Bariatric surgery: trends in utilization, complications, conversions and revisions.

BACKGROUND: Sleeve gastrectomy (SG) increased in popularity after 2010 but recent data suggest it has concerning rates of gastroesophageal reflux and need for conversions. This study aims to evaluate recent trends in the utilization of bariatric procedures, associated complications, and conversions using an administrative claims database in the United States. METHODS: We included adults who had bariatric procedures from 2000 to 2020 with continuous enrollment for at least 6 months in the MarketScan Commercial Claims and Encounters database. Index bariatric procedures and subsequent revisions or conversions were identified using CPT codes. Baseline comorbidities and postoperative complications were identified with ICD-9-CM and ICD-10 codes. Cumulative incidences of complications were estimated at 30-days, 6-months, and 1-year and compared with stabilized inverse probability of treatment weighted Kaplan-Meier analysis. RESULTS: We identified 349,411 bariatric procedures and 5521 conversions or revisions. The sampled SG volume appeared to begin declining in 2018 while Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) remained steady. Compared to RYGB, SG was associated with lower 1-year incidence [aHR, (95% CIs)] for 30-days readmission [0.65, (0.64-0.68)], dehydration [0.75, (0.73-0.78)], nausea or vomiting [0.70, (0.69-0.72)], dysphagia [0.55, (0.53-0.57)], and gastrointestinal hemorrhage [0.43, (0.40-0.46)]. Compared to RYGB, SG was associated with higher 1-year incidence [aHR, (95% CIs)] of esophagogastroduodenoscopy [1.13, (1.11-1.15)], heartburn [1.38, (1.28-1.49)], gastritis [4.28, (4.14-4.44)], portal vein thrombosis [3.93, (2.82-5.48)], and hernias of all types [1.36, (1.34-1.39)]. There were more conversions from SG to RYGB than re-sleeving procedures. SG had a significantly lower 1-year incidence of other non-revisional surgical interventions when compared to RYGB. CONCLUSIONS: The overall volume of bariatric procedures within the claims database appeared to be declining over the last 10 years. The decreasing proportion of SG and the increasing proportion of RYGB suggest the specific complications of SG may be driving this trend. Clearly, RYGB should remain an important tool in the bariatric surgeon's armamentarium.

Preferred Feedback Styles Among Different Groups in an Academic Medical Center.

INTRODUCTION: Feedback is an essential component in complex work environments. Different generations have been shown to have different sets of values, derived from societal and cultural changes. We hypothesize that generational differences may be associated with preferred feedback patterns among medical trainees and faculty in a large academic institution. METHODS: A survey was distributed to all students, residents/fellows, and faculty at a large academic medical institution from April 2020 through June 2020. Survey questions evaluated feedback methods for six domains: preparedness, performance, attitude, technical procedures, inpatient, and outpatient care. Participants selected a preferred feedback method for each category. Patient demographics and survey responses were described using frequency statistics. We compared differences in feedback preferences based on generation and field of practice. RESULTS: A total of 871 participants completed the survey. Preferred feedback patterns in the medical field do not seem to align with sociologic theories of generational gaps. Most participants preferred to receive direct feedback after an activity away from their team, irrespective of their age or medical specialty. Individuals preferred direct feedback during an activity in front of their team only for technical procedures. Compared to nonsurgeons, surgeons were more likely to prefer direct feedback in front of team members for preparedness, performance, and attitude. CONCLUSIONS: Generational membership is not significantly associated with preferred feedback patterns in this complex medical academic environment. Variations in feedback preferences are associated with field of practice that may be due to specialty-specific differences in culture and personality traits present within certain medical specialties, particularly surgery.

Comparison of early post-operative complications in primary and revisional laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, gastric bypass, and duodenal switch MBSAQIP-reported cases from 2015 to 2019.

