scholarly journals Association between bacterial finding, antibiotic treatment and clinical course in patients with pharyngotonsillitis: a registry-based study in primary healthcare in Sweden

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jon Pallon ◽  
Martin Sundqvist ◽  
Mattias Rööst ◽  
Katarina Hedin

Abstract Background The role of non-group A streptococci and Fusobacterium necrophorum in pharyngotonsillitis has been disputed and few prospective studies have evaluated the effect of antibiotic treatment. This study uses registry data to investigate the relation between antibiotic prescription for pharyngotonsillitis in primary healthcare and return visits for pharyngotonsillitis, complications, and tonsillectomy. Methods Retrospective data were extracted from the regional electronic medical record system in Kronoberg County, Sweden, for all patients diagnosed with pharyngotonsillitis between 2012 and 2016. From these data, two cohorts were formed: one based on rapid antigen detection tests (RADT) for group A streptococci (GAS) and one based on routine throat cultures for β-haemolytic streptococci and F. necrophorum. The 90 days following the inclusion visit were assessed for new visits for pharyngotonsillitis, complications, and tonsillectomy, and related to bacterial aetiology and antibiotic prescriptions given at inclusion. Results In the RADT cohort (n = 13,781), antibiotic prescription for patients with a positive RADT for GAS was associated with fewer return visits for pharyngotonsillitis within 30 days compared with no prescription (8.7% vs. 12%; p = 0.02), but not with the complication rate within 30 days (1.5% vs. 1.8%; p = 0.7) or with the tonsillectomy rate within 90 days (0.27% vs. 0.26%; p = 1). In contrast, antibiotic prescription for patients with a negative RADT was associated with more return visits for pharyngotonsillitis within 30 days (9.7% vs. 7.0%; p = 0.01). In the culture cohort (n = 1 370), antibiotic prescription for patients with Streptococcus dysgalactiae ssp. equisimilis was associated with fewer return visits for pharyngotonsillitis within 30 days compared with no prescription (15% vs. 29%; p = 0.03). Conclusions Antibiotic prescription was associated with fewer return visits for pharyngotonsillitis in patients with a positive RADT for GAS but with more return visits in patients with a negative RADT for GAS. There were no differences in purulent complications related to antibiotic prescription.

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 436-441
Author(s):  
Ying-Jie Ma ◽  
◽  
Ben Chen ◽  
Yan-Yan Lin ◽  
Jia Liu ◽  
...  

AIM: To retrospectively compare postoperative outcomes after primary enucleation and placement of a hydroxyapatite (HA) implant without wrapping, wrapped with auricular cartilage or donor sclera. METHODS: Medical records of patients presented as intraocular tumor or severe ocular injury were identified from the electronic medical record system. Cases underwent enucleation and HA orbital implantation were enrolled in this study and were divided into 3 groups according to the wrapping material of HA implant. Cases with autogenous cartilage caps were enrolled in group A (n=11), with donor sclera caps in group B (n=12), and without any wrapping material in group C (n=9). Follow-ups were set at 1, 2wk, 1, 3, 6, and 12mo after surgery. RESULTS: Altogether 32 cases finished the follow-up and were enrolled in this study. Three cases (27.27%) in group A, 4 cases (33.33%) in group B, and 4 cases (44.44%) in group C developed one complication each after surgery. In group A, no HA exposure occurred, but conjunctival inclusion cyst occurred in one and severe conjunctive chemosis in two cases. In group B, one HA exposure occurred, conjunctive inclusion cysts occurred in one, severe conjunctive chemosis occurred in one, and conjunctival granuloma occurred in one case. In group C, one HA exposure occurred, severe conjunctive chemosis occurred in two cases, and conjunctival granuloma occurred in one case. The case of exposure of none-wrapped implant was noted in the first 6mo after placement of the orbital implant. The case of exposure of donor sclera-wrapped implant was noted at the 12mo after placement of the orbital implant. Both exposure cases were treated successfully with conservative treatment. CONCLUSION: With low incidence of implant exposure and mild complications, auricular cartilage can be a good choice of alternative wrapping material of orbit implant with satisfied outcome.


