Patient perspectives on buprenorphine/naloxone: a qualitative study of retention during the starting treatment with agonist replacement therapies (START) study.

This study examines the barriers and facilitators of retention among patients receiving buprenorphine/naloxone at eight community-based opioid treatment programs across the United States. Participants (n = 105) were recruited up to three and a half years after having participated in a randomized clinical trial comparing the effect of buprenorphine/naloxone and methadone on liver function. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 67 patients provided with buprenorphine/naloxone who had terminated early and 38 patients who had completed at least 24 weeks of the trial. Qualitative data were analyzed using the constant comparison method. Barriers to buprenorphine/naloxone retention that emerged included factors associated with: (1) the design of the clinical trial; (2) negative medication or treatment experience; and (3) personal circumstances. The facilitators comprised: (1) positive experience with the medication; (2) personal determination and commitment to complete; and (3) staff encouragement and support. The themes drawn from interviews highlight the importance of considering patients' prior experience with buprenorphine/naloxone and methadone, medication preference, personal circumstances, and motivation to abstain from illicit use or misuse of opioids, as these may influence retention. Ongoing education of patients and staff regarding buprenorphine/naloxone, especially in comparison to methadone, and support from staff and peers are essential.

Redesigning Kidney Care for the Anthropocene: A New Framework for Planetary Health in Nephrology.

Climate change is one of the greatest threats to human health in the 21st century. The human health impacts of climate change contribute to approximately 1 in 4 deaths worldwide. Health care itself is responsible for approximately 5% of annual global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Canada is a recent signatory of the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) health agreement that is committed to developing low carbon and climate resilient health systems. Kidney care services have a substantial environmental impact and there is opportunity for the kidney care community to climate align clinical care. We introduce a framework of redesigned kidney care and describe examples of low carbon kidney disease management strategies to expand our duty of care to the environment which completes the triple bottom line of optimal patient outcomes and cost effectiveness in the Anthropocene.

Methemoglobinemia after transesophageal echocardiography: a life-threatening complication.

Methemoglobinemia is an uncommon cause of tissue hypoxemia that can be life-threatening if not promptly identified and treated. It can occur after exposure to an oxidizing agent from contaminated well water or from nitroglycerin, sodium nitroprusside, or certain local anesthetics. During oropharyngeal use of topical anesthetics for transesophageal echocardiography, systemic drug uptake is unpredictable and unexplained complications can ensue. Treatment of acquired methemoglobinemia may require methylene blue, as oxygen is not usually sufficient. Avoidance of the oxidizing agent, probably benzocaine in the cases presented, is prudent.

Multifaceted support for a new medical school in Nepal devoted to rural health by a Canadian Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry.

Nepal and Alberta are literally a world apart. Yet they share a common problem of restricted access to health services in remote and rural areas. In Nepal, urban-rural disparities were one of the main issues in the recent civil war, which ended in 2006. In response to the need for improved health equity in Nepal a dedicated group of Nepali physicians began planning the Patan Academy of Health Sciences (PAHS), a new health sciences university dedicated to the education of rural health providers in the early 2000s. Beginning with a medical school the Patan Academy of Health Sciences uses international help to plan, deliver and assess its curriculum. PAHS developed an International Advisory Board (IAB) attracting international help using a model of broad, intentional recruitment and then on individuals' natural attraction to a clear mission of peace-making through health equity. Such a model provides for flexible recruitment of globally diverse experts, though it risks a lack of coordination. Until recently, the PAHS IAB has not enjoyed significant or formal support from any single international institution. However, an increasing number of the international consultants recruited by PAHS to its International Advisory Board are from the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada (UAlberta). The number of UAlberta Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry members involved in the project has risen to fifteen, providing a critical mass for a coordinated effort to leverage institutional support for this partnership. This paper describes the organic growth of the UAlberta group supporting PAHS, and the ways in which it supports a sister institution in a developing nation.