Mental health, pain and likelihood of opioid misuse among adults with sickle cell disease.

Depressive symptoms are prevalent in individuals living with sickle cell disease (SCD) and may exacerbate pain. This study examines whether higher depressive symptoms are associated with pain outcomes, pain catastrophizing, interference and potential opioid misuse in a large cohort of adults with SCD. The study utilized baseline data from the 'CaRISMA' trial, which involved 357 SCD adults with chronic pain. Baseline assessments included pain intensity, daily mood, the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ), the Generalized Anxiety Disorders scale, PROMIS Pain Interference, Pain Catastrophizing Scale, the Adult Sickle Cell Quality of Life Measurement Information System and the Current Opioid Misuse Measure. Participants were categorized into 'high' or 'low' depression groups based on PHQ scores. Higher depressive symptoms were significantly associated with increased daily pain intensity, negative daily mood, higher pain interference and catastrophizing, poorer quality of life and a higher likelihood of opioid misuse (all p < 0.01). SCD patients with more severe depressive symptoms experienced poorer pain outcomes, lower quality of life and increased risk of opioid misuse. Longitudinal data from this trial will determine whether addressing depressive symptoms may potentially reduce pain frequency and severity in SCD.

Psychiatry referral and appointment attendance in a clinic for young adults with sickle cell disease.

Mental illness is a common sickle cell disease (SCD) comorbidity. This observational study evaluated psychiatry appointment attendance among 137 young adults with SCD. In their first year of adult SCD care, 43% of subjects were referred to psychiatry. Referral was associated with chronic transfusion therapy. Twenty-four percent of subjects attended a psychiatry appointment; attendance was associated with the appointment being scheduled within 6 weeks of referral and no subject characteristics. Ninety-one percent of subjects attending psychiatry appointments had a psychiatric disorder. Among young adults with SCD, psychiatric morbidity is high. Psychiatric services are, therefore, essential for this patient population.

Trainees' perspectives on sickle cell education: a qualitative needs assessment.

BACKGROUND: Sickle cell disease (SCD) exemplifies many of the social, racial, and healthcare equity issues in the United States. Despite its high morbidity, mortality, and cost of care, SCD has not been prioritized in research and clinical teaching, resulting in under-trained clinicians and a poor evidence base for managing complications of the disease. This study aimed to perform a needs assessment, examining the perspectives of medical trainees pursuing hematology/oncology subspecialty training regarding SCD-focused education and clinical care. METHOD: Inductive, iterative thematic analysis was used to explore qualitative interviews of subspecialty hematology-oncology trainees' attitudes and preferences for education on the management of patients with SCD. Fifteen trainees from six programs in the United States participated in 4 focus groups between April and May 2023. RESULTS: Thematic analysis resulted in 3 themes: 1. Discomfort caring for patients with SCD. 2. Challenges managing complications of SCD, and 3. Desire for SCD specific education. Patient care challenges included the complexity of managing SCD complications, limited evidence to guide practice, and healthcare bias. Skill-building challenges included lack of longitudinal exposure, access to expert clinicians, and didactics. CONCLUSIONS: Variations in exposure, limited formal didactics, and a lack of national standardization for SCD education during training contributes to trainees' discomfort and challenges in managing SCD, which in turn, contribute to decreased interest in entering the SCD workforce. The findings underscore the need for ACGME competency amendments, dedicated SCD rotations, and standardized didactics to address the gaps in SCD education.

Psychiatric comorbidities in adults with sickle cell disease: A narrative review.

Although descriptions of quality of life and patient reports of mood in sickle cell disease (SCD) have become more common in the literature, less is known about psychiatric illness prevalence, presentation, and treatment, particularly for adults. We provide a narrative review of what is known about common and debilitating psychiatric conditions such as depression, anxiety, and cognitive impairment, specifically for adults with SCD. We discuss the limitations of the current evidence, make provisional recommendations, and identify opportunities for research and improved care.

