The effect of CTCA guided selective invasive graft assessment on coronary angiographic parameters and outcomes: Insights from the BYPASS-CTCA trial.

BACKGROUND: Computed tomography cardiac angiography (CTCA) is recommended for the evaluation of patients with prior coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. The BYPASS-CTCA study demonstrated that CTCA prior to invasive coronary angiography (ICA) in CABG patients leads to significant reductions in procedure time and contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN), alongside improved patient satisfaction. However, whether CTCA information was used to facilitate selective graft cannulation at ICA was not protocol mandated. In this post-hoc analysis we investigated the influence of CTCA facilitated selective graft assessment on angiographic parameters and study endpoints. METHODS: BYPASS-CTCA was a randomized controlled trial in which patients with previous CABG referred for ICA were randomized to undergo CTCA prior to ICA, or ICA alone. In this post-hoc analysis we assessed the impact of selective ICA (grafts not invasively cannulated based on the CTCA result) following CTCA versus non-selective ICA (imaging all grafts irrespective of CTCA findings). The primary endpoints were ICA procedural duration, incidence of CIN, and patient satisfaction post-ICA. Secondary endpoints included the incidence of procedural complications and 1-year major adverse cardiac events. RESULTS: In the CTCA cohort (n â€‹= â€‹343), 214 (62.4%) patients had selective coronary angiography performed, whereas 129 (37.6%) patients had non-selective ICA. Procedure times were significantly reduced in the selective CTCA â€‹+ â€‹ICA group compared to the non-selective CTCA â€‹+ â€‹ICA group (-5.82min, 95% CI -7.99 to -3.65, p â€‹< â€‹0.001) along with reduction of CIN (1.5% vs 5.8%, OR 0.26, 95% CI 0.10 to 0.98). No difference was seen in patient satisfaction with the ICA, however procedural complications (0.9% vs 4.7%, OR 0.21, 95% CI 0.09-0.87) and 1-year major adverse cardiac events (13.1% vs 20.9%, HR 0.55, 95% CI 0.32-0.96) were significantly lower in the selective group. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with prior CABG, CTCA guided selective angiographic assessment of bypass grafts is associated with improved procedural parameters, lower complication rates and better 12-month outcomes. Taken in addition to the main findings of the BYPASS-CTCA trial, these results suggest a synergistic approach between CTCA and ICA should be considered in this patient group. REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03736018.

Index hospital cost of adverse events following thoracic surgery: a systematic review of economic literature.

OBJECTIVES: Adverse events (AEs) following thoracic surgery place considerable strain on healthcare systems. A rigorous evaluation of the economic impact of thoracic surgical AEs remains lacking and is required to understand the value of money of formal quality improvement initiatives. Our objective was to conduct a systematic review of all available literature focused on specific cost of postoperative AEs following thoracic surgery. DESIGN: Systematic review of the economic literature was performed, following recommendations from the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement. DATA SOURCES: An economic search filter developed by the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health was applied, and MEDLINE, Embase and The Cochrane Library were searched from inception to January 2022. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: We included English articles involving adult patients who underwent a thoracic surgical procedure with estimated costs of postoperative complications. Eligible study designs included comparative observational studies, randomised control trials, decision analytic or cost-prediction models, cost analyses, cost or burden of illness studies, economic evaluation studies and systematic reviews and/or meta-analyses of cost analyses and cost of illness studies. DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS: Two reviewers independently screened titles and abstracts in the first stage and full-text articles of included studies in the second stage. Disagreements during abstract and full-text screening stages were resolved via discussion until a consensus was reached. Studies were appraised for methodological quality using the Critical Appraisal Skills Program checklist. RESULTS: 3349 studies were identified: 20 met inclusion criteria. Most were conducted in the USA (12/20), evaluating AE impact on hospital expenditures (18/20). 68 procedure-specific AE mean costs were characterised (USD$). The most commonly described were anastomotic leak (mean:range) (USD$49 278:$6 176-$133 002) and pneumonia ($12 258:$2608-$34 591) following esophagectomy, and prolonged air leak ($2556:$571-$3573), respiratory failure ($19 062:$11 841-$37 812), empyema ($30 189:$23 784-$36 595), pneumonia ($15 362:$2542-$28 183), recurrent laryngeal nerve injury ($16 420:$4224-$28 616) and arrhythmia ($6835:$5833-$8659) following lobectomy. CONCLUSIONS: Hospital costs associated with AEs following thoracic surgery are substantial and varied. Quantifying costs of AEs enable future economic evaluation studies, which could help prioritising value-directed quality improvement to optimally improve outcomes and reduce costs.

Assessing the relative impacts and economic costs of Japanese knotweed management methods.

