Translating probiotic science into practice

Scientific and clinical evidence on the health effects of probiotics has expanded rapidly in recent years and points towards benefits for a number of specific health conditions, particularly those related to the gut. Healthcare professionals are important conduits in the transfer of evidence‐based messages on probiotics, but research indicates many do not consider themselves to have good knowledge in this area. To identify potential solutions to support healthcare professionals, the British Nutrition Foundation held a one‐day roundtable event on 7 February 2019 to gather expert views on the content of, and best delivery mode for, evidence‐based resources to guide healthcare professional advice about the use of probiotics. This report describes the main themes emerging from the discussions and the group's recommendation for the development of a UK‐focused online toolkit for healthcare professionals, which assimilates, appraises and translates current scientific knowledge of probiotics to promote evidence‐based practice for the benefit of patients.     

Influenza virus RNA recovered from droplets and droplet nuclei emitted by adults in an acute care setting

Transmission in hospital settings of seasonal influenza viruses and novel agents such as the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is well-described but poorly understood. The characterization of potentially infectious bio-aerosols in the healthcare setting remains an important yet ill-defined factor in the transmission of respiratory viruses. Empiric data describing the distribution of bio-aerosols enable discernment of potential exposure risk to respiratory viruses. We sought to determine the distribution of influenza virus RNA emitted into the air by participants with laboratory-confirmed influenza, and whether these emissions had the potential to reach healthcare workers’ breathing zones. Two-stage cyclone bio-aerosol samplers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health were placed 0.5–1.0 m (near field) and 2.1–2.5 m (far field) from infected patient participants, as well as in the corridor immediately outside their rooms. In addition, healthcare worker participants providing care to infected participants were recruited to wear a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) filter cassette in their breathing zones. Viral RNA was detected from the air emitted by 37.5% of the 16 participants infected with influenza virus and distributed both in near and far fields and in all tested particle sizes (<1 µm, 1–4 µm, and >4 µm). Viral RNA was recovered in droplet nuclei and beyond 1 m from naturally-infected participants in the healthcare setting and from the breathing zone of one healthcare worker. There was no correlation between patient participant nasal viral load and recovery of viral RNA from the air, and we did not identify any significant association between RNA detection from the air and patient demographics or clinical presentation. A more substantial study is required to identify patient determinants of virus emission into the air and delineate implications for evidence-based policy for prevention and control.     

A Comparison of Outpatient Healthcare Expenditures Between Public and Private Medical Institutions in Urban China: An Instrumental Variable Approach

The growth of healthcare expenditure provokes constant comments and discussions, as countries battle the issues on cost containment and cost effectiveness. Prior to 1978, medical institutions in China were either state‐owned or were collective public hospitals. Since 1978, China has been trying to rebuild its healthcare system, which was destroyed during the ‘cultural revolution’, allowing private medical institutions to deliver healthcare services. As a result, private medical institutions have grown from 0% to 28.57% between 1978 and 2010. In this context, we compare outpatient healthcare expenditures between public and private medical institutions. The central problem of this comparison is that the choice of medical institution is endogenous. So we apply an instrumental variable (IV) framework utilizing geographic information (whether the closest medical institution is private) as the instrument while controlling for severity of health and other relevant confounding factors. Using China's Urban Resident Basic Medical Insurance Survey 2008–2010, we found that there is no difference in expenditure between public and private medical institutions when IV framework is used. Our econometric tests suggest that our IV model is specified appropriately. However, the ordinary least square model, which is inconsistent in the presence of endogenous regressor(s), reveals that public medical institutions are more expensive. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Critical appraisal training increases understanding and confidence and enhances the use of evidence in diverse categories of learners

Background

Training in evidence‐based medicine is most commonly offered to physicians, medical students and health‐care decision‐makers.

Setting and participants

We partnered with community organizations to recruit participants and develop trainings for consumers, non‐physician health‐care providers and journalists in California.

Intervention

We conducted half‐day and one‐day workshops in critical appraisal of health evidence. Workshops consisted of didactic presentations, small‐group practice sessions and class discussions.

Outcome measures

We measured knowledge and confidence immediately before and after the workshops and at follow‐up 6 months later. We also asked participants to describe their use of health evidence before the workshops and at follow‐up.

Results

At baseline, 41% of the consumers, 45% of the providers and 57% of the journalists correctly answered questions about health evidence. Scores increased by about 20% (P < 0.05) in all groups at the end of the workshops and remained significantly over baseline at follow‐up. At baseline, 26% of the participants were confident in their understanding of critical appraisal concepts, significantly increasing to 54% after the workshops and sustained (53%) at follow‐up. During discussions, participants’ comments often focused on funding and the potential effects of financial conflicts of interest on study findings. Participants did not use evidence more frequently at follow‐up but said that they applied workshop skills in evaluating research, communicating with others and making decisions about health care.

Conclusion

It is possible to successfully conduct critical appraisal workshops to aid health‐related decision making for groups who have previously not had access to this kind of training.     

Pharmacovigilance in children: detecting adverse drug reactions in routine electronic healthcare records. A systematic review

Aims

A systematic review of the literature published in English over 10 years was undertaken in order to describe the use of electronic healthcare data in the identification of potential adverse drug reactions (ADRs) in children.

Methods

MEDLINE and EMBASE were searched using MESH headings and text words. Titles, keywords and abstracts were checked for age <18 years, potential ADRs and electronic healthcare data. Information extracted included age, data source, pharmacovigilance method, medicines and ADRs. Studies were quality assessed.

