Risk of Acute Kidney Injury Based on Vancomycin Target Trough Attainment Strategy: Area-Under-the-Curve-Guided Bayesian Software, Nomogram, or Trough-Guided Dosing.

BACKGROUND: Guidelines support area-under-the-curve (AUC) monitoring for vancomycin dosing which may lower overall doses and reduce acute kidney injury (AKI). OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare incidence of AKI across 3 vancomycin dosing modalities: AUC-targeted Bayesian pharmacokinetic software, AUC-targeted empiric dosing nomogram, and trough-guided dosing using clinical pharmacists' judgment. METHODS: This retrospective study included adult patients with a pharmacy dosing consult who received ≥1 dose of vancomycin and ≥1 serum vancomycin level documented between January 1, 2018, and December 31, 2019. Patients with baseline serum creatinine ≥2 mg/dL, weight ≥100 kg, receiving renal replacement therapy, AKI prior to vancomycin therapy, or vancomycin ordered only for surgical prophylaxis were excluded. The primary analysis was incidence of AKI adjusted for baseline serum creatinine, age, and intensive care unit admission. A secondary outcome was adjusted incidence of an abnormal trough value (<10 or >20 µg/mL). RESULTS: The study included 3459 encounters. Incidence of AKI was 21% for Bayesian software (n = 659), 22% for the nomogram (n = 303), and 32% for trough-guided dosing (n = 2497). Compared with trough-guided dosing, incidence of AKI was lower in the Bayesian (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 0.72, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.58-0.89) and the nomogram (adjusted OR = 0.71, 95% CI: 0.53-0.95) groups. Compared with trough-guided dosing, abnormal trough values were less common in the Bayesian group (adjusted OR = 0.83, 95% CI: 0.69-0.98). CONCLUSION AND RELEVANCE: Study results suggest that use of AUC-guided Bayesian software reduces the incidence of AKI and abnormal trough values compared with trough-guided dosing.

Specification, validation, and adherence of quality indicators to optimize the safe use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for knee osteoarthritis pain in the primary care setting.

BACKGROUND: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) used for osteoarthritis (OA) in primary care may cause gastrointestinal or renal injury. This study estimated adherence to two quality indicators (QIs) to optimize NSAID safety: add proton pump inhibitors (PPI) to NSAIDs for patients with gastrointestinal (GI) risk (QI #1 NSAID-PPI) and avoid oral NSAIDs in chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage G4 or G5 (QI #2 NSAID-CKD). METHODS: This retrospective study included index primary care clinic visits for knee OA at our health system in 2019. The validation cohort consisted of a random sample of 60 patients. The remainder were included in the expanded cohort. Analysis of structured data extracts was validated against chart review of clinic visit notes (validation cohort) and estimated QI adherence (expanded cohort). RESULTS: Among 60 patients in the validation cohort, analysis of data extracts was validated against chart review for QI #1 NSAID-PPI (100% sensitivity and 91% specificity) and QI #2 NSAID-CKD (100% accuracy). Among 335 patients in the expanded cohort, 44% used NSAIDs, 27% used PPIs, 73% had elevated GI risk, and only 2% had CKD stage 4 or 5. Twenty-one percent used NSAIDs and had elevated GI risk but were not using PPIs. Therefore, adherence to QI #1 NSAID-PPI was 79% (95% CI, 74-83%). No patients with CKD stage 4 or 5 used NSAIDs. Therefore, adherence to QI #2 NSAID-CKD was 100%. CONCLUSION: A substantial proportion of knee OA patients with GI risk factors did not receive PPI with NSAID therapy during primary care visits.

Quality indicators for osteoarthritis pain management in the primary care setting.

