Immune-related adverse event in the emergency department: methodology of the immune-related emergency disposition index (IrEDi).

For many cancer patients, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) can be life-saving. However, the immune-related adverse events (irAEs) from ICIs can be debilitating and can quickly become severe or even be fatal. Often, irAEs will precipitate visits to the emergency department (ED). Therefore, early recognition and the decision to admit, observe, or discharge these patients from the ED can be key to a cancer patient's morbidity and mortality. ED clinicians typically make their decision for disposition (admit, observe, or discharge) within 2-6 h from their patient's ED presentation. However, irAEs are particularly challenging in the ED because of atypical presentations, the absence of classic symptoms, the delayed availability of diagnostic tests during the ED encounter, and the fast pace in the ED setting. At present, there is no single sufficiently large ED data source with clinical, biological, laboratory, and imaging data that will allow for the development of a tool that will guide early recognition and appropriate ED disposition of patients with potential irAEs. We describe an ongoing federally funded project that aims to develop an immune-related emergency disposition index (IrEDi). The project capitalizes on a multi-site collaboration among 4 members of the Comprehensive Oncologic Emergency Research Network (CONCERN): MD Anderson Cancer Center, Ohio State University, Northwestern University, and University of California San Diego. If the aims are achieved, the IrEDi will be the first risk stratification tool derived from a large racial/ethnically and geographically diverse population of cancer patients. The future goal is to validate irEDi in general EDs to improve emergency care of cancer patients on ICIs.

Opioid tapering in older cancer survivors does not increase psychiatric or drug hospitalization rates.

BACKGROUND: Opioid tapering in the general population is linked to increases in hospitalizations or emergency department visits related to psychiatric or drug-related diagnoses. Cancer survivors represent a unique population with different opioid indications, prescription patterns, and more frequent follow-up care. This study sought to describe patterns of opioid tapering among older cancer survivors and to test the hypothesis of whether older cancer survivors face increased risks of adverse events with opioid tapering. METHODS: Using the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results Medicare-linked database, we identified 15 002 Medicare-beneficiary cancer survivors diagnosed between 2010 and 2017 prescribed opioids consistently for at least 6 months after their cancer diagnosis. Tapering was defined as a binary time-varying event occurring with any monthly oral morphine equivalent reduction of 15% or more from the previous month. Primary diagnostic billing codes associated with emergency room or hospital admissions were used for the composite endpoint of psychiatric- or drug-related event(s). RESULTS: There were 3.86 events per 100 patient-months, with 97.8% events being mental health emergencies, 1.91% events being overdose emergencies, and 0.25% involving both. Using a generalized estimating equation for repeated measure time-based analysis, opioid tapering was not statistically associated with acute events in the 3-month posttaper period (odds ratio [OR] = 1.02; P = .62) or at any point in the future (OR = 0.96; P = .46). CONCLUSIONS: Opioid tapering in older cancer survivors does not appear to be linked to a higher risk of acute psychiatric- or drug-related events, in contrast to prior research in the general population.

Cardiovascular events after cancer immunotherapy as oncologic emergencies: Analyses of 610 head and neck cancer patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors.

BACKGROUND: Cardio-oncology and emergency medicine are closely collaborative, as many cardiac events in cancer patients require evaluation and treatment in the emergency department (ED). Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have become a common treatment for patients with head and neck cancer (HNC). However, the immune-related adverse events (irAEs) from ICIs can be clinically significant. METHODS: We reviewed and analyzed cardiovascular diagnoses among HNC patients who received ICI during the period April 1, 2016-December 31, 2020 in a large tertiary cancer center. Demographics, clinical and cancer-related data were abstracted, and billing databases were queried for cardiovascular disease (CVD)-related diagnosis using International Classification of Disease-version10 (ICD-10) codes. We recorded receipt of care at the ED as one of the outcome variables. RESULTS: A total of 610 HNC patients with a median follow-up time of 12.3 months (median, interquartile range = 5-30 months) comprised our study cohort. Overall, 25.7% of patients had pre-existing CVD prior to ICI treatment. Of the remaining 453 patients without pre-existing CVD, 31.5% (n = 143) had at least one CVD-related diagnosis after ICI initiation. Tachyarrhythmias (91 new events) was the most frequent CVD-related diagnosis after ICI. The time to diagnosis of myocarditis from initiation of ICI occurred the earliest (median 2.5 months, 1.5-6.8 months), followed by myocardial infarction (3.7, 0.5-9), cardiomyopathy (4.5, 1.6-7.3), and tachyarrhythmias (4.9, 1.2-11.4). Patients with myocarditis and tachyarrhythmias mainly presented to the ED for care. CONCLUSION: The use of ICI in HNC is still expanding and the spectrum of delayed manifestation of ICI-induced cardiovascular toxicities is yet to be fully defined in HNC survivors.

