scholarly journals An Emergent Nexus between Striae and Thoracic Aortic Dissection

Genes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 23
Author(s):  
Benjamin J. Landis ◽  
Courtney E. Vujakovich ◽  
Lindsey R. Elmore ◽  
Saila T. Pillai ◽  
Lawrence S. Lee ◽  
...  

Current approaches to stratify the risk for disease progression in thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) lack precision, which hinders clinical decision making. Connective tissue phenotyping of children with TAA previously identified the association between skin striae and increased rate of aortic dilation. The objective of this study was to analyze associations between connective tissue abnormalities and clinical endpoints in adults with aortopathy. Participants with TAA or aortic dissection (TAD) and trileaflet aortic valve were enrolled from 2016 to 2019 in the setting of cardiothoracic surgical care. Data were ascertained by structured interviews with participants. The mean age among 241 cases was 61 ± 13 years. Eighty (33%) had history of TAD. While most participants lacked a formal syndromic diagnosis clinically, connective tissue abnormalities were identified in 113 (47%). This included 20% with abdominal hernia and 13% with skin striae in atypical location. In multivariate analysis, striae and hypertension were significantly associated with TAD. Striae were associated with younger age of TAD or prophylactic aortic surgery. Striae were more frequent in TAD cases than age- and sex-matched controls. Thus, systemic features of connective tissue dysfunction were prevalent in adults with aortopathy. The emerging nexus between striae and aortopathy severity creates opportunities for clinical stratification and basic research.

Author(s):  
Cian Tan ◽  
Mohammed Idhrees ◽  
Mohamad Bashir

ABSTRACT The involvement of Medical Technology (MedTech) corporations in the provision of surgical care remains a topic of debate. This relationship is especially relevant in cardiac and aortic surgery as the use of grafts, stents, prostheses, and other devices is an integral component of most procedures. Many argue that the involvement of device representatives in cardiac surgical cases is valuable – they are often experts on their product and are able to contribute their expertise in challenging cases. Yet, the potential for MedTech corporations to influence surgeons’ clinical decision-making introduces a conflict-of-interest and calls into question what the ‘best practice’ for sales reps should be. The influence of MedTech corporations over policymaking bodies in the US, UK, and Europe also represents a major issue for transparency and is equally deserving of evaluation.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fen-Fang Chung ◽  
Shu-Chuan Lin ◽  
Yu-Hsia Lee ◽  
Pao-Yu Wang ◽  
Hon-Yen Wu ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Shared decision making (SDM) is a patient-centred nursing concept that emphasises the autonomy of the patient. It is a co-operative process of exchanging information, communication and response, and treatment decisions made between medical staff and patients. In this study, we explored the experience of clinical nursing staff participating in SDM. Methods We adopted a qualitative research method. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 nurses at a medical centre in northern Taiwan. The data obtained from interview recordings were transferred to verbatim manuscripts. Content analysis was used to analyse and summarise the data. Results Clinical nursing staff should have basic professional skills, communication and response skills, respect and cultural sensitivity, the ability to form a co-operative team, the ability to search for and integrate empirical data, and the basic ability to edit media to participate in SDM. Conclusions The results of this study describe the experiences of clinical nursing staff participating in SDM, which can be used as a reference for nursing education and nursing administrative supervisors to plan and enhance professional nursing SDM in nursing education.


2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vincent L. Cannataro ◽  
Stephen G. Gaffney ◽  
Jeffrey P. Townsend

ABSTRACTA major goal of cancer biology is determination of the relative importance of the genomic alterations that confer selective advantage to cancer cells. Tumor sequence surveys have frequently ranked the importance of substitutions to cancer growth by P value or a false-discovery conversion thereof. However, P values are thresholds for belief, not metrics of effect. Their frequent misuse as metrics of effect has often been vociferously decried. Here, we estimate the effect sizes of all recurrent single nucleotide variants in 23 cancer types, quantifying relative importance within and between driver genes. Some of the variants with the highest effect size, such as EGFR L858R in lung adenocarcinoma and BRAF V600E in primary skin cutaneous melanoma, have yielded remarkable therapeutic responses. Quantification of cancer effect sizes has immediate importance to the prioritization of clinical decision-making by tumor boards, selection and design of clinical trials, pharmacological targeting, and basic research prioritization.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Saeideh Daryazadeh ◽  
Payman Adibi