BACKGROUND: Sleeve gastrectomy (SG) is now the most performed bariatric surgery, though gastric bypass (GB) and duodenal switch (DS) remain common, especially as conversion/revision (C/R) procedures. This analysis compared early postoperative outcomes of primary and C/R laparoscopic SG to DS and GB; and primary procedures of each vs C/R counterparts. METHODS: The Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP) dataset was queried for SG, GB, and DS cases from 2015 to 2019. Multivariable logistic regression calculated crude and adjusted odds ratios for surgical site infection (SSI), reoperation, and readmission at 30 days in two initial comparisons: (1) primary SG vs DS or GB and (2) C/R SG vs DS or GB. A secondary analysis compared primary GS, GB, or DS with C/R counterparts. Models were adjusted for confounding demographics and comorbidities. RESULTS: Of 755,968 primary cases, most were SG (72.8%), followed by GB (26.3%), then DS (0.9%). Compared to SG, GB and DS demonstrated higher odds of SSI (aOR 3.02 [2.84, 3.2]), readmission (aOR 1.97 [1.92, 2.03]), and reoperation (aOR 2.74 [2.62, 2.86]), respectively. Of 68,716 C/R cases, SG was most common (43.2%), followed by GB (37.5%), then DS (19.2%). C/R GB and DS demonstrated greater risk of SSI (aOR 2.28 [1.98, 2.62]), readmission (aOR 2.10 [1.94, 2.27]), and reoperation (aOR 2.3 [2.04, 2.59]) vs SG, respectively. C/R SG and DS demonstrated greater risk of SSI (OR 2.09 [1.66, 2.63]; 1.63 [1.24, 2.14), readmission (OR 1.13 [1.02, 1.26]), and reoperation (OR 1.27 [1.06, 1.52]; 1.58 [1.24, 2.0]), vs primary procedures. C/R DS demonstrated greater risk of SSI (OR 1.23 [1.66, 2.63]). CONCLUSIONS: Early complications are comparable between GB and DS, and greater than SG. In C/R procedures, GB and DS demonstrate greater risk than SG. Overall, C/R procedures demonstrate greater risk of most, but not all, early postoperative complications.

Comparison of robot-assisted sleeve gastrectomy outcomes in multiple staple line treatment modalities from 2015 to 2019: a 5-year propensity score-adjusted MBSAQIP® analysis.

BACKGROUND: Robot-assisted sleeve gastrectomy (RSG) is an increasingly common approach to sleeve gastrectomy (SG). Staple line reinforcement (SLR) is well-discussed in laparoscopic SG literature, but not RSG- likely due to the absence of dedicated robotic SLR devices. However, most RSG cases report SLR. This retrospective analysis compares outcomes in RSG cases reporting (1) any staple line treatment (SLT) vs none and (2) SLR vs oversewing. METHODS: MBSAQIP was queried for adults who underwent RSG from 2015 to 2019. Open procedures, Natural Orifice Transluminal Endoscopic Surgery, hand-assisted, single-incision, concurrent procedures, and illogical BMIs were excluded (n = 3444). Final sample included 52,354 patients. Two comparisons were made: SLT (n = 34,886) vs none (n = 17,468) and SLR (n = 22,217) vs oversew (n = 5620). We fitted multivariable regression models to estimate risk ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) and performed propensity score analysis with inverse probability of treatment weight based on patient factors. RESULTS: Most RSG cases utilized SLT (66.6%). Cases with SLT had a reduced risk of organ space SSI (RR 0.68 [0.49, 0.94]), 30-day reoperation (RR 0.77 [0.64, 0.93]), 30-day re-intervention (RR 0.80 [0.67, 0.96]), sepsis (RR 0.58 [0.35, 0.96]), unplanned intubation (RR 0.59 [0.37, 0.93]), extended ventilator use (RR 0.46 [0.23, 0.91]), and renal failure (RR 0.40 [0.19, 0.82]) compared to no-treatment cases. In single-treatment cases (n = 27,837), most utilized SLR (79.8%). Cases with oversew had a higher risk of any SSI (RR 1.70 [1.19, 2.42]), superficial incisional SSI (RR 1.71 [1.06, 2.76]), septic shock (RR 6.47 [2.11, 19.87]), unplanned intubation (RR 2.18 [1.06, 4.47]), and extended ventilator use (> 48 h) (RR 4.55 [1.63, 12.71]) than SLR. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest SLT in RSG is associated with reduced risk of some adverse outcomes vs no-treatment. Among SLT, SLR demonstrated lower risk than oversewing. However, risk of all-cause mortality, cardiac arrest, and unplanned ICU admission were not significant.

Application of machine learning to predict postoperative gastrointestinal bleed in bariatric surgery.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) is a rare but serious complication of bariatric surgery. The recent rise in extended venous thromboembolism regimens as well as outpatient bariatric surgery may increase the risk of postoperative GIB or lead to delay in diagnosis. This study seeks to use machine learning (ML) to create a model that predicts postoperative GIB to aid surgeon decision-making and improve patient counseling for postoperative bleeds. METHODS: The Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP) database was used to train and validate three types of ML methods: random forest (RF), gradient boosting (XGB), and deep neural networks (NN), and compare them with logistic regression (LR) regarding postoperative GIB. The dataset was split using fivefold cross-validation into training and validation sets, in an 80/20 ratio. The performance of the models was assessed using area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) and compared with the DeLong test. Variables with the strongest effect were identified using Shapley additive explanations (SHAP). RESULTS: The study included 159,959 patients. Postoperative GIB was identified in 632 (0.4%) patients. The three ML methods, RF (AUROC 0.764), XGB (AUROC 0.746), and NN (AUROC 0.741) all outperformed LR (AUROC 0.709). The best ML method, RF, was able to predict postoperative GIB with a specificity and sensitivity of 70.0% and 75.4%, respectively. Using DeLong testing, the difference between RF and LR was determined to be significant with p < 0.01. Type of bariatric surgery, pre-op hematocrit, age, duration of procedure, and pre-op creatinine were the 5 most important features identified by ML retrospectively. CONCLUSIONS: We have developed a ML model that outperformed LR in predicting postoperative GIB. Using ML models for risk prediction can be a helpful tool for both surgeons and patients undergoing bariatric procedures but more interpretable models are needed.

