Intracapsular neck of femur fractures secondary to civilian gunshot injuries: an inter- and intra-observer agreement study on classification and treatment using the AO/OTA classification.

PURPOSE: Numerous classification systems have been developed for neck of femur fractures, but none have been tested for reliability in gunshot injuries. Our primary objective was to assess the inter-observer and intra-observer reliability of the AO/OTA classification system when applied to intracapsular neck of femur fractures secondary to low-velocity civilian gunshots wounds (GSWs). Our secondary objective was to test the reliability of the AO/OTA classification system in guiding surgeon treatment choices for these fractures. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Eighteen reviewers (six orthopaedic traumatologists, six general orthopaedic surgeons and six junior orthopaedic fellows) were given a set of 25 plain radiographs and CT scans of femur neck fractures secondary to GSW. For each clinical case, all reviewers selected a classification as well as treatment option from a list of given options. Inter-observer reliability was measured at the initial classification. The exercise was repeated 10-12 weeks later by the same 18 reviewers to test intra-observer reliability. RESULTS: The Fleiss kappa values indicate only slight agreement amongst raters, across all experience levels, for both injury classification and treatment. Intra-observer agreement was fair across all experience levels for both injury classification and treatment. CONCLUSION: The AO/OTA classification showed only slight reliability in classification of gunshot fractures of the femur neck. With only fair reliability, it also failed to guide surgical treatment thus rendering its routine use in daily clinical practice of questionable value.

Scarring and Dyschromias in Fitzpatrick Skin Type IV-VI: A Review of Dermatologic Treatment Protocols.

IMPORTANCE: Managing chronic conditions is an essential aspect of dermatologic care, especially regarding the resolution of inflammatory dermatologic disease and recovery of skin lesions. Short-term complications of healing include infection, edema, dehiscence, hematoma formation, and tissue necrosis. At the same time, longer-term sequelae may consist of scarring and scar widening, hypertrophic scars, keloids, and pigmentary changes. This review will focus on dermatologic complications of chronic wound healing in patients with Fitzpatrick skin type (FPS) IV-VI or skin of color (SOC), with an emphasis on hypertrophy/scarring and dyschromias. It will focus on current treatment protocols and the potential complications specific to patients with FPS IV-VI. OBSERVATIONS: There are multiple complications of wound healing that are more prevalent in SOC, including dyschromias and hypertrophic scarring. These complications are challenging to treat, and current protocols are not without complications and side effects that must be considered when offering therapy to patients with FPS IV-VI. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: When treating pigmentary and scarring disorders in patients with skin types FPS IV-VI, it is essential to implement a stepwise approach to management that is conscious of the side effect profile of current interventions. J Drugs Dermatol. 2023;22(7): doi:10.36849/JDD.7253.

Scarring and Dyschromias in Fitzpatrick Skin Type IV-VI: A Review of Dermatologic Treatment Protocols.

IMPORTANCE: Managing chronic conditions is an essential aspect of dermatologic care, especially regarding the resolution of inflammatory dermatologic disease and recovery of skin lesions. Short-term complications of healing include infection, edema, dehiscence, hematoma formation, and tissue necrosis. At the same time, longer-term sequelae may consist of scarring and scar widening, hypertrophic scars, keloids, and pigmentary changes. This review will focus on dermatologic complications of chronic wound healing in patients with Fitzpatrick skin type (FPS) IV-VI or skin of color (SOC), with an emphasis on hypertrophy/scarring and dyschromias. It will focus on current treatment protocols and the potential complications specific to patients with FPS IV-VI.  Observations: There are multiple complications of wound healing that are more prevalent in SOC, including dyschromias and hypertrophic scarring. These complications are challenging to treat, and current protocols are not without complications and side effects that must be considered when offering therapy to patients with FPS IV-VI.  Conclusions and Relevance: When treating pigmentary and scarring disorders in patients with skin types FPS IV-VI, it is essential to implement a stepwise approach to management that is conscious of the side effect profile of current interventions. J Drugs Dermatol. 2023;22(3):288-296. doi:10.36849/JDD.7253.

Rates of cognitive impairment in a South African cohort of people with HIV: variation by definitional criteria and lack of association with neuroimaging biomarkers.

