Risk communication in a patient decision aid for radiotherapy in breast cancer: How to deal with uncertainty?

Background and aimPatient decision aids for oncological treatment options, provide information on the effect on recurrence rates and/or survival benefit, and on side-effects and/or burden of different treatment options. However, often uncertainty exists around the probability estimates for recurrence/survival and side-effects which is too relevant to be ignored. Evidence is lacking on the best way to communicate these uncertainties. The aim of this study is to develop a method to incorporate uncertainties in a patient decision aid for breast cancer patients to support their decision on radiotherapy.MethodsFirstly, qualitative interviews were held with patients and health care professionals. Secondly, in the development phase, thinking aloud sessions were organized with four patients and 12 health care professionals, individual and group-wise.ResultsConsensus was reached on a pictograph illustrating the whole range of uncertainty for local recurrence risks, in combination with textual explanation that a more exact personalized risk would be given by their own physician. The pictograph consisted of 100 female icons in a 10 x 10 array. Icons with a stepwise gradient color indicated the uncertainty margin. The prevalence and severity of possible side-effects were explained using verbal labels.ConclusionsWe developed a novel way of visualizing uncertainties in recurrence rates in a patient decision aid. The effect of this way of communicating risk uncertainty is currently being tested in the BRASA study (NCT03375801).     

妊娠早期糖化血红蛋白联合PAPP-A对妊娠期糖尿病的预测意义

目的:探讨妊娠早期血清学指标糖化血红蛋白(glycohemoglobin,HbA1c)联合妊娠相关血浆蛋白A(pregnancy-associated plasma protein A,PAPP-A)对妊娠期糖尿病(gestational diabetes mellitus,GDM)的预测意义。方法:随机选取2018年12月1日-2019年7月30日孕11~13+6周于我院门诊产检的妊娠妇女,进行临床资料采集并记录妊娠早期(11~13+6周)空腹血糖(fasting plasma glucose,FPG)、HbA1c、PAPP-A中位数倍数(multiple of the median,MoM)水平,根据孕24~28周进行的75 g口服葡萄糖耐量试验(oral glucose tolerance test,OGTT)结果将研究对象分为研究组和对照组,统计分析妊娠早期血清学指标预测GDM的最佳截断值并得出最适宜的联合预测方案。结果:多因素Logistic回归分析显示,高水平FPG和HbA1c、低水平PAPP-A、受孕方式采用辅助生殖技术、有家族糖尿病史以及妊娠早期体质量指数(BMI)为超重或肥胖均是GDM发生的独立危险因素。有糖尿病家族史和使用辅助生殖技术受孕发生GDM的风险显著增高(OR分别为7.206和47.512,均P<0.001)。分析不同预测指标的受试者工作特征(receiver operating characteristic,ROC)曲线及曲线下面积(area under the curve,AUC)显示,PAPP-A MoM联合HbA1c及FPG诊断时AUC最大(0.728),其后依次为PAPPA MoM联合HbA1c(0.721)、HbA1c联合FPG(0.717),均大于HbA1c(0.707)和FPG(0.647),而PAPP-A MoM的AUC为0.380,对GDM没有诊断意义。结论:具有高风险因素的孕妇,推荐在妊娠早期联合检测HbA1c与PAPPA MoM,以早期预测GDM。     

Knowledge of the Brain Death Concept in Dominican Immigration Residents in Spain and Florida

The Latin American population has a double way of immigration, one toward the United States by proximity and another toward Spain by sociocultural affinity. This population increase is affecting organ donation and transplantation in receiving countries.

Acute total hip arthroplasty for older patients with acetabular fractures: A meta-analysis

