scholarly journals Therapeutic Plasma Exchange (PLEX) in Thrombotic Microangiopathy (TMA): Experiences of an Inner-City Hospital over a Decade

Blood ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 134 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 3691-3691
Author(s):  
Aakash Putta ◽  
Hafeez Shaka ◽  
Shristi Upadhyay Banskota ◽  
Sunny R K Singh ◽  
Sindhu Malapati ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Inner City ◽  
Validation Studies ◽  
Patient Population ◽  
Final Diagnosis ◽  
Safety Net ◽  
Inclusion Criteria ◽  
Safety Net Hospital ◽  
Study Population ◽  
Time Of Presentation

Introduction: There are multiple mechanisms of occurrence of TMA. Some of the etiologies are associated with high morbidity and mortality, but there are very subtle differences in presentation. A high index of suspicion is recommended for thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) due to the time sensitive nature of treatment initiation and poor outcomes associated with delay in treatment. Due to this, treatment with PLEX is often initiated empirically before diagnostic test results are available. We aim to report the management and outcomes of TMA along with the predictive value of the PLASMIC score in our patient population, over a 10-year period in an inner-city safety net hospital. Methods: This is a single center observational study including patients who underwent PLEX for a diagnosis of TMA, due to concern for TTP between January 2009 and May 2019 at an inner-city safety net hospital. Patients were identified from blood bank records and data was collected by review of electronic medical record. We excluded patients <18 years old and who received PLEX for indications other than that described previously. Data was collected until death or last follow-up. Statistical analysis was done using STATA. Results: A total of 40 patients met the inclusion criteria. Of these, 57.5% (n=23) were male, 17.5% (n=7) had a known malignancy and 15% (n=6) had human immunodeficiency virus infection. Study population was predominantly African American and Hispanic- comprising 75% (n=30) and 17.5% respectively- which differentiates our study from other validation studies for the PLASMIC score. Symptoms at presentation to emergency department, time to initiation of PLEX from presentation, and lab parameters before and after PLEX are shown in the attached table. ADAMTS13 activity level is available in 65% (n=26) patients, 57.7% of which were sent before initiation of PLEX. Average number of PLEX sessions during the admission was 9.4 (range: 2-30). As part of treatment, 85% (n=34) received steroids and 17.5% (n=7) received hemodialysis. 5 patients received rituximab and 2 received eculizumab. Final diagnoses included TTP in 62.5% (n=25), complement mediated TMA in 5% (n=2), drug induced TMA in 10% (n=4), TMA from sepsis or rheumatological condition in 15% (n=6), bone marrow suppression due to chemotherapy in 5% (n=2) and unsure in 2.5% (n=1). Average length of stay was 22.2 days (range: 6-85 days). Of the total 40 patients, 7.5% (n=3) died on the same admission, 10% (n=4) died after discharge and 3 were readmitted for repeat PLEX. Duration of follow-up after discharge ranged from 9 to 3319 days (mean 1102.6 days). We retrospectively estimated the PLASMIC score at the time of presentation for all the patients. Amongst the patients eventually diagnosed with TTP, 50% had a PLASMIC score of >5 and 70.83% had a score ≥5 at the time of presentation. Among non-TTP TMA, 25% had a score of >5 and 62.5% had a score ≥5. The sensitivity, specificity and positive predictive value of PLASMIC score for prediction of final diagnosis of TTP was calculated for all patients who met inclusion criteria and is shown in the attached table. Of those who underwent PLEX in the setting of TMA for the concern of TTP, only about a third were started on PLEX within 24 hours. Conclusion:Among our study population, only about a third were started on PLEX within 24 hours which is concerning and highlights the need for quality improvement initiatives to increase provider awareness and decrease time to PLEX. Final diagnosis of TTP was made in 62.5% of the patients but notably, the performance of PLASMIC score in our patient population was inferior compared to prior validation studies. One possible explanation for this could be the difference in baseline patient demographics, with our patients belonging mostly to minority groups. There is a need for further studies with derivation and validation cohorts in this patient population to derive a scoring system that is more predictive. Table Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Evaluation of Patterns in Access to Breast Cancer Care and Breast Cancer Presentation in a Safety Net Patient Population

