Factor XIII Val34Leu polymorphism and recurrent myocardial infarction in patients with coronary artery disease

Factor XIII (FXIII) is necessary for cross linking of fibrin strands and generation of stable fibrin clot. FXIII Val34Leu is a common genetic single nucleotide polymorphism that has been associated with accelerated fibrin stabilization and reduced rate of fibrinolysis. The contribution of Val34Leu to long term risk of recurrent myocardial infarction (MI) in patients with coronary stenting has not been conclusively established. The objective of the study was to examine the effects of Val34Leu on fibrin generation, platelet aggregation, and long term clinical outcomes in patients with coronary artery disease treated with dual antiplatelet therapy. Patients with angiographically documented coronary artery disease who were treated with aspirin and clopidogrel were enrolled (n = 211). Light transmittance aggregometry and plasma fibrin clot formation using thrombelastography (TEG) were determined. Genotyping of Val34Leu was performed using Taqman assay. Clinical events during follow up were recorded. Homozygous carriers of 34Leu variant had significantly shorter fibrin clot formation time as compared to wild type individuals (TEG K: 1.27 ± 0.3 vs. 1.68 ± 1.1 min, p = 0.011). The Val34Leu variant was associated with gene dose dependent increased risk of MI (log rank, p = 0.002) or occurrence of composite of MI and CV death (log rank, p = 0.005) with highest event rates observed in homozygous carriers of 34Leu. In summary, FXIII Val34Leu polymorphism was associated with increased rate of fibrin stabilization in homozygous carriers of the variant and may increase risk of recurrent MI and death in patients with angiographically established coronary artery disease treated with dual antiplatelet therapy.     

Outcomes of gynecologic oncology patients undergoing robotic-assisted laparoscopic procedures in a university setting

This study evaluated intraoperative complications and postoperative outcomes of gynecologic oncology patients undergoing robotic-assisted (RA) laparoscopic procedures in a university setting. A retrospective chart review evaluated all gynecologic oncology patients at the University of Alabama at Birmingham who underwent attempted RA procedures between August 2006 and October 2011. Patient demographics, medical/surgical history, intraoperative complications, postoperative outcomes, conversion rates, readmission rates, and length of stay were examined. Total complication rates were assessed over time for each surgeon. 681 patients underwent planned RA procedures by seven gynecologic oncologists. The mean body mass index was 33.5 kg/m² (range 16.6–71.0 kg/m²). 61.4 % were diagnosed with malignancy. The most common procedure was RA hysterectomy with unilateral/bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (37.2 %). Robotic staging was performed in 291 patients (45.1 %). Mean estimated blood loss was 75 ml (range 5–700 ml). 36 patients (5.3 %) were converted to laparotomy. The most common reason for conversion was adhesions (30.1 %), followed by uterine size (22.2 %). In 107 cases, a surgical modification was required for specimen removal including mini-laparotomy (24), extension of accessory port (36), morcellation (9), and difficult vaginal delivery (38). 3.7 % had intraoperative complications; 6 patients had a cystotomy and 5 had a vascular injury. Postoperatively, 20 patients had a febrile episode, 9 had wound complications, and 3 had a vaginal cuff dehiscence. 27 (4.2 %) patients were readmitted within 30 days. Complication rates and conversion rates were similar per surgeon. Total complication rates for evaluable surgeons were similar between the first 10 cases and subsequent 50 cases. Although patients undergoing RA procedures in a university setting are high risk, the conversion rate to laparotomy is low and intraoperative and postoperative complications are acceptable. Total complication rates for each surgeon were not impacted by the number of cases performed.     

Are Veterans Getting Their Preferred Depression Treatment? A National Observational Study in the Veterans Health Administration

BackgroundPhysician responsiveness to patient preferences for depression treatment may improve treatment adherence and clinical outcomes.ObjectiveTo examine associations of patient treatment preferences with types of depression treatment received and treatment adherence among Veterans initiating depression treatment.DesignPatient self-report surveys at treatment initiation linked to medical records.SettingVeterans Health Administration (VA) clinics nationally, 2018–2020.ParticipantsA total of 2582 patients (76.7% male, mean age 48.7 years, 62.3% Non-Hispanic White)Main MeasuresPatient self-reported preferences for medication and psychotherapy on 0–10 self-anchoring visual analog scales (0=“completely unwilling”; 10=“completely willing”). Treatment receipt and adherence (refilling medications; attending 3+ psychotherapy sessions) over 3 months. Logistic regression models controlled for socio-demographics and geographic variables.Key ResultsMore patients reported strong preferences (10/10) for psychotherapy than medication (51.2% versus 36.7%, McNemar χ²₁=175.3, p<0.001). A total of 32.1% of patients who preferred (7–10/10) medication and 21.8% who preferred psychotherapy did not receive these treatments. Patients who strongly preferred medication were substantially more likely to receive medication than those who had strong negative preferences (odds ratios [OR]=17.5; 95% confidence interval [CI]=12.5–24.5). Compared with patients who had strong negative psychotherapy preferences, those with strong psychotherapy preferences were about twice as likely to receive psychotherapy (OR=1.9; 95% CI=1.0–3.5). Patients who strongly preferred psychotherapy were more likely to adhere to psychotherapy than those with strong negative preferences (OR=3.3; 95% CI=1.4–7.4). Treatment preferences were not associated with medication or combined treatment adherence. Patients in primary care settings had lower odds of receiving (but not adhering to) psychotherapy than patients in specialty mental health settings. Depression severity was not associated with treatment receipt or adherence.ConclusionsMismatches between treatment preferences and treatment type received were common and associated with worse treatment adherence for psychotherapy. Future research could examine ways to decrease mismatch between patient preferences and treatments received and potential effects on patient outcomes.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11606-021-07136-2.KEY WORDS: major depression, treatment preferences, treatment adherence, Veterans     

