Consumer experiences of shame in clinical encounters for breast cancer treatment. "Who do you think you are- Angelina Jolie?"

BACKGROUND

Shame is a powerful negative emotion that has the potential to affect health. Due to the intimate nature of breast cancer treatment and its impact on body image, it is hypothesised that shame may be experienced during treatment. The aim of this study was to explore shame experiences related to clinical encounters for breast cancer treatment.

METHODS

People with a lived experience of breast cancer were invited to anonymously share their stories of shame through an online survey. Using qualitative methodology, the stories were examined, and themes identified.

PARTICIPANTS

Participants were members of the consumer organisation Breast Cancer Network Australia.

RESULTS

Stories were contributed by 38 participants. Most (n = 28, 73.7 %) were >5 years post-diagnosis. Shame was experienced in a range of clinical settings (consulting rooms, wards, operating theatres, radiotherapy departments). They involved a different health professionals (oncologists, surgeons, nurses, radiation therapists, psychologists.) Five themes were identified: (1) Body shame (sub-themes: Naked/vulnerable and Weight), (2) Communication (subthemes: Lack of compassion/impersonal manner and Not listening), (3) Being blamed (subthemes: diagnosis and complications), (4) Feeling unworthy (subthemes: Burden to staff and Unworthy of care), (5) Judgement for treatment choices.

CONCLUSIONS

Shame can be experienced in a range of situations, from scrutiny of the naked body to comments from health professionals. The impact of these experiences is profound, and the feelings of shame are carried for many years. These findings can inform strategies to support consumers and educate health professionals with the aim of reducing harm related to cancer treatment.

Strategies for Controlling Unwanted Intrusive Thoughts and Insomnia Severity in Urban-Residing Young Adult African Americans

INTRODUCTION

Poor sleep is common in our society, particularly for African Americans, and is associated with adverse mental and physical health outcomes. Unwanted, intrusive thoughts contribute to sleep disturbances and can be engendered by living in stressful urban environments, which are disproportionately inhabited by African Americans. Studies of other populations have shown that cognitive coping strategies to manage intrusive thoughts vary in their adaptiveness.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the relationship between thought control strategies and insomnia severity in urban residing young-adult African Americans.

METHOD

Sixty-four young adult African Americans completed a demographic questionnaire, the Thought Control Questionnaire for Insomnia-revised, and the Insomnia Severity Index.

RESULTS

There were moderate to strong positive correlations of aggressive suppression, worry, behavioral distraction, and social avoidance with ISI scores. Poor sleepers endorsed greater use of worry and aggressive suppression than good sleepers. Results from a multiple linear regression analysis revealed that aggressive suppression, social avoidance, and behavioral distraction significantly predicted insomnia severity, and aggressive suppression was the strongest predictor in the model.

CONCLUSIONS

These results extend findings of aggressive suppression as a correlate of insomnia severity to an urban-residing young adult African American sample. Future research should identify adaptive approaches and the utility of modifying maladaptive strategies.

A novel approach to interpret quasi-collimated beam results to support design and scale-up of vacuum UV based AOPs

UV-C at 254 nm and vacuum UV (VUV) at 185 nm are the two major emission lines of a low-pressure mercury lamp. Upon absorption of VUV photons, water molecules and selected inorganic anions generate hydroxyl (HO^.) and other redox radicals, both capable of degrading organic micropollutants (OMPs), thereby offering the opportunity to reduce H₂O₂ and energy consumption in UV-based advanced oxidation process (AOP). To be successfully scaled-up, the dual-wavelength VUV+UV/H₂O₂ AOP requires laboratory-scale experiments to establish design criteria. The figures of merit typically used for reporting and interpreting quasi-collimated beam results for UV-based AOPs (time, dose, absorbed energy and E_EO) are insufficient and inaccurate when employed for dual-wavelength AOP such as the VUV+UV/H₂O₂ AOP, and do not support system scale-up. In this study, we introduce a novel figure of merit, useful absorbed energy (uAE), defined as fraction of absorbed energy that results in the generation of oxidative radicals. Here, results of quasi-collimated beam VUV+UV/H₂O₂ AOP experiments on four different water matrices are used to introduce 2D plots that employ both uAE_UV and uAE_VUV as a novel method to represent laboratory-scale experiments of VUV+UV/H₂O₂ AOP and demonstrate how the 2D plots sufficiently support scale-up of the AOP.

Optimal integration of vacuum UV with granular biofiltration for advanced wastewater treatment: Impact of process sequence on CECs removal and microbial ecology

This study explored process synergies attainable by integrating a vacuum ultraviolet-based advanced oxidation process with biofiltration. A comparison using granular activated carbon or granular zeolite as filtration media were examined in context of advanced wastewater treatment for potable reuse. Six biofiltration columns, three with granular activated carbon and three with granular zeolite, were operated in parallel and batch-fed daily with nitrified secondary effluent. After achieving a pseudo-steady state through the filter columns, vacuum ultraviolet treatment was applied as pre-treatment or as post-treatment, at two different applied energies (i.e., VUV-E1=1 kWh/m³ and VUV-E10=10 kWh/m³). Once granular activated carbon had transitioned to biologically activated carbon, as determined based on soluble chemical oxygen demand removal, adsorption was still observed as the main mechanism for contaminants of emerging concern and nitrate removal. Vacuum ultraviolet pre-treatment markedly improved contaminants of emerging concern removal through the integrated system, achieving 40% at VUV-E1 and 90% at VUV-E10. When applied as post-treatment to zeolite column effluents, VUV-E1 and VUV-E10 further increased contaminants of emerging concern removal by 20% and 90%, respectively. In the zeolite system, vacuum ultraviolet pre-treatment also increased soluble chemical oxygen demand removal efficiency, indicating that higher energy vacuum ultraviolet increased biodegradability. Total prokaryotes were two-fold more abundant in biologically activated carbon than in zeolite, with vacuum ultraviolet pretreatment markedly affecting microbial diversity, both in terms of richness and composition. Media type only marginally affected microbial richness in the biofilters but showed a marked impact on structural composition. No clear relationship between compositional structure and depth was observed.

