AbstractTeaching and learning practices often fail to incorporate new concepts in the ever-evolving field of medical education. Although medical education research provides new insights into curricular development, learners’ engagement, assessment methods, professional development, interprofessional education, and so forth, faculty members often struggle to modernize their teaching practices. Communities of practice (CoP) for faculty development offer an effective and sustainable approach for knowledge management and implementation of best practices. A successful CoP creates and shares knowledge in the context of a specific practice toward the development of expertise. CoPs’ collaborative nature, based on the co-creation of practical solutions to daily problems, aligns well with the goals of applying best practices in health professions education and training new faculty members. In our article, we share 12 tips for implementing a community of practice for faculty development. The tips were based on a comprehensive literature review and the authors’ experiences. 相似文献
Introduction: In early childhood, wheezing due to lower respiratory tract illness is often associated with infection by commonly known respiratory viruses such as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and human rhinovirus (RV). How respiratory viral infections lead to wheeze and/or asthma is an area of active research.
Areas covered: This review provides an updated summary of the published information on the development of post-viral induced atopy and asthma and the mechanisms involved. We focus on the contribution of animal models in identifying pathways that may contribute to atopy and asthma following respiratory virus infection, different polymorphisms that have been associated with asthma development, and current options for disease management and potential future interventions.
Expert commentary: Currently there are no prophylactic therapies that prevent infants infected with respiratory viruses from developing asthma or atopy. Neither are there curative therapies for patients with asthma. Therefore, a better understanding of genetic factors and other associated biomarkers in respiratory viral induced pathogenesis is important for developing effective personalized therapies. 相似文献
Private hospital rooms have a number of potential advantages compared to shared rooms, including reduced noise and increased control over the hospital environment. However, the association of room type with patient experience metrics in total joint arthroplasty (TJA) patients is currently unclear.
Methods
For private versus shared rooms, we compared our institutional Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) scores in patients who underwent primary TJA over a 2-year period. Regression model odds ratios (ORs) were adjusted for surgeon, date of surgery, and length of stay.
Results
Patients in private rooms were more likely to report a top-box score for overall hospital rating (85.6% vs 79.4%, OR = 1.53, P = .011), hospital recommendation (89.3% vs 83.0%, OR = 1.78, P = .002), call button help (76.0% vs 68.7%, OR = 1.40, P = .028), and quietness (70.4% vs 59.0%, OR = 1.78, P < .001). There were no significant differences on surgeon metrics including listening (P = .225), explanations (P = .066), or treatment with courtesy and respect (P = .396).
Conclusion
For patients undergoing TJA, private hospital rooms were associated with superior performance on patient experience metrics. This association appears specific for global and hospital-related metrics, with little impact on surgeon evaluations. With the utilization of HCAHPS data in value-based initiatives, placement of TJA patients in private rooms may lead to increased reimbursement and higher hospital rankings.
Since accelerated atherosclerosis has been reported in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), predictive biomarkers of cardiovascular disease (CVD) are needed. Among non-traditional risk factors, bone mineral density (BMD) has been related to CVD. However, its role in SLE remains controversial. This study aims to analyze the associations of subclinical atherosclerosis with traditional and non-traditional CV risk factors.
Methods and results
In a cross-sectional study, atherosclerosis burden was compared between 112 female SLE patients and 31 controls. Plaque number and carotid intima-media wall thickness (cIMT) were assessed by ultrasonography. In a retrospective study, BMD determinations obtained 5-years before the ultrasonography assessment were analyzed in a subgroup of 62 patients. Plaque frequency was increased in SLE, even in patients without CV events or carotid wall thickening. cIMT was increased in patients with CVD, positively correlated with body mass index (BMI). Interestingly, a paradoxical effect of BMI on carotid parameters was observed. Whereas underweight patients (BMI < 20) showed increased prevalence of carotid plaques with low cIMT, those with BMI > 30 showed higher cIMT and plaque burden. Overweight patients (25 < BMI<30) exhibited both elevated cIMT and plaque number. BMI was an independent predictor of BMD. In our retrospective study, patients with either clinical or subclinical CVD exhibited lower BMD levels than their CV-free counterparts. A low lumbar spine BMD independently predicted CVD development after adjusting for confounders.