Sustainable land management encompasses a range of activity that balance land use requirements with wider conservation and ecosystem impact considerations. Perennial invasive alien plants (IAPs), such as Japanese knotweed, cause severe ecological and socio-economic impacts, and methods to control their spread also come at a cost. Synthetic herbicides are generally viewed as less sustainable and more ecologically damaging than alternative approaches. Here we used a comparative Life Cycle Assessment to evaluate the sustainability of herbicide-based management approaches and physical alternatives, using a large-scale Japanese knotweed field study as a model IAP system. Glyphosate-based methods elicited the lowest environmental impacts and economic costs during production. Geomembrane covering and integrated physiochemical methods were the costliest and imposed the greatest impacts. We discuss the costs and benefits of chemical and physical approaches for the sustainable management of invaded land and question how sustainable environmental stewardship is defined for the control of IAPs.

Real-time versus retrospective self-report assessment of loss-of-control eating in adults undergoing bariatric surgery.

OBJECTIVE: Loss-of-control (LOC) eating is common in adults undergoing bariatric surgery. Agreement between real-time and retrospective assessment methods is unclear. METHODS: Adults with severe obesity reported on LOC eating over the preceding 28 days via Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire (EDE-Q) items and in near real time over 10 days via ecological momentary assessment (EMA; involving daily repeated surveys delivered via smartphone in the natural environment), with both assessment forms completed before surgery and at 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery. Wilcoxon signed rank tests and generalized linear mixed models were used to compare participants' EDE-Q and EMA reports of subjectively and objectively large LOC episodes across time points. RESULTS: Participants reported subjectively large LOC episodes more frequently via EMA than EDE-Q across time points, although differences did not reach statistical significance (all p > 0.05). Conversely, objectively large LOC episodes were more frequently reported via EDE-Q than EMA, with differences reaching significance at 6 months post surgery only (p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Agreement between real-time and retrospective assessments of LOC eating varied by episode size and time elapsed in the year following surgery. These findings should be considered when designing assessment batteries for bariatric surgery-seeking adults and when extrapolating research findings across studies with diverging methods of real-time versus retrospective self-report assessment of LOC eating in adults undergoing bariatric surgery.

Ecological momentary assessment of changes in eating behaviors, appetite, and other aspects of eating regulation in Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy patients.

Bariatric surgery can have profound impacts on eating behaviors and experiences, yet most prior research studying these changes has relied on retrospective self-report measures with limited precision and susceptibility to bias. This study used smartphone-based ecological momentary assessment (EMA) to evaluate the trajectory of change in eating behaviors, appetite, and other aspects of eating regulation in 71 Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy patients assessed preoperatively and at 3, 6, and 12-months postoperative. For some outcomes, results showed a consistent and similar pattern for SG and RYGB where consumption of sweet and high-fat foods and hunger, desire to eat, ability to eat right now, and satisfaction with amount eaten all improved from pre-to 6-months post-surgery with some degree of deterioration at 12-months post-surgery. By contrast, other variables, largely related to hedonic hunger and craving and desire for specific foods, showed less consistent patterns that differed by surgery type. While the findings suggest an overall pattern of improvement in eating patterns following bariatric surgery, they also highlight how a return to preoperative habits may begin as early as 6 months after surgery. Additional research is needed to understand mechanisms that promote changes in eating behavior after surgery, and how best to intervene to preserve beneficial effects.

Multicentre positive deviance to reduce adverse events and length of stay after pulmonary resection.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative adverse events (AEs) following pulmonary resection enormously impact patient well-being, length of stay (LOS) and healthcare costs. Standardised AE data collection can be used to identify positive outliers demonstrating positive deviance (PD) who may be helpful to inform the best practice. Here, we describe our initial experience of a novel quality improvement process using PD to reduce LOS and AEs. METHODS: AE rates and LOS were collected from four centres (2014-2020) using a common dictionary. Surgeons repeatedly participated in 60 to 90 min seminars consisting of the following process: identify outcome and procedure targeted, review relevant best evidence literature, view all data anonymised by surgeon or centre (if multicentre), choose and reveal identity of best performance PD outliers, who discuss their management principles while all receive self-evaluation reports, followed by collegial discussion to generate consensus recommendations, voted by all. We assessed overall impact on AEs and LOS using aggregate data in a before/after analysis. RESULTS: A total of 131 surgeons (average 12/seminar) participated in 11 PD seminars (8 local and 3 multicentre), yielding 85 consensus recommendation (average 8/seminar). Median LOS following lobectomy decreased from 4.0 to 3.0 days (p=0.04) following local PD seminars and from 4.0 to 3.5 days (p=0.11) following multicentre seminars. Trends for reductions in multiple AE rates were also observed. CONCLUSION: While limited by the longitudinal design, these findings provide preliminary support for this data-driven, collegial and actionable quality improvement process to help standardise and improve patient care, and merits further more rigorous investigation.