A-07 Initial Symptoms, Pre-Existing Emotional Factors, and Symptoms of Stress During Recovery from Concussion

Purpose: Investigate the association of initial symptoms, mechanism of concussion, and emotional state with symptoms of stress reported during recovery from concussion in high school students. Methods: Concussed High School students (n = 183) aged 13–18 were evaluated within 30 days of injury at a North Texas Concussion Registry (ConTex) clinic with 71% (n = 130) sport-related. Subjects completed a medical history, the Sport Concussion Assessment Tool-5 Symptom Evaluation (PCSS), General Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7), and Patient Health Questionnaire-8 (PHQ-8) at initial visit. At three-month follow-up subjects completed the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5). A linear regression was conducted predicting total scores on the follow up PCL-5. Predictors included initial Total PCSS Symptom Score, GAD-7, PHQ-8, sex, mechanism of injury (sport vs non-sport) and history of treatment for anxiety/depression. Results: A multiple regression model predicting participant’s total PCL-5 score at three month follow-up (R2 = 0.40, p < 0.001) included PHQ-8 (β = 0.34, p < 0.001), GAD-7 (β = 0.20, p = 0.016), history of treatment for depression (β = 0.17, p = 0.015), severity of initial symptoms (β = 0.15, p = 0.045) and mechanism of injury (β = −0.14, p = 0.018). There was no significant difference in PCL-5 scores between sport vs non-sport injury groups. Conclusions: Pre-existing depression and higher levels of self-reported anxiety and/or depression at time of injury may be associated with increased symptoms of stress during concussion recovery. Severity of initial symptoms and mechanism of injury may also be related to feelings of stress during recovery. Further investigations should include baseline measure of stress prior to injury.

Outcomes of an Interprofessional Patient Safety Fellowship Program

BACKGROUND

Interprofessional training for patient safety is essential in developing leaders and advocates who are versed in patient safety science and interprofessional collaboration. We describe an interprofessional patient safety fellowship program and its outcomes over 8 years.

METHODS

Programmatic data were reviewed and a survey was sent to all program graduates with a known email address (N = 18).

RESULTS

Fellows obtained interprofessional skills, knowledge, and methods of patient safety science, as well as preparation as patient safety experts through didactic and experiential training. Program outcomes included sustained quality improvements, publications (n = 8), presentations (n = 29), and recruitment of graduates into quality and safety leadership positions (67%).

DISCUSSION

Facilitators and barriers that influenced the success of the fellowship program were noted at institutional and individual levels. The development and sustainability of interprofessional safety training programs depends on concerted efforts by leadership, academic-practice partnerships, and committed faculty and learners.

375 Thought Control Strategies and Insomnia Severity in young-adult urban residing African Americans

Introduction

Poor sleep is common in our society, particularly for African Americans. Unwanted, intrusive thoughts at bedtime contribute to sleep disturbances, and the nature of intrusive thoughts may be influenced by perception of threat among people living in stressful urban environments. Research has suggested that strategies to control intrusive thoughts vary in their adaptiveness and may be modifiable. These findings need to be confirmed in populations residing in stressful urban environments where perceived threats contribute to intrusive thoughts.The present study attempts to replicate prior research examining the relationship between thought control strategies and insomnia in urban residing young-adult African Americans.

Methods

Sixty-three young-adult African Americans completed the Thought Control Questionnaire for Insomnia-Revised and the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI).

Results

Thought control strategies previously associated with insomnia were significantly correlated with the ISI (aggressive suppression r=0.51, p<0.01 social avoidance r=0.32, p<.01, behavioral distraction r=0.386, p<0.01 and worry r=0.51, p<0.01). We did not find significant associations between the thought control strategy previously associated with healthy sleep and the ISI (cognitive distraction r= 0.20, p>0.05). In a grouped comparison between good sleepers and those with insomnia worry was the only subscale that was endorsed significantly greater among those with insomnia (t(61)=-2.91, p<.05)

Conclusion

These preliminary data replicate prior findings that suggest that aggressive suppression and worry are maladaptive thought control strategies. in a young-adult African American sample. Future research with a larger sample is needed to identify strategies that can improve sleep in this population.

Support (if any)

5R01HL136626 from the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute

Cardiac muscle activation; the role of length dependent activation and the novel myosin activator danicamtiv

 

B: Alterations in the length dependent activation (LDA) of left ventricular (LV) muscle fibres, the mechanistic driver of the Frank-Starling Law of the heart, are thought to mediate impaired LV function in heart failure (HF). However, little is known about LDA's role in the left atria (LA). Given the concomitant presence of LA dysfunction in HF, the purpose of this study was to compare/assess LDA on LA and LV muscle, as well to evaluate the effects of a novel small-molecule acto-myosin activator, danicamtiv (formerly known as MYK-491).

M: LA and LV myofibrils from healthy Yucatan mini-pigs were used to determine biomechanical function with ATPase assays, with and without danicamtiv. Skinned LA and LV muscle fibres from these same animals were prepared to study contractile force, Ca2+ sensitivity, active/passive stiffness, and responsiveness to increasing sarcomere length (2.0 and 2.3). These parameters were also evaluated in the presence of danicamtiv.