Background: Morning reports are important training programs (especially for residents) as they enhance clinical decision-making skills, social interactions, and participatory learning. Given the need to eliminate the educational gap and provide optimal conditions, educational interventions regarding morning reports are often implemented in the form of evidence-based morning reports with an interactive and consultative approach. Objectives: The present study aimed to evaluate the quality of evidence-based morning reports using an interactive and consultative approach. Methods: This qualitative study was conducted with an inductive approach in 2019 in Iran. Changes were made to develop an evidence-based morning report and create a friendly educational environment between faculty members and residents, as well as interactive learning among the residents. The intervention was assessed through explaining the experiences of 16 participants via individual semi-structured interviews. Purposive sampling continued until data saturation. Data analysis was performed in the MAXQDA10 software. Results: In total, 153 codes, two main categories (education and dimensions of change), six categories (educational deficiencies, influential factors in the quality of education, requirements, barriers, benefits, and response to change), and 20 subcategories were extracted. Conclusions: According to the results, the residents were satisfied with the changes, while the faculty members needed more justification and motivation. The strengths and weaknesses identified in the intervention could lay the groundwork for broader changes in the same clinical fields.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S140-S140
Author(s):  
Kimberly Dukes ◽  
Julia Walhof ◽  
Madisen Brown ◽  
Kalpana Gupta ◽  
Judith Strymish ◽  
...  

Abstract Background In 2019, the IDSA Clinical Practice guidelines on asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) recommended that clinicians no longer screen or treat patients for ASB before non-urological surgeries. However, it remains to be seen whether these guideline recommendations alone will produce changes in practice. Understanding clinical decision-making about preoperative urine screening and treatment can help design effective interventions to facilitate guideline concordance and support antibiotic stewardship. Our project objective was to qualitatively assess barriers and facilitators to reducing preoperative urine testing and treatment. Methods We conducted semi-structured interviews with 24 participants (surgeons, advance practice providers, pharmacists, infectious disease physicians, epidemiologists) at 4 Veterans Administration hospitals. We solicited feedback on 4 proposed interventions (substitution, lab restrictions, audit and feedback, interactive workshop), and invited suggestions on other interventions. Three researchers separately coded 20% of interview notes to sort responses to each intervention into acceptable, possibly acceptable, and not acceptable. The team then compared coding, resolved differences by consensus, and refined the code dictionary to ensure intercoder agreement; then each member coded one third of remaining notes. Results Participants expressed concerns about de-implementing routine urine testing and treatment for specific procedures and specialties (e.g., cardiothoracic). Some actively sought to identify and treat ASB. Participants found audit and feedback and substitution of different infection-control practices most acceptable. Participants suggested changes to make interventions more acceptable or feasible (e.g., tailoring to procedure, educational tailoring). Participants also identified new potential interventions (e.g. order set changes, collaborative decision making, education on potential harms, identification of testing costs). Table 1. Acceptability of Proposed Interventions by Percentage of Participants. Percentages Do Not Add up to 100% Because Some Interviewees Did Not Answer Every Question. Conclusion Interventions to optimize urine screening and treatment for patients undergoing surgeries may require tailoring for surgical specialties, and should address clinical concerns about intervention feasibility. Disclosures Kalpana Gupta, MD, MPH, Abbott (Shareholder)DBC Pri-Med (Consultant)Glaxo Smith Kline (Consultant)Moderna (Shareholder)Nabriva Therapeutics (Consultant)Pfizer (Other Financial or Material Support, Grant to the institution)Qiagen (Consultant)Rebiotix (Consultant)Spero Therapeutics (Consultant)Utility Therapeutics (Consultant) Daniel Suh, MS MPH, General Electric (Shareholder)Merck (Shareholder)Moderna (Shareholder)Smile Direct Club (Shareholder) Bruce Alexander, PharmD, Bruce Alexander Consulting (Independent Contractor) Marin Schweizer, PhD, 3M (Grant/Research Support)PDI (Grant/Research Support)


