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BACKGROUND: Decision making regarding transportation mode after a traumatic injury may have a significant impact on outcomes, due to differences in time to definitive care. The objective of this study was to determine if transport mode had an impact on in-hospital mortality and discharge disposition in pediatric trauma patients. METHODS: Data were abstracted from the National Trauma Data Bank from 2007 to 2016 comparing helicopter and ground transportation modes effects on mortality and discharge outcomes. The primary outcome was in-hospital death, while the secondary outcome was discharge home without services (DCHWOS). Analyses included logistic regression modeling and propensity score matching. RESULTS: Significant variables from univariate analysis were included in the multivariate, propensity-matched regression model. Pediatric trauma patients transported by helicopter had lower odds of mortality (OR 0.69 [0.64,0.75]) and higher odds of DCHWOS (1.29 [1.20,1.39]). There were no differences in overall mechanism, but individual injury patterns showed higher odds of mortality. CONCLUSION: Critical decisions regarding triage of patients by different modes of transport occur every day. This study supports the current literature on the topic and shows a potential additional benefit of a meaningful discharge outcome for those transported by helicopter. IMPACT: This study may impact prehospital triage decision making process for pediatric trauma patients on mortality. Prehospital transport mode may contribute to pediatric trauma discharge outcomes. Highlights the need for future research regarding non-clinical data that is unable to be abstracted from national databases (e.g., family dynamics, insurance status, weather, access to post-discharge resources).
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Ambulancias Aéreas , Heridas y Lesiones , Humanos , Niño , Mortalidad Hospitalaria , Cuidados Posteriores , Alta del Paciente , Aeronaves , Estudios Retrospectivos , Heridas y Lesiones/terapiaRESUMEN
PURPOSE: To examine and compare ChatGPT versus Google websites in answering common head and neck cancer questions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Commonly asked questions about head and neck cancer were obtained and inputted into both ChatGPT-4 and Google search engine. For each question, the ChatGPT response and first website search result were compiled and examined. Content quality was assessed by independent reviewers using standardized grading criteria and the modified Ensuring Quality Information for Patients (EQIP) tool. Readability was determined using the Flesch reading ease scale. RESULTS: In total, 49 questions related to head and neck cancer were included. Google sources were on average significantly higher quality than ChatGPT responses (4.2 vs 3.6, p = 0.005). According to the EQIP tool, Google and ChatGPT had on average similar response rates per criterion (24.4 vs 20.5, p = 0.09) while Google had a significantly higher average score per question than ChatGPT (13.8 vs 11.7, p < 0.001) According to the Flesch reading ease scale, ChatGPT and Google sources were both considered similarly difficult to read (33.1 vs 37.0, p = 0.180) and at a college level (14.3 vs 14.2, p = 0.820.) CONCLUSION: ChatGPT responses were as challenging to read as Google sources, but poorer quality due to decreased reliability and accuracy in answering questions. Though promising, ChatGPT in its current form should not be considered dependable. Google sources are a preferred resource for patient educational materials.
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Neoplasias de Cabeza y Cuello , Humanos , Reproducibilidad de los Resultados , Neoplasias de Cabeza y Cuello/terapia , Motor de BúsquedaRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: Salivary gland cancers (SGC) are rare neoplasms which comprise 1-5 % of all head and neck cancers. SGCs can be managed by resection, radiosurgery, chemotherapy, or a combination of these. Our team appraised the quality of clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for SGC treatment and management using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE-II) instrument. DATA SOURCES: PubMed, Scopus, & EMBASE were reviewed for CPGs regarding SGC management from database inception to January 1st, 2023. REVIEW METHODS: The AGREE-II instrument was used by 4 reviewers to independently evaluate guidelines. Domain scores were generated with a satisfactory threshold being >60 % - a "high" quality CPG required >4 satisfactory domains. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were used, via R 4.2.1., to determine inter-reviewer variability. RESULTS: Literature review identified 645 articles, with six being included after applying inclusion and exclusion criteria. Of the six included articles, one CPG was "high" quality and 5 were "low" quality. The domains with the highest scores were "Editorial Independence" (72.57 ± 36.60) and "Clarity and Presentation" (63.19 ± 26.08), while the lowest were "Rigor of Development" (34.03 ± 30.63) and "Applicability" (30.21 ± 30.46). ICC scores for each domain ranged from 0.937 to 0.983, indicating a high level of inter-rater agreement. CONCLUSION: This study found that most CPGs for the treatment and management of SGC were of "low" quality, with only one guideline being considered "high" quality based on the standard set by the AGREE-II instrument. These findings indicate that there is a high level of variability and little standardization when it comes to the quality of CPGs.