Perceptions and Practices of Cannabis Use Among Emergency Department Patients.

BACKGROUND: Nationally, in states where cannabis has been legalized, increases in cannabis-related hospitalizations and emergency department (ED) visits have also been observed. OBJECTIVES: This study aims to: 1) Describe the sociodemographic characteristics of cannabis users presenting to two academic EDs in California; 2) Assess cannabis-related behaviors; 3) Assess perceptions of cannabis; 4) Identify and describe reasons for cannabis-related ED utilization. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study of patients visiting one of two academic EDs between February 16, 2018 and November 21, 2020. Eligible participants completed a novel questionnaire developed by the authors. Basic descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation coefficients, and logistic regression were used for statistical analysis of responses. RESULTS: The questionnaire was completed by 2577 patients. A quarter were categorized as Current Users (n = 628, 24.4%). Current, Regular Users were evenly divided across gender, were relatively younger (18-34 years, 48.1%), and were largely non-Hispanic Caucasian. Over half of all respondents believed that the use of cannabis was less harmful than tobacco or alcohol use (n = 1537, 59.6%). One in five Current Users (n = 123, 19.8%) reported driving while using cannabis in the past month. A small proportion (n = 24, 3.9%) of Current Users reported ever visiting the ED for a cannabis-related chief complaint. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, many ED patients are currently using cannabis; few report utilizing the ED due to cannabis-related problems. Current, Irregular Users may represent the ideal target group for ED-based educational efforts aimed at improving knowledge of safe cannabis use.

Oral Chemotherapeutic Ingestions Reported to a Poison Control Center Treated in a Health Care Facility.

BACKGROUND: The approach to cancer chemotherapy has changed in recent years, and there are several new oral chemotherapeutics that offer convenience to patients. These medications have toxicity, which may be particularly amplified in an overdose. STUDY DESIGN: This was a retrospective review of all oral chemotherapy overdoses reported to the California Poison Control System between January 2009 and December 2019. Inclusion criteria were all ingestions coded as "antineoplastic, monoclonal antibody, or thalidomide" that were evaluated at a health care facility. We evaluated outcomes per AAPCC criteria (stratified as death, major, moderate, mild, or no effect) as well as symptoms and interventions. RESULTS: There were 314 total cases reported; 169 single-substance ingestions (54%) and 145 cases with coingestant(s) (46%). One hundred eighty cases were female (57%) and 134 male (43%). Age ranges were as follows: ages 1-10 years old (87 cases); ages 11-19 years old (26 cases); 20-59 years old (103 cases); ages 60 and older (98 cases). The majority of cases were unintentional ingestions (199, 63%). The most common medication reported was methotrexate with 140 cases (45%), followed by anastrozole (32 cases) and azathioprine (25 cases). One hundred thirty-eight cases were admitted to the hospital for further care (ICU 63 cases; non-ICU 75 cases). Eighty-four of the methotrexate cases received the antidote leucovorin (60%). Five of the capecitabine ingestions received uridine (36%). Outcomes included 124 cases with no effect, 87 cases with minor effect, 73 case with moderate effect, 26 cases with major effect, and 4 deaths. CONCLUSION: Although methotrexate is the most common oral chemotherapeutic agent involved in overdoses reported to the California Poison Control System, there are many other oral chemotherapeutics from various drug classes, which can lead to toxicity. Although deaths are rare, further studies are needed to determine if particular drugs or drug classes warrant more scrutiny.