The Complex Association of Daily Opioid Dose with Visits for Pain in Sickle Cell Disease: Tolerance or Treatment-Refractory Pain?

INTRODUCTION: Opioids are used for acute and chronic pain in patients with sickle cell disease. How outpatient opioid regimens relate to acute care visits is of interest given the risks of high opioid doses and high hospital utilization. A prior study by our group suggested that outpatient opioid treatment for chronic pain could contribute to a vicious cycle of treatment-refractory acute pain, greater acute care utilization, and escalating opioid doses. The present larger naturalistic observational study was undertaken to determine whether the results were reliable across multiple acute care settings. METHODS: One year of clinical data on patients (n = 291) followed in the Sickle Cell Center for Adults (August 2018 to July 2019) were extracted, including visits to the emergency department, visits to the infusion center, and inpatient admissions. Outpatient opioid dosage was used to predict acute care treatment in generalized linear models that were controlled for patient, disease, and treatment characteristics. RESULTS: Outpatient opioid dosage predicted dosage during visits but did not predict visit length or pain relief. Higher outpatient opioid dosage was associated with greater number of visits. However, in post hoc analyses, this relationship was nonlinear, with a clear positive association only for those prescribed the lowest 50% of dosages. DISCUSSION: Higher outpatient opioid dosage predicted higher dosages during acute care visits to achieve the same pain score improvement, which is more consistent with opioid tolerance than with treatment-refractory pain. The relationship of outpatient opioid dosage with number of acute care visits was more complex, which suggests that opioid consumption at lower levels is driven by intermittent acute pain and opioid consumption at higher levels is driven by chronic pain.

Illness Intrusiveness in Adults with Sickle Cell Disease: The Role of Fatigue.

Chronic illness experiences often interfere with daily functioning (a concept known as illness intrusiveness) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). However, less is known about the role of specific symptoms in predicting illness intrusiveness in sickle cell disease (SCD). This exploratory study examined associations between common SCD-related symptoms (i.e., pain, fatigue, depression, and anxiety), illness intrusiveness, and HRQoL among adults with SCD (n = 60). Illness intrusiveness significantly correlated with fatigue severity (r = .39, p = .002), depression severity (r = .45, p < .001), anxiety severity (r = .41, p = .001), physical HRQoL (r = - .53, p < .001), and mental HRQoL (r = - .44, p < .001). Multiple regression revealed a significant overall model, (R2 = .28, F(4, 55) = 5.21, p = .001), with fatigue, but not pain, depression, or anxiety, significantly predicting illness intrusiveness (ß = .29, p = .036). Results suggest that fatigue may be a primary factor contributing to illness intrusiveness-a determinant of HRQoL-in individuals with SCD. Given the limited sample size, larger confirmatory studies are warranted.

Converting adults with sickle cell disease from full agonist opioids to buprenorphine: A reliable method with safety and early evidence of reduced acute care utilization.

Buprenorphine, a novel opioid with complex pharmacology, is effective for treating pain and is qualitatively safer than high-dose full agonist opioid therapy; but transitioning to buprenorphine can be technically complex and carries some risk of precipitated withdrawal. We report our clinic's experience converting 36 patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) from full agonist opioids to buprenorphine using a method developed in the past 10 years. Thirty of these patients were induced using a standard outpatient protocol and six were induced during medical admissions. Typically, patients were on high-dose chronic opioid therapy (COT) with inadequate response, and often with very high acute care utilization. Unlike prior case series, the method of induction, dosing, and management of withdrawal are detailed, as are post-induction adverse events. There were seven adverse events in the first 3 days following standard induction, and two of which were judged to be definitely related to the induction but none with any lasting sequelae. At 6 months follow-up, five participants had discontinued buprenorphine (16.67%), and overall acute care visits dropped from a mean of 10.50 (SD 11.35) in the 6 months pre-induction to 2.89 (SD 3.40) in the 6 months post-induction. In an appropriately interdisciplinary care setting, buprenorphine shows promise as a safe alternative to COT with early evidence of benefit for high-utilizing patients with SCD.

