Cancer incidence, type, and survival after bariatric surgery

BACKGROUND

Many types of cancer have been found to be associated with being overweight or obese. Literature has demonstrated a reduction in cancer risk in patients who have undergone bariatric surgery.

OBJECTIVES

To compare the incidence and types of new cancer diagnoses, cumulative cancer incidence, cancer risk, and overall survival in patients with obesity who underwent bariatric surgery with that of those who did not.

SETTING

Community-based academic medical center.

METHODS

We retrospectively compared the rates and types of new incident cancers in a bariatric surgery cohort (Bariatric group) with those of a non-surgical cohort (Comparison group). The Comparison group was chosen from patients who had a clinic visit in our health system within 30 days of each bariatric surgical operation and matched on age, sex, and body mass index. Patients who had a cancer diagnosis prior to having bariatric surgery were excluded from the Bariatric group and patients who had a cancer diagnosis prior to the clinic visit on which they were matched were excluded from the Comparison group. Relative risk of cancer by type was calculated. Chi-square and Fisher exact tests were used for categorical data analysis, and Wilcoxon rank-sum for continuous data. The Kaplan Meier estimator with the log-rank test was used to compare overall survival between groups, while competing risks survival analysis with the Gray test for equality was used to compare cancer incidence in the Surgery group with that in the Comparison group.

RESULTS

After matching, the Bariatric group had 1593 patients and the Comparison group had 2156. The Bariatric and Comparison groups had 82 and 222 new incident cancer cases, respectively (P < .001). The 10-year incidence of any new cancer in the Bariatric group was 6.5%, compared with an incidence of 12.1% in the Comparison group (P < .001). Relative risk of cancer in the Bariatric group was lower than that of the Comparison group, with the greatest differences in endometrial (88.8%), kidney (77.4%), thyroid (72.9%), and ductal carcinoma in situ (71.2%) cancers. The 10-year overall survival rate was higher in the Bariatric group than in the Comparison group, 93.3% versus 80.6%, respectively (P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

Bariatric surgery reduces the risk for developing cancer and offers survival advantage when compared with similar patients who do not undergo bariatric surgery.

Temporal Artery Biopsy: When Is It Worth the Headache?

BACKGROUND

Temporal artery biopsy is ordered when clinical symptoms and an elevated C-reactive protein values and/or erythrocyte sedimentation rates suggest giant cell arteritis. The percentage of temporal artery biopsies positive for giant cell arteritis is low. The objectives of our study were to analyze the diagnostic yield of temporal artery biopsies at an independent academic medical center and to develop a risk stratification model for triaging patients for possible temporal artery biopsy.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed the electronic health records of all patients who underwent temporal artery biopsy in our institution from January 2010 through February 2020. We compared clinical symptoms and inflammatory marker (C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate) values of patients whose specimens were positive for giant cell arteritis with those of patients with negative specimens. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics, chi-square test, and multivariable logistic regression. A risk stratification tool, which included point assignments and measures of performance, was developed.

RESULTS

Of 497 temporal artery biopsies for giant cell arteritis performed, 66 were positive and 431 were negative. Jaw/tongue claudication, elevated inflammatory marker values, and age were associated with a positive result. Using our risk stratification tool, 3.4% of low-risk patients, 14.5% of medium-risk patients, and 43.9% of high-risk patients were positive for giant cell arteritis.

CONCLUSIONS

Jaw/tongue claudication, age, and elevated inflammatory markers were associated with positive biopsy results. Our diagnostic yield was much lower when compared with a benchmark yield determined in a published systematic review. A risk stratification tool was developed based on age and the presence of independent risk factors.

Optimized infection control practices augment the robust protective effect of vaccination for ESRD patients during a hemodialysis facility SARS-CoV-2 outbreak

BACKGROUND

While dialysis patients are at greater risk of serious SARS-CoV-2 complications, stringent infection prevention measures can help mitigate infection and transmission risks within dialysis facilities. We describe an outbreak of 14 cases diagnosed in a hospital-based outpatient ESRD facility over 13 days in the second quarter of 2021, and our coordinated use of epidemiology, viral genome sequencing, and infection control practices to quickly end the transmission cycle.

METHODS

Symptomatic patients and staff members were diagnosed by RT-PCR. Facility-wide screening utilized SARS-CoV-2 antigen tests. SARS-CoV-2 genome sequences were obtained from residual diagnostic specimens.

RESULTS

Of the 106 patients receiving dialysis in the facility, 10 were diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection, as was 1 patient support person. Of 3 positive staff members, 2 were unvaccinated and had provided care for 6 and 4 of the affected patients, respectively. Sequencing demonstrated that all cases in the cluster shared an identical B.1.1.7./Alpha substrain. Attack rates were greatest among unvaccinated patients and staff. Vaccine effectiveness was 88% among patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Prompt recognition of an infection cluster and rapid intervention efforts successfully ended the outbreak. Alongside consistent adherence to core infection prevention measures, vaccination was highly effective in reducing disease incidence and morbidity in this vulnerable population.

Comparison of predicted benefit using RS clin versus observed benefit in a U.S. registry of stage I ER-positive HER2-negative high oncotype DX RS breast cancer

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Background: The 21-gene recurrence score assesses the risk of distant breast cancer recurrence and predicts the benefit of adjuvant chemotherapy in ER positive early-stage breast cancer. However, clinicopathologic risk factors continue to impact absolute benefit of adjuvant chemotherapy. Absolute benefit of adjuvant chemotherapy in low clinicopathologic risk Stage I ER positive breast cancer with high Oncotype RS is an important clinical component of shared decision making. The RSClin clinical tool, which integrates the 21-gene recurrence score (RS) and clinicopathologic features, was found to be more prognostic than RS result alone. We assessed RS Clin predicted benefit and compared to absolute benefit in low clinicopathologic risk Stage I ER positive breast cancer with high Oncotype RS as observed in the NCDB. Methods: Using the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB), we identified female patients age 18-75, ER positive and Her 2 negative, 21 gene signature high risk > 25 with negatives surgical margins, <2cm, lymph node negative breast cancers, who had received endocrine therapy with either Tam or AI diagnosed during 2010 - 2017. Clinicopathologic factors and RS were entered into the RSClin calculator, and a predicted benefit of chemotherapy was calculated for each patient. Using NCDB data, Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to project absolute survival benefit at 10 years from diagnosis for those who did vs those who did not receive chemotherapy. NCDB-derived absolute benefit of chemotherapy was compared to estimated absolute benefit as predicted by the RSClin tool. Results: 18,226 patients were identified. Stages T1a = 670(4%), T1b = 4,289(23%), and T1c = 13,267(73%). Median age 59 years (21-75). Race white 84% (15,365), black 10% (1840), and other 1021(6%). AI use 80% (14,711) was greater than Tam use 20% (3515). Chemotherapy was administered in 75% (13,827) of patients. Most patients had high or intermediate grade disease, G3 45% (8225), G2 46% (8328), and G1 9% (1672). Median duration of follow up was 57 months (2-160). Probability of death T1b at 10yrs with chemotherapy was 8.5%, and without chemotherapy was 15.1% with an absolute benefit of 6.6%. Predicted benefit in T1b using RS Clin at 10yrs was 10.8%. Probability of death for T1c at 10yrs with chemotherapy was 15.1%, and without chemotherapy was 23.5% with an absolute benefit of 8.4%. Predicted benefit in T1c using RS Clin at 10yrs was 14%. Conclusions: Patients with stage IB and IC hormone receptor positive HER2 negative breast cancers with high RS had a lower absolute benefit than predicted by RS Clin. The RSClin tool overestimated benefit of therapy in both IB and IC stages requiring caution when using this tool in patients with the lowest clinicopathologic risks.

Postoperative Outcomes in the Plain Community Population of Western Wisconsin

BACKGROUND

Residents of plain communities constitute an underserved minority population that is not reliably captured in contemporary surgical outcomes research. We hypothesized that plain communities (PC) patients would have higher postoperative complication rates than a general surgical population.

