Detection of Chronic Wasting Disease Prions in Prairie Soils from Endemic Regions.

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a contagious prion disease that affects cervids in North America, Northern Europe, and South Korea. CWD is spread through direct and indirect horizontal transmission, with both clinical and preclinical animals shedding CWD prions in saliva, urine, and feces. CWD particles can persist in the environment for years, and soils may pose a risk for transmission to susceptible animals. Our study presents a sensitive method for detecting prions in the environmental samples of prairie soils. Soils were collected from CWD-endemic regions with high (Saskatchewan, Canada) and low (North Dakota, USA) CWD prevalence. Heat extraction with SDS-buffer, a serial protein misfolding cyclic amplification assay coupled with a real-time quaking-induced conversion assay was used to detect the presence of CWD prions in soils. In the prairie area of South Saskatchewan where the CWD prevalence rate in male mule deer is greater than 70%, 75% of the soil samples tested were positive, while in the low-prevalence prairie region of North Dakota (11% prevalence in male mule deer), none of the soils contained prion seeding activity. Soil-bound CWD prion detection has the potential to improve our understanding of the environmental spread of CWD, benefiting both surveillance and mitigation approaches.

Patterns of Hemorrhagic Disease in White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in the Great Plains of the USA, 1982-2020.

Hemorrhagic disease (HD) of deer is caused by epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus (EHDV) or bluetongue virus (BTV) and is considered one of the most important viral diseases of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). Despite evidence of changing patterns of HD in the northeastern and upper midwestern US, the historical and current patterns of HD in the Great Plains remain poorly described. We used results from an annual survey documenting HD mortality to characterize historic and current patterns of HD in the northern and central Great Plains (North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, and Oklahoma), US, between 1982 and 2020. Further, we assessed temporal change using linear regression to determine change in annual reporting intensity (percentage of counties in a state with reported HD) and change in reporting frequency (the number of years a county or state reported HD) during each decade between 1982 and 2020. Across the 38-yr study period, HD reports expanded northeast across latitude and longitude. Intensity of HD reports significantly increased during this period for three (North Dakota, South Dakota, Kansas) of five states examined. Frequency of reports also increased for all five states. Such changes in northern latitudes might lead to increased deer mortality in regions where HD epizootics have been historically less frequent. Understanding how patterns of HD are changing on the landscape is important when considering future deer management in the face of other mortality factors.

Changes in Patterns of Trauma Injuries in the Dakotas Region During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to compare impact of COVID-19 on trauma volume and characteristics on a set of trauma centers with a rural catchment area. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected different parts of the country quite differently, both in case volume and in local responses. State-wide responses have varied considerably, including variations in local mask mandates, school closures, and social distancing measures. METHODS: This was a retrospective trauma registry review of patients who were admitted to three of the tertiary care trauma centers in North and South Dakota between 2014 through 2022. RESULTS: In the analysis of 36,397 patients, we found a significant increase in trauma patient volume during the COVID-19 pandemic, with an increased percentage of patients presenting with a mechanism of injury secondary to abuse or assault. This increase in patient volume continued to rise during 2021 and 2022. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted trauma center admissions in the rural and frontier Midwest differently from more urban areas, and the importance of including a variety of settings in trauma research.

COVID-19 Vaccination Rates Among North Dakota Residents Who Gave Birth Between April 1, 2021, and July 15, 2022.

Objectives. To assess COVID-19 vaccination rates among North Dakota residents who gave birth. Methods. We used data from North Dakota Vital Records and the North Dakota Immunization Information System for North Dakota residents who gave birth between April 1, 2021, and July 15, 2022. We evaluated vaccination with 1 dose, primary series, and monovalent booster for timing before and during pregnancy and postpartum. Results. Among North Dakota residents who gave birth, 44% received at least 1 COVID-19 vaccine, 34% received a complete primary series, and 10% received a monovalent booster dose. Among those who received a COVID-19 vaccine, the majority was vaccinated during pregnancy. Obstetrics and gynecology providers administered just 9.2% of COVID-19 vaccine doses. Conclusions. Most persons who gave birth in North Dakota did not receive the primary series of the COVID-19 vaccine while pregnant. Providers have an opportunity to counsel their pregnant and recently pregnant patients on vaccine recommendations. (Am J Public Health. 2024;114(2):237-240. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2023.307500).

