Inferior Vena Cava Filters: Aligning Practice With Evidence to Improve Patient Outcomes

BackgroundDespite indications for the removal of temporary inferior vena cava (IVC) filters, many filters are unintentionally left in place, predisposing patients to adverse outcomes.ObjectiveThis quality improvement study set out to determine the impact of an IVC filter retrieval protocol on filter retrieval rates and patients lost to follow-up for patients who had undergone placement of a temporary IVC filter.MethodsFollowing a quasi-experimental design, data of all consecutive patients who underwent insertion of a temporary IVC filter for a period of 24-month preprotocol and 12-month postprotocol were compared.ResultsFilter retrieval rates of eligible filters increased from 64.2% to 100%; patients lost to follow-up decreased from 35.9% to 0% (p < .01, both outcomes).ConclusionAdoption of a comprehensive IVC filter protocol by the service that implants these devices can improve filter retrieval rates and decrease patients being lost to follow-up.     

石河子地区近十年结肠镜成人结直肠癌及腺瘤检出情况的横断面调查

目的　调查石河子地区近十年结肠镜下成人结直肠癌（colorectal cancer，CRC）、结直肠腺瘤和进展期腺瘤检出率的变化趋势。方法　2010年1月1日—2019年12月31日期间，就诊于石河子大学医学院第一附属医院完成结肠镜检查的病例纳入调查，通过查阅电子病历系统收集病历资料，具体信息包括患者年龄、性别及结直肠腺瘤或CRC的部位、数量、大小和病理类型等。主要观察结直肠腺瘤、结直肠进展期腺瘤和CRC的检出率，包括10年总体检出率以及前五年（2010—2014年）总体检出率和后五年（2015—2019年）总体检出率。结果　共纳入50 645例，经排除标准排除14 931例，最终共35 714例纳入数据分析。结直肠腺瘤、结直肠进展期腺瘤和CRC的10年总体检出率分别为17.65%（6 302/35 714）、4.45%（1 589/35 714）和3.71%（1 324/35 714）。结直肠腺瘤后五年总体检出率［20.33%（4 565/22 457）］高于前五年［13.10%（1 737/13 257）］；结直肠进展期腺瘤后五年总体检出率［4.69%（1 053/22 457）］高于前五年［4.04%（536/13 257）］；CRC后五年总体检出率［3.30%（741/22 457）］低于前五年［4.40%（583/13 257）］。结论　石河子地区2015—2019年结直肠腺瘤检出率较2010—2014年有较大幅度升高，结直肠进展期腺瘤检出率较2010—2014年有小幅升高，而CRC检出率较2010—2014年有小幅下降，由此推测结肠镜检查发现并切除结直肠腺瘤对降低CRC发病率可能具有重要作用。     

Impact of Neoadjuvant Versus Adjuvant Chemotherapy on the Extent of Axillary Surgery for Clinically Node-Negative Breast Cancers of Triple-Negative and HER2-Overexpressing Phenotypes

BackgroundBreast cancer patients with triple-negative or human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-overexpressing phenotypes are recommended to receive chemotherapy for primary tumors greater than 1 cm regardless of nodal status. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy may eradicate subclinical nodal metastases and reduce the extent of axillary surgery performed.Patients and MethodsA query of the National Cancer Database Participant User File was performed for new cases of female breast cancer from 2012 to 2015. Inclusion criteria were clinical N0 status, receipt of chemotherapy, and receipt of axillary surgery. Exclusions included hormone-positive/HER2-negative tumors and/or distant metastatic disease. Subjects were divided into groups by receipt of neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy. The primary end point was the extent of axillary surgery, defined as sentinel lymph node biopsy alone or axillary lymph node dissection (ALND). Subgroup analyses were performed on the basis of tumor phenotype and surgery of the primary site.ResultsA total of 66,771 female patients were included, 15,967 of whom underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy. ALND rates were higher in patients who received adjuvant chemotherapy (30.6% vs. 28.8%, P < .001). Among tumor phenotypes, the extent of axillary surgery was reduced most significantly for hormone-negative, HER2-positive disease (30.0% vs. 25.8%, P < .001). ALND rates were more substantially reduced for patients who underwent mastectomy (41.3% vs. 36.1%, P < .001) compared to partial mastectomy (21.8% vs. 20.1%, P = .002). Adjuvant chemotherapy was an independent predictor of ALND (odds ratio, 1.26; 95% confidence interval, 1.19-1.33).ConclusionNeoadjuvant chemotherapy reduces the extent of axillary surgery in clinically node-negative, nonluminal breast cancers.     

Barriers to vaccination service delivery within general practice: opportunity to make a sustainable difference in Aboriginal child health?

