Integration of Point-of-Care Ultrasound Education Into the Internal Medicine Core Clerkship Experience.

Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is becoming an essential skill for internists. To date, there are no professional guidelines for how POCUS skills should be taught to medical students. A panel of POCUS experts from seven academic medical centers in the United States was convened to describe the components of independently developed IM clerkship POCUS training programs, identify areas of similarity and difference, and propose recommendations for alignment.

B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) predicts 90-day mortality and need for paracentesis in cirrhotic patients without systolic heart failure.

Fluid overload is a common complication in patients with cirrhosis. B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) is a marker of increased blood volume, commonly used in heart failure, that has been shown to be elevated in patients with liver disease. This study examined if BNP levels can be used to determine prognosis and predict worsening of ascites in patients with cirrhosis without concomitant heart disease. A retrospective study was performed at a large urban hospital in Chicago, Illinois and included 430 patients with cirrhosis who had BNP levels ordered during their hospital stay. Patients with clinical heart failure, arrhythmias or pulmonary hypertension were excluded. The primary outcome was 90-day mortality and the secondary outcome was a requirement for therapeutic paracentesis in the 90 days following BNP results. 53 patients (12%) had BNP levels ≥ 300 pg/mL. They had significantly increased serum levels of creatinine, bilirubin, and International Normalized Ratio (INR) when compared to those with BNP < 300 pg/mL. Patients with higher BNP had significantly higher mortality rates (HR 3.49; p = 0.037) and were more likely to require therapeutic paracentesis (HR 2.26; p = 0.02) in the next 90 days. A BNP ≥ 300 pg/mL had specificity of 88.2% in predicting 90-day mortality. BNP may serve as a practical and reliable marker of underlying disease severity in patients with cirrhosis, with potential to be included in prognostication tools for assessment of end-stage liver disease.

Demonstration of a Longitudinal Medical Education Model (LMEM) Model to Teach Point-of-Care Ultrasound in Resource-Limited Settings.

Background: Short-term medical missions prevail as the most common form of international medical volunteerism, but they are ill-suited for medical education and training local providers in resource-limited settings. Objective: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a longitudinal educational program in training clinicians how to perform point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) in resource-limited clinics. Design: A retrospective study of a four-month POCUS training program was conducted with clinicians from a rural hospital in Haiti. The model included one-on-one, in-person POCUS teaching sessions by volunteer instructors from the United States and Europe. The Haitian trainees were assessed at the start of the program and at its conclusion by a direct objective structured clinical examination (OSCE), administered by the visiting instructors, with similar pre- and post- program ultrasound competency assessments. Results: Post-intervention, a significant improvement in POCUS competency was observed across six different fundamental areas of ultrasound (p < 0.0001). According to our objective structured clinical examination (OSCE), the mean assessment score increased from 0.47 to 1.68 out of a maximum score of 2 points, and each trainee showed significant overall improvement in POCUS competency independent of the initial competency pre-training (p < 0.005). There was a statistically significant improvement in POCUS application for five of the six medically relevant assessment categories tested. Conclusion: Our results provide a proof-of-concept for the longitudinal education-centered healthcare delivery framework in a resource-limited setting. Our longitudinal model provides local healthcare providers the skills to detect and diagnose significant pathologies, thereby reducing avoidable morbidity and mortality at little or no addition cost or risk to the patient. Furthermore, training local physicians obviates the need for frequent volunteering trips, saving costs in healthcare training and delivery.

Prognostic Value of Neutrophil-lymphocyte Ratio in Patients with Severe Alcoholic Hepatitis.