BACKGROUND: Development of valid and feasible quality indicators (QIs) is needed to track quality initiatives for osteoarthritis pain management in primary care settings. METHODS: Literature search identified published guidelines that were reviewed for QI extraction. A panel of 14 experts was assembled, including primary care physicians, rheumatologists, orthopedic surgeons, pain specialists, and outcomes research pharmacists. A screening survey excluded QIs that cannot be reliably extracted from the electronic health record or that are irrelevant for osteoarthritis in primary care settings. A validity screening survey used a 9-point Likert scale to rate the validity of each QI based on predefined criteria. During expert panel discussions, stakeholders revised QI wording, added new QIs, and voted to include or exclude each QI. A priority survey used a 9-point Likert scale to prioritize the included QIs. RESULTS: Literature search identified 520 references published from January 2015 to March 2021 and 4 additional guidelines from professional/governmental websites. The study included 41 guidelines. Extraction of 741 recommendations yielded 115 candidate QIs. Feasibility screening excluded 28 QIs. Validity screening and expert panel discussion excluded 73 QIs and added 1 QI. The final set of 15 prioritized QIs focused on pain management safety, education, weight-management, psychological wellbeing, optimizing first-line medications, referral, and imaging. CONCLUSION: This multi-disciplinary expert panel established consensus on QIs for osteoarthritis pain management in primary care settings by combining scientific evidence with expert opinion. The resulting list of 15 prioritized, valid, and feasible QIs can be used to track quality initiatives for osteoarthritis pain management.

Incidence of Midline Catheter Complications Among Hospitalized Patients.

The use of midline catheters has increased to reduce excessive use of central venous access devices, and additional data on midline catheter complications are needed. This study aimed to describe midline catheter complications among hospitalized patients. This retrospective study included a random sample of 300 hospitalized patients with a midline catheter insertion in 2019. The primary outcome was a composite end point of 8 complications: occlusion, bleeding at insertion site, infiltration/extravasation, catheter-related thrombosis, accidental removal, phlebitis, hematoma, and catheter-related infection. Midline catheter failure was defined as removal prior to the end of therapy due to complications. Among 300 midline catheters, the incidence of the composite end point of 1 or more midline complications was 38% (95% confidence interval, 33%-44%). Complications included occlusion (17.0%), bleeding at insertion site (12.0%), infiltration/extravasation (10.0%), catheter-related thrombosis (4.0%), accidental removal (3.0%), phlebitis (0.3%), hematoma (0.3%), and catheter-related infection (0.3%). Midline catheter failure occurred in 16% of midline catheters (n = 48) due to infiltration/extravasation (n = 27), accidental removal (n = 10), catheter-related thrombosis (n = 9), occlusion (n = 4), and catheter-related infection (n = 1). Three catheters had 2 types of failure. The most common complications of occlusion and bleeding rarely resulted in midline catheter failure. The most common causes of midline catheter failure were infiltration/extravasation, accidental removal, and catheter-related thrombosis.

Optimization of Opioid Discharge Prescriptions Following Thyroid and Parathyroid Surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of a quality improvement bundle on opioid discharge prescribing following thyroidectomy and parathyroidectomy. METHODS: This before-and-after study included patients undergoing thyroidectomy or parathyroidectomy at an academic medical center. The quality improvement bundle included a patient education flyer, electronic health record order sets with multimodal analgesia regimens, and provider education. The preimplementation cohort included patients treated from January 2018 to December 2019. The postimplementation cohort included patients treated from June 2021 to August 2021. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients who received new opioid discharge prescriptions. RESULTS: A total of 160 patients were included in the preimplementation cohort, and the first 80 patients treated after bundle implementation were included in the postimplementation cohort. Patients receiving new opioid discharge prescriptions decreased from 80% (128/160) in the preimplementation cohort to 35% (28/80) in the postimplementation cohort with an unadjusted absolute reduction of 45% (95% CI, 33%-57%; P < .001; number needed to treat = 3) and an adjusted odds ratio (OR) of 0.08 (95% CI, 0.04-0.19; P < .001). The bundle was associated with reductions in opioid discharge prescriptions that exceeded 112.5 oral morphine milligram equivalents (33% pre- vs 10% postimplementation; adjusted OR, 0.20; P = .001) or 5 days of therapy (17% pre- vs 6% postimplementation; adjusted OR, 0.34; P = .049). DISCUSSION: Implementation of a pain management quality improvement bundle reduced opioid discharge prescribing following thyroidectomy and parathyroidectomy. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Unnecessary opioid prescriptions generate unused opioids in patients' homes that can lead to opioid misuse. We believe that this bundle reduced the risk for opioid misuse in our community. REGISTRATION: The study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04955444) before implementation.

