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.     

Clinicians' Views of Patient-initiated Follow-up in Head and Neck Cancer: a Qualitative Study to Inform the PETNECK2 Trial

AimsCurrent follow-up for head and neck cancer (HNC) is ineffective, expensive and fails to address patients' needs. The PETNECK2 trial will compare a new model of patient-initiated follow-up (PIFU) with routine scheduled follow-up. This article reports UK clinicians' views about HNC follow-up and PIFU, to inform the trial design.Materials and methodsOnline focus groups with surgeons (ear, nose and throat/maxillofacial), oncologists, clinical nurse specialists and allied health professionals. Clinicians were recruited from professional bodies, mailing lists and personal contacts. Focus groups explored views on current follow-up and acceptability of the proposed PIFU intervention and randomised controlled trial design (presented by the study co-chief investigator), preferences, margins of equipoise, potential organisational barriers and thoughts about the content and format of PIFU. Data were interpreted using inductive thematic analysis.ResultsEight focus groups with 34 clinicians were conducted. Clinicians highlighted already known limitations with HNC follow-up – lack of flexibility to address the wide-ranging needs of HNC patients, expense and lack of evidence – and agreed that follow-up needs to change. They were enthusiastic about the PETNECK2 trial to develop and evaluate PIFU but had concerns that PIFU may not suit disengaged patients and may aggravate patient anxiety/fear of recurrence and delay detection of recurrence. Anticipated issues with implementation included ensuring a reliable route back to clinic and workload burden on nurses and allied health professionals.ConclusionsClinicians supported the evaluation of PIFU but voiced concerns about barriers to help-seeking. An emphasis on patient engagement, psychosocial issues, symptom reporting and reliable, quick routes back to clinic will be important. Certain patient groups may be less suited to PIFU, which will be evaluated in the trial. Early, meaningful, ongoing engagement with clinical teams and managers around the trial rationale and recruitment process will be important to discourage selective recruitment and address risk-averse behaviour and potential workload burden.     

光学相干断层扫描血管成像对玻璃体腔注射雷珠单抗治疗湿性年龄相关性黄斑变性的随访观察

目的 利用光学相干断层扫描血管成像(OCTA)观察雷珠单抗玻璃体腔注射3次+必要时(3+PRN)方案治疗湿性年龄相关性黄斑变性(AMD)的图像特征。方法 选取2016年9月至2017年5月经荧光素眼底血管造影(FFA)、吲哚菁绿血管造影(ICGA)检查确诊且未予治疗的湿性AMD患者8例8只眼,按照3+PRN治疗方案给予玻璃体腔注射雷珠单抗(0.5 mg/0.05 ml)治疗,采用OCTA 6 mm×6 mm范围模式扫描黄斑区视网膜,在患者治疗前,治疗后1、3、6个月进行规律的门诊随访,记录患者最小分辨角对数(logMAR)矫正视力、脉络膜新生血管(CNV)分型、CNV形态特征及变化、黄斑中心凹视网膜厚度(CRT)、黄斑区视网膜外层血流密度(ORVD)及脉络膜毛细血管层血流密度(CCVD)。结果 男性4例4只眼,女性4例4只眼,平均年龄(70.9±10.6)岁;3只眼为Ⅰ型CNV,5只眼为Ⅱ型CNV。治疗前,治疗后1、3、6个月最佳矫正视力(BCVA)分别为0.55(0.33,0.87)、0.35(0.24,0.84)、0.35(0.22,0.58)、0.26(0.10,0.58)logMAR,各组间差异均无统计学意义(P均>0.05);CRT分别为(271.88±91.95)、(204.00±45.78)、(196.00±31.14)、(219.25±71.32)μm,其中,治疗3个月与治疗前差异有统计学意义(t=2.211,P=0.044);ORVD分别为(41.38±2.77)%、(41.73±3.60)%、(42.53±1.95)%、(41.40±2.33)%,各组间差异均无统计学意义(P均>0.05);CCVD分别为(64.38±2.24)%、(64.96±1.39)%、(64.16±1.39)%、(64.63±1.86)%,各组间差异也均无统计学意义(P均>0.05)。相关性分析结果显示,BCVA与CRT(P=0.009, RR=0.457)和CCVD(P=0.001,RR=0.574)显著相关,与ORVD(P=0.093,RR=0.302)不相关。治疗前CNV形态特征,2只眼为团状,2只眼为线条样,2只眼为纠缠错乱状,1只眼为椭圆环形,1只眼为碎片样。治疗1个月,7只眼CNV形态趋于正常化,表现为CNV最大直径减小、断裂/破碎、周边毛细血管丢失、数量和密度下降、所在区域最大横截面积减小;1只眼CNV形态较前恶化,表现为CNV吻合成环、密度增加、最大血管直径增加。治疗3个月,7只眼CNV形态趋于正常化,1只眼较前无明显变化。治疗6个月,5只眼CNV趋于正常化,3只眼恶化。随访中未发现眼内感染或玻璃体内注射的其他并发症。结论 利用OCTA技术观察CNV特征能够评估湿性AMD患者接受雷珠单抗治疗的疗效,可为湿性AMD患者的治疗与随访提供指导。     

