Quality assurance programs for vitamin A and E in serum: are we doing enough to assess laboratory performance?

OBJECTIVES: Monitoring serum vitamin A (retinol) and vitamin E (α-tocopherol) concentrations is common practice for assessing nutritional status. Measurement of these vitamins can be challenging due to several factors. Whilst the RCPAQAP Vitamins: Serum Program assists participating laboratories in harmonisation, the materials provided do not contain the analogues of retinol and α-tocopherol that may be present in real patient samples. We aimed to assess participants' capacity to accurately report retinol and α-tocopherol in the presence of the vitamin E analogues tocopherol acetate and γ-tocopherol. METHODS: A supplementary series of a control sample and three matched spiked samples were distributed to each laboratory participating in the Program. Retinol and α-tocopherol results for each spiked sample were compared to the results of the control sample submitted by each participant. Acceptability of retinol and α-tocopherol results was determined based on the RCPAQAP allowable performance specifications (APS). RESULTS: Thirteen participants returned results for the supplementary sample series. Interference from α-tocopherol acetate was observed with results below the APS in 30 % (n=4) of laboratories for retinol quantification and in 23 % (n=3) for α-tocopherol quantification. One laboratory returned results above the APS for α-tocopherol when γ-tocopherol was present. CONCLUSIONS: This supplementary sample series has shown that the presence of vitamin E analogues can lead to the over or under estimation of nutritional status by some participants. Affected laboratories are encouraged to review their analytical procedures. To further assess laboratory competence, EQA providers should consider using patient samples or spiked challenge samples.

Medicine communication from hospital to residential aged care facilities: a cross-sectional survey of aged care facility staff.

BACKGROUND: Continuity of medicines management can be compromised when older people are transferred between hospital and residential aged care facilities. AIM: This study explored medicines management practices at facilities during patients' transfer of care from hospital, and staff experiences with medicines information handover from hospitals. METHOD: An electronic cross-sectional questionnaire sent to all residential aged care facilities within a metropolitan region in Australia, in February 2022. The questionnaire comprised 23 questions covering facilities' profiles, medicines management practices, and medicines management at transfer of care from 2 public hospitals. RESULTS: Of 53 listed facilities, 31 [58.5%] responded. Facilities varied in size ranging between < 50 and up to 200 beds. Twenty-seven [87.1%] facilities offered more than one level of care. Of those 27 facilities, 26 [96.3%] offered dementia care, and 23 [85.2%] offered palliative care. Six (19.4%) solely used hardcopy medication charts. Handover from hospitals to manage patients' medicines at transfer was inconsistent with only 15 [48.4%] reporting consistently receiving appropriate documentation. CONCLUSION: Residential aged care facilities varied in size and level of care. Diverse processes exist for medicines management. There is inconsistency in information received when residents transfer from hospital to facilities, potentially compromising patient safety.

Haemodialysis machine designation for patients with chronic Hepatitis B virus: A practice and attitudes survey of Australian renal healthcare workers.

BACKGROUND: To reduce the risk of viral transmission, guidelines recommend the use of designated haemodialysis machines and patient isolation for patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV). These practices are without a strong evidence base, and may no longer be necessary in the setting of heat disinfection programs and standard precautions. METHODS: An online cross-sectional survey was developed for renal clinicians across Australia and New Zealand to explore infection prevention policy concerning patients with chronic HBV in haemodialysis units. We sought to determine whether psychosocial and cultural impacts might result from the mandatory use of machine designation and patient isolation practices, as perceived by multidisciplinary healthcare workers with experience working with this patient population. RESULTS: Sixty-seven responses from 27 health districts across all states of Australia and one New Zealand district were received. Most respondents were from urban areas (65%), and were nurses (87%). 50% of health districts reported using designated machines, while 32% isolate patients. Lack of necessary resources limited the use of designated machines (57%), and patient isolation (78%). Respondents not routinely using these precautions were more likely to express concerns regarding patient psychosocial wellbeing and cultural appropriateness. Overall, 30% of respondents expressed concerns regarding the cultural appropriateness of these recommendations. CONCLUSION: We demonstrate wide variation in haemodialysis infection prevention and control policy and practice with regards to managing patients with chronic HBV. While use of standard precautions and machine disinfection are consistently applied, resource availability and concerns for patient psychosocial wellbeing limit adherence to international guidelines.

