scholarly journals Systematic Review: A Prevention-Based Model of Neuropsychological Assessment for Children With Medical Illness

2017 ◽  
Vol 42 (8) ◽  
pp. 815-822 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristina K. Hardy ◽  
Katie Olson ◽  
Stephany M. Cox ◽  
Tess Kennedy ◽  
Karin S. Walsh

Abstract Objective Many pediatric chronic illnesses have shown increased survival rates, leading to greater focus on cognitive and psychosocial issues. Neuropsychological services have traditionally been provided only after significant changes in the child’s cognitive or adaptive functioning have occurred. This model of care is at odds with preventative health practice, including early identification and intervention of neuropsychological changes related to medical illness. We propose a tiered model of neuropsychological evaluation aiming to provide a preventative, risk-adapted level of assessment service to individuals with medical conditions impacting the central nervous system based on public health and clinical decision-making care models. Methods Elements of the proposed model have been used successfully in various pediatric medical populations. We summarize these studies in association with the proposed evaluative tiers in our model. Results and Conclusions This model serves to inform interventions through the various levels of assessment, driven by evidence of need at the individual level in real time.

Author(s):  
S. J. Dodd ◽  
Andrea Savage

Evidence-informed practice (EIP) is a model that incorporates best available research evidence; client’s needs, values, and preferences; practitioner wisdom; and theory into the clinical decision-making process filtered through the lens of client, agency, and community culture. The purpose of this article is to define and describe the evidence-informed practice model within social work and to explore the evolution of evidence-informed practice over time. The article distinguishes evidence-informed practice from the more commonly known (and perhaps more popular) evidence-based practice. And, having outlined the essential components of evidence-informed practice, describes the barriers to its effective implementation. Critical contextual factors related to the implementation of evidence-informed practice at the individual level, as well as within social work organizations, are also addressed. Finally, implications both for social work practice and education are explored.


2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (Supplement_6) ◽  
pp. vi123-vi124
Author(s):  
Sybren Maas ◽  
Damian Stichel ◽  
Thomas Hielscher ◽  
Philipp Sievers ◽  
Anna Berghoff ◽  
...  

Abstract PURPOSE Meningiomas are the most frequent primary intracranial tumors. Patient outcome varies widely from cases with benign to highly aggressive, ultimately fatal courses. Reliable identification of risk of progression for the individual patient is of pivotal importance in clinical management. However, only biomarkers for highly aggressive tumors are established at present (CDKN2A/B and TERT), while no molecularly-based stratification exists for the broad spectrum of low- and intermediate-risk meningioma patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS DNA methylation data and copy-number information were generated for 3,031 meningiomas of 2,868 individual patients, with mutation data for 858 samples. DNA methylation subgroups, copy-number variations (CNV), mutations and WHO grading were comparatively analyzed. Prediction power for outcome of these parameters was assessed in an initial retrospective cohort of 514 patients, and validated on a retrospective cohort of 184, and on a prospective cohort of 287 multi-center cases, respectively. RESULTS Both CNV and methylation family- (MF)-based subgrouping independently resulted in an increase in prediction accuracy of risk of recurrence compared to the WHO classification (c-indexes WHO 2016, CNV, and MF 0.699, 0.706 and 0.721, respectively). Merging all independently powerful risk stratification approaches into an integrated molecular-morphological score resulted in a further, substantial increase in accuracy (c-index 0.744). This integrated score consistently provided superior accuracy in all three cohorts, significantly outperforming WHO grading (c-index difference p=0.005). Besides the overall stratification advantage, the integrated score separates more precisely for risk of progression at the diagnostically challenging interface of WHO grade 1 and grade 2 tumors (HR 4.56 [2.97;7.00], 4.34 [2.48;7.57] and 3.34 [1.28; 8.72] for discovery, retrospective, and prospective validation cohort, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Merging these layers of histological and molecular data into an integrated, three-tiered score significantly improves the precision in meningioma stratification. Implementation into diagnostic routine informs clinical decision-making for meningioma patients on the basis of robust outcome prediction.


PEDIATRICS ◽  
1983 ◽  
Vol 71 (4) ◽  
pp. 673-674
Author(s):  
JOHN C. LEONIDAS ◽  
ANNA BINKIEWICZ ◽  
R. MICHAEL SCOTT ◽  
STEPHEN G. PAUKER

In Reply.— We appreciate the thoughtful comments of Leventhal and Lembo and concur with their conclusion that the clinician needs to know "the probability of skull fracture in a patient with head trauma." Unfortunately, their proposed "clinical likelihood ratio" (CR) will not further that end because it compares the predictive value (or, more precisely, the posterior probability) of a skull fracture after a positive clinical finding to the posterior probability after a negative finding. After the patient has been examined, the patient does not have both findings; thus, the CR cannot apply to the individual patient.


