Rate of Successful Shoulder Reduction on First Confirmatory Imaging in the Emergency Department.

BACKGROUND: Management of acute shoulder dislocation in the emergency department (ED) is common. OBJECTIVE: This study describes the rate, risk factors, and length of stay (LOS) associated with shoulder dislocation reduction failure in the ED. METHODS: The study was a retrospective case-control study of patients 18 years and older presenting to the ED with acute shoulder dislocation who underwent attempted reduction. Patients with successful reduction on post-reduction first confirmatory imaging are compared with those requiring multiple attempts. RESULTS: Of 398 ED encounters when a shoulder reduction was attempted in the ED, 18.8% (75/398 [95% CI 15.2-22.9%]) required multiple reduction attempts. Patients with successful reduction on first confirmatory imaging were more commonly male (80.2% [95% CI 75.6-84.3%] vs. 68.0% [95% CI 56.8-77.8%]; p = 0.0220), discharged home from the ED (95.4% [95% CI 92.6-97.3%] vs. 84.0% [95% CI 74.4-91.0%]; p = 0.0004), reduced using a traction/countertraction technique (42.1% [95% CI 36.8-47.6%] vs. 29.3% [95% CI 19.9-40.4%]; p = 0.0415), and less likely to have a pre-reduction fracture (26.0% [95% CI 21.4-31.0%] vs. 45.3% [95% CI 34.4-56.7%]; p = 0.0010). Mean length of stay (LOS) for those with successful reduction on first confirmatory imaging was 2 hours and 8 minutes shorter than for those with more than one attempt (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The rate of failed first-pass reduction is higher than previously reported. Furthermore, the ED LOS was significantly longer in patients requiring multiple attempts. Knowledge of the failure rate and risk factors may raise physician awareness and guide future studies evaluating approaches for verification of reduction success.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Emergency Department Encounters in a Major Metropolitan Area.

BACKGROUND: The end of 2019 marked the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic. Public avoidance of health care facilities, including the emergency department (ED), has been noted during prior pandemics. OBJECTIVE: This study described pandemic-related changes in adult and pediatric ED presentations, acuity, and hospitalization rates during the pandemic in a major metropolitan area. METHODS: The study was a cross-sectional analysis of ED visits occurring before and during the pandemic. Sites collected daily ED patient census; monthly ED patient acuity, as the Emergency Severity Index (ESI) score; and disposition. Prepandemic ED visits occurring from January 1, 2019 through December 31, 2019 were compared with ED visits occurring during the pandemic from January 1, 2020 through March 31, 2021. The change in prepandemic and pandemic ED volume was found using 7-day moving average of proportions. RESULTS: The study enrolled 83.8% of the total ED encounters. Pandemic adult and pediatric visit volume decreased to as low as 44.7% (95% CI 43.1-46.3%; p < 0.001) and 22.1% (95% CI 19.3-26.0%; p < 0.001), respectively, of prepandemic volumes. There was also a relative increase in adult and pediatric acuity (ESI level 1-3) and the admission percentage for adult (20.3% vs. 22.9%; p < 0.01) and pediatric (5.1% vs. 5.6%; p < 0.01) populations. CONCLUSIONS: Total adult and pediatric encounters were reduced significantly across a major metropolitan area. Patient acuity and hospitalization rates were relatively increased. The development of strategies for predicting ED avoidance will be important in future pandemics.

A Multicenter, Prospective Study Comparing Subxiphoid and Parasternal Views During Brief Echocardiography: Effect on Image Quality, Acquisition Time, and Visualized Anatomy.