Comparison of post-operative outcomes of large direct inguinal hernia repairs based on operative approach (open vs. laparoscopic vs. robotic) using the ACHQC (Abdominal Core Health Quality Collaborative) database.

PURPOSE: To compare clinical outcomes for open, laparoscopic, and robotic hernia repairs for direct, unilateral inguinal hernia repairs, with particular focus on 30-day morbidity surgical site infection (SSI); surgical site occurrence (SSO); SSI/SSO requiring procedural interventions (SSOPI), reoperation, and recurrence. METHODS: The Abdominal Core Health Quality Collaborative database was queried for patients undergoing elective, primary, > 3 cm medial, unilateral inguinal hernia repairs with an open (Lichtenstein), laparoscopic, or robotic operative approach. Preoperative demographics and patient characteristics, operative techniques, and outcomes were studied. A 1-to-1 propensity score matching algorithm was used for each operative approach pair to reduce selection bias. RESULTS: There were 848 operations included: 297 were open, 285 laparoscopic, and 266 robotic hernia repairs. There was no evidence of a difference in primary endpoints at 30 days including SSI, SSO, SSI/SSO requiring procedural interventions (SSOPI), reoperation, readmission, or recurrence for any of the operative approach pairs (open vs. robotic, open vs. laparoscopic, robotic vs. laparoscopic). For the open vs. laparoscopic groups, QoL score at 30 day was lower (better) for laparoscopic surgery compared to open surgery (OR 0.53 [0.31, 0.92], p = 0.03), but this difference did not hold at the 1-year survey (OR 1.37 [0.48, 3.92], p = 0.55). Similarly, patients who underwent robotic repair were more likely to have a higher (worse) 30-day QoL score (OR 2.01 [1.18, 3.42], p = 0.01), but no evidence of a difference at 1 year (OR 0.83 [0.3, 2.26] p = 0.71). CONCLUSIONS: Our study did not reveal significant post-operative outcomes between open, laparoscopic, and robotic approaches for large medial inguinal hernias. Surgeons should continue to tailor operative approach based on patient needs and their own surgical expertise.

Co-Designing an Initiative to Increase Shared Access to Older Adults' Patient Portals: Stakeholder Engagement.

BACKGROUND: The patient portal is a widely available secure digital platform offered by care delivery organizations that enables patients to communicate electronically with clinicians and manage their care. Many organizations allow patients to authorize family members or friends-"care partners"-to share access to patient portal accounts, thus enabling care partners to receive their own identity credentials. Shared access facilitates trilateral information exchange among patients, clinicians, and care partners; however, uptake and awareness of this functionality are limited. OBJECTIVE: We partnered with 3 health care organizations to co-design an initiative that aimed to increase shared access registration and use and that can be implemented using existing patient portals. METHODS: In 2020, we undertook a rigorous selection process to identify 3 geographically diverse health care organizations that had engaged medical informatics teams and clinical champions within service delivery lines caring for older adults. We prioritized selecting organizations that serve racially and socioeconomically diverse populations and possess sophisticated reporting capabilities, a stable patient portal platform, a sufficient volume of older adult patients, and active patient and family advisory councils. Along with patients and care partners, clinicians, staff, and other stakeholders, the study team co-designed an initiative to increase the uptake of shared access guided by either an iterative, human-centered design process or rapid assessment procedures of stakeholders' inputs. RESULTS: Between February 2020 and April 2022, 73 stakeholder engagements were conducted with patients and care partners, clinicians and clinic staff, medical informatics teams, marketing and communications staff, and administrators, as well as with funders and thought leaders. We collected insights regarding (1) barriers to awareness, registration, and use of shared access; (2) features of consumer-facing educational materials to address identified barriers; (3) features of clinician- and staff-facing materials to address identified barriers; and (4) approaches to fit the initiative into current workflows. Using these inputs iteratively via a human-centered design process, we produced brochures and posters, co-designed organization-specific web pages detailing shared access registration processes, and developed clinician and staff talking points about shared access and staff tip sheets that outline shared access registration steps. Educational materials emphasized the slogan "People remember less than half of what their doctors say," which was selected from 9 candidate alternatives as resonating best with the full range of the initiative's stakeholders. The materials were accompanied by implementation toolkits specifying and reinforcing workflows involving both in-person and telehealth visits. CONCLUSIONS: Meaningful and authentic stakeholder engagement allowed our deliberate, iterative, and human-centered co-design aimed at increasing the use of shared access. Our initiative has been launched as a part of a 12-month demonstration that will include quantitative and qualitative analysis of registration and use of shared access. Educational materials are publicly available at Coalition for Care Partners.

