Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital

Fifty primary ACL repairs using the Marshall multiple suture technique were analyzed. The average age at surgery was 23 years (range, 15 to 56), with 76% under the age of 30. The average followup was 61.3 months (range, 48 to 86). The average time from injury to surgery was 7 days (range, 1 to 18). Eighty percent of the injuries were sports-related with football and skiing predominating. Thirty-eight percent were "isolated" ACL tears, and 62% had associated injuries. There was a 46% incidence of meniscal tear with 59% of the meniscal tears being repaired. The postoperative evaluation included a multifactorial analysis correlating 43 variables including subjective, objective, radiographic, and KT-1000 data. The Hospital for Special Surgery Knee Diagnostic Score, a clinical objective score based on the postoperative Lachman and pivot shift examination, a KT-1000 arthrometer data score, and an overall combined assessment score were determined. The results showed 59% excellent, 18% good, 14% fair, and 8% poor. The Lachman test was diagnostic in all cases. The quality of ACL tissue at repair was rated excellent or good in 62% of the cases. Four patterns of ACL tears were distinguished by the location of the tear. Football injury, younger age, increased peroperative pivot shift, midsubstance Type IV tear, and return of full motion correlated with poor postoperative results. Increasing age, tight jointedness, Type I tears, and a 5 degrees flexion contracture correlated with good postoperative results.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the correlation between computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measurements of femoral anteversion, as well as the relation of anteversion with physical examination and radiographic findings. METHODS: Preoperative CT and MRI measurements of anteversion along with clinical examination were performed on 129 consecutive hips before hip arthroscopy for nonarthritic hip injuries. All anteversion measurements were performed by 2 musculoskeletal radiologists. The radiographic findings and physical examination findings were analyzed for statistically significant correlations. For statistical analysis purposes, the patients were divided into 3 groups according to the mean CT anteversion measurement: group I (low), less than 10°; group II (medium), 10° to 22°; and group III (high), greater than 22°. RESULTS: High interobserver correlation was found for femoral anteversion measurement by CT and MRI (r = 0.95 and r = 0.86, respectively; P < .0001 for both). CT and MRI measurements showed high correlation with each other (r = 0.80, P < .0001). However, in 96% of the cases, the CT measurement was larger, with a mean difference of 8.9° (range, -37° to 1.5°). A significant correlation coefficient was found between internal rotation and anteversion angles as measured by CT (r = 0.36, P < .0001). However, no correlation was found with other hip movement measurements. Abnormal femoral acetabular bony architecture of the hip was found in 64% of the patients; isolated cam impingement was more prevalent in group I, whereas isolated pincer impingement was more prevalent in group III (P = .01). CONCLUSIONS: Although high correlation was found between anteversion angle measurements by CT and MRI, significant discrepancies in the absolute anteversion number between the 2 techniques suggest that they may not be interchangeable. Furthermore, CT was found to have higher interobserver reliability than MRI. There was a significant correlation between CT and examination of internal rotation of the hip. Clinically, the findings of the study show that the diagnosis of excessive femoral anteversion or retroversion should have different thresholds according to MRI and CT measurements; moreover, the diagnosis should not rely exclusively on either examination or radiologic criteria. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, retrospective comparative study.

Radiotherapy commonly is employed to address symptoms in patients with symptoms caused by cancer. For this article, the authors reviewed data supporting the use of hypofractionated palliative radiotherapy. In addition to single-fraction treatment for painful bony metastasis, the available literature suggested that courses of 2 to 14 external-beam fractions may provide equivalent relief to longer course treatment in patients with a poor prognosis who have primary cancers of the lung, rectum, bladder, prostate, head and neck, spleen, and gynecologic system. Hypofractionated treatment delivers palliation that is time efficient, cost effective, and minimally toxic. Evidence suggests that the reluctance of radiation oncologists to provide single-fraction treatment acts as a barrier to referrals from palliative care professionals. Collaboration in education, research, and patient advocacy will advance the common objectives of the 2 specialties and lead to an appropriate increase in the use of palliative hypofractionated radiotherapy.