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Guías de Práctica Clínica como Asunto , Neoplasias de las Glándulas Salivales , Humanos , Neoplasias de las Glándulas Salivales/terapiaRESUMEN
INTRODUCTION: Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) can be associated with tumors involving the maxillary sinus, but outcomes after undergoing maxillectomy with free flap reconstruction remain unclear. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of medical records was performed to evaluate evidence of CRS in patients who underwent maxillectomy with free flap reconstruction at a single tertiary care academic institution from 2013 through 2020. RESULTS: Eighty-four patients were assessed. Nineteen (22.6%) patients were diagnosed with CRS after surgery, 23 (27.4%) patients were treated for sinus symptoms, and 49 (58.3%) had radiographic evidence of sinus inflammation for more than 6 months. Risk factors for requiring sinus treatment included adjuvant or neoadjuvant chemotherapy (p = 0.002) and pre-operative use of sinus medication (p < 0.001). Radiographic evidence of sinusitis 6 months after surgery is also closely associated with sinusitis treatment (p = 0.051). CONCLUSIONS: CRS may be underdiagnosed in patients undergoing maxillectomy with microvascular reconstruction. Further evaluation into patient sinus disease and symptoms following neoplastic surgery may lead to a higher quality of life in some long-term survivors.
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PURPOSE: Several clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) have been produced to optimize the diagnosis and management of pediatric foreign body aspiration and ingestion. However, to date there have been no critical evaluations of their methodological rigor or quality. Herein, we address this need via the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE II) instrument. METHODS: A literature search of Embase, MEDLINE via PubMed, and Scopus was performed up until February 25, 2021. Identified CPGs were then assessed by four independent reviewers trained in AGREE II. A scaled domain score of >60% was indicated as satisfactory quality. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were calculated to assess inter-reviewer agreement. RESULTS: 11 guidelines were assessed with only one being classified as high quality and others being either average (two) or low quality (eight). Domain 4 (clarity of presentation) achieved the highest mean score (66.41 ± 13.33%), while domain 5 (applicability) achieved the lowest score (10.80 ± 10.37%). ICC analysis revealed generally strong agreement between reviewers with a range of 0.60-0.98. CONCLUSION: Quality appraisal using the AGREE II instrument suggests that the methodologic rigor and quality of current guidelines for the diagnosis and management of pediatric foreign body aspiration and ingestion need significant improvement.
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Ingestión de Alimentos , Aspiración Respiratoria , Niño , Humanos , Guías de Práctica Clínica como AsuntoRESUMEN
OBJECTIVES: To develop a prediction model of mortality in pediatric trauma-based injuries. Our secondary objective was to transform this model into a translational tool for clinical use. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study of children ≤ 18 years was derived from the National Trauma Data Bank between the years of 2007 to 2015. The goal was to identify clinical or physiologic variables that would serve as predictors for pediatric death. Data was split into a development cohort (80%) to build the model and then tested in an internal validation cohort (20%) and a temporal cohort. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was assessed for the new model. RESULTS: In 693,192 children, the mortality rate was 1.4% (n = 9,785). Most subjects were male (67%), White (65%), and incurred an unintentional injury (92%). The proposed model had an AUC of 96.4% (95% CI: 95.9%-96.9%). In contrast, the Injury Severity Score yielded an AUC of 92.9% (95% CI: 92.2%-93.6%), while the Revised Trauma Score resulted in an AUC of 95.0% (95% CI: 94.4%-95.6%). CONCLUSION: The TRAGIC + Model (Temperature, Race, Age, GCS, Injury Type, Cardiac-systolic blood pressure + Mechanism of Injury and Sex) is a new pediatric mortality prediction model that leverages variables easily obtained upon trauma admission.
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Hospitalización , Heridas y Lesiones , Humanos , Masculino , Niño , Femenino , Estudios Retrospectivos , Puntaje de Gravedad del Traumatismo , Curva ROC , Presión Sanguínea , Índices de Gravedad del TraumaRESUMEN
PURPOSE: Recurrent head and neck cancer (HNC) has a significant global disease burden and its treatment is complex. Multiple clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) have been developed to improve management of these patient populations; however, no study has systematically reviewed the quality and rigor in development of these guidelines. Here, we identify and systematically appraise existing recommendations for the management of recurrent HNC and assess their clinical applicability, methodologic rigor, and transparency of development. METHODS: A systematic search of the PubMed, Embase, and Scopus databases was conducted for recurrent HNC CPGs. Each guideline was scored independently by four reviewers trained in the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation, 2nd edition (AGREE II) methodology. Salient recommendations from the selected guidelines were summarized. RESULTS: Our literature search yielded 1799 articles; after iterative title/abstract and full text screening, five remaining guidelines met inclusion criteria. CPGs received the lowest scores in 'Applicability' and 'Rigor of development,' with scores of 12.9% and 22.3%, respectively. Overall quality of available guidelines for management of recurrent HNC is poor, with an average overall scaled domain score of 40.9% (± 11.0), and with four guidelines (80.0%) receiving an overall quality rating of 'low'. CONCLUSION: We found significant variability in quality and overall lack of methodologic rigor among available guidelines for the management of recurrent HNC. Future groups developing recommendations for this purpose should implement the AGREE II framework to improve quality and standardization of their guidelines.