Can Risk Stratification Tools Be Utilized to Safely Discharge Low-Risk Febrile Neutropenic Patients from the Emergency Department?

BACKGROUND: Chemotherapy-induced febrile neutropenia (FN) is one of the more common oncological emergencies. Despite evidence in the oncology literature suggesting that low-risk cases of FN can be managed safely at home, most patients with FN who present to the emergency department (ED) are admitted. FN risk stratification methods, such as Multinational Association for Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC) and Clinical Index of Stable Febrile Neutropenia (CISNE) scores, may be useful when considering patient disposition. We sought to address whether the existing body of literature is adequate to support the use of these methods when treating patients with FN in the ED. METHODS: A PubMed search from January 1, 2016 to March 19, 2021 was performed using the following search strategy: "febrile neutropenia" OR (fever AND neutropenia)) AND (emerg* OR outpatient) AND (admit OR admission OR hospitalization). General review articles and case reports were omitted. Each of the articles selected underwent a structured review. RESULTS: The search yielded 371 articles, which were independently screened for relevance by two authors, and 23 articles were selected for inclusion. MASCC score was used in 10 of the identified studies and each of these studies concluded that the score was useful in the ED. Most of the identified studies found that CISNE score had a higher sensitivity than MASCC score (96.7% vs. 32.9%, respectively), but a lower specificity (22.2% vs. 89.5%). CONCLUSIONS: FN risk stratifications tools, such as MASCC and CISNE scores, are supported by the existing literature and may be included as part of the decision-making process when considering patient disposition.

ICU Admission Risk Factors for Latinx COVID-19 Patients at a U.S.-Mexico Border Hospital.

OBJECTIVE: Few studies have examined the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on the primarily Latinx community along the U.S.-Mexico border. This study explores the socioeconomic impacts which contribute to strong predictors of severe COVID-19 complications such as intensive care unit (ICU) hospitalization in a primarily Latinx/Hispanic U.S.-Mexico border hospital. METHODS: A retrospective, observational study of 156 patients (≥ 18 years) Latinx/Hispanic patients who were admitted for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection at a U.S.-Mexico border hospital from April 10, 2020, to May 30, 2020. Descriptive statistics of sex, age, body mass index (BMI), and comorbidities (coronary artery disease, hypertension, diabetes, cancer/lymphoma, current use of immunosuppressive drug therapy, chronic kidney disease/dialysis, or chronic respiratory disease). Multivariate regression models were produced from the most significant variables and factors for ICU admission. RESULTS: Of the 156 hospitalized Latinx patients, 63.5% were male, 84.6% had respiratory failure, and 45% were admitted to the ICU. The average age was 67.2 (± 12.2). Those with body mass index (BMI) ≥ 25 had a higher frequency of ICU admission. Males had a 4.4 (95% CI 1.58, 12.308) odds of ICU admission (p = 0.0047). Those who developed acute kidney injury (AKI) and BMI 25-29.9 were strong predictors of ICU admission (p < 0.001 and p = 0.0020, respectively). Those with at least one reported comorbidity had 1.98 increased odds (95% CI 1.313, 2.99) of an ICU admission. CONCLUSION: Findings show that age, AKI, and male sex were the strongest predictors of COVID-19 ICU admissions in the primarily Latinx population at the U.S.-Mexico border. These predictors are also likely driven by socioeconomic inequalities which are most apparent in border hospitals.