Metastatic tumors with an uncertain primary site can be a difficult clinical problem. In tens of thousands of patients every year, no confident diagnosis is ever issued, making standard-of-care treatment impossible. Gene expression profiling (GEP) tests currently available to analyze these difficult-to-diagnose tumors have never been directly compared with the diagnostic standard of care, immunochemistry (IHC). This prospectively conducted, blinded, multicenter study compares the diagnostic accuracy of GEP with IHC in identifying the primary site of 157 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded specimens from metastatic tumors with known primaries, representing the 15 tissues on the GEP test panel. Four pathologists rendered diagnoses by selecting from 84 stains in 2 rounds. GEP was performed using the Pathwork Tissue of Origin Test. Overall, GEP accurately identified 89% of specimens, compared with 83% accuracy using IHC (P=0.013). In the subset of 33 poorly differentiated and undifferentiated carcinomas, GEP accuracy exceeded that of IHC (91% to 71%, P=0.023). In specimens for which pathologists rendered their final diagnosis with a single round of stains, both IHC and GEP exceeded 90% accuracy. However, when the diagnosis required a second round, IHC significantly underperformed GEP (67% to 83%, P<0.001). GEP has been validated as accurate in diagnosing the primary site in metastatic tumors. The Pathwork Tissue of Origin Test used in this study was significantly more accurate than IHC when used to identify the primary site, with the most pronounced superiority observed in specimens that required a second round of stains and in poorly differentiated and undifferentiated metastatic carcinomas.

Importance: In a randomized clinical trial, heart failure (HF) hospitalizations were lower in patients managed with guidance from an implantable pulmonary artery pressure sensor compared with usual care. It remains unclear if ambulatory monitoring could also improve long-term clinical outcomes in real-world practice. Objective: To determine the association between ambulatory hemodynamic monitoring and rates of HF hospitalization at 12 months in clinical practice. Design, Setting, and Participants: This matched cohort study of Medicare beneficiaries used claims data collected between June 1, 2014, and March 31, 2016. Medicare patients who received implants of a pulmonary artery pressure sensor were identified from the 100% Medicare claims database. Each patient who received an implant was matched to a control patient by demographic features, history of HF hospitalization, and number of all-cause hospitalizations. Propensity scoring based on comorbidities (arrhythmia, hypertension, diabetes, pulmonary disease, and renal disease) was used for additional matching. Data analysis was completed from July 2017 through January 2019. Exposures: Implantable pulmonary artery pressure monitoring system. Main Outcomes and Measures: The rates of HF hospitalization were compared using the Andersen-Gill method. Days lost owing to events were compared using a nonparametric bootstrap method. Results: The study cohort consisted of 1087 patients who received an implantable pulmonary artery pressure sensors and 1087 matched control patients. The treatment and control cohorts were well matched by age (mean [SD], 72.7 [10.2] years vs 72.9 [10.1] years) and sex (381 of 1087 female patients [35.1%] in each group), medical history, comorbidities, and timing of preimplant HF hospitalization. At 12 months postimplant, 616 HF hospitalizations occurred in the treatment cohort compared with 784 HF hospitalizations in the control cohort. The rate of HF hospitalization was lower in the treatment cohort at 12 months postimplant (hazard ratio [HR], 0.76 [95% CI, 0.65-0.89]; P < .001). The percentage of days lost to HF hospitalizations or death were lower in the treatment group (HR, 0.73 [95% CI, 0.64-0.84]; P < .001) and the percentage of days lost owing to all-cause hospitalization or death were also lower (HR, 0.77 [95% CI, 0.68-0.88]; P < .001). Conclusions and Relevance: Patients with HF who were implanted with a pulmonary artery pressure sensor had lower rates of HF hospitalization than matched controls and spent more time alive out of hospital. Ambulatory hemodynamic monitoring may improve outcomes in patients with chronic HF.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of the Wallgraft Endoprosthesis for the treatment of femoropopliteal artery aneurysms. METHODS: From October 1997 to April 2000, 17 patients (13 men; mean age 73.5 +/- 7.1 years) with 7 femoral and 13 popliteal artery aneurysms underwent percutaneous aneurysm exclusion using the Wallgraft Endoprosthesis as part of a larger clinical trial. The mean aneurysm diameters were 37.6 +/- 12.9 mm and 22.3 +/- 8.7 mm, respectively. RESULTS: Acute procedural success was 100% for femoral aneurysms and 92.3% (12/13) in the popliteal artery owing to one endoleak that resolved after 1 month. There were no complications, and the mean length of stay was 2.2 +/- 3.8 days. Six-month and 1-year aneurysm exclusion rates were 100% for both locations, but 4 (31%) popliteal stent-grafts thrombosed in follow-up. Three were recanalized, but the fourth underwent bypass grafting after 3 thrombotic episodes. The 1-year primary and secondary patency rates were both 100% for the femoral aneurysms and 69% and 92%, respectively, for popliteal repairs. No procedure or device-related deaths occurred. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment of aneurysms in the femoropopliteal segment appears to be safe and effective with the Wallgraft Endoprosthesis, although longer follow-up in a larger patient group will be needed to determine this technique's potential versus surgical repair.

