Chemotherapy during the last 30 days of life and the role of palliative care referral, a single center experience.

BACKGROUND: Chemotherapy use closer to the end of life is a marker of poor-quality care. There are now multiple studies and local reviews addressing this issue. Understanding the practice locally will give valuable insight and opportunity for improvement. METHODS: The study is a retrospective chart review of patients on chemotherapy at the Windsor Regional Cancer Center who died between April 1st, 2016 to December 31st, 2018. Information on demographics, type of cancer, type, intent and route of chemotherapy, line of chemotherapy, referral to hospice and palliative care services was collected. RESULTS: A total of 681 patients on chemotherapy died between April 1st, 2016 to Dec 13th, 2018. Of these, 119 (17.4 %) died within 30 days following chemotherapy. Chemotherapy was parenteral (Intravenous and Subcutaneous) for the majority (75.2%) of the patients. Most (66.4%) of the patients died of disease progression. Intent for chemotherapy was palliative in 85% of patients, adjuvant/neoadjuvant in 6.6% and curative in 8.4% of the patients. Chemotherapy was 1st, 2nd, 3rd line or more in 67.4%, 21.3% and 11.3% of the patients respectively. The type of chemotherapy was conventional in 74.3% of patients and targeted/immunotherapy in 25.7% of patients. Of the variables studied, lack of palliative referral and having lung cancer or melanoma were significantly associated with higher risk of getting chemotherapy within the last 30 days of life. The odds of getting chemotherapy within the last 30 days of life was 0.35, 95% CI (0.24-0.53), P <0.001 for those who were referred to palliative care. On the other hand, the odds of getting chemotherapy were 4.18, 95% CI (1.17-13.71), P = 0.037 and 2.21, 95% CI (1.24-4.01), P = 0.037 for those with melanoma and lung cancer respectively. In addition, those with early referral to palliative care (90 days or more prior to death) were least likely to receive chemotherapy within the last 30 days of life. CONCLUSION: Administration of chemotherapy within the last 30 days of life could cause unnecessary suffering to patients and cost to society. Early referral to palliative care was significantly associated with reduced risk of getting chemotherapy within the last 30 days of life in this study. Prospective study is recommended to further investigate the role of early palliative referral on use of chemotherapy during the last 30 days of life.

The Transplant Palliative Care Clinic: An early palliative care model for patients in a transplant program.

Although patients within a transplant program are awaiting or have received disease modifying or curative treatment, they are also facing advanced illness and the possibility of death. The involvement of specialized palliative care services for these patients may improve symptom management and facilitate advance care planning. However, patients in organ transplantation programs have difficulty accessing palliative care resources and often do so only sporadically in the inpatient setting. Currently, there is little access to ambulatory palliative care for these patients and there have been no descriptions of programs delivering such care in the medical literature. We outline the development and structure of a Transplant Palliative Care Clinic within the University Health Network's Multi-Organ Transplant Program, in Toronto, Canada. This information may be helpful for others aiming to provide early, integrated palliative care to patients awaiting and receiving organ transplantation.