Evaluating Cancer Pain Characteristics and Treatment Factors in the Emergency Department: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Objectives: To identify patient characteristics and treatment factors of patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) with cancer-related pain that may affect patient outcomes. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study to evaluate adult patients with active cancer, who presented to the ED with a chief complaint of pain between June first, 2012 and January first, 2016. We utilized multivariable logistic regression to evaluate the association of several exposure variables, including disease and demographic characteristics, primary pain site, and treatment methods, on ED disposition and revisit rate. Results: We included 483 patients with active cancer with a chief complaint of pain. Patients with severe pain on arrival tended to be younger than those who did not present with severe pain (median: 58 vs 62 respectively, OR 8.0 p < 0.01). Patients with high ECOG scores (3-4) with severe pain on arrival (≥7 out of 10) had less improvement in their pain than the rest of our cohort (OR 8.4, p < 0.01). Also, those with musculoskeletal pain had significantly less improvement in reported pain than all other pain types (delta pain -2.1 vs -3.4, OR 2.3, p = 0.025) Long delays in initial analgesic administration were associated with increased rates of subsequent admission (OR 3.4) [p = 0.014]. Although opioid analgesics led to greater decreases in pain than non-opioid analgesics, patients treated with opioids were more likely to be admitted (43% vs 34.5% AOR 1.51, p = 0.048). Conclusion: Our study showed that delays in analgesic administration, poor functional status, and the presence of musculoskeletal (MSK) pain significantly influenced outcomes for this patient cohort. These findings suggest the development of specific protocols and tools to address cancer-related pain in the ED may be necessary.

Procalcitonin as a Predictive Tool for Death and ICU Admission among Febrile Neutropenic Patients Visiting the Emergency Department.

Background and Objectives: Risk stratification tools for febrile neutropenia exist but are infrequently utilized by emergency physicians. Procalcitonin may provide emergency physicians with a more objective tool to identify patients at risk of decompensation. Materials and Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study evaluating the use of procalcitonin in cases of febrile neutropenia among adult patients presenting to the Emergency Department compared to a non-neutropenic, febrile control group. Our primary outcome measure was in-hospital mortality with a secondary outcome of ICU admission. Results: Among febrile neutropenic patients, a positive initial procalcitonin value was associated with significantly increased odds of inpatient mortality after adjusting for age, sex, race, and ethnicity (AOR 9.912, p < 0.001), which was similar, though greater than, our non-neutropenic cohort (AOR 2.18, p < 0.001). All febrile neutropenic patients with a positive procalcitonin were admitted to the ICU. Procalcitonin had a higher sensitivity and negative predictive value (NPV) in regard to mortality and ICU admission for our neutropenic group versus our non-neutropenic control. Conclusions: Procalcitonin appears to be a valuable tool when attempting to risk stratify patients with febrile neutropenia presenting to the emergency department. Procalcitonin performed better in the prediction of death and ICU admission among patients with febrile neutropenia than a similar febrile, non-neutropenic control group.

Characterization of older adults with cancer seeking acute emergency department care: A prospective observational study.

INTRODUCTION: Disparities in care of older adults in cancer treatment trials and emergency department (ED) use exist. This report provides a baseline description of older adults ≥65 years old who present to the ED with active cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Planned secondary analysis of the Comprehensive Oncologic Emergencies Research Network observational ED cohort study sponsored by the National Cancer Institute. Of 1564 eligible adults with active cancer, 1075 patients were prospectively enrolled, of which 505 were ≥ 65 years old. We recruited this convenience sample from eighteen participating sites across the United States between February 1, 2016 and January 30, 2017. RESULTS: Compared to cancer patients younger than 65 years of age, older adults were more likely to be transported to the ED by emergency medical services, have a higher Charlson Comorbidity Index score, and be admitted despite no significant difference in acuity as measured by the Emergency Severity Index. Despite the higher admission rate, no significant difference was noted in hospitalization length of stay, 30-day mortality, ED revisit or hospital admission within 30 days after the index visit. Three of the top five ED diagnoses for older adults were symptom-related (fever of other and unknown origin, abdominal and pelvic pain, and pain in throat and chest). Despite this, older adults were less likely to report symptoms and less likely to receive symptomatic treatment for pain and nausea than the younger comparison group. Both younger and older adults reported a higher symptom burden on the patient reported Condensed Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale than to ED providers. When treating suspected infection, no differences were noted in regard to administration of antibiotics in the ED, admissions, or length of stay ≤2 days for those receiving ED antibiotics. DISCUSSION: We identified several differences between older (≥65 years old) and younger adults with active cancer seeking emergency care. Older adults frequently presented for symptom-related diagnoses but received fewer symptomatic interventions in the ED suggesting that important opportunities to improve the care of older adults with cancer in the ED exist.