BACKGROUND: Blacks are less likely than whites to develop bladder cancer; although once diagnosed, blacks experience poorer survival. This study sought to examine multiple biological and behavioral factors and their influence on extent of disease. METHODS: A population-based cohort of black bladder cancer patients and a random sample of frequency-matched white bladder cancer patients, stratified by age, gender, and race were identified through cancer registry systems in metropolitan Atlanta, New Orleans, and the San Francisco/Oakland area. Patients were ages 20-79 years at bladder cancer diagnosis from 1985-1987, and had no previous cancer history. Medical records were reviewed at initial diagnosis. Of the patients selected for study, a total of 77% of patients was interviewed. Grade, stage, and other variables (including age, socioeconomic status, symptom duration, and smoking history) were recorded. Extent of disease was modeled in 497 patients with urothelial carcinoma using logistic regression. RESULTS: Extent of disease at diagnosis was significantly greater in Blacks than in Whites. Older age group, higher tumor grade, larger tumors, and presence of carcinoma in situ were related to greater extent of disease in blacks and in whites. Large disparities between blacks and whites were found for socioeconomic status and source of care. Blacks had greater symptom duration and higher grade. Black women were more likely to have invasive disease than white women; this difference was not seen among men. Blacks in unskilled occupational categories, perhaps reflecting socioeconomic factors, were at much higher risk for muscle invasion than whites. CONCLUSIONS: While specific relationships between variables were noted, an overall pattern defining black and white differences in stage did not emerge. Future studies should examine the basis upon which occupation and life style factors operate by using biochemical and molecular methods to study the genetic factors involved.

Background: Attending to the religious/spiritual (R/S) concerns of patients is a core component of palliative care. A primary responsibility of the chaplain is to conduct a thorough assessment of palliative care patients' R/S needs and resources. Problems with current approaches to spiritual assessment in all clinical contexts, including palliative care, include limited evidence for their validity, reliability, or clinical usefulness; narrative content; and lack of clinical specificity. Objectives: The aim of our work was to develop an evidence-based, quantifiable model for the assessment of unmet spiritual concerns of palliative care patients near the end of life. Design: The PC-7 model was developed by a team of chaplains working in palliative care. Phase 1 used literature in the field and the chaplains' clinical practice to identify key concerns in the spiritual care of palliative care patients. Phase 2 focused on developing indicators of those concerns and reliability in the chaplains' rating of them. Results: Key concerns in the model include the following. Need for meaning in the face of suffering; need for integrity, a legacy; concerns about relationships; concern or fear about dying or death; issues related to treatment decision making; R/S struggle; and other concerns. An approach to scoring the patients' degree of unmet spiritual concerns was adapted from the literature. Assessing cases from the chaplains' practice led to high levels of agreement (reliability). Conclusion: Using the PC-7 model, chaplains can describe and quantify the key spiritual concerns of palliative care patients. Further research is needed to test its validity, reliability, and clinical usefulness.