Managing the Risk of COVID-19 Using Model Based Predictors: The Case of North Dakota.

OBJECTIVE: North Dakota (ND) had the highest coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) case and mortality rate in the United States for nearly 2 mo. This study aims to compare 3 metrics ND used to guide public health action across its 53 counties. METHODS: Daily COVID-19 case and death totals in North Dakota were evaluated using data from the COVID-tracker website provided by the North Department of Health (NDDoH). It was reported as: active cases per 10,000, tests administered per 10,000, and test positivity rate (the North Dakota health metric). The COVID-19 Response press conferences provided data for the Governor's metric. The Harvard model used daily new cases per 100,000. A chi-squared test was used to compare differences in these 3 metrics on July 1, August 26, September 23, and November 13, 2020. RESULTS: On July 1, no significant difference between the metrics was found. By September 23, Harvard's health metric indicated critical risk while ND's health metric was moderate risk, and the Governor's metric was still low risk. CONCLUSIONS: ND's and the Governor's metric underrepresented the risk of the COVID-19 outbreak in North Dakota. The Harvard metric reflected North Dakota's increasing risk; it should be considered as a national standard in future pandemics. PUBLIC HEALTH IMPLICATIONS: Model-based predictors could guide policy-makers to effectively control spread of infectious disease; proactive models could reduce risk of disease as it progresses in vulnerable communities.

Understanding Over-immunization in North Dakota's Adult Population.

CONTEXT: Over-immunization, or administration of excess doses of vaccine, is an understudied topic in immunization. Adult over-immunization is particularly understudied, so building a basic understanding of the sources and scope of over-immunization is necessary to direct action. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this evaluation was to quantify the extent of over-immunization in North Dakota's adult population from 2016 to 2021. DESIGN: Records for all pneumococcal, zoster, and influenza vaccines administered to adults in North Dakota were extracted from the North Dakota Immunization Information System (NDIIS) from January 1, 2016, through December 31, 2021. The NDIIS is a state-wide immunization registry that captures all childhood and most adult immunizations. SETTING: North Dakota. PARTICIPANTS: North Dakotan adults 19 years or older. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The number and percentage of adults identified as over-immunized as well as the number and percentage of doses identified as an extra dose. RESULTS: Frequency of over-immunization was less than 3% for all vaccines over the 6-year period assessed. Pharmacies and private practices were the most common sources of over-immunization of adults. CONCLUSIONS: These data show that over-immunization is still an issue in North Dakota, although the percentage of the adult population impacted is low. Reducing over-immunization is worth pursuing but should be balanced with the importance of improving low immunization coverage rates in the state. Improving utilization of the NDIIS by adult providers can help prevent over-immunization and under-immunization alike.

Geographic disparities and temporal changes of COVID-19 hospitalization risks in North Dakota.

Background: Although the burden of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been different across communities in the US, little is known about the disparities in COVID-19 burden in North Dakota (ND) and yet this information is important for guiding planning and provision of health services. Therefore, the objective of this study was to identify geographic disparities of COVID-19 hospitalization risks in ND. Methods: Data on COVID-19 hospitalizations from March 2020 to September 2021 were obtained from the ND Department of Health. Monthly hospitalization risks were computed and temporal changes in hospitalization risks were assessed graphically. County-level age-adjusted and spatial empirical Bayes (SEB) smoothed hospitalization risks were computed. Geographic distributions of both unsmoothed and smoothed hospitalization risks were visualized using choropleth maps. Clusters of counties with high hospitalization risks were identified using Kulldorff's circular and Tango's flexible spatial scan statistics and displayed on maps. Results: There was a total of 4,938 COVID-19 hospitalizations during the study period. Overall, hospitalization risks were relatively stable from January to July and spiked in the fall. The highest COVID-19 hospitalization risk was observed in November 2020 (153 hospitalizations per 100,000 persons) while the lowest was in March 2020 (4 hospitalizations per 100,000 persons). Counties in the western and central parts of the state tended to have consistently high age-adjusted hospitalization risks, while low age-adjusted hospitalization risks were observed in the east. Significant high hospitalization risk clusters were identified in the north-west and south-central parts of the state. Conclusions: The findings confirm that geographic disparities in COVID-19 hospitalization risks exist in ND. Specific attention is required to address counties with high hospitalization risks, especially those located in the north-west and south-central parts of ND. Future studies will investigate determinants of the identified disparities in hospitalization risks.

