Management of new onset loss of sense of smell during the COVID-19 pandemic - BRS Consensus Guidelines.

OBJECTIVES: The primary aim of the study is to provide recommendations for the investigation and management of patients with new onset loss of sense of smell during the COVID-19 pandemic. DESIGN: After undertaking a literature review, we used the RAND/UCLA methodology with a multi-step process to reach consensus about treatment options, onward referral, and imaging. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: An expert panel consisting of 15 members was assembled. A literature review was undertaken prior to the study and evidence was summarised for the panellists. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The panel undertook a process of ranking and classifying appropriateness of different investigations and treatment options for new onset loss of sense of smell during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using a 9-point Likert scale, panellists scored whether a treatment was: Not recommended, optional, or recommended. Consensus was achieved when more than 70% of responses fell into the category defined by the mean. RESULTS: Consensus was reached on the majority of statements after 2 rounds of ranking. Disagreement meant no recommendation was made regarding one treatment, using Vitamin A drops. Alpha-lipoic acid was not recommended, olfactory training was recommended for all patients with persistent loss of sense of smell of more than 2 weeks duration, and oral steroids, steroid rinses, and omega 3 supplements may be considered on an individual basis. Recommendations regarding the need for referral and investigation have been made. CONCLUSION: This study identified the appropriateness of olfactory training, different medical treatment options, referral guidelines and imaging for patients with COVID-19-related loss of sense of smell. The guideline may evolve as our experience of COVID-19 develops.

Mixed Methods Evaluation of a Youth-Friendly Clinic for Young People Living with HIV Transitioning from Pediatric Care.

(1) Background: Adolescents and young adults face challenges when transitioning to adult care due to emerging adulthood and changing providers and insurance. Young people living with HIV (YPLHIV) have additional obstacles with mental health and stigma. During transition, only 55% of YPLHIV are retained in care, and 65% are virally suppressed. To address these challenges, the Adolescent and Young Adult Health Care Transition Clinic (AYAHCTC) was created at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in 2017. This mixed methods study evaluates the initial cohort and solicits YPLHIVs' perspectives on transition barriers and facilitators. (2) Methods: Quantitative analyses (n = 21) characterized patients' demographics, clinical engagement, and retention. Qualitative interviews (n = 5) captured patients' transition experiences. (3) Results: This study, conducted in the Southeastern USA, included a cohort where 47.6% were born abroad, with all participants being US citizens by birth or naturalization. Patients' mean age at first visit was 19.6 years. The average AYAHCTC duration was 2.21 years. First-year engagement and retention were 100% and 95.5%, respectively. Viral suppression rates improved from 66.7% at the first visit to 81.0% at the last visit. Eleven patients transitioned out of AYAHCTC. Qualitative analyses indicate that barriers to transition include leaving trusted providers, reduced parental guidance, developing autonomy, and perceived loss of confidentiality in adult clinic environment. Transition was facilitated by youth-friendly services, clear communication, and strong relationships with AYAHCTC providers. (4) Conclusions: YPLHIV positively viewed AYAHCTC experiences. Future directions include optimizing services to build YPLHIVs' independence, supporting YPLHIV experiencing stigma, assuaging concerns about switching providers, collaborating with adult clinics to maintain confidentiality, and designing interventions focused on adherence during transition.

Teacher time spent on student health issues and school nurse presence.

Elementary school teacher time spent on student health issues and the relationship to school nurse services was the focus of this 2-year study. A cross-sectional design was used to survey traditional and exceptional (special needs) classroom teachers about the time they spent on health issues and their perception of school nurse presence. The school nurses were surveyed regarding the impact of their presence on early releases due to illness. Study findings related to teacher perceptions indicate with school nurse presence there are fewer early releases, increased communication, less time spent on health issues, students with chronic illnesses are safer, and there is a resource available for health information. The data provide the groundwork for discussions to improve the communication of the nurses' schedules, increase teacher confidence in consistent nurse hours at their school and aid the nurse in protecting valuable on-site school hours from other interferences or commitments.