2021 ◽  
pp. 000313482096628
Author(s):  
Erica Choe ◽  
Hayoung Park ◽  
Ma’at Hembrick ◽  
Christine Dauphine ◽  
Junko Ozao-Choy
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Cancer Screening ◽  
Breast Cancer Screening ◽  
Cancer Care ◽  
Patient Population ◽  
Safety Net ◽  
Minority Women ◽  
Breast Cancer Care ◽  
Safety Net Hospital ◽  
Screening Mammograms

Background While prior studies have shown the apparent health disparities in breast cancer diagnosis and treatment, there is a gap in knowledge with respect to access to breast cancer care among minority women. Methods We performed a retrospective analysis of patients with newly diagnosed breast cancer from 2014 to 2016 to evaluate how patients presented and accessed cancer care services in our urban safety net hospital. Patient demographics, cancer stage, history of breast cancer screening, and process of referral to cancer care were collected and analyzed. Results Of the 202 patients identified, 61 (30%) patients were younger than the age of 50 and 75 (63%) were of racial minority background. Only 39% of patients with a new breast cancer were diagnosed on screening mammogram. Women younger than the age of 50 ( P < .001) and minority women ( P < .001) were significantly less likely to have had any prior screening mammograms. Furthermore, in patients who met the screening guideline age, more than half did not have prior screening mammograms. Discussion Future research should explore how to improve breast cancer screening rates within our county patient population and the potential need for revision of screening guidelines for minority patients.

scholarly journals Association between Anxiety Levels and Weight Change in the Multiethnic Study of Atherosclerosis

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katherine Rieke ◽  
Ramon Durazo-Arvizu ◽  
Kiang Liu ◽  
Erin D. Michos ◽  
Amy Luke ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Weight Change ◽  
Inclusion Criteria ◽  
Mixed Effect ◽  
Effect Model ◽  
Lower Baseline ◽  
Multiethnic Cohort ◽  
Baseline Weight ◽  
Study Population ◽  
The Relationship

Objective. To examine the association between anxiety and weight change in a multiethnic cohort followed for approximately 10 years.Methods. The study population consisted of participants of the multiethnic study of atherosclerosis who met specified inclusion criteria (n= 5,799). Weight was measured at baseline and four subsequent follow-up exams. Anxiety was analyzed as sex-specific anxiety quartiles (QANX). The relationship between anxiety level and weight change was examined using a mixed-effect model with weight as the dependent variable, anxiety and time as the independent variables, and adjusted for covariates.Results. Average annual weight change (range) was −0.17 kg (−6.04 to 4.38 kg) for QANX 1 (lowest anxiety), −0.16 kg (−10.71 to 4.45 kg) for QANX 2, −0.15 kg (−8.69 to 6.39 kg) for QANX 3, and −0.20 kg (−7.12 to 3.95 kg) for QANX 4 (highest anxiety). No significant association was noted between QANX and weight change. However, the highest QANX was associated with a −2.48 kg (95% CI = −3.65, −1.31) lower baseline weight compared to the lowest QANX after adjustment for all covariates.Conclusions. Among adults, age 45–84, higher levels of anxiety, defined by the STPI trait anxiety scale, are associated with lower average baseline weight but not with weight change.

scholarly journals Early outcome of acute peripartum cardiomyopathy in eastern part of Nepal

2017 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-15
Author(s):  
Rajesh Nepal ◽  
Madhav Bista ◽  
Sita Ghimire
Keyword(s):  
Post Partum ◽  
Complete Recovery ◽  
Left Ventricular ◽  
Peripartum Cardiomyopathy ◽  
Inclusion Criteria ◽  
Predictors Of Outcome ◽  
Medical College ◽  
Term Delivery ◽  
Study Population