Hospitalization and survival of solid organ transplant recipients with coronavirus disease 2019: A propensity matched cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients are predicted to have worse COVID-19 outcomes due to their compromised immunity. However, this association remains uncertain because published studies have had small sample sizes and variability in chronic comorbidity adjustment. METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study conducted at a multihospital health system, we compared COVID-19 outcomes and survival up to 60 days following hospital admission in SOT recipients taking baseline immunosuppressants versus hospitalized control patients. RESULTS: The study included 4,562 patients who were hospitalized with COVID-19 (108 SOT recipients and 4,454 controls) from 03/2020 to 08/2020. Mortality at 60 days was higher for SOT recipients (17% SOT vs 10% control; unadjusted odds ratio (OR) = 1.74, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.04-2.91, P = 0.04). We then conducted a 1:5 propensity matched cohort analysis (100 SOT recipients; 500 controls) using age, sex, race, body mass index, hypertension, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, liver disease, admission month, and area deprivation index. Within 28 days of admission, SOT recipients had fewer hospital-free days (median; 17 SOT vs 21 control; OR = 0.64, 95%CI 0.46-0.90, P = 0.01) but had similar ICU-free days (OR = 1.20, 95%CI 0.72-2.00, P = 0.49) and ventilator-free days (OR = 0.91, 95%CI 0.53-1.57, P = 0.75). There was no statistically significant difference in 28-day mortality (9% SOT vs 12% control; OR = 0.76, 95%CI 0.36-1.57, P = 0.46) or 60-day mortality (16% SOT vs 14% control; OR = 1.15, 95%CI 0.64-2.08, P = 0.64). CONCLUSIONS: Hospitalized SOT recipients appear to need additional days of hospital care but can achieve short-term mortality outcomes from COVID-19 that are similar to non-SOT recipients in a propensity matched cohort study.

Wound characteristics and infiltration with immune globulin for rabies postexposure prophylaxis in the emergency department.

OBJECTIVE: This study described characteristics of wounds caused by animal exposures and evaluated patient factors and wound factors associated with wound infiltration of human rabies immune globulin (HRIG). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective cohort study evaluated wound characteristics among patients who had visible wounds and received HRIG or rabies vaccine for rabies postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) at 15 emergency departments from May 2016 to June 2018. RESULTS: Of 110 included patients (9 children, 82 adults, and 19 older adults), 21% (n = 23) had ≥2 wounds, and 10% (n = 11) had infected wounds. Twenty-eight (25%) patients had severe wounds, defined as receiving sutures (n = 20) or reaching subcutaneous tissue or bone (n = 20). Wounds were present on upper extremities for 42% (n = 46) of patients, lower extremities for 35% (n = 38), head/face for 3% (n = 3), and in multiple locations for 21% (n = 23). Wounds were < 3 cm in length for 64% (n = 70) of patients. Puncture wounds were present in 60% (n = 66) of patients, abrasions in 45% (n = 49), and lacerations in 38% (n = 42). Among 108 wounds from 82 patients with documented HRIG administration sites, 57% (n = 62) of wounds received HRIG infiltration. Infiltration occurred less frequently for wounds on the face/head/torso (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 0.07, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.01 to 0.49), wounds on hands/fingers (aOR = 0.20, 95% CI = 0.06 to 0.65), and abrasion-only wounds (aOR = 0.26, 95% CI = 0.08 to 0.80) after adjusting for age. CONCLUSIONS: Upon presentation for rabies PEP, most patients did not have severe wounds and did not require emergency services or complex wound management. Wounds on the face, head, torso, hands, or fingers and abrasions were less likely to receive HRIG infiltration.

