Analysis of relative effectiveness of high-dose versus standard-dose influenza vaccines using an instrumental variable method

Background

Observational studies of the relative effectiveness of influenza vaccines are essential for public health decision making. Their estimates, however, are subject to bias due to unmeasured confounders. Instrumental variable (IV) methods can control for observed and unobserved confounders.

Transitional care for patients with surgical pediatric hepatobiliary disease: Choledochal cysts and biliary atresia

Choledochal cysts (CDCs) and biliary atresia (BA) are rare pediatric hepatobiliary anomalies that require surgical intervention due to increased risk of malignancy and liver failure, respectively. The underlying disease and operative procedures place patients at risk for long‐term complications, which may continue to affect them into adulthood. Lack of a transitional care model in the health‐care system potentiates the challenges they will face following aging out of their pediatric providers' care. We sought to elucidate the long‐term complications and challenges patients with CDCs and BA face, review the current literature regarding transitioning care, and propose guidelines aiding adult providers in continued care and surveillance of these patients. A literature review was performed to assess short‐term and long‐term complications after surgery and the current standards for transitioning care in patients with a history of CDCs and BA. While transitional programs exist for patients with other gastrointestinal diseases, there are few that focus on CDCs or BA. Generally, authors encourage medical record transmission from pediatric to adult providers, ensuring accuracy of information and compliance with treatment plans. Patients with CDCs are at risk for developing biliary malignancies, cholangitis, and anastomotic strictures after resection. Patients with BA develop progressive liver failure, necessitating transplantation. There are no consensus guidelines regarding timing of follow up for these patients. Based on the best available evidence, we propose a schema for long‐term surveillance.     

Trans-Pacific tele-ultrasound image transmission of fetal central nervous system structures

Objective: To assess the quality of images and video clips of fetal central nervous (CNS) structures obtained by ultrasound and transmitted via tele-ultrasound from Brazil to Australia.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 15 normal singleton pregnant women between 20 and 26 weeks were selected. Fetal CNS structures were obtained by images and video clips. The exams were transmitted in real-time using a broadband internet and an inexpensive video streaming device. Four blinded examiners evaluated the quality of the exams using the Likert scale. We calculated the mean, standard deviation, mean difference, and p values were obtained from paired t tests.

Results: The quality of the original video clips was slightly better than that observed by the transmitted video clips; mean difference considering all observers = 0.23 points. In 47/60 comparisons (78.3%; 95% CI?=?66.4–86.9%) the quality of the video clips were judged to be the same. In 182/240 still images (75.8%; 95% CI?=?70.0–80.8%) the scores of transmitted image were considered the same as the original.

Conclusion: We demonstrated that long distance tele-ultrasound transmission of fetal CNS structures using an inexpensive video streaming device provided images of subjective good quality.