[Strategies for health services in women, newborns, children, and adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic in countries of Americas]. / Estrategias de servicios de salud en mujeres, recién nacidos/as, niños/as y adolescentes durante la pandemia de COVID-19 en países de las Américas.

The article analyzes the perceived challenges and strategies implemented in five Latin American and Caribbean countries to ensure continuity of care and access to health services for women, newborns, children, and adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study corresponds to a quick assessment based on semi-structured interviews with key informants in countries selected by convenience: Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Grenada, and the Dominican Republic. Interviews were conducted with 23 key informants: (a) decision makers at the national and/or subnational level, (b) healthcare professionals, and (c) representatives of civil society organizations; from December 2020 to January 2021. Among the findings, at the beginning of the pandemic, priority was given to the COVID-19 care, with measures to limit the flow of people to health facilities in the countries involved, closing or limiting outpatient visits and restricting care schedule. For women, this affected family planning services and access to contraceptive methods, implying a reduction in prenatal check-ups. As a result of this deinstitutionalization of care, among newborns, a decrease in pediatric check-ups, a decrease in timely immunization and late detection of pathologies or growth problems were reported. Among adolescents, a strong restriction of family planning services, the limitation of other friendly counseling spaces and difficulties in accessing contraceptives were observed.

El artículo analiza los desafíos percibidos y las estrategias implementadas en cinco países de América Latina y el Caribe para garantizar la continuidad de los cuidados y el acceso a servicios de salud de mujeres, recién nacidos/as, niños/as y adolescentes durante la pandemia por COVID-19. El estudio corresponde a una evaluación rápida basada en entrevistas semi-estructuradas a informantes clave de países seleccionados por conveniencia: Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Granada y República Dominicana. Se realizaron entrevistas con 23 informantes clave: (a) referentes de la toma de decisión a nivel nacional y/o subnacional, (b) referentes de servicios de salud, y (c) representantes de organizaciones de la sociedad civil, durante diciembre de 2020 y enero de 2021. Entre los hallazgos, al inicio de la pandemia se priorizó la atención del COVID-19, con medidas para limitar la afluencia de personas a los establecimientos de salud en los países involucrados, procediendo al cierre o limitación de consultas externas y restricción de horarios de atención. Para las mujeres, esto impactó en los servicios de planificación familiar y el acceso a métodos anticonceptivos, e implicó una reducción de los controles prenatales. Por esta desinstitucionalización de la atención, entre recién nacidos/as fue reportada una disminución de los controles pediátricos, una disminución de su vacunación oportuna y una detección tardía de patologías o problemas de crecimiento. Entre adolescentes, se señaló una fuerte restricción de los servicios de planificación familiar, la limitación de otros espacios amigables de consejería y dificultades para acceder a anticonceptivos.

O artigo analisa os desafios observados e as estratégias implementadas em cinco países da América Latina e do Caribe para garantir a continuidade do atendimento e o acesso aos serviços de saúde para mulheres, recém-nascidos/as, crianças e adolescentes durante a pandemia de COVID-19. O estudo é uma avaliação rápida baseada em entrevistas semiestruturadas com informantes-chave em países selecionados por conveniência: Colômbia, Equador, Guatemala, Granada e República Dominicana. Foram realizadas entrevistas com 23 informantes-chave: (a) tomadores de decisão em nível nacional e/ou subnacional, (b) prestadores de serviços de saúde e (c) representantes de organizações da sociedade civil; durante dezembro de 2020 e janeiro de 2021. Entre as conclusões encontrou-se que, no início da pandemia, foi dada prioridade à COVID-19, com medidas para limitar o fluxo de pessoas às instalações de saúde nos países envolvidos, fechando ou limitando as consultas ambulatoriais e restringindo o horário de atendimento. Para as mulheres, a medida impactou os serviços de planejamento familiar e o acesso à contracepção, significando uma redução nos check-ups pré-natais. Como resultado desta desinstitucionalização dos cuidados, uma diminuição dos check-ups pediátricos, uma diminuição das vacinações no período correto e uma detecção tardia de patologias ou problemas de crescimento foram relatados entre os/as recém-nascidos/as. Entre os adolescentes, foi observada uma restrição severa dos serviços de planejamento familiar, a limitação de acesso a espaços de aconselhamento amigável e dificuldades de acesso a contraceptivos.