Alteplase for the treatment of midline catheter occlusions: a retrospective, single-cohort descriptive study.

BACKGROUND: Despite the increasing popularity of midline catheters, data on the use of alteplase for restoring midline catheter patency is scarce. AIMS: This study aimed to evaluate off-label use of alteplase for midline catheter occlusions. METHOD: Adults who received alteplase into a midline catheter between January 2015 and May 2018 within a multi-hospital health system were included in this study. The primary outcome was restoration of infusion or withdrawal function from at least one lumen of a treated midline catheter. FINDINGS: Following alteplase administration, withdrawal function was restored in 47% (25/53) of occlusion events, infusion function was restored in 65% (11/17) of complete occlusion events, and infusion or withdrawal function was restored in 58% (31/53) of occlusion events. Only 34% (17/50) of catheters were replaced because of malfunction. Local bleeding was documented in 9% (n=5) of occlusion events after alteplase administration. CONCLUSION: Most midline catheter occlusions treated with alteplase demonstrated restoration of infusion or withdrawal function.

Implementation of Clinical Decision Support on Emergency Department Delivery of Human Rabies Immune Globulin.

Importance: Fatal human rabies infections can be prevented through appropriate rabies postexposure prophylaxis (PEP). Errors in patient selection and administration of human rabies immune globulin in the emergency department (ED) setting were identified in a previous study of rabies PEP administration. Objective: To test the a priori hypothesis that implementation of a rabies PEP bundle in the ED would improve full adherence to 6 human rabies immune globulin quality indicators compared with preimplementation controls. Design, Setting, and Participants: This quality improvement study was conducted in 15 EDs in a US multihospital health system. Patients who received human rabies immune globulin or rabies vaccine in the ED from January 2015 to June 2018 were included in the preimplementation control group and from December 2019 to November 2020 were included in the postimplementation intervention group. Data were analyzed in January 2021. Exposure: The PEP bundle was implemented in December 2019 and consisted of electronic health record enhancements, including clinical decision support, ED staff education, and patient education. Main Outcomes and Measures: Full adherence to 6 human rabies immune globulin quality indicators: patient selection, dose, timing, infiltration into wounds, administration distant from rabies vaccine site, and administration that avoids the buttock. Results: The study included 324 patients; 254 patients were in preimplementation group (mean [SD] age, 39 [21] years; 135 [53%] women) and 70 in the postimplementation group (mean [SD] age, 38 [19] years; 33 [47%] women). Most patients presented to EDs embedded in a community hospital (231 patients [71%]). Full adherence increased from 37% in the preimplementation group to 61% postimplementation (absolute increase, 24%; 95% CI, 11% to 37%; P < .001). Adherence improved for quality indicators for infiltration into wounds (137 of 254 patients [54%] to 50 of 70 patients [71%]; P = .009), administration distant from rabies vaccine site (180 of 254 [71%] to 58 of 70 [83%]; P = .04), and administration that avoids the buttock (168 of 254 [66%] to 58 of 70 [83%]; P = .007). No instances of sciatic nerve injury or compartment syndrome were observed. Conclusions and Relevance: In this quality improvement study, implementation of a rabies PEP bundle was associated with improved patient selection and delivery of human rabies immune globulin in EDs across a multihospital health system. Although the bundle included ED staff education and patient discharge education, the observed improvement was likely driven by clinical decision support from the rabies PEP ED order set. Future research should evaluate implementation of this clinical decision support at other health systems.

Impact of Recent Acute Kidney Injury on Creatinine Clearance Estimation in Critically Ill Patients Undergoing Cardiac Surgery.