R: LA myofibrils had significantly faster ATPase and Pi release rates compared to LV, consistent with their respective alpha/beta myosin-isoform content. Despite increased metabolic rate, LA fibres generated less maximum isometric tension (12.3±1.96 vs 35.2±3.07 mN/mm2) and had a lower pCa50 than LV fibres (5.66±0.02 vs 5.82±0.02), demonstrating reduced force-generating capability and Ca2+ sensitivity. Stretch of LV fibres resulted in a gain in tension over a range of pCas (pCa6.4, 6.2, 6.0, and 5.8, all p<0.05). However, in LA, LDA-induced gain was not significant at submaximal pCas (pCa6.4, 6.2, 6.0, all p>0.05). Stretch had no effect on active stiffness, but increased passive stiffness in both muscle types. Stretched LA fibres showed grater passive stiffness compared to LV (196.7±21.5 vs. 138.5±22.3 kN/m3). A stiffer myofilament would in part explain the blunted ability of the LA to generate force in response to stretch. Danicamtiv activated both LA and LV myofibrils, increasing ATPase and Pi release rates, and increased Ca2+ sensitivity in fibres (ΔpCa; LV, 0.320±0.032; LA, 0.149±0.028, p<0.01). Unlike with stretch, danicamtiv had no effect on passive stiffness, yet altered the active stiffness/tension (S/T) relationship in both fiber types, but, differentially. In LV, danicamtiv increased the number of available heads (Y0; 129.9±26.3 vs 10.1±4.2 kN/m3, p<0.001) with no significant effect on slope. In the LA, Y0 was largely unchanged with a significant increase in the slope of the S/T relationship (slope: 34.0±2.9 vs. 20.0±1.9 au, p<0.01). Together, these data suggest an increased number of force producing cross-bridges, without altering passive stiffness.

C: These data confirm the functional differences between LA and LV muscle fibres and demonstrate a blunted ability of LA tissue to recruit force when stretched. The acto-myosin activator danicamtiv increased biochemical activity, Ca2+ sensitivity, and the active S/T relationship in LA and LV fibres without altering passive strain.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding source: Private company. Main funding source(s): MyoKardia Inc.

Patient Opinions About Foreign Body Contraceptives

Background: Prior studies have noted patient reluctance to use contraceptive devices that require insertion into their bodies. We sought to better understand this “foreign body” concern, as well as to clarify how women perceive long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) devices compared with other implanted medical devices.

Materials and Methods: We performed semistructured qualitative individual interviews with female obstetric/gynecologic patients and probed their opinions regarding LARC devices. Trained coders analyzed interview content using an inductive iterative approach and identified key themes.

Results: We found three major themes in our analysis. First, women frequently expressed uncertainty about where in the body intrauterine devices reside and the impact of a foreign body in that space. Second, women expressed discomfort with the invisibility of the device itself and the “set and forget” feature of LARCs. Finally, when asked to consider contraceptive devices in the context of other implantable medical devices, patients highlighted that contraceptive devices are elective and have alternative options.

Conclusions: When women express concerns about contraceptive devices “up in them,” they are expressing concerns about how these devices interact with their anatomy and the possibilities of harm and failure. These perceived risks of LARCs may not compare favorably with other contraceptive methods that are not foreign bodies. Understanding this perspective improves our ability to participate in shared decision-making.

A-32 Acute Concussive Symptom Profiles in Adolescents and Young Adults with History of Depression and Anxiety

Objective

The aims of this study are (1) to examine the clinical symptom profiles of individuals with depression and/or anxiety history following a concussion and (2) to compare profile differences across groups.

Method

Participants aged 12-25 (n=129, mean=15.6) with premorbid diagnoses of depression (n=24), anxiety (n=50), or depression+anxiety (n=55) were evaluated within 21 days after sustaining a concussion as part of the North Texas Concussion Registry (ConTex) using the Post-Concussion Symptom Scale (PCSS). Following the model described by Kontos and Collins (2014), symptom clusters were derived from the PCSS to create six domains (cognitive/fatigue, vestibular, ocular, posttraumatic migraine, anxiety/mood, cervical). ANOVAs with Tukey’s post-hoc tests were conducted to compare domain symptom severity and total symptom severity across groups.

Results

There were no demographic differences between groups. A single symptom profile was prominent across each group, with the primary, secondary, and tertiary symptomatic domains being posttraumatic migraine, ocular, and cognitive/fatigue, respectively. Across each domain the depression+anxiety group was most symptomatic, followed in order by the depression and anxiety groups. The depression+anxiety group reported significantly higher anxiety/mood (M=2.0 vs. M=1.3) and cognitive/fatigue (M=2.9 vs M=2.1) symptom severity compared to the anxiety group. Group differences on total symptom severity approached significance (F=2.83, p=.06).

Conclusions

The observed symptom profiles suggest that the acute-concussive response is similar in adolescents and young adults with history of depression and/or anxiety. Multiple premorbid conditions, such as depression and anxiety, appear to magnify overall symptom severity. Further research is warranted to understand the relationship between symptom burden and premorbid mental health factors.

1136 Polysomnography Is Feasible During Inpatient TBI Rehabilitation

Introduction

A recent meta-analytic report highlighted that obstructive sleep apnea was 12 times more prevalent in TBI (mixed severity) than in community-based samples. Recent studies highlight prevalent obstructive sleep apnea during acute inpatient rehabilitation which is a time of critical neural repair. Acute sleep disturbances are associated with therapy cooperation due to effects on daytime sleepiness and are associated with key rehabilitation outcomes. Given the high rates of OSA and risk for negative morbidity, this analysis sought to examine the feasibility of administering polysomnography (PSG) with EEG to diagnose sleep apnea during inpatient rehabilitation in persons with moderate to severe TBI.

Methods

This is a secondary analysis from a prospective diagnostic comparative effectiveness clinical trial (NCT03033901) that took place at six NIDILRR and one VA TBI Model System Centers. Participants were included if they met the TBI Model System case definition and slept at least 2 hours per night prior to PSG. PSG was conducted following AASM procedures in the participant’s hospital bed on the inpatient rehabilitation unit. Studies were scored by RPSGT staff and interpreted by a board certified sleep medicine physician at a centralized sleep scoring center in Tampa, FL.

