Predictors of Incident Stroke and Subsequent Mortality Among a Sample of Veterans with Experience of Housing Instability.

Homelessness is associated with poor health outcomes and early development of cardiovascular disease. This study investigated the correlates of incident stroke and its association with mortality among Veterans experiencing housing instability. Using a national sample of Veterans (n=565,608) with incident housing instability between 2014-2018, we compared characteristics of Veterans who did and did not experience incident stroke and conducted logistic regressions to assess two outcomes: incident stroke and mortality. Almost four percent experienced a first stroke and were more frequently male, older than 55 years, Black, and non-Hispanic. A higher rate of mortality was observed among those with a first stroke compared with those with no stroke (17.6% vs. 10.8%), although the difference was not statistically significant. Incident stroke was associated with triple the odds of death among unstably-housed Veterans compared with those who did not have an incident stroke. Implications include the need to screen and monitor for stroke risk among Veterans with experience of housing instability, particularly for those who are older.

Adolescents and young adults (AYA) with cancer: the clinical course of COVID-19 infections.

Adolescents and Young Adults (AYAs: 15-39 y) with cancer face unique vulnerabilities, yet remain under-represented on clinical trials, including adult registries of COVID-19 in cancer (AYAs: 8-12%). Thus, we leveraged the Pediatric Oncology COVID-19 Case Report (POCC) to examine the clinical course of COVID-19 among AYAs with cancer. POCC collects de-identified clinical and sociodemographic data regarding 0-39yo with cancer (AYAs = 37%) and COVID-19 from >100 institutions. Between 04/01/2020-11/28/2023, 191 older AYAs [22-39y] and 640 younger AYAs [15-21y] were captured. Older AYAs were less often hospitalized (p < .001), admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU, p = .02), and/or required respiratory support (p = .057). In multivariable analyses, older AYAs faced 80% lower odds of ICU admission but 2.3-times greater odds of changes to cancer-directed therapy. Unvaccinated patients had 5.4-times higher odds of ICU admission. Among AYAs with cancer, the COVID-19 course varies by age. These findings can inform pediatric/adult oncology teams surrounding COVID-19 management and prevention.

Pre-frailty after blood or marrow transplantation and the risk of subsequent mortality.

We examined the prevalence, risk factors, and association between pre-frailty and subsequent mortality after blood or marrow transplantation (BMT). Study participants were drawn from the BMT Survivor Study (BMTSS) and included 3346 individuals who underwent BMT between 1974 and 2014 at one of three transplant centers and survived ≥2 years post-BMT. Participants completed the BMTSS survey at a median of 9 years from BMT and were followed for subsequent mortality for a median of 5 years after survey completion. Closest-age and same-sex biological siblings also completed the survey. Previously published self-reported indices (exhaustion, weakness, low energy expenditure, slowness, unintentional weight loss) classified participants as non-frail (0-1 indices) or pre-frail (2 indices). National Death Index was used to determine vital status and cause of death. Overall, 626 (18.7%) BMT survivors were pre-frail. BMT survivors had a 3.2-fold higher odds of being pre-frail (95% CI = 1.9-5.3) compared to siblings. Compared to non-frail survivors, pre-frail survivors had higher hazards of all-cause mortality (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] = 1.6, 95% CI = 1.4-2.0). Female sex, pre-BMT radiation, smoking, lack of exercise, anxiety, and severe/life-threatening chronic health conditions were associated with pre-frailty. The novel association between pre-frailty and subsequent mortality provides evidence for interventions as pre-frail individuals may transition back to their robust state.

Association of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Race on Readmissions After Stroke.