BACKGROUND: Recent literature has suggested echocardiography (echo) may prolong pauses in chest compressions during cardiac arrest. OBJECTVES: We sought to determine the impact of the sonographic approach (subxiphoid [SX] vs. parasternal long [PSL]) on time to image completion, image quality, and visualization of cardiac anatomy during echo, as performed during Advanced Cardiac Life Support. METHODS: This was a multicenter, randomized controlled trial conducted at 29 emergency departments (EDs) assessing the time to image acquisition and image quality between SX and PSL views for echo. Patients were enrolled in the ED and imaged in a simulated cardiac arrest scenario. Clinicians experienced in echo performed both SX and PSL views, first view in random order. Image quality and time to image acquisition were recorded. Echos were evaluated for identification of cardiac landmarks. Data are presented as percentages or medians with interquartile ranges (IQRs). RESULTS: We obtained 6247 echo images, comprising 3124 SX views and 3123 PSL. Overall time to image acquisition was 9.0 s (IQR 6.7-14.1 s). Image acquisition was shorter using PSL (8.8 s, IQR 6.5-13.5 s) compared with SX (9.3 s, IQR 6.7-15.0 s). The image quality was better with the PSL view (3.86 vs. 3.54; p < 0.0001), twice as many SX images scoring in the worst quality category compared with PSL (8.6% vs. 3.7%). Imaging of the pericardium, cardiac chambers, and other anatomic landmarks was superior with PSL imaging. CONCLUSIONS: Echo was performed in < 10 s in > 50% of patients using either imaging technique. Imaging using PSL demonstrated improved image quality and improved identification of cardiac landmarks.

Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Emergency Department Visits: A Regional Case Study of Informatics Challenges and Opportunities.

In this paper, we examined informatics challenges and opportunities related to emergency department visit data during public health emergencies. We investigated the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the volume and acuity of adult patients visiting the emergency department (ED) of a medical center in Arizona during the pandemic compared to the pre-pandemic period. We performed a negative binomial regression analysis to understand how different public health-related mandates and statewide business opening/closing orders in Arizona affected the daily emergency department visits. The results of this study show that the average daily ED visits decreased by 20% during the COVID-19 pandemic in comparison with the same period in 2019. In addition, the business closure order had the most impact on emergency department visits in comparison to other public health mandates.

Evaluation of Gender Differences in Ultrasound Milestone Evaluations During Emergency Medicine Residency Training: A Multicenter Study.

OBJECTIVES: Prior literature has demonstrated incongruities among faculty evaluation of male and female residents' procedural competency during residency training. There are no known studies investigating gender differences in the assessment of procedural skills among emergency medicine (EM) residents, such as those required by ultrasound. The objective of this study was to determine if there are significant gender differences in ultrasound milestone evaluations during EM residency training. METHODS: We used a stratified, random cluster sample of Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) EM residency programs to conduct a longitudinal, retrospective cohort analysis of resident ultrasound milestone evaluation data. Milestone evaluation data were collected from a total of 16 ACGME-accredited EM residency programs representing a 4-year period. We stratified milestone data by resident gender, date of evaluation, resident postgraduate year, and cohort (residents with the same starting date). RESULTS: A total of 2,554 ultrasound milestone evaluations were collected from 1,187 EM residents (750 men [62.8%] and 444 women [37.1%]) by 104 faculty members during the study period. There was no significant overall difference in mean milestone score between female and male residents [mean difference = 0.01 (95% confidence interval {CI} = -0.04 to 0.05)]. There were no significant differences between female and male residents' mean milestone scores at the first (baseline) PGY1 evaluation (mean difference = -0.04 [95% CI = -0.09 to 0.003)] or at the final evaluation during PGY3 (mean difference = 0.02 [95% CI = -0.03 to 0.06)]. CONCLUSIONS: Despite prior studies suggesting gender bias in the evaluation of procedural competency during residency training, our study indicates that there were no significant gender-related differences in the ultrasound milestone evaluations among EM residents within training programs throughout the United States.

Risk of contrast extravasation with vascular access in computed tomography.