Examining the Role of Interpersonal Violence in Racial Disparities in Breastfeeding in North Dakota (ND PRAMS 2017-2019).

BACKGROUND: The 2019 overall breastfeeding initiation rate in the US was 84.1%, yet only 76.6% of American Indian (AI) women initiated breastfeeding. In North Dakota (ND), AI women have greater exposure to interpersonal violence than other racial/ethnic groups. Stress associated with interpersonal violence may interfere with processes important to breastfeeding. We explored whether interpersonal violence partially explains racial/ethnic disparities in breastfeeding in ND. METHODS: Data for 2161 women were drawn from the 2017-2019 ND Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System. Breastfeeding questions in PRAMS have been tested among diverse populations. Breastfeeding initiation was self-report to "Did you ever breastfeed or pump breast milk to feed your new baby, even for a short period?" (yes/no). Breastfeeding duration (2 months; 6 months) was self-reported how many weeks or months of breastmilk feeding. Interpersonal violence for both 12 months before and during pregnancy based on self-report (yes/no) of violence from a husband/partner, family member, someone else, or ex-husband/partner. An "Any violence" variable was created if participants reported "yes" to any violence. Logistic regression models estimated crude and adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for breastfeeding outcomes among AI and Other Race women compared to White women. Sequential models were adjusted for interpersonal violence (husband/partner, family member, someone else, ex-husband/partner, or any). RESULTS: AI women had 45% reduced odds of initiating breastfeeding (OR: 0.55, 95% CI: 0.36, 0.82) compared to white women. Including interpersonal violence during pregnancy did not change results. Similar patterns were observed for all breastfeeding outcomes and all interpersonal violence exposures. DISCUSSION: Interpersonal violence does not explain the disparity in breastfeeding in ND. Considering cultural ties to the tradition of breastfeeding and the role of colonization may provide a better understanding of breastfeeding among AI populations.

Geographic disparities and temporal changes of COVID-19 incidence risks in North Dakota, United States.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 is an important public health concern due to its high morbidity, mortality and socioeconomic impact. Its burden varies by geographic location affecting some communities more than others. Identifying these disparities is important for guiding health planning and service provision. Therefore, this study investigated geographical disparities and temporal changes of the percentage of positive COVID-19 tests and COVID-19 incidence risk in North Dakota. METHODS: COVID-19 retrospective data on total number of tests and confirmed cases reported in North Dakota from March 2020 to September 2021 were obtained from the North Dakota COVID-19 Dashboard and Department of Health, respectively. Monthly incidence risks of the disease were calculated and reported as number of cases per 100,000 persons. To adjust for geographic autocorrelation and the small number problem, Spatial Empirical Bayesian (SEB) smoothing was performed using queen spatial weights. Identification of high-risk geographic clusters of percentages of positive tests and COVID-19 incidence risks were accomplished using Tango's flexible spatial scan statistic. ArcGIS was used to display and visiualize the geographic distribution of percentages of positive tests, COVID-19 incidence risks, and high-risk clusters. RESULTS: County-level percentages of positive tests and SEB incidence risks varied by geographic location ranging from 0.11% to 13.67% and 122 to 16,443 cases per 100,000 persons, respectively. Clusters of high percentages of positive tests were consistently detected in the western part of the state. High incidence risks were identified in the central and south-western parts of the state, where significant high-risk spatial clusters were reported. Additionally, two peaks (August 2020-December 2020 and August 2021-September 2021) and two non-peak periods of COVID-19 incidence risk (March 2020-July 2020 and January 2021-July 2021) were observed. CONCLUSION: Geographic disparities in COVID incidence risks exist in North Dakota with high-risk clusters being identified in the rural central and southwest parts of the state. These findings are useful for guiding intervention strategies by identifying high risk communities so that resources for disease control can be better allocated to communities in need based on empirical evidence. Future studies will investigate predictors of the identified disparities so as to guide planning, disease control and health policy.