Antidepressants Trial in Parkinson's Disease (ADepT-PD): protocol for a randomised placebo-controlled trial on the effectiveness of escitalopram and nortriptyline on depressive symptoms in Parkinson's disease.

BACKGROUND: Depressive symptoms are common in patients with Parkinson's disease and depression is a significant predictor of functional impairment, reduced quality of life and general well-being in Parkinson's disease. Despite the high prevalence of depression, evidence on the effectiveness and tolerability of antidepressants in this population is limited. The primary aim of this trial is to establish the clinical and cost effectiveness of escitalopram and nortriptyline for the treatment of depression in Parkinson's disease. METHODS: This is a multi-centre, double-blind, randomised placebo-controlled trial in 408 people with Parkinson's disease with subsyndromal depression, major depressive disorder or persistent depressive disorder and a Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) score of 14 or above. Participants will be randomised into one of three groups, receiving either escitalopram, nortriptyline or placebo for 12 months. Trial participation is face-to-face, hybrid or remote. The primary outcome measure is the BDI-II score following 8 weeks of treatment. Secondary outcomes will be collected at baseline, 8, 26 and 52 weeks and following withdrawal, including severity of anxiety and depression scores as well as Parkinson's disease motor severity, and ratings of non-motor symptoms, cognitive function, health-related quality of life, levodopa-equivalence dose, changes in medication, overall clinical effectiveness, capability, health and social care resource use, carer health-related quality of life, adverse effects and number of dropouts. DISCUSSION: This trial aims to determine the effectiveness of escitalopram and nortriptyline for reducing depressive symptoms in Parkinson's disease over 8 weeks, to provide information on the effect of these medications on anxiety and other non-motor symptoms in PD and on impact on patients and caregivers, and to examine their effect on change in motor severity. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03652870 Date of registration - 29th August 2018.

Motivations and barriers to exercise among clinicians.

According to Kirk & Rhodes (2011), Nooijen et al. (2018), and Saridi et al. (2019), the motivators and barriers to exercise are influenced by one's occupation, especially among those in the healthcare field. We sought to examine the barriers and motivators to physical activity that are distinctive to clinicians. Community hospital clinicians were surveyed regarding motivators and barriers to exercise that they experience, their burnout levels as described by an adaptation of the Mini-Z single item burnout scale, and average weekly exercise habits. The top barriers and motivators were then correlated to burnout levels, levels of physical activity, and demographics. We received 64 total responses from clinicians. The overall average level of burnout was 2.37 and the median level was 2. Approximately 38% of clinicians reported adhering to American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines of 150 minutes of exercise per week, while 33% of clinicians exercise <75 minutes per week. The top general motivator was for one's own well-being and the top clinician-related motivator was reducing stress. The top two barriers to exercise were COVID-19 concerns at an indoor exercise facility and a lack of time. Higher average levels of burnout were experienced by those who marked being too stressed or too burnt out as barriers to exercise. Because of clinicians' roles in propagating healthy practices in their patients from their own habits, wellness programs should be aimed at capitalizing motivators to combat barriers that this group distinctively experiences. Efforts to improve physical and mental wellness among clinicians will translate into better provider and patient health outcomes.

Treatment Challenges When Stopping Denosumab.