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charlene Soobiah ◽  
Michelle Phung ◽  
Mina Tadrous ◽  
Trevor Jamieson ◽  
R. Sacha Bhatia ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND Centralized drug repositories can reduce adverse events and inappropriate prescribing by enabling access to dispensed medication data at the point-of-care, but how they achieve this goal is largely unknown. OBJECTIVE To understand 1) the perceived clinical value; 2) the barriers and enablers to adoption; and 3) for which clinician groups a provincial, centralized drug repository may provide the most benefit. METHODS A mixed-method approach, including an online survey and semi-structured interviews, was employed. Participants were clinicians (e.g., nurses, physicians, and pharmacists) in Ontario who were eligible to use the Digital Health Drug Repository (DHDR), irrespective of actual use. Survey data were ranked on a 7-point adjectival scale and analyzed using descriptive statistics and interviews were analyzed using qualitative description. RESULTS : Of 167 survey respondents, only 24% (n=40) were actively using the DHDR. Perceptions of the utility of the DHDR were neutral (mean scores ranged from 4.11-4.76). Of the 76% who were not using the DHDR, 98% rated access to medication information (e.g., dose, strength, frequency) as important. Reasons for not using the DHDR included the cumbersome access process and the perception that available data was incomplete or inaccurate. A total of 33 interviews were completed, of which 26 were active DHDR users. The DHDR was a satisfactory source of secondary information, but the absence of medication instructions and prescribed medications (that were not dispensed) limited its ability to provide a comprehensive profile in order to meaningfully support clinical decision-making. CONCLUSIONS Digital drug repositories must adjust to align with clinician needs to provide value. Ensuring (1) integration with point-of-care systems; (2) comprehensive clinical data; and (3) streamlined onboarding processes would optimize clinically meaningful use. The electronic provision of accessible drug information to providers across healthcare settings has the potential to improve efficiency and reduce medication errors. CLINICALTRIAL N/A


2019 ◽  
Vol 72 (2) ◽  
pp. 360-366 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Cristina Pretto Báo ◽  
Simone Coelho Amestoy ◽  
Gisela Maria Schebella Souto de Moura ◽  
Letícia de Lima Trindade

ABSTRACT Objective: To analyze how nurses recognize and use quality indicators, aimed at contributing to the management of best practices in Health. Method: Case study with a qualitative approach, conducted with twelve nurses from a hospital in southern Brazil from March to May 2016. For data collection, semi-structured interviews and focus groups were used. Data were subjected to content analysis, in the thematic modality. Results: The data showed that quality indicators are regarded as a tool for measuring health care outcomes, promoting the improvement of continuous care, assisting in the clinical decision-making and being present in discussions with the nursing team, in addition to contributing to the management of best practices in Health. Final Consideration: Quality indicator may support improvements in health services and in the nursing work, strengthening health policies.


2019 ◽  
Vol 44 (6) ◽  
pp. 572-581
Author(s):  
Vanessa I. Robba ◽  
Alexia Karantana ◽  
Andrew P. G. Fowler ◽  
Claire Diver

There is lack of consensus on the management of triangular fibrocartilage injuries. The aim of this study was to investigate wrist surgeons’ experiences and perceptions regarding treatment of triangular fibrocartilage complex injuries and to explore the rationale behind clinical decision-making. A purposive sample of consultant wrist surgeons ( n = 10) was recruited through ‘snow-balling’ until data saturation was reached. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, digitally recorded and transcribed verbatim. Two researchers independently analysed data using an iterative/thematic approach. Findings suggest that surgeons rely more on their own training and experience, and patient-related factors such as individual expectations, to inform their decision-making, rather than on published material. Current classification systems are largely considered to be unhelpful. Level of evidence: V


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Uiara Raiana Vargas de Castro Oliveira Ribeiro ◽  
Liliane Mayumi Swiech ◽  
Waldir Souza ◽  
Úrsula Bueno do Prado Guirro ◽  
Carla Corradi-Perini

Abstract Background: moral-uncertainty-distress (MUD) is defined as moral distress related to moral conflict about best course of action, impacting the clinical decision making process in morally complex situations. This study aims to correlate physician’s perception about advance directives (AD) with presence or absence of MUD, identifying the impact that AD promotes on clinical decision making.Methods: this is a qualitative, cross-sectional, exploratory study. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews with physicians of a hospital in southern Brazil. Interviews content was submitted to categorization analysis content technique by Laurence Bardin.Results: eight physicians were interviewed. The analysis contend identified two categories: (1) AD as a morally challenging element and (2) recognition of AD as instruments that exercises patient’s autonomy. In the first, paternalistic attitude; insecurities in uncertain prognoses; uncertainty about patient values and motivations to write the document; and little previous knowledge about AD, were elements of MUD for physicians. In second category, autonomy in AD was seen as prima facie principle and as shared autonomy.Conclusion: although AD were comprehended as instruments of exercise of patient’s autonomy by the participants, some elements were morally challenging for them, which can be a source of MUD to physician during decision making process.


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