PURPOSE: Diagnostic computed tomography (CT) imaging, utilizing intravenous (IV) contrast administration, has become increasingly common. Potential IV contrast-associated complications include local skin and soft tissue reactions due to extravasation. The goal of this study is to describe the risk of contrast extravasation based on IV catheter anatomic location in patients receiving contrast-enhanced CT imaging. METHODS: The study was conducted as a retrospective cohort study of patients receiving contrast-enhanced CT imaging performed over a 26-month period at a single institution. The rate of contrast extravasation was calculated by IV catheter vessel anatomic location and compared by relative risk (RR) and absolute risk reduction (ARR). RESULTS: Of 17,767 contrast administrations for CT imaging studies performed, 14,558 met study inclusion criteria. Forty-nine (0.34%) extravasation events were identified. Forty-one (0.28%, 95% CI 0.21-0.39%) extravasation events were observed in 14,275 peripheral IV catheters placed in a non-upper arm location. Eight (2.8%, 95% CI 1.3-5.3%) extravasation events were observed in 283 IV catheters placed, most commonly with point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) guidance, in upper arm vessels (RR 10.1, 95% CI 4.69-21.8). Non-upper arm located IV catheters were associated with an ARR of 2.54% (95% CI 0.61-4.47%) when compared to upper arm catheters. CONCLUSIONS: IV catheter placement in upper arm vessels is associated with a relatively minimal increase in extravasation risk when compared to catheters placed in a non-upper arm location. In patients without alternative available peripheral vascular access, POCUS-guided upper arm IV cannulation may be an appropriate approach.

Evaluation of a novel curriculum on point-of-care ultrasound competency and confidence.

INTRODUCTION: Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) education is a requirement of graduate medical education in EM. Milestones have been established to assess resident US competency. However, the delivery of POCUS education has not been standardized. This study aims to evaluate the impact of implementing a longitudinal, structured POCUS curriculum during EM residency on trainee competency and confidence. METHODS: A prospective study of PGY-3 trainees before and after implementation of a novel POCUS curriculum was performed over an 18-month period at an EM residency training program. Curriculum design included longitudinal POCUS application-based monthly electronic content, bi-monthly residency conference sessions, and hands-on rotations. PGY-3 resident's POCUS knowledge was assessed with a 38-question multiple-choice and image-based exam. Further, PGY-3 residents were surveyed regarding POCUS confidence. Survey results evaluated provider confidence, satisfaction with the novel curriculum, and overall perception of POCUS utility scored on a 1 (low) to 5 (high) scale. Results were evaluated using an unpaired t test for data analysis. RESULTS: Mean quiz scores of 8 pre-curriculum PGY-3 residents (84%; 95%CI 78.46-89.54) were not significantly different when compared with 13 post-curriculum PGY-3 residents (82%; 95%CI 77.11-86.89) (p = 0.6126). Survey results for pre-curriculum trainees across each section were 4.13 (95%CI 3.91-4.35), 3.68 (95%CI 3.32-4.04), and 4.33 (95%CI 4.06-4.6). Results for post-curriculum trainees trended higher for each section at 4.22 (95%CI 4.04-4.40) (p = 0.4738), 3.84 (95%CI 3.52-4.16) (p = 0.5279), and 4.49 (95%CI 4.21-4.77) (p = 0.4534). CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of a structured, longitudinal POCUS curriculum resulted in a trend towards improved trainee confidence, satisfaction, and perception of POCUS. Future studies are needed to identify the optimal structure for POCUS educational content delivery and competency assessment for EM resident providers.

