The American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS) 2022 Expert Consensus Document: The use of mechanical circulatory support in lung transplantation

ObjectiveThe use of mechanical circulatory support (MCS) in lung transplantation has been steadily increasing over the prior decade, with evolving strategies for incorporating support in the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative settings. There is significant practice variability in the use of these techniques, however, and relatively limited data to help establish institutional protocols. The objective of the AATS Clinical Practice Standards Committee (CPSC) expert panel was to review the existing literature and establish recommendations about the use of MCS before, during, and after lung transplantation.MethodsThe AATS CPSC assembled an expert panel of 16 lung transplantation physicians who developed a consensus document of recommendations. The panel was broken into subgroups focused on preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative support, and each subgroup performed a focused literature review. These subgroups formulated recommendation statements for each subtopic, which were evaluated by the entire group. The statements were then developed via discussion among the panel and refined until consensus was achieved on each statement.ResultsThe expert panel achieved consensus on 36 recommendations for how and when to use MCS in lung transplantation. These recommendations included the use of veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) as a bridging strategy in the preoperative setting, a preference for central veno-arterial ECMO over traditional cardiopulmonary bypass during the transplantation procedure, and the benefit of supporting selected patients with MCS postoperatively.ConclusionsAchieving optimal results in lung transplantation requires the use of a wide range of strategies. MCS provides an important mechanism for helping these critically ill patients through the peritransplantation period. Despite the complex nature of the decision making process in the treatment of these patients, the expert panel was able to achieve consensus on 36 recommendations. These recommendations should provide guidance for professionals involved in the care of end-stage lung disease patients considered for transplantation.     

Out of the boxes,out of the silos: The need of interdisciplinary collaboration to reduce poor-quality medical products in the supply chain

In this paper, we argue that understanding and addressing the problem of poor-quality medical products requires a more interdisciplinary approach than has been evident to date. While prospective studies based on rigorous standardized methodologies are the gold standard for measuring the prevalence of poor-quality medical products and understanding their distribution nationally and internationally, they should be complemented by social science research to unpack the complex set of social, economic, and governance factors that underlie these patterns. In the following sections, we discuss specific examples of prospective quality surveys and of social science studies, highlighting the value of cross-sector partnerships in driving high-quality, policy-relevant research in this area.     

Exploring Mothers’ Perspectives About Why Grandparents in Appalachia Give Their Grandchildren Cariogenic Foods and Beverages: A Qualitative Study

BackgroundDental caries is the most common chronic childhood disease. Past studies revealed that grandparents provide their grandchildren with cariogenic foods and beverages (eg, those with free sugars and/or modified starches). Qualitative research can help identify what drives this phenomenon.ObjectiveOur aim was to examine mothers’ explanations for why grandparents in north central and central Appalachia give their grandchildren cariogenic foods and beverages.DesignA qualitative study on children’s oral health in Pennsylvania and West Virginia from 2018 through 2020 was performed. In-person, semi-structured interviews were conducted. Qualitative data from interviews were recorded, transcribed, and then coded using NVivo. Data analysis for this study was performed using thematic analysis with iterative theme development.Participants/settingThe participants were 126 mothers of children aged 3-5 years from West Virginia (n = 66) and Pittsburgh, PA (n = 60).Main outcome measuresMothers’ perspectives about why grandparents give their grandchildren cariogenic foods and beverages were analyzed.ResultsIn the study sample, 85% of mothers (n = 107/126) named at least 1 of their children’s grandparents as a member of their social network responsible for their children’s oral health. From these interviews, 85% of mothers (n = 91/107) discussed that grandparents gave their grandchildren cariogenic foods and beverages. The mothers described the following 4 themes to explain why grandparents gave their grandchildren cariogenic foods and beverages: privilege of the grandparent role; responsibilities of the grandparent role; symbol of care and affection; and limited consideration or understanding of the detrimental impact.ConclusionsGrandparents play a role in giving their grandchildren cariogenic foods and beverages, which could potentially contribute to childhood caries. Research is needed to develop effective social interventions to help some grandparents understand the implications of a cariogenic diet on their grandchildren’s oral health and/or decrease their provision of cariogenic foods and beverages.     

“We see each other from a distance”: Neighbourhood social relationships during the COVID-19 pandemic matter for older adults’ social connectedness

IntroductionWe extend previous research to illustrate how individual, interpersonal and neighbourhood factors in a high-density urban setting in Vancouver, Canada, shape social connectedness experiences of community-dwelling older adults during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsWe conducted 31 semi-structured interviews and collected objective measures of loneliness and social connectedness (surveys).ResultsThree dimensions of the neighbourhood environment influenced social connectedness: (i) interactions with neighbours, (ii) involvement with neighbourhood-based organizations, and (ii) outdoor pedestrian spaces. Seventy-one percent of participants felt a strong sense of belonging to their local community, while 39% were classified as high or extremely lonely.SummaryMany participants leveraged pre-existing social ties to maintain connections during the pandemic. However, volunteer outreach was vital for more isolated older adults. Although many participants felt lonely and isolated at times, the relative ease and accessibility with which they could connect with others in their neighbourhood environment, may have helped mitigate persistent loneliness.ConclusionStrategies that foster social connectedness over the longer term, need to prioritize the needs of older adults who face multiple barriers to equitable social participation.     