Inflammation and Metabolism of Influenza-Stimulated Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells From Adults With Obesity Following Bariatric Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Obesity dysregulates immunity to influenza infection. Therefore, there is a critical need to investigate how obesity impairs immunity and to establish therapeutic approaches that mitigate the impact of increased adiposity. One mechanism by which obesity may alter immune responses is through changes in cellular metabolism. METHODS: We studied inflammation and cellular metabolism of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) isolated from individuals with obesity relative to lean controls. We also investigated if impairments to PBMC metabolism were reversible upon short-term weight loss following bariatric surgery. RESULTS: Obesity was associated with systemic inflammation and poor inflammation resolution. Unstimulated PBMCs from participants with obesity had lower oxidative metabolism and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production compared to PBMCs from lean controls. PBMC secretome analyses showed that ex vivo stimulation with A/Cal/7/2009 H1N1 influenza led to a notable increase in IL-6 with obesity. Short-term weight loss via bariatric surgery improved biomarkers of systemic metabolism but did not improve markers of inflammation resolution, PBMC metabolism, or the PBMC secretome. CONCLUSIONS: These results show that obesity drives a signature of impaired PBMC metabolism, which may be due to persistent inflammation. PBMC metabolism was not reversed after short-term weight loss despite improvements in measures of systemic metabolism.

Epidemiologic and Economic Burden of Achalasia in the United States.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Achalasia is a debilitating chronic condition of the esophagus. Currently there are no national estimates on the epidemiologic and economic burden of disease. We sought to estimate trends in incidence and prevalence of achalasia by age-sex strata, and to estimate the total direct medical costs attributed to achalasia in the United States. METHODS: We conducted a cohort study using two administrative claims databases: IBM MarketScan Commercial Claims and Encounters database (2001-2018; age <65) and a 20% sample of nationwide Medicare enrollment and claims (2007-2015; age ≥65). Point prevalence was calculated on the first day of each calendar year; the incidence rate captured new cases developed in the ensuing year. Utilization rates of healthcare services and procedures were reported. Mean costs per patient were calculated and standardized to the corresponding U.S. Census Bureau population data to derive achalasia-specific total direct medical costs. RESULTS: The crude prevalence of achalasia per 100,000 persons was 18.0 (95% CI, 17.4, 18.7) in MarketScan and 162.1 (95% CI, 157.6, 166.6) in Medicare. The crude incidence rate per 100,000 person-years was 10.5 (95% CI, 9.9, 11.1) in MarketScan and 26.0 (95% CI, 24.9, 27.2) in Medicare. Incidence and prevalence increased substantially over time in the Medicare cohort, and increased with more advanced age in both cohorts. Utilization of achalasia-specific healthcare was high; national estimates of total direct medical costs exceeded $408 million in 2018. CONCLUSIONS: Achalasia has a higher epidemiologic and economic burden in the US than previously suggested, with diagnosis particularly increasing in older patients.

Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass Is Associated With Increased Hazard for De Novo Alcohol-related Complications and Liver Disease.

GOAL: The goal of this study was to determine if bariatric surgeries are associated with de novo alcohol-related complications. BACKGROUND: Bariatric surgery is associated with an increased risk of alcohol use disorders. The effect of bariatric surgeries on other alcohol-related outcomes, including liver disease, is understudied. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using the IMS PharMetrics database, we performed a cohort study of adults undergoing bariatric surgery or cholecystectomy, excluding patients with an alcohol-related diagnosis within 1 year before surgery. The primary outcome was any alcohol-related diagnosis after surgery. We fit a multivariable Cox proportional hazards model to determine independent associations between bariatric surgeries [Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB); adjustable gastric band; sleeve gastrectomy] versus cholecystectomy and the development of de novo alcohol-related outcomes. We further fit complication-specific models for each alcohol-related diagnosis. RESULTS: RYGB was significantly associated with an increased hazard of any de novo alcohol-related diagnosis [adjusted hazard ratio (AHR)=1.51, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.40-1.62], while adjustable gastric band (AHR=0.55, 95% CI: 0.48-0.63) and sleeve gastrectomy (AHR=0.77, 95% CI: 0.64-0.91) had decreased hazards. RYGB was associated with a 2- to 3-fold higher hazard for alcoholic hepatitis (AHR=1.98, 95% CI: 1.17-3.33), abuse (AHR=2.05, 95% CI: 1.88-2.24), and poisoning (3.14, 95% CI: 1.80-5.49). CONCLUSIONS: RYGB was associated with higher hazards of developing de novo alcohol-related hepatitis, abuse, and poisoning compared with a control group. Patients without a history of alcohol use disorder should still be counseled on the increased risk of alcohol use and alcohol-related complications, including alcohol-related liver disease, following RYGB, and should be monitored long term for the development of alcohol-related complications.

