Frequency of blood lactate elevation following esophagectomy and its association to postoperative complications

Background

Esophagectomy is a major surgical intervention and a cornerstone in the treatment of esophageal cancer. There is clinical experience that blood lactate concentration often is elevated in the period following esophagectomy, but the incidence and clinical consequences are sparsely studied.

Methods

We extracted data from all patients undergoing esophagectomy at Karolinska University Hospital 2016–2018, n = 153. Most were performed with minimally invasive technique, n = 130. Blood lactate values directly after surgery, highest value during the first night, and morning level on postoperative day one were recorded. Primary outcome was hospital length of stay and secondary outcome was a composite of postoperative infection, additional surgery, or intensive care during the hospital stay. Development of anastomotic leak was analyzed separately.

Results

Postoperative hyperlactatemia was common as 93% of patients had peak lactate concentration >1.6 mmol/L and 27% >3.5 mmol/L in the first night following operation. Median hospital length of stay was 14 days. Blood lactate showed a weak correlation to hospital stay and intensive care the morning following surgery, but not at arrival to postoperative ward. There were no statistical differences between those with and without anastomotic leak at any of the time points. Elevated lactate in the first 12–16 h postoperatively was related to surgical factors (open technique, surgery time, and perioperative bleeding) but not to patient related factors (ASA-class, Charlson comorbidity index, sex, age) or cumulative fluid balance.

Conclusion

In conclusion, elevated blood lactate in the immediate time following esophagectomy showed a weak association to intensive care and length of stay but not anastomotic leak.     

中青年楼宇人群的家庭医生签约服务需求满足状况及影响因素研究

背景 上海市正逐步将家庭医生签约服务拓展至楼宇功能社区，目前中青年楼宇人群的服务需求满足状况尚不知晓。研究中青年楼宇人群的家庭医生签约服务需求满足状况，分析其影响因素，可以为制定和调整家庭医生楼宇服务相关政策提供参考。 目的 探讨中青年楼宇人群的家庭医生签约服务需求满足状况，并分析其影响因素。 方法 于2019年12月至2020年12月，在上海市虹口区、浦东新区、静安区采用典型抽样法抽取楼宇，在选中楼宇内采用整群随机抽样法抽取中青年人群（18~59岁）开展问卷调查，共回收有效问卷2 272份，本研究以其中有家庭医生服务利用经历的1 137例受试者为研究对象。涉及的主要调查内容为受试者的社会人口和经济学特征、健康状况、对家庭医生签约服务的了解度及家庭医生签约服务需求满足状况（包括基本服务需求、个性化服务需求两方面，均采用Likert 5级评分法）。采用多元有序Logistic回归分析中青年楼宇人群家庭医生签约服务需求满足状况的影响因素。 结果 39.61%（425/1 073）的受试者表示家庭医生签约服务比较满足/完全满足其基本服务需求，39.01%（419/1 074）的受试者表示家庭医生签约服务比较满足/完全满足其个性化服务需求。多元有序Logistic回归分析结果显示：户籍、职业类别、年收入、自评健康状况、对家庭医生"1+1+1"签约服务了解度、对家庭医生信任度、对家庭医生服务能力评价是中青年楼宇人群基本服务需求满足状况的影响因素（P<0.05）；性别、年收入、患慢性病情况、对家庭医生"1+1+1"签约服务了解度、对家庭医生团队组成了解度、对家庭医生服务能力评价是中青年楼宇人群个性化服务需求满足状况的影响因素（P<0.05）。 结论 约40%的楼宇人群认为家庭医生签约服务能够满足其基本服务需求/个性化服务需求，主要影响因素可概括为楼宇人群的社会经济状况、健康状况、对家庭医生签约服务的认知度、家庭医生的服务能力4个方面。建议加强对家庭医生签约服务的宣传，并针对楼宇人群特点和差异化需求，为其定制个性化的服务方案；同时，着力提升家庭医生服务能力，丰富签约服务内涵。     

Practice developments supporting change implementation in Wellington,New Zealand (NZ) for ‘continuity of care when transitioning complex preterm infants from NICU to home’

The discussion paper will focus on continuity of care relating to previous NZ research, specifically to transitioning complex preterm infants from NICU to home based on parent experiences, and on the practice developments that have occurred, to ensure optimal health outcomes. Previous NZ research discovered parent desire a consistent service delivery for the entire transition journey from NICU and at home.An informative and comprehensive opportunity has occurred for reflective professional practice, evaluation, development and implementation which have transpired in positive change through innovative practice developments and support change implementation in Wellington, NZ. This has resulted in the articulation of a model of care that has both embraced and integrated parental desires for a continuity of care process for complex preterm infants. This has been achieved by having the same Discharge Facilitator/Key Case Manager present within the NICU and external to the NICU for Home-based infants for the entire transition journey.The paper will focus and emphasis additional practice development changes and furthermore, will present a real purpose, for other countries to learn of such practice developments that have exemplified a celebratory success for families of Wellington, NZ.     

Whose place? Lessons from a case study of a guardianship determination for an Australian Indigenous child

Whose values matter when considering which environment is healthier for a child whose guardianship is contested? The biological mother from a remote Australian Aboriginal community, who voluntarily relinquished her but has now requested her return? The foster mother who has cared for her in a metropolitan centre in another State of Australia, thousands of kilometres away? The welfare professionals who also live in that city? Or the child herself, who left her birth home and community five years earlier at the age of two? Drawing on a case study of a seven-year old Aboriginal girl, the authors argue that non-Indigenous values trumped Indigenous values without the realisation of key players who were empowered to make such determinations. The article uses Manuel DeLanda's neo-assemblage theory to consider the range of processes that exert themselves to shape place-values and social identity in colonised nations. It will also draw on Erik Erikson's and Lev Vygotsky's theories of psychosocial development to consider competing sets of values that raised feelings of dissonance within the child. Beliefs about what makes a place health-giving are revealed to be complex in colonised nations. Despite policy and legislative changes to better support Aboriginal people and their right to difference, non-Indigenous professionals can continue to be driven by an unrecognised systemic racism. While place-values are not, of course, the only (or perhaps even the most significant) consideration in guardianship determinations, this article will argue they can play a significant and covert role.     

Preferences and willingness of accepting COVID-19 vaccine booster: Results from a middle-income country

The recent wave of COVID-19 cases has led to the potential need for booster doses. We surveyed 6,294 people and found that 87.6% reported willingness to take a booster dose, with vaccine efficacy rate being the most common reason cited to accept booster dose. Differences in acceptance rates were noted among those working in non-health related sectors, different ethnic groups as well as those who had taken viral vector vaccines.