Palliative Care Needs and Clinical Outcomes of Patients with Advanced Cancer in the Emergency Department.

Background: Older adults with cancer use the emergency department (ED) for acute concerns. Objectives: Characterize the palliative care needs and clinical outcomes of advanced cancer patients in the ED. Design: A planned secondary data analysis of the Comprehensive Oncologic Emergencies Research Network (CONCERN) data. Settings/Subjects: Cancer patients who presented to the 18 CONCERN affiliated EDs in the United States. Measurements: Survey included demographics, cancer type, functional status, symptom burden, palliative and hospice care enrollment, and advance directive code status. Results: Of the total (674/1075, 62.3%) patients had advanced cancer and most were White (78.6%) and female (50.3%); median age was 64 (interquartile range 54-71) years. A small proportion of them were receiving palliative (6.5% [95% confidence interval; CI 3.0-7.6]; p = 0.005) and hospice (1.3% [95% CI 1.0-3.2]; p = 0.52) care and had a higher 30-day mortality rate (8.3%, [95% CI 6.2-10.4]). Conclusions: Patients with advanced cancer continue to present to the ED despite recommendations for early delivery of palliative care.

Machine learning with D-dimer in the risk stratification for pulmonary embolism: a derivation and internal validation study.

AIM: To develop a machine learning model to predict the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism (PE). METHODS AND RESULTS: We undertook a derivation and internal validation study to develop a risk prediction model for use in patients being investigated for possible PE. The machine learning technique, generalized logistic regression using elastic net, was chosen following an assessment of seven machine learning techniques and on the basis that it optimized the area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUC) and Brier score. Models were developed both with and without the addition of D-dimer. A total of 3347 patients were included in the study of whom, 219 (6.5%) had PE. Four clinical variables (O2 saturation, previous deep venous thrombosis or PE, immobilization or surgery, and alternative diagnosis equal or more likely than PE) plus D-dimer contributed to the machine learning models. The addition of D-dimer improved the AUC by 0.16 (95% confidence interval 0.13-0.19), from 0.73 to 0.89 (0.87-0.91) and decreased the Brier score by 14% (10-18%). More could be ruled out with a higher positive likelihood ratio than by the Wells score combined with D-dimer, revised Geneva score combined with D-dimer, or the Pulmonary Embolism Rule-out Criteria score. Machine learning with D-dimer maintained a low-false-negative rate at a true-negative rate of nearly 53%, which was better performance than any of the other alternatives. CONCLUSION: A machine learning model outperformed traditional risk scores for the risk stratification of PE in the emergency department. However, external validation is needed.

Observation unit use among patients with cancer following emergency department visits: Results of a multicenter prospective cohort from CONCERN.

PURPOSE: Emergency department (ED) visits by patients with cancer frequently end in hospitalization. As concerns about ED and hospital crowding increase, observation unit care may be an important strategy to deliver safe and efficient treatment for eligible patients. In this investigation, we compared the prevalence and clinical characteristics of cancer patients who received observation unit care with those who were admitted to the hospital from the ED. METHODS: We performed a multicenter prospective cohort study of patients with cancer presenting to an ED affiliated with one of 18 hospitals of the Comprehensive Oncologic Emergency Research Network (CONCERN) between March 1, 2016 and January 30, 2017. We compared patient characteristics with the prevalence of observation unit care usage, hospital admission, and length of stay. RESULTS: Of 1051 enrolled patients, 596 (56.7%) were admitted as inpatients, and 72 (6.9%) were placed in an observation unit. For patients admitted as inpatients, 23.7% had a length of stay ≤2 days. The conversion rate from observation to inpatient was 17.1% (95% CI 14.6-19.4) among those receiving care in an observation unit. The average observation unit length of stay was 14.7 h. Patient factors associated ED disposition to observation unit care were female gender and low Charlson Comorbidity Index. CONCLUSION: In this multicenter prospective cohort study, the discrepancy between observation unit care use and short inpatient hospitalization may represent underutilization of this resource and a target for process change.