Concordance between blood and cerebrospinal fluid cultures in meningitis.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cultures and blood cultures in patients with suspected bacterial or fungal meningitis. METHODS: A 5-year retrospective chart review, conducted from April 2012 to January 2017 of consecutive patient encounters with bacterial or fungal organism growth in CSF culture, when a blood culture was also obtained. Patients were excluded if they received antibiotics prior to either lumbar puncture (LP) or blood culture acquisition, or if CSF cultures were positive for common bacterial skin contaminants. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize the dataset. RESULTS: 21 patient encounters met study inclusion criteria. 13 (61.9%; 95% CI 40.2-80.5%) had blood culture growth of the same organism as the CSF culture. 1 patient had a different organism in the blood culture compared to the CSF culture. 6 patients (33.3%, 95% CI 14.8%-56.9%) with positive CSF cultures had negative blood cultures. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest an insufficient degree of agreement between CSF and blood culture results. PCR may be a prudent approach in patients requiring immediate antibiotics and delayed LP.

Impact of Emergency Department Phlebotomists on Left-Before-Treatment-Completion Rates.

INTRODUCTION: The emergency department (ED) serves as the primary access point to the healthcare system. ED throughput efficiency is critical. The percentage of patients who leave before treatment completion (LBTC) is an important marker of department efficiency. Our study aimed to assess the impact of an ED phlebotomist, dedicated to obtaining blood specimen collection on waiting patients, on LBTC rates. METHODS: This study was conducted as a retrospective observational analysis over approximately 18 months (October 5, 2015-March 31, 2017) for patients evaluated by a triage provider with a door-to-room (DtR) time of > 20 minutes (min). LBTC rates were compared in 10-min DtR increments for when the ED phlebotomist collected the patient's specimen vs not. RESULTS: Of 71,942 patient encounters occurring during the study period, 17,349 (24.1%) met study inclusion criteria. Of these, 1842 (10.6%) had blood specimen collection performed by ED phlebotomy. The overall LBTC rate for encounters included in the analysis was 5.26% (95% confidence interval [CI], 4.94%-5.60%). Weighting the LBTC rates for each 10-min DtR interval using the fixed effects model led to an overall LBTC rate of 2.74% (95% CI, 2.09%-3.59%) for patient encounters with ED phlebotomist collection vs 5.31% (95% CI, 4.97%-5.67%) in those which did not, yielding a relative reduction of 48% (95% CI, 34%-63%). The effect of the phlebotomist on LBTC rates increased as DtR times increased. The difference in the rate of the rise of LBTC percentages, per 10-min interval, was 0.50% (95% CI, 0.19%-0.81%) higher for non-ED phlebotomist encounters vs phlebotomist encounters. CONCLUSION: ED phlebotomy demonstrated a significant reduction in ED LBTC rates. Further, as DtR times increased, the impact of ED phlebotomy became increasingly significant. Adult EDs with increased rates of LBTC patient encounters may want to consider the implementation of ED phlebotomy.

Implications of language barrier on the diagnostic yield of computed tomography in pulmonary embolism.

OBJECTIVES: To determine if a physician-patient language barrier impacts the diagnostic accuracy of pulmonary embolism (PE) evaluation. METHODS: A retrospective chart review, conducted between June 2015 and December 2016, of a consecutive sample of diagnostic computed tomography pulmonary angiogram (CTPA) studies performed on adult patients. Positive and negative CTPA scans were further categorized by patient language and the positive diagnostic yield was determined for each language group. A post collection sub-analysis was performed to determine the yield when interpreter services were identified as necessary. RESULTS: The yield for English speaking patients was 10.24% (92/898, 95% CI 8.39% to 12.36%), similar to the yield in Spanish speaking patients of 9.40% (25/266, 95% CI 6.31% to 13.37%, P=0.69). This contrasted with the yield in patients who identified as bilingual, which was significantly lower at 1.41% (1/71, 95% CI 0.07% to 6.75%) compared to both English-(P<0.02) and Spanish-only speakers (P<0.03). The yield for non-English speaking patients who requested an interpreter was 7.37% (14/190, 95% CI 4.26% to 11.77%) versus 3.23% (2/62, 95% CI 0.54% to 10.25%, P=0.25) in those who did not. CONCLUSIONS: The diagnostic yield in English- and Spanish-only speaking patients was similar, however, the yield in those that self-identified as bilingual was significantly lower. In patient groups in which a language barrier existed and an interpreter was not utilized, there was a trend toward a lower diagnostic yield. This suggests an increased propensity to order diagnostic imaging when potential communication barriers exist.