Acute kidney injury (AKI), often present in critically ill patients and patients with cardiac dysfunction, may alter estimates of renal function. The impact of recent AKI on the accuracy of the Cockcroft-Gault creatinine clearance equation (CG-CrCl) before cardiac surgery is unknown. This single-center, retrospective study included patients who underwent cardiac surgery from 1 January 2006 through 30 June 2012 and whose 24-hour urine creatinine clearance (24hr-CrCl) was measured in the intensive care unit before surgery. We evaluated CG-CrCl accuracy by calculating absolute differences between 24hr-CrCl and CG-CrCl estimates. Clinical impact was signified by discrepancies in United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) renal impairment stage indicated by 24hr-CrCl versus CG-CrCl estimates. Acute kidney injury was evaluated by using Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes criteria. Of 161 patients, 93 (58%) had recent AKI: stage 1, 31 (33%); stage 2, 39 (42%); and stage 3, 23 (25%). In mL/min, the CG-CrCl overestimated 24hr-CrCl (absolute difference: total, -10 ± 25; no AKI, -7 ± 26; stage 1, -8 ± 17; stage 2, -16 ± 28; and stage 3, -10 ± 26; P=0.29). Renal impairment stages assigned by CG-CrCl did not match 24hr-CrCl in 70 (43%) of the 161 patients, especially those with recent AKI: no AKI, 24/68 (35%); stage 1, 13/31 (42%); stage 2, 23/39 (59%); and stage 3, 10/23 (43%). The CG-CrCl consistently overestimated 24hr-CrCl in critically ill patients before cardiac surgery. Clinicians should use the CG-CrCl cautiously when estimating renal function and medication dosages in this population.

Avoidable emergency department visits for rabies vaccination.

BACKGROUND: Administering subsequent doses of rabies vaccine is not a medical emergency and does not require access to emergency department (ED) services. This study reviewed ED visits for rabies postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) to identify avoidable ED visits for subsequent rabies vaccination. METHODS: This retrospective study included patients who received human rabies immune globulin (HRIG) or rabies vaccine at 15 EDs of a multi-hospital health system from 2016 to 2018. All ED visits were classified as initial or non-initial healthcare visits after animal exposure. Emergency department visits for non-initial healthcare were classified as necessary (HRIG administration, worsening symptoms, other emergent conditions, or vaccination during a natural disaster) or avoidable (rabies vaccination only). RESULTS: This study included 145 patients with 203 ED visits (113 initial and 90 non-initial healthcare visits). Avoidable ED visits were identified for 19% (28 of 145) of patients and 66% (59 of 90) of ED visits for non-initial healthcare. Contributing factors for avoidable ED visits were suboptimal ED discharge instructions to return to the ED for vaccination (n = 20 visits) and patients' inability to coordinate outpatient follow-up (n = 17 visits). Patients with previous avoidable ED visits had a 73% probability for unnecessarily returning to the ED for vaccination. The average number of avoidable ED visits observed per patient was 0.41 (95% CI = 0.25 to 0.56). Since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 30,000 to 60,000 Americans initiates rabies PEP each year, we estimate that 7500 to 33,600 avoidable ED visits occur for rabies vaccination in the US each year. CONCLUSIONS: One of 5 patients who received rabies PEP in the ED had avoidable ED visits for subsequent rabies vaccination. This study highlights systemic lack of coordination following ED discharge and barriers to accessing rabies vaccine.

Real-World Data on Liposomal Bupivacaine and Inpatient Hospital Costs After Colorectal Surgery.