Results

Of 896 potential TBI participants, 449 met initial eligibility and 345 consented for further screening; a final sample of 263 (76%) completed PSG during hospitalization. Primary reasons for not completing PSG included early discharge or medical instability (n=59) and last-minute withdrawal of consent for PSG (n=23). Of the 263 participants who completed PSG, 3 were excluded from analysis due to technical issues and 12 were excluded as the total sleep time (TST) was less than 120 minutes. Of the 248, 85.5% of the PSGs were rated as interpretable/scoreable by RPSGT and sleep physicians.

Conclusion

For a majority of participants, polysomnography is feasible during inpatient rehabilitation. Participants with shorter lengths of stay, medical instability, prolonged agitation may require polysomnography follow-up after discharge.

Support

Supported by PCORI (CER-1511-33005), VA TBIMS, DVBIC with subcontract from GDIT/GDHS (W91YTZ-13-C-0015, HT0014-19-C-0004), and NIDILRR (90DPTB00070, 90DPTB00130100, 90DPTB0008, 90DPT8000402, 90DPTB0001).

1124 Central Sleep Apnea and Traumatic Brain Injury: A NIDILRR and VA TBI Model System Study

Introduction

Sleep-related breathing disorders are common after TBI. To date, two single site studies have reported divergent findings in post-TBI patients with one reporting predominantly obstructive sleep apnea (OSA, Holcomb et al., 2016) and the other central sleep apnea (CSA, Webster and Bell, 1998). The purpose of this analysis is to explore prevalence, demographics, and injury characteristics of patients with a clinical diagnosis of CSA in a recently-completed multicenter comparative-effectiveness trial during inpatient rehabilitation following moderate to severe TBI.

Methods

Participants in a six-center diagnostic comparative effectiveness trial underwent Level-1 polysomnography (PSG) during inpatient rehabilitation for TBI. Studies were scored at a centralized scoring center by one of two certified PSG technicians with final interpretation by a board-certified sleep medicine physician.

Results

21 of 248 (8.5%) participants evidenced elevated CSA indices >5. Predominant CSA was rare (n=3 [1.2%], age range: 36-59; 100% male; 33-52 days post-TBI). One participant was on opioid, anti-depressant and antiepileptic drugs, one was on an antiepileptic, and another was on an opioid. PAP therapy was not initiated during PSG thus there was no treatment-emergent CSA. All had a central apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) in the moderate to severe range (29-49). Two out of the three had a GCS <8 and one participant had a GCS of 14.

Conclusion

In this multi-center clinical trial, predominant CSA was rare. The common practice of reducing polypharmacy in order to minimize sedation and optimize mental status in specialized inpatient brain-injury rehabilitation programs may contribute to the low CSA incidence in this cohort. Attention to medication side-effects and their influence on sleep-related breathing should be routinely considered.

Support

PCORI (CER-1511-33005), GDHS (W91YTZ-13-C-0015) for DVBIC, NIDILRR (90DPTB0008-03-00; 90DPTB0013-01-00).

0606 Comparative Effectiveness of Sleep Apnea Screening Tools During Inpatient Rehabilitation for Moderate to Severe TBI

Introduction

Recent studies highlight prevalent obstructive sleep apnea after moderate to severe TBI during a time of critical neural repair. The purpose of this study is to determine the diagnostic sensitivity, specificity and comparative effectiveness of traditional sleep apnea screening tools in TBI neurorehabilitation admissions.

Methods

This is a prospective diagnostic comparative effectiveness trial of sleep apnea screening tools (STOPBANG, Berlin, MAPI [Multi-Apnea Prediction Index]) relative Level 1 polysomnography at six TBI Model System Inpatient Rehabilitation Centers. Between 05/2017 and 02/2019, 449 of 896 screened were eligible for the trial with 345 consented (77% consented). Additional screening left 263 eligible for and completing polysomnography with final analyses completed on 248. The primary outcome was the Area Under the Curve (AUC) of screening tools relative to total apnea hypopnea index ≥15 (AHI, moderate to severe apnea) measured at a median of 47 days post-TBI (IQR 29-47).

Results

Participants were primarily young to middle age (AGE IQR 28,40,59), male (81%), white (74%), and had primarily severe TBI (IQR GCS 3,6,14). A subset (26%) had a history of military service. Results revealed that the Berlin high risk score (ROC-AUC=0.63) was inferior to the MAPI (ROC-AUC = 0.7802) (p=.0211, CI: 0.0181, 0.2233) and STOPBANG (ROCAUC = 0.7852) (p=.0006, CI: 0.0629, 0.2302); both of which had comparable AUC (p=.7245, CI: -0.0472, 0.0678). Findings were similar for AHI≥30 (severe apnea); however, no differences across scales was observed at AHI>5. The pattern was similar across TBI severity subgroups except for delirium or post-traumatic amnesia status wherein the MAPI outperformed the Berlin and STOPBANG. Youden’s Index to determine risk yielded lower sensitivities but higher specificities relative to non-TBI samples.

Conclusion

This study is the first to provide clinicians with data to support a choice for which sleep apnea screening tools are more effective during inpatient rehabilitation for moderate to severe TBI (STOPBANG, MAPI vs Berlin) to help reduce comorbidity and possibly improve neurologic outcome.

Support

PCORI (CER-1511-33005), GDHS (W91YTZ-13-C-0015; HT0014-19-C-0004)) for DVBIC, NIDILRR (NSDC Grant # 90DPTB00070, #90DP0084, 90DPTB0013-01-00, 90DPTB0008, 90DPT80004-02).