Background and Aims: Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is an uncommon complication of pregnancy with variable outcome. There is paucity of data related to its outcomes in Nepal. We studied the clinical and echocardiographic outcome of PPCM patients in eastern part of Nepal.Methods: In this prospectively designed study all patients admitted with the diagnosis of acute severe PPCM at Nobel Medical College, Biratnagar, meeting the inclusion criteria over a period of 14 month, were enrolled and followed up for 3 months post partum.The LVEF and Left ventricular end diastolic dimension (LVEDD) was assessed by echocardiography at baseline and 3 months postpartum. Mortality and survival with normal or depressed ejection fraction were determined. Predictors of outcome were evaluated. Statistical analysis were done using SPSS version 17.Results: Mean age of the study population was 27.6}5.6 years. Ninety five percent of patient had term delivery. Sixty four percent were primigravida. Eighty four percent had the symptoms onset in post partum period. Pulmonary edema was present in 64% during first hospital admission. Mortality was 9% during 3-month follow up period. Thirty six percent had complete recovery of LVEF at 3 months. Fifty five percent survived with depressed LVEF. Age, LVEF less than 30% and LVEDD more than 60 mm at study entry did not correlate significantly with poor clinical recovery at 3 months.Conclusion: This study demonstrates that survival outcome is better even in the patients with severe acute PPCM with early diagnosis and proper management of heart failure.  

A Three Year Experience at An Inner City Safety-Net Hospital with Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP)

Blood ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 116 (21) ◽  
pp. 4684-4684
Author(s):  
Harsha V Poola ◽  
Manila Gaddh ◽  
Samuel N. Ofori ◽  
Moushmi Shah ◽  
Mohammed A. Kassem ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Inner City ◽  
Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura ◽  
Conflicts Of Interest ◽  
Hepatitis Virus ◽  
Far East ◽  
Safety Net ◽  
High Dose ◽  
Thrombocytopenic Purpura ◽  
High Dose Dexamethasone ◽  
Safety Net Hospital

Abstract Abstract 4684 Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura or ITP remains a clinical diagnosis of exclusion. There are numerous treatments, attesting to the fallibility of each. A 3 year experience at an Inner City safety net hospital was analyzed. For inclusion in the study, the hematology service had to have excluded consumption disorders, prior chemotherapy, medication known to cause thrombocytopenia and Viral Infection- HIV and/Hepatitis. 93 patients met these criteria and had platelet counts below 50,000. The median age of the whole group was 49 yrs, with a range of 21 to 78 years. A few were ANA positive. The female preponderance reflects the literature. All Patients were started on Prednisone at 1mg/kg. Three Patients also received IV IGG to hasten the response. There were no intracranial hemorrhages or bleeding described as major. Patients from the Far East had to be excluded for Hepatitis Virus exposure. Results All who did not respond to steroids fully were treated with a second line Rx. i.e, Rituximab, Azathioprine, IV IGG or WIN Rho. One patient received high dose Dexamethasone and responded. Conclusion: Pending the use of TPO agonists, treatment of ITP in adults remains a chronic problem challenging the Hematologist to use as little corticosteroid as possible. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

scholarly journals Robotic TAPP Ventral Hernia Repair: Early Lessons Learned at an Inner City Safety Net Hospital

2018 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. e2017.00070 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Kennedy ◽  
Kaylene Barrera ◽  
Andrew Akelik ◽  
Yohannes Constable ◽  
Michael Smith ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hernia Repair ◽  
Inner City ◽  
Ventral Hernia ◽  
Ventral Hernia Repair ◽  
Safety Net ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Safety Net Hospital

Use of Intraoperative Negative Margins Reduces Inverted Papilloma Recurrence

2018 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amar Miglani ◽  
Joseph M. Hoxworth ◽  
Matthew A. Zarka ◽  
Devyani Lal
Keyword(s):  
Frozen Section ◽  
Standard Of Care ◽  
Inverted Papilloma ◽  
Inclusion Criteria ◽  
Recurrence Rates ◽  
Predictive Values ◽  
Endoscopic Techniques ◽  
Time Of Presentation ◽  
Very High