Effects of an electronic health record-based mobility assessment and automated referral for inpatient physical therapy on patient outcomes: A quasi-experimental study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effectiveness of a hospital physical therapy (PT) referral triggered by scores on a mobility assessment embedded in the electronic health record (EHR) and completed by nursing staff on hospital admission. DATA SOURCES: EHR and billing data from 12 acute care hospitals in a western Pennsylvania health system (January 2017-February 2018) and 11 acute care hospitals in a northeastern Ohio health system (August 2019-July 2021). STUDY DESIGN: We utilized a regression discontinuity design to compare patients admitted to PA hospitals with stroke who reached the mobility score threshold for an EHR-PT referral (treatment) to those who did not (control). Outcomes were hospital length of stay (LOS) and 30-day readmission or mortality. Control variables included demographics, insurance, income, and comorbidities. Hospital systems with EHR-PT referrals were also compared to those without (OH hospitals as alternative control). Subgroup analyses based on age were also conducted. DATA EXTRACTION: We identified adult patients with a primary or secondary diagnosis of stroke and mobility assessments completed by nursing (n = 4859 in PA hospitals, n = 1749 in OH hospitals) who completed their inpatient stay. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In the PA hospitals, patients with EHR-PT referrals had an 11.4 percentage-point decrease in their 30-day readmission or mortality rates (95% CI -0.57, -0.01) relative to the control. This effect was not observed in the OH hospitals for 30-day readmission (ß = 0.01; 95% CI -0.25, 0.26). Adults over 60 years old with EHR-PT referrals in PA had a 26.2 percentage-point (95% CI -0.88, -0.19) decreased risk of readmission or mortality compared to those without. Unclear relationships exist between EHR-PT referrals and hospital LOS in PA. CONCLUSIONS: Health systems should consider methodologies to facilitate early acute care hospital PT referrals informed by mobility assessments.

Estrategias de servicios de salud en mujeres, recién nacidos/as, niños/as y adolescentes durante la pandemia de COVID-19 en países de las Américas / Strategies for health services in women, newborns, children, and adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic in countries of Americas / Estratégias de serviços de saúde para mulheres, recém-nascidos/as, crianças e adolescentes durante a pandemia de COVID-19 nos países das Américas

El artículo analiza los desafíos percibidos y las estrategias implementadas en cinco países de América Latina y el Caribe para garantizar la continuidad de los cuidados y el acceso a servicios de salud de mujeres, recién nacidos/as, niños/as y adolescentes durante la pandemia por COVID-19. El estudio corresponde a una evaluación rápida basada en entrevistas semi-estructuradas a informantes clave de países seleccionados por conveniencia: Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Granada y República Dominicana. Se realizaron entrevistas con 23 informantes clave: (a) referentes de la toma de decisión a nivel nacional y/o subnacional, (b) referentes de servicios de salud, y (c) representantes de organizaciones de la sociedad civil, durante diciembre de 2020 y enero de 2021. Entre los hallazgos, al inicio de la pandemia se priorizó la atención del COVID-19, con medidas para limitar la afluencia de personas a los establecimientos de salud en los países involucrados, procediendo al cierre o limitación de consultas externas y restricción de horarios de atención. Para las mujeres, esto impactó en los servicios de planificación familiar y el acceso a métodos anticonceptivos, e implicó una reducción de los controles prenatales. Por esta desinstitucionalización de la atención, entre recién nacidos/as fue reportada una disminución de los controles pediátricos, una disminución de su vacunación oportuna y una detección tardía de patologías o problemas de crecimiento. Entre adolescentes, se señaló una fuerte restricción de los servicios de planificación familiar, la limitación de otros espacios amigables de consejería y dificultades para acceder a anticonceptivos.

The article analyzes the perceived challenges and strategies implemented in five Latin American and Caribbean countries to ensure continuity of care and access to health services for women, newborns, children, and adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study corresponds to a quick assessment based on semi-structured interviews with key informants in countries selected by convenience: Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Grenada, and the Dominican Republic. Interviews were conducted with 23 key informants: (a) decision makers at the national and/or subnational level, (b) healthcare professionals, and (c) representatives of civil society organizations; from December 2020 to January 2021. Among the findings, at the beginning of the pandemic, priority was given to the COVID-19 care, with measures to limit the flow of people to health facilities in the countries involved, closing or limiting outpatient visits and restricting care schedule. For women, this affected family planning services and access to contraceptive methods, implying a reduction in prenatal check-ups. As a result of this deinstitutionalization of care, among newborns, a decrease in pediatric check-ups, a decrease in timely immunization and late detection of pathologies or growth problems were reported. Among adolescents, a strong restriction of family planning services, the limitation of other friendly counseling spaces and difficulties in accessing contraceptives were observed.