ObjectiveMultiple treatment options for acetabular fractures in geriatric patients exist. However, no large-scale studies have reported the outcomes of acute total hip arthroplasty (THA) in this patient population. We systematically evaluated all available evidence to characterize clinical outcomes, complications, and revisions of acute THA for acetabular fractures in geriatric patients.MethodsMeta-analysis of 21 studies of 430 acetabular fractures with mean follow-up of 44 months (range, 17−97 months). Two independent researchers searched and evaluated the databases of Ovid, Embase, and United States National Library of Medicine using a Boolean search string up to December 2019. Population demographics and complications, including presence of heterotopic ossification (HO), dislocation, infection, revision rate, neurological deficits, and venous thromboembolic event (VTE), were recorded and analyzed.ResultsWeighted mean Harris Hip Score was 83.3 points, and 20% of the patients had reported complications. The most common complication was HO, with a rate of 19.5%. Brooker grade III and IV HO rates were lower at 6.8%. Hip dislocation occurred at a rate of 6.1%, 4.1% of patients developed VTE, deep infection occurred in 3.8%, and neurological complications occurred in 1.9%. Although the revision rate was described in most studies, we were unable to perform a survival analysis because the time to each revision was described in only a few studies. The revision rate was 4.3%.ConclusionsAcute THA is a viable option for treatment of acetabular fracture and can result in acceptable clinical outcomes and survivorship rates in older patients but with an associated complication rate of approximately 20%. Considering the limited treatment options, THA might be a viable alternative for appropriately selected patients.     

Pediatric asthma quality of life questionnaire (PAQLQ): Validation among asthmatic children in Thailand

Quality of life (QoL) is an important consideration among asthma sufferers. The Pediatric Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (PAQLQ) is one of the most widely used instruments for measuring health-related QoL in children with asthma. The standardized version of PAQLQ contains 23 questions in three domains, i.e., activity limitation, symptoms and emotional function. The objective of this study was to validate the Thai-translated version of the PAQLQ. The study design consisted of a five-week single cohort study. Patients recorded symptoms, and peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) each morning and evening during the first and fifth week of the study in asthma diary. At each clinic visit, a trained-interviewer administered the PAQLQ and performed spirometric measurements. Fifty-one children, ages between 7 and 17 yr participated in the study. Scores from the asthma diary were used to classify patients into stable vs. unstable groups. The construct validity of the questionnaire was confirmed in both cross-sectional and longitudinal studies by demonstrating correlations between various PAQLQ domains with clinical asthma parameters (asthma diary, beta-agonist use and PEFR). There was high internal consistency for scores of the three domains (Cronbach's alpha-coefficient = 0.83-0.95). For those with stable asthma, the reliability of PAQLQ was good for the rating scale (intra-class correlation coefficient--ICC = 0.84) and for total score (alpha = 0.97) indicating high reproducibility of the PAQLQ. The significant difference of changes QoL scores between stable and unstable groups was observed in all domains. We conclude that the Thai version of PAQLQ is valid and reliable for implementing in Thai children with asthma.     

WHAT KIND OF BENEFIT DO WE EXPECT FOR PERORAL PANCREATOSCOPY IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF INTRADUCTAL PAPILLARY MUCINOUS TUMOR OF THE PANCREAS?

Intraductal papillary mucinous tumor (IPMT) of the pancreas is characterized by slow growth and a relatively favorable prognosis, however, invasive cancer originating in an IPMT is associated with a poor prognosis. Although various parameters in imaging modalities have been advocated to differentiate between benign IPMN and malignant ones, it is not easy to obtain definite diagnosis based on these parameters. Peroral pancreatoscopy (POPS) allows a clear and direct visualization of the pancreatic duct, providing useful information regarding tumor nature in IPMT. The authors have studied the usefulness of POPS in the diagnosis of IPMT. Nevertheless, its usefulness is not necessarily widely accepted and the significance of POPS is still controversial. In this review, the authors intended to address the diagnostic value of POPS and to clarify its role in the diagnosis of IPMT. The authors think treatment of IPMT can be improved by introducing POPS because the determination of surgical procedure as well as the area of resection based on the preoperative diagnosis of the involvement of the main pancreatic duct and branch duct is inevitable.     

从病理学看绿色瘤(附细胞学,病理学、影像学图)

目的 　针对绿色瘤诊断的难点 ,提出我们的看法 ,并提出相应的对策。 方法　复习绿色瘤诊断的前人经验 ,搜集我院对该病的诊断体会。 结果 　临床及影像学诊断仅作为协诊 ,血液细胞学及病理免疫组化可确诊。 结论 　提出用肿瘤穿刺物印片或涂片做POX染色或MPO染色 ,如果肿瘤细胞出现POX染色或MPO染色阳性 ,表示其具有粒细胞特征 ,就应该考虑绿色瘤的可能。