There is wide variation in the reported prevalence of cognitive impairment in people with HIV (PWH). Part of this variation may be attributable to different studies using different methods of combining neuropsychological test scores to classify participants as either cognitively impaired or unimpaired. Our aim was to determine, in a South African cohort of PWH (N = 148), (a) how much variation in reported rates was due to method used to define cognitive impairment and (b) which method correlated best with MRI biomarkers of HIV-related brain pathology. Participants completed detailed neuropsychological assessment and underwent 3 T structural MRI and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). We used the neuropsychological data to investigate 20 different methods of determining HIV-associated cognitive impairment. We used the neuroimaging data to obtain volumes for cortical and subcortical grey matter and total white matter and DTI metrics for several white matter tracts. Applying each of the 20 methods to the cognitive dataset resulted in a wide variation (20-97%) in estimated rates of impairment. Logistic regression models showed no method was associated with HIV-related neuroimaging abnormalities as measured by structural volumes or DTI metrics. We conclude that for the population from which this sample was drawn, much of the variation in reported rates of cognitive impairment in PWH is due to the method of classification used, and that none of these methods accurately reflects biological effects of HIV in the brain. We suggest that defining HIV-associated cognitive impairment using neuropsychological test performance only is insufficient; pre-morbid functioning, co-morbidities, cognitive symptoms, and functional impairment should always be considered.

Assessing HIV provider knowledge, screening practices, and training needs for HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders. A short report.

Management of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) is becoming increasingly important with HIV-positive people living normal life spans. We aimed to establish the level of HAND awareness among doctor and nurse occupational health practitioners, screening used to detect impairment, factors limiting screening for HAND, and training needs. One-hundred-and-five members of the nursing and physician professional societies for occupational health practitioners in South Africa and Occupational Health Departments at five South African universities responded to an email invitation to complete an online survey addressing demographics, HAND knowledge, screeners being used to screen for HAND and related training needs. While 80% had heard of HAND, few (13.3%) were aware of the Frascati criteria. Only 2% had received training addressing HAND; 11.4% screened for HAND; 45.7% did not know what screening tool to us; 80% preferred spending <15 min on screening. The largest obstacle to screening was lack of expertise (77.1%) but 77.3% thought it important to screen for HAND. 94.3% wanted screening training. Health providers are poorly informed about HAND and lack expertise and tools to screen for HAND in their treatment programs. While few had relevant training, they recognize the importance of screening for HAND in the workplace and desire training.

Sociodemographic and psychosocial predictors of longitudinal antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence among first-time ART initiators in Cape Town, South Africa.

First-time antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiators may be more vulnerable to poor ART adherence because they may be coping with a new HIV diagnosis, facing logistical challenges to accessing and adhering to ART for the first time, and have not yet developed support networks or the skills to support long-term adherence. We recruited 324 participants in two HIV clinics near Cape Town, South Africa. Sociodemographic/psychosocial factors were measured at baseline and self-reported adherence at the 6 month follow-up. We conducted multivariable regression to determine which baseline factors were associated with 6-month adherence. A better patient-clinic relationship score (OR: 1.08 [95% CI: 1.05-1.11]) was associated with higher adherence. A drug use problem (0.51 [0.29-0.87]), higher social isolation (0.93 [0.87-0.99]), and greater number of years living with HIV before initiating ART (0.92 [0.86-1.00]) were associated with adherence levels below 90%. Patient-clinic relationships and social support are key psycho-social factors in early adherence behavior. Reducing drug use problems through targeted screening and early intervention may improve ART adherence.

Validating the European randomised study for screening of prostate cancer (ERSPC) risk calculator in a contemporary South African cohort.

INTRODUCTION: Numerous prostate cancer predictive tools have been developed to help with decision-making in men needing prostate biopsy. However, they have been modelled and validated almost exclusively in Caucasian cohorts, hence limiting their use in other population groups. The aim of this study was to assess the validity of the ERSPC risk calculator in a South African cohort. METHODS: Patients who have had a transrectal ultrasound (TRUS)-guided prostate biopsy at Groote Schuur Hospital from January 2008 to August 2017 were reviewed. Predictor variables were entered into the ERSPC risk calculator and results were compared with prostate biopsy pathology results. Predictive accuracy of the ERSPC risk calculator for these patients was derived using receiver operator characteristics (ROC) Area under the curve and is expressed as a percentage. RESULTS: 516 prostate biopsy sessions in 475 different men were analysed. The predictive accuracy of the ERSPC risk calculator was better than a PSA/DRE strategy for the presence of cancer-0.738 (95% CI 0.695-0.781) vs 0.686 (95% CI 0.639-0.732), and for significant PCa-0.833 (95% CI 0.789-0.876) vs 0.793 (95% CI 0.741-0.846). This translated into 50 less biopsies when compared to a PSA > 4/abnormal DRE strategy. Use of the ERSPC RC would have missed eight non-significant cancers [Significant cancer being defined as having a tumour stage T2b (> 1/2 lobe involved with prostate cancer) and/or a Gleason Score equal to or greater than 7]. CONCLUSION: Our results confirm the validity of the ERSPC RC in a South African cohort. Application of this calculator to the wider South African population would allow better selection of patients for prostate biopsy and spare a significant number its adverse consequences.