METHODS

A retrospective review of 30-day postoperative outcomes for PC patients compared to a majority (non-PC) matched patient population from September 2014 to March 2020 was performed. The primary outcome measure was any complication within 30 days of surgery.

RESULTS

270 PC patients were matched with 493 non-PC patients. The 30-day complication rate was higher for the PC group (6.3% vs 3.7%, P = .09), though not statistically significant. There was significantly lower utilization of preventive care services, and postoperative follow-up among PC patients.

DISCUSSION

Although our regional PC surgical patient population utilized preventive and postoperative health care services less than the non-PC population, there was no statistically significant difference in overall 30-day postoperative morbidity or mortality.

Outbreak or pseudo-outbreak? Integrating SARS-CoV-2 sequencing to validate infection control practices in a dialysis facility

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic poses a particularly high risk for End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) patients so rapid identification of case clusters in ESRD facilities is essential. Nevertheless, with high community prevalence, a series of ESRD patients may test positive contemporaneously for reasons unrelated to their shared ESRD facility. Here we describe a series of 5 cases detected within 11 days in November 2020 in a hospital-based 32-station ESRD facility in Southwest Wisconsin, the subsequent facility-wide testing, and the use of genetic sequence analysis to evaluate links between cases.

METHODS

Four patient cases and one staff case were identified in symptomatic individuals by RT-PCR. Facility-wide screening was conducted using rapid SARS-CoV-2 antigen tests. SARS-CoV-2 genome sequences were obtained from residual diagnostic specimens.

RESULTS

Facility-wide screening of 47 staff and 107 patients identified no additional cases. Residual specimens from 4 of 5 cases were available for genetic sequencing. Clear genetic differences proved that these contemporaneous cases were not linked.

CONCLUSIONS

With high community prevalence, epidemiological data alone is insufficient to deem a case cluster an outbreak. Cluster evaluation with genomic data, when available with a short turn-around time, can play an important role in infection prevention and control response programs.

Treatment outcomes of stage IE intestinal extra-nodal marginal zone lymphoma: A National Cancer Database study

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Background: Extra-nodal marginal zone lymphoma is a rare, indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Classically it involves the gastric mucosa and is associated with chronic infection, but it can also be found in the lower gastrointestinal (GI) tract. No standard therapy has been established for early stage disease in the small intestine, colon or rectum though multiple strategies have been employed. Little is known regarding the natural history and long-term outcomes of this disease when confined to the lower GI tract. We used the National Cancer Database (NCDB) to evaluate this patient population based upon treatment modality and disease site. Methods: Patients meeting the inclusion criteria were extracted from the 2017 Extra-Nodal Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma NCDB. Patients were grouped by primary treatment or observation status. Clinical and demographic factors were compared between the treatment groups via chi-square, Fisher’s exact and the Kruskal-Wallis tests. Comparison of Overall Survival (OS) between groups utilized either univariable log-rank comparison of the Kaplan-Meier estimator or multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression modelling, with patients censored at date of last contact. All analyses were performed with the SAS software suite, version 9.4. Results: 775 patients were identified with stage IE extra-nodal marginal zone lymphoma of the small intestine, colon or rectum with treatment and follow-up data. Prevalence increased over time. Median age at diagnosis was 65, with a ten-year overall survival for the entire cohort of 74.8% (69.8% - 79.0%). Location of disease was small intestine in 286 patients (36.9%), colon in 361 patients (46.6%) and rectum in 128 patients (16.5%). Ten-year overall survival was significantly worse for a small intestine primary site compared to colon and rectum primary sites (64.9% (55.6% - 72.6%) vs 81.5% (74.9% - 86.5%) and 80.9% (68.5% - 88.8%) respectively; p-value 0.013). Initial treatment was surgery in 361 patients (46.6%), radiation in 99 patients (12.8%), chemotherapy and/or immunotherapy in 120 patients (15.5%), and observation in 195 patients (25.1%). No significant differences in 5-year or 10-year survival were seen between treatment groups. Conclusions: Observation is a reasonable management strategy in patients with stage IE lower intestinal tract extra-nodal marginal zone lymphoma; survival is similar to those who received surgery, radiation or systemic therapy. Those with small intestine primary site had worse overall survival, irrespective of treatment modality, when compared to colon and rectum disease sites.

Surgery versus radiation therapy outcomes in patients with clinical stage 0 non-small cell lung cancer

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Background: There are currently no clear national guidelines for management of in-situ (stage 0) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). With no prospective clinical trial data, treatment strategies include both surgical resection and definitive radiation therapy (RT). We aimed to investigate survival outcomes in patients with stage 0 NSCLC who underwent surgery or RT. We also aimed to identify any differences in the treatments that the two groups received with respect to rural versus urban setting and racial variation. Methods: The 2016 National Cancer Data Base was reviewed from 2006-2015 for patients registered with a pathological diagnosis of Stage 0 NSCLC, based on the AJCC 7th edition classification for lung cancer. Patients with a prior history of malignancy, secondary malignancy other than lung, and contraindications to surgery were excluded. Univariate comparison and multivariate logistic regression modeling were utilized to identify factors associated with receipt of surgery. Patients were stratified into two groups, surgical resection and RT. Kaplan-Meier estimators and Cox proportional-hazards regression were used to compare overall survival(OS). Propensity score matching was performed using relevant demographic and clinical factors associated with receipt of surgery. All analysis was completed in SAS version 9.4 and p-values less than 0.05 were considered significant. Results: A total of 156 patients were identified with Stage 0 NSCLC who received surgery (n = 104) or RT (n = 52). Surgery was defined as lobectomy or less. Histologic subtypes were squamous cell carcinoma (54%), adenocarcinoma (45%), and bronchioloalveolar carcinoma (1%). Median age was 65 years for the surgical resection cohort and 70 years for the RT cohort. From diagnosis, median time to surgery was 21 days for the surgical resection cohort and 47 days to start of radiation for RT cohort. We did not identify any major differences with respect to rural versus urban setting or racial differences within the surgery and RT cohorts. Patients who underwent surgical resection had a superior 5 year overall survival 65% (CI, 43.49-80.56) when compared to patients who underwent RT 37% (CI, 10.63-65.05), hazard rate 0.403, p = 0.0009, 95% CI. 0.236 – 0.689). Conclusions: Our findings show a significant improved survival with surgical resection compared to RT in patients diagnosed with Stage 0 NSCLC.

Impact of endocrine therapy on overall survival in ER negative/PR positive locoregional breast cancer: An analysis of the National Cancer Database

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Background: Breast cancer expressing PR, but not ER (ER-/PR+) are uncommon, comprising 2–8% of breast cancers, with less known about their characteristics and responsiveness to therapy. The role of adjuvant endocrine therapy (ET) in ER-/PR+ locoregional breast cancer is unclear as these patients have been largely excluded from prospective clinical trials. Despite a lack of data patients are often treated with adjuvant ET due to perceived possible benefit. We used the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB) to assess role of adjuvant ET in ER-/PR + breast cancer. Methods: Using the NCDB, we included adults ≥ 18 and ≤ 70 years old in order to minimize the non-cancer related deaths. We selected only female patients with stage I, II, and III. Patients have received definitive surgery (lumpectomy with radiation or mastectomy) with negative margins. Systemic therapy (ST) was defined as receipt of chemotherapy and/or immunotherapy. We excluded those who had unknown ST status, unknown ET status, unknown HER 2 status, who did not receive definitive surgery and those whose survival time was missing. Patients were stratified into four groups based on HER2 status and receipt of ET. Both Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression modeling was utilized to determine predictors of overall survival (OS). A propensity score matched cohort was developed based on relevant demographic and clinical factors. The primary endpoint assessed was OS. All analyses were performed using SAS 9.4. Results: We identified 5344 patients (74% were Caucasian, 20% were African American and 6% were others) with ER-/PR+(74% were HER2 - and 26% were HER2 +) locoregional breast cancer (51% were Stage I, 38 % were stage II and 11% were stage III). Grade 1 cancer was seen in 2%, grade 2 in 18%, and majority being grade 3 in 80%. Of which 3093 (58%) patients received ET and 4462 (83%) received ST. Majority of patients were in age group 50-70 comprising of 69% patients, 8 % in age 18—39, 23% in age 40-49 with Charlson-Deyo Score of 0 in 83%, 1 in13%, 2-3 in 4%. In a propensity matched cohort (N=3980), ET was not significantly associated with OS among HER2 negative (HER2-) patients (HR=1.05, 95% CI 0.86-1.28, p=0.63). In HER2+ patient ET was associated with significantly improved OS (HR=0.65, 95% CI 0.42-0.99, p=.047). Conclusions: Receiving ET was not associated with improved OS in locoregional ER-/PR+/HER2- breast cancer based on our study using a propensity matched cohort in the NCDB. However, was frequently administered. Interestingly, improved OS was seen in locoregional ER-/PR+/HER2+ breast cancer with adjuvant ET.