Critical care ultrasound: A national survey across specialties.

PURPOSE: Management of the critically ill patient requires rapid assessment and differentiation. Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) improves diagnostic accuracy and guides resuscitation. This study sought to describe the use of critical care related POCUS amongst different specialties. METHODS: This study was conducted as an online 18-question survey. Survey questions queried respondent demographics, preferences for POCUS use, and barriers to implementation. RESULTS: 2735 recipients received and viewed the survey with 416 (15.2%) responses. The majority of respondents were pulmonary and critical care medicine (62.5%) and emergency medicine (19.9%) providers. Respondents obtained training through educational courses (26.5%), fellowship (23.9%), residency (21.6%), or self-guided learning (17.2%). POCUS use was common for diagnostic and procedural guidance. Emergency medicine providers were more likely to utilize POCUS to evaluate undifferentiated hypotension (98.5%, P < .001), volume status and fluid responsiveness (88.2%, P = .005), and cardiopulmonary arrest (94.1%, P < .001) compared to other specialties. Limited training, competency, or credentialing were the most common barriers, in up to 39.4% of respondents. CONCLUSION: Study respondents utilize POCUS in a variety of clinical applications. However, a disparity in utilization still exists among clinicians who care for critically ill patients. Overcoming barriers, such as a lack of formalized training, competency, or credentialing, may lead to increased utilization.

Perception of point-of-care ultrasound performed by emergency medicine physicians.

PURPOSE: Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is integral to the practice of emergency medicine (EM). Furthermore, EM-performed POCUS (EM-POCUS) offers consultants the opportunity to avoid delays in care due to wait times for confirmatory imaging studies. This study is the first to describe the perception of POCUS to consulting services at a single institution where EM-POCUS is routinely performed. METHODS: This study was conducted as a survey distributed to residents from consultant specialties (internal medicine [IM], general surgery [GS], and obstetrics and gynecology [OB-GYN]). Survey questions aimed to describe consultant's confidence and utilization of EM-POCUS. Responses were evaluated using descriptive and comparative analysis. RESULTS: Survey responses were obtained from 27 IM (87.1%), 13 GS (100%), and 21 OB-GYN (100%) respondents. Among consultant specialties, 47.5% of respondents reported comfort with EM-POCUS. IM (81.5%) providers were significantly more likely to trust EM-POCUS as compared with OB-GYN (28.6%) and GS (7.7%) providers (p < 0.001). Confidence was further limited when consultants were unable to view POCUS images (23.8% for OB-GYN, 15.4% for GS, 55.6% for IM), but improved with EM provider level of POCUS experience and training (81% for OB-GYN, 76.9% for GS, 77.8% for IM). Overall, consultant utilization of EM-POCUS was 68.9%. CONCLUSIONS: Study respondents demonstrated limited confidence and utilization of EM-POCUS in this institution. Increased understanding of EM-POCUS training and expanded image availability may improve consultant utilization. Future studies, performed nationally, should further describe the value of EM-POCUS to consultant services. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound 45:408-415, 2017.

Successful Point-Of-Care Ultrasound-Guided Treatment of Submassive Pulmonary Embolism.

Pulmonary embolism is associated with significant mortality and impaired long-term functional outcomes. Timely identification and treatment is crucial for successful management. Unfortunately, prompt diagnosis can be challenging in patients without overt signs of cardiovascular compromise. Point-of-care cardiac ultrasound (POCCUS) can be used to identify signs of acute pulmonary embolism, risk stratify patients for adverse outcomes and assess response to therapy. This report describes a patient with submassive pulmonary embolism and evidence of acute right ventricular strain on POCCUS successfully treated with thrombolytic therapy. The dynamic changes observed on point-of-care ultrasound are presented.