Background Prednisolone is considered the cornerstone treatment for severe alcoholic hepatitis (AH). However, its use is limited by the increased risk of infection in an already immunocompromised patient population. Among patients with severe AH, there exists a group of non-responders who do not benefit from prednisolone therapy. Day-4 Lille score is a widely employed prognostic model used to identify this non-responder subgroup. The present study evaluates the prognostic ability of the inflammatory marker, the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), as a stand-alone model and in conjunction with the day-4 Lille score. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the electronic medical records of patients diagnosed with AH. Demographic and biochemical data at diagnosis were collected to calculate Maddrey's discriminant function (MDF) and model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score upon admission and also on day 4. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted for day-4 NLR and day-4 Lille score for prediction of 90-day mortality, and optimal cut-off values were determined. Patients were then subcategorized into groups based on the generated optimal cut-off values. Categorization was validated by comparing the mortality rate in each group with the chi-squared test. We then performed a multivariate analysis for prediction of 90-day mortality using day-4 Lille score and day-4 NLR, constructing a new prediction score based on the odds ratio (OR). The ROC curve of the new score was plotted and the area under a curve (AUC) was reported and compared with previously validated scores. Results Our analysis demonstrated that both day-4 NLR and Lille score individually predicted 90-day mortality with statistical significance (p: 0.049, p: <0.001, respectively). The ROC analysis of day-4 Lille score for the prediction of 90-day mortality revealed an AUC of 0.819 with an optimal cut-off value of 0.45 (sensitivity: 83.3%, specificity: 76.1%). Day-4 NLR had an AUC of 0.756 with an optimal cut-off value of 12.3 (sensitivity: 66.7%, specificity: 78.1%) The combined day-Lille-NLR model with a cut-off of 0.55 had an AUC of .889, which was higher than day-4 Lille score and NLR independently. Conclusion Day-4 NLR is an easily assessed prognostic model of mortality in alcoholic hepatitis. However, it often underperforms relative to day-4 Lille score. Combining these two models to create a "modified" Lille score adds increased performance characteristics to the prediction of outcomes/mortality. The "modified" Lille score presented in this study can be used to further cut down the number of non-responders who are often forced to undergo costly and potentially harmful treatment courses.

Tilapia Consumption and Scombroid Poisoning.

Scombroid poisoning, also known as histamine fish poisoning, typically occurs after eating dark meat fish. Higher levels of histidine, which is converted to histamine, causes anaphylaxis-like symptoms upon ingestion. There are few reported cases of scombroid in humans secondary to light meat fish. We present a case secondary to tilapia consumption.

Long Peripheral Catheters: A Retrospective Review of Major Complications.

The risk of infectious and noninfectious complications associated with long peripheral catheters (LPCs) is unknown. In this retrospective study of 539 catheters, we found LPCs were often placed for the indications of difficult access and long-term antibiotics. Rates of deep vein thrombosis (1.7%) and catheter-related infection (0.6%) were low. LPCs may represent a novel and safe option for short-term venous access.

Perinephric Abscess Causing Mycotic Celiac and Splenic Artery Aneurysm: A Case Report.

Perinephric abscess is a known complication of urologic infection, sometimes requiring surgical debridement. Extension into adjacent structures is rarely reported. We present a case of a woman with xanthogranulomatous emphysematous pyelonephritis accompanied by massive perinephric abscess, resulting in celiac and splenic artery mycotic aneurysms via direct invasion.

Ultrasound-guided Bedside Core Needle Biopsy: A Hospitalist Procedure Team's Experience.

Tissue pathology is integral for the diagnosis of various conditions, especially malignancy. Traditionally, biopsy procedures, including core needle biopsy (CNB), are performed by surgeons or radiologists. With the increasing utilization of point of care ultrasound (POCUS) skills and competence in bedside procedures by general internists, CNB can be safely moved to the patient's bedside with maintained accuracy and increased cost savings compared to traditional procedural methods. We aim to review the experience of our hospitalist-run medical procedure service in performing these ultrasound-guided procedures at the bedside.

Rifaximin versus norfloxacin for prevention of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis: a systematic review.