Infant Vaccinations among Mothers with Substance-Use Disorders: A Comparative Study

Introduction: Infants of mothers with substance use disorder (SUD) are exposed to complex social environments and increased childhood health risks that can lead to adverse consequences throughout the lifespan. GunderKids, a voluntary, specialized, comprehensive pediatric care management program, was developed to mitigate many of these adverse consequences. Our organization is evaluating several clinical outcomes related to health and development in children born to women with SUD. The current study addressed the timeliness of vaccination coverage among these infants.Methods: This descriptive comparative preliminary study evaluated data of infants and their mothers with SUD who were previously identified during prenatal care visits either by self-report or by positive urine screens. Sociodemographic and vaccination data were extracted from a longitudinal master dataset of variables developed and maintained through retrospective review of electronic health records (EHRs) of these mothers and their infants. Timeliness of vaccination coverage of SUD-exposed infants participating in GunderKids was compared with that of SUD-exposed infants receiving standard pediatric care and was determined using a cumulative vaccinations method.Results: Overall, infants in the GunderKids group (n=50) had more timely vaccination coverage than those receiving standard pediatric care (n=20). Examples of timelier coverage included Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) at 4 months (P = .01; OR 4.3, 95% CI 1.4-13.4), for pneumococcal (P = .004; OR 6.6, 95% CI 1.8-23.8) and Hib (P = .004; OR 5.8, 95% CI 1.6-21.9) vaccinations at 15 months. More than 77% of GunderKids received all 6-month vaccinations in a timely manner compared with less than 45% of the standard care group; odds ratios suggest that GunderKids had 4.0-5.6 higher odds of receiving 6-month vaccinations.Conclusion: Vaccination coverage of infants participating in GunderKids was timelier than that of infants receiving standard pediatric care. Results suggest that specialized programs like GunderKids may assist in mitigating adverse health consequences and timeliness of vaccination coverage might be used as a proxy for measuring program effectiveness. Further investigation is recommended to determine clinical, individual, and organizational factors that influence parental behaviors and pediatric outcomes within SUD-exposed families.

Increased Incidence of Giant Cell Arteritis After Introduction of a Live Varicella Zoster Virus Vaccine

BACKGROUND

Varicella zoster virus (VZV) has been associated with giant cell arteritis (GCA). The introduction of a live attenuated vaccine against this virus (ZVL) might have changed the incidence of GCA.

METHODS

The incidence of GCA was retrospectively measured using 2 matched cohorts seen in a regional health system located in the Midwestern United States: ZVL recipients from the years 2007 through 2015 following the introduction of the vaccine and nonrecipients from the years 2000 through 2015.

RESULTS

In the ZVL cohort, a significant increase of GCA was associated with clinical criteria alone for the diagnosis of GCA (hazard ratio [HR], 2.70; 95% CI, 1.48-4.45; P = .004). In addition, using only pathologically confirmed GCA, the same matched cohort comparison analysis also found that ZVL recipients were at significantly higher risk than those who did not receive ZVL (HR, 2.70; 95% CI, 1.48-4.95; P = .001).

CONCLUSION

Using a matched cohort, retrospective comparison, ZVL was associated with an increased incidence of GCA.

Validation of the Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0 in Patients Seeking Bariatric Surgery

BACKGROUND

The Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS) was developed in 2009 to assess food addiction (FA); a revised version was released in 2016 (YFAS 2.0). The objective of this study was to determine the statistical and clinical validity of the YFAS 2.0 in adults seeking bariatric surgery.

METHODS

Patients who underwent a preoperative psychological evaluation in preparation for bariatric surgery from 2015 to 2018 were included. The YFAS 2.0 was administered as part of routine clinical care and validated against an assessment battery of standardized clinical measures. Statistical analyses included chi-square and Wilcoxon rank sum tests and calculation of Spearman's rank correlation coefficients.

RESULTS

Overall, 1061 patients were included. Mean age and BMI were 47.5 ± 12.9 years and 46.9 ± 13.4 kg/m², respectively. There were 196 (18%) patients who screened positive on the YFAS 2.0 (21% mild, 23% moderate, and 56% severe FA). The YFAS 2.0 demonstrated strong convergent validity where patients who met criteria for FA had significantly increased levels of binge eating (p < 0.001), emotional eating (p < 0.001), and lower self-efficacy (p < 0.001). Discriminant validity was demonstrated by lack of association with alcohol use (p = 0.319). The YFAS 2.0 was significantly correlated with total scores for depression (p < 0.001), anxiety (p < 0.001), bipolar disorder symptoms (p < 0.001), and trauma history (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of FA in a large sample of patients seeking bariatric surgery was consistent with previous literature. These data suggest that the YFAS 2.0 is psychometrically valid, demonstrating strong construct validity, and is a clinically useful measure of FA severity in patients pursuing bariatric surgery.

Career Satisfaction, Gender Bias, and Work-Life Balance: A Contemporary Assessment of General Surgeons

OBJECTIVE

To identify factors and patterns of career and life satisfaction among general surgery residency graduates who completed all of their general surgery training after the implementation of duty hour restrictions.

DESIGN

A 91-point electronic survey was distributed to assess experiences during medical school, residency, current surgical practice and work-life balance. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were completed.

SETTING

Twenty-nine ACGME-accredited surgery residencies.

PARTICIPANTS

Graduates of surgery residencies between 2008 and 2018.

RESULTS

Three hundred thirty-six surgeons completed the survey (21% response rate); 42% (n = 141) were female. Seventy-nine percent (n = 81) of female and 92% (n = 138) of male surgeons reported overall career satisfaction (p = 0.004). Overall, 97% and 94% reported feeling competent to practice clinically and operate independently at the conclusion of their training. Thirty-four percent (n = 48) of women experienced gender bias/discrimination while on their medical school surgery rotation, compared to 6% (n = 12) of men (p < 0.001). Sixty-two percent (n = 63) of female surgeons reported gender bias in their practice, compared to 4% (n = 6) of men (p < 0.001). Of respondents with children, female surgeons were more likely to think having a child negatively affected their career advancement (p = 0.004), and 24% of female surgeons and 11% of male surgeons do not think having a family is supported by their practice (p = 0.02). If given the opportunity to choose a career again, 21% of female surgeons and 13% of male surgeons would choose a different profession (p = 0.13).

CONCLUSIONS

General surgeons who completed their training after implementation of duty hour regulations are confident in their preparation for clinical practice. Female surgeons were less likely to be satisfied with their career and they report significantly more bias during their professional development and career. Work-life balance challenges were similar among men and women. Efforts are necessary to reduce gender bias across the spectrum of general surgeon training/career and to promote well-being among surgeons in practice.

Epidemiology, Management, and Outcomes of Accidental Hypothermia: A Multicenter Study of Regional Care

BACKGROUND

Hypothermia is an uncommon, potentially life-threatening condition. We hypothesized (1) advanced rewarming techniques were more frequent with increased hypothermia severity, (2) active rewarming is increasingly performed with smaller intravascular catheters and decreased cardiopulmonary bypass, and (3) mortality was associated with age, hypothermia severity, and type.

METHODS

Trauma patients with temperatures <35°C at 4 ACS-verified trauma centers in Wisconsin and Minnesota from 2006 to 2016 were reviewed. Statistical analysis included chi-square and Fisher's exact tests. A P value < .05 was considered significant.