Cardiac Hospice Care-A Collaborative Approach to Managing Heart Failure.

As treatments for end-stage heart failure (ESHF) have become more available, patients with ESHF may encounter decisional dilemmas as their condition progresses and they seek more comfort-based care. Those who want to continue therapeutic treatments such as inotropic therapy, may face the challenge of finding a hospice agency willing to integrate this therapy into the hospice benefit model. This article highlights one hospice agency's willingness to explore common barriers to admitting patients receiving inotropic therapy, and addresses the trajectory of patient care when hospice collaboratively partners with cardiology services. It outlines operational development for providing cardiac focused care in hospice, and speaks to next steps for expanding these services. Most importantly, it acknowledges the profound effect on patients who are offered the choice to return home with hospice while receiving cardiac therapeutic care.

Have gloves and gowns had their day? An Australian and New Zealand practice and attitudes survey about contact precautions for MRSA and VRE colonisation.

BACKGROUND: 'Contact precautions,' are recommended for hospitalised patients with known methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant Enterococci (VRE) colonisation. Despite increasing observational evidence suggesting that gowns and gloves are of no added benefit over hand hygiene and environmental cleaning, guidelines continue to recommend them. METHODS: A cross-sectional online survey of infection prevention professionals, infectious diseases physicians and microbiologists in Australian and New Zealand hospitals was conducted. The purpose was to explore variations in current approaches to known MRSA and VRE colonisation, and determine clinical equipoise for a proposed randomised control trial (RCT) to withdraw the use of gowns and gloves in this setting. RESULTS: 226 responses from 122 hospitals across all Australian jurisdiction and multiple regions of New Zealand were received. While most hospitals implement contact precautions for MRSA (86%) and VRE (92%), variations based on MRSA and VRE subtypes are common. There was strong interest in removing glove and gown use for MRSA (72% and 73%, respectively) and VRE (70% and 68%, respectively). 62% of surveyed hospitals expressed interest in participating in a proposed cluster RCT comparing discontinuation of gown and glove use as part of contact precautions for MRSA and VRE, with their ongoing use. CONCLUSION: The mandated use of PPE in the context of MRSA and VRE colonisation warrants further examination. An RCT is needed to definitively address this issue and to promote a widespread change in practice, if warranted.

Neighborhood, school, and family effects on the frequency of alcohol use among Toronto youth.

This study examines the effect of neighborhood, school, and family indicators on adolescent drinking. The Toronto Drugs, Alcohol, and Violence International (DAVI) data were collected in 2001-2002. The sample was stratified both by region (city vs. outskirts) and by the socio-economic status of the schools. Two schools from each stratum were randomly selected and 910 students completed the survey. The survey contains extensive measures of substance use, violence, and mental health. The study uses cluster analysis and multinomial logits to examine the variation in the effect of schools, family, and demographic indicators on alcohol use across neighborhood contexts. Study implications and suggestions for future research are included. The study was partially funded by NIDA grant #R01-DA11691-01A1.

Safety of prolonged outpatient courses of intravenous antibiotics: a prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: The perceived need for prolonged intravenous antibiotic courses has become a major driver behind the growth of outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) services. Several recent randomized controlled trials demonstrate noninferiority of an early switch to oral therapy and highlight the need to accurately quantify harms associated with OPAT. METHODS: We conducted a 10-year prospective cohort study in a tertiary hospital OPAT service. Adults admitted to the service between 1 June 2009 and 30 June 2019 who received an intravenous antimicrobial agent were included. Adverse events (AEs) attributable to intravenous antibiotics or intravenous access were recorded in a prospectively maintained database and analyzed. RESULTS: There were 4160 admissions (median length of stay: 20 days) and a total of 88 432 patient-days of observation; 135 patients (3.3% of admissions) experienced at least one major AE (1.54 per 1000 patient-days; 95% CI, 1.29-1.82). The risk of a major AE peaked in the second week of OPAT admission, with acute kidney injury (43 of 136; 32%) and severe cytopenia (42 of 136; 31%) being the most common. At least one minor AE occurred in 38.3% of admissions (1592 of 4160; 26.4 per 1000 patient-days; 95% CI, 25.4-27.5), with central venous catheter-related complications accounting for 71% of AEs (1658 of 2338). DISCUSSION: The incidence of major AEs during long courses of intravenous antibiotics is low, peaking in week 2 and tailing off thereafter. These results should inform decisions concerning the choice of intravenous versus oral antimicrobials.

