical trial data and guideline recommendations, and outline a practical approach to anticoagulation management of VTE and AF in cancer.     

临床医学导论实习对医学生职业素质培养的引入作用

医学生职业素质培养是一项重要的工程,要始终贯穿于医学专业教育和人文素质教育的全过程。医学生职业素质教育要与医学基础理论知识学习、临床实习过程相结合。临床医学导论是一门专门针对低年级的医学生开设的课程,是临床医学专业课程体系的重要组成部分,是临床医学专业整个本科教育的引导环节,目的是早期引导医学生认识医学和医学的责任,为培养未来具有良好职业素养的医师打下良好的基础。     

顾锡镇教授从脾肾论治肌萎缩侧索硬化症经验

肌萎缩侧索硬化症是一种病因不清的致死性神经系统罕见病，临床表现为进行性加重的肌无力、肌肉萎缩及延髓麻痹，最终累及呼吸肌致呼吸衰竭而死亡。顾锡镇教授从脾肾论治，运用健脾补肾法治疗该病在延缓疾病进展与改善生活质量方面取得了一定疗效。文章总结了顾教授辨治肌萎缩侧索硬化症的临床经验，并例举1个典型医案加以佐证。     

乳腺弥漫大B细胞淋巴瘤临床特点及预后分析

目的:探讨乳腺弥漫大B细胞淋巴瘤（DLBCL）患者的临床特征及预后。方法:回顾性分析2014年5月起至2018年12月我院收治的18例乳腺DLBCL患者的临床特点及预后。结果:在18例患者中，17例为女性，中位年龄为57岁，病变主要累及右侧乳腺（11/18，61.1%）。将其分为原发性乳腺DLBCL（PB-DLBCL）和继发性乳腺DLBCL（SB-DLBCL）两大类。11例（57.6%）PB-DLBCL与7例（42.4%）SB-DLBCL相比，其具有Ann Arbor分期多为Ⅰ-Ⅱ期（P＜0.01）、B症状少（P=0.013）、相对更高的白细胞计数（P=0.041）、骨髓未累及（P=0.043）、完全缓解（CR）率高（P=0.049）等特点。生存分析发现PB-DLBCL患者5年总生存期（OS）显著长于SB-DLBCL患者（P=0.013）。本研究以非生发中心B细胞型（non-GCB）居多，生发中心型（GCB）与non-GCB型之间OS无显著差异（P=0.885）。所有获得CR患者的生存期均显著延长（P=0.008）。结论:乳腺DLBCL多见于中年女性，以右侧乳腺肿块为主要临床表现，分子分型多为non-GCB型。与SB-DLBCL患者相比，PB-DLBCL患者具有Ann Arbor分期早、B症状少、相对更高的白细胞计数、骨髓未累及、CR率高等特点，并且生存期显著延长。无论是PB-DLBCL和SB-DLBCL，还是GCB型和non-GCB型，获得CR提示预后良好。