Methods of deliberate self-harm in a tertiary hospital in South Africa.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the methods of deliberate self-harm (DSH) in South Africa (SA), despite the importance of means restriction as a public health strategy to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with self-harm. AIM: The aim of this study was to investigate the range of methods used in DSH and identify the socio-demographic and clinical factors associated with violent and non-violent methods of DSH among patients treated at a tertiary hospital in SA. SETTING: The study was conducted at an urban, tertiary level emergency department at Groote Schuur hospital in Cape Town, South Africa. METHOD: Data were collected from 238 consecutive DSH patients who presented for emergency department treatment at the hospital. Logistic regression models were used to explore the factors associated with violent and non-violent methods of DSH. RESULTS: Self-poisoning was the most common method of self-harm (80.3%). Prescription medication was the most common form of self-poison (57.6%), while a large number of patients used non-prescription paracetamol (40.9%). In the regression analysis, male gender, stating that the reason for DSH was to escape a situation and history of substance use were associated with violent method of DSH. CONCLUSION: Improved monitoring of prescription medications commonly used in DSH is integral to public health suicide prevention strategies in SA. This study underscores the need for substance use interventions in the healthcare setting.

Practical Applications for Medical and Aesthetic Treatment of Skin of Color With a New 650-Microsecond Laser

The following roundtable is edited from discussion between the authors concerning treatment with the 650-microsecond 1064nm Nd:YAG laser. These dermatologist experts share their expertise, experience, and treatment pearls regarding the device for medical and aesthetic use, and in treatment of skin of color (SOC).

Laser Treatment of Skin of Color for Medical and Aesthetic Uses With a New 650-Microsecond Nd:YAG 1064nm Laser

Individuals with skin of color are a rapidly growing portion of the cosmetic procedures market. There are unique challenges to treating skin conditions in skin of color patients. This article and roundtable discussion focus on the use of energy-based modalities, particularly a 650-microsecond 1064nm laser that delivers energy in a collimated beam. Alone or in combination with other therapies, the 650-microsecond 1064nm laser has been used successfully to treat melasma, acne, postinflammatory hyperpigmentation, pseudofolliculitis barbae, hair removal, acne keloidalis nuchae, and aging skin in skin of color. J Drugs Dermatol. 2019;18(4 Suppl 1):s135-137.

Nursing Education Program for Hospital-Acquired Pressure Injury Prevention in Adult Acute Care Setting: A Quality Improvement Project.

The purpose of this Quality Improvement project was to develop a multimedia hospital-acquired pressure injury (HAPI) prevention education program. The project setting was 3 adult critical care units plus a step-down unit located in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. A multimedia educational intervention was developed, which comprised 4 modules designed to improve nursing knowledge and competency in HAPI prevention. A posteducation program staff survey was also administered to evaluate nurse satisfaction with the program. Nurse knowledge of HAPI prevention was measured before and following implementation of the educational intervention. One hundred twenty-nine participants completed the education program, and 117 completed the satisfaction survey. Analysis revealed a statistically significant increase in knowledge after the education course (P < .05). Findings also indicated participants were satisfied that the program met stated aims.

Depressive symptoms and associated factors in medical interns at a tertiary hospital.

BACKGROUND: It is known that medical doctors suffer from increased rates of depression with medical interns being most at risk. Despite this, little is known about the prevalence of depression in interns in South Africa. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to assess the prevalence of depressive symptoms in interns employed at Groote Schuur Hospital, a tertiary hospital in the Western Cape. METHOD: The study was a cross-sectional study. All 91 interns were invited to participate in the study and consenting interns were required to complete a demographic and related questionnaire and the Beck Depression Inventory 2 (BDI-2). RESULTS: Fifty-four (59.3%) of all invited interns participated in the study. Twenty-two interns (40.7%) reported a BDI-2 score of 14 or greater, indicating at least mild self-reported symptoms of depression. Features associated with a BDI-2 score of 14 or greater, included female gender, a previous diagnosis of depression, seeing a psychotherapist and previously being on antidepressant medication during internship. Other features also significantly associated with higher BDI-2 scores included suicidal ideation, thoughts of emigration, wanting to leave medicine and using substances to cope. The most significant associated feature of high BDI-2 scores was a subjective feeling of being 'burnt out'. CONCLUSION: Interns had a higher prevalence of depressive symptoms when compared to the general population. The feeling of being 'burnt out' was the most significant factor associated with the severity of depressive symptoms. It is imperative that the mental health of both medical students and newly qualified doctors be prioritised, supported and monitored.