Objective: To identify behavioural barriers of service provision within general practice that may be impacting the vaccination coverage rates of Aboriginal children in Perth, Western Australia (WA). Methods: A purposive developed survey was distributed to 316 general practices across Perth and three key informant interviews were conducted using a mixed‐methods approach. Results: Of the surveyed participants (n=101), 67.4% were unaware of the low vaccination coverage in Aboriginal children; 64.8% had not received cultural sensitivity training in their workplace and 46.8% reported having inadequate time to follow up overdue child vaccinations. Opportunistic vaccination was not routinely performed by 30.8% of participants. Key themes identified in the interviews were awareness, inclusion and cultural safety. Conclusion: Inadequate awareness of the current rates, in association with a lack of cultural safety training, follow‐up and opportunistic practice, may be preventing greater vaccination uptake in Aboriginal children in Perth. Cultural safety is a critical component of the acceptability and accessibility of services; lack of awareness may restrict the development of strategies designed to equitably address low coverage. Implications: The findings of this study provide an opportunity to raise awareness among clinicians in general practice and inform future strategies to equitably deliver targeted vaccination services to Aboriginal children.     

Error rates in proficiency testing in Australia

ABSTRACT

Recent criticism of forensic science has focused on the fundamental aspects of the science, including the lack of supporting empirical studies, validation, accreditation, limitations and error rates. Proficiency tests are an essential component of accreditation and can be used to evaluate laboratory performance and identify systematic issues within components of the service provision. In 2016 we reported on the results of an analysis of 3176 CTS proficiency tests undertaken between 2005 and 2015 by Australian government service providers. The data analysed represented 43 unique CTS test types and covered 21 disciplines. Here we present further data from 2016 to 2017 and compare these results with those obtained from the previous study. These combined results further demonstrate that errors exist even though practitioners know they are examining proficiency tests and the tests undergo a review process. This study illustrates the need to continue to monitor trends in proficiency test results and also further highlights the need for well-designed, relevant, blind error rate studies to determine the approximate error rates for casework.     

Background rates of all-cause mortality,hospitalizations, and emergency department visits among nursing home residents in Ontario,Canada to inform COVID-19 vaccine safety assessments

BackgroundNursing home (NH) residents are prioritized for COVID-19 vaccination. We report monthly mortality, hospitalizations, and emergency department (ED) visit incidence rates (IRs) during 2010–2020 to provide context for COVID-19 vaccine safety assessments.MethodsWe observed outcomes among all NH residents in Ontario using administrative databases. IRs were calculated by month, sex, and age group. Comparisons between months were assessed using one-sample t-tests; comparisons by age and sex were assessed using chi-squared tests.ResultsFrom 2010 to 2019, there were 83,453 (SD: 652.4) NH residents per month, with an average of 2.3 (SD: 0.28) deaths, 3.1 (SD: 0.16) hospitalizations, and 3.6 (SD: 0.17) ED visits per 100 residents per month. From March to December 2020, mortality IRs were increased, but hospitalization and ED visit IRs were reduced (p < 0.05).ConclusionWe identified consistent monthly mortality, hospitalization, and ED visit IRs during 2010–2019. Marked differences in these rates were observed during 2020, coinciding with the COVID-19 pandemic.     

Vaccination rates and adherence in pneumococcal conjugate vaccination in mature born infants before and after vaccination schedule change – A claims database analysis

BackgroundIn August 2015, the German Standing Committee on Vaccination (STIKO) changed the pneumococcal conjugate vaccination (PCV) schedule for mature infants from a 3+1 scheme to a 2+1 scheme. It was expected that a reduction of doses would be associated with a higher acceptance of the vaccination. Aim of this study was to assess vaccination rates and adherence for PCV after the change of recommendation based on real-world data.MethodsA retrospective claims data analysis using the InGef Research Database was conducted. The study population consisted of all mature infants born in 2013 (last birth cohort completely under 3+1 recommendation) or 2016 (first birth cohort completely under 2+1 recommendation) with an individual follow-up of 24 months. Hexavalent combination vaccination (HEXA) with a consistent 3+1 recommendation was analyzed as reference.ResultsAfter follow-up of 24 months, 90.9% (91.2%) of the 2016 (2013) cohort received at least one dose of PCV. At the same age, 67.7% of the 2013 cohort received a booster dose according to the 3+1 schedule and 75.6% of the 2016 cohort received a booster dose presumably either according to the 2+1 (71.7%) or 3+1 (3.9%) schedule. Of those receiving the booster dose, only 46.3% (2016) and 45.1% (2013) received the booster dose on time as recommended. The HEXA vaccination rate increased from 88.9% (2013) to 91.6% (2016) with a full series completion in 69.1% (2013) vs 72.9% (2016). The proportion of infants receiving the booster vaccination on time rose to 50.0% in 2016 (47.8% in 2013).ConclusionsAlthough the rate for the PCV booster dose slightly increased, nearly a quarter of the infants born in 2016 did not receive a booster dose at all. Furthermore, vaccinations were still frequently delayed, and the rate of unvaccinated infants remained constant.