Author(s):  
Megan M Cory ◽  
Wasif A Osmani ◽  
Kevin S Cory ◽  
Staci Young ◽  
Rebecca Lundh

Objective As appointments become more rushed, it is crucial that primary care clinicians consider new and effective ways to provide preventive health education to patients. Currently, patient education is often handouts printed from the electronic medical record system; however, these pieces of paper often do not have the desired impact. Well-established advertising methods reveal that repeated exposure is key in recall and swaying consumer decisions. The Creating Health Education for Constructive Knowledge in Underserved Populations (CHECK UP) Program is a medical student-led program that aims to improve patient recall of health information, health promoting behaviors and health outcomes by applying modified advertising concepts to the delivery of health education. Methods Patients were given large magnets containing health education information. These patients were interviewed 3–4 months afterwards to assess use and effectiveness of magnets as a means to provide health education. Results In total, 25 of the 28 patients given CHECK UP magnets agreed to participate. The majority of participants (23/25) kept the magnets and reported that they, as well as others in their households, see the magnets daily. All 23 participants recalled at least 1 health tip from 1 of the magnets. Conclusions The use of non-traditional materials for patient education allowed for repeated exposure and recall of health information. Consideration for modified use of evidence-based advertising and marketing strategies for the delivery of patient education may be an easy and effective way to provide information to patients outside of the clinical setting and promote health behavioral changes.


Healthcare ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 749
Author(s):  
Gumpili Sai Prashanthi ◽  
Nareen Molugu ◽  
Priyanka Kammari ◽  
Ranganath Vadapalli ◽  
Anthony Vipin Das

India is home to 1.3 billion people. The geography and the magnitude of the population present unique challenges in the delivery of healthcare services. The implementation of electronic health records and tools for conducting predictive modeling enables opportunities to explore time series data like patient inflow to the hospital. This study aims to analyze expected outpatient visits to the tertiary eyecare network in India using datasets from a domestically developed electronic medical record system (eyeSmart™) implemented across a large multitier ophthalmology network in India. Demographic information of 3,384,157 patient visits was obtained from eyeSmart EMR from August 2010 to December 2017 across the L.V. Prasad Eye Institute network. Age, gender, date of visit and time status of the patients were selected for analysis. The datapoints for each parameter from the patient visits were modeled using the seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average (SARIMA) modeling. SARIMA (0,0,1)(0,1,7)7 provided the best fit for predicting total outpatient visits. This study describes the prediction method of forecasting outpatient visits to a large eyecare network in India. The results of our model hold the potential to be used to support the decisions of resource planning in the delivery of eyecare services to patients.


Circulation ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 142 (Suppl_3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Macaela N Rudeck ◽  
Catherine P Benziger

Introduction: Atrial fibrillation (AF) and flutter lead to increased risk of thromboembolism (TE). The CHA 2 DS 2 -VASc score is used to determine the risk of TE. Objective: We aim to evaluate the anticoagulation use across CHA 2 DS 2 -VASc scores calculated using a validated automatic calculator. Methods: An AF registry was created for patients with AF or atrial flutter who had seen a primary care or cardiology provider within the past 2 years (5/28/2018-5/28/2020). An automatic CHA 2 DS 2 -VASc calculator was integrated into the electronic medical record system at Essentia Health on 10/1/2019. High-risk of TE was defined as a score of ≥3 for females and a score of ≥2 for males. AF registry included demographics, anticoagulation prescription, CHA 2 DS 2 -VASc and ATRIA bleed score, contraindications, and presence of left atrial appendage (LAA) occlusion device. Results: A total of 10992 patients with AF or atrial flutter were included in the registry (74.8 ±11.8 years, 41.7% female). A total of 6703 (61.0%) had a CHA 2 DS 2 -VASc score calculated (mean score 3.9 ± 1.5). Mean ATRIA bleed score was 3.0 ± 2.0. Within these patients, 90.7% of males and 93.0% of females were at high-risk of TE. Of these high-risk patients, anticoagulation use was 82.7% for females and 83.5% for males and increased with increasing score (p<0.01 for males, p<0.01 for females) (Figure 1). Overall, 36.9% were prescribed NOAC, 47.0% warfarin, and 0.8% heparin. There was no sex difference in the prescription of NOAC (37.7% male vs. 35.9% female, p=0.1). Fewer than 1% had WATCHMAN LAA device (0.3% male vs. 0.4% female, p=0.5). Conclusion: Four out of 5 patients at increased risk of TE are prescribed an anticoagulant. Interventions to improve anticoagulation use in high-risk patients are needed. Figure 1. Anticoagulation prescription use in atrial fibrillation patients by CHA 2 DS 2 -VASc score and sex between 5/28/2018-5/28/2020 at Essentia Health (N=6703).


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