Minimally invasive, benign foregut surgery is not associated with long-term, persistent opioid use postoperatively: an analysis of the IBM® MarketScan® database.

BACKGROUND: It is unknown if opioid naïve patients who undergo minimally invasive, benign foregut operations are at risk for progressing to persistent postoperative opioid use. The purpose of our study was to determine if opioid naïve patients who undergo minimally invasive, benign foregut operations progress to persistent postoperative opioid use and to identify any patient- and surgery-specific factors associated with persistent postoperative opioid use. METHODS: Opioid-naïve, adult patients who underwent laparoscopic fundoplication, hiatal hernia repair, or Heller myotomy from 2010 to 2018 were identified within the IBM® MarketScan® Commercial Claims and Encounters Database. Daily drug logs of the preoperative and postoperative period were evaluated to assess for changes in drug use patters. The primary outcome of interest was persistent postoperative opioid use, defined as at least 33% of the proportion of days covered by opioid prescriptions at 365-day follow-up. Patient demographic information and clinical risk factors for persistent postoperative opioid use at 365 days postoperatively were estimated using log-binomial regression. RESULTS: A total of 17,530 patients met inclusion criteria; 6895 underwent fundoplication, 9235 underwent hiatal hernia repair, and 1400 underwent Heller myotomy. 9652 patients had at least one opioid prescription filled in the perioperative period. Sixty-five patients (0.4%) were found to have persistent postoperative opioid use at 365 days postoperatively. Lower Charlson comorbidity index scores and a history of mental illness or substance use disorder had a statistically but not clinically significant protective effect on the risk of persistent postoperative opioid use at 365 days postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: Only half of opioid naïve patients undergoing minimally invasive, benign foregut operations filled an opioid prescription postoperatively. The risk of progression to persistent postoperative opioid use was less than 1%. These findings support the current guidelines that limit the number of opioid pills prescribed following general surgery operations.

Minimally invasive Heller myotomy with partial posterior fundoplication for the treatment of achalasia: long-term results from a tertiary referral center.

INTRODUCTION: Few studies have reported the long-term results of minimally invasive Heller myotomy (HM) for the treatment of achalasia. Herein, we detail our 17-year experience with HM for the treatment of achalasia from a tertiary referral center. METHODS: All patients undergoing elective HM at our institution from 2000 to 2017 were identified within a prospective institutional database. These patients were sent mail and electronic surveys to capture their symptoms of dysphagia, chest pain, and regurgitation pre- and postoperatively and were asked to evaluate their postoperative gastrointestinal quality of life. Responses from adult patients who underwent minimally invasive Heller myotomy with partial posterior (i.e., Toupet) fundoplication (HM-TF) were analyzed. RESULTS: 294 patients were eligible for study inclusion; 139 (47%) completed our survey. Median time from HM-TF to survey response was 5.6 years. A majority of patients reported improvement in their dysphagia (91%), chest pain (70%), and regurgitation (87%) symptoms. Patients who underwent HM-TF more than 5 years ago were most likely to report heartburn symptoms. One (1%) patient went on to require esophagectomy for ongoing dysphagia and one (1%) patient required revisional fundoplication for their heartburn symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Minimally invasive Heller myotomy and posterior partial fundoplication is a durable treatment for achalasia over the long term. Additional prospective and multi-institutional studies are needed to validate our results.

Appropriate patient selection facilitates safe discharge from the PACU after laparoscopic ventral hernia repair: an analysis of the AHSQC database.