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is intrinsically resistant to several antibiotics, making it potentially challenging to treat. Studies have demonstrated treatment failures and resistance development with monotherapy (MT); however, clinical data are limited with combination therapy (CT). To compare clinical outcomes with CT versus MT for S. maltophilia pneumonia. This was a retrospective cohort study of patients admitted between November 2011 and October 2017 with S. maltophilia pneumonia who received at least 48 h of effective therapy. The primary outcome was clinical response after 7 days of effective therapy with CT versus MT. Secondary outcomes included development of a non-susceptible isolate, 30 day microbiological cure, infection recurrence, infection-related mortality and all-cause mortality. The Wilcoxon rank sum test, the Pearson χ2 test and Fisher’s exact test were utilized for univariate analyses. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to assess clinical response while adjusting for confounding variables. Of 252 patients with S. maltophilia pneumonia included, 38 received CT and 214 received MT. There was no difference in 7 day clinical response with CT versus MT (47.4% versus 39.7%, P = 0.38), even after controlling for immune status, APACHE II score and polymicrobial pneumonia (adjusted OR 1.51, 95% CI 0.63–3.65). Thirty day microbiological cure (P = 0.44), recurrence (P = 0.53), infection-related mortality (P = 0.19) and isolation of a non-susceptible isolate during or after therapy (P = 1.00 each) were also similar between both groups; however, 30 day all-cause mortality was greater with CT (P = 0.03). CT had similar rates of clinical efficacy and resistance development compared with MT for S. maltophilia pneumonia.

BACKGROUND: Adherence to chronic hepatitis C (CHC) treatment may be particularly challenging in methadone maintenance patients. We assessed the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of peginterferon alfa-2a/ribavirin treatment in methadone maintenance patients previously untreated for CHC. METHODS: Patients were randomized 1:1 to direct observed therapy (DOT) or self-administration (SA) of peginterferon alfa-2a. DOT patients were seen weekly at methadone clinics; SA patients were seen less frequently, only at investigative sites. Genotype 1-infected patients were treated for 48 wk with peginterferon alfa-2a (180 microg/wk)/ribavirin (1,000/1,200 mg/day); genotypes 2- and 3-infected patients were treated for 24 wk with peginterferon alfa-2a (180 microg/wk)/ribavirin (800 mg/day). RESULTS: Based on defined efficacy stopping rules, 77% (37/48) completed their targeted length of treatment, and 44% (21/48) achieved sustained virologic response (SVR). Two DOT and 3 SA patients were withdrawn for safety reasons and 6 and 9, respectively, for nonsafety reasons. Over 60% and 50% of each group were >80% compliant with the planned cumulative doses of peginterferon alfa-2a and ribavirin, respectively, and over 60% with overall treatment duration. SVR rates were 54% (13/24) for DOT and 33% (8/24) for SA; 23% (3/13) and 38% (6/16), respectively, for genotype 1 and 91% (10/11) and 25% (2/8), respectively, for genotypes 2 and 3. Stepwise logistic regression analysis, showed that DOT (vs SA; OR 3.27, 95% CI 0.90-11.91, P = 0.073) and Caucasian race (vs Other; OR 13.31, 95% CI 1.42-124.71, P = 0.023) were predictors of SVR. CONCLUSION: Peginterferon alfa-2a/ribavirin can be used safely and successfully in CHC patients receiving methadone maintenance.

BACKGROUND: There is significant variability in the perioperative management of patients with cardiac implanted electronic devices (CIEDs) undergoing procedures requiring electrosurgery. METHODS: We performed a multicenter registry from February 2014 to August 2015 at three suburban Chicago hospitals. Patients with transvenous CIEDs undergoing procedures requiring electrosurgery were assigned to one of three groups: (1) reprogram, (2) magnet, or (3) no change. Subjects with implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) or those pacemaker dependent having surgical procedures within 6 inches of their CIED were assigned to the reprogram group, whereby ICD therapies were programmed off with asynchronous pacing if pacemaker dependent. Subjects with ICDs ≥ 6 inches from their surgical site but above the iliac crest were assigned to the magnet group. All others were in the no change group. We evaluated electromagnetic interference (EMI) and postoperative device reset based on surgical location. RESULTS: All patients (n = 331) had pectoral CIEDs with mean age 73 years, 65% male, ejection fraction 56% for pacemaker subjects, 35% for ICD subjects with 22% pacemaker dependent. Assignments were n = 52 (16%) reprogram group, n = 51 (15%) magnet group, and n = 228 (69%) no change. There was EMI in 45% of thoracic cases, 35% of head/neck, 15% of upper extremity, and 3% of abdominal cases above iliac crest. There was no EMI in procedures below the iliac crest. There were no inappropriate therapies or device reset. CONCLUSION: Results of the ICD-ON protocol demonstrate safe and efficient management of patients with CIEDs based on electrosurgery location, with 69% requiring no reprogramming or magnet application.