Evaluation of an innovative hands-on anatomy-centered ultrasound curriculum to supplement graduate gross anatomy education.

Ultrasound (US) can enhance anatomy education, yet is incorporated into few non-medical anatomy programs. This study is the first to evaluate the impact of US training in gross anatomy for non-medical students in the United States. All 32 master's students enrolled in gross anatomy with the anatomy-centered ultrasound (ACUS) curriculum were recruited. Mean Likert ratings on pre- and post-course surveys (100% response rates) were compared to evaluate the effectiveness of the ACUS curriculum in developing US confidence, and gauge its impact on views of US. Post-course, students reported significantly higher (P < 0.001) mean confidence ratings in five US skills (pre-course versus post-course mean): obtaining scans (3.13 ±1.04 versus 4.03 ±0.78), optimizing images (2.78 ±1.07 versus 3.75 ±0.92), recognizing artifacts (2.94 ±0.95 versus 3.97 ±0.69), distinguishing tissue types (2.88 ±0.98 versus 4.09 ±0.69), and identifying structures (2.97 ±0.86 versus 4.03 ±0.59), demonstrating the success of the ACUS curriculum in students with limited prior experience. Views on the value of US to anatomy education and to students' future careers remained positive after the course. End-of-semester quiz performance (91% response rate) provided data on educational outcomes. The average score was 79%, with a 90% average on questions about distinguishing tissues/artifacts, demonstrating positive learning outcomes and retention. The anatomy-centered ultrasound curriculum significantly increased confidence with and knowledge of US among non-medical anatomy students with limited prior training. Non-medical students greatly value the contributions that US makes to anatomy education and to their future careers. It is feasible to enhance anatomy education outside of medical training by incorporating US. Anat Sci Educ 10: 348-362. © 2016 American Association of Anatomists.

Effect of Interventional Program on the Utilization of PACS in Point-of-Care Ultrasound.

While the implementation of Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (PACS) has revolutionized the field of radiology, there has been considerably less utilization of PACS by emergency physicians with point-of-care ultrasound. Benefits of PACS archival of images include improved quality assurance, preservation of image quality, and accessibility of images. Our objective was to determine if a simple interventional program would influence the utilization of PACS in point-of-care ultrasound. A before-after study was conducted in an urban, academic emergency department. Data was collected during a 4-week baseline period, a 12-week intervention period, and a 12-week post-intervention period. The percentage of ultrasound studies archived to PACS was recorded during each week of the study. Interventions were designed to encourage the utilization of PACS. A significant increase in the mean percentage of PACS studies was found between the baseline and intervention period (59.4 %; 95 % CI: 34.76-84.08 %; p < 0.001). Mean percentage of PACS studies at 1-month (74.3 %), 2-month (61.0 %), and 3-month (74.8 %) post-intervention periods remained elevated and were all significantly increased compared to baseline values (p < 0.001). Mean percentages of PACS studies at 1-month, 2-month, and 3-month post-intervention periods were not statistically significant from the intervention period (p = 0.977, p = 0.849, p = 0.967, respectively). A simple interventional program for emergency physicians can significantly increase and sustain the utilization of PACS for point-of-care ultrasound.

Ultrasound-Guided Cannulation: Time to Bring Subclavian Central Lines Back.

Despite multiple advantages, subclavian vein (SCV) cannulation via the traditional landmark approach has become less used in comparison to ultrasound (US) guided internal jugular catheterization due to a higher rate of mechanical complications. A growing body of evidence indicates that SCV catheterization with real-time US guidance can be accomplished safely and efficiently. While several cannulation approaches with real-time US guidance have been described, available literature suggests that the infraclavicular, longitudinal "in-plane" technique may be preferred. This approach allows for direct visualization of needle advancement, which reduces risk of complications and improves successful placement. Infraclavicular SCV cannulation requires simultaneous use of US during needle advancement, but for an inexperienced operator, it is more easily learned compared to the traditional landmark approach. In this article, we review the evidence supporting the use of US guidance for SCV catheterization and discuss technical aspects of the procedure itself.

