Temporal trends in intake and outcome data for animal shelter and rescue facilities in Colorado from 2000 through 2015

Abstract OBJECTIVE To investigate trends in animal shelter and rescue organization intake for dogs and cats in Colorado from 2008 to 2018. SAMPLE 482 animal shelters and rescue organizations that reported annual intake data to the State of Colorado Department of Agriculture for 1,086,630 dogs and 702,333 cats. PROCEDURES Total intake, intake for each of 5 Pet Animal Care and Facilities Act categories (stray, owner surrender, intrastate transfer, interstate transfer, or other), and community-based intake (total intake after exclusion of transfers) of dogs and cats were assessed in total and for each organization type (shelter or rescue organization). The number taken in per year, number taken in/1,000 capita (human residents)/y, and number in each intake category as a percentage of total intake for the same species per year were analyzed with linear regression models. RESULTS Trend lines indicated that total dog intake increased over the study period, but there was no change when these data were adjusted for the human population. Cat intake decreased over time according to both of these measures. Total community-based intake decreased, whereas total intake by interstate transfer from other organizations increased for both species during the study period. CLINICAL RELEVANCE Increased transfer of dogs and cats across state lines into regions with low community-based shelter intake suggested that regional and national animal disease trends could potentially impact disease profiles for recipient areas. Findings supported efforts toward collecting animal shelter and rescue organization intake and outcome data across larger systems.

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Intestinal Perforations Associated With a High Mortality and Frequent Complications During an Epidemic of Multidrug-resistant Typhoid Fever in Blantyre, Malawi

Clinical Infectious Diseases ◽

10.1093/cid/ciaa405 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 71 (Supplement_2) ◽

pp. S96-S101

Author(s):

Franziska Olgemoeller ◽

Jonathan J Waluza ◽

Dalitso Zeka ◽

Jillian S Gauld ◽

Peter J Diggle ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Typhoid Fever ◽

Low Income ◽

Intestinal Perforation ◽

Bowel Perforation ◽

Temporal Trends ◽

Case Fatality ◽

Salmonella Typhi ◽

Outcome Data ◽

Morbidity And Mortality ◽

Abdominal Viscus

Abstract Background Typhoid fever remains a major source of morbidity and mortality in low-income settings. Its most feared complication is intestinal perforation. However, due to the paucity of diagnostic facilities in typhoid-endemic settings, including microbiology, histopathology, and radiology, the etiology of intestinal perforation is frequently assumed but rarely confirmed. This poses a challenge for accurately estimating burden of disease. Methods We recruited a prospective cohort of patients with confirmed intestinal perforation in 2016 and performed enhanced microbiological investigations (blood and tissue culture, plus tissue polymerase chain reaction [PCR] for Salmonella Typhi). In addition, we used a Poisson generalized linear model to estimate excess perforations attributed to the typhoid epidemic, using temporal trends in S. Typhi bloodstream infection and perforated abdominal viscus at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital from 2008–2017. Results We recruited 23 patients with intraoperative findings consistent with intestinal perforation. 50% (11/22) of patients recruited were culture or PCR positive for S. Typhi. Case fatality rate from typhoid-associated intestinal perforation was substantial at 18% (2/11). Our statistical model estimates that culture-confirmed cases of typhoid fever lead to an excess of 0.046 perforations per clinical typhoid fever case (95% CI, .03–.06). We therefore estimate that typhoid fever accounts for 43% of all bowel perforation during the period of enhanced surveillance. Conclusions The morbidity and mortality associated with typhoid abdominal perforations are high. By placing clinical outcome data from a cohort in the context of longitudinal surgical registers and bacteremia data, we describe a valuable approach to adjusting estimates of the burden of typhoid fever.

