Breakthrough COVID-19 Infections in the US: Implications for Prolonging the Pandemic.

The incidence of COVID-19 breakthrough infections-an infection that occurs after you have been vaccinated-has increased in frequency since the Delta and now Omicron variants of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus have become the dominant strains transmitted in the United States (US). Evidence suggests that individuals with breakthrough infections, though rare and expected, may readily transmit COVID-19 to unvaccinated populations, posing a continuing threat to the unvaccinated. Here, we examine factors contributing to breakthrough infections including a poor immune response to the vaccines due to the fact of advanced age and underlying comorbidities, the natural waning of immune protection from the vaccines over time, and viral variants that escape existing immune protection from the vaccines. The rise in breakthrough infections in the US and how they contribute to new infections, specifically among the unvaccinated and individuals with compromised immune systems, will create the need for additional booster vaccinations or development of modified vaccines that directly target current variants circulating among the general population. The need to expedite vaccination among the more than 49.8 million unvaccinated eligible people in the US is critical.

Residential proximity to toxic release sites and the implications for low birth weight and premature delivery.

The objective of the study discussed in this article was to evaluate the impact of residential proximity to toxic release sites (TRS) and potential implications for low birth weight (LBW) and premature delivery in Shelby County, Tennessee women. The sample (N = 369) included pregnant women who participated in the Blues Project (2007-2009). ArcGIS was used to map the mother's residence at delivery and distance from each of the 10 TRS. Multivariate logistic regression was used to predict LBW and prematurity based on proximity to TRS, while adjusting for probable confounders and effect modifiers. Proximity to Site 8 (odds ratio [OR] = 4.018, confidence interval [CI] = 1.103-14.643) and Site 10 (OR = 2.667, CI = 1.036-6.862) put mothers at increased risk for preterm births. The authors' findings suggest that residential proximity to Site 8 or Site 10 may be a risk factor for premature delivery in Shelby County women.

Prevalence of 25-hydroxyvitamin D deficiency in an urban general internal medicine academic practice.

Vitamin D deficiency has received increased academic interest because of its association with many common disease processes. The goal of our study was to document the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency. A retrospective chart review of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (ng/mL) levels at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center was conducted on general internal medicine patients over an 18-month period. The 25-hydroxyvitamin D deficient patients were divided into four groups: severe (<7 ng/mL), moderate (7.0-20.9 ng/mL), mild (21-31.9 ng/mL), and sufficient (>32 ng/mL). We found that an overwhelming majority of our patients were mildly to severely deficient (87 percent) with 17 percent severely deficient, 53 percent moderately deficient, 17 percent mildly deficient, and only 13 percent sufficient. The prevalence of 25-hydroxyvitamin D deficiency among this population was higher than expected based on the prevalence of 25-hydroxyvitamin D deficiency reported in literature. Based on this data, we believe a greater percentage of the general population needs to be studied in order to discover the true prevalence of vitamin D deficiency.

Prevalence of 25-hydroxyvitamin D deficiency in an urban general internal medicine academic practice.

Vitamin D deficiency has received increased academic interest because of its association with many common disease processes. The goal of our study was to document the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency. A retrospective chart review of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (ng/ml) levels at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center was conducted on general internal medicine patients over an 18-month period. The 25-hydroxyvitamin D deficient patients were divided into four groups: severe (<7 ng/ml), moderate (7.0-20.9 ng/ml), mild (21-31.9 ng/ml), and sufficient (>32 ng/ml). We found that an overwhelming majority of our patients were mildly to severely deficient (87 percent) with 17 percent severely deficient, 53 percent moderately deficient, 17 percent mildly deficient, and only 13 percent sufficient. The prevalence of 25-hydroxyvitamin D deficiency among this population was higher than expected based on the prevalence of 25-hydroxyvitamin D deficiency reported in literature. Based on this data, we believe a greater percentage of the general population needs to be studied in order to discover the true prevalence of vitamin D deficiency.

Patterns of sexual and erectile dysfunction and response to treatment in patients receiving androgen deprivation therapy for prostate cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the incidence of patient-reported erectile (ED) and sexual dysfunction and response to treatment in men after the induction of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) for prostate cancer, as ADT-induced changes in serum testosterone can result in changes in libido and sexual function. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed patients receiving ADT for prostate cancer at our institution between January 1989 and July 2005; those receiving only neoadjuvant ADT were excluded. Variables included age, race, body mass index, prostate-specific antigen level before ADT, Gleason sum, clinical stage, ADT type (medical vs surgical) and schedule (continuous vs intermittent), previous treatment for prostate cancer, presence of pre-existing or new-onset diabetes mellitus (DM), and presence of ED before ADT. After ADT induction, charts were reviewed for reporting of ED, changes in libido, and initiation of ED therapy (medical or surgical). RESULTS: In all, 395 patients (mean age of 71.7 years; 59.0% African-American, 41.0% Caucasian/other, at initiation ADT) were analysed. At mean follow-up of 87.4 months, 57 (14.4%) patients reported ED; 40 of these (70%) reported new-onset ED, while 17 (30%) reported ED before ADT. Response rates were 33-80% with medical therapy, including 44% receiving phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor monotherapy. On multivariate analysis, age <70 years (P < 0.001) and the absence of DM (P = 0.024) were associated with reporting ED after ADT. CONCLUSIONS: Patients receiving ADT for prostate cancer have variable degrees of ED. Successful outcomes are possible, particularly when implementing multimodal therapy. Younger patients and those with no DM are more likely to report ED after ADT induction.

Development and validation of SIMS: an instrument for measuring quality of life of adults with sickle cell disease.