Emergency medicine resident clinical hours: a national survey.

BACKGROUND: Emergency medicine (EM) residency programs have significant scheduling flexibility. As a result, there is potentially significant variation in scheduling practices. Few studies have previously sought to describe this variation. It is unknown how this affects training time in the emergency department. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to describe the current variation in clinical training practices through clinical hour, shift length, and rotation survey data. METHODS: A 21-item questionnaire was distributed to all allopathic EM training programs utilizing an online survey during the 2011-2012 academic year. Questions included demographic data, number of EM rotations per year, shifts, average hours, shift length, and scheduling practices. RESULTS: A total of 122 responses were received and 82 programs were analyzed (51.6% of 159 allopathic programs). EM residents work, on average, 45.50 h per week. Postgraduate year 1-3 programs utilizing 28-day schedules averaged two additional EM rotations and 338.2 more clinical EM hours compared with calendar-month rotations. The residents of 4-year programs work approximately 1300 additional hours during residency, with an average of 1279.26 h and 7.9 clinical EM rotations in the fourth year. Clinical hour ranges of 2670-5112 and 4248-6113 were observed for 3-year and 4-year programs, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: There are different scheduling modalities used to create resident schedules. This flexibility results in a large amount of diversity in scheduling practices, with certain patterns allowing for significantly more clinical time. This may result in a vastly different training experience for EM residents.

Attachment anxiety is linked to alterations in cortisol production and cellular immunity.

Although evidence suggests that attachment anxiety may increase risk for health problems, the mechanisms underlying these effects are not well understood. In the current study, married couples (N = 85) provided saliva samples over 3 days and blood samples on two occasions. Participants with higher attachment anxiety produced more cortisol and had fewer numbers of CD3(+) T cells, CD45(+) T cells, CD3(+)CD4(+) helper T cells, and CD3(+)CD8(+) cytotoxic T cells than participants with lower attachment anxiety. Higher cortisol levels were also related to fewer numbers of CD3(+), CD45(+), CD3(+)CD4(+), and CD3(+)CD8(+) cells, which is consistent with research showing that cortisol alters the cellular immune response. These data suggest that attachment anxiety may have physiological costs, and they provide a glimpse into the pathways through which social relationships affect health. The current study also extends attachment theory in an important new direction by demonstrating the utility of a psychoneuroimmunological approach to the study of attachment anxiety, stress, and health.

Cognitive word use during marital conflict and increases in proinflammatory cytokines.

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether greater cognitive engagement during a marital conflict discussion, as evidenced by use of words that suggest thinking and meaning-making, results in attenuated proinflammatory cytokine increases to stress and wounding. DESIGN: Husbands and wives (N = 84 individuals) were observed during two separate 24-hr visits: each visit included a wounding procedure, which was followed by a nonconflictive marital discussion (first visit) and a conflictive marital discussion (second visit). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Serum proinflammatory cytokines interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). RESULTS: Individuals who used more cognitive processing words during the conflict discussion (but not the nonconflictive discussion) showed smaller increases in serum IL-6 and TNF-alpha over 24 hours; they also had lower levels of both cytokines 24 hours after baseline controlling for demographics, hostility, depressed mood, positive and negative interactions, and marital quality. Effects of word use were not mediated by ruminative thoughts after conflict. Although both men and women benefited from their own cognitive engagement, only husbands' IL-6 patterns were affected by spouses' engagement. CONCLUSION: In accord with research demonstrating the value of cognitive processing in emotional disclosure, this research suggests that productive communication patterns may help mitigate the adverse effects of relationship conflict on inflammatory dysregulation.