英语学界对“母乳不足”现象的认知进化

“母乳最好”的宣传话语在目前育龄人群中几乎耳熟能详,但很多信奉科学育儿、希望母乳喂养的都市女性却发现母乳喂养困难重重,其中遭遇“母乳不足”的案例较为多见。回顾历史发现,“母乳不足”的现象全球普遍存在,这个话题在20世纪80年代的英语学术圈曾引起热议。经过十余年讨论后,学者们基本认同大部分遭遇母乳不足的女性并不是真正的“母乳不足”,而是由于种种社会文化因素干扰造成母乳喂养失败的这一结论,其中产后初期的奶瓶介入是重要原因。术语也由insufficient milk syndrome变为perceived insufficient milk,以此来强调“母乳不足”不是一种病理现象,而更多是一种文化感知。     

基层医疗卫生机构居家护理服务的安全支持和医务人员服务意愿调查研究

背景 人口老龄化趋势下，罹患多种慢性病的失能或半失能老年人对居家医疗护理服务需求迫切，但基层医务人员提供居家医疗护理服务存在较大的医疗风险和安全隐患，加强居家医疗护理服务的安全管理，有利于提高基层医务人员提供居家医疗护理服务的意愿。 目的 调查基层医疗卫生机构对居家护理服务的安全支持情况和医务人员的服务意愿，为进一步推动居家医疗护理服务发展提供参考依据。 方法 2021年8—10月，采用便利抽样法在四川省五大经济区抽取49所基层医疗卫生机构的1 131例医务人员。自行设计调查问卷，以"问卷星"电子问卷的形式收集资料。问卷内容包括医务人员的一般情况（8个条目）、提供居家医疗护理服务的经历（2个条目）、医疗机构对医务人员的安全支持（7个条目）、医务人员的居家医疗护理服务意愿（1个条目）。比较不同特征医务人员提供居家医疗护理服务的意愿，采用二元Logistic回归分析医务人员提供居家医疗护理服务意愿的影响因素。 结果 1 131例基层医务人员中，692例（61.18%）报告有过居家医疗护理服务的经历，193例（17.06%）报告在服务过程中发生过不良事件/安全事件，531例（46.95%）报告其所在医疗机构未评估过患者接受居家医疗护理服务的安全风险，199例（17.60%）表示所在机构评估了医务人员提供居家医疗护理服务的安全风险，299例（26.44%）在居家医疗护理服务过程中使用APP定位系统，273例（24.14%）由机构配备报警、延迟预警等设备，807例（71.35%）表示居家医疗护理服务过程中没有获得所在机构内其他医务人员的支持措施，303例（26.79%）表示机构曾组织居家医疗护理服务的专项研讨活动，352例（31.12%）表示接受过有关居家医疗护理服务专项培训，853例（75.42%）表示愿意提供居家医疗护理服务。二元Logistic回归分析结果显示，就职的基层医疗卫生机构类型，目前受聘的专业技术职称，医疗机构是否评估过患者接受居家医疗护理服务的安全风险，在居家医疗护理服务过程中是否配备报警、延迟预警等设备，是否参加过有关居家医疗护理服务的专项培训，对医务人员提供居家医疗护理服务意愿有影响（P<0.05）。 结论 现阶段居家医疗护理服务的安全支持不足，多种因素影响基层医务人员提供居家医疗护理服务的意愿。基层医疗卫生机构应加强对患者接受居家医疗护理服务安全风险的评估，为提供居家医疗护理服务的医务人员配备报警、延迟预警等设备，积极举办居家医疗护理服务相关的专项培训并鼓励医务人员参加，以降低医务人员提供居家医疗护理服务的风险，保障其人身安全。     

乳腺癌随访和药物副作用管理策略的研究进展

乳腺癌是全球女性发病率最高的恶性肿瘤,随着诊断技术及治疗手段的不断提高,乳腺癌患者接受系统治疗后生存期明显延长。乳腺癌患者需要长时间的随访以便及早监测到局部复发和远处转移。此外,激素敏感性乳腺癌患者还需要给予5~10年的内分泌治疗,针对其副作用的全程管理也需要随访,进而提高患者的生活质量,减轻患者疾病负担。本文就近年来乳腺癌随访相关方面进行简要综述。     

医疗领域人工智能应用的研究进展＊

人工智能引发了医疗领域的数字革命，在推动行业发展方面具有极大潜力。本研究围绕临床诊疗、医学研究和公共卫生三个基本场景，聚焦人工智能与传统中医药的交叉与融合，并着重介绍人工智能在疾病诊断、决策支持、医学研究以及重大公共卫生事件中的应用。虽然人工智能在诸多方面显示出独特优势，但仍存在透明度不高、缺乏安全性评估和相关法律法规监管等问题需要谨慎解决，以促进人工智能技术在医疗领域的推广。