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the assessment of quality of life (QOL) issues, particularly in chronic debilitating conditions. Several instruments have been developed, tested, and validated in the general population and in other chronic diseases; however, few studies have examined QOL issues in adults with sickle cell disease (SCD). We developed Sickle Cell Impact Measurement Scale (SIMS), an instrument for measuring the QOL of adults with SCD. The 142-item multi-dimensional SIMS questionnaire was developed using 4 validated instruments and additional questions based upon recommendations of patient focus groups. The SIMS was self-administered to 106 SCD and 45 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients over 4 sites. SIMS was evaluated on measures of both internal consistency and construct validity. Item reduction was performed based on results of factor analysis. The SIMS achieved good internal consistency, with a Cronbach's alpha coefficient reported of 0.86, and distinguished between patients with SCD and RA. Overall, QOL did not differ significantly among SCD and RA patients. However, SCD patients scored higher in both physical and social domains, which was expected and reflected the differences in the pathophysiology of each disease. The SIMS is a reliable, valid, and responsive questionnaire, which functions well as a discriminative instrument for the measure of health-related QOL (HRQOL) of adults with SCD. The SIMS is currently being administered to adults with SCD across several centers for further validation to become a disease-specific, global QOL instrument.

Compass: the direction for professional nursing development at a tertiary acute care facility.

In this article, the author discusses a professional nursing development model used at one facility, including the model's outcomes over a 3-year period and its further direction. This model, called Compass, has been useful for the professional development and retention of nursing staff.

Osteoporosis and fractures after androgen deprivation initiation for prostate cancer.

INTRODUCTION: Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is widely utilized for treatment of localized and advanced prostate cancer (CaP). ADT is associated with increased rates of osteoporosis; however, its impact on fracture risk is not completely understood. We investigated incidence and predisposing factors for osteoporosis and fractures in a large, contemporary, single institution series of patients treated with ADT for CaP. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed medical records of all patients who received ADT for CaP between 1/1989 and 7/2005. Primary endpoints of investigation were osteoporosis and non-pathologic fractures. Independent variables included age, race, body mass index (BMI), pretreatment serum PSA, Gleason sum, clinical stage, ADT type (medical versus surgical) and schedule (continuous versus intermittent), and receipt of calcium, vitamin D or bisphosphonate supplementation. Data were analyzed by Chi-square test, Student's t-test, Linear Regression, and Logistic Regression (p < 0.05 significant). RESULTS: A total of 395 patients were analyzed (mean age 71.7 years, 59% African American, 41% Caucasian/other). At mean follow-up of 66.1 months, 92 (23%) patients developed osteoporosis and 27 (7%) patients developed non-pathologic fractures. On univariate analysis, age, race, BMI, and ADT duration were significantly associated with osteoporosis development, while BMI, ADT duration, and presence of osteoporosis were significantly associated with fracture incidence. Regression analysis revealed that age > 70 at ADT initiation, continuous ADT, and increased treatment duration predicted osteoporosis development, while only osteoporosis was independently predictive of fracture development. CONCLUSIONS: Patients receiving continuous ADT for CaP are at increased risk for developing osteoporosis which may lead to fractures, with an incidence of 7% in our study population.

Risk of new-onset diabetes mellitus and worsening glycaemic variables for established diabetes in men undergoing androgen-deprivation therapy for prostate cancer.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the incidence of new-onset diabetes mellitus (NODM) and of worsening glycaemic control in established DM after starting androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) for prostate cancer, as ADT is associated with altered body composition, potentially influencing insulin sensitivity. PATIENTS AND METHODS We retrospectively reviewed patients receiving ADT for prostate cancer at our institution between January 1989 and July 2005; those with incomplete information and those receiving only neoadjuvant ADT were excluded. Variables examined included age, race, body mass index (BMI), pretreatment prostate-specific antigen, Gleason sum, clinical stage, ADT type (medical vs surgical) and schedule (continuous vs intermittent), presence of pre-existing DM, serum glucose and glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) levels before and after ADT, and receipt of vitamin D or bisphosphonate supplementation. Data were analysed statistically and P < 0.05 considered to indicate significance. RESULTS In all, 396 patients (median age 73.2 years; median BMI of 26.7 kg/m(2) at ADT initiation) were analysed. Of these, 59.1% were African-American and 40.9% were Caucasian/other. At a median follow-up of 60.1 months, 36 (11.3%) patients developed NODM. In 77 patients with pre-existing DM, there was an increase of >/=10% in serum HbA1c or fasting glucose levels in 15 (19.5%) and 22 (28.6%), respectively. On multivariate analysis, a BMI of >/=30 kg/m(2) was associated with an increased risk of developing NODM (odds ratio 4.65, P = 0.031). Receipt of vitamin D had a protective effect (odds ratio 5.75, P = 0.017). CONCLUSIONS Patients receiving ADT for prostate cancer with or with no history of DM should have routine surveillance of glycaemic control, particularly when their BMI is >/= 30 kg/m(2), with appropriate preventive and treatment measures.

Cobedding in the NICU: a new adventure.

With advances in neonatal and obstetric care over the past few years, the number of premature, multiple-birth neonates entering NICUs has increased. As we have started to recognize the special bond that twins and higher multiples share, cobedding has emerged as an NICU practice. As with any change, the introduction of cobedding presents challenges in the NICU. Both the theoretical benefits anti the potential concerns are many. Although nursing staff and parents may be excited about the prospect of placing these infants in the same crib, careful investigation and planning are necessary for any new procedure. This article discusses the cobedding of multiples as implemented at the University of Michigan. As a new practice, cobedding warrants further research, especially regarding its proposed benefits and implementation in the NICU.