RESULTS

337 patients met inclusion criteria; primary hypothermia was identified in 127 (38%), secondary in 113 (34%), and mixed primary/secondary in 96 (28%) patients. Hypothermia was mild in 69%, moderate in 26%, and severe in 5% of patients. Intravascular rewarming catheter was the most frequent advanced modality (2%), used increasingly since 2014. Advanced techniques were used for primary (12%) vs. secondary (0%) and mixed (5%) (P = .0002); overall use increased with hypothermia severity but varied by institution. Dysrhythmia, acute kidney injury, and frostbite risk worsened with hypothermia severity (P < .0001, P = .031, and P < .0001, respectively). Mortality was greatest in patients with mixed hypothermia (39%, P = .0002) and age >65 years (33%, P = .03). Thirty-day mortality rates were similar among severe, moderate, and mild hypothermia (P = .44).

CONCLUSION

Advanced rewarming techniques were used more frequently in severe and primary hypothermia but varied among institutions. Advanced rewarming was less common in mixed hypothermia; mortality was highest in this subgroup. Reliance on smaller intravascular catheters for advanced rewarming increased over time. Given inconsistencies in management, implementation of guidelines for hypothermia management appears necessary.

Is Chief Resident Autonomy Safe for Patients? An Analysis of Quality in Training Initiative (QITI) Data to Assess Chief Resident Performance

OBJECTIVE

A chief resident service (CRS) provides a unique environment to assess competence throughout all aspects of patient care. The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program and Quality in Training Initiative databases are utilized to assess patient outcomes by individual residents with institutional and national comparisons. We hypothesized that residents on the CRS would have equivalent patient care outcomes to peers not on CRS and to chief residents nationally.

DESIGN

An institutional National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was queried from 2014 to 2019 for operations performed on the CRS. Thirty-day complications were compared between CRS and non-CRS postgraduate year (PGY)-5 residents. Quality in Training Initiative reports were used to compare residents on CRS to national PGY-5 residents. Statistical analysis included chi-square tests, and multivariate logistic regression.

SETTING

Independent academic medical center.

PARTICIPANTS

Chief general surgery residents.

RESULTS

A total of 1031 cases were included in the analysis; 562 while off CRS and 469 while on CRS. Thirty-day outcomes were similar for CRS vs non-CRS cases for any complication (8% vs 12%, p = 0.05), unplanned readmissions (6% vs 5%, p = 0.58), and mortality (2% vs 2%, p = 0.99). Adjusting for patient and operative risk factors and procedure type, the rate of any complication after an operation on CRS vs off CRS was similar (odds ratio = 1.46, 95%confidence interval 0.82-2.60; p = 0.20). CRS residents had higher rates of postoperative renal failure (1.3% vs 0.5%, p = 0.008), but lower rates of organ space surgical site infection (0.6% vs 2.9%, p < 0.001), myocardial infarction (0 vs 0.6%, p = 0.04), pneumonia (0.3% vs 1.6%, p = 0.006), septic shock (0.1% vs 1.0%, p = 0.02), transfusion (2.7% vs 8.3%, p < 0.001), and fewer unplanned readmissions (6.1% vs 8.4%, p = 0.029) when compared to PGY-5 residents nationally.

CONCLUSIONS

Patient care outcomes provided by PGY-5 residents on a CRS are comparable to those on non-CRS rotations and to PGY-5 residents nationally.

The role of palliative care in acute trauma: When is it appropriate?

INTRODUCTION

We hypothesized that trauma providers are reticent to consider palliative measures in acute trauma care.

METHODS

An electronic survey based on four patient scenarios with identical vital signs and serious blunt injuries, but differing ages and frailty scores was sent to WTA and EAST members.

RESULTS

509 (24%) providers completed the survey. Providers supported early transition to comfort care in 85% old-frail, 53% old-fit, 77% young-frail, and 30% young-fit patients. Providers were more likely to transition frail vs. fit patients with (OR = 4.8 [3.8-6.3], p < 0.001) or without (OR = 16.7 [12.5-25.0], p < 0.001) an advanced directive (AD) and more likely to transition old vs. young patients with (OR = 2.0 [1.6-2.6], p < 0.001) or without (OR = 4.2 [2.8-5.0], p < 0.001) an AD.

CONCLUSIONS

In specific clinical situations, there was wide acceptance among trauma providers for the early institution of palliative measures. Provider decision-making was primarily based on patient frailty and age. ADs were helpful for fit or young patients. Provider demographics did not impact decision-making.

Lack of Correlation Between Subjective and Objective Measures of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease: Call for a Novel Validated Assessment Tool

Background. Objective measures including the DeMeester score, lower esophageal sphincter (LES) pressure, acid exposure time, and body mass index (BMI) are used to determine gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) severity and eligibility for various antireflux surgical procedures. The GERD Health-Related Quality of Life (GERD-HRQL) survey is widely used to evaluate patients' subjective severity of symptoms and GERD-related quality of life. The purpose of this project was to identify whether or not the subjective measure (GERD-HRQL) correlated with objective measures (DeMeester score, LES, acid exposure time, and BMI) of GERD severity. Methods. A retrospective review of the medical records of patients who underwent antireflux surgery from 2013-2018 was completed. Patients' GERD severity was measured preoperatively and postoperatively using the GERD-HRQL. Statistical analysis included the calculation of Spearman correlation coefficients, Wilcoxon rank sum, sign, and chi-square tests. Results. 151 patients were included in the study; 64% were female. The mean age and BMI were 54.6 ± 14.6 years and 30.1 ± 4.1 kg/m², respectively. The mean preoperative DeMeester score was 43.1 ± 36.1, LES pressure was 19.9 ± 18.4 mmHg, and acid exposure time was 11.4 ± 9.6. Mean GERD-HRQL scores decreased from 27.3 ± 9.2 preoperative to 5.3 ± 4.5 postoperative; P < .0001. Preoperative GERD-HRQL scores were not correlated with the DeMeester score (r = .11; P = .389), LES pressure (r = -.20; P = .089), acid exposure time (r = .05; P = .755), BMI (r = .10; P = .329), or age (r = -.16; P = .118). Conclusions. Total GERD-HRQL scores significantly decreased from pre- to postoperative. There was no correlation between subjective and objective GERD scoring. These data indicate the need for both physiologic evaluation and subjective assessment of patient symptoms during preoperative workup. There is a need for a contemporary, validated GERD questionnaire that correlates with objective pH testing.

External Validation of AJCC Eighth Edition of Non-small-cell Lung Cancer Staging Among African Americans

INTRODUCTION

The American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) eighth staging classification system for non-small-cell lung cancer was based on data from a multinational study consisting of 94,708 patients. African Americans were not included in this large database.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The authors aimed to compare the performance of the AJCC eighth staging system with that of the seventh in predicting overall survival among African Americans utilizing the National Cancer Database. Cases with T- and M- categories were classified into 2 groups based on the AJCC seventh and eighth edition staging systems. Kaplan-Meier curves for overall survival were then constructed for each subgroup. Concordance index was computed using Uno's methodology to assess the overall performance between the 2 staging systems in predicting the mortality. Time-dependent area under the curve was calculated at each follow-up event for the seventh and eighth edition clinical and pathologic staging using an inverse probability of censoring weighted methodology. A 2-sided P-value < .05 was considered to show statistical significance.

RESULTS

The database identified a total of 70,606 African American patients in the study period of 2004 through 2014. Area under the curve values were consistently higher for the eighth edition scheme compared with the seventh edition (concordance 0.630 vs. 0.624, respectively; P < .0001 for clinical staging scheme and 0.596 vs. 0.591, respectively; P = .01 for pathologic staging scheme).

CONCLUSION

The AJCC eighth edition staging system showed better prognostic value in predicting overall survival when compared with the AJCC seventh edition staging scheme among African American patients with non-small-cell lung cancer.