Midwives' and registered nurses' role and scope of practice in acute early pregnancy care services: a scoping review.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this scoping review was to investigate and describe what is reported on the role and scope of practice of midwives and registered nurses providing care for women with pregnancy complications under 20 weeks' gestation in acute clinical settings in Australia. INTRODUCTION: In many high-income countries, women experiencing unexpected complications in early pregnancy attend an acute care service, such as an emergency department, rather than a maternity or obstetric unit. This service structure can impact the care women receive, and determine who provides it. Women and their partners, who are often experiencing emotional distress, have reported difficult experiences when accessing acute services, particularly emergency departments, which are not traditionally staffed by midwives. The role and scope of practice of both midwives and registered nurses providing acute early pregnancy care in most high-income countries, including Australia, is poorly reported. Documenting this area of practice is an important first step in facilitating ongoing research in this important aspect of pregnancy care. INCLUSION CRITERIA: Published and gray literature that described the role and scope of practice of midwives and/or registered nurses providing care in acute early pregnancy settings in Australia were considered for this review. METHODS: A scoping review of the literature was conducted following JBI methodological guidance and reported using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) checklist. A 3-step search strategy was conducted to explore evidence from databases and search engines, gray literature sources, and selected reference lists. After screening, data were extracted from records selected for the final review, mapped, and analyzed using content analysis. RESULTS: The evidence reviewed (n=23) included primary research studies, conference abstracts, and gray literature, such as clinical guidance documents, academic theses, and websites from January 2008 to October 2023. The most common setting for care provision was the emergency department. Midwives' and registered nurses' roles and scope of practice in acute early pregnancy care in Australia can be summarized into 4 areas: physical care, psychosocial support, care co-ordination, and communication. Women's access to midwifery care at this time in pregnancy appears to be limited. Registered nurses, usually employed in emergency departments, have the most prominent role and scope in the provision of care for women with acute early pregnancy complications. Descriptions of midwives' practice focuses more on psychosocial support and follow-up care, particularly in early pregnancy assessment service models. CONCLUSIONS: This review highlights the inconsistency in midwives' and registered nurses' roles and scope in acute early pregnancy in Australia, a finding which is relevant to other international settings. Both professions could further fulfill role and scope capacity in the provision of supportive, individualized, and timely care for women and families accessing a range of acute early pregnancy services. Emergency departments are the usual practice domain of registered nurses who may be limited in terms of the scope of care they can provide to women with early pregnancy complications. Leaders of the midwifery profession should conduct further research into innovative service models that embed a role for midwives in all settings that provide care for pregnant women, regardless of gestation. REVIEW REGISTRATION: Open Science Framework osf.io/7zchu.

Midwives' and registered nurses' role and scope of practice in acute early pregnancy care services in Australia: a scoping review protocol.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this review is to review and synthesize what is documented on the role and scope of practice of midwives and registered nurses working in acute early pregnancy care settings in Australia. INTRODUCTION: Women experiencing complications before 20 weeks of pregnancy may need to attend an acute care service, often a hospital emergency department. Midwives and registered nurses provide care for women with early pregnancy complications, and it is important that their role and scope of practice is documented. This review will explore the literature relating to acute early pregnancy care in Australia to better understand how midwives' and registered nurses' roles and scope are currently described in this setting. INCLUSION CRITERIA: Any literature that explores the role and scope of practice of midwives and registered nurses who care for women who present to acute care services in Australia with early pregnancy complications will be considered for inclusion in the review. METHODS: A 3-step review process will involve a preliminary search of MEDLINE and ProQuest, followed by a more detailed search of a larger selection of databases, using identified keywords and phrases from the initial search. Reference lists of retrieved literature will then be examined for relevant citations. Literature in English will be considered, including relevant gray literature. Search results will be imported into reference and review support software. Data that align with the inclusion criteria will be organized into tabulated and narrative formats for presentation. DETAILS OF THIS REVIEW PROJECT ARE AVAILABLE AT: Open Science Framework https://osf.io/5bnqz.

A survey of Australian midwives: Experts in nitrous oxide administration within the peripartum setting.

PROBLEM: There is little documented evidence of midwives' perspectives regarding the use of nitrous oxide in the peripartum period. BACKGROUND: Nitrous oxide is an inhaled gas used widely in the peripartum period; usually offered and managed by midwives. AIM: Explore midwives' knowledge, perceptions, and practices of facilitating women's use of nitrous oxide in the peripartum period. METHODS: An exploratory cross-sectional survey design was used. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics; open-ended responses underwent template analysis. FINDINGS: Midwives (n = 121) working in three Australian settings reported regularly recommending the use of nitrous oxide and high levels of knowledge and confidence supporting its use. There was a significant association between midwifery experience, and perspectives on women's capacity to use nitrous effectively (p = 0.004); and desire for refresher education (p < 0.001). Midwives working in continuity models were more likely to support women using nitrous oxide in any situation (p = 0.039). DISCUSSION: Midwives demonstrated expertise in facilitating nitrous oxide use, citing utility to relieve anxiety and distract women from pain or discomfort. Nitrous oxide was identified as an important adjunct to the provision of supportive care requiring midwifery therapeutic presence. CONCLUSION: This study provides novel insight into midwives' support of nitrous oxide use in the peripartum setting revealing high levels of knowledge and confidence. Recognition of this unique expertise held by midwives is important to ensure transfer and development of professional knowledge and skills and emphasises the need for midwifery leadership in clinical service provision, planning and policy.