颈动脉狭窄的筛查美国预防服务特别工作组对证据的更新

背景 在美国,脑血管病是导致死亡的第3位原因.在所有卒中病例中,由既往无症状颈动脉狭窄(carotid artery stenosis,CAS)造成的比例并不高.1996年,美国预防服务特别工作组得出结论,没有充分的证据推荐或反对通过体格检查或颈动脉超声在无症状患者中对CAS进行筛查.目的 评估采用双功能超声对无症状患者进行筛查以及应用颈动脉内膜切除术(carotid endarterectomy,CEA)对CAS进行治疗的利弊.数据来源 Medline和Cochrane数据库(检索日期为1994年1月-2007年4月)、最近的系统评价、检索文章的参考文献以及专家的建议.研究选择 选择对CAS进行筛查的英文随机对照试验(randomized controlled trial,RCT)、对CEA与药物治疗进行比较的RCT、筛查试验的系统评价以及对CEA害处的观察性研究,以回答下列问题:是否有直接证据表明使用超声筛查无症状CAS能降低卒中风险? 超声检测CAS的准确性如何? CEA治疗能否降低卒中残疾率或病死率? CAS筛查或CEA治疗是否会给患者带来伤害? 数据提取 使用预先确定的特殊工作组标准,对所有研究进行评估、提炼和质量评定.数据综合 至今尚未进行过CAS筛查的RCT.根据系统评价,超声检测CAS的敏感性约为94%,特异性约为92%.在经过选择的患者中由选定的外科医生进行手术治疗可使5年卒中风险降低约5%.在RCT中,CEA的30 d卒中和死亡发生率为2.7%～4.7%,而在观察性研究中的发生率更高(高达6.7%).局限性 证据不足以对有临床意义的CAS进行风险分层.对患者行CEA与药物治疗相比较的RCT是在经过选择的人群中由特定的外科医生实施的.结论 对无症状患者进行CAS筛查以及进行CEA治疗造成的实际卒中风险降低率尚不清楚;由于整个无症状人群中可治疗疾病的总体患病率不高且治疗会造成一定的害处,因此筛查的益处受到限制.     

A comparative study of the mini-mult and the MMPI-168

Derived multiple regression equations that permitted estimation of MMPI scores from the Mini-Mult, from data on 165 patients. These transformations were evaluated on 58 patients from the same population and on 46 patients from a similar population. The practicality of estimating SI scores from data in the Mini-Mult also was investigated. The Mini-Mult, under these restricted conditions, performed at a level comparable to the MMPI-168 (using standard estimation procedures) in terms of usual measures of correspondence to the full MMPI. Prediction of SI scores from the Mini-Mult was only marginally adequate.     

Weathering the storm: challenges to nurses providing care to nursing home residents during hurricanes

This article documents the experience of 291 Florida nursing homes during the 2004 hurricane season. Using quantitative and qualitative methods, the authors described and compared the challenges nurses encountered when evacuating residents with their experiences assisting residents of facilities that sheltered in place. The primary concerns for evacuating facilities were accessing appropriate evacuation sites for residents and having ambulance transportation contracts honored. The main issue for facilities that sheltered in place was the length of time it took for power to be restored. Barriers to maintaining resident health during disasters for those who evacuated or sheltered in place are identified.     

Giant proliferating trichilemmal cyst arising from a nevus sebaceus growing for 30 years

Nevus sebaceus of Jadassohn, a congenital cutaneous hamartoma, has the potential to develop into various epidermal adnexal‐origin neoplasms. While the most common neoplasms are trichoblastoma or syringocystadenoma, proliferating trichilemmal cysts are exceptionally rare. We report a case of a 63‐year‐old Cuban male with a giant proliferating trichilemmal cyst arising from a nevus sebaceus on the right shoulder which had been growing for 30 years. Proliferating trichilemmal cysts arising from nevus sebaceus cases are difficult to diagnose clinically and histologically as they are very rare and have not been defined by exact diagnostic criteria. Our case creates awareness of this particular tumor in nevus sebaceus and shares clinical and histological diagnostic information that can be used to make a proper diagnosis.