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Preoperative medication management turnkey order set for nonemergent adult cardiac surgery
No full textObjective: The management of preoperative medications is an essential component of perioperative care for the cardiac surgical patient. This turnkey order set is part of a series created by the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Cardiac Society, first presented at the Annual Meeting of The American Association for Thoracic Surgery in 2023. Numerous guidelines and expert consensus documents have been published to provide guidance in preoperative medication management. Our objective is to integrate these documents into an evidence-based order set that will facilitate standardized implementation of best practices for preoperative medication management for nonemergent adult cardiac surgery.
Methods: Subject matter experts were consulted to translate existing guidelines and peer reviewed literature into a sample turnkey order set for the preoperative management of patients\u27 medications. Orders derived from consistent Class I, IIA, or equivalent recommendations across referenced guidelines and consensus manuscripts appear in the order set in bold type. Selected orders that were inconsistently Class I or IIA, Class IIB, or supported by published evidence, were also included in italicized type.
Results: Holding antiplatelet and anticoagulant medications before nonemergent cardiac surgical procedures may reduce the risk of bleeding. Sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitors and glucagon-like peptide-1 agonists should also be discontinued to prevent acidosis and aspiration, respectively. Specific guidance for frequently used medications are complied within the manuscript, less frequently used medications are listed seperately.
Conclusions: Despite strong recommendations from major guidelines and consensus manuscripts, variation exists in preoperative medication orders, with limited availability of succinct implementation tools. This turnkey order set may facilitate standardized comprehensive preoperative medication management before nonemergent cardiac surgery.
Keywords: cardiac surgery; medication management; perioperative; preop medication; turnkey order set
The Utility and Validation of SCAI-CSWG Stages in Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction-Related Cardiogenic Shock
No full textBackground: Outcomes of patients with acute myocardial infarction-related cardiogenic shock (AMICS) stratified by the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions (SCAI) shock stages in the Gulf region are not well known.
Methods: We analyzed data from patients with AMICS presenting to multiple centers across the Gulf region between January 2020 and December 2022. Patients were grouped according to SCAI-Cardiogenic Shock Working Group classification: group 1 (SCAI shock stages B/C) and group 2 (SCAI shock stages D/E). Primary end points were survival at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months. Both univariate and multivariate statistical methods were employed in the analysis.
Results: A total of 1513 patients from the Gulf Cardiogenic Shock registry, were included with 31.1% in group 1 and 68.9% in group 2. The median follow-up was 6 months. Survival rates in group 1 were 87%, 72%, 56%, and 48% at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months, respectively, whereas group 2 exhibited survival rates of 66%, 29%, 14%, and 4%, respectively, over the same periods. Survival progressively declined with advancing SCAI shock stages, with stage B having the highest survival rates and stage E the lowest (P \u3c .001). Multivariable Cox regression analysis identified higher SCAI stages as strong predictors of increased mortality, with patients in group 2 having a more than 3-fold higher risk of mortality compared to those in group 1 (hazard ratio, 3.13; 95% CI, 2.40-4.07; P \u3c .001). Additionally, lower left ventricular ejection fraction, advanced age, and the presence of tachyarrhythmias were associated with increased mortality risk.
Conclusions: This is the first study to validate SCAI-Cardiogenic Shock Working Group stages in a large cohort of patients with AMICS. The SCAI shock staging classification was significantly associated with higher short- and long-term mortality in this cohort, with patients in more advanced stages (D/E) experiencing markedly worse survival outcomes. These findings underscore the utility of SCAI staging in stratifying long-term risk among AMICS patients in the Gulf region. Identification of cardiogenic shock patients at SCAI stages D and E with early hemodynamic monitoring and treating them aggressively with newer mechanical circulatory support in the early stages may improve patient survival.