Women's perspectives of nitrous oxide for labour and procedural analgesia: A prospective clinical audit and cross-sectional study. "It's the best thing".

PROBLEM: There is limited data regarding dose and duration of nitrous oxide use by women in peripartum care. Experiences of using nitrous in Australian settings have not previously been explored BACKGROUND: More than 1:2 women use nitrous oxide analgesia during labour and birth, despite this, there are limited published data on nitrous oxide use for labour or procedural analgesia in Australia. AIM: To explore the use of nitrous oxide during labour and birth or procedural care. METHODS: A two-phased sequential design was used; clinical audit (n = 183) and cross-sectional survey (n = 137) approaches supported data collection. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics, qualitative data underwent content analysis. FINDINGS: Nitrous oxide was used by primiparous and multiparous women evenly. Duration of labour-use ranged from < 15 min (10.9%) to > 5 h (10.8%), with equal representation between > 50% concentration (43%) and < 50% (43%). At audit, 75% found nitrous useful; postpartum maternal satisfaction scores remained high, mean indicators were 75%. More multiparous women found nitrous oxide useful than primiparous (95%vs80%,p = 0.009). There was no association between perceived usefulness and whether women were in spontaneous, augmented or induced labour; regardless of concentrations reached. Three key themes described women's perspectives of physical and psycho-emotional effects and challenges. DISCUSSION: Nitrous oxide plays an important role in the provision of analgesia during procedural or labour and birth care. Service provision, parent and professional education, and future service design will benefit from these novel findings confirming the utility and acceptability of nitrous oxide use in contemporary maternity care.

International practice of corticosteroid replacement therapy in congenital adrenal hyperplasia: data from the I-CAH registry.

OBJECTIVE: Despite published guidelines no unified approach to hormone replacement in congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) exists. We aimed to explore geographical and temporal variations in the treatment with glucocorticoids and mineralocorticoids in CAH. DESIGN: This retrospective multi-center study, including 31 centers (16 countries), analyzed data from the International-CAH Registry. METHODS: Data were collected from 461 patients aged 0-18 years with classic 21-hydroxylase deficiency (54.9% females) under follow-up between 1982 and 2018. Type, dose and timing of glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid replacement were analyzed from 4174 patient visits. RESULTS: The most frequently used glucocorticoid was hydrocortisone (87.6%). Overall, there were significant differences between age groups with regards to daily hydrocortisone-equivalent dose for body surface, with the lowest dose (median with interquartile range) of 12.0 (10.0-14.5) mg/m2/day at age 1-8 years and the highest dose of 14.0 (11.6-17.4) mg/m2/day at age 12-18 years. Glucocorticoid doses decreased after 2010 in patients 0-8 years (P < 0.001) and remained unchanged in patients aged 8-18 years. Fludrocortisone was used in 92% of patients, with relative doses decreasing with age. A wide variation was observed among countries with regards to all aspects of steroid hormone replacement. CONCLUSIONS: Data from the I-CAH Registry suggests international variations in hormone replacement therapy, with a tendency to treatment with high doses in children.

Identifying the most sensitive and specific sign and symptom combinations for cholera: results from an analysis of laboratory-based surveillance data from Haiti, 2012-2013.

Since October 2010, over 700,000 cholera cases have been reported in Haiti. We used data from laboratory-based surveillance for diarrhea in Haiti to evaluate the sensitivity, specificity, and positive (PPV) and negative predictive values (NPV) of the cholera case definitions recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). From April 2012 to May 2013, we tested 1,878 samples from hospitalized patients with acute watery diarrhea; 1,178 (62.7%) yielded Vibrio cholerae O1. The sensitivity and specificity of the WHO case definition for cholera in an epidemic setting were 91.3% and 43.1%, respectively, and the PPV and NPV were 72.8% and 74.8%, respectively. The WHO case definition for cholera in an area where cholera is not known to be present had lower sensitivity (63.1%) and NPV (55.1%) but higher specificity (74.2%) and PPV (80.0%). When laboratory diagnostic testing is not immediately available, clinicians can evaluate signs and symptoms to more accurately identify cholera patients.

