Reliability of proxy reports on patient reported outcomes measures in stroke: An updated systematic review.

OBJECTIVES: With the rising global burden of stroke-related morbidity, and increased focus on patient-centered healthcare, patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) are increasingly used to inform healthcare decision-making. Some stroke patients with cognitive or motor impairments are unable to respond to PROMs, so proxies may respond on their behalf; the reliability of which remains unclear. The aim of the study is to update a 2010 systematic review to investigate the inter-rater reliability of proxy respondents answering PROMs for stroke patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Studies on the reliability of proxy respondents in stroke were searched within CINAHL, Embase, PsycInfo, and WoS databases (01/07/22, 08/07/22). Fifteen studies were included for review. ICC and k-statistic were extracted for PROMs scales and categorized as poor (0.80). Bias was assessed using the CCAT. RESULTS: Five studies reported PROMs with inter-rater reliability scores ranging from 0.80. Two studies reported activities of daily living (ADLs) scores ranging from 0.41 to 0.80 and 8 studies reported quality of life (QoL) measures with scores ranging from 0.80. Subcategories of these scales included physical (ICC/k-statistic 0.41- >0.8), cognitive (ICC/k-statistic 0.40-0.80), communication (ICC/k-statistic <0.4-0.80,) and psychological (ICC/k-statistic <0.40-0.60) measures. CONCLUSIONS: Proxy respondents are reliable sources for PROM reports on physical domains in ADLs, PROMs and QoL scales. Proxy reports for measures of communication and psychological domains had greater variability in reliability scores, ranging from poor to substantial; hence, caution should be applied when interpreting proxy reports for these domains.

Prognostic and Goals-of-Care Communication in the PICU: A Systematic Review.

OBJECTIVE: Admission to the PICU may result in substantial short- and long-term morbidity for survivors and their families. Engaging caregivers in discussion of prognosis is challenging for PICU clinicians. We sought to summarize the literature on prognostic, goals-of-care conversations (PGOCCs) in the PICU in order to establish current evidence-based practice, highlight knowledge gaps, and identify future directions. DATA SOURCES: PubMed (MEDLINE and PubMed Central), EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Scopus. STUDY SELECTION: We reviewed published articles (2001-2022) that examined six themes within PGOCC contextualized to the PICU: 1) caregiver perspectives, 2) clinician perspectives, 3) documentation patterns, 4) communication skills training for clinicians, 5) family conferences, and 6) prospective interventions to improve caregiver-clinician communication. DATA EXTRACTION: Two reviewers independently assessed eligibility using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis methodology. DATA SYNTHESIS: Of 1,420 publications screened, 65 met criteria for inclusion with several key themes identified. Parent and clinician perspectives highlighted the need for clear, timely, and empathetic prognostic communication. Communication skills training programs are evaluated by a participant's self-perceived improvement. Caregiver and clinician views on quality of family meetings may be discordant. Documentation of PGOCCs is inconsistent and most likely to occur shortly before death. Only two prospective interventions to improve caregiver-clinician communication in the PICU have been reported. The currently available studies reflect an overrepresentation of bereaved White, English-speaking caregivers of children with known chronic conditions. CONCLUSIONS: Future research should identify evidence-based communication practices that enhance caregiver-clinician PGOCC in the PICU and address: 1) caregiver and clinician perspectives of underserved and limited English proficiency populations, 2) inclusion of caregivers who are not physically present at the bedside, 3) standardized communication training programs with broader multidisciplinary staff inclusion, 4) improved design of patient and caregiver educational materials, 5) the development of pediatric decision aids, and 6) inclusion of long-term post-PICU outcomes as a measure for PGOCC interventions.

A bibliometric analysis of HER2-positive breast cancer: 1987-2024.

Aim: The overamplification of human epidermal growth factor (HER2) in breast cancer (BC) has been the subject of numerous research publications since its discovery in 1987. This is the first bibliometric analysis (BA) conducted on HER2-positive (HER2+) BC. The purpose of this BA is to analyze the published research on HER2+ BC from 1987 to 2024, highlighting the most significant scientific literature, as well as the main contributing authors and journals, and evaluating the impact of clinical and lab-based publications on HER2+ BC research. Methods: The Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) was searched using the terms "Breast cancer" OR "Breast carcinoma" OR "Breast tumor" AND "HER2 positive" OR "HER2+". The search was limited by publication year (1987-2024) and only full English articles were included. WoS returned 7,469 relevant results, and from this dataset, a bibliometric analysis was conducted using the "analyze results" and "journal citation report" functions in WoS and the VOSviewer 1.6.16 software to generate bibliographic coupling and co-citation analysis of authors. Results: The analysis encompassed a total of 7,469 publications, revealing a notable increase in the annual number of publications, particularly in recent years. The United States, China, Italy, Germany, and Spain were the top five most prolific countries. The top five significant institutions that published HER2+ research were the University of Texas System, Unicancer, UTMD Anderson Cancer Center, Harvard University, and University of California System. Breast Cancer Research and Treatment, Clinical Cancer Research, and Clinical Breast Cancer were the top three notable journals with the highest number of HER2+ BC publications. Dennis Slamon (Nc = 45,411, H-index = 51) and Jose Baselga (Nc = 32,592, H-index = 55) were the most prolific authors. Evolving research topics include anti-HER2 therapy in the neoadjuvant setting, treatment of metastatic HER2+ BC, and overcoming therapy resistance. Conclusion: This study provides an overview of HER2+ BC research published over the past three decades. It provides insight into the most cited papers and authors, and the core journals, and identifies new trends. These manuscripts have had the highest impact in the field and reflect the continued evolution of HER2 as a therapeutic target in BC.