AIM: The aim of this systematic review is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of rifaximin in the prophylaxis of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) as compared with norfloxacin. METHODS: We searched MEDLINE, CINAHL, Google Scholar and Cochrane databases from inception to January 2017. Reference lists of articles as well as conference proceedings were manually screened. We included studies that recruited patients with cirrhosis and ascites who met the criteria for primary or secondary SBP prophylaxis as defined by the European Association for the Study of the Liver and American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases. Two independent investigators reviewed the studies for eligibility, extracted the data and assessed study quality using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. The primary outcome was occurrence of SBP. Secondary outcomes included mortality and adverse events with therapy. RESULTS: Of the 435 studies identified, a total of five were included for full-text review. Four studies were eligible for the systematic review, three of which were randomised controlled trials and one was a prospective observational study. The population examined in majority of studies was primarily hepatitis C cirrhosis. The results of individual studies indicated either superior efficacy of rifaximin or no statistical difference between rifaximin and norfloxacin for SBP prophylaxis. CONCLUSIONS: Moderate-quality evidence shows that long-term use of rifaximin appears to be a reasonable alternative to norfloxacin for SBP prevention in hepatitis C cirrhosis.

Bronchoprovocation testing in asthma: effect on exhaled monoxides.

Exhaled carbon monoxide and nitric oxide reflect allergic inflammation in asthma and have clinical utility for monitoring disease severity. The effects of allergen challenge and of inflammatory versus non-inflammatory bronchoconstrictive stimuli on the exhalation kinetics of these gases are unclear. The aim of this study is to compare and contrast the effects of methacholine and allergen challenges on the exhaled levels of carbon monoxide and nitric oxide in a cohort of adult subjects with atopic asthma. Eight subjects underwent inhaled allergen testing, nine underwent methacholine testing, and five subjects underwent both tests. Additionally, seven healthy controls underwent a mock challenge. Mixed-expired and end-expiratory carbon monoxide and end-expiratory nitric oxide levels were measured together with spirometry before, during (i.e. after each step of the inhalations), and after the challenges. Decreases in both end-expiratory (-14.4% in 9/11 subjects, p = 0.04) and mixed-expired (-7.5%, 9/11 subjects, p = 0.007) levels of carbon monoxide were noted during the immediate phase of the allergen challenge, with similar reductions after methacholine challenge, but levels were unaffected by repeated forced vital capacity exhalations alone. End-expiratory nitric oxide increased during the immediate phase of allergen challenge in 10/13 subjects (+10.8%, p = 0.05), but decreased after methacholine challenge in 14/14 subjects (-32.2%, p = 0.00009). Bronchospasm negatively modulates exhaled carbon monoxide and nitric oxide, but the inflammatory stimulus of allergen exposure increases exhaled nitric oxide. Measurements of exhaled monoxides may need to be referenced to the FEV(1).

Optimal protocol selection for cardiopulmonary exercise testing in severe COPD.

BACKGROUND: The current recommendations of 8 to 12 min for the optimal targeted duration of symptom-limited maximal cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) to attain maximal oxygen consumption are based on results from healthy individuals and may not be applicable to patients with severe COPD. We aimed to determine the optimal duration for a CPET to attain the peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak) in a group of patients with severe COPD using different carefully conducted workload protocols. METHODS: We studied 11 subjects with severe COPD (mean FEV1, 32% predicted; 95% confidence interval [CI], 27 to 38% predicted). They completed four incremental, symptom-limited exercise tests on a cycle ergometer using four protocols (4, 8, and 16 W/min continuous ramp protocols, and 8 W/min step protocol) using a randomized double-blind design. RESULTS: The mean duration of these 44 tests was 6.3 min (95% CI, 5.0 to 9.0 min). The duration of the exercise tests differed significantly for the protocols used, as follows: 16-W ramp protocol, 4.0 min (95% CI, 3.0 to 5.1 min); 8-W ramp protocol, 6.6 min (95% CI, 5.0 to 9.0 min); 8-W step protocol, 6.0 min (95% CI, 4.0 to 8.0 min); and 4-W ramp protocol, 8.7 min (95% CI, 4.4 to 13.0 min; p<0.001). The maximal workload significantly increased as the ramp slope increased from 4 to 8 to 16 W/min (maximal workload, 35.6 vs 50.7 vs 64.3 W, respectively; p<0.001). Maximal minute ventilation, heart rate, Borg ratings, and VO2 peak, were not different among the four protocols. No differences were found between the ramp and step protocols. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with severe COPD (Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease stages III-IV), a targeted duration of 5 to 9 min for a CPET appears to be more appropriate than the 8 to 12 min proposed in the current guidelines. Maximal workload, in contrast to VO2peak, is highly dependent on the ramp incrementation rate.