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Impact of laparoscopic approach in emergency major abdominal surgery: single-centre analysis of 748 consecutive cases

Annals of The Royal College of Surgeons of England ◽

10.1308/rcsann.2017.0229 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 100 (4) ◽

pp. 279-284 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

PH Pucher ◽

NC Carter ◽

BC Knight ◽

SKC Toh ◽

V Tucker ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Confidence Interval ◽

Temporal Trends ◽

Laparoscopic Approach ◽

High Volume ◽

District General Hospital ◽

Outcome Data ◽

Emergency Laparotomy ◽

Improved Outcomes ◽

Intensive Care Stay ◽

National Emergency

Background Acute abdominal pathology requiring emergency laparotomy is a common surgical presentation. Despite its widespread implementation in other surgical procedures, laparoscopy, rather than laparotomy, is sparingly used in major emergency surgery. This study reports outcomes and impact of rising use of laparoscopy for a single high-volume district general hospital. Methods Data were retrieved from the prospective National Emergency Laparotomy Audit database for a 30-month period. Patient, procedural, and in-hospital outcome data were collated. Temporal trends were assessed and regression analysis conducted for clinical outcomes. Results A total of 748 consecutive cases were recorded. There was an increasing use of laparoscopy over the study period, with 49% of cases attempted laparoscopically in the final six-month interval. Patients treated laparoscopically were at reduced risk of mortality (odds ratio 0.114, 95% confidence interval 0.024 to 0.550) and experienced reduced length of intensive care stay (regression coefficient –1.571, 95% confidence interval –2.625 to –0.517) in multivariate adjusted analysis. Conclusions Laparoscopy is safe and feasible in a large proportion of cases. It is associated with improved outcomes versus laparotomy.

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Abstract MP30: Reporting of Sex-Specific Results in Randomized Clinical Trials of Acute Stroke (2010-2020)

Stroke ◽

10.1161/str.52.suppl_1.mp30 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 52 (Suppl_1) ◽

Author(s):

Julia Pudar ◽

Brent Strong ◽

Virginia J Howard ◽

Mathew J Reeves

Keyword(s):

Acute Stroke ◽

Sample Size ◽

Trial Type ◽

Randomized Clinical Trials ◽

Temporal Trends ◽

Geographic Region ◽

Outcome Data ◽

Industry Funding ◽

Stroke Type ◽

Trial Phase

Introduction: When reporting primary results, it is recommended that RCTs report sex-specific outcomes. We reviewed the reporting of sex-specific outcomes in contemporary acute stroke RCTs. Methods: We searched MEDLINE for manuscripts published between 2010 and June 2020 in one of nine major clinical journals reporting the primary results of phase 2 or 3 stroke RCTs. Eligible trials tested a therapeutic intervention initiated within one month of stroke onset. Reporting of sex-specific primary results was the outcome of interest. We also investigated whether the trial formally tested for an interaction between sex and treatment and if that interaction test was statistically significant. We performed bivariate analyses using Fisher’s exact tests to identify study-level factors associated with sex-specific reporting including journal, geographic region, trial phase, sample size, stroke type, trial type (e.g. thrombolytic, EVT, secondary prevention), and industry funding. Temporal trends using two-year time periods were also explored. Results: Of the 115 studies identified, sex-specific primary outcome data were reported in 37% (n=42). Reporting varied significantly by journal, with NEJM (61%) and Lancet journals (40%) having the highest rates (p=0.03) (Table). Reporting also differed by geographic region (p=0.03), trial phase (p=0.05), and sample size (p<0.01). Reporting did not vary significantly by stroke type, trial type, or industry involvement. While not significant, there was a positive temporal trend in favor of greater reporting in later publications (p=0.09). Of the 29 trials that formally tested for an interaction between sex and treatment, only one significant interaction was found. Conclusions: Although reporting of sex-specific outcomes improved from 2010 to 2020, the prevalence of reporting in major journals is still low. Further efforts are required to ensure that journals and authors comply with reporting guidelines.

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Twitter Usage Using Common Reference to Tinnitus

American Journal of Audiology ◽

10.1044/2020_aja-19-00055 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 29 (2) ◽

pp. 206-217

Author(s):

Jianyuan Ni ◽

Monica L. Bellon-Harn ◽

Jiang Zhang ◽

Yueqing Li ◽

Vinaya Manchaiah

Keyword(s):