Background Recurrence of inverted papilloma (IP) is a problem in 12–17% of tumors. Controversy exists regarding benefits of intraoperative frozen section histopathology (IFSH) for IP resection; however, to our knowledge, no study has specifically investigated this. IFSH for IP resection is the standard of care in our practice. We, therefore, reviewed our outcomes of using IFSH for IP resection. A secondary goal was to assess the reliability of IFSH. Methods Patients with IP who underwent surgical resection (2010–2016) with minimum 9–month follow-up were included. Results Twenty-two adults with IP met inclusion criteria. All underwent surgery via endoscopic techniques, supplemented by external ports in five patients. At the time of presentation, 36% IPs were recurrent tumors; 68% were graded as Krouse stage 3. Resection was conducted until “clear” (negative) mucosal margins were achieved on IFSH. In 6 (27%), a “positive” IFSH result dictated additional resection to clear margins. Final negative margins were achieved in all the patients. Both positive and negative predictive values for IFSH were 100% (concordance with final pathology results). Surveillance was performed every 1–6 months with nasal endoscopy by using imaging when necessary. No recurrences were noted (0%) at mean follow-up of 40 months (range, 10 -73 months). Conclusions Positive IFSH results led to increased resection in 27% of the patients, with a 0% recurrence rate in this cohort. The reliability of IFSH for IP is very high. No recurrence of IP was noted in any patient at a mean follow-up of 3.3 years. IFSH may help reduce recurrence rates of IP, but additional studies with longer follow-up are warranted.

scholarly journals Factors affecting the rates of adherence to surveillance recommendations for incidental pancreatic cystic lesions in a large urban safety net hospital

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. e000430
Author(s):  
Andrew Canakis ◽  
Asaf Maoz ◽  
Jaroslaw N Tkacz ◽  
Christopher Huang
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Logistic Regression ◽  
Safety Net ◽  
Multivariate Logistic Regression Model ◽  
Cystic Lesions ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Safety Net Hospital ◽  
Urban Safety ◽  
Access To Primary Care

BackgroundPancreatic cystic lesions (PCLs) are a heterogenous group of lesions with varying degrees of malignant potential. PCLs are often incidentally detected on imaging. Management for patients without an immediate indication for resection or tissue sampling entails radiographic surveillance to assess for features concerning for malignant transformation. This study aims to determine the rates of adherence to surveillance recommendations for incidental PCLs, and identify factors associated with adherence or loss of follow-up.MethodsWe conducted a single-centre retrospective study of patients at a tertiary safety net hospital with incidentally discovered asymptomatic PCLs. Follow-up was defined as having undergone repeat imaging as recommended in the radiology report. Data were analysed using logistic regression.ResultsWithin our cohort (n=172), 123 (71.5%) subjects completed follow-up imaging. Attending a gastroenterology appointment was most strongly associated with completing follow-up for PCLs and remained significant (p=0.001) in a multivariate logistic regression model. Subjects without a documented primary care provider were less likely to have follow-up (p=0.028). Larger cyst size was associated with completion of follow-up in univariate only (p=0.067).ConclusionWe found that follow-up of an incidentally discovered PCLs was completed in the majority of our subjects. Incomplete follow-up for PCLs occurred in up to one in three to four patients in our cohort. Access to primary care and utilisation of subspecialty gastroenterology care are associated with completion of follow-up for PCLs. If validated, our findings can guide potential interventions to improve follow-up rates for PCLs.