INTRODUCTION: This study compared costs of care among colorectal surgery patients who received liposomal bupivacaine versus those who did not (control) from a health institution perspective. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This pharmacoeconomic evaluation was conducted among adults undergoing open or minimally invasive colorectal resection at an academic medical center from May 2016 to February 2018. Healthcare resource utilization was derived from the electronic health record. Total cost of care (2018 USD) was analyzed using a generalized linear model adjusted for American Society of Anesthesiologists score, enhanced recovery after surgery management, open surgery, opioid use before surgery, height, cancer, and age. The primary analysis used public costs. A sensitivity analysis used internal costs from the hospital to maximize internal validity. RESULTS: Of 486 included patients, 286 (59%) received liposomal bupivacaine. Total cost of care using public costs included perioperative local anesthetics (mean ± standard deviation [SD]: $392 ± 74 liposomal bupivacaine versus $8 ± 13 control), analgesics within 48 h after surgery (mean ± SD: $132 ± 99 liposomal bupivacaine versus $117 ± 127 control), postoperative ileus management (mean ± SD: $5 ± 51 liposomal bupivacaine versus $65 ± 284 control), and hospital length of stay (mean ± SD: $4459 ± 3576 liposomal bupivacaine versus $7769 ± 7082 control). Liposomal bupivacaine was associated with an adjusted absolute difference in total cost of care of -$1435 (95% confidence interval -$2401 to -$470; P = 0.004) using public costs and -$1345 (95% confidence interval -$2215 to -$476; P = 0.002) using internal costs. CONCLUSIONS: Use of liposomal bupivacaine in colorectal surgery was associated with a significant reduction in total cost of care that was predominately driven by reduced costs for hospital stay and postoperative ileus management despite higher medication costs.

Publication of Pharmacy Residency Research: A 12-Year Cohort From an Academic Medical Center.

BACKGROUND: Pharmacy residency programs provide research training experiences to residents, and publication is considered an indicator of high-quality research experiences. OBJECTIVE: This study described attributes of pharmacy residents, residency programs, and residency major research projects and their associations with the outcome of publication in a peer-reviewed journal. METHODS: Pharmacy residents who graduated from one academic medical center between 2001 and 2012 were invited to participate via an electronic survey distributed in February 2014. The survey collected attributes of the resident, residency program, and research project. The outcome of publication was self-reported by residents in 2014 and updated in July 2019 using a validated search strategy. RESULTS: This study included 53 resident graduates representing 66 major pharmacy residency projects. Eighteen (27%) projects were published, occurring at an average of 13.8 months after residency graduation. The outcome of publication was more likely for residents with human subjects research experience prior to PGY1 training, residency programs that cultivated resident expertise in Institutional Review Board submission and statistical analysis, and projects with Institutional Review Board approval, a larger number of co-investigators, non-pharmacy co-investigators, and a larger sample size. CONCLUSION: This cohort of residents, programs, and projects at an academic medical center identified many modifiable attributes that were associated with successful publication of resident research projects. Unfortunately, residency projects rarely used study design features that attenuate bias. Residents and preceptors were perceived as having limited expertise with statistical analysis and database management, which underscores the need to develop research infrastructure to enhance research training for pharmacy students, residents, and preceptors.

Defining Vasoplegia Following Durable, Continuous Flow Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation.

This study aimed to develop a definition of vasoplegia that reliably predicts clinical outcomes. Vasoplegia was evaluated using data from the electronic health record for each 15-minute interval for 72 hours following cardiopulmonary bypass. Standardized definitions considered clinical features (systemic vascular resistance [SVR], mean arterial pressure [MAP], cardiac index [CI], norepinephrine equivalents [NEE]), threshold strategy (criteria occurring in any versus all measurements in an interval), and duration (criteria occurring over multiple consecutive versus separated intervals). Minor vasoplegia was MAP < 60 mm Hg or SVR < 800 dynes⋅sec⋅cm-5 with CI > 2.2 L/min/m2 and NEE ≥ 0.1 µg/kg/min. Major vasoplegia was MAP < 60 mm Hg or SVR < 700 dynes⋅sec⋅cm-5 with CI > 2.5 L/min/m2 and NEE ≥ 0.2 µg/kg/min. The primary outcome was incidence of vasoplegia for eight definitions developed utilizing combinations of these criteria. Secondary outcomes were associations between vasoplegia definitions and three clinical outcomes: time to extubation, time to intensive care unit discharge, and nonfavorable discharge. Minor vasoplegia detected anytime within a 15-minute period (MINOR_ANY_15) predicted the highest incidence of vasoplegia (61%) and was associated with two of three clinical outcomes: 1 day delay to first extubation (95% CI: 0.2 to 2) and 7 day delay to first intensive care unit discharge (95% CI: 1 to 13). The MINOR_ANY_15 definition should be externally validated as an optimal definition of vasoplegia.

