Visual/verbal analogue scales: Examples of brief assessment methods to aid management of child and adult patients in clinical practice

The nursing assessment chapter explores the essential processes required to enable nurses to effectively assess patients and subsequently plan care. Undertaking a general patient history is important to determine a general health assessment. Additionally, there are a number of additional assessments that can be undertaken to gain greater understanding of specific gastrointestinal systems, such as a gastrointestinal assessment, a liver assessment, or a nutritional assessment. After performing an assessment through the use of questions, to gain more details about the patient and any condition they might be presenting with, a physical examination is necessary of the abdomen and rectum; a digital rectal examination may be undertaken. Succinct explorations on the various assessment methods that nurses use to evaluate the needs of patients can be reviewed when necessary within clinical practice by the nurse.

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Off-Label High-Dose Secukinumab for the Treatment of Moderate-to-Severe Psoriasis

Journal of Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery ◽

10.1177/1203475419843118 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 23 (4) ◽

pp. 391-393 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Michelle Phung ◽

Arvin Ighani ◽

Jorge R Georgakopoulos ◽

Ron Vender ◽

Lyne Giroux ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Clinical Practice ◽

Dose Escalation ◽

Case Series ◽

Severe Psoriasis ◽

Adult Patients ◽

High Dose ◽

Physician Global Assessment ◽

Upper Respiratory Tract ◽

Safety And Efficacy ◽

Off Label

Background: Secukinumab is an anti-IL-17A monoclonal antibody approved for the treatment of moderate-to-severe psoriasis in adult patients. Despite its favourable safety and efficacy profile in clinical trials, some patients in clinical practice fail to respond adequately to the approved maintenance regimen of 300 mg subcutaneous monthly. Some clinicians manage these patients by using off-label high-dose secukinumab regimens, which include shortening the dosing interval to 300 mg every 2 or 3 weeks instead of monthly, or increasing the monthly dose to 450 mg. Objective: This study aims to investigate the safety and efficacy of high-dose secukinumab regimens for the treatment of psoriasis to inform real-world clinical practice. Methods: We performed a retrospective chart review at 5 dermatology clinics for adult patients diagnosed with moderate-to-severe psoriasis treated with an off-label high-dose secukinumab regimen. Efficacy was measured using the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index or a Physician Global Assessment score of 0 or 1 after dose escalation. Adverse events were recorded to assess safety outcomes. Results: Twenty-five patients were included in this case series, and 14 of them achieved efficacy from dose escalation with secukinumab based on our study endpoints. There was 1 case of the common cold and 1 upper respiratory tract infection reported after dose escalation. Conclusion: Our study provides evidence that dose escalation with secukinumab results in clinical benefit and is well tolerated among patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis who failed to respond adequately to the approved regimen. This work necessitates larger studies to fully characterize the efficacy and long-term safety profile of secukinumab dose escalation.

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Plain Language Summary: Sudden Hearing Loss

Otolaryngology ◽

10.1177/0194599819859884 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 161 (2) ◽

pp. 211-217

Author(s):

Sujana S. Chandrasekhar ◽

Deena B. Hollingsworth ◽

Taskin M. Monjur ◽

Lisa Satterfield

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Hearing Loss ◽

Clinical Practice ◽

Health Care Providers ◽

Clinical Practice Guideline ◽

Practice Guideline ◽

Sudden Hearing Loss ◽

Adult Patients ◽

Care Providers ◽

Plain Language

This plain language summary explains sudden hearing loss (SHL) to patients and focuses on sudden sensorineural (pronounced sen-suh-ree-noo r-uh l) hearing loss (SSNHL). The summary is for adult patients aged 18 and over and is based on the 2019 “Clinical Practice Guideline: Sudden Hearing Loss (Update).” The guideline uses research to advise doctors and other health care providers on the proper testing and treatment of patients with SSNHL. The guideline includes recommendations that are explained in this summary. Recommendations may not apply to every patient but can be used to help patients ask questions and make decisions in their own care.

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