BACKGROUND: There are insufficient data to guide perioperative implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) management for patients undergoing surgical procedures using electrocautery. METHODS: We conducted a multicenter randomized controlled trial of patients with ICDs undergoing surgery with monopolar electrocautery. Subjects were randomized to an "Off" group (ICD therapy programmed off, then postoperatively programmed on) or a "Magnet" group (ICD therapy suspended with a magnet and no immediate postoperative ICD interrogation). Also, a registry was maintained of ICD patients with procedures within 6 inches of the ICD (all programmed off). The primary endpoint was ICD off time with secondary endpoints being caregiver handoffs and incidence of electromagnetic interference (EMI). RESULTS: All patients (n = 80) had pectoral ICDs. Subject demographics were well matched in each group, and duration of electrocautery was similar (80 minutes vs 64 minutes, P = 0.58). The mean "excess" ICD off time (ICD off time - electrocautery time) was significantly higher in the Off group than the Magnet group (115 minutes vs 28 minutes, P < 0.001). Mean number of caregiver handoffs were higher in the Off group (6.6 vs 5.5, P < 0.001). There was no EMI in any lower abdominal or lower extremity procedures. Neither group had arrhythmic events or device reset. CONCLUSION: A magnet protocol simplifies perioperative ICD management for procedures using electrocautery more than 6 inches from the ICD. This protocol results in significantly shorter time with ICD therapy off, fewer provider handoffs, no risk of inadvertently discharging patients home with ICD therapies off, and no device reset.

Healthcare spending in the United States is the highest in the world, yet quality indicators such as life expectancy and infant mortality lag other countries. U.S. reforms are under way to lower costs and raise quality of care, notably the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). Value-based purchasing (VBP) and programs for reducing the incidence of hospital-acquired conditions (HACs) and hospital readmissions represent initial changes. With these programs, overarching themes are to coordinate care during and beyond hospitalization and to ensure that physicians and hospitals are aligned in their treatment strategies. Hospital malnutrition represents a large, hidden, and costly component of medical care; hospital administrators and caregivers alike must harness the benefits of nutrition as a vital component of healthcare. Medical, nursing, and allied health training programs must find places in their curricula to increase awareness of nutrition and promote knowledge of best-practice nutrition interventions. Hospitals use dietitians and nutrition support teams as critical members of the patient care team, but more work needs to be done to disseminate and enforce best nutrition practices. Such training, nutrition interventions, and practice changes can help prevent and treat malnutrition and thus help avert HACs, reduce hospital readmissions, lower infection and complication rates, and shorten hospital stays. Nutrition care is an effective way to reduce costs and improve patient outcomes. This article calls hospital executives and bedside clinicians to action: recognize the value of nutrition care before, during, and after hospitalization, as well as develop training programs and policies that promote nutrition care.