Defining Weight Loss After Bariatric Surgery: a Call for Standardization

BACKGROUND

Some weight regain is expected after bariatric surgery; however, this concept is not well defined. A favorable weight loss response has commonly been defined as 50% excess weight loss (EWL). The medical literature uses %total weight loss (%TWL), which has recently been adopted in some surgical literature.

OBJECTIVE

To demonstrate variability in bariatric surgery outcomes based on the definition applied and propose a standardized definition.

METHODS

A retrospective review of patients who underwent bariatric surgery from 2001 to 2016 with ≥ 1 year follow-up was completed. Several previously proposed definitions of weight regain were analyzed.

RESULTS

One thousand five hundred seventy-four patients met inclusion criteria. Preoperative mean body mass index (BMI) was 47.6 ± 6.4 kg/m². Increased preoperative BMI was associated with increased mean %TWL at 2 years postoperative (29.3 ± 9.1% for BMI < 40, vs. 37.5 ± 9.5% for BMI > 60; P < 0.001). Based on %EWL, 93% of patients experienced ≥ 50% EWL by 1-2 years, and 61.8% maintained ≥ 50% EWL through the 10-year follow-up period. Similarly, 97% experienced ≥ 20% TWL by 1-2 years and 70.3% maintained ≥ 20% TWL through the 10-year follow-up period. Over 50% of patients maintained their weight based on several proposed definitions through 5 years follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

A high percentage (> 90%) of patients achieve ≥ 20% TWL and ≥ 50% EWL. Increased preoperative BMI was associated with increased %TWL and decreased %EWL at 2 years postoperative. The incidence of weight regain varies depending on the definition. We propose a standardized definition for identifying good responders following bariatric surgery to be ≥ 20% TWL, as this measure is least influenced by preoperative BMI.

Role of adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with pathological stage I NSCLC with high-risk features

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Background: Lobectomy is the current standard of care for patients with stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). There is a lack of prospective data on the benefit of adjuvant chemotherapy (CT) in patients with negative margins but with high-risk features: lympho-vascular invasion (LVI) or visceral pleural invasion (VPI). We aimed to investigate the benefit of adjuvant CT in patients with pathological stage I NSCLC with high-risk features. Methods: The 2016 National Cancer Database was queried to identify patients with pathological stage I NSCLC (8th edition AJCC staging) diagnosed from 2010-2015 who received lobectomy/pneumonectomy with clear surgical margins. Patients were stratified into high risk (tumor size ≥2 cm with LVI and/or VPI) or low risk group. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression and propensity score matched Kaplan-Meier survival analysis were used to compare overall survival between those who received adjuvant CT and those who did not. Results: 34,556 patients were identified with 1114 (3.2%) receiving adjuvant CT. On multivariate Cox regression analysis, high risk tumors (hazard ratio [95% confidence interval] = 1.31 [1.25-1.38]) and lack of adjuvant chemotherapy (1.25 [1.09-1.44]) were associated with worse overall survival (OS). Additionally, male sex, age ≥ 60 years, higher comorbidity burden, lack of insurance, low facility volume, low median income, non-squamous histology were associated with worse OS. After propensity score matching, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis of the high risk subgroup (n = 2923) showed a significant difference in overall survival (OS) between those who received adjuvant CT (n = 1032, 5 year OS, 74.7%; 95% CI, 70.9%-78.0%) and those who did not (n = 1891, 5 year OS, 66.9%; CI, 63.9%-69.6%; p = 0.0002). In patients with no high risk factors for recurrence (n = 384), OS was not significantly different between the patients who received adjuvant CT (n = 78, 5 year OS, 75.8%; CI, 61.3%-85.5%) and those who did not receive adjuvant CT (n = 306, 5 year OS, 77.1%; CI, 70.0%-82.7%; p = 0.3). Conclusions: Our study showed better survival with adjuvant CT in patients with pathological stage I NSCLC who have tumor size greater than 2 cm, LVI and/or VPI.

Underrepresented Minorities in General Surgery Residency: Analysis of Interviewed Applicants, Residents, and Core Teaching Faculty

BACKGROUND

The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) requires diversity in residency. The self-identified race/ethnicities of general surgery applicants, residents, and core teaching faculty were assessed to evaluate underrepresented minority (URM) representation in surgery residency programs and to determine the impact of URM faculty and residents on URM applicants' selection for interview or match.

STUDY DESIGN

Data from the 2018 application cycle were collated for 10 general surgery programs. Applicants without a self-identified race/ethnicity were excluded. URMs were defined as those identifying as black/African American, Hispanic/Latino/of Spanish origin, and American Indian/Alaskan Native/Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander-Samoan. Statistical analyses included chi-square tests and a multivariate model.

RESULTS

Ten surgery residency programs received 9,143 applications from 3,067 unique applicants. Applications from white, Asian, Hispanic/Latino, black/African American, and American Indian applicants constituted 66%, 19%, 8%, 7% and 1%, respectively, of those applications selected to interview and 66%, 13%, 11%, 8%, and 2%, respectively, of applications resulting in a match. Among programs' 272 core faculty and 318 current residents, 10% and 21%, respectively, were identified as URMs. As faculty diversity increased, there was no difference in selection to interview for URM (odds ratio [OR] 0.83; 95% CI 0.54 to 1.28, per 10% increase in faculty diversity) or non-URM applicants (OR 0.68; 95% CI 0.57 to 0.81). Similarly, greater URM representation among current residents did not affect the likelihood of being selected for an interview for URM (OR 1.20; 95%CI 0.90 to 1.61) vs non-URM applicants (OR 1.28; 95% CI 1.13 to 1.45). Current resident and faculty URM representation was correlated (r = 0.8; p = 0.005).

CONCLUSIONS

Programs with a greater proportion of URM core faculty or residents did not select a greater proportion of URM applicants for interview. However, core faculty and resident racial diversity were correlated. Recruitment of racially/ethnically diverse trainees and faculty will require ongoing analysis to develop effective recruitment strategies.

Underrepresented Minorities are Underrepresented Among General Surgery Applicants Selected to Interview

OBJECTIVE

Diversity is an ill-defined entity in general surgery training. The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education recently proposed new common program requirements including verbiage requiring diversity in residency. "Recruiting" for diversity can be challenging within the constraints of geographic preference, type of program, and applicant qualifications. In addition, the Match process adds further uncertainty. We sought to study the self-identified racial/ethnic distribution of general surgery applicants to better ascertain the characteristics of underrepresented minorities (URM) within the general surgery applicant pool.

DESIGN

Program-specific data from the Electronic Residency Application Service was collated for the 2018 medical student application cycle. Data were abstracted for all participating programs' applicants and those selected to interview. Applicants who did not enter a self-identified race/ethnicity were excluded from analysis. URM were defined as those identifying as Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino/of Spanish origin, American Indian/Alaskan Native, or Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander-Samoan. Appropriate statistical analyses were accomplished.

SETTING

Ten general surgery residency programs-5 independent programs and 5 university programs.

PARTICIPANTS

Residency applicants to the participating general surgery residency programs.

RESULTS

Ten surgery residency programs received 10,312 applications from 3192 unique applicants. Seven hundred and seventy-eight applications did not include a self-identified race/ethnicity and were excluded from analysis. The racial/ethnic makeup of applicants in this study cohort was similar to that from 2017 to 2018 Electronic Residency Application Service data of 4262 total applicants to categorical general surgery. Programs received a median of 1085 (range: 485-1264) applications each and altogether selected 617 unique applicants for interviews. Overall, 2148 applicants graduated from US medical schools, and of those, 595 (28%) were offered interviews. The mean age of applicants was 28.8 ± 3.8 years and 1316 (41%) were female. Hispanic/Latino/of Spanish origin, Black, and American Indian/Alaskan Native/Hawaiian/Pacific Islander-Samoan applicants constituted 12%, 8%, and 1% of total applicants, but only 8%, 6%, and 1% of those selected for interview. Overall, 29% of applicants had United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1 scores ≤220; 37 (6%) of those selected for interviews had a USMLE Step 1 score of ≤220. A higher proportion of URM applicants had USMLE scores ≤220 compared to White and Asian applicants. Non-white self-identification was a significant independent predictor of a lower likelihood of interview selection. Female gender, USMLE Step 1 score >220, and graduating from a US medical school were associated with an increased likelihood of being selected to interview.