BACKGROUND: The postoperative management of patients undergoing laparoscopic ventral hernia repair (VHR) remains relatively unknown. The purpose of our study was to determine if patient and hernia-specific factors could be used to predict the likelihood of hospital admission following laparoscopic VHR using the Americas Hernia Society Quality Collaborative (AHSQC) database. METHODS: All patients who underwent elective, laparoscopic VHR with mesh placement from October 2015 through April 2019 were identified within the AHSQC database. Patients without clean wounds, those with chronic liver disease, and those without 30-day follow-up data were excluded from our analysis. Patient and hernia-specific variables were compared between patients who were discharged from the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) and patients who required hospital admission. Comparisons were also made between the two groups with respect to 30-day morbidity and mortality events. RESULTS: A total of 1609 patients met inclusion criteria; 901 (56%) patients were discharged from the PACU. The proportion of patients discharged from the PACU increased with each subsequent year. Several patient comorbidities and hernia-specific factors were found to be associated with postoperative hospital admission, including older age, repair of a recurrent hernia, a larger hernia width, longer operative time, drain placement, and use of mechanical bowel preparation. Patients who required hospital admission were more likely than those discharged from the PACU to be readmitted to the hospital within 30 days (4% vs. 2%, respectively) and to experience a 30-day morbidity event (18% vs. 8%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Patient- and hernia-specific factors can be used to identify patients who can be safely discharged from the PACU following laparoscopic VHR. Additional studies are needed to determine if appropriate patient selection for discharge from the PACU leads to decreased healthcare costs for laparoscopic VHR over the long-term.

Caring for Unbefriended Older Adults and Adult Orphans: A Clinician Survey.

Objectives: Unbefriended older adults are those who lack the capacity to make medical decisions and do not have a completed advance directive that can guide treatment decisions or a surrogate decision maker. Adult orphans are those who retain medical decision-making capacity but are at risk of becoming unbefriended due to lack of a completed advance health care directive and lack of a surrogate decision maker. In a follow-up to the 2016 American Geriatrics Society (AGS) position statement on unbefriended older adults, we examined clinicians' experiences in caring for unbefriended older adults and adult orphans.Methods: Clinicians recruited through the AGS (N = 122) completed an online survey about their experiences with unbefriended older adults regarding the perceived frequency of contact, clinical concerns, practice strategies, and terminology; and also with adult orphans regarding the perceived frequency of contact, methods of identification, and terminology.Results: Almost all inpatient (95.9%) and outpatient (86.4%) clinicians in this sample encounter unbefriended older adults at least quarterly and 92.2% of outpatient clinicians encounter adult orphans at least quarterly. Concerns about safety (95.9%), medication self-management (90.4%), and advance care planning (86.3%) bring unbefriended older adults to outpatient clinicians' attention "sometimes" to "frequently." Prolonged hospital stays (87.7%) and delays in transitioning to end-of-life care (85.7%) bring unbefriended older adults to inpatient clinicians' attention "sometimes" to "frequently." Clinicians apply a wide range of practice strategies to these populations. Participants suggested alternative terminology to replace "unbefriended" and "adult orphan."Conclusions: This study suggests that unbefriended older adults are frequently encountered in geriatrics practice, both in the inpatient and outpatient settings, and that there is widespread awareness of adult orphans in the outpatient setting. Clinicians' awareness of both groups suggests avenues for intervention and prevention.Clinical Implications: Health care professionals in geriatric settings will likely encounter older adults in need of advocates. Clinicians, attorneys, and policymakers should collaborate to improve early detection and to meet the needs of this vulnerable population.

Amplicon deep sequencing of kelch13 in Plasmodium falciparum isolates from Senegal.

BACKGROUND: In 2006, the Senegalese National Malaria Control Programme recommended artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) with artemether-lumefantrine as the first-line treatment for uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria. To date, multiple mutations associated with artemisinin delayed parasite clearance have been described in Southeast Asia in the Pfk13 gene, such as Y493H, R539T, I543T and C580Y. Even though ACT remains clinically and parasitologically efficacious in Senegal, the spread of resistance is possible as shown by the earlier emergence of resistance to chloroquine in Southeast Asia that subsequently spread to Africa. Therefore, surveillance of artemisinin resistance in malaria endemic regions is crucial and requires the implementation of sensitive tools, such as next-generation sequencing (NGS) which can detect novel mutations at low frequency. METHODS: Here, an amplicon sequencing approach was used to identify mutations in the Pfk13 gene in eighty-one P. falciparum isolates collected from three different regions of Senegal. RESULTS: In total, 10 SNPs around the propeller domain were identified; one synonymous SNP and nine non-synonymous SNPs, and two insertions. Three of these SNPs (T478T, A578S and V637I) were located in the propeller domain. A578S, is the most frequent mutation observed in Africa, but has not previously been reported in Senegal. A previous study has suggested that A578S could disrupt the function of the Pfk13 propeller region. CONCLUSION: As the genetic basis of possible artemisinin resistance may be distinct in Africa and Southeast Asia, further studies are necessary to assess the new SNPs reported in this study.

Detection of low-density Plasmodium falciparum infections using amplicon deep sequencing.

