JAMA. 2003;289:2709-2716.
Researchers, clinicians, and policy makers face 3 challenges in writing about race and ethnicity: accounting for the limitations of race/ethnicity data; distinguishing between race/ethnicity as a risk factor or as a risk marker; and finding a way to write about race/ethnicity that does not stigmatize and does not imply a we/they dichotomy between health professionals and populations of color. Josurnals play an important role in setting standards for research and policy literature. The authors outline guidelines that might be used when race and ethnicity are addressed in biomedical publications.
JAMA. 2002;288:1632-1639.
ABSTRACT
Polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) is regarded rightly as the grandfather of the vasculitides. In this Grand Rounds, the case of a 30-year-old man with a 12-year illness is described. The patient presented with daily fevers, tachycardia, and cutaneous ulcers on his distal extremities. He eventually developed mononeuritis multiplex. Because of the striking pattern of his fevers, he was diagnosed for many years as having adult-onset Still disease. Following the addition of daily cyclophosphamide to his long-standing regimen of prednisone, the patient's disease entered remission for the first time in more than a decade. He was ultimately able to discontinue all of his immunosuppressive medications. The case is discussed in the context of the first patient ever described with PAN, the classic report of Kussmaul and Maier.
JAMA. 2008;299(20):2423-2436.
Context Continuing advances in genotyping technologies and the inclusion of DNA collection in observational studies have resulted in an increasing number of genetic association studies. Objective To evaluate the overall progress and contribution of candidate gene association studies to current understanding of the genetic susceptibility to cancer. Data Sources We systematically examined the results of meta-analyses and pooled analyses for genetic polymorphisms and cancer risk published through March 2008. Study Selection We identified 161 meta-analyses and pooled analyses, encompassing 18 cancer sites and 99 genes. Analyses had to meet the following criteria: include at least 500 cases, have cancer risk as outcome, not be focused on HLA antigen genetic markers, and be published in English. Data Extraction Information on cancer site, gene name, variant, point estimate and 95% confidence interval (CI), allelic frequency, number of studies and cases, tests of study heterogeneity, and publication bias were extracted by 1 investigator and reviewed by other investigators. Results These 161 analyses evaluated 344 gene-variant cancer associations and included on average 7.3 studies and 3551 cases (range, 508-19 729 cases) per investigated association. The summary odds ratio (OR) for 98 (28%) statistically significant associations (P value <.05) were further evaluated by estimating the false-positive report probability (FPRP) at a given prior probability and statistical power. At a prior probability level of 0.001 and statistical power to detect an OR of 1.5, 13 gene-variant cancer associations remained noteworthy (FPRP <0.2). Assuming a very low prior probability of 0.000001, similar to a probability assumed for a randomly selected single-nucleotide polymorphism in a genome-wide association study, and statistical power to detect an OR of 1.5, 4 associations were considered noteworthy as denoted by an FPRP value <0.2: GSTM1 null and bladder cancer (OR, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.3-1.6; P = 1.9 x 10–14), NAT2 slow acetylator and bladder cancer (OR, 1.46; 95% CI, 1.26-1.68; P = 2.5 x 10–7), MTHFR C677T and gastric cancer (OR, 1.52; 95% CI, 1.31-1.77; P = 4.9 x 10–8), and GSTM1 null and acute leukemia (OR, 1.20; 95% CI, 1.14-1.25; P = 8.6 x 10–15). When the OR used to determine statistical power was lowered to 1.2, 2 of the 4 noteworthy associations remained so: GSTM1 null with bladder cancer and acute leukemia. Conclusion In this review of candidate gene association studies, nearly one-third of gene-variant cancer associations were statistically significant, with variants in genes encoding for metabolizing enzymes among the most consistent and highly significant associations.
JAMA. 1999;281:163-168.
Context Quality end-of-life care is increasingly recognized as an ethical obligation of health care providers, both clinicians and organizations. However, this concept has not been examined from the perspective of patients. Objective To identify and describe elements of quality end-of-life care from the patient's perspective. Design Qualitative study using in-depth, open-ended, face-to-face interviews and content analysis. Setting Toronto, Ontario. Participants A total of 126 participants from 3 patient groups: dialysis patients (n = 48), people with human immunodeficiency virus infection (n = 40), and residents of a long-term care facility (n = 38). Outcome Measures Participants' views on end-of-life issues. Results Participants identified 5 domains of quality end-of-life care: receiving adequate pain and symptom management, avoiding inappropriate prolongation of dying, achieving a sense of control, relieving burden, and strengthening relationships with loved ones. Conclusion These domains, which characterize patients' perspectives on end-of-life care, can serve as focal points for improving the quality of end-of-life care.
JAMA. 2002;287:755-761.
ABSTRACT
Viral respiratory tract infections are a common cause of asthma attacks. Study of this phenomenon has revealed multiple mechanisms and contributed to understanding of the increase in airway inflammation and bronchoconstriction observed in this context. Changes in the neural control of the airways contribute to bronchoconstriction, which is reflected in an increased efficacy of anticholinergic medications during acute asthma attacks. The ability to prevent or treat viral respiratory tract infections is currently limited. However, as more effective antiviral treatments and vaccines become available, such therapies are likely to be effective in patients with asthma. Clinical management of this problem is illustrated in this article by the case of a 40-year-old woman with history of mild asthma who was admitted to an intensive care unit with severe bronchospasm and an upper respiratory tract infection.
JAMA. 2008;299(7):785-792.