CONCLUSIONS

URM applicants represented a disproportionately smaller percentage of applicants selected for interview. USMLE Step 1 scores were lower among the URM applicants. Training programs that use discreet USMLE cutoffs are likely excluding URM at a higher rate than their non-URM applicants. Attempts to recruit racially/ethnically diverse trainees should include program-level analysis to determine disparities and a focused strategy to interview applicants who might be overlooked by conventional screening tools.

Correction to: Factors Associated with Reoperation in Breast-Conserving Surgery for Cancer: A Prospective Study of American Society of Breast Surgeon Members

The Disclosures in the original article are incomplete. Not included is the following information.

Factors Associated with Reoperation in Breast-Conserving Surgery for Cancer: A Prospective Study of American Society of Breast Surgeon Members

Background

More than 20% of patients undergoing initial breast-conserving surgery (BCS) for cancer require reoperation. To address this concern, the American Society of Breast Surgeons (ASBrS) endorsed 10 processes of care (tools) in 2015 to be considered by surgeons to de-escalate reoperations. In a planned follow-up, we sought to determine which tools were associated with fewer reoperations.

Methods

A cohort of ASBrS member surgeons prospectively entered data into the ASBrS Mastery^® registry on consecutive patients undergoing BCS in 2017. The association between tools and reoperations was estimated via multivariate and hierarchical ranking analyses.

Results

Seventy-one surgeons reported reoperations in 486 (12.3%) of 3954 cases (mean 12.7% [standard deviation (SD) 7.7%], median 11.5% [range 0–32%]). There was an eightfold difference between surgeons in the 10th and 90th percentile performance groups. Actionable factors associated with fewer reoperations included routine planned cavity side-wall shaves, surgeon use of ultrasound (US), neoadjuvant chemotherapy, intra-operative pathologic margin assessment, and use of a pre-operative diagnostic imaging modality beyond conventional 2D mammography. For patients with invasive cancer, ≥ 24% of those who underwent reexcision did so for reported margins of < 1 or 2 mm, representing noncompliance with the SSO-ASTRO margin guideline.

Conclusions

Although ASBrS member surgeons had some of the lowest rates of reoperation reported in any registry, significant intersurgeon variability persisted. Further efforts to lower rates are therefore warranted. Opportunities to do so were identified by adopting those processes of care, including improved compliance with the SSO-ASTRO margin guideline, which were associated with fewer reoperations.

In-hospital mortality in acute promyelocytic leukemia patients: A study of national inpatient sample

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Background: Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia (APL), a subtype of acute myeloid leukemia, has excellent outcomes, but continues to show high rates of early mortality. An epidemiologic study utilizing SEER between 1992 & 2007 showed an early death rate of 17.3%. There is limited data on the incidence of inpatient mortality in APL patients in the United States and the factors that contribute to early death. Methods: National Inpatient Sample was utilized to identify adult patients (≥18 years) diagnosed with APL using International Classification of Diseases, 10th edition (ICD-10-CM) code C92.40. Since the United States transitioned from using ICD-9-CM to ICD-10-CM on October 2015, we included APL patients diagnosed between 2015 & 2016. Clinical, sociodemographic and hospital characteristic data were examined; hospital volume was divided into quartiles. The association between overall inpatient survival & receipt of chemotherapy was examined in a propensity score matched cohort of patients not discharged to another acute care facility. Statistical analyses were conducted utilizing SAS version 9.4. Results: In total, 433 APL patients were identified (median age 52 years, 52% males, 65% whites). The inpatient mortality rate was 9.93%. 59.5% (n = 258) of patients did not receive chemotherapy. On univariate-analysis, patients with younger age, black-race, transfer in from other hospital, elective admissions, private insurance, large bed size hospital & large hospital volume were more likely to receive chemo. In the matched-cohort, receipt of chemo was associated with decreased mortality (Hazard Ratio 0.27, 95% CI: 0.12-0.60). We ran additional mortality analysis landmarked at 3 days and 7 days: 75% of chemo patients receiving treatment within 3 days had survival advantage with chemo (HR: 0.35 [0.15-0.82]). 90% of chemo patients receiving treatment within 7 days didn’t show any difference in survival (HR: 0.49 [0.18-1.32]) but the sample size was small. Conclusions: Our study showed an early survival benefit when patient with APL received chemotherapy within 3 days of admission. Early recognition & prompt treatment initiation will help reduce the rate of early mortality in patients with APL.

Patient perceptions of primary care providers' knowledge of bariatric surgery

As the rate of obesity continues to rise, primary care providers (PCPs) must be aware and informed of the treatment options available. Bariatric surgery is the most effective long-term treatment for weight loss and improvement of obesity-related comorbidities. The aim of this study was to assess patients' perception of their PCP's opinion, support and knowledge of bariatric surgery and changes over time. In 2009 and 2015, a 27-question survey was developed and mailed to patients who had undergone laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) at our institution. Statistical analysis included chi-square and Fisher's exact test for associations between categorical variables, Wilcoxon rank sum test for comparison of ordinal or continuous variables and sign test for comparison of paired ordinal variables. There were 680 and 1106 patients who met inclusion criteria and were mailed the 2009 and 2015 survey, respectively. The survey response rate was 47% in 2009 and 35% in 2015; 125 patients completed both surveys. In 2009 and 2015, 78% and 80% of patients described their PCP's opinion of bariatric surgery as "very supportive" (P = 0.64), and 29% and 40% described their PCP as "very knowledgeable" about bariatric surgery (P = 0.02), respectively. Post-operative support from PCPs was described as "very supportive" by 77% and 79% of patients in 2009 and 2015, respectively (P = 0.07). Overall, Ninety-seven percent of patients would repeat their LRYGB experience. The majority of patients perceived their PCP as being supportive of bariatric surgery. Physicians' knowledge of bariatric surgery could be improved by establishing more opportunities for education. While patients' perception of their PCP's knowledge increased, no significant improvements in PCP opinion or support of bariatric surgery were observed over time. Patients' willingness to repeat their experience with bariatric surgery remained high.

Does Timing of Inferior Vena Cava Filter Retrieval Planning Impact Retrieval Rates? A Comparison of Planning Before or After Hospital Discharge

INTRODUCTION

Indwelling inferior vena cava (IVC) filters are associated with complications, and the US Food and Drug Administration recommends their prompt removal when no longer indicated. Therefore, assessing strategies for increasing retrieval rates is warranted.

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the variability of IVC filter retrieval rates within our institution based on 2 separate, pre-existing processes in which IVC retrieval is planned for before or after hospital discharge.

METHODS

Retrospective chart review was completed for all IVC filters placed in adults between January 2005 and March 2015. Demographics and clinical data related to filter placement and retrieval were abstracted. Patients were classified into 2 groups: patients who had a trauma consultation trauma and nontrauma medical and surgical patients medical. The trauma group patients were subject to a 2-layer tracking process, in which retrieval planning was done before discharge, versus the medical group with a single-layer tracking process and retrieval planning done after discharge.

RESULTS

Of the 588 filter placements analyzed, 236 were placed in trauma patients and 352 were placed for medical reasons. The retrieval rate of the entire cohort was 45% (262/588), with the rate among trauma patients more than double that of medical patients (155/236, 66% and 107/352, 30%; respectively, P < 0.0001).

CONCLUSION

IVC filter retrieval rate was increased when filter removal was included in discharge planning versus postdischarge tracking. A systematic, multidisciplinary strategic approach to IVC filter management has great potential to improve filter utilization, resource allocation, patient safety, and filter retrieval.

Abstract TP227: Stroke Education in School Age Children

Introduction: A partnership was formed with the local school district. Stroke education was presented to high school students in the Health Science Academy, who then disseminated stroke education to other students in the district.

Objective: To determine the effect of formal stroke education among elementary, middle, and high school students in the region.

Methods: Surveys differentiated for each school level were administered to students prior to and a month after stroke education to assess knowledge of stroke signs and symptoms, risk factors, and behavioral action.