Conclusion
SLE was associated with a higher subclinical atherosclerosis burden, a bimodal effect being observed for BMI. Decreased BMD can be a CV risk biomarker in SLE. 相似文献
There are conflicting data regarding the relative effectiveness of renal sympathetic denervation (RSD) in patients with hypertension.
Objectives
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the blood pressure (BP) response after RSD in sham-controlled randomized trials.
Methods
Databases were searched through June 30, 2018. Randomized trials (RCTs) with ≥50 patients comparing catheter-based RSD with a sham control were included. The authors calculated summary treatment estimates as weighted mean differences (WMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using random-effects meta-analysis.
Results
The analysis included 977 patients from 6 trials. The reduction in 24-h ambulatory systolic blood pressure (ASBP) was significantly greater for patients treated with RSD than sham procedure (WMD ?3.65 mm Hg, 95% CI: ?5.33 to ?1.98; p < 0.001). Compared with sham, RSD was also associated with a significant decrease in daytime ASBP (WMD ?4.07 mm Hg, 95% CI: ?6.46 to ?1.68; p < 0.001), office systolic BP (WMD ?5.53 mm Hg, 95% CI: ?8.18 to ?2.87; p < 0.001), 24-h ambulatory diastolic BP (WMD ?1.71 mm Hg, 95% CI: ?3.06 to ?0.35; p = 0.01), daytime ambulatory diastolic BP (WMD ?1.57 mm Hg, 95% CI: ?2.73 to ?0.42; p = 0.008), and office diastolic BP (WMD ?3.37 mm Hg, 95% CI: ?4.86 to ?1.88; p < 0.001). Compared with first-generation trials, a significantly greater reduction in daytime ASBP was observed with RSD in second-generation trials (6.12 mm Hg vs. 2.14 mm Hg; p interaction = 0.04); however, this interaction was not significant for 24-h ASBP (4.85 mm Hg vs. 2.23 mm Hg; p interaction = 0.13).
Conclusions
RSD significantly reduced blood pressure compared with sham control. Results of this meta-analysis should inform the design of larger, pivotal trials to evaluate the long-term efficacy and safety of RSD in patients with hypertension. 相似文献
This study reported a hospital outbreak due to an extensively drug-resistant (XDR) OXA-72-producing strain of Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii).
Methods and Results
The isolates were found to be genotypically indistinguishable by whole-genome multiple locus sequence typing, and to belong to the international clonal complex CC2. One of these isolates sequentially developed a high resistance to colistin and rifampicin under treatment, as a result of mutations in genes pmrB and rpoB, respectively. The blaOXA-72 gene was localised on a 10-kb transferable plasmid, named pAB-STR-1, whose sequence is nearly identical to that of another plasmid previously found in Lithuanian strains, pAB120.