Introduction Denosumab is commonly used to treat osteoporosis. However, discontinuation results in rebound bone loss and increased vertebral fracture risk. We report a clinical case series, illustrating the dilemma in deciding the best treatment should denosumab be stopped. Cases In eight patients aged 56-89 years, zolendronic acid after stopping denosumab resulted in BTM rises and BMD decline.  In a 68-year-old, two years of oral bisphosphonate after three years of denosumab resulted in elevated bone turnover markers (BTM) and decline in bone mineral density (BMD), necessitating a switch to zoledronic acid.  In a 79-year-old, two annual doses of zolendronic acid after three years of denosumab failed to suppress high BTM, with BMD dropping and denosumab being restarted.  In a 60-year-old, on stopping denosumab after 10 years of oral bisphosphonate, BMD remained stable despite no further therapy. Conclusion Drug holidays are not an option with denosumab, with a risk of bone loss even on transitioning to bisphosphonates. Risk is greater with longer duration of treatment6 and may be mitigated by prior bisphosphonate use. Standard dose zoledronic acid does not prevent bone loss in a significant proportion of patients. BTM may help in monitoring treatment and need for further bisphosphonates.

A Preliminary Investigation of the Underlying Mechanism Associating Daily Sleep Continuity Disturbance and Prescription Opioid Use Among Individuals With Sickle Cell Disease.

BACKGROUND: There are emerging data indicating that sleep disturbance may be linked with an increase in opioid use. The majority of sickle cell disease (SCD) patients experience sleep disturbances, which can elevate pain severity and pain catastrophizing, both of which are important predictors of opioid consumption. PURPOSE: We conducted a preliminary investigation on the association between previous night sleep disturbance and short-acting opioid use, as well as the potential mediating roles of pain severity and pain catastrophizing. Because sex is associated with sleep disturbance, pain-related experiences, and opioid use, we also explored the potential moderating role of sex. METHODS: Participants were 45 SCD patients who were prescribed opioids. For 3 months, sleep diaries were collected immediately upon participants' awakening. Daily pain severity, pain catastrophizing, and prescription opioid use measures were collected before bedtime. RESULTS: Multilevel structural equation modeling revealed that wake time after sleep onset (WASO) during the previous night (Time 1) predicted greater short-acting opioid use during the next day (Time 2). Pain severity and pain catastrophizing measured during the next day (Time 2) also mediated the association between the two. Sex moderation analysis showed that the positive association between WASO and pain severity was largely driven by women. CONCLUSION: These findings provide some preliminary evidence as to the mechanism linking sleep continuity disturbance and opioid requirement in SCD patients. Future studies should replicate and extend these findings with clearer temporal information and employing more refined measures of sleep continuity and prescription opioid use in a larger sample.

Routine testing of close contacts of confirmed COVID-19 cases - National COVID-19 Contact Management Programme, Ireland, May to August 2020.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to inform public health practitioners who are designing, adapting and implementing testing and tracing strategies for Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) control. STUDY DESIGN: The study design is monitoring and evaluation of a national public health protection programme. METHODS: All close contacts of laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 identified between the 19th May and 2nd August were included; secondary attack rates and numbers needed to test were estimated. RESULTS: Four thousand five hundred eighty six of 7272 (63%) close contacts of cases were tested with at least one test. The secondary attack rate in close contacts who were tested was 7% (95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 6.3 - 7.8%). At the 'day 0' test, 14.6% (95% CI: 11.6-17.6%) of symptomatic close contacts tested positive compared with 5.2% (95% CI: 4.4-5.9%) of asymptomatic close contacts. CONCLUSIONS: The application of additional symptom-based criteria for testing in this high-incidence population (close contacts) is of limited utility because of the low negative predictive value of absence of symptoms.

Psychological symptom screening in an adult sickle cell disease clinic and predictors of treatment follow up.

Absence of formal and systematic screening for mood and anxiety disorders among patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) can result in under-recognized psychological problems. This study examined the prevalence of psychological symptoms using a systematic screening process. Patients with SCD completed four self-report screening tools for measurement of depressive and anxiety symptoms, self-efficacy, and pain. The goal was to detect patients with psychological symptoms and identify predictors of follow-up treatment attendance. A total of 336 adult patients (57% female, mean age 33 years) completed validated screening instruments for major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder. Patients recommended for mental health follow-up included higher proportions of women. Patients who accepted the mental health follow up had higher levels of education compared to groups that did not accept nor attend the follow-up appointment. Overall, 34% of patients who endorsed elevated distress scores and were referred for mental health care attended the follow-up appointment. Findings suggest patients with SCD and elevated psychological distress are likely to use mental health treatment resources, which notes this program's success in identifying needs and responding to them. However, further research is needed to understand ways to engage this population in mental health care.