Farm Machinery Injuries: A Retrospective Analysis of Admissions at a Level I Trauma Center in North Dakota.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of the present study was to characterize the incidence, injury characteristics, and outcomes of patients presented to a Level I adult trauma center in Fargo, North Dakota, with farm machinery injuries (FMI). METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of the trauma registry of Sanford Medical Center Fargo (SMCF) between January 2010 and December 2020. We compared admission characteristics of FMI admissions to non-FMI admissions, identified the types of machinery that are most commonly associated with FMI, and described the nature of these injuries by severity, anatomical site, type, age, sex, and length of stay (LoS). Injury severity was evaluated using Injury Severity Score (ISS). RESULTS: Findings indicated that FMI admissions had a higher mean ISS, longer ICU LoS, and a higher mortality rate than non-FMI admissions. The leading cause of fatal and non-fatal FMI in this region are tractors. Males experience 91.2% of tractor injuries, and individuals 65 and over account for nearly 53% of all tractor injuries (n = 18). Males accounted for all deaths, tractor and otherwise. The "other machinery" category was the second most common category and accounted for 50% of female patients. Additionally, 24.5% of all FMI are related to machine maintenance. CONCLUSION: The findings from this study indicate that FMI injuries represent a significant problem in the upper Midwest. Older, male farm workers experience a higher incidence of tractor-related injuries, and all tractor-related deaths occurred in individuals 65 years of age and older. These results underscore the need for further investigation into aging-related farm safety issues.

Late Surges in COVID-19 Cases and Varying Transmission Potential Partially Due to Public Health Policy Changes in 5 Western States, March 10, 2020, to January 10, 2021.

OBJECTIVE: This study investigates the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) transmission potential in North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho from March 2020 through January 2021. METHODS: Time-varying reproduction numbers, R t , of a 7-d-sliding-window and of non-overlapping-windows between policy changes were estimated using the instantaneous reproduction number method. Linear regression was performed to evaluate if per-capita cumulative case-count varied across counties with different population size or density. RESULTS: The median 7-d-sliding-window R t estimates across the studied region varied between 1 and 1.25 during September through November 2020. Between November 13 and 18, R t was reduced by 14.71% (95% credible interval, CrI, [14.41%, 14.99%]) in North Dakota following a mask mandate; Idaho saw a 1.93% (95% CrI [1.87%, 1.99%]) reduction and Montana saw a 9.63% (95% CrI [9.26%, 9.98%]) reduction following the tightening of restrictions. High-population and high-density counties had higher per-capita cumulative case-count in North Dakota on June 30, August 31, October 31, and December 31, 2020. In Idaho, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming, there were positive correlations between population size and per-capita weekly incident case-count, adjusted for calendar time and social vulnerability index variables. CONCLUSIONS: R t decreased after mask mandate during the region's case-count spike suggested reduction in SARS-CoV-2 transmission.

Gross and histologic description of trematodosis in fetal and neonatal beef calves in North Dakota and Minnesota.

Hepatic trematodes, such as Fasciola hepatica and Fascioloides magna, have variable distribution throughout the United States. F. magna is endemic in the upper midwestern United States, and F. magna infections are diagnosed frequently in weaned calves and adult beef cattle at the North Dakota State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (NDSU-VDL). Rarely, liver fluke infestation has also been observed in much younger calves, including aborted fetuses. We describe here, in 2 fetal and 7 neonatal beef calves submitted to the NDSU-VDL between 2011 and 2020, parasitic migration tracts in livers, consisting of regionally extensive, random, linear tracts of fibrosis admixed with black porphyrin pigment, along with foci of necrosis and hemorrhage, and mixed inflammatory cells, which were caused presumptively by F. magna infection. Samples were not available from our 9 cases for PCR assay and sequencing, but we did confirm F. magna within liver samples collected from regional cattle in 2020 and 2021. Fetal and neonatal trematodosis was often concurrent with other common causes of fetal abortion and neonatal calf loss in our cases; however, based on the prepatent period of F. magna, fetal and neonatal beef calf trematode infestations occurred in utero.

A quarterly Survey of antibiotic prescribing in small animal and equine practices-Minnesota and North Dakota, 2020.