<h3>Importance</h3> Although 13% to 20% of American adolescents experience a depressive episode annually, no scalable primary care model for adolescent depression prevention is currently available. <h3>Objective</h3> To study whether competent adulthood transition with cognitive behavioral humanistic and interpersonal training (CATCH-IT) lowers the hazard for depression in at-risk adolescents identified in primary care, as compared with a general health education (HE) attention control. <h3>Design, Setting, and Participants</h3> This multicenter, randomized clinical trial, a phase 3 single-blind study, compares CATCH-IT with HE. Participants were enrolled from 2012 to 2016 and assessed at 2, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months postrandomization in a primary care setting. Eligible adolescents were aged 13 to 18 years with subsyndromal depression and/or history of depression and no current depression diagnosis or treatment. Of 2250 adolescents screened for eligibility, 446 participants completed the baseline interview, and 369 were randomized into CATCH-IT (n = 193) and HE (n = 176). <h3>Interventions</h3> The internet-based intervention, CATCH-IT, is a 20-module (15 adolescent modules and 5 parent modules) online psychoeducation course that includes a parent program, supported by 3 motivational interviews. <h3>Main Outcomes and Measures</h3> Time to event for depressive episode; depressive symptoms at 6 months. <h3>Results</h3> Of 369 participants (mean [SD] age, 15.4 [1.5] years; 251 women [68%]) included in this trial, 193 were randomized into CATCH-IT and 176 into HE. Among these participants, 28% had both a past episode and subsyndromal depression; 12% had a past episode only, 59% had subsyndromal depression only, and 1% had borderline subsyndromal depression. The outcome of time to event favored CATCH-IT but was not significant with intention-to-treat analyses (unadjusted hazard ratio [HR], 0.59; 95% CI, 0.27-1.29;<i>P</i> = .18; adjusted HR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.23-1.23;<i>P</i> = .14). Adolescents with higher baseline Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale (CES-D₁₀) scores showed a significantly stronger effect of CATCH-IT on time to event relative to those with lower baseline scores (HR 0.82; 95% CI, 0.67-0.99;<i>P</i> = .04). For example, the hazard ratio for a CES-D₁₀score of 15 was 0.20 (95% CI, 0.05-0.77), compared with a hazard ratio of 1.44 (95% CI, 0.41-5.03) for a CES-D₁₀score of 5. In both CATCH-IT and HE groups, depression symptoms declined and functional scores increased. <h3>Conclusions and Relevance</h3> For preventing depressive episodes CATCH-IT may be better than HE for at-risk adolescents with subsyndromal depression. Also CATCH-IT may be a scalable approach to prevent depressive episodes in adolescents in primary care. <h3>Trial Registration</h3> ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01893749

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy of traditional double latex gloving with that of a highly cut-resistant polyester/stainless steel wire weave glove (PSSWWG) over a single latex inner glove for the prevention of perforation of the inner latex glove. DESIGN: The primary surgeon and first assistant were involved in a prospective randomized study. Group I consisted of twenty-five procedures in which double latex gloves were used. Group II consisted of twenty-five procedures in which a PSSWWG liner was worn over an inner latex glove. All inner gloves were tested for perforations; all gloves exchanged that were presumed to have a perforation were noted and also tested. The type and length of the procedure were recorded. The dominant hand was recorded for all participants, along with their comments on the PSSWWG liner's performance. SETTING: Orthopaedic Trauma Service, Hospital for Special Surgery. New York. PATIENTS/PARTICIPANTS: Major operative cases, November 1996 to February 1997. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Inner latex glove perforations. RESULTS: With the use of PSSWWG liners, the percentage of inner gloves found with a perforation dropped from 19 percent in the double latex group to 15 percent in the PSSWWG liner group (not statistically significant, p = 0.4). Two thirds of the perforations were in the primary surgeon's gloves, located in either the index finger or thumb. Nearly 80 percent of all perforations went unrecognized in both groups. Ninety-five percent of all perforations were in gloves that had been in use for more than 120 minutes (statistically significant, p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The particular cut-resistant glove studied (Sceptor) did not significantly reduce the rate of inner glove perforations. Other studies with different cut-resistant glove types and protocols have proven the liners effective. We would still recommend using outer cloth or cut-resistant type gloves when bone fragments are being manipulated or when using sharp implants or saws. At a minimum, surgical gloves should be changed every two hours.

Fluoroquinolones (FQs) are often preferred as oral step-down therapy for bloodstream infections (BSIs) due to favorable pharmacokinetic parameters; however, they are also associated with serious adverse events. The objective of this study was to compare clinical outcomes for patients who received an oral FQ versus an oral beta-lactam (BL) as step-down therapy for uncomplicated streptococcal BSIs. This multicenter, retrospective cohort study analyzed adult patients who completed therapy with an oral FQ or BL with at least one blood culture positive for a Streptococcus species from 1 January 2014 to 30 June 2019.