O artigo analisa os desafios observados e as estratégias implementadas em cinco países da América Latina e do Caribe para garantir a continuidade do atendimento e o acesso aos serviços de saúde para mulheres, recém-nascidos/as, crianças e adolescentes durante a pandemia de COVID-19. O estudo é uma avaliação rápida baseada em entrevistas semiestruturadas com informantes-chave em países selecionados por conveniência: Colômbia, Equador, Guatemala, Granada e República Dominicana. Foram realizadas entrevistas com 23 informantes-chave: (a) tomadores de decisão em nível nacional e/ou subnacional, (b) prestadores de serviços de saúde e (c) representantes de organizações da sociedade civil; durante dezembro de 2020 e janeiro de 2021. Entre as conclusões encontrou-se que, no início da pandemia, foi dada prioridade à COVID-19, com medidas para limitar o fluxo de pessoas às instalações de saúde nos países envolvidos, fechando ou limitando as consultas ambulatoriais e restringindo o horário de atendimento. Para as mulheres, a medida impactou os serviços de planejamento familiar e o acesso à contracepção, significando uma redução nos check-ups pré-natais. Como resultado desta desinstitucionalização dos cuidados, uma diminuição dos check-ups pediátricos, uma diminuição das vacinações no período correto e uma detecção tardia de patologias ou problemas de crescimento foram relatados entre os/as recém-nascidos/as. Entre os adolescentes, foi observada uma restrição severa dos serviços de planejamento familiar, a limitação de acesso a espaços de aconselhamento amigável e dificuldades de acesso a contraceptivos.

Humanistic and Economic Burden of Geographic Atrophy: A Systematic Literature Review.

PURPOSE: Geographic atrophy (GA), the advanced form of dry age-related macular degeneration, can result in irreversible blindness over time. We performed a systematic literature review to assess the humanistic and economic burden of GA. METHODS: Predefined search terms were used to identify studies in PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library; conference abstracts also were searched. RESULTS: Of 1111 unique studies identified, 25 studies on humanistic burden, 4 on economic burden, and 3 on both humanistic and economic burden of GA were included. Vision-related functioning and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) are poor in patients with GA. HRQOL is commonly measured using the 25-item National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire (NEI VFQ-25); patients with GA have significantly lower composite and subscale scores for near activities, distance activities, dependency, driving, social functioning, mental health, role difficulties, color vision, and peripheral vision than individuals without GA. Driving is a particular concern, and inability to drive affects dependency. Vision-related quality of life (VRQOL) declines as GA progresses. While we identified only 7 reports describing the economic burden of GA, its direct costs may be substantial. In a US study, mean cost to the payer per patient with GA was $11,533 in the year after diagnosis. A multinational study estimated annualized total direct costs of €1772 per patient with GA, mainly driven by diagnostic tests and procedures (€1071). Patients with GA are at increased risk of falls and fractures, potentially increasing direct costs. Only one study evaluated indirect costs, estimating ~$24.4 billion in yearly lost wages among people with severe vision loss due to GA or drusen ≥125 µm. CONCLUSION: GA represents a significant humanistic burden. Evidence on the economic impact of GA is limited; characterizing the economic burden of GA requires further research. Interventions that reduce GA-related disability may improve HRQOL and reduce indirect costs.

A Cost Analysis of Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Diagnostic Pathway of Patients Presenting With Unexplained Acute Myocardial Injury and Culprit-Free Coronary Angiography.

Aims: To determine financial implications of implementing cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) in the diagnostic pathway of a population with unexplained acute myocardial injury and normal coronary angiography. Methods and Results: We performed a focused cost-benefit analysis using a hypothetical population of 2,000 patients with unexplained acute myocardial injury and normal coronary angiography divided into two groups to receive either standard or CMR guided management over a 10-year period. As healthcare practice and costs considerably vary geographically and over time, an algorithm with 15 key variables was developed to permit user-defined calculations of cost-benefit and other analyses. Using current UK costs, routine use of CMR increases healthcare spending by 14% per patient in the first year. After 7 years, CMR guided practice is cost neutral, reducing cost by 3% per patient 10 years following presentation. In addition, CMR -guided therapy results in 7 fewer myocardial infarctions and 14 fewer major bleeding events per 1,000 patients over a 10-year period. The three most sensitive variables were, in decreasing order, the cost of CMR, the cost of ticagrelor and the percentage of the population with MI requiring DAPT. Conclusion: Routine use of CMR in patients with unexplained acute myocardial injury and normal coronary angiography is associated with cost reductions in the medium to long term. The initial higher cost of CMR is offset over time and delivers a more personalized and higher quality of care.

Energy, Attentiveness, and Fatigue After Bariatric Surgery and Associations with Daily Physical Activity and Weight Loss: an Ecological Momentary Assessment Study.