Nonprofit Organizations ◽

Temporal Trends ◽

Temporal Analysis ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

For Profit ◽

Common Reference ◽

Personal Experiences ◽

Twitter Users ◽

Sectional Analysis ◽

Share Information

Objective The objective of the study was to examine specific patterns of Twitter usage using common reference to tinnitus. Method The study used cross-sectional analysis of data generated from Twitter data. Twitter content, language, reach, users, accounts, temporal trends, and social networks were examined. Results Around 70,000 tweets were identified and analyzed from May to October 2018. Of the 100 most active Twitter accounts, organizations owned 52%, individuals owned 44%, and 4% of the accounts were unknown. Commercial/for-profit and nonprofit organizations were the most common organization account owners (i.e., 26% and 16%, respectively). Seven unique tweets were identified with a reach of over 400 Twitter users. The greatest reach exceeded 2,000 users. Temporal analysis identified retweet outliers (> 200 retweets per hour) that corresponded to a widely publicized event involving the response of a Twitter user to another user's joke. Content analysis indicated that Twitter is a platform that primarily functions to advocate, share personal experiences, or share information about management of tinnitus rather than to provide social support and build relationships. Conclusions Twitter accounts owned by organizations outnumbered individual accounts, and commercial/for-profit user accounts were the most frequently active organization account type. Analyses of social media use can be helpful in discovering issues of interest to the tinnitus community as well as determining which users and organizations are dominating social network conversations.

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Voice Therapy With Seniors: Attendance, Outcomes, and Associated Patient Characteristics

Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups ◽

10.1044/2019_pers-sig3-2019-0004 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 4 (5) ◽

pp. 814-824 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Bonnie E. Smith ◽

Ruth Huntley Bahr ◽

Hector N. Hernandez

Keyword(s):

Outcome Data ◽

Voice Therapy ◽

Similar Data ◽

Success Rates ◽

Reflux Symptom Index ◽

Voice Change ◽

Related Factors ◽

Symptom Index ◽

Younger Patients ◽

Unsuccessful Treatment

Purpose The purpose of this study was to determine the attendance and success rates for seniors in voice therapy, identify any contributing patient-related factors, and compare results to existing findings for younger patients. Method This retrospective study included information from the voice records of 50 seniors seen by the same speech-language pathologist in a private practice. Analysis of attendance and outcome data divided participants into 6 groups. Outcomes for Groups 1–3 (64% of patients) were considered successful (positive voice change), while outcomes for Groups 4–6 (36% of patients) were considered unsuccessful. These data were compared to similar data collected for younger adults in a previous study. Results The attendance and success rates for seniors in this study were higher than those previously reported for younger patients. Further consideration of patient factors revealed that reports of increased stress, Reflux Symptom Index scores > 13, and higher Voice Handicap Index functional subscale scores were significant in distinguishing between patients in the successful and unsuccessful treatment outcome groups. Conclusions The relatively high attendance and success rates among this sample of seniors suggest the desire to achieve voice improvement does not diminish with age, and chances for success in voice therapy among nonfrail seniors may be greater than for younger patients.

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Impairment Rating and Spinal Cord Injuries: Revisiting the Guides

Guides Newsletter ◽

10.1001/amaguidesnewsletters.2010.mayjun01 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 15 (3) ◽

pp. 1-7

Author(s):

Richard T. Katz

Keyword(s):

Spinal Cord ◽

Spinal Cord Injuries ◽

Functional Independence ◽

Outcome Data ◽

Multiple Organ ◽

Loss Of Function ◽

Sixth Edition ◽

Organ Systems ◽

Cord Injury ◽

Impairment Ratings

Abstract This article addresses some criticisms of the AMA Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment (AMA Guides) by comparing previously published outcome data from a group of complete spinal cord injury (SCI) persons with impairment ratings for a corresponding level of injury calculated using the AMA Guides, Sixth Edition. Results of the comparison show that impairment ratings using the sixth edition scale poorly with the level of impairments of activities of daily living (ADL) in SCI patients as assessed by the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) motor scale and the extended FIM motor scale. Because of the combinations of multiple impairments, the AMA Guides potentially overrates the impairment of paraplegics compared with that of quadriplegics. The use and applicability of the Combined Values formula should be further investigated, and complete loss of function of two upper extremities seems consistent with levels of quadriplegia using the SCI model. Some aspects of the AMA Guides contain inconsistencies. The concept of diminishing impairment values is not easily translated between specific losses of function per organ system and “overall” loss of ADLs involving multiple organ systems, and the notion of “catastrophic thresholds” involving multiple organ systems may support the understanding that variations in rating may exist in higher rating cases such as those that involve an SCI.

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