Metabolic syndrome among adults living with sickle cell disease.

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a key risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD) incidence and all-cause mortality. MetS prevalence among adults with sickle cell disease (SCD) is not well known. We report initial findings from a cross-sectional study that examined MetS risk factors within a cohort of adults living with SCD. 50 adult SCD participants (ages 21-66 years; 72% female) completed demographic and health behavior surveys, health-related family and personal histories, and anthropometric and laboratory measurements. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to summarize and compare CVD risk factors, stratified in separate analyses by SCD genotype and sex. Triglyceride, blood pressure, and fasting glucose levels were within normal limits. 78% of the cohort reported moderate to high physical activity. However, 46% of this cohort was overweight and dietary saturated fat intake exceeded both the national average (11%) and US Dietary Guidelines (<10%). 14.3% of the cohort fulfilled criteria for MetS with large waist circumference and reduced HDL levels prominently accounting for this status. We evaluated the prevalence of MetS in a cohort of adults living with SCD. Our findings suggest that increased attention to eating habits and physical activity may generate new approaches for decreasing cardiovascular morbidity in SCD.

Decision-making by the NICE Interventional Procedures Advisory Committee.

BACKGROUND: This study explored the evidence base for recommendations by the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Interventional Procedures Advisory Committee, the only NICE committee not to consider cost. The four potential recommendations are: Standard Arrangements (can be performed as routine practice in the NHS); Special Arrangements (can be done under certain conditions); Research Only; and Do Not Do. METHODS: Quantitative content analysis of data extracted from all published Interventional Procedure Guidance (IPG) for 2003-2018 (n = 496) was undertaken. All data were extracted independently by two researchers; disagreements were clarified by consensus. Data were tabulated, descriptive statistics produced, and regression analyses performed. RESULTS: The proportion of IPGs by recommendation was: 50·0 per cent Standard Arrangements; 37·2 per cent Special Arrangements; 11·1 per cent Research Only; and 1·6 per cent Do Not Do. There was a clear trend over time: the proportion of recommendations for Standard Arrangements decreased, whereas the evidence threshold increased. Adjusted mean numbers of patients in the evidence base by recommendation type were: Standard, 4867; Special, 709; Research Only, 386. Regression analyses confirmed that the year of recommendation, numbers of patients and levels of evidence all affected the likely recommendation. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that the likelihood of achieving the most positive recommendation (Standard Arrangements) is decreasing, and that this is most likely due to evidential requirements becoming more demanding. These findings are distinct from those reported for other NICE committees, for which the cost and statistical superiority of new therapies are among the drivers of recommendations.

ANTECEDENTES: Este estudio analiza los niveles de evidencia de las recomendaciones propuestas por el Interventional Procedures Advisory Committee del National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE), el único comité NICE que no tiene en consideración los costes en la guía para los procedimientos de intervención. Las cuatro recomendaciones potenciales son: disposiciones estándar (se pueden efectuar sin restricciones en el marco del NHS); disposiciones especiales (se pueden efectuar bajo ciertas condiciones), en el ámbito de la investigación solo; y no intervenir. MÉTODOS: Se realizó un análisis cuantitativo del contenido de todas las Interventional Procedure Guidance (IPG) publicadas entre 2003-2018 (n = 496). Se obtuvieron todos los datos de forma independiente por dos investigadores y los desacuerdos entre ellos se decidieron por consenso. Se tabularon los datos y se realizaron estadísticas descriptivas y análisis de regresión. RESULTADOS: La proporción de las IPG según el tipo de recomendación eran estándar en el 50% de los casos, especial en el 37%, solo investigación en el 11% y no intervenir en el 2%. Se observó una clara tendencia a lo largo del tiempo: la proporción de recomendaciones del tipo de disposiciones estándar disminuía, mientras que el umbral para la evidencia aumentaba. La media ajustada del número de pacientes para cada tipo de recomendación (estándar, específica y solo investigación) fue de 4.867, 709 y 386, respectivamente. Los análisis de regresión confirmaron que el año de la recomendación, el número de pacientes y los niveles de evidencia afectaban el tipo de recomendación. Estos resultados son diferentes a los relativos a otros comités de NICE, en los que el coste y la superioridad estadística de las nuevas terapias son los motores de las recomendaciones. CONCLUSIÓN: Este estudio sugiere que la probabilidad de lograr la recomendación más positiva (disposición estándar) está disminuyendo, y ello con toda probabilidad es debido a que los requerimientos relacionados con la evidencia son cada vez más exigentes.