PURPOSE: Energy and fatigue are thought to improve after bariatric surgery. Such improvements could be related to weight loss and/or increased engagement in day-to-day health behaviors, such as moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). This study used ecological momentary assessment (EMA) to evaluate several aspects of energy/fatigue in real-time in patients' natural environment during the first year after surgery and assessed the associations of percent total weight loss (%TWL) and daily MVPA with daily energy/fatigue levels. METHODS: Patients (n = 71) undergoing Roux-en-Y gastric bypass or sleeve gastrectomy rated their energy, alertness and attentiveness (averaged to create an "attentiveness" rating), and tiredness and sleepiness (averaged to create a "fatigue" rating) via smartphone-based EMA at 4 semi-random times daily for 10 days at pre-surgery and 3-, 6-, and 12 months post-surgery. Daily MVPA minutes were assessed via accelerometry. Weight was measured in clinic. RESULTS: Energy ratings initially increased from pre- to post-surgery, before leveling off/decreasing by 12 months (p < 0.001). Attentiveness and fatigue ratings did not change over time. %TWL was unrelated to any ratings, while MVPA related to both energy and attentiveness but not fatigue. Participants reported more energy on days with more total MVPA min (p = 0.03) and greater attentiveness on days with more total (p < 0.001) and bouted (p = 0.02) MVPA. CONCLUSIONS: While more research is needed to confirm causality, results suggest that greater daily MVPA is associated with increased daily energy and attentiveness among bariatric surgery patients, independent of %TWL. Findings add to growing evidence of MVPA's potential benefits beyond energy expenditure in the context of bariatric surgery.

A Comparison of Web-Based Cancer Risk Calculators That Inform Shared Decision-making for Lung Cancer Screening.

INTRODUCTION: To align patient preferences and understanding with harm-benefit perception, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) mandates that providers engage patients in a collaborative shared decision-making (SDM) visit before LDCT. Nonetheless, patients and providers often turn instead to the web for help making decisions. Several web-based lung cancer risk calculators (LCRCs) provide risk predictions and screening recommendations; however, the accuracy, consistency, and subsequent user interpretation of these predictions between LCRCs is ambiguous. We conducted a systematic review to assess this variability. DESIGN: Through a systematic Internet search, we identified 10 publicly available LCRCs and categorized their input variables: demographic factors, cancer history, smoking status, and personal/environmental factors. To assess variance in LCRC risk prediction outputs, we developed 16 hypothetical patients along a risk continuum, illustrated by randomly assigned input variables, and individually compared them to each LCRC against the empirically validated "gold-standard" PLCO risk model in order to evaluate the accuracy of the LCRCs within identical time-windows. RESULTS: From the inclusion criteria, 11 calculators were initially identified. The analyzed calculators also vary in output characteristics and risk depiction for hypothetical patients. There were 13 total instances across ten hypothetical patients in which the sample standard error exceeded the mean risk percentage across all general samples and set standard calculations. The largest measured difference is 16.49% for patient 8, and the smallest difference is 0.01% for patient 2. The largest measured difference is 16.49% for patient 8, and the smallest difference is 0.01% for patient 2. CONCLUSION: Substantial variability in the depiction of lung cancer risk for hypothetical patients exists across the web-based LCRCs due to their respective inputs and risk prediction models. To foster informed decision-making in the SDM-LDCT context, the input variables, risk prediction models, risk depiction, and screening recommendations must be standardized to best practice.

NITRATE-CIN Study: Protocol of a Randomized (1:1) Single-Center, UK, Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Trial Testing the Effect of Inorganic Nitrate on Contrast-Induced Nephropathy in Patients Undergoing Coronary Angiography for Acute Coronary Syndromes.

BACKGROUND: Contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN), an acute kidney injury resulting from the administration of intravascular iodinated contrast media, is a significant cause of morbidity/mortality following coronary angiographic procedures in high-risk patients. Despite preventative measures intended to mitigate the risk of CIN, there remains a need for novel effective treatments. Evidence suggests that delivery of nitric oxide (NO) through chemical reduction of inorganic nitrate to NO may offer a novel therapeutic strategy to reduce CIN and thus preserve long term renal function. DESIGN: The NITRATE-CIN trial is a single-center, randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled trial, which plans to recruit 640 patients presenting with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) who are at risk of CIN. Patients will be randomized to either inorganic nitrate therapy (capsules containing 12 mmol KNO3) or placebo capsules containing potassium chloride (KCl) daily for 5 days. The primary endpoint is development of CIN using the Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) criteria. A key secondary endpoint is renal function over a 3-month follow-up period. Additional secondary endpoints include serum renal biomarkers (e.g. neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin) at 6 h, 48 h and 3 months following administration of contrast. Cost-effectiveness of inorganic nitrate therapy will also be evaluated. SUMMARY: This study is designed to investigate the hypothesis that inorganic nitrate treatment decreases the rate of CIN as part of semi-emergent coronary angiography for ACS. Inorganic nitrate is a simple and easy to administer intervention that may prove useful in prevention of CIN in at-risk patients undergoing coronary angiographic procedures.