Antimicrobials are critical for medicine, but the problem of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) threatens the effectiveness of these valuable drugs. In USA, there are no national- or state-level programs or policies in place to track antibiotic use (AU) in dogs, cats, and horses, despite acknowledgement of this sector's importance to both the AMR problem and its solution. AU measurement is a key part of antibiotic stewardship and AMR prevention. This study aimed to fill existing gaps in the veterinary professions' knowledge of antibiotic prescribing in small animals and horses. To address this aim, medical record data were collected on a single day per quarter for 1 year from 19 Minnesota and North Dakota small animal and equine practices, totaling 1,899 veterinarian consults of dogs, cats, and horses. Overall, 25.8% of all canine, feline, and equine consults involved an antibiotic prescription. Third-generation cephalosporins were the most commonly prescribed systemic antibiotic drug class, and the long-acting injectable drug, cefovecin, was the most commonly prescribed antibiotic for cats (34.5%). Topical antibiotic preparations were prescribed frequently, especially in dogs (42.5% of canine prescriptions), though systemic antibiotics were often prescribed concurrently. Common general indications, based on problem or diagnosis recorded in the medical record, for antibiotics in all species combined were skin conditions (24.4%), otitis (22.1%), ophthalmic (9.4%), gastrointestinal (8.3%), respiratory (8.3%), and urinary tract (7.6%) diseases. While 44.2% of patients for which antibiotics were prescribed had cytology performed, only 3.9% had bacterial culture and susceptibility performed. In a pre-study survey, veterinarians' recommendations for AU differed from actual prescribing, suggesting collection of AU data provides more accurate assessments of veterinary prescribing behaviour than surveys. This study shows feasibility of AU measurement in small animals and horses. The data collection tool and standard operating procedures described prove suitable for national AU data collection.

Epidemiology of Hepatitis C virus infection among incarcerated populations in North Dakota.

This retrospective cohort study was conducted to determine the prevalence of HCV infections among individuals incarcerated in a state prison system and identify potential contributing factors to HCV infection. North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (NDDOCR) data from 2009 to 2018 was used and period prevalence was calculated for this 10-year time period. The period prevalence of HCV infection was (15.13% (95% CI 14.39-15.90) with a marginally significant (p-value: 0.0542) increasing linear trend in annual prevalence over this period. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify risk factors associated with HCV infection. The main significant independent risk factors for HCV infection in this incarcerated population were age >40 years [OR: 1.78 (1.37-2.32)]; sex [OR: 1.21 (1.03-1.43)]; race/ethnicity [OR: 1.97 (1.69-2.29)]; history of intravenous drug use (IVDU) [OR: 7.36 (6.41-8.44)]; history of needle or syringe sharing [OR: 7.57 (6.62-8.67)]; and alcohol use [OR: 0.87 (0.77-0.99)]. Study limitations include uncollected information on sexual history, frequency or duration of injection drug use and blood transfusion history of the incarcerated population. Considering the high prevalence of HCV infection and its associated risk factors, it is important to implement prevention programs such as syringe/needle exchanges and counsel with imprisoned IVD users.

Adverse childhood experiences and marijuana use during pregnancy: Findings from the North Dakota and South Dakota PRAMS, 2017-2019.

BACKGROUND: Emerging research suggests that adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) may be a risk factor for prenatal marijuana use. This study is the first to use a representative sample from state surveillance systems to assess the connection between accumulating ACEs and marijuana use during pregnancy. METHODS: Data are from the North Dakota and South Dakota Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) from years 2017-2019 (N = 5399). The bivariate association between number of ACEs and marijuana use during pregnancy is assessed using a chi-square test. The multivariable association is assessed using linear probability modeling. RESULTS: Only 0.9% of women with zero ACEs reported marijuana use during pregnancy, compared to 11.7% of women with four or more ACEs. Findings from linear probability models showed that mothers reporting two ACEs (b =0.023, 95% CI =0.003,.043), three ACEs (b =0.042, 95% CI =0.014,.069), and four or more ACEs (b =0.053, 95% CI =0.035,.071) are more likely to report marijuana use during pregnancy relative to those with zero ACEs, net of demographic and socioeconomic control variables. CONCLUSIONS: Accumulating maternal ACEs -especially four or more- is associated with increased likelihood of using marijuana during pregnancy. These findings demonstrate the early life trauma is a key social determinant of health over the life course and highlights how ACEs can contribute to intergenerational harm via the worsening of health behaviors during pregnancy.

Adverse childhood experiences and maternal disability: Findings from the North Dakota and South Dakota PRAMS, 2019.