Environmental surveillance for toxigenic Vibrio cholerae in surface waters of Haiti.

Epidemic cholera was reported in Haiti in 2010, with no information available on the occurrence or geographic distribution of toxigenic Vibrio cholerae in Haitian waters. In a series of field visits conducted in Haiti between 2011 and 2013, water and plankton samples were collected at 19 sites. Vibrio cholerae was detected using culture, polymerase chain reaction, and direct viable count methods (DFA-DVC). Cholera toxin genes were detected by polymerase chain reaction in broth enrichments of samples collected in all visits except March 2012. Toxigenic V. cholerae was isolated from river water in 2011 and 2013. Whole genome sequencing revealed that these isolates were a match to the outbreak strain. The DFA-DVC tests were positive for V. cholerae O1 in plankton samples collected from multiple sites. Results of this survey show that toxigenic V. cholerae could be recovered from surface waters in Haiti more than 2 years after the onset of the epidemic.

Pandemic H1N1 influenza surveillance in Haiti, July-December 2009.

From June 2009 through December 2009, Haiti conducted sentinel surveillance for influenza. 499 samples were collected and tested using real-time RT-PCR. 197 (39.5%) were positive for influenza, including 95 (48%) pandemic (H1N1) 2009, 57 (29%) seasonal influenza A and 45 (23%) influenza B. The median age of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 cases was 21.7; two-thirds of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 cases were in patients aged 6 years - 35 years. Pandemic activity peaked in September and co-circulated with other influenza subtypes. The age distribution and seasonality of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 in Haiti were similar to other countries in the Caribbean region.

Laboratory-confirmed cholera and rotavirus among patients with acute diarrhea in four hospitals in Haiti, 2012-2013.

An outbreak of cholera began in Haiti in October of 2010. To understand the progression of epidemic cholera in Haiti, in April of 2012, we initiated laboratory-enhanced surveillance for diarrheal disease in four Haitian hospitals in three departments. At each site, we sampled up to 10 hospitalized patients each week with acute watery diarrhea. We tested 1,616 specimens collected from April 2, 2012 to March 28, 2013; 1,030 (63.7%) specimens yielded Vibrio cholerae, 13 (0.8%) specimens yielded Shigella, 6 (0.4%) specimens yielded Salmonella, and 63 (3.9%) specimens tested positive for rotavirus. Additionally, 13.5% of children < 5 years old tested positive for rotavirus. Of 1,030 V. cholerae isolates, 1,020 (99.0%) isolates were serotype Ogawa, 9 (0.9%) isolates were serotype Inaba, and 1 isolate was non-toxigenic V. cholerae O139. During 1 year of surveillance, toxigenic cholera continued to be the main cause of acute diarrhea in hospitalized patients, and rotavirus was an important cause of diarrhea-related hospitalizations in children.

Seroepidemiologic survey of epidemic cholera in Haiti to assess spectrum of illness and risk factors for severe disease.

To assess the spectrum of illness from toxigenic Vibrio cholerae O1 and risk factors for severe cholera in Haiti, we conducted a cross-sectional survey in a rural commune with more than 21,000 residents. During March 22-April 6, 2011, we interviewed 2,622 residents ≥ 2 years of age and tested serum specimens from 2,527 (96%) participants for vibriocidal and antibodies against cholera toxin; 18% of participants reported a cholera diagnosis, 39% had vibriocidal titers ≥ 320, and 64% had vibriocidal titers ≥ 80, suggesting widespread infection. Among seropositive participants (vibriocidal titers ≥ 320), 74.5% reported no diarrhea and 9.0% had severe cholera (reported receiving intravenous fluids and overnight hospitalization). This high burden of severe cholera is likely explained by the lack of pre-existing immunity in this population, although the virulence of the atypical El Tor strain causing the epidemic and other factors might also play a role.