Results: A total of 3,145 students in elementary, middle, and high school received stroke education. At the elementary level, knowledge of where a stroke occurs significantly increased post education (18.5% vs 37.3%, p<0.0001). There was also an increase in the identification of corrective action to be taken if someone they knew was having a stroke (79.7% vs 85.4%, p=0.0006). The knowledge of signs and symptoms increased significantly in middle (p<0.0001) and high school (p=0.015) students. A small percentage of middle (5% vs 4.3%, p=0.62) and high school students (8.3 % vs 6.4%, p=0.13) were able to recognize all risk factors of a stroke with no significant change in knowledge after stroke education.

Conclusions: In conclusion, stroke education in school age children can improve awareness of what organ is affected in stroke, signs and symptoms, and the correct actions that should be taken when suspecting stroke symptoms. However, retention of the presented information after one month was suboptimal. Further steps are needed to refine and sustain stroke education within the local school district. Stroke education need to be included in the school curriculum and should probably be provided on yearly basis.

Abstract TP388: Does Management of Anemia After Acute Ischemic Stroke Improve Outcomes?

Introduction: Anemia is associated with increased morbidity and mortality in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS). However, it is unclear if management of anemia after stroke can improve outcomes.

Objective: To assess the impact of anemia, and its treatment, on AIS patient outcomes.

Methods: Adult AIS patients admitted to a rural academic medical center for primary stroke between 1/1/2012 - 12/31/2016 were included. Patient medical records were reviewed for relevant health information.

Results: A sample of 753 patients treated for AIS was evaluated. Moderate or severe anemia (hemoglobin < 11 g/dL for both sexes) was associated with increased mortality at 6 months (57.6% [45.0-68.3], 80.3% [72.9-85.9], 86.9% [83.6-89.5] for moderate/severe, mild and no anemia, respectively; p< 0.0001). This difference in survival was still seen after adjustments for other covariables, such as age, renal insufficiency, atrial fibrillation, heart failure and diabetes mellitus, in multivariate analysis. Following AIS, only 41% (90/219) of patients with anemia had documented management of anemia. We did not detect a difference in long term survival or stroke recurrence for managed vs. unmanaged patients. However, the anemia management most often occurred in the months following stroke, while anemia had the largest impact on outcome in the initial weeks after stroke.

Conclusions: This study confirmed the poor prognosis seen with moderate and severe anemia after AIS. The lack of difference in outcome for managed vs. unmanaged patients may reflect the fact that the adverse effect of anemia was greatest in the first days to weeks after stroke while management was undertaken later. Thus, more aggressive treatment of anemia in patients at risk for stroke may be beneficial. In conclusion, more investigation into the relationship between anemia treatment and stroke mortality is warranted, such as a prospective study looking at management of anemia in patients with stroke risk factors.

Evolution of Characteristics From Letters of Recommendation in General Surgery Residency Applications

OBJECTIVE

Letters of recommendation (LOR) describe applicants being considered for Surgery Residencies. Although objective measures have been studied, the descriptive language of LOR and changes over time has yet to be evaluated. The objective of this study was to evaluate the descriptions of autonomy, teamwork, and ACGME core competencies in the LOR of applicants over time.

DESIGN

After IRB approval, LOR of residents who matriculated into our Surgery Residency were evaluated. Residents were grouped into early (1973-1999) vs. late (2000-2016) applications, and generational groups (baby boomers: 1943-1960, generation X: 1961-1980, millennial: 1981-1999), to identify the following themes: autonomy, teamwork, ACGME core competencies, and technical skills. Content analysis was performed using Nvivo 11.

SETTING

Independent academic medical center.

PARTICIPANTS

LOR from 76 of 77 residents who matriculated into our Surgery Residency from 1973-2016.

RESULTS

255 LOR were available. Autonomy was described 175 times in 43 residents, and teamwork was described 263 times in 51 residents. Teamwork was more common in late vs. early applications (82% vs 53%; p = 0.007), and autonomy was present in 53% vs 61% of early vs late applications (p = 0.490). Teamwork was more commonly noted among millennial versus generation X and baby boomer applicants (92% vs 59% vs 47%; p = 0.006). Core competencies were detected 1445 times, with an increase in systems-based practice, and practice-based learning and improvement in early versus late applications (0 vs 16%, p = 0.001; 37% vs 74%, p = 0.025). Professionalism (68% vs 79%) and medical knowledge (74% vs 79%) were described consistently in early and late applications. Technical skills were described in 58% of early and 71% of late applications (p = 0.230).

CONCLUSIONS

LOR for surgery residency applicants has evolved over time with increased teamwork concepts. Descriptions of practice-based learning, system-based practice, research, and volunteerism have increased, while professionalism, medical knowledge, and technical skills were consistently described over time.

Bouffant vs Skull Cap and Impact on Surgical Site Infection: Does Operating Room Headwear Really Matter?

BACKGROUND

The American College of Surgeons guidelines indicate that skull caps are acceptable, and the Association of Perioperative Registered Nurses recommends bouffant caps. However, no scientific evidence has shown a significant advantage in surgical site infection (SSI) reduction with either cap. The objective of this study was to determine the influence of surgical cap choice on SSIs.

STUDY DESIGN

Data from a previously published prospective randomized trial on the impact of hair clipping on SSIs were analyzed. Patients were grouped by the attending surgeons' preferred cap choice into either bouffant or skull cap groups.

RESULTS

Overall, 1,543 patients were included in the trial. Attending surgeons wore bouffant caps in 39% and skull caps in 61% of cases. Prevalence of diabetes and tobacco use were similar between the groups. Bouffant caps were used in 71% of colon/intestinal cases, 42% of hernia/other cases, 40% of biliary cases, and only 1% of foregut cases. Overall, SSIs occurred in 8% and 5% of cases with a bouffant and skull cap, respectively (p = 0.016); with 6% vs 4% classified as superficial (p = 0.041), 0.8% vs 0.2% classified as deep (p = 0.12), and 1% vs 0.9% classified as organ space (p = 0.79); however, when adjusting for the type of operation, no significant differences in SSI rates were observed for skull caps vs bouffant caps.

CONCLUSIONS

Attending surgeon preference for bouffant vs skull cap does not significantly impact SSI rates after accounting for surgical procedure type. Future guidelines should consider these clinical outcomes data and surgeon preference should dictate operating room headwear.

Benchmarking the American Society of Breast Surgeon Member Performance for More Than a Million Quality Measure-Patient Encounters

BACKGROUND

Nine breast cancer quality measures (QM) were selected by the American Society of Breast Surgeons (ASBrS) for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Quality Payment Programs (QPP) and other performance improvement programs. We report member performance.

STUDY DESIGN

Surgeons entered QM data into an electronic registry. For each QM, aggregate "performance met" (PM) was reported (median, range and percentiles) and benchmarks (target goals) were calculated by CMS methodology, specifically, the Achievable Benchmark of Care™ (ABC) method.

RESULTS

A total of 1,286,011 QM encounters were captured from 2011-2015. For 7 QM, first and last PM rates were as follows: (1) needle biopsy (95.8, 98.5%), (2) specimen imaging (97.9, 98.8%), (3) specimen orientation (98.5, 98.3%), (4) sentinel node use (95.1, 93.4%), (5) antibiotic selection (98.0, 99.4%), (6) antibiotic duration (99.0, 99.8%), and (7) no surgical site infection (98.8, 98.9%); all p values < 0.001 for trends. Variability and reasons for noncompliance by surgeon for each QM were identified. The CMS-calculated target goals (ABC™ benchmarks) for PM for 6 QM were 100%, suggesting that not meeting performance is a "never should occur" event.

CONCLUSIONS

Surgeons self-reported a large number of specialty-specific patient-measure encounters into a registry for self-assessment and participation in QPP. Despite high levels of performance demonstrated initially in 2011 with minimal subsequent change, the ASBrS concluded "perfect" performance was not a realistic goal for QPP. Thus, after review of our normative performance data, the ASBrS recommended different benchmarks than CMS for each QM.