Characteristics and outcomes of culture-negative prosthetic joint infections from the Prosthetic Joint Infection in Australia and New Zealand Observational (PIANO) cohort study.

Introduction: Culture-negative (CN) prosthetic joint infections (PJIs) account for approximately 10 % of all PJIs and present significant challenges for clinicians. We aimed to explore the significance of CN PJIs within a large prospective cohort study, comparing their characteristics and outcomes with culture-positive (CP) cases. Methods: The Prosthetic joint Infection in Australia and New Zealand Observational (PIANO) study is a prospective, multicentre observational cohort study that was conducted at 27 hospitals between 2014 and 2017. We compared baseline characteristics and outcomes of all patients with CN PJI from the PIANO cohort with those of CP cases. We report on PJI diagnostic criteria in the CN cohort and apply internationally recognized PJI diagnostic guidelines to determine optimal CN PJI detection methods. Results: Of the 650 patients with 24-month outcome data available, 55 (8.5 %) were CN and 595 were CP. Compared with the CP cohort, CN patients were more likely to be female (32 (58.2 %) vs. 245 (41.2 %); p   =  0.016), involve the shoulder joint (5 (9.1 %) vs. 16 (2.7 %); p   =  0.026), and have a lower mean C-reactive protein (142 mg L - 1 vs. 187 mg L - 1 ; p   =  0.016). Overall, outcomes were superior in CN patients, with culture negativity an independent predictor of treatment success at 24 months (adjusted odds ratio, aOR, of 3.78 and 95 %CI of 1.65-8.67). Suboptimal diagnostic sampling was common in both cohorts, with CN PJI case detection enhanced using the Infectious Diseases Society of America PJI diagnostic guidelines. Conclusions: Current PJI diagnostic guidelines vary substantially in their ability to detect CN PJI, with comprehensive diagnostic sampling necessary to achieve diagnostic certainty. Definitive surgical management strategies should be determined by careful assessment of infection type, rather than by culture status alone.

Transcranial Dopplers Revisited: Development of Novel Markers for Cerebral Vasospasm After Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage.

Background Cerebral vasospasm has been monitored by conventional angiography or transcranial Doppler (TCD). While angiography is the most accurate and reliable method for detection, TCDs are a noninvasive alternative to monitor onset and resolution of vasospasm. We aim to determine whether alternative TCD parameters rather than Lindegaard ratio lead to an improved method to diagnose and potentially prevent cerebral vasospasm. Methods A total of 103 consecutive patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) were retrospectively reviewed and TCD studies were performed during the first 14 days post-bleed or longer if indicated. Multivariate logistic regression models were developed using significant univariate characteristics. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves evaluated the mean middle cerebral artery (MCA), peak systolic MCA (PSV MCA), and end diastolic MCA (EDV MCA) velocities as well as ratios when compared to the ipsilateral extracranial internal carotid artery (ICA). The area under the curve was calculated to compare accuracy for symptomatic vasospasm. Results Thirteen patients (12.6%) were observed to develop cerebral vasospasm. Aneurysm location (p = 0.51), Hunt and Hess grade (p = 0.44), Fischer grade (p = 0.87), comorbidities, age (p = 0.67), or gender (p = 0.41) did not appear to have any effect in predicting the presence of vasospasm. ROC curves demonstrated that MCA EDV appeared to be slightly better compared to MCA velocity in predicting symptomatic vasospasm. PSV MCA/extracranial ICA and the EDV MCA/extracranial ICA ratios appeared to be an improvement to the Lindegaard ratio in the prediction of symptomatic vasospasm. Conclusion The utility of peak systolic and end diastolic velocities, instead of the classically referenced mean velocities and Lindegaard ratio, may improve diagnostic sensitivity of cerebral vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage.