Two pair-rule responsive enhancers regulate wingless transcription in the Drosophila blastoderm embryo

BACKGROUND

While many developmentally relevant enhancers act in a modular fashion, there is growing evidence for nonadditive interactions between distinct cis-regulatory enhancers. We investigated if nonautonomous enhancer interactions underlie transcription regulation of the Drosophila segment polarity gene, wingless.

RESULTS

We identified two wg enhancers active at the blastoderm stage: wg 3613u, located from -3.6 to -1.3 kb upstream of the wg transcription start site (TSS) and 3046d, located in intron two of the wg gene, from 3.0 to 4.6 kb downstream of the TSS. Genetic experiments confirm that Even Skipped (Eve), Fushi-tarazu (Ftz), Runt, Odd-paired (Opa), Odd-skipped (Odd), and Paired (Prd) contribute to spatially regulated wg expression. Interestingly, there are enhancer specific differences in response to the gain or loss of function of pair-rule gene activity. Although each element recapitulates aspects of wg expression, a composite reporter containing both enhancers more faithfully recapitulates wg regulation than would be predicted from the sum of their individual responses.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that the regulation of wg by pair-rule genes involves nonadditive interactions between distinct cis-regulatory enhancers.

3M™ Petrifilm™ Enterobacteriaceae Count Plate Method for Enumeration of Enterobacteriaceae in Selected Foods: Collaborative Study

The practice of detecting and enumerating all oxidase-negative, glucose-fermenting-Gram-negative rods (i.e., the family Enterobacteriaceae) isused to indicate unsanitary or inadequate food processing conditions. The objective of this interlaboratory collaborative study was to evaluate and compare the methods described in Standard Methods for the Examination of Dairy Products (SMEDP) and the Compendium of Methods for the Microbiological Examination of Foods (Compendium) with a commercial product, the 3M™ Petrifilm™ Enterobacteriaceae Count Plate, for the recovery of Enterobacteriaceae in foods. Six foods—cheddar cheese, milk, flour, frozen prepared meals, frozen broccoli, and nut pieces—were analyzed for Enterobacteriaceae by 12 collaborating laboratories. For each food tested, the collaborators received 8 blind test portions consisting of a control test portion and 3 levels of inoculated test portion, each in duplicate. Each test portion was tested by the Petrifilm Enterobacteriaceae Count Plate method as well as the SMEDP or Compendium methods. The precision estimates (repeat-ability or within-laboratory variation, and reproducibility or between-laboratory variation) were calculated with standard statistical techniques.

Resiliency and Post-Concussion Symptoms in Adolescents with Sport-Related Concussions

Purpose

Resiliency is a factor affecting an individual’s ability to “bounce back” from stressful events, including injury. A Sport-Related Concussion (SRC) may constitute a stressful event for athletes, yet the association of resiliency with symptoms following SRC is not well known. Thus, we sought to determine if a brief measure of resiliency was related to initial symptoms following SRC in adolescent athletes.

Methods

Subjects (n=458, 199 female, 259 male) aged 12–25 with SRC were evaluated within 30 days of injury (M= 8.35 days, SD=6.98) at a North Texas Concussion Registry (ConTex) clinic. Subjects completed the Sport Concussion Assessment Tool-5 symptom evaluation and the Brief Resiliency Scale (BRS). Subjects were grouped into low (n=56,) average (n= 280), and high (n=122) resiliency groups according to the BRS. ANOVA was conducted to compare initial concussion symptoms across resiliency groups.

Results

Subjects with low resiliency reported a greater number of symptoms (M=12.96, SD=6.79) than those with high resiliency (M=9.47, SD=6.52; p<.005) and a higher level of symptoms (M=34.73, SD=25.90 vs M=25.11 SD=24.72; p<.02). Subjects with low resiliency also reported higher levels of emotional symptoms (Irritability, Sadness, Nervousness, and Feeling More Emotional) than those with average and high resiliency.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that low resiliency may be associated with greater symptoms following SRC. For emotional symptoms, resiliency level (low, average, high) showed a linear relationship with symptom level. However, the potential relationship between resiliency and recovery or persistence of symptoms over time remains a question.

The Role of Premorbid Psychiatric History and Current Mood Ratings on Self-Reported Concussion Symptom Severity

Purpose

Psychiatric history is known to be relevant to concussion outcomes, although less is known about the role of such factors or current mood ratings in adolescents. The aim of this study was to assess the role of premorbid psychiatric history (PPH) and current mood ratings (CMR) on overall sports-related concussion (SRC) symptomology and cognitive outcomes in adolescent and young adult athletes.

Methods

Participants age 12–25 years (M=14.8) diagnosed with SRC (n=560) were evaluated within 14 days of injury as part of the North Texas Concussion Registry (ConTex) using the Patient Health Questionnaire-8 Items (PHQ-8), General Anxiety Disorder-7 Item Scale (GAD-7), and ImPACT. Subjects were dichotomized into those with (PPH+) and without (PPH-) pre-existing reported psychiatric diagnoses, and CMR groups were determined by normal vs. elevated scores on the GAD-7 and PHQ-8. T-tests were used to compare groups.

Results

Significant differences in total symptom severity scores were found between both PPH (p=.01) and CMR (p<.001) groupings. PPH+ (n=27) reported significantly higher symptom scores (M=31.6) than PPH- subjects (n=316, M=20.9). Additionally, those reporting elevated CMR endorsed 2.3x higher symptom severity scores (n=48, M=42.1 vs. n=276, M=18.2). Among ImPACT cognitive scores, only Visual Memory differed between CMR groups (p=.047).

Conclusion

Findings suggest that PPH and elevated CMR are associated with greater self-reported symptom severity in adolescent SRC, but have little relationship to cognitive outcomes as assessed by ImPACT. Further research is needed to understand the interaction between PPH, CMR, and SRC recovery across the age spectrum.