Abstract WP287: Differences in Outcome and Cost Between Patients Admitted to Intensive Care versus the Neuroscience Unit Post Neuroendovascular Procedure

Rapid advancements in endovascular technologies over the past decade have increased the number of patients successfully treated with this minimally invasive technique. Consequently, utilization of hospital resources and costs has both risen. A process change at our institution allowed neuroendovascular patients hemodynamically stable and extubated to be admitted directly to the neuroscience unit (NSU) as opposed to the intensive care unit (ICU). The NSU nursing staff is specifically trained to care for neuroendovascular intervention patients and some hold advanced certification in stroke or neurosciences. This study is the first to our knowledge that compares post-operative complications and costs between groups admitted to the ICU versus the NSU after neuroendovascular treatment. Retrospective chart review of elective and emergent neuroendovascular procedures requiring inpatient admission from 01/01/2013- 06/01/2017 was conducted. Procedures included for review were carotid artery stenting, intracranial or extracranial stenting, embolization of intracranial vascular malformation, dural AV fistula, thrombectomy for stroke, or unruptured aneurysm. Patient demographics, clinical characteristics, hospitalization data and follow-up data were extracted from the electronic medical record. Procedures between 2013 and 02/28/2016 were analyzed as the pre-process change group and compared to the post-process change group after 02/28/2016. There was a transitional period of approximately 6 months in which staff was trained and patients were gradually accepted to the NSU. Of the 209 procedures reviewed, we found no significant difference in perioperative (p= 0.18) and 30 day complications (P=0.99) or in overall survival (p=0.88) between the pre (n=111) and post (n=98) process change eras. The change in admission location resulted in cost savings of approximately $670 to the institution per patient for the first day and $2466 for each additional day. These results suggest that ICU admission is not necessary for patients that are hemodynamically stable and extubated post neuroendovascular treatment. Admission to the NSU did not negatively impact patient outcomes, yet it decreased patient hospital stay costs and institutional expenses.

Radiofrequency Ablation Versus Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy for Localized Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Nonsurgically Managed Patients: Analysis of the National Cancer Database

Purpose Data that guide selection of optimal local ablative therapy for the management localized hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are lacking. Because there are limited prospective comparative data for these treatment modalities, we aimed to compare the effectiveness of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) versus stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) by using the National Cancer Database. Methods We conducted an observational study to compare the effectiveness of RFA versus SBRT in nonsurgically managed patients with stage I or II HCC. Overall survival was compared by using propensity score-weighted and propensity score-matched analyses based on patient-, facility-, and tumor-level characteristics. A sensitivity analysis was performed to evaluate the effect of severe fibrosis/cirrhosis. In addition, we performed exploratory analyses to determine the effectiveness of RFA and SBRT in clinically relevant patient subsets. Results Overall, 3,684 (92.6%) and 296 (7.4%) nonsurgically managed patients with stage I or II HCC received RFA or SBRT, respectively. After propensity matching, 5-year overall survival was 29.8% (95% CI, 24.5% to 35.3%) in the RFA group versus 19.3% (95% CI, 13.5% to 25.9%) in the SBRT group ( P < .001). Inverse probability-weighted analysis yielded similar results. The benefit of RFA was consistent across all subgroups examined and was robust to the effects of severe fibrosis/cirrhosis. Conclusion Our study suggests that treatment with RFA yields superior survival compared with SBRT for nonsurgically managed patients with stage I or II HCC. Even though our results are limited by the biases related to the retrospective study design, we believe that, in the absence of a randomized clinical trial, our findings should be considered when recommending local ablative therapy for localized unresectable HCC.

Impact of Obesity on Cesarean Delivery Outcomes

BACKGROUND

The rate of cesarean delivery has increased over the last 2 decades. Obesity is a risk factor for complications during pregnancy and cesarean procedures. The objective of this study was to evaluate cesarean delivery outcomes in patients with vs without obesity, and determine the impact of obesity on complications.

METHODS

The medical records of patients who underwent a cesarean delivery from 2010 to 2014 were reviewed. Patients were grouped by body mass index (BMI) into obese (≥30kg/m²) and non-obese (<30kg/m²) cohorts for comparison.

RESULTS

Nine hundred seventy-one patients were included; 432 whom had obesity, and 539 did not have obesity. The rate of gestational diabetes was increased among patients with vs without obesity (15.3% vs 5.8%; P<0.001). Obesity was associated with an increased incidence of surgical site infections (8.1% vs 2.4%; P<0.001), yeast infection (2.8% vs 0.2%; P<0.001), and seroma (2.8% vs 0.4%; P=0.002). Obesity was an independent risk factor for surgical site infections, regardless of wound closure technique (adjusted odds ratio=3.24, 95% CI, 1.66-6.32; P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Obesity is a risk factor for wound infections after a cesarean delivery. As obesity rates increase, it is important to be aware of these risks after performing a cesarean delivery.

A Multicenter Prospective Comparison of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education Milestones: Clinical Competency Committee vs. Resident Self-Assessment

OBJECTIVE

The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education requires accredited residency programs to implement competency-based assessments of medical trainees based upon nationally established Milestones. Clinical competency committees (CCC) are required to prepare biannual reports using the Milestones and ensure reporting to the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. Previous research demonstrated a strong correlation between CCC and resident scores on the Milestones at 1 institution. We sought to evaluate a national sampling of general surgery residency programs and hypothesized that CCC and resident assessments are similar.

DESIGN

Details regarding the makeup and process of each CCC were obtained. Major disparities were defined as an absolute mean difference of ≥0.5 on the 4-point scale. A negative assessment disparity indicated that the residents evaluated themselves at a lower level than did the CCC. Statistical analysis included Wilcoxon rank sum and Sign tests.

SETTING

CCCs and categorical general surgery residents from 15 residency programs completed the Milestones document independently during the spring of 2016.

RESULTS

Overall, 334 residents were included; 44 (13%) and 43 (13%) residents scored themselves ≥0.5 points higher and lower than the CCC, respectively. Female residents scored themselves a mean of 0.08 points lower, and male residents scored themselves a mean of 0.03 points higher than the CCC. Median assessment differences for postgraduate year (PGY) 1-5 were 0.03 (range: -0.94 to 1.28), -0.11 (range: -1.22 to 1.22), -0.08 (range: -1.28 to 0.81), 0.02 (range: -0.91 to 1.00), and -0.19 (range: -1.16 to 0.50), respectively. Residents in university vs. independent programs had higher rates of negative assessment differences in medical knowledge (15% vs. 6%; P = 0.015), patient care (17% vs. 5%; P = 0.002), professionalism (23% vs. 14%; P = 0.013), and system-based practice (18% vs. 9%; P = 0.031) competencies. Major assessment disparities by sex or PGY were similar among individual competencies.

CONCLUSIONS

Surgery residents in this national cohort demonstrated self-awareness when compared to assessments by their respective CCCs. This was independent of program type, sex, or level of training. PGY 5 residents, female residents, and those from university programs consistently rated themselves lower than the CCC, but these were not major disparities and the significance of this is unclear.

Intravascular large B-cell lymphoma in the United States (US): a population-based study using Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program and National Cancer Database

A population-based study of intravascular large B-cell lymphoma (IVLBCL) in the US was conducted to determine incidence, demographic and clinical characteristics, prognostic factors, and survival compared with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma not otherwise specified (DLBCL NOS). In the years 2000-2013, the age-adjusted incidence rate of IVLBCL was 0.095 (case/1,000,000). The incidence of IVLBCL increased significantly from 2000 to 2013 (annual percentage change = 9.84, p = 0.002). We identified 344 patients with IVLBCL. The median age at diagnosis was 70 years. The median 1, 3, and 5-year OS rates for IVLBCL were 66.2, 51.8, and 46.3%, respectively. After propensity matching, the 5-year overall survival of IVLBCL was comparable to DLBCL NOS (46.4 versus 46.5%, p = 0.53). On multivariate analysis advanced age, advanced stage and having Medicaid or Medicare insurance predicted worse OS, whereas female gender and use of radiation therapy predicted better OS.