BACKGROUND: There is limited research on outcomes of patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) who also develop stroke, particularly regarding racial disparities. Our goal was to determine whether PTSD is associated with the risk of hospital readmission after stroke and whether racial disparities existed. METHODS: The analytical sample consisted of all veterans receiving care in the Veterans Health Administration who were identified as having a new stroke requiring inpatient admission based on the International Classification of Diseases codes. PTSD and comorbidities were identified using the International Classification of Diseases codes and given the date of first occurrence. The retrospective cohort data were obtained from the Veterans Affairs Corporate Data Warehouse. The main outcome was any readmission to Veterans Health Administration with a stroke diagnosis. The hypothesis that PTSD is associated with readmission after stroke was tested using Cox regression adjusted for patient characteristics including age, sex, race, PTSD, smoking status, alcohol use, and comorbidities treated as time-varying covariates. RESULTS: Our final cohort consisted of 93 651 patients with inpatient stroke diagnosis and no prior Veterans Health Administration codes for stroke starting from 1999 with follow-up through August 6, 2022. Of these patients, 12 916 (13.8%) had comorbid PTSD. Of the final cohort, 16 896 patients (18.0%) with stroke were readmitted. Our fully adjusted model for readmission found an interaction between African American veterans and PTSD with a hazard ratio of 1.09 ([95% CI, 1.00-1.20] P=0.047). In stratified models, PTSD has a significant hazard ratio of 1.10 ([95% CI, 1.02-1.18] P=0.01) for African American but not White veterans (1.05 [95% CI, 0.99-1.11]; P=0.10). CONCLUSIONS: Among African American veterans who experienced stroke, preexisting PTSD was associated with increased risk of readmission, which was not significant among White veterans. This study highlights the need to focus on high-risk groups to reduce readmissions after stroke.

Practice Facilitation and Peer Coaching for Uncontrolled Hypertension Among Black Individuals: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Rural Black participants need effective intervention to achieve better blood pressure (BP) control. Objective: Among Black rural adults with persistently uncontrolled hypertension attending primary care clinics, to determine whether peer coaching (PC), practice facilitation (PF), or both (PCPF) are superior to enhanced usual care (EUC) in improving BP control. Design, Setting, and Participants: A cluster randomized clinical trial was conducted in 69 rural primary care practices across Alabama and North Carolina between September 23, 2016, and September 26, 2019. The participating practices were randomized to 4 groups: PC plus EUC, PF plus EUC, PCPF plus EUC, and EUC alone. The baseline EUC approach included a laptop for each participating practice with hyperlinks to participant education on hypertension, a binder of practice tips, a poster showing an algorithm for stepped care to improve BP, and 25 home BP monitors. The trial was stopped on February 28, 2021, after final data collection. The study included Black participants with persistently uncontrolled hypertension. Data were analyzed from February 28, 2021, to December 13, 2022. Interventions: Practice facilitators helped practices implement at least 4 quality improvement projects designed to improve BP control throughout 1 year. Peer coaches delivered a structured program via telephone on hypertension self-management throughout 1 year. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was the proportion of participants in each trial group with BP values of less than 140/90 mm Hg at 6 months and 12 months. The secondary outcome was a change in the systolic BP of participants at 6 months and 12 months. Results: A total of 69 practices were randomized, and 1209 participants' data were included in the analysis. The mean (SD) age of participants was 58 (12) years, and 748 (62%) were women. In the intention-to-treat analyses, neither intervention alone nor in combination improved BP control or BP levels more than EUC (at 12 months, PF vs EUC odds ratio [OR], 0.94 [95% CI, 0.58-1.52]; PC vs EUC OR, 1.30 [95% CI, 0.83-2.04]; PCPF vs EUC OR, 1.02 [95% CI, 0.64-1.64]). In preplanned subgroup analyses, participants younger than 60 years in the PC and PCPF groups experienced a significant 5 mm Hg greater reduction in systolic BP than participants younger than 60 years in the EUC group at 12 months. Practicewide BP control estimates in PF groups suggested that BP control improved from 54% to 61%, a finding that was not observed in the trial's participants. Conclusions and Relevance: The results of this cluster randomized clinical trial demonstrated that neither PC nor PF demonstrated a superior improvement in overall BP control compared with EUC. However, PC led to a significant reduction in systolic BP among younger adults. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02866669.