Short versus Standard Length Implants with Sinus Floor Elevation for the Atrophic Posterior Maxilla.

Objectives: the aim of this clinical study was to compare clinical and radiological outcomes of short dental implants inserted in pristine bone to standard length implants inserted in combination with sinus floor elevation. Materials and methods: For this clinical study, the clinical and radiological outcome of 126 short dental implants (84 patients), inserted in pristine bone were compared with 312 standard length implants (156 patients), placed in combination with maxillary sinus floor elevation procedures. Results: The short implant group (test group [TG]; mean follow-up (± standard deviation (SD) 56.6 ± 42.9 months) and the augmented group (control group [CG]; mean follow-up 41.6 ± 37.6 months) showed cumulative survival rates of 91.8% and 92.4%. Cumulative 5-year implant survival rates were 91.8% for the TG and 90.7% for the CG (p=0.421). Mean marginal bone loss was significantly higher in the CG than in the TG, with a mean MBL of 0.70 ± 0.72 mm in the TG and 0.96 ± 0.91 mm in the CG (p<0.001). A comparable and promising oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) was observed in the control and test groups. Conclusions: After over 3 years, short implants placed in the resorbed posterior maxilla obtained similar results to standard implants combined with maxillary sinus floor augmentation procedures.

Loperamide Induced Recurrent Torsades de Pointes: A Case Report.

PURPOSE: A case of loperamide-induced recurrent torsades de pointes is reported to raise awareness of an increasingly common phenomenon that could be encountered by medical providers during the current opioid epidemic. SUMMARY: A 40 year-old-man with a prior history of opioid abuse who presented to the emergency department after taking up to 100 tablets of loperamide 2 mg daily for 5 years to blunt opioid withdrawal symptoms and was subsequently admitted to the intensive care unit for altered mental status and hyperthermia. The patient had prolonged QTc and 2 episodes of torsades de pointes (TdP) that resulted in cardiac arrest with return of spontaneous circulation. He was managed with isoproterenol, overdrive pacing, and methylnatrexone with no other events of TdP or cardiac arrest. CONCLUSION: A 40-year-old male who developed torsades de pointes from loperamide overdose effectively treated with overdrive pacing, isoproterenol, and methylnatrexone.

Family-centered communication: A pilot educational intervention using deliberate practice and patient feedback.

OBJECTIVE: There are few opportunities in medical education dedicated to learning skills for effective communication in life altering patient scenarios. We therefore aimed to develop and assess a longitudinal advanced communication curriculum for pediatric residents using patient feedback and deliberate practice. METHODS: Pediatric residents at a large academic center were randomized into 2 groups. The intervention group received 6 educational sessions from 2019 to 2020, parent feedback of performance via the Communication Assessment Tool (CAT), and monthly communication tips. Communication skills of both groups were assessed at the end of the intervention. RESULTS: We collected 937 CAT assessments on 36 first-year residents. The intervention group demonstrated statistically significant improvement in communication skills from pre to post assessment (p = 0.0063, (odds ratio (OR) 1.76, 95 % confidence interval (CI) [1.17, 2.63]) compared to the control group (p = 0.080, OR 1.41, 95 % CI [0.96, 2.05]). CONCLUSIONS: There are patient and self-identified performance gaps in communication skills for pediatric residents, underscoring the need for formalized curricula dedicated to these skills. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Our study highlights the value of deliberate practice and the integration of family feedback as an educational tool in communication skills development.

Relationship Between Clinical Factors and Duration of IV Antibiotic Treatment in Neonatal UTI.