2005 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 90-96 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Pollock

Peritoneal sclerosis is an almost invariable consequence of peritoneal dialysis. In most circumstances it is “simple” sclerosis, manifesting clinically with an increasing peritoneal transport rate and loss of ultrafiltration capacity. In contrast, encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis is a life threatening and usually irreversible condition, associated with bowel obstruction, malnutrition and death. It is unknown whether common etiological factors underlie the development of these 2 clinically and pathologically distinct forms of peritoneal sclerosis. The majority of studies to date have investigated factors that contribute to “simple” sclerosis, although it remains possible that similar mechanisms are amplified in patients who develop encapsulated peritoneal sclerosis. The cellular elements that promote peritoneal sclerosis include the mesothelial cells, peritoneal fibroblasts and inflammatory cells. Factors that stimulate these cells to promote peritoneal fibrosis and neoangiogenesis, both inherent in the development of peritoneal sclerosis, include cytokines that are induced by exposure of the peritoneal membrane to high concentrations of glucose, advanced glycation of the peritoneal membrane and oxidative stress. The cumulative exposure to bioincompatible dialysate is likely to have an etiological role as the duration of dialysis correlates with the likelihood of developing peritoneal sclerosis. Indeed peritoneal dialysis using more biocompatible fluids has been shown to reduce the development of peritoneal sclerosis. The individual contribution of the factors implicated in the development of peritoneal sclerosis will only be determined by large scale peritoneal biopsy registries, which will be able to prospectively incorporate clinical and histological data and support clinical decision making.


2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (Supplement_6) ◽  
pp. vi197-vi198 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marijke Coomans ◽  
Martin Taphoorn ◽  
Neil Aaronson ◽  
Brigitta Baumert ◽  
Martin van den Bent ◽  
...  

Abstract BACKGROUND: Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is an important outcome in glioma research, reflecting the impact of disease and treatment on a patient’s functioning and wellbeing. Data on changes in HRQoL scores provide important information for clinical decision-making, but different analytical methods may lead to different interpretations of the impact of treatment on HRQoL. This study aimed to study whether different methods to evaluate change in HRQoL result in different interpretations. Methods: HRQoL and sociodemographical/clinical data from 15 randomized clinical trials were combined. Change in HRQoL scores was analyzed: (1)at the group level, comparing mean changes in scale/item scores between treatment arms over time, (2)at the patient level per scale/item by calculating the percentage of patients that deteriorated, improved or remained stable on a scale/item per scale/item, and (3)at the individual patient level combining all scales/items. Results: Data were available for 3727 patients. At the group scale/item level (method 1), only the item ‘hair loss’ showed a significant and clinically relevant change (i.e. ≥10 points) over time, whereas change scores on the other scales/items showed a statistically significant change only (all p< .001, range in change score:0.1–6.2). Analyses on the patient level per scale (method 2) indicated that, while a large proportion of patients had stable HRQoL over time (range:27–84%), many patients deteriorated (range:6–43%) or improved (range:8–32%) on a specific scale/item. At the individual patient level (method 3), the majority of patients (86%) showed both deterioration and improvement, while only 1% of the patients remained stable on all scales. Conclusion: Different analytical methods of changes in HRQoL result in distinct interpretations of treatment effects, all of which may be relevant for clinical decision-making. Additional information about the joint impact of treatment on all outcomes may help patients and physicians to make the best treatment decision.


2020 ◽  
Vol 44 (3) ◽  
pp. 133-144
Author(s):  
Charla L Howard ◽  
Chris Wallace ◽  
Bonnie Perry ◽  
Dobrivoje S Stokic

Background: Despite increasing knowledge about the potential benefits of advanced user-controlled technology, the decision about switching an individual prosthesis user from a non-microprocessor prosthetic knee to a microprocessor prosthetic knee is mainly based on clinician’s experience rather than empirical evidence. Objectives: To demonstrate the utility of single-subject design and data analysis for evaluating changes in temporal-spatial gait characteristics between walking with a non-microprocessor prosthetic knee and microprocessor prosthetic knee. Study design: Single-subject ABA/BAB design. Methods: Seven non-microprocessor prosthetic knee users (all men, age 50–84 years, 3–40 years post-amputation) were transitioned through the ABA or BAB phases (A-NMPK, B-MPK, 5 weeks each). Four weekly gait evaluations were performed at three self-selected speeds with an electronic walkway. The non-microprocessor prosthetic knee–microprocessor prosthetic knee differences in stride length–cadence relationship, prosthetic weight acceptance, single-limb support, and step width were evaluated for each subject using the “non-overlap of all pairs” statistical method. Results: Most subjects improved temporal-spatial gait while on the microprocessor prosthetic knee; in only one subject, none of the 10 gait parameters were in favor of the microprocessor prosthetic knee. In the BAB group, longer use of the microprocessor prosthetic knee was associated with shorter prosthetic weight acceptance and longer single-limb support times across three speeds. Step width either improved with the microprocessor prosthetic knee or remained unchanged in most subjects. Conclusion: The evidence of individual subject improvements in gait coordination, greater reliance on the prosthetic side, and better stability with the microprocessor prosthetic knee than non-microprocessor prosthetic knee over a range of walking speeds demonstrate the practical utility of the single-subject method in clinical decision-making. Clinical relevance The results demonstrate the use of the single-subject method for examining person-specific differences in temporal-spatial gait characteristics between walking with a non-microprocessor prosthetic knee and microprocessor prosthetic knee at three self-selected speeds. The method proved feasible and reliable for documenting changes in gait at the individual level, which is relevant for clinical practice.