Time Kills: Impact of Socioeconomic Deprivation on Timely Access to Guideline-Concordant Treatment in Foregut Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Receipt of guideline-concordant treatment (GCT) is associated with improved prognosis in foregut cancers. Studies show that patients living in areas of high neighborhood deprivation have worse healthcare outcomes; however, its effect on GCT in foregut cancers has not been evaluated. We studied the impact of the area deprivation index (ADI) as a barrier to GCT. STUDY DESIGN: A single-institution retrospective review of 498 foregut cancer patients (gastric, pancreatic, and hepatobiliary adenocarcinoma) from 2018 to 2022 was performed. GCT was defined based on National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines. ADI, a validated measure of neighborhood disadvantage was divided into terciles (low, medium, and high) with high ADI indicating the most disadvantage. RESULTS: Of 498 patients, 328 (66%) received GCT: 66%, 72%, and 59% in pancreatic, gastric, and hepatobiliary cancers, respectively. Median (interquartile range) time from symptoms to workup was 6 (3 to 13) weeks, from diagnosis to oncology appointment was 4 (1 to 10) weeks, and from oncology appointment to treatment was 4 (2 to 10) weeks. Forty-six percent were diagnosed in the emergency department. On multivariable analyses, age 75 years or older (odds ratio [OR] 0.39 [95% CI 0.18 to 0.87]), Black race (OR 0.52 [95% CI 0.31 to 0.86]), high ADI (OR 0.25 (95% CI 0.14 to 0.48]), 6 weeks or more from symptoms to workup (OR 0.44 [95% CI 0.27 to 0.73]), 4 weeks or more from diagnosis to oncology appointment (OR 0.76 [95% CI 0.46 to 0.93]), and 4 weeks or more from oncology appointment to treatment (OR 0.63 [95% CI 0.36 to 0.98]) were independently associated with nonreceipt of GCT. CONCLUSIONS: Residence in an area of high deprivation predicts nonreceipt of GCT. This is due to multiple individual- and system-level barriers. Identifying these barriers and developing effective interventions, including community outreach and collaboration, leveraging telehealth, and increasing oncologic expertise in underserved areas, may improve access to GCT.

Impact of faculty well-being on medical student education.

Purpose: The prevalence of physician burnout has risen and negatively impacts patient care, healthcare costs, and physician health. Medical students are heavily influenced by the medical teams they rotate with on the wards. We postulate that faculty well-being influences student perception of clerkships. Methods: Medical student evaluations core clerkships at one academic institution were compared with results of faculty well-being scores over 2 years (2018-2020). Linear mixed models were used to model each outcome adjusting for year, mean faculty distress score, and the standard deviation (SD) of WBI mean distress scores. Clerkships and students were treated as random effects. Results: Two hundred and eighty Well-Being Index evaluations by faculty in 7 departments (5 with reportable means and standard deviations), and clerkship evaluations by 223 students were completed. Higher faculty distress scores were associated with lower student evaluation scores of the clerkship (- 0.18 per unit increase in distress, std. err = 0.05, p < 0.01). Increased SD (variability) of faculty distress was associated with higher student overall ratings (0.49 points per unit increase in variability, std. err = 0.11, p < 0.01), as was year with 2019-2020 having lower overall ratings (- 0.17, std. err = 0.06, p < 0.01). Findings were similar for ratings of faculty teaching: mean faculty distress (- 0.15, std. err = 0.25), SD faculty distress (0.33, std. err = 0.12), 2019-2020 vs. 2018-2019 (- 0.19, std. err = 0.06) (all p < 0.01). Conclusions: Physician well-being is not only associated with quality of patient care and physician health, but also with medical student perceptions of clinical education. These findings provide yet another indirect benefit to improved physician well-being: enhanced undergraduate medical educational experience.

Risky health behaviors and subsequent late mortality after blood or marrow transplantation: a BMTSS report.

We examined the association between risky health behaviors (smoking, heavy alcohol consumption, and lack of vigorous physical activity) and all-cause and cause-specific late mortality after blood or marrow transplantation (BMT) to understand the role played by potentially modifiable risk factors. Study participants were drawn from the BMT Survivor Study (BMTSS) and included patients who received transplantation between 1974 and 2014, had survived ≥2 years after BMT, and were aged ≥18 years at study entry. Survivors provided information on sociodemographic characteristics, chronic health conditions, and health behaviors. National Death Index was used to determine survival and cause of death. Multivariable regression analyses determined the association between risky health behaviors and all-cause mortality (Cox regression) and nonrecurrence-related mortality (NRM; subdistribution hazard regression), after adjusting for relevant sociodemographic, clinical variables and therapeutic exposures. Overall, 3866 participants completed the BMTSS survey and were followed for a median of 5 years to death or 31 December 2021; and 856 participants (22.1%) died after survey completion. Risky health behaviors were associated with increased hazard of all-cause mortality (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] former smoker, 1.2; aHR current smoker, 1.7; reference, nonsmoker; aHR heavy drinker, 1.4; reference, nonheavy drinker; and aHR no vigorous activity, 1.2; reference, vigorous activity) and NRM (aHR former smoker, 1.3; aHR current smoker, 1.6; reference, nonsmoker; aHR heavy drinker, 1.4; reference: nonheavy drinker; and aHR no vigorous activity, 1.2; reference, vigorous activity). The association between potentially modifiable risky health behaviors and late mortality offers opportunities for development of interventions to improve both the quality and quantity of life after BMT.