Fat reduction: Pathophysiology and treatment strategies.

The advances in understanding the pathophysiology and anatomy of adipose tissue together with the emergence of technological innovations in procedures and devices for fat reduction have led to a dramatic rise in patient demand for this procedure. The objective of this continuing medical education series, which is intended for the novice or experienced dermatologist, is to provide an update of the pathophysiology and anatomic considerations of adipose tissue, and detail the liposuction procedure, from patient selection/management to the latest developments in liposuction devices. Information presented was collected from peer-reviewed literature, the latest guidelines of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, and the authors' personal clinical experience. The goal of these continuing medical education articles is to assist physicians in providing the best clinical care for their patients who are requesting fat reduction.

Fat reduction: Complications and management.

Despite the favorable safety profile of liposuction, complications occur that need to be appropriately managed. In the second article in this continuing medical education series, the range of complications that may arise from liposuction are described, and the latest best practices to manage them are discussed. Specific technical strategies to prevent and minimize the risk of complications are also presented. Early recognition, accurate diagnosis, and proper clinical management can ensure an optimal outcome and patient satisfaction in individuals who are investing in fat reduction procedures.

Nutritional State and Feeding Behaviors of Children With Eosinophilic Esophagitis and Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease.

OBJECTIVE: As both gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) are associated with malnutrition and feeding dysfunction, this study compares growth, nutrition, and feeding behaviors in children with GERD and EoE. METHODS: Subjects ages 1 to 7 years with GERD or EoE were enrolled in a prospective study. Assessments included length/height, weight, 3-day food diary, serum biomarkers of nutrition, and the Behavioral Pediatric Feeding Assessment Scale. RESULTS: Mean weight-for-length z scores in GERD and EoE children were -0.93 and -1.14 (p = NS) and mean body mass index z scores were 0.29 and -0.13 (P = NS). Vitamin D intake was below the daily recommended intake in GERD subjects. EoE subjects' intake was below daily recommended intake of Vitamin D and calcium. GERD and EoE groups both had normal intake of calories, carbohydrates, proteins, fats, and iron, and normal serum ferritin (25 vs 34 ng/mL), prealbumin (21 vs 20 mg/dL), parathyroid hormone (42 vs 37 pg/mL), and Vitamin D (both 30 ng/mL). Behavioral Pediatric Feeding Assessment Scale problem and frequency scores were similar in GERD and EoE subjects but were higher than those of a historical cohort of healthy controls (Hedges' g of 0.95 and 1.1, respectively). EoE subjects on food allergen restriction diets had significantly less feeding dysfunction than those on regular diets. CONCLUSIONS: As a selected group of children with uncomplicated GERD or EoE were without nutritional deficiencies but had maladaptive feeding, providing anticipatory guidance to minimize mealtime challenges, monitoring for improvement, or referring to a feeding therapist, may be beneficial. A trial of food allergen restriction may provide additional benefit for those with EoE.

Aesthetic considerations in female skin of color: what you need to know.

The world is flat when it comes to aesthetic treatments, meaning women and men from all walks of life, regardless of culture and ethnicity or even socioeconomic status, are seeking ways to improve their appearance, prevent aging, and rejuvenate their skin. Year after year, statistics show a steady increase in people of color undergoing aesthetic treatments, with neurotoxins, fillers, laser resurfacing, and body contouring being the most sought-after procedures. When treating this cohort of patients, however, dermatologists need to be sensitized to how a patient's ethnicity affects facial structure, the tissue reaction to treatments, and patient's specific expectations for recommended therapies. A balance between tolerability and efficacy needs to be struck to minimize risk for adverse effects such as postinflammatory hyperpigmentation, which can negatively impact a patient's experience and quality of life.

Post-deployment Mental Health Screening: A Systematic Review of Current Evidence and Future Directions.