BACKGROUND: Deep sequencing of targeted genomic regions is becoming a common tool for understanding the dynamics and complexity of Plasmodium infections, but its lower limit of detection is currently unknown. Here, a new amplicon analysis tool, the Parallel Amplicon Sequencing Error Correction (PASEC) pipeline, is used to evaluate the performance of amplicon sequencing on low-density Plasmodium DNA samples. Illumina-based sequencing of two Plasmodium falciparum genomic regions (CSP and SERA2) was performed on two types of samples: in vitro DNA mixtures mimicking low-density infections (1-200 genomes/µl) and extracted blood spots from a combination of symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals (44-653,080 parasites/µl). Three additional analysis tools-DADA2, HaplotypR, and SeekDeep-were applied to both datasets and the precision and sensitivity of each tool were evaluated. RESULTS: Amplicon sequencing can contend with low-density samples, showing reasonable detection accuracy down to a concentration of 5 Plasmodium genomes/µl. Due to increased stochasticity and background noise, however, all four tools showed reduced sensitivity and precision on samples with very low parasitaemia (< 5 copies/µl) or low read count (< 100 reads per amplicon). PASEC could distinguish major from minor haplotypes with an accuracy of 90% in samples with at least 30 Plasmodium genomes/µl, but only 61% at low Plasmodium concentrations (< 5 genomes/µl) and 46% at very low read counts (< 25 reads per amplicon). The four tools were additionally used on a panel of extracted parasite-positive blood spots from natural malaria infections. While all four identified concordant patterns of complexity of infection (COI) across four sub-Saharan African countries, COI values obtained for individual samples differed in some cases. CONCLUSIONS: Amplicon deep sequencing can be used to determine the complexity and diversity of low-density Plasmodium infections. Despite differences in their approach, four state-of-the-art tools resolved known haplotype mixtures with similar sensitivity and precision. Researchers can therefore choose from multiple robust approaches for analysing amplicon data, however, error filtration approaches should not be uniformly applied across samples of varying parasitaemia. Samples with very low parasitaemia and very low read count have higher false positive rates and call for read count thresholds that are higher than current default recommendations.

Efficacy of Behavioral Couples Therapy Versus Individual Recovery Counseling for Addressing Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Among Women With Drug Use Disorders.

Behavioral couples therapy (BCT) for substance use disorder shares similar intervention strategies with empirically supported couples therapies for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Like couples-based PTSD therapies, BCT includes interventions that may help to improve PTSD, such as increasing positive behavioral exchanges and improving communication. Studies have yet to examine whether BCT, which has demonstrated efficacy for improving substance-related outcomes, is efficacious for reducing PTSD. We conducted a secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial comparing individually based treatment (IBT) to BCT plus IBT (BCT+IBT) for women with drug use disorders. Women in both conditions received 26 therapy sessions over 13 weeks. Women completed the PTSD Diagnostic Scale at baseline, posttreatment, and quarterly during the 1-year follow-up. Of the 61 women who were randomized to treatment, 51 (83.6%) reported a lifetime traumatic event. Of the 50 women who endorsed a "worst traumatic event," 25 (50.0%) had a baseline PTSD diagnosis. The treatments did not differ on baseline PTSD severity or diagnosis. Women who received BCT+IBT had significant reductions in PTSD severity from baseline to each of four posttreatment follow-ups, ds = 0.34-0.80; there were no changes in the IBT group. Generalized estimating equation results showed that women who received BCT+IBT had significantly lower PTSD severity during follow-up versus those who received IBT, d = 0.35. There were no differences in the proportion of participants diagnosed with PTSD following treatment. This was the first study to show that BCT+IBT is efficacious for reducing PTSD among women with drug use disorders.

Spanish Abstracts by Asociación Chilena de Estrés Traumático (ACET) Eficacia de la Terapia conductual de pareja frente a la Consejería de recuperación individual para tratar el TEPT entre las mujeres con Trastornos de Uso de Drogas. ABUSO DE DROGAS EN MUJERES Y TEPT La terapia conductual de pareja (TCP) para el trastorno por consumo de sustancias comparte estrategias de intervención con apoyo empírico similares a la terapia de pareja para el trastorno de estrés postraumático (TEPT). Al igual que las terapias de pareja basadas en TEPT, la TCP incluye intervenciones que pueden ayudar a mejorar el TEPT, como el aumento de los intercambios conductuales positivos y la mejora de la comunicación. Los estudios aún no han examinado si la TCP, la cual ha demostrado ser eficaz para mejorar los resultados relacionados con sustancias, es eficaz para reducir el TEPT. Se realizó un análisis secundario de un ensayo clínico aleatorio que comparó el tratamiento individualizado (TI) con la TCP más la TI (TI+ TCP) para las mujeres con trastornos por el consumo de drogas. Las mujeres en ambas condiciones recibieron 26 sesiones de terapia durante 13 semanas. Las mujeres completaron la Escala de Diagnóstico del TEPT al inicio, después del tratamiento y trimestralmente durante el seguimiento de un año. De las 61 mujeres que fueron asignadas al azar al tratamiento, 51 (83.6%) reportaron un evento traumático en la vida. De las 50 mujeres que señalaron un "peor evento traumático", 25 (50.0%) tuvieron un diagnóstico inicial de TEPT. Los tratamientos no difirieron según la gravedad o el diagnóstico inicial del TEPT. Las mujeres que recibieron TCP +TI tuvieron reducciones significativas en la gravedad del TEPT desde el inicio hasta cada uno de los cuatro seguimientos posteriores al tratamiento, ds = 0.34 - 0.80; no hubo cambios en el grupo de TI. Los resultados de la ecuación de estimación generalizada mostraron que las mujeres que recibieron TCP+TI tuvieron una gravedad de TEPT significativamente menor durante el seguimiento en comparación con las que recibieron TI, d = 0.35. No hubo diferencias en la proporción de participantes diagnosticados con TEPT después del tratamiento. Este fue el primer estudio en mostrar que la TCP +TI es eficaz para reducir el TEPT entre las mujeres con trastornos por el uso de drogas.