Survival after lung volume reduction in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: insights from small airway pathology.

RATIONALE: COPD is associated with reduced life expectancy. OBJECTIVES: To determine the association between small airway pathology and long-term survival after lung volume reduction in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and the effect of corticosteroids on this pathology. METHODS: Patients with severe (GOLD-3) and very severe (GOLD-4) COPD (n = 101) were studied after lung volume reduction surgery. Respiratory symptoms, quality of life, pulmonary function, exercise tolerance, chest radiology, and corticosteroid treatment status were assessed preoperatively. The severity of luminal occlusion, wall thickening, and the presence of small airways containing lymphoid follicles were determined in resected lung tissue. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox proportional hazards models were used to determine the relationship between survival and small airway pathology. The effect of corticosteroids on this pathology was assessed by comparing treated and untreated groups. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The quartile of subjects with the greatest luminal occlusion, adjusted for covariates, died earlier than subjects who had the least occlusion (hazard ratio, 3.28; 95% confidence interval, 1.55-6.92; P = 0.002). There was a trend toward a reduction in the number of airways containing lymphoid follicles (P = 0.051) in those receiving corticosteroids, with a statistically significant difference between the control and oral +/- inhaled corticosteroid-treated groups (P = 0.019). However, corticosteroid treatment had no effect on airway wall thickening or luminal occlusion. CONCLUSIONS: Occlusion of the small airways by inflammatory exudates containing mucus is associated with early death in patients with severe emphysema treated by lung volume reduction surgery. Corticosteroid treatment dampens the host immune response in these airways by reducing lymphoid follicles without changing wall thickening and luminal occlusion.

Activity monitoring and energy expenditure in COPD patients: a validation study.

There is increasing interest in the objective measurement of physical activity in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients due to the close relationship between physical activity level, health, disability and mortality. We aimed to (a) determine the validity and reproducibility of an activity monitor that integrates accelerometry with multiple physiologic sensors in the determination of energy expenditure in COPD subjects and (b) to document the independent contribution of the additional physiologic sensors to accelerometry measures in improving true energy expenditure determination. Eight subjects (4 male, FEV(1) 56.4 +/- 14.1%, RV 145.0 +/- 75.7%) performed 2 separate 6-minute walk and 2 incremental shuttle walk exercise tests. Energy expenditure was calculated during each exercise test using the physiologic activity monitor and compared to a validated exhaled breath metabolic system. Test-retest reproducibility of physiologic activity monitor during the walking tests was comparable to an exhaled breath metabolic system. Physiologic sensor data significantly improved the explained variance in energy expenditure determination (r(2)=0.88) compared to accelerometry data alone (r(2)=0.68). This physiologic activity monitor provides a valid and reproducible estimate of energy expenditure during slow to moderate paced walking in a laboratory setting and represents an objective method to assess activity in COPD subjects.

Emerging concepts in outcome assessment for COPD clinical trials.

The selection of appropriate, clinically meaningful outcome measures for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) clinical trials is a complex issue. Functional exercise measures are more likely to adequately reflect the effect of novel and emerging interventions than traditional physiological measures such as forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV (1)). Nonetheless, among several exercise measures commonly used, the choice is not a simple issue and should be based upon rational as well as pragmatic issues. This is because important measurement properties (validity and responsiveness) can differ among exercise measures, among different interventions, and across degrees of disability. Furthermore, "free-living" daily activity measures may be more meaningful measures than these "in-lab" exercise measures for future clinical trials of COPD, although their reproducibility, validity, and responsiveness have not yet been adequately studied. Application of these and other emerging concepts in outcome assessment for COPD clinical trials will be examined.