Association between Services to Address Adverse Social Determinants of Health and Suicide Mortality among Veterans with Indicators of Housing Instability, Unemployment, and Justice Involvement.

Suicide among Veterans continues to be a priority issue addressed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). In addition to a variety of services specifically intended to prevent suicide, VA also offers a number of services to address Veterans' social determinants of health (SDH), several of which may be associated with elevated risk for suicide. For the present study, we assessed whether participation in services to address adverse SDH is associated with a reduction in risk of suicide mortality among Veterans using secondary data from VA datasets (1/1/2014-12/31/2019) for Veterans with an indicator of housing instability, unemployment, or justice involvement. Logistic regressions modeled suicide mortality; use of services to address SDH was the primary predictor. There was not a statistically significant association between services use and suicide mortality; significant correlates included race other than African American, low or no compensation related to disability incurred during military service, and suicidal ideation/attempt during observation period. Suicide is a complex outcome, difficult to predict, and likely the result of many factors; while there is not a consistent association between services use related to adverse SDH and suicide mortality, providers should intervene with Veterans who do not engage in SDH-focused services but have risk factors for suicide mortality.

Balanced resuscitation and earlier mortality end points: bayesian post hoc analysis of the PROPPR trial.

Introduction: The Pragmatic Randomized Optimal Platelet and Plasma Ratios (PROPPR) trial failed to demonstrate a mortality difference for hemorrhaging patients receiving a balanced (1:1:1) vs a 1:1:2 resuscitation at 24 hours and 30 days. Recent guidelines recommend earlier mortality end points for hemorrhage-control trials, and the use of contemporary statistical methods. The aim of this post hoc analysis of the PROPPR trial was to evaluate the impact of a balanced resuscitation strategy at early resuscitation time points using a Bayesian analytical framework. Methods: Bayesian hierarchical models were created to assess mortality differences at the 1, 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 hours time points between study cohorts. Posterior probabilities and Bayes factors were calculated for each time point. Results: A 1:1:1 resuscitation displayed a 96%, 99%, 94%, 92%, 96%, and 94% probability for mortality benefit at 1, 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 hours, respectively, when compared with a 1:1:2 approach. Associated Bayes factors for each respective time period were 21.2, 142, 14.9, 11.4, 26.4, and 15.5, indicating 'strong' to 'decisive' supporting evidence in favor of balanced transfusions. Conclusion: This analysis provides evidence in support that a 1:1:1 resuscitation has a high probability of mortality benefit when compared with a 1:1:2 strategy, especially at the newly defined more proximate time points during the resuscitative period. Researchers should consider using Bayesian approaches, along with more proximate end points when assessing hemorrhage-related mortality, for the analysis of future clinical trials. Level of evidence: Level III/Therapeutic.

Assessment of longitudinal changes in body composition of children with lymphoma and rhabdomyosarcoma.

BACKGROUND: Studies examining changes in skeletal muscle and adipose tissue during treatment for cancer in children, adolescents, and young adults and their effect on the risk of chemotherapy toxicity (chemotoxicity) are limited. METHODS: Among 78 patients with lymphoma (79.5%) and rhabdomyosarcoma (20.5%), changes were measured in skeletal muscle (skeletal muscle index [SMI]; skeletal muscle density [SMD]) and adipose tissue (height-adjusted total adipose tissue [hTAT]) between baseline and first subsequent computed tomography scans at the third lumbar vertebral level by using commercially available software. Body mass index (BMI; operationalized as a percentile [BMI%ile]) and body surface area (BSA) were examined at each time point. The association of changes in body composition with chemotoxicities was examined by using linear regression. RESULTS: The median age at cancer diagnosis of this cohort (62.8% male; 55.1% non-Hispanic White) was 12.7 years (2.5-21.1 years). The median time between scans was 48 days (range, 8-207 days). By adjusting for demographics and disease characteristics, this study found that patients undergo a significant decline in SMD (ß ± standard error [SE] = -4.1 ± 1.4; p < .01). No significant changes in SMI (ß ± SE = -0.5 ± 1.0; p = .7), hTAT (ß ± SE = 5.5 ± 3.9; p = .2), BMI% (ß ± SE = 4.1 ± 4.8; p = .3), or BSA (ß ± SE = -0.02 ± 0.01; p = .3) were observed. Decline in SMD (per Hounsfield unit) was associated with a greater proportion of chemotherapy cycles with grade ≥3 nonhematologic toxicity (ß ± SE = 1.09 ± 0.51; p = .04). CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that children, adolescents, and young adults with lymphoma and rhabdomyosarcoma undergo a decline in SMD early during treatment, which is associated with a risk of chemotoxicities. Future studies should focus on interventions designed at preventing the loss of muscle during treatment. PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY: We show that among children, adolescents, and young adults with lymphoma and rhabdomyosarcoma receiving chemotherapy, skeletal muscle density declines early during treatment. Additionally, a decline in skeletal muscle density is associated with a greater risk of nonhematologic chemotoxicities.