[Autoimmunity and glaucoma]

In addition to the clinically most relevant risk factor for glaucoma, i.e., elevated intraocular pressure (IOP), there are other factors with high relevance for the disease. Changes in the autoimmune component of the immune system are of particular importance. Clinical studies have demonstrated alterations in different autoantibodies in glaucoma patients compared to healthy controls, some of which increase in abundance/have a raised titer, but also some which have a reduced titer. These changes have a distinct potential-not only as a tool for early glaucoma detection, but also as a therapeutic option due to the documented neuroprotective effects of some of these antibodies. Several antibodies displaying lower abundance in glaucoma patients, e.g., antibodies against 14-3-3 proteins, γ‑/α-synuclein, or also against glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), show neuroprotective effects on retinal ganglion cells in vivo and in vitro. To assess the relevance of changes detected in the immune system of glaucoma patients, "‑omics-based" analyses of different ocular tissues are of particular importance alongside cell culture studies. In this manner, not only samples derived from experimental studies but also samples derived from glaucoma patients in even very small amounts (e. g., tears, aqueous humor, serum, or post-mortem retina) can be analyzed in detail in terms of protein and, in particular, antibody changes. Modern mass spectrometric proteomic characterization of relevant samples will deliver valuable information concerning the understanding of molecular disease mechanisms in the coming years, thus also improving diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma.

Development of a financial navigation program to ease the burden of financial toxicity

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Background: Due to the rising cost of cancer care, even well-insured patients are at risk for financial toxicity. Cancer treatment costs can be challenging for patients and families because of increasing deductibles, increasing premiums and frequent co-payments. At Cleveland Clinic Cancer Centers, our goal is to identify patients at risk for financial distress and help ease the financial stress and hardship associated with cancer care. Methods: In 2015 we initiated huddles for all new patients to ensure seven day access for our patients as well as out of network authorizations. During this work we identified the need for a position to help manage the costs of care for our patients. The Financial Navigator (FN) role was created in 2016 to complete benefits investigations to determine covered services and minimize the patient’s out of pocket expenses. We are participants in the Oncology Care Model and are expected to provide and document the estimated out-of-pocket costs in the patient’s medical record. Navigators conduct telephone outreach calls with treatment patients to educate them on their benefits. The FN also assists with applications on copay assistance and free drug options. Finally, the FN will connect patients with resources for premium assistance and household expenses when copay assistance isn’t an option. The FN team has grown to 7 FTE’s since 2016. Results: Since 2016 the dollar amount approved through copay assistance applications has increased by 70%, the free drug value received increased by 55%, and end of year 2018 data shows that we more than doubled what was collected towards patient out of pocket costs from copay assistance programs compared to 2017. We have also been able to comply with the out of pocket expense metric for OCM, not only for our Medicare patients, but for all of our treatment patients and compliance has risen from 44% in December 2017 to 98% in April 2018 and we continued to obtain a goal of 96% or higher throughout 2018. Conclusions: In conclusion our Navigators have built relationships with Social Workers, Care Coordinators, and community services that are available to patients. This added benefit helps patients with non-medical financial stressors. The team can connect patients to organizations that can assist with household utilities, childcare concerns, food concerns, and mortgages. Utilization of the FN role has helped the healthcare team and patients to identify ways to mitigate the costs of care and distress related to financial concerns.

Procalcitonin: A Marker of Bacteraemia in SIRS

A number of European studies have documented the ability of procalcitonin (PCT), a novel inflammatory marker, to discriminate patients with sepsis from those with other causes of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). The aim of this study was to assess procalcitonin's performance in an Australian intensive care unit (ICU) setting to examine whether it could discriminate between these two conditions.

One hundred and twenty-three consecutive adult ICU patients fulfilling criteria for SIRS were enlisted in the study. Over a period of five days, daily serum PCT and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were measured. At least two sets of cultures were taken of blood, sputum/broncho-alveolar lavage (BAL) and urine. Other cultures were taken as clinically indicated. Questionnaires to ascertain clinical suspicion of sepsis were prospectively answered by the ICU senior registrars.

PCT values were ten times higher in patients with positive blood cultures; CRP values were also significantly higher in the bacteraemic patients. Both PCT and CRP had a good ability to discriminate bacteraemia from non-infectious SIRS, with the area under receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves for PCT being 0.8 and for CRP being 0.82. However neither PCT or CRP was able to discriminate patients with localized sepsis from those without. Utilizing both tests resulted in a more sensitive screen than either one alone, while PCT was a more accurate diagnostic test for bacteraemia than CRP. The PCT value also differed between those who died in hospital and those who survived.

Measurement of PCT alone or in combination with CRP can aid discrimination of septicaemia/bacteraemia with associated SIRS from non-infectious SIRS in an Australian ICU setting.

Development of a financial navigation program to ease the burden of financial toxicity

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Background: Due to the rising cost of cancer care, even well-insured patients are at risk for financial toxicity. Cancer treatment costs can be challenging for patients and families because of increasing deductibles, increasing premiums and frequent co-payments. At Cleveland Clinic Cancer Centers, our goal is to identify patients at risk for financial distress and help ease the financial stress and hardship associated with cancer care. Methods: The Financial Navigator (FN) role was created in 2016 to complete benefits investigations to determine covered services and minimize the patient’s out of pocket expenses. We are participants in the Oncology Care Model and are expected to provide and document the estimated out-of-pocket costs in the patient’s medical record. Navigators conduct telephone outreach calls with treatment patients to educate them on their benefits. The FN also assists with applications on copay assistance and free drug options. Finally, the FN will connect patients with resources for premium assistance and household expenses when copay assistance isn’t an option. The FN team has grown to 7 FTE’s since 2016. Results: Since 2016 the dollar amount approved through copay assistance applications has increased by 65%, the free drug value received increased by 62%, and YTD 2018 data shows that we have surpassed all of 2017 in what we collected towards patient out of pockets from copay assistance programs. We have also been able to comply with the out of pocket expense metric for OCM, not only for our Medicare patients, but for all of our treatment patients and compliance has risen from 44% in December 2017 to 98% in April 2018. Conclusions: In conclusion our Navigators have built relationships with Social Workers, Care Coordinators, and community services that are available to patients. This added benefit helps patients with non-medical financial stressors. The team can connect patients to organizations that can assist with household utilities, childcare concerns, food concerns, and mortgages. Utilization of the FN role has helped the healthcare team and patients to identify ways to mitigate the costs of care and distress related to financial concerns.