Machine Learning Models of Arsenic in Private Wells Throughout the Conterminous United States As a Tool for Exposure Assessment in Human Health Studies.

Arsenic from geologic sources is widespread in groundwater within the United States (U.S.). In several areas, groundwater arsenic concentrations exceed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency maximum contaminant level of 10 µg per liter (µg/L). However, this standard applies only to public-supply drinking water and not to private-supply, which is not federally regulated and is rarely monitored. As a result, arsenic exposure from private wells is a potentially substantial, but largely hidden, public health concern. Machine learning models using boosted regression trees (BRT) and random forest classification (RFC) techniques were developed to estimate probabilities and concentration ranges of arsenic in private wells throughout the conterminous U.S. Three BRT models were fit separately to estimate the probability of private well arsenic concentrations exceeding 1, 5, or 10 µg/L whereas the RFC model estimates the most probable category (≤5, >5 to ≤10, or >10 µg/L). Overall, the models perform best at identifying areas with low concentrations of arsenic in private wells. The BRT 10 µg/L model estimates for testing data have an overall accuracy of 91.2%, sensitivity of 33.9%, and specificity of 98.2%. Influential variables identified across all models included average annual precipitation and soil geochemistry. Models were developed in collaboration with public health experts to support U.S.-based studies focused on health effects from arsenic exposure.

Analysis of Early Job Market Experiences and Perceptions Among Bariatric Surgery Fellowship Graduates and Bariatric Surgery Program Directors.

PURPOSE: Over the past decade, an increasing number of bariatric surgeons are trained in fellowships annually despite only a modest increase in nationwide bariatric surgery volume. The study surveys the bariatric surgery job market trend in order to inform better career-choice decisions for trainees interested in this field. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A national retrospective cohort survey over an 11-year period was conducted. Bariatric surgery fellowship graduates from 2008 to 2019 and program directors (PDs) were surveyed electronically. Univariate analysis was performed comparing responses between earlier (2008-2016) and recent graduates (2017-2019). RESULTS: We identified a total of 996 graduates and 143 PDs. Response rates were 9% and 20% respectively (n = 88, 29). Sixty-eight percent of graduates felt there are not enough bariatric jobs for new graduates. Seventy-nine percent of PDs felt that it is more difficult to find a bariatric job for their fellows now than 5-10 years ago. Forty-eight percent of PDs felt that we are training too many bariatric fellows. Seventy-seven percent of all graduates want the majority of their practice to be comprised bariatric cases; however, only 42% of them reported achieving this. In the univariate analysis, recent graduates were less likely to be currently employed as a bariatric surgeon (64% vs. 86%, p = 0.02) and were less satisfied with their current case volume (42% vs. 66%, p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The temporal increase in bariatric fellowship graduates over the past decade has resulted in a significant decline in the likelihood of employment in a full-time bariatric surgical practice and a decline in surgeons' bariatric case volumes.

Ecological momentary assessment of gastrointestinal symptoms and risky eating behaviors in Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy patients.

BACKGROUND: Gastrointestinal symptoms (GIS) are common after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) and sleeve gastrectomy (SG). However, little is known about frequencies of GIS and their co-occurrence with risky eating behaviors. OBJECTIVES: Compare RYGB and SG on GIS and risky eating behaviors, and test associations between GIS and behaviors. SETTING: Two university hospitals in Northeastern United States. METHODS: RYGB (n = 18) and SG (n = 53) patients completed smartphone-based ecological momentary assessment of GIS and risky eating behaviors at 4 semi-random times daily for 10 days preoperatively and at 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively. Study objectives were evaluated using generalized linear mixed-effects models. RESULTS: All available data from each assessment were included in the analysis: participant attrition was 18%, 30%, and 38% at 3, 6, and 12 months. All GIS were reduced at 12 months postoperative. Bloating decreased consistently whereas cramping, dehydration, and dumping first increased at 3 to 6 months then decreased to 12 months. Diarrhea, nausea, reflux, and vomiting decreased to 12 months for RYGB, but first increased at 3 to 6 months then decreased to 12 months for SG. Consumption of carbonated and sugar-sweetened beverages, fatty meats, and sweets decreased to 6 months then rebounded at 12 months. Eating past the first sign of fullness, drinking liquids with meals, not starting meals with protein, and fried foods consumption decreased to 6 months and then rebounded for RYGB only at 12 months. Alcohol consumption did not change. Sweets consumption and eating past the first sign of fullness were most consistently associated with GIS for both RYGB and SG patients. CONCLUSION: GIS and risky eating behaviors improved postoperatively, although patterns of change were variable and occasionally differed between RYGB and SG. Pending replication, patients may benefit from intervention to limit risky behaviors that are tailored to their surgery type.