Keywords: Gulf Cardiogenic Shock registry; SCAI shock stage; acute myocardial infarction–related cardiogenic shock
Male Breast Cancer: a Review on Diagnosis, Treatment, and Survivorship
No full textPurpose of review: Male breast cancer is a relatively uncommon and rare disease that is often managed based on evidence adopted from trials pertaining to female breast cancer due to low accrual rates or exclusion of males. This is despite the known differences in the biology and epidemiology of this condition. This review provides an update regarding the management and surveillance of male breast cancer.
Recent findings: Men with breast cancer tend to undergo more extensive surgery in the breast and axilla. The outcomes of male breast cancer compared to a similar subtype of female breast cancer appear worse when matched for stage. Systemic therapies remain predominantly based on recommendations for female breast cancer, although tamoxifen is the more optimal endocrine therapy for men than women. Surveillance with mammograms is recommended for patients harboring a breast cancer susceptibility gene but is otherwise not advised for men who have undergone a mastectomy. Notably, the role of other imaging modalities, including ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging, is minimal. Although the focus on survivorship care among men is low, it is abundantly clear that this is a stigmatizing diagnosis for men, and they suffer from long-term physical and psychological sequelae following a diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer. In summary, providing more gender-inclusive care and advocating for increased representation of men in prospective breast cancer studies and clinical trials may help improve outcomes and provide enhanced support for this population.
Keywords: Breast neoplasm; Hereditary breast cancer; Male breast cancer; Male breast cancer genetics; Male breast cancer treatment
Clinical Pathways Programs in Children\u27s Hospitals
No full textBackground and objective: Clinical pathways translate best evidence into the local context of a care setting through structured, multidisciplinary care plans. Little is known about clinical pathway programs in pediatric settings. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of clinical pathway programs and describe similarities and differences.
Methods: We performed a cross-sectional web survey to assess the existence of a clinical pathway program, number, type, and creation or revision of clinical pathways, and its characteristics in the 111 hospitals of the Pediatric Research in Inpatient Settings network.
Results: Eighty-one hospitals responded to the survey (73% response rate). Most hospitals had a clinical pathway program (63%, n = 50 of 80) that was hospital-wide (70%, n = 35 of 50). Freestanding children\u27s (48%, n = 39 of 81), academic (60%, n = 43 of 72), teaching hospitals (96%, n = 78 of 81) made up the largest proportion of survey respondents. There was no funding for nearly half of the programs (n = 21 of 46, 46%). Over a quarter of survey respondents reported no data collected to assess pathway utilization and/or care outcomes (n = 19 of 71, 27%).
Conclusions: Greater than half of respondents confirmed existence of a program. Freestanding, academic teaching hospitals accounted for the most responses. However, nearly half of surveyed programs were unfunded, and many are unable to measure their pathway outcomes or demonstrate improvement in care. Survey respondents were enthusiastic about participating in a national collaborative on pediatric clinical pathways
Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement in Patients With Severe Rheumatic Aortic Stenosis: A Proportional Meta-Analysis
No full textSocial Buffering of PTSD: Longitudinal Effects and Neural Mediators
No full textBackground: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a well characterized psychiatric disorder featuring changes in mood and arousal following traumatic events. Prior animal and human studies on social support in the peri-traumatic window demonstrate a buffering effect with regards to acute biological and psychological stress symptoms. Fewer studies have explored the magnitude and mechanism on how early, post-trauma social support can reduce longitudinal PTSD severity.
Methods: In this study we investigated the beneficial impact of social support on longitudinal PTSD symptoms, and probed brain regions sensitive to this buffering phenomenon, such as the amygdala and ventromedial prefrontal cortex. In the multi-site AURORA study, n=315 participants reported PTSD symptoms (PCL-5) and perceived emotional support (PROMIS) at 2-weeks, 8-weeks, 3-months, and 6-months post-ED visit. Additionally, neuroimaging data was collected at 2 weeks post trauma.
Results: We hypothesized that early, post-trauma social support would be linked with greater fractional anisotropic (FA) values in white matter tracts that have known connectivity between the amygdala and prefrontal cortex and would predict reduced neural reactivity to social threat cues in the amygdala. Interestingly, while we observed greater FA in the bilateral cingulum and bilateral uncinate fasciculus as a function of early post-trauma emotional support, we also identified greater threat reactivity in the precuneus/posterior cingulate, a component of the default mode network.
Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the neurocircuitry underlying the response to social threat cues are facilitated through broader pathways that involve the posterior hub of the default mode network.
Keywords: diffusion weighted imaging; functional magnetic resonance imaging; neuroimaging; post-traumatic stress disorder; social buffering
Bad habits that stick: adhesive tape use practices and beliefs
No full textTape rolls are often used for multiple patients despite recommendations by manufacturers for single-patient use. We developed a survey to query Health Care Personnel about their tape use practices and beliefs and uncovered behaviors that put patients at risk for hospital-acquired infections due to tape use
Selective breast/gynecologic pathology fellowship training in the United States: Experience of program directors
No full textPublished data on combined breast and gynecologic [breast/gyn] surgical pathology fellowship training programs are limited. Our study aimed to survey the landscape of such fellowships in the United States (US), including specific information about their characteristics and the educational activities therein. Using web searches, we identified programs offering combined breast/gyn surgical pathology fellowship training. We developed a 26-item questionnaire asking program directors to report on the characteristics of their fellowship training structure. The search revealed 25 academic based programs offering one-year combined breast/gyn fellowship training, predominantly located (40 %) in the Northeast area. The following data was obtained: 44 % of the programs were accredited by the ACGME, 82 % required \u3e19 weeks of breast and gyn service, and 69.6 % accepted the common application, 54.5 % of programs require completion of a research project for graduation. An annual average of 3000 breast and 3000 gyn cases appears to be the usual volume of cases. Interestingly, only 36 % of the program directors are graduates of a combined breast/gyn fellowship program. In conclusion, we present the most comprehensive and up-to-date census of combined breast/gyn pathology fellowships in the US. Our study provides valuable information on the current state of combined breast/gyn pathology fellowship training. The information will be helpful to current and prospective trainees, as well as program leaders.
Keywords: Breast; Fellowship training; Gynecologic; Pathology
Enhanced recovery protocols after surgery: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials in cardiac surgery
No full textBackground: Previous meta-analyses combining randomized and observational evidence in cardiac surgery have shown positive impact of enhanced recovery protocols after surgery (ERAS) on postoperative outcomes. However, definitive data based on randomized studies are missing, and the entirety of the ERAS measures and pathway, as recently systematized in guidelines and consensus statements, have not been captured in the published studies. The available literature actually focuses on ERAS-like protocols or only limited number of ERAS measures. This study aims at analyzing all randomized studies applying ERAS-like protocols in cardiac surgery for perioperative outcomes.
Methods: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing ERAS-like with standard protocols of perioperative care was performed (PROSPERO registration CRD42021283765). PRISMA guidelines were used for abstracting and assessing data.
Results: Thirteen single center RCTs (N = 1704, 850 in ERAS-like protocol and 854 in the standard care group) were selected. The most common procedures were surgical revascularization (66.3%) and valvular surgery (24.9%). No difference was found in the incidence of inhospital mortality between the ERAS and standard treatment group (risk ratio [RR] 0.61 [0.31; 1.20], p = 0.15). ERAS was associated with reduced intensive care unit (standardized mean difference [SMD] -0.57, p \u3c 0.01) and hospital stay (SMD -0.23, p \u3c 0.01) and reduced rates of overall complications when compared to the standard protocol (RR 0.60, p \u3c 0.01) driven by the reduction in stroke (RR 0.29 [0.13; 0.62], p \u3c 0.01). A significant heterogeneity in terms of the elements of the ERAS protocol included in the studies was observed.
Conclusions: ERAS-like protocols have no impact on short-term survival after cardiac surgery but allows for a faster hospital discharge while potentially reducing surgical complications. However, this study highlights a significant nonadherence and heterogeneity to the entirety of ERAS protocols warranting further RCTs in this field including a greater number of elements of the framework.
Keywords: ERAS; RCT; cardiac surgery; enhanced recovery after surgery; postoperative outcomes