First comprehensive tool for screening pain in Parkinson's disease: the King's Parkinson's Disease Pain Questionnaire.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Pain is highly prevalent in Parkinson's disease (PD), impacting patients' ability, mood and quality of life. Detecting the presence of pain in its multiple modalities is necessary for adequate personalized management of PD. A 14-item, PD-specific, patient-based questionnaire (the King's Parkinson's Disease Pain Questionnaire, KPPQ) was designed corresponding to the rater-based KPP Scale (KPPS). The present multicentre study was aimed at testing the validity of this screening tool. METHODS: First, a comparison between the KPPQ scores of patients and matched controls was performed. Next, convergent validity, reproducibility (test-retest) and diagnostic performance of the questionnaire were analysed. RESULTS: Data from 300 patients and 150 controls are reported. PD patients declared significantly more pain symptoms than controls (3.96 ± 2.56 vs. 2.17 ± 1.39; P < 0.0001). The KPPQ convergent validity was high with KPPS total score (rS  = 0.80) but weak or moderate with other pain assessments. Test-retest reliability was satisfactory with kappa values ≥0.65 except for item 5, Dyskinetic pains (κ = 0.44), and the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for the KPPQ total score was 0.98. After the scores of the KPPS were adapted for screening (0, no symptom; ≥1, symptom present), a good agreement was found between the KPPQ and the KPPS (ICC = 0.88). A strong correlation (rS  = 0.80) between the two instruments was found. The diagnostic parameters of the KPPQ were very satisfactory as a whole, with a global accuracy of 78.3%-98.3%. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the KPPQ is a useful, reliable and valid screening instrument for pain in PD to advance patient-related outcomes.

Predictors of acute care utilization and acute pain treatment outcomes in adults with sickle cell disease: The role of non-hematologic characteristics and baseline chronic opioid dose.

Despite its rarity in the United States, sickle cell disease accounts for a disproportionate amount of healthcare utilization and costs. The majority of this is due to acute care for painful crises. A small subpopulation of patients accounts for most these costs due to frequent visits to emergency departments and acute care facilities. Previous investigations have found that these high utilizing patients are distinguished by both a more severe disease course and certain non-hematologic characteristics, which may include higher socioeconomic status and some psychiatric and psychological characteristics. This prospective observational cohort study was undertaken to test the ability of these characteristics to prospectively predict acute pain care outcomes, including visit frequency, total opioid doses, and pain improvement at the Johns Hopkins Sickle Cell Infusion Center (SCIC). Seventy-three participants were followed for 12 months and SCIC utilization and treatment outcomes were tabulated for 378 visits. Participants who visited the SCIC most frequently had markedly worse pain improvement despite higher within-visit opioid doses. Higher utilization was associated with indicators of greater illness severity, more aggressive treatment for sickle cell disease, higher baseline opioid doses, higher socioeconomic status, greater pain-related anxiety, and a history of psychiatric treatment. Overall, poor acute pain treatment response was associated with higher utilization and higher baseline opioid doses. The pattern of association between high utilization, poor acute care outcomes, and higher baseline opioid doses is discussed in terms of prior research and future directions.