ASA Physical Status Determination by General Internists and Impact on Cardiac Risk Assessment.

OBJECTIVES: Estimating cardiac risk is important for preoperative evaluation, and several risk calculators incorporate the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status score. The purpose of this study was to determine the concordance of ASA scores assigned by general internists and anesthesiologists and assess whether discrepancies affected cardiac risk estimation. METHODS: This observational study included military veterans evaluated in a preoperative evaluation clinic at a single center during a 12-month period. ASA scores were recorded by General Internal Medicine residents under the supervision of a General Internal Medicine attending, performing a preoperative medical consultation, and were compared with ASA scores assigned by an anesthesiologist on the day of surgery. ASA scores and Gupta Cardiac Risk Scores incorporating each ASA score were compared. RESULTS: Data were collected on 206 patients, 163 of whom had surgery within 90 days and were included. ASA scores were concordant in 60 patients (37.3%), whereas the ASA scores were rated lower by the general internist in 101 (62.0%) and higher in 2 (1.2%). Interrater reliability was low (κ = 0.08), and general internist scores were significantly lower than anesthesiologist scores (P < 0.01). Gupta Cardiac Risk Scores were calculated for 160 patients, and they exceeded 1% in 14 patients using the anesthesiologist ASA score, compared with 5 patients using the general internist score. CONCLUSIONS: ASA scores assigned by general internists in this study were significantly lower than those assigned by anesthesiologists, and these discrepancies in the ASA score can lead to substantially different conclusions about cardiac risk.

Change in Homeless and Health Services Use Following Migration Among Veterans with Experience of Homelessness.

BACKGROUND: Homelessness is associated with poor health outcomes, including lack of access to care. Homelessness experienced in rural areas is understudied but likely associated with difficulty accessing needed services. Prior studies have assessed the extent to which Veterans experiencing homelessness in rural areas "migrate" to urban areas, but have not focused on changes in services utilization following migration. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether Veterans with a history of homelessness experience changes in the use of homeless and health services following a migration from a rural to urban residence, and vice versa, and to assess the magnitude of those changes. DESIGN: Longitudinal retrospective analysis of services use among Veterans identified as experiencing homelessness and migrating at least 40 miles or from an urban to a rural area or vice versa. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 81,620 Veterans with incident homelessness who experienced a migration and for whom we could establish 2 quarters of both pre-migration and post-migration service utilization. MAIN MEASURES: In addition to sociodemographic and health-related factors, we assessed index location and destination using geographic descriptors both residential address and Veteran Affairs (VA) facility where Veterans were identified as experiencing homelessness. Outcomes included continuous measures of homeless services and outpatient care and dichotomous measures of emergency department use and inpatient admissions. KEY RESULTS: Regardless of a Veteran's index location, migration to or within a rural area was associated with a significant decrease in the number of homeless and outpatient services and reduced risk of emergency department use or inpatient admission relative to migration to or within an urban area. CONCLUSION: Controlling for sociodemographic and health-related factors, Veterans experiencing homelessness who had a residential migration to or within a rural area had a significant reduction in their use of VA health and homeless services compared to those who migrated to or within an urban area.

The design and rationale of a multicenter real-world trial: The Southeastern Collaboration to Improve Blood Pressure Control in the US Black Belt - Addressing the Triple Threat.