Development, Validation, and Assessment of Clinical Impact of Real-time Alerts to Detect Inpatient As-Needed Opioid Orders With Duplicate Indications: Prospective Study.

BACKGROUND: As-needed (PRN) opioid orders with duplicate indications can lead to medication errors and opioid-related adverse drug events. OBJECTIVE: The objective of our study was to build and validate real-time alerts that detect duplicate PRN opioid orders and assist clinicians in optimizing the safety of opioid orders. METHODS: This single-center, prospective study used an iterative, 3-step process to refine alert performance by advancing from small sample evaluations of positive predictive values (PPVs) (step 1) through intensive evaluations of accuracy (step 2) to evaluations of clinical impact (step 3). Validation cohorts were randomly sampled from eligible patients for each step. RESULTS: During step 1, the PPV was 100% (one-sided, 97.5% CI 70%-100%) for moderate and severe pain alerts. During step 2, duplication of 1 or more PRN opioid orders was identified for 17% (34/201; 95% CI, 12%-23%) of patients during chart review. This bundle of alerts showed 94% sensitivity (95% CI 80%-99%) and 96% specificity (95% CI 92%-98%) for identifying patients who had duplicate PRN opioid orders. During step 3, at least 1 intervention was made to the medication profile for 77% (46/60; 95% CI 64%-87%) of patients, and at least 1 inappropriate duplicate PRN opioid order was discontinued for 53% (32/60; 95% CI 40%-66%) of patients. CONCLUSIONS: The bundle of alerts developed in this study was validated against chart review by a pharmacist and identified patients who benefited from medication safety interventions to optimize PRN opioid orders.

Optimization of Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) Time Definitions Using the Electronic Health Record: A First Step in Automating In-Hospital AKI Detection.

Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) acute kidney injury (AKI) definitions were evaluated for cases detected and their respective outcomes using expanded time windows to 168 h. AKI incidence and outcomes with expanded time intervals were identified in the electronic health records (EHRs) from 126,367 unique adult hospital admissions (2012-2014) and evaluated using multivariable logistic regression with bootstrap sampling. The incidence of AKI detected was 7.4% (n = 9357) using a 24-h time window for both serum creatinine (SCr) criterion 1a (≥0.30 mg/dL) and 1b (≥50%) increases from index SCr, with additional cases of AKI identified: 6963 from 24-48 h.; 2509 for criterion 1b from 48 h to 7 days; 3004 cases (expansion of criterion 1a and 1b from 48 to 168 h). Compared to patients without AKI, adjusted hospital days increased if AKI (criterion 1a and 1b) was observed using a 24-h observation window (5.5 days), 48-h expansion (3.4 days), 48-h to 7-day expansion (6.5 days), and 168-h expansion (3.9 days); all are p < 0.001. Similarly, the adjusted risk of in-hospital death increased if AKI was detected using a 24-h observation window (odds ratio (OR) = 16.9), 48-h expansion (OR = 5.5), 48-h to 7-day expansion (OR = 4.2), and 168-h expansion (OR = 1.6); all are p ≤ 0.01. Expanding the time windows for both AKI SCr criteria 1a and 1b standardizes and facilitates EHR AKI detection, while identifying additional clinically relevant cases of in-hospital AKI.

Administration of rabies immunoglobulin: Improving evidence-based guidance for wound infiltration.