CYP1A2 is more variable than previously thought: a genomic biography of the gene behind the human drug-metabolizing enzyme.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: CYP1A2 metabolizes various drugs, endogenous compounds and procarcinogens. As human genetic diversity has been reported to decrease with distance from Ethiopia, we resequenced CYP1A2 in five Ethiopian ethnic groups representing a rough northeast to southwest transect across Ethiopia to establish: (i) what variation exists in comparison with what is already known globally and (ii) what CYP1A2 pharmacogenetic profiles may be present as several CYP1A2-metabolized drugs are administered to Ethiopians. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: We found 49 different variable sites (30 of which are novel), nine nonsynonymous changes (seven of which are novel), one synonymous change and 55 different haplotypes, only three of which are previously reported. When haplotypes were constructed using only nonsynonymous polymorphisms to restrict haplotypes to those most likely to affect enzyme structure/function, 10 haplotypes were identified (seven contain previously unidentified nonsynonymous variants and four are predicted to alter the enzyme structure/function). Most individuals have at least one copy of the ancestral haplotype. Comparing these data with those from publically available databases, Ethiopian groups display twice the variation seen in all other populations combined (gene diversity using nonsynonymous variants): Ethiopia=0.17±0.02, other populations=0.08±0.03. Across the entire gene, Ethiopia also evidences all common variation found on a global scale. We provide evidence of weak purifying selection acting on CYP1A2 and show that the time to most recent common ancestor, calculated using variation in a nearby microsatellite, places several variants into a period predating the expansion of modern humans out of Africa less than 100,000 years ago.

Treatment of Neisseria meningitidis prosthetic joint infections with short-course antibiotics: three cases and a literature review.

Neisseria meningitidis is a rare cause of prosthetic joint infection (PJI), with only three cases previously reported. Here we report three further cases, all of which were successfully treated with implant retention and short-course antibiotics ( < 6  weeks).

Multiple rare variants as a cause of a common phenotype: several different lactase persistence associated alleles in a single ethnic group.

Persistence of intestinal lactase into adulthood allows humans to use milk from other mammals as a source of food and water. This genetic trait has arisen by convergent evolution and the derived alleles of at least three different single nucleotide polymorphisms (-13910C>T, -13915T>G, -14010G>C) are associated with lactase persistence in different populations. Each allele occurs on an extended haplotype, consistent with positive directional selection. The SNPs are located in an 'enhancer' sequence in an intron of a neighboring gene (MCM6) and modulate lactase transcription in vitro. However, a number of lactase persistent individuals carry none of these alleles, but other low-frequency single nucleotide polymorphisms have been observed in the same region. Here we examine a cohort of 107 milk-drinking Somali camel-herders from Ethiopia. Eight polymorphic sites are identified in the enhancer. -13915*G and -13907*G (a previously reported candidate) are each significantly associated with lactase persistence. A new allele, -14009*G, has borderline association with lactase persistence, but loses significance after correction for multiple testing. Sequence diversity of the enhancer is significantly higher in the lactase persistent members of this and a second cohort compared with non-persistent members of the two groups (P = 7.7 x 10(-9) and 1.0 x 10(-3)). By comparing other loci, we show that this difference is not due to population sub-structure, demonstrating that increased diversity can accompany selection. This contrasts with the well-documented observation that positive selection decreases diversity by driving up the frequency of a single advantageous allele, and has implications for association studies.

Is gentamicin safe and effective for severe community-acquired pneumonia? An 8-year retrospective cohort study.