BACKGROUND: Impoverished African Americans (AA) with hypertension face poor health outcomes. PURPOSE: To conduct a cluster-randomized trial testing two interventions, alone and in combination, to improve blood pressure (BP) control in AA with persistently uncontrolled hypertension. METHODS: We engaged primary care practices serving rural Alabama and North Carolina residents, and in each practice we recruited approximately 25 AA adults with persistently uncontrolled hypertension (mean systolic BP >140 mmHg over the year prior to enrollment plus enrollment day BP assessed by research assistants ≥140/90 mmHg). Practices were randomized to peer coaching (PC), practice facilitation (PF), both PC and PF (PC + PF), or enhanced usual care (EUC). Coaches met with participants from PC and PC + PF practices weekly for 8 weeks then monthly over one year, discussing lifestyle changes, medication adherence, home monitoring, and communication with the healthcare team. Facilitators met with PF and PC + PF practices monthly to implement ≥1 quality improvement intervention in each of four domains. Data were collected at 0, 6, and 12 months. RESULTS: We recruited 69 practices and 1596 participants; 18 practices (408 participants) were randomized to EUC, 16 (384 participants) to PF, 19 (424 participants) to PC, and 16 (380 participants) to PC + PF. Participants had mean age 57 years, 61% were women, and 56% reported annual income <$20,000. LIMITATIONS: The PF intervention acts at the practice level, possibly missing intervention effects in trial participants. Neither PC nor PF currently has established clinical reimbursement mechanisms. CONCLUSIONS: This trial will fill evidence gaps regarding practice-level vs. patient-level interventions for rural impoverished AA with uncontrolled hypertension.

Higher Pain Catastrophizing and Preoperative Pain is Associated with Increased Risk for Prolonged Postoperative Opioid Use.

BACKGROUND: Prolonged postoperative opioid use (PPOU) is considered an unfavorable post-surgical outcome. Demographic, clinical, and psychosocial factors have been associated with PPOU, but methods to prospectively identify patients at increased risk are lacking. OBJECTIVES: Our objective was to determine whether an individual or a combination of several psychological factors could identify a subset of patients at increased risk for PPOU. STUDY DESIGN: Observational cohort study with prospective baseline data collection and passive outcomes data collection. SETTING: A single VA medical center in the United States. METHODS: Patients were recruited from a preoperative anesthesia clinic where they were undergoing evaluation prior to elective surgery, and they completed a survey before surgery. The primary outcome was PPOU, defined as outpatient receipt of a prescribed opioid 31 to 90 days after surgery as determined from pharmacy records. Primary covariates of interest were pain catastrophizing, self-efficacy, and optimism. Additional covariates included social and demographic factors, pain severity, medication use, depression, anxiety, and surgical fear. RESULTS: Of 123 patients included in the final analyses, 30 (24.4%) had PPOU. In bivariate analyses, preoperative opioid use and preoperative nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug use were significantly associated with PPOU. The combination of high pain catastrophizing and high preoperative pain (OR 3.32, 95% CI 1.41 - 7.79) was associated with higher odds of PPOU than either alone, and the association remained significant after adjusting for preoperative opioid use (OR 2.56, 95% CI 1.04 - 6.29). LIMITATIONS: Patients were recruited from a single site, and the sample was not large enough to include potentially important variables such as procedure type. CONCLUSIONS: A combination of high pain catastrophizing and high preoperative pain has the potential to be a clinically useful means of identifying patients at elevated risk of PPOU.

Use of Bayesian Statistics to Reanalyze Data From the Pragmatic Randomized Optimal Platelet and Plasma Ratios Trial.