RATIONALE: Prior research has found adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) to be a risk factor for disability in adulthood. Moreover, accumulating evidence highlights that both ACEs and disability during pregnancy are a risk factor for both maternal and infant wellbeing. Yet, no previous work has assessed whether ACEs increase the risk of maternal disability. OBJECTIVE: The current study assesses the link between maternal ACE exposure and disability. METHODS: Data are from the North Dakota and South Dakota Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS), 2019 (N = 1775). Logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between accumulating ACEs and maternal disability. RESULTS: Mothers with exposure to a greater number of ACE-notably, 4 or more ACEs- had elevated rates of several disabilities including difficulty communicating, difficulty remembering, difficulty seeing, and difficulty walking. CONCLUSIONS: Understanding the long-term health repercussions of ACEs for pregnant women and mothers is important to help inform the design and implementation of health care interventions. This study can be used to better understand the prevalence of disabilities among mothers and corroborate early life experiences as an important risk factor for disability.

Low occurrence of ranavirus in the Prairie Pothole Region of Montana and North Dakota (USA) contrasts with prior surveys.

Ranaviruses are emerging pathogens that have caused mortality events in amphibians worldwide. Despite the negative effects of ranaviruses on amphibian populations, monitoring efforts are still lacking in many areas, including in the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) of North America. Some PPR wetlands in Montana and North Dakota (USA) have been contaminated by energy-related saline wastewaters, and increased salinity has been linked to greater severity of ranavirus infections. In 2017, we tested tissues from larvae collected at 7 wetlands that ranged in salinity from 26 to 4103 mg Cl l-1. In 2019, we used environmental DNA (eDNA) to test for ranaviruses in 30 wetlands that ranged in salinity from 26 to 11754 mg Cl l-1. A previous study (2013-2014) found that ranavirus-infected amphibians were common across North Dakota, including in some wetlands near our study area. Overall, only 1 larva tested positive for ranavirus infection, and we did not detect ranavirus in any eDNA samples. There are several potential reasons why we found so little evidence of ranaviruses, including low larval sample sizes, mismatch between sampling and disease occurrence, larger pore size of our eDNA filters, temporal variation in outbreaks, low host abundance, or low occurrence or prevalence of ranaviruses in the wetlands we sampled. We suggest future monitoring efforts be conducted to better understand the occurrence and prevalence of ranaviruses within the PPR.

Association of Prenatal Exposure to Maternal Drinking and Smoking With the Risk of Stillbirth.

Importance: Prenatal smoking is a known modifiable risk factor for stillbirth; however, the contribution of prenatal drinking or the combination of smoking and drinking is uncertain. Objective: To examine whether prenatal exposure to alcohol and tobacco cigarettes is associated with the risk of stillbirth. Design, Setting, and Participants: The Safe Passage Study was a longitudinal, prospective cohort study with data collection conducted between August 1, 2007, and January 31, 2015. Pregnant women from Cape Town, South Africa, and the Northern Plains region of the US were recruited and followed up throughout pregnancy. Data analysis was performed from November 1, 2018, to November 20, 2020. Exposure: Maternal consumption of alcohol and tobacco cigarettes in the prenatal period. Main Outcomes and Measures: The main outcomes were stillbirth, defined as fetal death at 20 or more weeks' gestation, and late stillbirth, defined as fetal death at 28 or more weeks' gestation. Self-reported alcohol and tobacco cigarette consumption was captured at the recruitment interview and up to 3 scheduled visits during pregnancy. Participants were followed up during pregnancy to obtain delivery outcome. Results: Of 11663 pregnancies (mean [SD] gestational age at enrollment, 18.6 [6.6] weeks) in 8506 women for whom the pregnancy outcome was known by 20 weeks' gestation or later and who did not terminate their pregnancies, there were 145 stillbirths (12.4 per 1000 pregnancies) and 82 late stillbirths (7.1 per 1000 pregnancies). A total of 59% of pregnancies were in women from South Africa, 59% were in multiracial women, 23% were in White women, 17% were in American Indian women, and 0.9% were in women of other races. A total of 8% were older than 35 years. In 51% of pregnancies, women reported no alcohol or tobacco cigarette exposure (risk of stillbirth, 4 per 1000 pregnancies). After the first trimester, 18% drank and smoked (risk of stillbirth, 15 per 1000 births), 9% drank only (risk of stillbirth, 10 per 1000 pregnancies), and 22% smoked only (risk of stillbirth, 8 per 1000 pregnancies). Compared with the reference group (pregnancies not prenatally exposed or without any exposure after the first trimester), the adjusted relative risk of late stillbirth was 2.78 (98.3% CI, 1.12-6.67) for pregnancies prenatally exposed to drinking and smoking, 2.22 (98.3% CI, 0.78-6.18) for pregnancies prenatally exposed to drinking only after the first trimester, and 1.60 (98.3% CI, 0.64-3.98) for pregnancies prenatally exposed to smoking only after the first trimester. The adjusted relative risk for all stillbirths was 1.75 (98.3% CI, 0.96-3.18) for dual exposure, 1.26 (98.3% CI, 0.58-2.74) for drinking only, and 1.27 (98.3% CI, 0.69-2.35) for smoking only compared with the reference group. Conclusions and Relevance: These results suggest that combined drinking and smoking after the first trimester of pregnancy, compared with no exposure or quitting before the end of the first trimester, may be associated with a significantly increased risk of late stillbirth.

