Increasing Quality of Life and Reducing HIV Burden: The PATH+ Intervention

The heightened risk of persons with serious mental illness (SMI) to contract and transmit human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a public health problem. Our objective was test the effectiveness of a community-based advanced practice nurse intervention to promote adherence to HIV and psychiatric treatment regimens call Preventing AIDS Through Health for Positives (PATH+). We enrolled 238 HIV-positive subjects with SMI who were in treatment at community HIV provider agencies from 2004 to 2009. Participants in the intervention group were assigned an advanced practice nurse who provided community-based care management at a minimum of one visit/week and coordinated their medical and mental healthcare for 12 months. A parallel process latent growth curve model using three data points for biomarkers (baseline, 12 and 24 months) and five data points for health related quality of life (baseline, 3, 6, 12, and 24 months) showed moderate to excellent fit for modeling changes in CD4, viral load, and mental and physical SF-12 subscales. Results suggest that positive effects for PATH+ persisted at 24 months; 12 months after the intervention ended. This project demonstrates the effectiveness of a nurse-led, community-based, individually tailored adherence intervention. We demonstrated improved outcomes in individuals with HIV/SMI and regarding health-related quality of life and reductions in disease burden.     

Socioeconomic Status Is Associated with Provision of Bystander Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

Objective. Although socioeconomic status (SES) has been linked to multiple health outcomes, there have been few studies of the effect of SES on the provision of bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) during cardiac arrest events and no studies that we know of on the effect of SES on the provision of dispatcher-assisted bystander CPR. This study sought to define the relationship between SES and the provision of bystander CPR in an emergency medical system that includes dispatcher-provided CPR instructions. Methods. This study was a retrospective, cohort analysis of cardiac arrests due to cardiac causes occurring in private residences in King County, Washington, from January 1, 1999, to December 31, 2005. We used the tax-assessed value of the location of the cardiac arrest as an estimate of the SES of potential bystanders as well as multiple measures from 2000 Census data (education, employment, median household income, and race/ethnicity). We also examined the effect of patient and system characteristics that may affect the provision of bystander CPR. Logistic regression models were used to analyze the association of these factors with two outcomes: the provision of bystander CPR with and without dispatcher assistance. Results. Forty-four percent (1,151/2,618) of cardiac arrest victims received bystander CPR. Four hundred fifty-seven people (17.5% of the entire study population, 39.7% of those who received any bystander CPR) received CPR without telephone instructions. A total of 694 people received dispatcher-assisted bystander CPR (25.6% of the entire population, 60.4% of those receiving any bystander CPR). After adjusting for demographic and care factors, we found a strong association between the tax-assessed value of the cardiac arrest location and increased odds of the provision of bystander CPR without dispatcher instructions and bystander CPR with dispatcher assistance compared with no bystander CPR. Conclusions. This study suggests that higher bystander SES is associated with increased rates of bystander CPR with and without dispatcher instructions. CPR training programs that target lower-SES communities and assessment of these training methods may be warranted.     

Depression and Anxiety Predict Decline in Physical Health Functioning in Patients with Heart Failure

Background  

Few studies have examined the prospective influences of depression and anxiety on physical health functioning in heart failure (HF) patients. Prior studies were also limited by employing psychological measures containing somatic items confounded with HF symptoms.     

The First Reported Case of Anti-Dob Causing an Acute Hemolytic Transfusion Reaction

The antibodies of the Dombrock blood group system have only rarely been encountered in transfusion practice, and anti-Do^b has not previously been implicated in an acute hemolytic transfusion reaction. We have encountered the first such case involving a chronically transfused black female with hemoglobin SS disease and multiple antibodies in her serum. During a previous admission for sickle cell crisis, the patient received 3 units of compatible blood with no untoward effects. Serum obtained 21 days later contained, in addition to the known antibodies, anti-S plus an unidentified antibody showing characteristics of HTLA. Blood lacking the E, K1, Fy(a), Jk(b) and S antigens was obtained, and 2 least incompatible units were transfused. While administering the second unit, the patient complained of fever and low back pain, and hemoglobinemia was detected. Anti-Do^b was identified in the post-reaction samples by absorption-elution tests, and the patient was confirmed to be Do(a+b–). The first unit transfused during this hemolytic episode tested Do (b+). This case, and a similar case involving anti-Do^a reported in 1986, strengthens the belief that Dombrock antibodies are clinically significant and illustrates the need for their differentiation, prior to transfusion from less clinically significant HTLA antibodies.