Importance: Frequentist statistical approaches are the most common strategies for clinical trial design; however, bayesian trial design may provide a more optimal study technique for trauma-related studies. Objective: To describe the outcomes of bayesian statistical approaches using data from the Pragmatic Randomized Optimal Platelet and Plasma Ratios (PROPPR) Trial. Design, Setting, and Participants: This quality improvement study performed a post hoc bayesian analysis of the PROPPR Trial using multiple hierarchical models to assess the association of resuscitation strategy with mortality. The PROPPR Trial took place at 12 US level I trauma centers from August 2012 to December 2013. A total of 680 severely injured trauma patients who were anticipated to require large volume transfusions were included in the study. Data analysis for this quality improvement study was conducted from December 2021 and June 2022. Interventions: In the PROPPR Trial, patients were randomized to receive a balanced transfusion (equal portions of plasma, platelets, and red blood cells [1:1:1]) vs a red blood cell-heavy strategy (1:1:2) during their initial resuscitation. Main Outcomes and Measures: Primary outcomes from the PROPPR trial included 24-hour and 30-day all-cause mortality using frequentist statistical methods. Bayesian methods were used to define the posterior probabilities associated with the resuscitation strategies at each of the original primary end points. Results: Overall, 680 patients (546 [80.3%] male; median [IQR] age, 34 [24-51] years, 330 [48.5%] with penetrating injury; median [IQR] Injury Severity Score, 26 [17-41]; 591 [87.0%] with severe hemorrhage) were included in the original PROPPR Trial. Between the groups, no significant differences in mortality were originally detected at 24 hours (12.7% vs 17.0%; adjusted risk ratio [RR], 0.75 [95% CI, 0.52-1.08]; P = .12) or 30 days (22.4% vs 26.1%; adjusted RR, 0.86 [95% CI, 0.65-1.12]; P = .26). Using bayesian approaches, a 1:1:1 resuscitation was found to have a 93% (Bayes factor, 13.7; RR, 0.75 [95% credible interval, 0.45-1.11]) and 87% (Bayes factor, 6.56; RR, 0.82 [95% credible interval, 0.57-1.16]) probability of being superior to a 1:1:2 resuscitation with regards to 24-hour and 30-day mortality, respectively. Conclusions and Relevance: In this quality improvement study, a post hoc bayesian analysis of the PROPPR Trial found evidence in support of mortality reduction with a balanced resuscitation strategy for patients in hemorrhagic shock. Bayesian statistical methods offer probability-based results capable of direct comparison between various interventions and should be considered for future studies assessing trauma-related outcomes.

Spectrum of second primary malignancies and cause-specific mortality in pediatric and adult langerhans cell histiocytosis.

With the advent of targeted therapeutics in Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH), there is a growing survivor population that might be at risk for late mortality from non-LCH causes, including second primary malignancies (SPMs). We undertook a large study using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database to evaluate the patterns of SPMs and cause-specific mortality among individuals with LCH (2000-2016) from the US. We found an increased risk of SPMs in the cohort (standardized incidence ratio [SIR] 2.07). The pediatric group was at a high risk of developing Hodgkin lymphoma (SIR 60.93) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (SIR 60.88). People with adult-onset LCH were found to have a high risk of developing miscellaneous malignant cancers (SIR 11.43), which primarily included myelodysplastic syndrome. Adults were also at a high risk of developing carcinoma in-situ of vulva at 2-11 months [SIR 62.72] and B-ALL at 60-119 months [SIR 66.29] after LCH diagnosis. Additionally, 5% and 1% of the patients developed prior or concomitant malignancies with LCH, respectively. The 5 yr overall survival (OS) was 96.6% for pediatric and 88.5% for adult LCH cohorts. Most common cause of death was infections in pediatric and SPMs in adult LCH. Our study highlights that despite advances in treatments, people with LCH have an increased mortality risk from non-LCH causes when compared with the general population, including a high risk of SPMs.

A Structured Discharge Education Intervention for Parents of Newly Diagnosed Pediatric Oncology Patients.

Background: Parents of children newly diagnosed with cancer require specialized knowledge and skills in order to safely care for their children at home. The Children's Oncology Group (COG) developed expert consensus recommendations to guide new diagnosis education; however, these recommendations have not been empirically tested. Methods: We used a sequential two-cohort study design to test a nurse-led Structured Discharge Teaching Intervention (SDTI) that operationalizes the COG expert recommendations in the setting of a tertiary children's hospital. Outcomes included parent Readiness for Hospital Discharge Scale (RHDS); Quality of Discharge Teaching Scale (QDTS); Post-Discharge Coping Difficulty (PDCD); Nurse Satisfaction; and post-discharge unplanned healthcare utilization. Results: The process for discharge education changed significantly before and after implementation of the SDTI, with significantly fewer instances of one-day discharge teaching, and higher involvement of staff nurses in teaching. Overall, parental RHDS, QDTS, and PDCD scores were similar in the unintervened and intervened cohorts. Almost 60% of patients had unplanned healthcare encounters during the first 30 days following their initial hospital discharge. Overall nurse satisfaction with the quality and process of discharge education significantly increased post-intervention. Discussion: Although the structure for and process of delivering discharge education changed significantly with implementation of the SDTI, parent RHDS and QDTS scores remained uniformly high and PDCD scores and non-preventable unplanned healthcare utilization remained similar, while nurse satisfaction with the quality and process of discharge education significantly improved, suggesting that further testing of the SDTI across diverse pediatric oncology settings is warranted.