Abstract 112: Statin Utilization in the Outpatient Clinic of a University Based Residency Training Program

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (suppl_3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Chang ◽  
Demilade Adedinsewo ◽  
Camille Calcano ◽  
Obiora Egbuche ◽  
Aneese Chaudhry ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Internal Medicine ◽  
Outpatient Clinic ◽  
Patient Population ◽  
Private Insurance ◽  
Safety Net ◽  
Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease ◽  
Specific Patient ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Safety Net Hospital ◽  
National Estimates

Background: Current guidelines released in 2013 recommend statins for five specific patient groups including persons with clinical atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and diabetes. National estimates of statin utilization in 2012 report statin use in persons with ASCVD at 58.8% and 63.5% among persons with diabetes. A recent review also showed suboptimal statin prescription rates prior to 2013, with only 23% being prescribed a statin at goal dose. Our goal was to assess statin prescriptions in a large resident run outpatient clinic and identify factors affecting statin prescriptions as potential targets for intervention to improve compliance with the guidelines. Methods: We obtained data from the medical record data warehouse of a primary care outpatient clinic within a large safety-net hospital from Jan–Dec 2015. The clinic is predominantly run by internal medicine residents and supervised by general internal medicine attending physicians. Patients with a diagnosis of ASCVD and diabetes were identified and electronic medical records abstraction was done to identify persons who were prescribed a statin (regardless of dose). Bivariate analyses were conducted to identify potential factors affecting statin prescriptions. Results: Our patient population was predominantly African American, representing more than 70% of our clinic patients. We found 87% of persons with ASCVD and 70% of persons with diabetes were on statin. We found no differences in statin prescriptions by demographic characteristics among persons with ASCVD. Among patients with diabetes, younger age (p<0.01), female sex (p<0.05), non-black race (p<0.05) and private insurance/lack of insurance (p<0.01) were associated with a lower likelihood of being prescribed a statin. Conclusion: Statin prescriptions among patients with ASCVD and diabetes appear to be higher in our patient population compared to prior national estimates, however statin prevalence remains suboptimal. Our next steps are to begin a targeted educational intervention for residents in the continuity clinic and ultimately demonstrate that resident driven intervention is an effective way to increase compliance with the guidelines.

Urgent Breast-Related Consults Seen by Acute Care Surgery at a Safety Net Hospital

2022 ◽  
pp. 000313482110680
Author(s):  
Rachel E. Sargent ◽  
Morgan Schellenberg ◽  
Natthida Owattanapanich ◽  
Allen Chen ◽  
Eric Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Acute Care ◽  
Cancer Diagnosis ◽  
Surgical Oncology ◽  
Safety Net ◽  
Initial Assessment ◽  
Acute Care Surgery ◽  
Loss To Follow Up ◽  
Safety Net Hospital ◽  
Care Surgery

Background Classically, urgent breast consults are seen by Breast Surgery or Surgical Oncology (BS/SO). At our safety net hospital, Acute Care Surgery (ACS) performs all urgent surgical consultations, including initial assessment of breast consults with coordinated BS/SO follow-up. The objective was to determine safety of ACS initial assessment of acute breast pathology. Methods All urgent breast-related consultations were included (2016-2019). Demographics, consult indications, and investigations/interventions were captured. Outcomes were compared between patients assessed by ACS versus both ACS and BS/SO at presentation. Results 234 patients met study criteria, with median age 39 years. Patients were primarily Hispanic (82%) women (96%). Most were not seen by BS/SO at presentation (69%), although BS/SO assessment was more frequent among patients ultimately diagnosed with cancer (8% vs 1%, P = .012). No patient had delay >90 days to core biopsy from presentation. Outcomes including time to cancer diagnosis (14 vs 8 days, P = .143) and outpatient BS/SO assessment (16 vs 13 days, P = .528); loss to follow-up (25% vs 21%, P = .414); and ED recidivism (24% vs 18%, P = .274) were comparable between patients seen by ACS versus ACS/BS/SO at index presentation. Conclusion Urgent breast consults at our safety net hospital typically underwent initial assessment by ACS with outpatient evaluation by BS/SO. Time to follow-up and cancer diagnosis, loss to follow-up, and ED recidivism were similar after index presentation assessment by ACS versus ACS and BS/SO. In a resource-limited environment, urgent breast consults can be safely managed in the acute setting by ACS with coordinated outpatient BS/SO follow-up.

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