A randomized comparison of three prandial insulin dosing algorithms for children and adolescents with Type 1 diabetes

AIM

To compare systematically the impact of two novel insulin-dosing algorithms (the Pankowska Equation and the Food Insulin Index) with carbohydrate counting on postprandial glucose excursions following a high fat and a high protein meal.

METHODS

A randomized, crossover trial at two Paediatric Diabetes centres was conducted. On each day, participants consumed a high protein or high fat meal with similar carbohydrate amounts. Insulin was delivered according to carbohydrate counting, the Pankowska Equation or the Food Insulin Index. Subjects fasted for 5 h following the test meal and physical activity was standardized. Postprandial glycaemia was measured for 300 min using continuous glucose monitoring.

RESULTS

33 children participated in the study. When compared to carbohydrate counting, the Pankowska Equation resulted in lower glycaemic excursion for 90-240 min after the high protein meal (p < 0.05) and lower peak glycaemic excursion (p < 0.05). The risk of hypoglycaemia was significantly lower for carbohydrate counting and the Food Insulin Index compared to the Pankowska Equation (OR 0.76 carbohydrate counting vs. the Pankowska Equation and 0.81 the Food Insulin Index vs. the Pankowska Equation). There was no significant difference in glycaemic excursions when carbohydrate counting was compared to the Food Insulin Index.

CONCLUSION

The Pankowska Equation resulted in reduced postprandial hyperglycaemia at the expense of an increase in hypoglycaemia. There were no significant differences when carbohydrate counting was compared to the Food Insulin Index. Further research is required to optimize prandial insulin dosing.

Systematic review with meta-analysis: online psychological interventions for mental and physical health outcomes in gastrointestinal disorders including irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease

BACKGROUND

Online psychotherapy has been successfully used as supportive treatment in many chronic illnesses. However, there is a lack of evidence on its role in the management of gastrointestinal (GI) diseases.

AIMS

To examine whether online psychological interventions improve mental and physical outcomes in gastrointestinal diseases.

METHODS

We searched CINAHL Plus, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Health Management Information Consortium, PsycINFO, British Nursing Index, Cochrane Library, a specialised register of the IBD/FBD Cochrane Group, MEDLINE (PubMed) WHO International Clinical Trial Registry, ClinicalTrials.gov, and reference lists of all papers included in the review. The Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool was used to assess internal validity. Where possible, data were pooled using random-effects meta-analysis.

RESULTS

We identified 11 publications (encompassing nine studies) meeting inclusion criteria. One study had a high risk of selection bias (allocation concealment), all studies had a high risk of performance and detection bias. Eight studies were included in the meta-analyses (6 on irritable bowel syndrome [IBS] and two on inflammatory bowel disease [IBD]). Online cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) was shown to significantly improve gastrointestinal symptom-specific anxiety (MD: -8.51, 95% CI -12.99 to -4.04, P = 0.0002) and lessen symptom-induced disability (MD: -2.78, 95% CI -5.43 to -0.12, P = 0.04) in IBS post intervention. There was no significant effect of online CBT on any other outcomes in IBS. No significant effect of online psychotherapy was demonstrated in IBD.

CONCLUSION

There is insufficient evidence to demonstrate the effectiveness of online CBT to manage mental and physical outcomes in gastrointestinal diseases.

Interaction of obesity with smoking and inflammatory arthropathies increases the risk of periprosthetic joint infection: a propensity score matched study in a Chinese Han population

BACKGROUND

Although a large number of studies have identified obesity as an independent risk factor for the development of periprosthetic joint infection (PJI), the synergistic impacts of obesity with other factors on PJI remain unknown. Additionally, few studies have specifically explored the risk factors of PJI within a Chinese population.

AIMS

To investigate the association between obesity and PJI in a Chinese population, and identify synergistic impacts of obesity with other risk factors on the development of PJI.

METHODS

Three hundred and seven patients at a single institution with a diagnosis of PJI following primary total hip or knee arthroplasty, treated from 2008 to 2015, were identified. Each case was matched with two controls who did not develop PJI after primary total hip or knee arthroplasty in the study period using propensity score matching for several important parameters. Multi-variable logistic regression models were used to estimate the association between body mass index (BMI) and the risk of developing PJI. Interaction and stratified analyses were conducted according to age, sex, type of surgery, smoking status, alcohol use, diabetes, inflammatory arthritis, liver disease and renal disease.

FINDINGS

The multiple logistic analyses showed that obesity was associated with increased risk of PJI [odds ratio (OR) 2.48; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.66-3.69]. When analysed as a continuous variable, BMI was also associated with increased risk of PJI (OR per 1 kg/m² increase in BMI 1.08; 95% CI 1.02-1.14). In the interaction analysis, patients who were obese and smoked had a higher OR of developing PJI than non-smokers who were obese (OR 3.54 vs 1.55, P-value for interaction=0.031). Similarly, the OR was much higher for patients with both obesity and inflammatory arthritis than for patients who were obese with no history of inflammatory arthritis (OR 3.9 vs 1.55, P-value for interaction=0.029). No other significant interactions were found in the association between obesity and PJI.