Malignant Neoplasms of the Gastrointestinal Tract After Blood or Marrow Transplant.

Importance: Survivors of blood or marrow transplant (BMT) are at increased risk of subsequent malignant neoplasms (SMNs). Cancers of the gastrointestinal (GI) system are of special interest because their clinical behavior is often aggressive, necessitating early detection by increasing awareness of high-risk populations. Objective: To describe the risk of SMNs in the GI tract after BMT. Design, Setting, and Participants: A cohort study of 6710 individuals who lived at least 2 years after BMT performed between January 1, 1974, and December 31, 2014, at City of Hope, University of Minnesota, or University of Alabama at Birmingham. End of follow-up was March 23, 2020. Data analysis was performed between September 1, 2022, and September 30, 2022. Exposures: Demographic and clinical factors; therapeutic exposures before or as part of BMT. Main Outcomes and Measures: Development of SMNs in the GI tract after BMT. Participants self-reported SMNs in the GI tract; these were confirmed with pathology reports, medical records, or both. For deceased patients, death records were used. Standardized incidence ratios determined excess risk of SMNs in the GI tract compared with that of the general population. Fine-Gray proportional subdistribution hazard models assessed the association between risk factors and SMNs in the GI tract. Results: The cohort of 6710 individuals included 3444 (51.3%) autologous and 3266 (48.7%) allogeneic BMT recipients. A total of 3917 individuals (58.4%) were male, and the median age at BMT was 46 years (range, 0-78 years). After 62 479 person-years of follow-up, 148 patients developed SMNs in the GI tract. The standardized incidence ratios for developing specific SMNs ranged from 2.1 for colorectal cancer (95% CI, 1.6-2.8; P < .001) to 7.8 for esophageal cancer (95% CI, 5.0-11.6; P < .001). Exposure to cytarabine for conditioning (subdistribution hazard ratio [SHR], 3.1; 95% CI, 1.5-6.6) was associated with subsequent colorectal cancer. Compared with autologous BMT recipients, allogeneic BMT recipients with chronic graft-vs-host disease were at increased risk for esophageal cancer (SHR, 9.9; 95% CI, 3.2-30.5). Conditioning with etoposide (SHR, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.1-3.5) and pre-BMT anthracycline exposure (SHR, 5.4; 95% CI, 1.3-23.4) were associated with an increased risk of liver cancer compared with no exposure to the respective agents. Conclusions and Relevance: The findings of this cohort study are relevant for oncologists and nononcologists who care for the growing number of survivors of transplant. Awareness of subgroups of survivors of BMT at high risk for specific types of SMNs in the GI tract may influence recommendations regarding modifiable risk factors, as well as individualized screening.

Early time-restricted eating affects weight, metabolic health, mood, and sleep in adherent completers: A secondary analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Data are mixed on whether intermittent fasting improves weight loss and cardiometabolic health. Here, the effects of time-restricted eating (TRE) in participants who consistently adhered ≥5 d/wk every week were analyzed. METHODS: Ninety patients aged 25 to 75 years old with obesity were randomized to early TRE (eTRE; 8-hour eating window from 07:00 to 15:00) or a control schedule (≥12-hour window) for 14 weeks. A per-protocol analysis of weight loss, body composition, cardiometabolic health, and other end points was performed. RESULTS: Participants who adhered to eTRE ≥5 d/wk every week had greater improvements in body weight (-3.7 ± 1.2 kg; p = 0.003), body fat (-2.8 ± 1.3 kg; p = 0.04), heart rate (-7 ± 3 beats/min; p = 0.02), insulin resistance (-2.80 ± 1.36; p = 0.047), and glucose (-9 ± 5 mg/dL; p = 0.047) relative to adherers in the control group. They also experienced greater improvements in mood, including fatigue and anger; however, they self-reported sleeping less and taking longer to fall asleep. CONCLUSIONS: For those who can consistently adhere at least 5 d/wk, eTRE is a valuable approach for improving body weight, body fat, cardiometabolic health, and mood. Further research is needed to determine whether eTRE's effects of shortening sleep but reducing fatigue are healthful or not.