Gram-negative bacilli are the causative organisms in a significant proportion of patients with severe community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). Clinical guidelines recommend broad-spectrum antimicrobials for empirical treatment despite alarming global trends in antimicrobial resistance. In this study, we aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of gentamicin, an aminoglycoside with potent bactericidal activity, for empirical Gram-negative coverage of severe CAP in patients admitted to the ICU. A retrospective cohort study was performed at a university teaching hospital where the severe CAP guideline recommends penicillin, azithromycin and gentamicin as empirical cover. Ceftriaxone plus azithromycin is used as an alternative. Adults with radiologically-confirmed severe CAP were included, comparing those who received gentamicin in the first 72 h of admission with those who did not. Participants were identified using ICD-10 codes for bacterial pneumonia and data manually extracted from electronic medical records. Of 148 patients admitted with severe pneumonia, 117 were given at least one dose of gentamicin whereas the remaining 31 were not. The two groups were well matched in terms of demographics, co-morbidities and disease severity. There were no significant differences between the gentamicin and no-gentamicin groups in the incidence of acute kidney injury [60/117 (51%) vs. 16/31 (52%), respectively], hospital mortality [20/117 (17%) vs. 7/31 (23%)] and secondary outcomes including relapse and length of hospital stay. In conclusion, gentamicin is safe and has similar outcomes to alternative Gram-negative antimicrobial regimens for empirical coverage in severe CAP patients admitted to the ICU.

Testing Postural Stability: Are the Star Excursion Balance Test and Biodex Balance System Limits of Stability Tests Consistent?

There are a variety of options to test postural stability; however many physical tests lack validity information. Two tests of postural stability - the Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT) and Biodex Balance System Limits of Stability Test (LOS) - were examined to determine if similar components of balance were measured. Healthy adults (n=31) completed the LOS (levels 6 and 12) and SEBT (both legs). SEBT directions were offset by 180° to approximate LOS direction. Correlations and partial correlations controlling for height were analyzed. Correlations were significant for SEBT 45° and LOS back-left (6: r=-0.41; 12: r=-0.42; p<0.05), SEBT 90° and LOS 6 left (r=-0.51, p<0.05), SEBT 135(o) and LOS 6 front-left (r=-0.53, p<0.05), SEBT overall and LOS 6 overall (r=-0.43, p<0.05). Partial correlations were significant for SEBT 90° and LOS 6 left (rSEBT,LOS·H=-0.45, p<0.05) and SEBT 135° and LOS 6 front-left (rSEBT,LOS·H=-0.51, p<0.05), and SEBT overall and LOS 6 overall (rSEBT,LOS·H=-0.37, p<0.05). These findings indicate the tests seem to assess different components of balance. Research is needed to determine and define what specific components of balance are being assessed. Care must be taken when choosing balance tests to best match the test to the purpose of testing (fall risk, athletic performance, etc.).

Magnet designation: a model for home healthcare practice.

Nurses at 1 hospital-affiliated home healthcare agency (HHA) found that being a department of a Magnet-accredited hospital had a significant impact on the culture of their HHA. Important lessons were learned in conjunction with the Magnet designation journey. In this article, the authors describe the history of the Magnet recognition program, the components of the Magnet model, and how these are applicable to nursing practice within HHAs.

Creating a meaningful infection control program: one home healthcare agency's lessons.

Creating a meaningful infection control program in the home care setting proved to be challenging for agency leaders of one hospital-based home healthcare agency. Challenges arose when agency leaders provided infection control (IC) data to the hospital's IC Committee. The IC Section Chief asked for national benchmark comparisons to align home healthcare reporting to that of the hospital level. At that point, it was evident that the home healthcare IC program lacked definition and structure. The purpose of this article is to share how one agency built a meaningful IC program.

Preparing for the unexpected: violence in the home care environment, one agency's story.

Home care and hospice agencies, bound by regulations, prepare for emergencies and disasters by creating policies and protocols for management of emergency situations, perhaps conducting table top or other types of drills, and discussing hazards likely to impact home care. Is this preparation merely an exercise to meet a requirement, or is it life-saving preparation? For one home care agency, the emergency exercise saved the day as the scenario enacted in the drill was actually lived out a few weeks after the exercise-a scenario the agency leaders hoped they would never face. This account explores how the agency prepared to meet the emergent situation and details lessons learned in the aftermath.

Telehealth monitoring: a smart investment for home care patients with heart failure?

This telehealth project was positive overall. It was an agency goal to utilize telehealth to augment, not replace, SN visits while improving quality outcomes for the patient. The findings of this project supported that goal.