Screening at a Federally Qualified Health Center in the Midwest for Hepatitis C Among People Who Inject Drugs, 2019-2020.

INTRODUCTION: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a public health epidemic. People who inject drugs (PWID) are at high risk for transmitting and contracting HCV. The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a multifaceted intervention at a federally qualified health center in the US Midwest to improve HCV screening rates among PWID. METHODS: A prospective quality improvement initiative was conducted to increase the proportion of PWID screened for HCV. Inclusion criteria consisted of being seen by a primary care provider from April 16, 2019, through February 28, 2020, being aged 18 years or older, and confirmation of intravenous drug use. PWID status was confirmed by reviewing electronic health records. The multifaceted intervention consisted of educational sessions for the health care team and workflow changes. We analyzed the proportion of patients screened preintervention and postintervention by using χ2 tests. RESULTS: Of 742 patients who met the inclusion criteria, the proportion of PWID screened preintervention was 59.6% (n = 329) and the proportion of PWID screened postintervention was 65.1% (n = 283), increasing the screening rate by 5.5 percentage points. A χ2 test of homogeneity indicated a significant relationship between the preintervention and postintervention periods, and screening outcomes (P < .001). CONCLUSION: This multifaceted intervention to increase HCV screening resulted in a modest increase in the proportion of PWID screened. Consistent and health care system-wide screening approaches are needed to optimize the potential of HCV treatment and cure options now available.

Preoperative and Intraoperative Blood Pressure Variability Independently Correlate with Outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Blood pressure variability (BPV) describes visit-to-visit blood pressure (BP) changes independent of hypertension. Preoperative BPV and intraoperative BPV are associated with increased postoperative outcomes. We investigated the impact of both preoperative BPV and intraoperative BPV on elective surgical outcomes, specifically whether preoperative BPV and intraoperative BPV were independent risk factors for surgical complications. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We investigated 600 patients undergoing elective surgery lasting more than two h and who had ≥8 outpatient BP recordings over three preoperative years. Age, sex, ethnicity, BMI, current medical problems, and medications at time of surgery were recorded. BPV was calculated as the standard deviation (SD) of systolic or diastolic BP for the 369 valid patients. Average BPV were compared between adverse outcomes of readmission, wound infection, acute kidney injury, death, myocardial infarction, and cerebral vascular accident. RESULTS: Three-hundred-sixty-nine (52.6% male, 47.4% female, 98.1% non-Hispanic) patients (mean age 62.5) were included in the study. Preoperative systolic (P = 0.043) and diastolic (P = 0.009) BPV were higher for patients with the combined endpoint of all adverse events. Preoperative systolic BPV was correlated with intraoperative BPV (P = 0.010). Both systolic and diastolic preoperative BPV was found to be independent from intraoperative BPV. Otolaryngology procedures were associated with less adverse outcomes (P = 0.034), whil antimicrobials (P = 0.022), autonomic drugs (P < 0.001), or respiratory drugs (P = 0.032) was associated with an increased likelihood of adverse outcome. CONCLUSION: Preoperative DBPV is associated with increased risk of readmission, wound infection and the combined endpoint of all adverse events. Intraoperative systolic blood pressure variability (SPBV) is associated with increased risk of acute kidney injury and the combined endpoint of all adverse events. Preoperative DBPV and intraoperative SBPV are independent risk factors for ninety-d postoperative outcomes. BPV should be considered in individualized risk assessment when assessing patient eligibility for elective procedures.