Abstract Background Although the high burden of both active smoking and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is clearly known, the relationship between them is still not well characterized. Therefore, we estimated the global prevalence of active smoking in people living with HIV (PLHIV) on antiretroviral therapy (ART) and investigated the association between exposure to active smoking and risk for suboptimal adherence to ART. Main text: We searched PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science to identify articles published until September 19, 2019. Eligible studies reported the prevalence of active smoking in PLHIV on ART or investigated the association between active smoking and ART adherence; or enough data to compute these estimates. We used a random-effects model to pool data and quantified heterogeneity ( I 2 ). The global prevalence of active smoking was 36.1% (95% CI : 33.7–37.2; 329 prevalence data; 462 104 participants) with substantial heterogeneity. The prevalence increased with level of country income; from 10.1% (95% CI : 6.8–14.1) in low-income to 45.2% (95% CI : 42.7–47.7) in high-income countries; P &lt; 0.0001. With regards to the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) regions, the prevalence was higher in West and Central Europe and North America 45.4% (42.7–48.1) and lowest in the two UNAIDS regions of sub-Saharan Africa: Eastern and Southern Africa 10.7% (95% CI : 7.8–14.0) and West and Central Africa 4.4% (2.9–6.3); P &lt; 0.0001. Globally, we estimated that there were 4 110 669 PLHIV on ART who were active smokers, among which the highest number was from Eastern and Southern Africa (35.9%) followed by Asia and the Pacific (25.9%). Active smoking was significantly associated with suboptimal ART adherence: pooled odds ratio 1.57 (95% CI : 1.37–1.80; I 2 = 56.8%; 19 studies; 48 450 participants); even after considering adjusted estimates: 1.67 (95% CI : 1.39–2.01; I 2 = 53.0%; 14 studies). Conclusions This study suggests a high prevalence of active smoking in PLHIV on ART and an association between active smoking and ART suboptimal adherence. As such, healthcare providers and policy makers should focus on adopting and implementing tobacco harm reduction strategies in HIV care, especially in sub-Saharan Africa known as epicenter of HIV pandemic with highest number of active tobacco smoking among PLHIV on ART.

In Brief The assessment of pain experienced by the patient requiring mechanical ventilation can be a challenge for critical care nurses. This study was conducted to assess the reliability and validity of two pain behavior assessment tools. Patients who met the inclusion criteria were enrolled from 13 critical care units and one long-term acute care unit within eight hospitals. A total of 200 patients were assessed over an 8-week period. The findings suggest that both tools have adequate reliability and validity. Use of a pain behavior tool is one strategy to improve assessment of pain experienced by the mechanically ventilated adult patient who is unable to provide a self-report. This article presents the results of a study conducted to assess the reliability and validity of two pain behavior assessment tools for the intubated adult patient.

ABBREVIATIONS BBB = blood-brain barrier; DHA = docosahexaenoic acid; EPA = eicosapentaenoic acid; GCS = Glasgow Coma Scale; ICP = intracranial pressure; O3FA = omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid; TBI = traumatic brain injury.

BACKGROUND: Familial chylomicronemia syndrome (FCS) is an ultrarare inherited disorder. Genetic testing is not always feasible or conclusive. European clinicians developed a "FCS score" to differentiate between FCS and multifactorial chylomicronemia syndrome (MCS), a more common condition with overlapping features. A diagnostic score has not been developed for use in the North American (NA) context. OBJECTIVE: To develop and validate a diagnostic score for NA patients based on signs, symptoms and biochemical traits of FCS. METHODS: Using the RAND/UCLA modified Delphi process, we convened 10 US/Canadian physicians with experience recognizing and treating FCS and 1 adult patient with FCS. The panel developed and rated 296 scenarios describing patients with FCS. Linear regression analyses used median post-meeting ratings to develop score parameters. We tested the score's sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) in patients with classical FCS, functional FCS, and MCS from Western University's Lipid Genetics Clinic's registry. RESULTS: Numerical scores were attributed based upon the following: age, hypertriglyceridemia onset, body mass index, history of abdominal pain/pancreatitis, presence of secondary factors, triglyceride (TG) levels, ratio of TG/total cholesterol, and apolipoprotein B level. Scores ≥ 60 indicate definite classical FCS; the score distinguished patients with FCS from MCS in a real-world registry (100.0% specificity, 66.7% sensitivity, 100.0% PPV, 95.5% NPV). Scores ≥ 45 were "very likely" to have classical FCS (96.9% specificity, 88.9% sensitivity). CONCLUSION: Given its simplicity and high specificity for distinguishing patients with FCS from MCS, the NAFCS Score could be used in lieu of - or while awaiting - genetic testing to optimize treatment.