CONCLUSION

Obesity is an independent risk factor for the development of PJI in the Chinese Han population. Surgeons should be aware that obese patients who smoke or have inflammatory arthritis are at additional increased risk of PJI.

Cyprinid herpesvirus 3 as a potential biological control agent for carp (Cyprinus carpio) in Australia: susceptibility of non-target species

Carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) is a pest species in Australian waterways, and cyprinid herpesvirus 3 (CyHV-3) is being considered as a potential biological control (biocontrol) agent. An important consideration for any such agent is its target specificity. In this study, the susceptibility to CyHV-3 of a range of non-target species (NTS) was tested. The NTS were as follows: 13 native Australian, and one introduced, fish species; a lamprey species; a crustacean; two native amphibian species (tadpole and mature stages); two native reptilian species; chickens; and laboratory mice. Animals were exposed to 100-1000 times the approximate minimum amount of CyHV-3 required to cause disease in carp by intraperitoneal and/or bath challenge, and then examined clinically each day over the course of 28 days post-challenge. There were no clinical signs, mortalities or histological evidence consistent with a viral infection in a wide taxonomic range of NTS. Furthermore, there was no molecular evidence of infection with CyHV-3, and, in particular, all RT-PCRs for viral mRNA were negative. As a consequence, the results encourage further investigation of CyHV-3 as a potential biocontrol agent that is specific for carp.

Informed decision making (IDM) for prostate cancer (PCa) screening in a high-risk population

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Background: PCa incidence and mortality in African Americans (AA) is higher than in Caucasians. Health-education programs and culturally appropriate outreach to high-risk groups in accordance with American Cancer Society IDM guidelines can reduce disparities. Data show that it is hard to provide comprehensive unbiased education about screening to patients (pts). This study aims to examine whether IDM guidelines in a large high risk group setting can improve knowledge on PCa and screening decision, and whether such education program is overall beneficial to pts. Methods: Pts were included in one-day outreach event and were given a 15-question pre and post- test focused on standard informative educational PowerPoint and then were offered screening (PSA + DRE). Components of IDM were reviewed during this educational intervention. Demographics and family history was collected and UCSF 10-year mortality index was assessed to help IDM. Pre- and post- test number of correct answers were compared (Wilcoxon signed rank); pts were surveyed on their opinion on the program. The decision regarding screening after the intervention was tracked as well as the % of PCa diagnosed. Pts were tracked via an established navigation system to ensure follow up care. Results: 106 pts were included in the current analysis. Median number of correct answers at pre and post test was 8 and 11 (p < 0.001). Overall, 86% responded that they wanted screening. Of those, 92% were AA and 21% had family history of PCa; 21 pts had PSA only, 60 had PSA + DRE. 13 pts (16%) had abnormal PSA per NCCN guidelines, 5 (8%) had abnormal DRE. 5 PCa were biopsy-diagnosed, 4 had abnormal DRE + PSA; 1 had only abnormal DRE. Overall, 82% pts favored IDM before screening, 18% would prefer screening without IDM. 75% of all pts found the information “very helpful” in decision-making (within a 5-point Likert scale). Conclusions: Our education-based IDM led to significant improvement in knowledge about PCa screening. Most pts preferred education prior to screening. Our approach paired with the use of navigation program is feasible and was positively received by a large high risk group. Project is ongoing with more pts and follow up, and further validation is pending. Clinical trial information: NCT02419846.

The impact of posttraumatic stress disorder versus resilience on nocturnal autonomic nervous system activity as functions of sleep stage and time of sleep

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been associated with sleep disturbances including alterations in sleep stages and recently, elevated nocturnal autonomic nervous system (ANS) arousal (i.e., dominance of the sympathetic nervous system over the parasympathetic nervous system). Data suggest that sleep contributes to the regulation of ANS activity. In our previous ambulatory heart rate variability (HRV) monitoring study, strong relationships between sleep and nocturnal ANS activity in resilient participants (i.e., individuals who had never had PTSD despite exposure to high-impact trauma) were not seen with PTSD. In this study, we examined the impact of PTSD vs. resilience on ANS activity as a function of sleep stage and time of sleep. Participants (age 18-35) with current PTSD (n=38) and resilience (n=33) completed two overnight polysomnography recordings in a lab setting. The second night electrocardiogram was analyzed for frequency domain HRV parameters and heart rate within rapid-eye-movement (REM) and non-REM (NREM) sleep periods. Results indicated that ANS arousal indexed by HRV was greater during REM compared with NREM sleep and that the REM-NREM difference was greater in the PTSD than in the resilient participants. This effect of PTSD was reduced to non-significance when analyses controlled for REM sleep percentage, which was lower with PTSD. Exploratory analyses revealed that the REM-NREM difference in HRV was correlated with REM sleep percentage in resilient participants, but not with PTSD. In contrast with our data from home settings, the present study did not find increased overall nocturnal ANS arousal with PTSD. Analyses did reveal higher heart rate during initial NREM sleep with more rapid decline over the course of NREM sleep with PTSD compared with resilience. Findings suggest that elevated ANS arousal indexed by heart rate with PTSD is specific to the early part of sleep and possible impairment in regulating ANS activity with PTSD related to REM sleep.

Gender Differences in HIV-Related Neurological Progression in a Cohort of Injecting Drug Users Followed for 3.5 Years

We evaluated potential gender differences in the development of HIV related neurologic impairment, by matching 38 pairs of HIV positive male and female injecting drug users on their baseline age, education, disease stage and CD4 counts, and following them for 3.5 years. Adjusting for age, education, drug use, history of head injury and baseline CD4 count, more women had sensory abnormalities and symptoms than men at baseline, but the odds of having neurological impairment, particularly extrapyramidal signs and sensory abnormalities were increased over time in men but not in women. Men with ARC or AIDS had more neurological impairment than women in similar stages of illness. This study suggests further investigations of gender differences in HIV disease progression.