Population-based post-deployment screening programs within the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs have been implemented to assess for mental health conditions and traumatic brain injury. The purpose of this paper is to systematically review the literature on post-deployment screening within this context and evaluate evidence compared to commonly accepted screening implementation criteria. Findings reflected highly variable psychometric properties of the various screens, variable treatment referral rates following screening, low to moderate treatment initiation rates following screening, and no information on treatment completion or long-term outcomes following screening. In sum, the evidence supporting population based post-deployment screening is inconclusive. Implications are discussed.

What Peer Mentoring Adds to Already Good Patient Care: Implementing the Carpeta Roja Peer Mentoring Program in a Well-Resourced Health Care System.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of a peer support program on the health outcomes of patients already receiving well-organized, comprehensive diabetes care. METHODS: We used a mixed-methods, nonrandomized, control-group design to evaluate the impact of a peer-mentoring program on the health outcomes and self-management behaviors of adults with type 2 diabetes in 15 primary care practices in San Antonio. Propensity score analysis, t-tests, and multivariable repeated analyses were used to evaluate impact. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 15 participants in the intervention group and analyzed using a grounded theory approach. RESULTS: Both intervention and control groups showed significant improvement on all health indicators from baseline to 6-month follow-up (P<.001). Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) decreased slightly faster for patients in the intervention group (P=.04). Self-management behaviors improved significantly from baseline to 6-month follow-up for the intervention group. Interviewed participants also reported reductions in social isolation and extension of impact of health behavior changes to multiple generations of family members. CONCLUSIONS: The addition of peer mentoring to already well-organized comprehensive diabetes care does not improve outcomes. However, findings suggest that the impact of the program extends to members of the participants' families, which is an intriguing finding that deserves further study.

Episodic memory impairment in Addison's disease: results from a telephonic cognitive assessment.

Patients with Addison's disease frequently self-report memory and attention difficulties, even when on standard replacement therapy. However, few published studies examine, using objective measures and assessing across multiple domains, the cognitive functioning of Addison's disease patients relative to healthy controls. The primary aim of this study was to investigate whether the previously reported subjective cognitive deficits in Addison's disease are confirmed by objective measures. Conducting comprehensive neuropsychological assessments of patients with relatively rare clinical disorders, such as Addison's disease, is challenging because access to those patients is often limited, and because their medical condition might prevent extended testing sessions. Brief telephonic cognitive assessments are a useful tool in such circumstances. Hence, we administered the Brief Test of Adult Cognition by Telephone to 27 Addison's disease patients and 27 matched healthy controls. The instrument provides objective assessment of episodic memory, working memory, executive functioning, reasoning, and speed of processing. Statistical analyses confirmed that, as expected, patients performed significantly more poorly than controls on the episodic memory subtest. There were, however, no significant between-group differences on the attention, executive functioning, reasoning, and speed of processing subtests. Furthermore, patients with a longer duration of illness performed more poorly across all domains of cognition. We conclude that, for Addison's disease patients, previously reported subjective cognitive deficits are matched by objective impairment, but only in the domain of episodic memory. Future research might investigate (a) whether these memory deficits are material-specific (i.e., whether non-verbal memory is also affected), and (b) the neurobiological mechanisms underlying these deficits.

The fear-factor stress test: an ethical, non-invasive laboratory method that produces consistent and sustained cortisol responding in men and women.

We describe a method to administer a controlled, effective stressor to humans in the laboratory. The method combines the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) and the Cold Pressor Test into a single, believable procedure called the Fear-Factor Stress Test (FFST). In the procedure, participants imagine auditioning for the reality television show Fear Factor. They stand before a video recorder and a panel of judges while (a) delivering a motivational speech, (b) performing a verbal arithmetic task, and (c) placing one hand into a bucket of ice water for up to 2 min. We measured subjective anxiety, heart rate, and salivary cortisol in three groups of young adults (n = 30 each, equal numbers of men and women): FFST, TSST, and Control (a placebo version of the FFST). Although the FFST and TSST groups were not distinguishable at the cortisol measure taken 5 min post-manipulation, at 35 min postmanipulation average cortisol levels in the TSST group had returned to baseline, whereas those in the FFST group continued to rise. The proportion of individual cortisol responders (≥ 2 nmol/l increase over baseline) in the TSST and FFST groups did not differ at the 5-min measure, but at the 35-min measure the FFST group contained significantly more responders. The findings indicate that the FFST induces a more robust and sustained cortisol response (which we assume is a marker of an HPA-axis response) than the TSST, and that it does so without increasing participant discomfort or incurring appreciably greater resource and time costs.