OBJECTIVES: To describe practice patterns of intravenous (IV) antibiotic treatment duration in term neonates ≤28 days old with a urinary tract infection (UTI). METHODS: We performed a retrospective chart review of term neonates ≤28 days old hospitalized for UTI at 2 academic pediatric hospitals from 2012 to 2018. Neonates who were admitted to the PICU or with known preexisting renal and/or urologic anomalies or concomitant bacteremia were excluded. We examined clinical features, complications, and duration of IV antibiotic therapy. Univariate and multivariate analyses of long duration of IV antibiotics (>48 hours) were performed by using logistic regression. RESULTS: Of 310 neonates identified by diagnostic codes and chart review, 112 met criteria for inclusion. The median IV antibiotic duration was 49 hours (51% received IV antibiotics for >48 hours), and the median total antibiotic duration was 10 days. No demographic features or laboratory values correlated with IV antibiotic duration apart from age <7 days. The odds of long IV antibiotic duration increased if the neonate had a secondary diagnosis extending hospitalization (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 3.2; P = .002; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.2-8.7), subspecialty consult (aOR = 4.79; P < .001; 95% CI, 1.87-12.3), or an abnormal renal ultrasound (aOR = 2.26; P = .02; 95% CI, 1.01-5.08). Only 1 neonate experienced treatment failure. CONCLUSIONS: Our study revealed the recent trend toward shorter IV antibiotic courses for healthy term neonates with UTI is inclusive of infants ≤28 days at these 2 sites. Few factors associated with neonates' initial clinical presentation appear to influence the length of IV antibiotic treatment.

Myeloid sarcoma presenting as bilateral acute otitis externa in newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia.

Myeloid sarcoma (MS) is an extramedullary collection of immature myeloid cells that can commonly occur with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). While head and neck presentations are not unheard of, there have been few published pediatric cases of external auditory canal MS. Here, we report a case of a 14-year-old male who presented with MS masquerading as bilateral acute otitis externa. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of a bilateral presentation leading to a new diagnosis of AML. A literature review of head and neck presentations of MS is included.

A current and historical perspective on disparities in US childhood pneumococcal conjugate vaccine adherence and in rates of invasive pneumococcal disease: Considerations for the routinely-recommended, pediatric PCV dosing schedule in the United States.

Previous research has suggested that reducing the US 4-dose PCV13 schedule to a 3-dose schedule may provide cost savings, despite more childhood pneumococcal disease. The study also stressed that dose reduction should be coupled with improved PCV adherence, however, US PCV uptake has leveled-off since 2008. An estimated 24-36% of US children aged 5-19 months are already receiving a reduced PCV schedule (i.e., missing ≥1 dose). This raises a practical concern that, under a reduced, 3-dose schedule, a similar proportion of children may receive ≤2 doses. It is also unknown if a reduced, 3-dose PCV schedule in the United States will afford the same disease protection as 3-dose schedules used elsewhere, given lower US PCV adherence. Finally, more assurance is needed that, under a reduced schedule, racial, socioeconomic, and geographic disparities in PCV adherence will not correspond with disproportionately higher rates of pneumococcal disease among poor or minority children.

The efficacy of auriculotherapy for smoking cessation: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Quitting smoking remains a challenge for almost one-third of the military veteran population. Alternatives to pharmacological therapies such as acupuncture, acupressure, and electrical stimulation have received minimal attention in research but have been widely reported to be popular and safe interventions for smoking cessation. METHODS: This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial of 125 veterans was conducted to determine whether aural electrical stimulation (auriculotherapy) once a week for 5 consecutive weeks is associated with a higher rate of smoking abstinence are than observed with sham stimulation. RESULTS: Auriculotherapy was found to be safe and largely free from significant side effects. However, there was no difference in the rate of smoking cessation between those participants who received true auriculotherapy and those who received sham auriculotherapy. The auriculotherapy group achieved a rate of 20.9% abstinence versus 17.9% for the placebo arm after 6 weeks. CONCLUSION: The results of this randomized, controlled clinical trial do not support the use of auriculotherapy to assist with smoking cessation. It is possible that a longer treatment duration, more frequent sessions, or other modifications of the intervention protocol used in this study may result in a different outcome. However, based on the results of this study, there is no evidence that auriculotherapy is superior to placebo when offered once a week for 5 weeks, as described in previous uncontrolled studies.