Results

From 14 804 titles, 314 had a full text review and 71 were included in the final review. Fifty were published in North America, 10 in Scandinavia. Study size ranged from less than 1000 children to more than 10 million. Sixty per cent of studies used data from one source. Comparative observational studies were most commonly reported (66.2%) with 15% using passive surveillance. Electronic healthcare data set linkage and the quality of the data source were poorly reported. ADRs were classified using the International Classification of Disease (ICD10). Multi-system reactions were most commonly studied, followed by central nervous system and mental and behavioural disorders. Vaccines were most frequently prescribed followed by corticosteroids, general anaesthetics and antidepressants.

Conclusions

Routine electronic healthcare records were increasingly reported to be used for pharmacovigilance in children. This growing and important health protection activity could be enhanced by consistent reporting of studies to improve the identification, interpretation and generalizability of the evidence base.     

The effectiveness of pharmaceutical interventions for obesity: weight loss with orlistat and sibutramine in a United Kingdom population-based cohort

Aims

Drug treatments for obesity have proven efficacy from randomized trials, but their effectiveness in routine clinical practice is unknown. We assessed the effects on weight and body mass index (BMI) of orlistat and sibutramine when delivered in routine primary care.

Methods

We used United Kingdom data from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink to estimate the effects of orlistat or sibutramine on weight and BMI over 3 years following treatment initiation. For comparison, we matched each patient with up to five obese patients receiving neither drug. Mixed effects linear regression with splines was used to model change in weight and BMI. Mean change with 95% confidence intervals (CI) was estimated.

Results

We identified 100 701 patients receiving orlistat, 15 355 receiving sibutramine and 508 140 non-intervention patients, with body mass index of 37.2, 36.6 and 33.2 kg m⁻², respectively. Patients receiving orlistat lost, on average, 0.94 kg month⁻¹ (0.93 to 0.95) over the first 4 months. Weight gain then occurred, although weight remained slightly below baseline at 3 years. Patients receiving sibutramine lost, 1.28 kg month⁻¹ (1.26 to 1.30) over the first 4 months, but by 3 years had exceeded baseline weight. Non-intervention patients had slight increases in weight throughout the 3 year period, with gains ranging between 0.01 and 0.06 kg month⁻¹.

Conclusions

Orlistat and sibutramine had early effects on weight loss, not sustained over 3 years. As new treatments for obesity are approved, their effectiveness should be measured in routine clinical practice, as effectiveness may be considerably less than seen in randomized trials.     

甘肃省1304例甲状腺手术围手术期抗菌药物应用调查

目的了解某省各级医疗机构甲状腺手术围手术期抗菌药物预防使用情况。方法对2011年1月1日—2013年12月31日该省各类甲状腺手术进行目标性监测,并对调查结果进行分析。结果共调查1 304例甲状腺手术,1 294例(99.23%)为择期手术;手术持续时间≤2 h者1 051例,占80.60%;抗菌药物使用率为96.70%;术前30 min给药者196例,占15.54%;抗菌药物使用时间48 h者887例,占70.34%;使用第一代头孢、克林霉素的占19.53%。结论该省甲状腺手术中存在抗菌药物选择不当、用药时机不当、用药时间过长、无指征用药现象等问题,应加大抗菌药物管理力度,促进抗菌药物合理使用。     

口腔专科医院医务人员手卫生依从性干预效果

目的提高口腔专科医院医务人员的手卫生依从性,有效降低医院感染率。方法依照世界卫生组织推荐的《手卫生指南》及《手卫生实施方案》,制订系统、循序渐进的口腔专科医院手卫生促进方案,分5个步骤进行:全院戒备、基线调查、实施改进、跟踪调查和回顾分析。对比手卫生促进活动前后医务人员的手卫生依从性。结果通过手卫生促进活动,医务人员手卫生知识问卷调查平均得分由之前的58.33分提高至77.40分,提升了32.69%;平均手卫生依从率由24.28%(59/243)上升至49.81%(133/267),差异有统计学意义(χ2=35.331,P=0.000);5个手卫生时刻的手卫生状况也有较大改善。结论手卫生促进活动对口腔专科医院医务人员的手卫生依从性有显著影响。     

血液病科2011-2013年临床标本分离病原菌及耐药性分析

目的分析血液病科近3年临床送检标本病原菌分布及耐药情况。方法收集2011年1月—2013年12月血液病科住院患者送检标本分离菌株,使用K-B法或自动化仪器法进行药敏检测,抗菌药物药敏结果判定依照美国临床试验标准化委员会(CLSI)2011年版指南,应用WHONET5.6软件进行数据统计分析。结果 2011—2013年血液病科临床送检标本共分离病原菌462株,其中革兰阳性球菌161株,革兰阴性杆菌279株,真菌22株。葡萄球菌属中耐甲氧西林凝固酶阴性葡萄球菌(MRSCN)及耐甲氧西林金黄色葡萄球菌(MRSA)的检出率为81.37%和62.50%。葡萄球菌属及肠球菌属细菌对利奈唑胺耐药率分别为1.69%及3.57%,葡萄球菌属细菌对替考拉宁耐药率为3.39%,未检出对万古霉素耐药的革兰阳性球菌。肠杆菌科中大肠埃希菌、肺炎克雷伯菌对碳青霉烯类抗生素高度敏感(敏感率为97.56%~98.88%);而非发酵革兰阴性杆菌铜绿假单胞菌及鲍曼不动杆菌对碳青霉烯类抗生素耐药明显(耐药率为38.71%~64.00%)。结论血液病科主要细菌耐药现象较重,应根据血液病科细菌分布的特点及药敏结果,有针对性地合理应用抗菌药物,加强医院感染控制措施,降低细菌耐药率。