PROSPECTIVE OBSERVATIONAL STUDY OF THE INCIDENCE OF ALCOHOLIC WITHDRAWAL SYNDROME AND THE ROLE OF THIAMINE IN CHRONIC ALCOHOLICS WITH BURN INJURIES

Introduction: Ideal management of alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS) incorporates a symptom driven approach, whereby patients are regularly assessed using a standardized scoring system (Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment for Alcohol-Revised; CIWA-Ar) and treated according to severity. Among the domains assessed by the CIWA-Ar, tremor is the most objective indicator of withdrawal severity, however, the ability of clinicians to reliably quantify tremor is highly dependent on experience. The objective of this study was to prospectively validate an objective, reliable tool to standardize and quantify the severity of alcohol withdrawal tremor using the built-in accelerometer of an iOS application. Methods: A prospective observational study of patients ≥18 years presenting to an academic emergency department in alcohol withdrawal was conducted from Oct 2014 to Aug 2015. Assessments were videotaped by a research assistant and subsequently reviewed by 3 clinical experts, blinded to the primary clinical assessment. Tremor severity was scored using the 8-point CIWA scale (0=no tremor, 7=severe tremor). Accelerometer derived results were compared to expert assessments of each video. Inter-rater agreement was estimated using Cohen’s kappa (k) statistic. Results: 76 patients with 78 tremor recordings were included. Accelerometer derived tremor scores matched exactly with expert assessor scores in 36 (46.2%) cases, within 1 point for 73 (93.6%) cases and differed by ≥ 2 points in 5 (6.4%) cases. The overall kappa for agreement within 1 point for tremor severity was ‘very good’ 0.92 (95% CI: 0.86, 0.99). Conclusion: iOS accelerometer based assessment of the tremor component of the CIWA-Ar score is reliable and has potential to more accurately assess the severity of patients in alcohol withdrawal. We anticipate this resource will be easily disseminated and will impact and improve the care of patients with alcohol withdrawal.

Download Full-text

Serum cystatin is not a marker of glomerular filtration rate in pregnancy

Obstetric Medicine ◽

10.1258/om.2009.090019 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 2 (3) ◽

pp. 121-122 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Kate Bramham ◽

David Makanjuola ◽

Wael Hussein ◽

Debra Cafful ◽

Hassan Shehata

Keyword(s):

Glomerular Filtration Rate ◽

Observational Study ◽

Glomerular Filtration ◽

Filtration Rate ◽

Prospective Observational Study ◽

Second Trimester ◽

Third Trimester ◽

Serum Cystatin ◽

In Pregnancy

The role of cystatin C (Cys-C) as a marker of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in pregnancy is undetermined. Measurements of Cys-C and creatinine (Cr) were taken at 14–17+6, 18–23+6, 27–31+6 weeks' gestation, at delivery and 2–6 weeks postpartum in a prospective observational study of 27 women. There was no difference between Cys-C levels in early and late second trimester, but they were significantly higher in early third trimester ( P < 0.001) than second trimester, despite no concurrent increase in Cr. Cys-C was also significantly higher at delivery than at all other times in pregnancy ( P < 0.001) and fell to postpartum values higher than second trimester measurements ( P < 0.01), but lower than delivery ( P<0.001). In conclusion, changes in Cys-C may be influenced by pregnancy-related changes in glomerular filtration and therefore we would advise against their use as a marker of GFR in pregnancy.

Download Full-text

The role of rehabilitation measures in reintegration of children with brain tumours or leukaemia and their families after completion of cancer treatment: a study protocol

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2016-014505 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 7 (8) ◽

pp. e014505 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Mona Leandra Peikert ◽

Laura Inhestern ◽

Corinna Bergelt

Keyword(s):

Observational Study ◽

Cancer Treatment ◽

Childhood Cancer ◽

Quantitative Study ◽

Prospective Observational Study ◽

Daily Life ◽

Oncological Rehabilitation ◽

Rehabilitation Measures

IntroductionFor ill children as well as for their parents and siblings, childhood cancer poses a major challenge. Little is known about the reintegration into daily life of childhood cancer survivors and their families. The aim of this prospective observational study is to further the understanding of the role of rehabilitation measures in the reintegration process of childhood leukaemia or brain tumour survivors and their family members after the end of cancer treatment.Methods and analysisThis prospective observational study consists of three study arms: a quantitative study in cooperation with three German paediatric oncological study registries (study arm 1), a quantitative study in cooperation with a rehabilitation clinic that offers a family-oriented paediatric oncological rehabilitation programme (study arm 2) and a qualitative study at 12-month follow-up including families from the study arms 1 and 2 (study arm 3). In study arm 1, children, parents and siblings are surveyed after treatment (baseline), 4–6 months after baseline measurement and at 12-month follow-up. In study arm 2, data are collected at the beginning and at the end of the rehabilitation measure and at 12-month follow-up. Families are assessed with standardised questionnaires on quality of life, emotional and behavioural symptoms, depression, anxiety, fear of progression, coping and family functioning. Furthermore, self-developed items on rehabilitation aims and reintegration into daily life are used. Where applicable, users and non-users of rehabilitation measures will be compared regarding the outcome parameters. Longitudinal data will be analysed by means of multivariate analysis strategies. Reference values will be used for comparisons if applicable. Qualitative data will be analysed using thematic analysis.Ethics and disseminationThis study has been approved by the medical ethics committee of the Medical Chamber of Hamburg. Data will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at conferences.

Download Full-text