Can We Discharge Dynamically Risk-Stratified Low-Risk (Excellent Response to Treatment) Thyroid Cancer Patients After 5 Years of Follow-Up?

Aims

The 2014 British Thyroid Association thyroid cancer guidelines recommend lifelong follow-up of thyroid cancer patients. This is probably unnecessary, can cause patient anxiety, is time consuming and places significant demand on National Health Service resources. It has been suggested that low-risk differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) patients could be discharged to primary care once they are 5 years from diagnosis and treatment. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential safety of this practice.

Homocysteine might increase the risk of recurrence in patients presenting with primary cerebral infarction

Purpose: Although hyperhomocysteinemia (Hhcy) is a risk factor for cerebral infarction, its effect on recurrent cerebral infarction is less-defined. We aimed to investigate the association of Hhcy and increased risk of recurrent cerebral infarct.

Materials and methods: From 2011 to 2013, we recruited 231 primary cerebral infarct patients that were divided to a Hhcy group (n?=?105) and a control group (n?=?126) according to plasma homocysteinemia (Hcy) levels exceeding 15?μmol/L. In this prospective study, risk factors such as gender, age, blood lipid and glucose levels, history of diabetes, high blood pressure, smoking habits and plasma Hhcy levels were determined. A three-year follow-up compared differences in cerebral infarction recurrence rates. Statistical analyses identified whether plasma Hhcy levels were an independent risk factor for recurrent cerebral infarction.

Results: Triglyceride and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels in the Hhcy group were significantly higher than controls, and cerebral infarct recurrence rates in the Hhcy group exceeded control subject rates through the three-year follow-up (p?=?.021, p?=?.036 and p?=?.025). Cox proportional hazards modeling showed that elevated Hhcy levels (hazard ratio [HR]?=?3.062, p?<?.001), increased age (HR?=?1.069, p?<?.01), circulating triglyceride levels (HR?=?1.686, p?=?.048), and relative National Institutes of Health Stroke (NIHSS) score (HR?=?1.068, p?=?.016) were risk factors for recurrent cerebral infarction.

Conclusions: Level of Hhcy was a risk factor for recurrent cerebral infarction. Further, particular demographic and clinical outcomes including age, relative NIHSS scores, and circulating triglyceride levels were markedly associated with the occurrence of cerebral infarction.     

Sécurisation de la prise en charge médicamenteuse des patients sous antipsychotiques : impact de la collaboration médico-pharmaceutique à la Maison d’Arrêt de Lyon-Corbas

ObjectiveAntipsychotics are the standard treatment for psychosis. However, when combined with other lifestyle factors they are partially responsible for an excessive mortality rate. A clinical and paraclinical monitoring of patients is therefore necessary. In 2011, this element led doctors and pharmacists to improve monitoring and formalize a follow-up adapted to inmate patients. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of medical-pharmaceutical collaboration on monitoring quality of patients treated by antipsychotics.MethodsThis is a retrospective study including all patients treated by antipsychotics for at least 6 months in 2011 and again in 2015. Data were collected from medical files. The indicator assessing the monitoring quality was the compliance percentage, of registred parameters for each patient on the basis of specific guidelines.ResultsIn 2015 compared to 2011, the monitoring quality increased for 9 out of 10 parameters. This improvement was statisticaly significant for 7 of them : Body Mass Index, lipid test, complete blood count, transaminase, ionogram, glycemia, glomerular filtration rate.ConclusionThe actions of improvement collectivelly implemented in 2011 had a concrete impact on patients in the follow-up in 2015.