Iatrogenic catheter-induced ostial coronary artery dissections: Prevalence, management, and mortality from a cohort of 55,968 patients over 10 years.

OBJECTIVE: We sought to describe the prevalence, management strategies and evaluate the prognosis of patients with iatrogenic catheter-induced ostial coronary artery dissection (ICOCAD). BACKGROUND: ICOCAD is a rare but potentially devastating complication of cardiac catheterisation. The clinical manifestations of ICOCAD vary from asymptomatic angiographic findings to abrupt vessel closure leading to myocardial infarction and death. METHODS: 55,968 patients who underwent coronary angiography over a 10-year period were screened for ICOCAD as defined by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. The management and all-cause mortality were retrieved from local and national databases. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of ICOCAD was 0.09% (51/55,968 patients). Guide catheters accounted for 75% (n = 37) of cases. Half of the ICOCAD cases involved the right coronary artery while the remaining were related to left main stem (23/51; 45%) and left internal mammary artery (2/51; 4%). Two-thirds of ICOCAD were high grade (type D, E, and F). The majority of cases were type F dissections (n = 18; 66%), of which two third occurred in females in their 60s. The majority of ICOCAD patients (42/51; 82%) were treated with percutaneous coronary intervention while the remaining underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (3/51; 6%) or managed conservatively (6/51; 12%). Three deaths occurred during the index admission while 48/51 patients (94.1%) were safely discharged without further mortality over a median follow-up of 3.6 years. CONCLUSIONS: ICOCAD is a rare but life-threatening complication of coronary angiography. Timely recognition and prompt bailout PCI is a safe option for majority of patients with good clinical outcomes.

Sociodemographic Determinants of Life's Simple 7: Implications for Achieving Cardiovascular Health and Health Equity Goals.

Background: Life's Simple 7 (LS7; nutrition, physical activity, cigarette use, body mass index, blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose) predicts cardiovascular health. The principal objective of our study was to define demographic and socioeconomic factors associated with LS7 to better inform programs addressing cardiovascular health and health equity. Methods: National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys 1999-2016 data were analyzed on non-Hispanic White [NHW], NH Black [NHB], and Hispanic adults aged ≥20 years without cardiovascular disease. Each LS7 variable was assigned 0, 1, or 2 points for poor, intermediate, and ideal levels, respectively. Composite LS7 scores were grouped as poor (0-4 points), intermediate (5-9), and ideal (10-14). Results: 32,803 adults were included. Mean composite LS7 scores were below ideal across race/ethnicity groups. After adjusting for confounders, NHBs were less likely to have optimal LS7 scores than NHW (multivariable odds ratios (OR .44; 95% CI .37-.53), whereas Hispanics tended to have better scores (1.18; .96-1.44). Hispanics had more ideal LS7 scores than NHBs, although Hispanics had lower incomes and less education, which were independently associated with fewer ideal LS7 scores. Adults aged ≥45 years were less likely to have ideal LS7 scores (.11; .09-.12) than adults aged <45 years. Conclusions: NHBs were the least likely to have optimal scores, despite higher incomes and more education than Hispanics, consistent with structural racism and Hispanic paradox. Programs to optimize lifestyle should begin in childhood to mitigate precipitous age-related declines in LS7 scores, especially in at-risk groups. Promoting higher education and reducing poverty are also important.

Recruitment, Retention, and Engagement Strategies for Exercise Interventions With Rural Antenatal Adolescents: Qualitative Interviews With WIC Providers.

Public health stakeholder engagement is integral to developing effective public health interventions. The perspectives of women enrolled in the Special Supplemental Nutritional Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) have often been sought when designing WIC-based interventions; however, the perspectives of WIC providers are underrepresented. The goal of this investigation was to explore the experiences of WIC providers who counsel adolescent clients and to identify strategies for recruitment, retention, and engagement of adolescents in an antenatal exercise intervention. Qualitative interviews were conducted with WIC providers (N = 9) in the Mississippi Delta, a rural, predominantly African American region in northwest Mississippi. From our data emerged 4 themes and 4 hypothesized strategies for recruitment, retention, and engagement of adolescent WIC clients and their parents in a future antenatal exercise intervention that will be implemented through WIC. Engaging the perspectives of WIC providers was a critical first step in understanding the context for this intervention.