Individual versus interprofessional team performance in formulating care transition plans: A randomised study of trainees from five professional groups.

Health professions trainees' performance in teams is rarely evaluated, but increasingly important as the healthcare delivery systems in which they will practice move towards team-based care. Effective management of care transitions is an important aspect of interprofessional teamwork. This mixed-methods study used a crossover design to randomise health professions trainees to work as individuals and as teams to formulate written care transition plans. Experienced external raters assessed the quality of the written care transition plans as well as both the quality of team process and overall team performance. Written care transition plan quality did not vary between individuals and teams (21.8 vs. 24.4, respectively, p = 0.42). The quality of team process did not correlate with the quality of the team-generated written care transition plans (r = -0.172, p = 0.659). However, there was a significant correlation between the quality of team process and overall team performance (r = 0.692, p = 0.039). Teams with highly engaged recorders, performing an internal team debrief, had higher-quality care transition plans. These results suggest that high-quality interprofessional care transition plans may require advance instruction as well as teamwork in finalising the plan.

Primary Care of the Prostate Cancer Survivor.

This summary of the American Cancer Society Prostate Cancer Survivorship Care Guidelines targets primary care physicians who coordinate care of prostate cancer survivors with subspecialists. Prostate cancer survivors should undergo prostate-specific antigen screening every six to 12 months and digital rectal examination annually. Surveillance of patients who choose watchful waiting for their prostate cancer should be conducted by a subspecialist. Any hematuria or rectal bleeding must be thoroughly evaluated. Prostate cancer survivors should be screened regularly for urinary incontinence and sexual dysfunction. Patients with predominant urge incontinence symptoms, which can occur after surgical and radiation treatments, may benefit from an anticholinergic agent. If there is difficulty with bladder emptying, a trial of an alpha blocker may be considered. A phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor can effectively treat sexual dysfunction following treatment for prostate cancer. Osteoporosis screening should occur before initiation of androgen deprivation therapy, and patients treated with androgen deprivation therapy should be monitored for anemia, metabolic syndrome, and vasomotor symptoms. Healthy lifestyle choices should be encouraged, including weight management, regular physical activity, proper nutrition, and smoking cessation. Primary care physicians should be vigilant for psychosocial distress, including depression, among prostate cancer survivors, as well as the potential impact of this distress on patients' family members and partners.

Technical skills assessment toolbox: a review using the unitary framework of validity.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to create a technical skills assessment toolbox for 35 basic and advanced skills/procedures that comprise the American College of Surgeons (ACS)/Association of Program Directors in Surgery (APDS) surgical skills curriculum and to provide a critical appraisal of the included tools, using contemporary framework of validity. BACKGROUND: Competency-based training has become the predominant model in surgical education and assessment of performance is an essential component. Assessment methods must produce valid results to accurately determine the level of competency. METHODS: A search was performed, using PubMed and Google Scholar, to identify tools that have been developed for assessment of the targeted technical skills. RESULTS: A total of 23 assessment tools for the 35 ACS/APDS skills modules were identified. Some tools, such as Operative Performance Rating System (OSATS) and Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skill (OPRS), have been tested for more than 1 procedure. Therefore, 30 modules had at least 1 assessment tool, with some common surgical procedures being addressed by several tools. Five modules had none. Only 3 studies used Messick's framework to design their validity studies. The remaining studies used an outdated framework on the basis of "types of validity." When analyzed using the contemporary framework, few of these studies demonstrated validity for content, internal structure, and relationship to other variables. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides an assessment toolbox for common surgical skills/procedures. Our review shows that few authors have used the contemporary unitary concept of validity for development of their assessment tools. As we progress toward competency-based training, future studies should provide evidence for various sources of validity using the contemporary framework.