2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 120-126 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pauline Boeckxstaens ◽  
Sara Willems ◽  
Mieke Lanssens ◽  
Charlotte Decuypere ◽  
Guy Brusselle ◽  
...  

Background Patients with multiple chronic diseases are usually treated according to disease-specific guidelines, with outcome measurements focusing mostly on biomedical indicators (e.g. blood sugar levels or lung function). However, for multimorbidity, a goal-oriented approach focusing on the goals defined by the individual patient, may be more suitable. Despite the clear theoretical and conceptual advantages of including patient-defined goals in clinical decision-making for multimorbidity, it is not clear how patients define their goals and which aspects play a role in the process of defining them. Objective To explore goal-setting in patients with multimorbidity. Design Qualitative analysis of interviews with 19 patients diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and comorbidities. Results Patients do not naturally present their goals. Their goals are difficult to elicit, even when different interviewing techniques are used. Four underlying hypotheses which may explain this finding were identified from the interviews: (1) patients cannot identify with the concept of goal-setting; (2) goal-setting is reduced due to acceptation; (3) actual stressors predominate over personal goal-setting; and (4) patients may consider personal goals as selfish. Conclusions Our findings advocate for specific attention to provider skills and strategies that help patients identify their personal goals. The hypotheses on why patients may struggle with defining goals may be useful to prompt patients in this process and support the development of a clinical method for goal-oriented care.


2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. iii14-iii14
Author(s):  
M Coomans ◽  
M J B Taphoorn ◽  
N Aaronson ◽  
B G Baumert ◽  
M van den Bent ◽  
...  

Abstract BACKGROUND Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is often used as an outcome in glioma research, reflecting the impact of disease and treatment on a patient’s functioning and wellbeing. Data on changes in HRQoL scores may provide important information for clinical decision-making, but different analytical methods may lead to different interpretations of the impact of treatment on HRQoL. This study aimed to examine three different methods to evaluate change in HRQoL, and to study whether these methods result in different interpretations. MATERIAL AND METHODS HRQoL and sociodemographical/clinical data from 15 randomized clinical trials were combined. Change in HRQoL scores was analyzed in three ways: (1) at the group level, comparing mean changes in scale/item scores between treatment arms over time, (2) at the patient level per scale/item by calculating the percentage of patients that deteriorated, improved or remained stable on a scale/item per scale/item, and (3) at the individual patient level combining all scales/items. RESULTS Baseline and first follow-up HRQoL data were available for 3727 patients. At the group scale/item level (method 1), only the item ‘hair loss’ showed a significant and clinically relevant change (i.e. ≥10 points) over time, whereas change scores on the other scales/items showed a statistically significant change only (all p<.001, range in change score: 0.1–6.2). Analyses on the patient level per scale (method 2) indicated that, while a large proportion of patients had stable HRQoL over time (range 27–84%), many patients deteriorated (range: 6–43%) or improved (range: 8–32%) on a specific scale/item. At the individual patient level (method 3), the majority of patients (86%) showed both deterioration and improvement, while only 1% of the patients remained stable on all scales. Clustering on clinical characteristics (WHO performance status, sex, tumor type, type of resection, newly diagnosed versus recurrent tumor and age) did not identify subgroups of patients with a specific pattern of change in their HRQoL score. CONCLUSION Different analytical methods of changes in HRQoL result in distinct interpretations of treatment effects, all of which may be relevant for clinical decision-making. Additional information about the joint impact of treatment on all outcomes, showing that most patients experience both deterioration and improvement, may help patients and physicians to make the best treatment decision.


2017 ◽  
Vol 24 (9) ◽  
pp. 1151-1156 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liesbet M Peeters

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a progressive demyelinating and degenerative disease of the central nervous system with symptoms depending on the disease type and the site of lesions and is featured by heterogeneity of clinical expressions and responses to treatment strategies. An individualized clinical follow-up and multidisciplinary treatment is required. Transforming the population-based management of today into an individualized, personalized and precision-level management is a major goal in research. Indeed, a complex and unique interplay between genetic background and environmental exposure in each case likely determines clinical heterogeneity. To reach insights at the individual level, extensive amount of data are required. Many databases have been developed over the last few decades, but access to them is limited, and data are acquired in different ways and differences in definitions and indexing and software platforms preclude direct integration. Most existing (inter)national registers and IT platforms are strictly observational or focus on disease epidemiology or access to new disease modifying drugs. Here, a method to revolutionize management of MS to a personalized, individualized and precision level is outlined. The key to achieve this next level is FAIR data.


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