Conclusion
This report highlighted the need to carefully monitor the emergence of colistin and rifampicin resistance in patients treated for infections with multidrug-resistant A. baumannii. 相似文献
BackgroundThe efficacy of ticagrelor in the long-term post–ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) treated with fibrinolytic therapy remains uncertain.ObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of ticagrelor when compared with clopidogrel in STEMI patients treated with fibrinolytic therapy.MethodsThis international, multicenter, randomized, open-label with blinded endpoint adjudication trial enrolled 3,799 patients (age <75 years) with STEMI receiving fibrinolytic therapy. Patients were randomized to ticagrelor (180-mg loading dose, 90 mg twice daily thereafter) or clopidogrel (300- to 600-mg loading dose, 75 mg daily thereafter). The key outcomes were cardiovascular mortality, myocardial infarction, or stroke, and the same composite outcome with the addition of severe recurrent ischemia, transient ischemic attack, or other arterial thrombotic events at 12 months.ResultsThe combined outcome of cardiovascular mortality, myocardial infarction, or stroke occurred in 129 of 1,913 patients (6.7%) receiving ticagrelor and in 137 of 1,886 patients (7.3%) receiving clopidogrel (hazard ratio: 0.93; 95% confidence interval: 0.73 to 1.18; p = 0.53). The composite of cardiovascular mortality, myocardial infarction, stroke, severe recurrent ischemia, transient ischemic attack, or other arterial thrombotic events occurred in 153 of 1,913 patients (8.0%) treated with ticagrelor and in 171 of 1,886 patients (9.1%) receiving clopidogrel (hazard ratio: 0.88; 95% confidence interval: 0.71 to 1.09; p = 0.25). The rates of major, fatal, and intracranial bleeding were similar between the ticagrelor and clopidogrel groups.ConclusionAmong patients age <75 years with STEMI, administration of ticagrelor after fibrinolytic therapy did not significantly reduce the frequency of cardiovascular events when compared with clopidogrel. (Ticagrelor in Patients With ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction Treated With Pharmacological Thrombolysis [TREAT]; NCT02298088) 相似文献
There is an urgent need for new anti-tuberculosis (TB) drugs and optimization of current TB treatment. Moxifloxacin and linezolid are valuable options for the treatment of drug-resistant TB; however, it is crucial to find a dose at which these drugs not only show high efficacy but also suppress the development of further drug resistance.
Methods
Activity of moxifloxacin and linezolid against Mycobacterium tuberculosis was studied in the hollow-fiber infection model system in log-phase growth under neutral pH and slow growth in an acidic environment. Doses that achieved maximum bacterial kill while suppressing the emergence of drug resistance were determined. Through Monte Carlo simulations the quantitative output of this in vitro study was bridged to the human patient population to inform optimal dosage regimens while accounting for clinical minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) distributions.
Results and Discussion
Moxifloxacin activity was significantly decreased in an acidified environment. The loss of activity was compensated by accumulation of the drug in TB lung lesions; therefore, moderate efficacy can be expected. Moxifloxacin 800 mg/day is the dose that most likely leads to resistance suppression while exerting maximum bacterial kill. Linezolid demonstrated very good activity even at a reduced pH. Linezolid 900 mg once-daily (QD) is likely to achieve a maximum killing effect and prevent the emergence of drug resistance; 600 mg QD in a robust drug regimen may have similar potential. 相似文献
To qualitatively and quantitatively compare unenhanced ultra-low-dose chest computed tomography (ULD-CT) acquired at 80 kVp and 135 kVp.
Materials and methods
Fifty-one patients referred for unenhanced chest CT were prospectively included. There were 29 men and 22 women, with a mean age of 64.7 ± 11.6 (SD) years (range: 35–91 years) and a mean body mass index of 26.2 ± 6.3 (SD) (range: 17–54.9). All patients underwent two different ULD-CT protocols (80 kVp-40 mA and 135 kVp-10 mA). Image quality of both ULD-CT examinations using a 5-level scale as well as assessability of 6 predetermined lung parenchyma lesions were blindly evaluated by three radiologists and compared using a logistic regression model. Image noise of the two protocols was compared with Wilcoxon signed-rank test.
Results
The mean dose-length product at 80 kVp and at 135 kVp were 14.7 ± 1.8 (SD) mGy.cm and 15.6 ± 1.9 (SD) mGy.cm, respectively (P < 0.001). Image noise was significantly lower at 135 kVp (58.9 ± 12.4) than at 80 kVp (74.7 ± 14.5) (P < 0.001). For all readers and for all examinations, the 135 kVp protocol yielded better image quality than 80 kVp protocol, with a mean qualitative score of 4.5 ± 0.7 versus 3.9 ± 0.8 (P < 0.001). The 135 kVp protocol was significantly more often of diagnostic quality than the 80 kvp protocol (92.3% versus 77.8%, respectively) (P < 0.001) and was less prone to image quality deterioration in obese patients. Parenchymal lesions were never better depicted on the 80 kVp protocol than with the 135 kVp protocol.
Conclusion
Unenhanced chest ULD-CT should be acquired at a high kilovoltage and low current, such as 135 kVp-10 mA, over a low kilovoltage and high current protocol. 相似文献