Development of a Simulation-Based Mastery Learning Curriculum for Breaking Bad News

Introduction

Physician communication impacts patient outcomes. However, communication skills, especially around difficult conversations, remain suboptimal, and there is no clear way to determine the validity of entrustment decisions. The aims of this study were to 1) describe the development of a simulation-based mastery learning (SBML) curriculum for breaking bad news (BBN) conversation skills and 2) set a defensible minimum passing standard (MPS) to ensure uniform skill acquisition among learners.

Evaluating the impact of a targeted brief HIV intervention on multiple inter-related HIV risk factors of knowledge and attitudes among incarcerated drug users

Increases in HIV prevalence indicate ongoing need for HIV interventions. A brief manualized intervention called the Texas Christian University (TCU) WaySafe, which addresses multiple HIV risks, was further evaluated to determine how it addressed individual’s knowledge deficiencies in the assessed risks. The sample of 1,256 offenders in eight correctional substance abuse treatment programs participated either in treatment as usual (TAU) or TCU WaySafe. From multivariate multilevel analysis, WaySafe was more effective in improving the greatest need area, whether knowledge, motivation, or confidence regarding HIV risky behaviors. Findings underscored the importance of addressing HIV risk areas with the greatest need for change and strengthens previous findings of the intervention’s potential for individuals with varying HIV risks.     

Ketorolac use and anastomotic leak in patients with esophageal cancer

ObjectivesRecent evidence has shown an association between postoperative ketorolac use and anastomotic leak in patients undergoing intestinal and colorectal operations, but this relationship has been minimally explored after esophagectomy. As the use of nonopioid pain control and enhanced recovery protocols is increasingly prioritized, determination of a possible correlation between perioperative ketorolac use and leak is essential.MethodsRecords of patients undergoing esophagectomy for adenocarcinoma at a single institution from 2006 to 2018 reviewed for occurrence of anastomotic leak. Institutional pharmacy records were queried for ketorolac administration during the surgical case through the time of discharge. Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine the relationship between ketorolac administration and anastomotic leak.ResultsA total of 1019 patients met inclusion criteria, the majority of whom were male (907, 89%) with a median age of 62 years. Patients predominantly presented with locoregionally advanced disease and were treated with initial chemoradiation. Ketorolac was administered to 686 patients (67%); use was observed to increase over the study period from 49% in 2006 to 92% in 2016. Conversely, anastomotic leak occurred in 87 patients (9%) overall and decreased over time from 15% (11/72) in 2006 to 2% (2/83) in 2018. Upon multivariable analysis, neither ketorolac administration evaluated as a categoric variable (odds ratio, 0.99; P = .958) or as a continuous variable using dose (odds ratio, 1.00; P = .843) demonstrated an association with anastomotic leak.ConclusionsKetorolac in the postoperative period after esophagectomy has become an integral component of enhanced recovery pathways and does not appear to be associated with anastomotic leak.     

Gastrointestinal immunopathology of food protein–induced enterocolitis syndrome and other non-immunoglobulin E–mediated food allergic diseases

ObjectiveTo provide a concise summary of the current literature regarding gastrointestinal immunopathology of food protein–induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES) and other non-immunoglobulin E (IgE)–mediated food allergic diseases.Data SourcesData were extracted from PubMed, MEDLINE, and ScienceDirect databases.Study SelectionsOriginal articles, review articles, and guidelines published in the past 5 years in peer-reviewed journals were first summarized. The original articles cited were then reviewed and relevant results were extracted.ResultsPatients with FPIES and non-IgE–mediated food allergic diseases developed vomiting, diarrhea, and food aversion expelled food allergen from their bodies. Aside from T helper type 2 (T_H2) immunity, T_H1, T_H17, innate immunity, and epithelial mucosal barrier defect were also found to be important in the pathogenesis. Eosinophils, widely identified in the biopsy samples, were key players or were late-recruited cells for tissue repairs in those diseases. Intestinal dysbiosis and their metabolites stimulated enterochromaffin cells or enteroendocrine cells to produce serotonin, interfering with intestinal motility and subsequently affecting brain function. FPIES and non-IgE–mediated food allergic diseases were likely part of the atopic march. Allergic inflammation in intestinal mucosa might result in subsequent inflammation in the airway mucosa, suggesting the theory of “one mucosa, one disease.”ConclusionThe immune responses of FPIES and non-IgE–mediated food allergic diseases were not limited to the gastrointestinal tract, but also trigger wider inflammatory responses beyond it. Further research will be required to determine the systemic effect and intestinal microbiome of those diseases.     

Effects of Mu-Opiate Receptor Gene Polymorphism rs1799971 (A118G) on the Antidepressant and Dissociation Responses in Esketamine Nasal Spray Clinical Trials

BackgroundAt ketamine and esketamine doses at which antidepressant doses are achieved, these agents are relatively selective, noncompetitive, N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonists. However, at substantially higher doses, ketamine has shown mu-opioid receptor (MOR–gene symbol: OPRM1) agonist effects. Preliminary clinical studies showed conflicting results on whether naltrexone, a MOR antagonist, blocks the antidepressant action of ketamine. We examined drug-induced or endogenous MOR involvement in the antidepressant and dissociative responses to esketamine by assessing the effects of a functional single nucleotide polymorphism rs1799971 (A118G) of OPRM1, which is known to alter MOR agonist-mediated responses.MethodsParticipants with treatment-resistant depression from 2 phase III, double-blind, controlled trials of esketamine (or placebo) nasal spray plus an oral antidepressant were genotyped for rs1799971. Participants received the experimental agents twice weekly for 4 weeks. Antidepressant responses were rated using the change in Montgomery–Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) score on days 2 and 28 post-dose initiation, and dissociative side effects were assessed using the Clinician-Administered Dissociative-States Scale at 40 minutes post-dose on days 1 and 25.ResultsIn the esketamine + antidepressant arm, no significant genotype effect of single nucleotide polymorphism rs1799971 (A118G) on MADRS score reductions was detected on either day 2 or 28. By contrast, in the antidepressant + placebo arm, there was a significant genotype effect on MADRS score reductions on day 2 and a nonsignificant trend on day 28 towards an improvement in depression symptoms in G-allele carriers. No significant genotype effects on dissociative responses were detected.ConclusionsVariation in rs1799971 (A118G) did not affect the antidepressant response to esketamine + antidepressant. Antidepressant response to antidepressant + placebo was increased in G-allele carriers, compatible with previous reports that release of endorphins/enkephalins may play a role in mediating placebo effect.Trial Registration{"type":"clinical-trial","attrs":{"text":"NCT02417064","term_id":"NCT02417064"}}NCT02417064 and {"type":"clinical-trial","attrs":{"text":"NCT02418585","term_id":"NCT02418585"}}NCT02418585; www.clinicaltrials.gov