Implementation of Nurse-Led Cognitive Screening During Medicare Annual Wellness Visits

Dementia is a serious and costly illness. Early identification of cognitive impairment provides opportunity for earlier intervention, and there is growing evidence suggesting that early intervention may help delay the onset of dementia. There is limited concensus and standardized recommendations for when and how cognitive screening should occur. This quality improvement project implemented a standardized nurse-led cognitive screening workflow during the Medicare annual wellness visit. Statistically significant differences were found between the baseline and implementation groups for Mini-Cog screening rates and referral for follow-up for further neurocognitive evaluation. A structured nurse-led workflow improved the cognitive screening process, providing opportunity for further evaluation and intervention.     

Biomarkers of in vivo limbal stem cell function

PurposeTo evaluate in vivo parameters as biomarkers of limbal stem cell function and to establish an objective system that detects and stage limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD).MethodsA total of 126 patients (172 eyes) with LSCD and 67 normal subjects (99 eyes) were included in this observational cross-sectional comparative study. Slit-lamp biomicroscopy, in vivo laser scanning confocal microscopy (IVCM), and anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) were performed to obtain the following: clinical score, cell morphology score, basal cell density (BCD), central corneal epithelial thickness (CET), limbal epithelial thickness (LET), total corneal nerve fiber length (CNFL), corneal nerve fiber density (CNFD), corneal nerve branch density (CNBD), and tortuosity coefficient. Their potential correlations with the severity of LSCD were investigated, and cutoff values were determined.ResultsAn increase clinical score correlated with a decrease in central cornea BCD, limbal BCD, CET, mean LET, maximum LET, CNFL, CNFD, CNBD, and tortuosity coefficient. Regression analyses showed that central cornea BCD, CET and CNFL were the best parameters to differentiate LSCD from normal eyes (Coef = 3.123, 3.379, and 2.223; all p < 0.05). The rank correlation analysis showed a similar outcome between the clinical scores and the central cornea BCD (ρ = 0.79), CET (ρ = 0.82), and CNFL (ρ = 0.71). A comprehensive LSCD grading formula based on a combination of these parameters was established.ConclusionsA comprehensive staging system combining clinical presentation, central cornea BCD, CET, and CNFL is established to accurately and objectively diagnose LSCD and stage its severity.     

Compliance to Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommendations for pneumococcal vaccination

We evaluated compliance to the ACIP pneumococcal vaccination recommendations issued in 2014 for adults aged ≥ 65 years and in 2012 for adults with high-risk (HR) conditions. The MarketScan® Commercial and Medicare Supplemental databases (January 2007-June 2019) were used to identify the cohorts of interest. Analyses for adults aged ≥ 65 years were adjusted to account for missing vaccination history. Two HR cohorts were identified. The HR1 cohort included patients with immunocompromising conditions, functional or anatomic asplenia, cerebrospinal fluid leak, or cochlear implant. The HR2 cohort included patients with chronic heart, lung, or liver disease; diabetes mellitus; alcoholism; cirrhosis; or cigarette smoking. Full compliance for those aged ≥ 65 years or in the HR1 cohort was defined as receipt of PCV13 and PPSV23, and partial compliance was defined as receipt of PCV13 or PPSV23. For those in the HR2 cohort, full compliance was defined as receipt of PPSV23. Annual compliance rates were estimated using the Kaplan–Meier method.Among those aged ≥ 65 years, partial compliance at 4 years post index was 53% and full compliance was 17% in adjusted analyses. In subjects ≥ 65 years receiving the first vaccination, 42% received the second vaccination by year 4. For the HR1 cohort, partial compliance was 19% and full compliance was 5% at 6 years post index date. For the HR2 cohort, full compliance was 20% at 6 years, with the highest rate in patients with diabetes (27%) and the lowest rate in patients with alcoholism (8%).Additional efforts are needed to maximize compliance to the ACIP pneumococcal vaccine recommendations among adults ≥ 65 years of age and adults with HR conditions including streamlined recommendations and single-dose vaccines. These efforts may subsequently reduce the incidence and burden of pneumococcal disease.     

社区动脉粥样硬化风险研究的进展和展望

社区动脉粥样硬化风险（ARIC）研究是1987年由美国心、肺和血液研究所资助的关注非洲裔美国人心血管健康的最大研究。旨在调查心脏病的危险因素以及心血管疾病与认知之间的联系。ARIC研究的许多发现加深了对动脉粥样硬化性心血管病病因的了解,在心血管病预防领域做出了重大贡献,证明了以人群为基础的研究对改善健康和预防疾病的重要性。主要概述ARIC研究的起源、目的、研究设计、对心血管医学的贡献以及未来的发展方向。     

Characterizing hospital pathways for the care of acquired hemophilia in France using comprehensive national health data

PurposeAcquired hemophilia (AH) is a rare, serious bleeding disorder most often associated with older age and life-threatening complications. The patient care pathway for AH is complex because of the different types of bleeding, the presence of comorbidities, and the heterogeneity of medical specialists who care for these patients.MethodsThis observational study used the French national PMSI (Programme de médicalisation des systèmes d’information) database to characterize patients with AH in real-life practice and analyze their hospital pathway. In total, 180 patients with AH were identified over a 5-year study period (January 2010 to December 2014), based on three criteria: bypassing agent use, International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision code allocation, and aged over 65 years. Comparison of the incidence rate of AH versus registry data validated the PMSI as an epidemiological database.ResultsRituximab was prescribed more often (60/180; 33.3%) than expected following guidelines and was associated in half of cases to early infections (32/60; 53.3%), surgery procedures were frequently performed during the year before AH onset (29/159; 18.2%), which may suggest a triggering effect, extended hospital stays (median: 20 days) and mortality remaining high (66/180; 36.7%) that occurred mainly during the first month after AH diagnosis. Median costs and number of injections were comparable between recombinant activated factor VII and plasma-derived activated prothrombin complex concentrate.ConclusionThese findings could inform future medico-economic approaches in this AH population (duration of stays, bypassing agents, rituximab use, comorbidities, hospitalizations with infections).     

基于记忆-遗忘规律的健康教育在改善冠心病患者自我管理中的应用研究

目的 探讨基于记忆-遗忘规律的健康教育在改善冠心病患者健康促进生活方式和自我健康管理行为中的影响。方法 选择住院治疗的冠心病患者160例,采用随机数字表法分为观察组(80例)和对照组(80例)。对照组接受常规住院健康教育,观察组接受基于记忆-遗忘曲线规律制定的针对性的健康教育干预。在干预前、干预后使用健康促进生活方式评定量表和冠心病自我管理行为量表,测量两组患者的健康促进生活方式和自我管理行为水平。结果 干预前,两组患者健康促进生活方式和自我健康管理行为水平比较,差异无统计学意义(t=-1.72, 1.88,P值均>0.05)。干预后,观察组健康促进生活方式总分为(83.58±9.54),高于干预前的(63.08±7.11),(t=11.11, P<0.001)。干预前,2组自我管理行为得分比较,差异无统计学意义(t=1.88, P>0.05);干预后,观察组自我管理行为总得分为(118.44±8.42),高于对照组的(99.86±6.49),(t=-15.63, P<0.001)。结论 基于记忆-遗忘规律的健康教育,对冠心病患者健康促进生活方式和自我管理行为有明显改善和提高。