Impact of underlying malignancy on emergency department utilization and outcomes.

PURPOSE: Cancer patients frequently utilize the emergency department (ED) for a variety of diagnoses both related to and unrelated to their cancer, yet ED outcomes for cancer patients are not well documented. This study sought to define risks and identify predictors for inpatient admission and hospital mortality among cancer patients presenting to the ED. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We utilized the National Emergency Department Sample to identify patients with and without a diagnosis of cancer presenting to the ED between January 2016 and December 2018. We used multivariable mixed-effects logistic regression models to assess the influence of cancer on outcomes of hospital admission after the ED visit and hospital mortality for the whole patient cohort and individual presenting diagnoses. RESULTS: There were 340 million weighted ED visits, of which 8.3 million (2.3%) were associated with a cancer diagnosis. Compared to non-cancer patients, patients with cancer had an increased risk of inpatient admission (64.7% vs. 14.8%; p < 0.0001) and hospital mortality (4.6% vs. 0.5%; p < 0.0001). For each of the top 15 presenting diagnoses, cancer patients had increased risks of hospitalization (odds ratio [OR] range 2.0-13.2) or death (OR range 2.1-14.4). Although our dataset does not contain reliable estimation of stage, cancer site was the most robust individual predictor associated with the risk of hospitalization or death compared to other clinical or system-related factors. CONCLUSIONS: Cancer patients in the ED have high risks for hospital admission and death when compared to patients without cancer. Cancer patients represent a distinct population and may benefit from cancer-specific risk stratification or focused interventions to improve outcomes.

Cancer-related Emergency Department Visits: Comparing Characteristics and Outcomes.

INTRODUCTION: There is increasing appreciation of the challenges of providing safe and appropriate care to cancer patients in the emergency department (ED). Our goal here was to assess which patient characteristics are associated with more frequent ED revisits. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study of all ED visits in California during the 2016 calendar year using data from the California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development. We defined revisits as a return visit to an ED within seven days of the index visit. For both index and return visits, we assessed various patient characteristics, including age, cancer type, medical comorbidities, and ED disposition. RESULTS: Among 12.9 million ED visits, we identified 73,465 adult cancer patients comprising 103,523 visits that met our inclusion criteria. Cancer patients had a 7-day revisit rate of 17.9% vs 13.2% for non-cancer patients. Cancer patients had a higher rate of admission upon 7-day revisit (36.7% vs 15.6%). Patients with cancers of the small intestine, stomach, and pancreas had the highest rate of 7-day revisits (22-24%). Cancer patients younger than 65 had a higher 7-day revisit rate than the elderly (20.0% vs 16.2%). CONCLUSION: In a review of all cancer-related ED visits in the state of California, we found a variety of characteristics associated with a higher rate of 7-day ED revisits. Our goal in this study was to inform future research to identify interventions on the index visit that may improve patient outcomes.

Active Cancer Patients Presenting to the Emergency Department with Acute Venous Thromboembolism: A Retrospective Cohort Study on Risks and Outcomes.