Context Occurrence of in-hospital cardiac arrest and survival patterns have not been characterized by time of day or day of week. Patient physiology and process of care for in-hospital cardiac arrest may be different at night and on weekends because of hospital factors unrelated to patient, event, or location variables. Objective To determine whether outcomes after in-hospital cardiac arrest differ during nights and weekends compared with days/evenings and weekdays. Design and Setting We examined survival from cardiac arrest in hourly time segments, defining day/evening as 7:00 AM to 10:59 PM, night as 11:00 PM to 6:59 AM, and weekend as 11:00 PM on Friday to 6:59 AM on Monday, in 86 748 adult, consecutive in-hospital cardiac arrest events in the National Registry of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation obtained from 507 medical/surgical participating hospitals from January 1, 2000, through February 1, 2007. Main Outcome Measures The primary outcome of survival to discharge and secondary outcomes of survival of the event, 24-hour survival, and favorable neurological outcome were compared using odds ratios and multivariable logistic regression analysis. Point estimates of survival outcomes are reported as percentages with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). Results A total of 58 593 cases of in-hospital cardiac arrest occurred during day/evening hours (including 43 483 on weekdays and 15 110 on weekends), and 28 155 cases occurred during night hours (including 20 365 on weekdays and 7790 on weekends). Rates of survival to discharge (14.7% [95% CI, 14.3%-15.1%] vs 19.8% [95% CI, 19.5%-20.1%], return of spontaneous circulation for longer than 20 minutes (44.7% [95% CI, 44.1%-45.3%] vs 51.1% [95% CI, 50.7%-51.5%]), survival at 24 hours (28.9% [95% CI, 28.4%-29.4%] vs 35.4% [95% CI, 35.0%-35.8%]), and favorable neurological outcomes (11.0% [95% CI, 10.6%-11.4%] vs 15.2% [95% CI, 14.9%-15.5%]) were substantially lower during the night compared with day/evening (all P values < .001). The first documented rhythm at night was more frequently asystole (39.6% [95% CI, 39.0%-40.2%] vs 33.5% [95% CI, 33.2%-33.9%], P < .001) and less frequently ventricular fibrillation (19.8% [95% CI, 19.3%-20.2%] vs 22.9% [95% CI, 22.6%-23.2%], P < .001). Among in-hospital cardiac arrests occurring during day/evening hours, survival was higher on weekdays (20.6% [95% CI, 20.3%-21%]) than on weekends (17.4% [95% CI, 16.8%-18%]; odds ratio, 1.15 [95% CI, 1.09-1.22]), whereas among in-hospital cardiac arrests occurring during night hours, survival to discharge was similar on weekdays (14.6% [95% CI, 14.1%-15.2%]) and on weekends (14.8% [95% CI, 14.1%-15.2%]; odds ratio, 1.02 [95% CI, 0.94-1.11]). Conclusion Survival rates from in-hospital cardiac arrest are lower during nights and weekends, even when adjusted for potentially confounding patient, event, and hospital characteristics.
JAMA. 2008;300(13):1532-1543.
Context In 1999, the US Congress directed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to conduct a pivotal safety and efficacy study of anthrax vaccine adsorbed (AVA). Objective To determine the effects on serological responses and injection site adverse events (AEs) resulting from changing the route of administration of AVA from subcutaneous (SQ) to intramuscular (IM) and omitting the week 2 dose from the licensed schedule. Design, Setting, and Participants Assessment of the first 1005 enrollees in a multisite, randomized, double-blind, noninferiority, phase 4 human clinical trial (ongoing from May 2002). Intervention Healthy adults received AVA by the SQ (reference group) or IM route at 0, 2, and 4 weeks and 6 months (4-SQ or 4-IM; n = 165-170 per group) or at a reduced 3-dose schedule (3-IM; n = 501). A control group (n = 169) received saline injections at the same time intervals. Main Outcome Measures Noninferiority at week 8 and month 7 of anti–protective antigen IgG geometric mean concentration (GMC), geometric mean titer (GMT), and proportion of responders with a 4-fold rise in titer (%4xR). Reactogenicity outcomes were proportions of injection site and systemic AEs. Results At week 8, the 4-IM group (GMC, 90.8 µg/mL; GMT, 1114.8; %4xR, 97.7) was noninferior to the 4-SQ group (GMC, 105.1 µg/mL; GMT, 1315.4; %4xR, 98.8) for all 3 primary end points. The 3-IM group was noninferior for only the %4xR (GMC, 52.2 µg/mL; GMT, 650.6; %4xR, 94.4). At month 7, all groups were noninferior to the licensed regimen for all end points. Solicited injection site AEs assessed during examinations occurred at lower proportions in the 4-IM group compared with 4-SQ. The odds ratio for ordinal end point pain reported immediately after injection was reduced by 50% for the 4-IM vs 4-SQ groups (P < .001). Route of administration did not significantly influence the occurrence of systemic AEs. Conclusions The 4-IM and 3-IM regimens of AVA provided noninferior immunological priming by month 7 when compared with the 4-SQ licensed regimen. Intramuscular administration significantly reduced the occurrence of injection site AEs. Trial Registration clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00119067
JAMA. 1999;281:268-274.
Physicians increasingly face conflicts between the ethic of undivided loyalty to patients and pressure to use clinical methods and judgment for social purposes and on behalf of third parties. The principal legal and ethical paradigms by which these conflicts are managed are inadequate, because they either deny or unsuccessfully finesse the reality of contradiction between fidelity to patients and society's other expectations of medicine. This reality needs to be more squarely acknowledged. The challenge for ethics and law is not to resolve this tension—an impossible task—but to mediate it in myriad clinical circumstances in a way that preserves the primacy of keeping faith with patients while conceding the legitimacy of society's other expectations of medicine.