Evaluation of point-of-care maternal glucose measurements for the diagnosis of gestational diabetes mellitus.

OBJECTIVE: Using updated laboratory standards as the reference, we aimed to compare point-of-care (POC) maternal capillary glucose testing with the diagnostic accuracy of reference and customary venous samples. DESIGN, SETTING, POPULATION: Women screened selectively with a one-step 75-g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) at 24-28 weeks' gestation were conveniently recruited to this prospective observational study. METHODS: Two venous samples and one capillary sample were taken at each OGTT time point. Venous sample one was a fluoride-EDTA (FE) tube placed on an ice-slurry until cell separation and analysis within 30 minutes (reference standard). Venous sample two was transported in a tube containing FE (without ice) (customary practice). A capillary sample was used for POC testing. Various cut-off points for the POC sample were examined to evaluate diagnostic accuracy. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values and accuracy of POC capillary glucose for the diagnosis of GDM. RESULTS: Of 108 women, GDM was detected in 47.2% (n = 51), 17.6% (n = 19) and 24.1% (n = 26) using the reference standard, customary practices and POC, respectively (P < 0.001). However, based on adjustment of the POC fasting diagnostic threshold from ≥5.1 to ≥4.8 mol/l (aPOC), sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV and accuracy improved to 92.5, 76.5, 69.8, 94.5 and 94.5%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: POC capillary maternal glucose tests were superior to customary laboratory practices for diagnosing GDM. This has considerable potential, particularly in healthcare settings where facilities for phlebotomy are distant from the laboratory or pre-analytical sample handling is substandard. TWEETABLE ABSTRACT: Adjusted point-of-care glucose measurements have potential in the diagnosis of gestational diabetes mellitus.

The Association between Educational Attainment and Patterns of Emergency Department Utilization among Adults with Sickle Cell Disease.

PURPOSE: Patients with low educational attainment may be at increased risk for unplanned health care utilization. This study aimed to determine what factors are related to emergency department (ED) visits in hopes of guiding treatments and early interventions. METHODS: At two medical centers in the Mid-Atlantic United States, 258 adults with sickle cell disease aged 19-70 years participated in a retrospective study where we examined whether education level is independently associated with ED visits after accounting for other socioeconomic status (SES) variables, such as pain and disease severity and psychosocial functioning. RESULTS: The data showed that patients without a high school education visited the ED three times as frequently as patients with post secondary education. Controlling for poverty and employment status decreased the effect of education on ED visits by 33.24 %. Further controlling for disease severity and/or psychosocial functioning could not account for the remaining association between education and ED visits, suggesting that education is independently associated with potentially avoidable emergency care. CONCLUSIONS: Early interventions addressing disparities in academic performance, especially for those children most at risk, may lead to improved long-term health outcomes in this population.

Examination of the Patient and Hospitalization Characteristics of 30-Day SCD Readmissions.

OBJECTIVES: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is associated with a high level of emergency department and hospital utilization, as well as a high rate of hospital readmissions. At Johns Hopkins Hospital, as at other institutions, SCD accounts for a large proportion of readmissions. Our study examined patient and hospitalization factors involved in readmissions at Johns Hopkins Hospital. METHODS: Patients at the Johns Hopkins Sickle Cell Center for Adults with a readmission in fiscal year 2011 were compared with an age- and sex-matched sample of clinic patients for comorbidities, complications, and prior utilization. Hospitalizations that were followed by readmissions were compared with those that were not as to admitting service, length of stay, and average daily opioid dose. RESULTS: Patients with readmissions had more complications and comorbidities and much higher prior utilization than typical clinic patients, whereas hospitalizations that were followed by readmissions had a longer length of stay but similar opioid doses. CONCLUSIONS: For patients with SCD with a high volume of hospital use, readmissions may be a natural consequence of a high-admission frequency associated with greater disease severity and higher comorbidity.