BACKGROUND: There is no prior study that has documented emergency department (ED) outcomes or stratified mortality risks of cancer patients presenting with an acute venous thromboembolism (VTE). OBJECTIVE: To evaluate ED treatment of these patients, to document their outcomes, and to identify risk factors associated with death. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was performed on active cancer patients presenting with deep venous thrombosis or pulmonary embolism to two academic EDs between July 2012 and June 2016. Key outcomes included mortality, ED revisit, and admission within 30 days. The patient cohort was characterized; crosstabs and regression analysis were performed to assess relative risks (RRs) and mitigating factors associated with 30-day mortality. RESULTS: Of 355 patients, 9% died and 38% had one or more ED revisits or admissions. Recent immobility (RR 2.341, 95% CI 1.227-4.465), poor functional status (RR 2.090, 95% CI 1.028-4.248), recent admission (RR 2.441, 95% CI 1.276-4.669), and metastatic cancer (RR 4.669, 95% CI 1.456-14.979) were major risk factors for mortality. ED-provided anticoagulation reduced the overall mortality risk (RR 0.274, 95% CI 0.146-0.515) and mitigated the risk from recent immobility (RR 1.250, 95% CI 0.462-3.381), especially among patients with good or fair functional status. CONCLUSION: Immobility and cancer morbidity are key risk factors for mortality after an acute VTE, but ED-provided anticoagulation mitigates the risk of immobility among healthier patients. Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status can help clinicians risk stratify these patients at presentation.

A Model Oncologic Emergency Medicine Curriculum for Residency Training.

Background Emergency medicine (EM) resident training in oncologic emergencies is limited, and significant gaps have been identified. Although 90% of emergency medicine residency program directors recognize the importance of residency training in oncologic emergencies, there is no standardized oncologic emergency curriculum. Objective We propose a focused oncologic EM curriculum that serves as a complement to existing EM didactics curriculums to prepare EM residents to recognize and manage the most common oncologic emergencies. It will also allow for familiarization with constantly evolving therapies, such as chimeric antigen receptor cellular therapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors.Discussion This curriculum consists of 10 hours of didactic instruction, which can be incorporated into an already existing didactic curriculum. The curriculum encompasses education on the recognition, rapid diagnosis, and management of oncologic emergencies, with the goal of improving the EM resident's understanding of cancer complications. The suggested topics can be delivered in a variety of methods, allowing for flexible integration in an already existing emergency education curriculum. The proposed curriculum should be introduced during the first postgraduate year and then in the second or third year of the residency to reinforce the learning points.Conclusions Our proposal of a focused, standardized 10 hour program curriculum aims to help to fill the gaps in knowledge of oncologic emergencies. To assist in wide dissemination and standardization of these curriculum topics, outlines for each module are given in the article and we also propose creation of open access online lectures and content to be shared for education purposes.

A BERIBERI UNHEALTHY LATTE: ENCEPHALOPATHY AND SHOCK FROM SEVERE NUTRITIONAL DEFICIENCY.

BACKGROUND: Thiamine deficiency is an uncommon cause of severe illness in the United States that can lead to significant morbidity because of high-output cardiac failure, peripheral neuropathy, and permanent neurologic impairment. We report the case of a middle-aged woman with extreme malnutrition caused by complications of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery who presented with signs and symptoms of severe thiamine deficiency and septic shock. CASE REPORT: A 43-year-old woman who had undergone RYGB surgery and who had multiple complications presented to the emergency department with agitation, confusion, and lethargy. The physical examination revealed an obtunded woman appearing much older than her reported age with significant peripheral edema. She was hypoxemic, hypotensive, and febrile. The initial laboratory analysis revealed a serum lactate level above the measurable limit, a normal thyroid-stimulating hormone, and elevated levels of troponin and brain natriuretic peptide. A transthoracic echocardiogram showed high-output heart failure. The patient's family later revealed that for the past year her diet had consisted almost exclusively of frozen blended lattes. High doses of thiamine and folate were started. Her shock, hyperlactatemia, and respiratory failure resolved by hospital day 3 and her encephalopathy resolved soon thereafter. Why Should an Emergency Physician be Aware of This?: Thiamine deficiency is a rare but reversible cause of shock, heart failure, and encephalopathy. Identifying patients who are at risk for severe nutritional deficiencies may aid in more rapid treatment with relatively benign medications with little downside, in this case high-dose vitamin B1, and ultimately improve patient-oriented outcomes such as mortality, morbidity, and hospital length of stay.