Rabies virus causes a fatal infection of the brain and spinal cord, accounting for approximately 59,000 deaths globally each year. Rabies postexposure prophylaxis (PEP), including both rabies immunoglobulin (RIG) and vaccination, is administered to 55,000 patients annually in the United States. With a nearly 100% case fatality rate, the optimal administration of rabies PEP cannot be understated. Updated rabies PEP guidelines issued by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2018 recognized that local wound infiltration of RIG is the primary mechanism of protection, and the WHO now recommends only infiltration of wounds without distal intramuscular injection. We highlight potential points of failure involving wound infiltration of RIG, small-volume doses, and large-volume doses that may lead to suboptimal care and discuss implications of recent shifts toward evidence-based guidelines using wound type and RIG volumes.

Clinical Rationale for a Routine Testing Schedule Using Donor-Derived Cell-Free DNA After Kidney Transplantation.

Kidney transplant recipients require meticulous clinical and laboratory surveillance to monitor allograft health. Conventional biomarkers, including serum creatinine and proteinuria, are lagging indicators of allograft injury, often rising only after significant and potentially irreversible damage has occurred. Immunosuppressive medication levels can be followed, but their utility is largely limited to guiding dosing changes or assessing adherence. Kidney biopsy, the criterion standard for the diagnosis and characterization of injury, is invasive and thus poorly suited for frequent surveillance. Donor-derived cell-free DNA (dd-cfDNA) is a sensitive, noninvasive, leading indicator of allograft injury, which offers the opportunity for expedited intervention and can improve long-term allograft outcomes. This article describes the clinical rationale for a routine testing schedule utilizing dd-cfDNA surveillance at months 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 9, and 12 during the first year following kidney transplantation and quarterly thereafter. These time points coincide with major immunologic transition points after transplantation and provide clinicians with molecular information to help inform decision making.

Dexmedetomidine or Propofol for Sedation in Mechanically Ventilated Adults with Sepsis.

BACKGROUND: Guidelines currently recommend targeting light sedation with dexmedetomidine or propofol for adults receiving mechanical ventilation. Differences exist between these sedatives in arousability, immunity, and inflammation. Whether they affect outcomes differentially in mechanically ventilated adults with sepsis undergoing light sedation is unknown. METHODS: In a multicenter, double-blind trial, we randomly assigned mechanically ventilated adults with sepsis to receive dexmedetomidine (0.2 to 1.5 µg per kilogram of body weight per hour) or propofol (5 to 50 µg per kilogram per minute), with doses adjusted by bedside nurses to achieve target sedation goals set by clinicians according to the Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale (RASS, on which scores range from -5 [unresponsive] to +4 [combative]). The primary end point was days alive without delirium or coma during the 14-day intervention period. Secondary end points were ventilator-free days at 28 days, death at 90 days, and age-adjusted total score on the Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status questionnaire (TICS-T; scores range from 0 to 100, with a mean of 50±10 and lower scores indicating worse cognition) at 6 months. RESULTS: Of 432 patients who underwent randomization, 422 were assigned to receive a trial drug and were included in the analyses - 214 patients received dexmedetomidine at a median dose of 0.27 µg per kilogram per hour, and 208 received propofol at a median dose of 10.21 µg per kilogram per minute. The median duration of receipt of the trial drugs was 3.0 days (interquartile range, 2.0 to 6.0), and the median RASS score was -2.0 (interquartile range, -3.0 to -1.0). We found no difference between dexmedetomidine and propofol in the number of days alive without delirium or coma (adjusted median, 10.7 vs. 10.8 days; odds ratio, 0.96; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.74 to 1.26), ventilator-free days (adjusted median, 23.7 vs. 24.0 days; odds ratio, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.63 to 1.51), death at 90 days (38% vs. 39%; hazard ratio, 1.06; 95% CI, 0.74 to 1.52), or TICS-T score at 6 months (adjusted median score, 40.9 vs. 41.4; odds ratio, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.66 to 1.33). Safety end points were similar in the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Among mechanically ventilated adults with sepsis who were being treated with recommended light-sedation approaches, outcomes in patients who received dexmedetomidine did not differ from outcomes in those who received propofol. (Funded by the National Institutes of Health; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01739933.).