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Neoplasias de Cabeza y Cuello , Recurrencia Local de Neoplasia , Humanos , Recurrencia Local de Neoplasia/terapia , Neoplasias de Cabeza y Cuello/terapia , Bases de Datos FactualesRESUMEN
IMPORTANCE: Squamous cell carcinoma without a known primary is an uncommon form of head and neck cancer that requires multidisciplinary collaboration for effective management. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the quality of clinical practice guidelines (CPG) using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE II) instrument. DESIGN: A systematic literature search was performed to identify CPGs pertaining to the diagnosis and treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma of unknown primary (HNSCCUP). Data were abstracted from guidelines meeting inclusion criteria and appraised by four independent reviewers in the six domains of quality defined by the AGREE II. SETTING: Online database. PARTICIPANTS: None. EXPOSURE: None. MAIN OUTCOME(S) AND MEASURE(S): Quality domain scores and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were calculated across domains to qualify inter-rater reliability. RESULTS: Seven guidelines met inclusion criteria. Two guidelines achieved a score of > 60% in five or more AGREE II quality domains to gain designation as 'high'-quality content. One "average-quality" guideline authored by the ENT UK Head and Neck Society Council achieved a score of > 60% in three quality domains. The remaining four CPGs demonstrated low-quality content, with deficits most pronounced in domains 3 and 5, suggesting a lack of rigorously developed and clinically applicable information. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: As the diagnosis and treatment of head and neck cancer continues to evolve, identification of high-quality guidelines will become increasingly important. The authors recommend consulting HNSCCUP guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) or the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). TRIAL REGISTRATION: None.
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Carcinoma de Células Escamosas , Neoplasias de Cabeza y Cuello , Neoplasias Primarias Desconocidas , Guías de Práctica Clínica como Asunto , Humanos , Carcinoma de Células Escamosas/diagnóstico , Carcinoma de Células Escamosas/terapia , Neoplasias de Cabeza y Cuello/diagnóstico , Neoplasias de Cabeza y Cuello/terapia , Neoplasias Primarias Desconocidas/diagnóstico , Neoplasias Primarias Desconocidas/terapia , Reproducibilidad de los Resultados , Carcinoma de Células Escamosas de Cabeza y Cuello/diagnóstico , Carcinoma de Células Escamosas de Cabeza y Cuello/terapiaRESUMEN
INTRODUCTION: Laryngeal injuries are rare but life-threatening airway emergencies. Increased understanding of the epidemiology of these injuries can inform treatment and improve outcomes. We aimed to characterize the demographics and management of adult laryngeal trauma. METHODS: The National Trauma Data Bank (NTDB) was queried from 2007 to 2015 for patients ≥18 years old with laryngeal trauma. Patient demographics, injury characteristics, and treatment course were collected. Outcomes were assessed via multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: From 7.3 million patients, 6,890 (0.1%) patients with laryngeal trauma were identified. Eighty-five percent of patients were male, and the median age was 40. Of these patients, 343 (5.0%) were dead on arrival and of the remaining patients, 510 (7.8%) of patients were deceased at discharge. Common concomitant injuries included facial fractures (27%), intracranial injuries (21%), and rib and sternum fractures (19%). The most common cause of injury was motor vehicle accident (26%), followed by assault with firearms/explosives (12%) and assault with cutting instruments (8%). Forty-three percent of patients received mechanical ventilation and 15% received surgical repair. After correcting for gender, age, and injury severity, firearm injuries (odds ratio [OR] 3.46, 95% CI: [2.88-4.15]) and cutting/piercing injuries (OR 2.23, 95% CI: [1.89-2.64]) were positively associated with the need for mechanical ventilation. Motor vehicle trauma (OR 0.63, 95% CI: [0.46-0.84]) was negatively associated with surgical repair while striking injuries (OR 1.61, 95% CI: [1.25-2.06]) were positively associated. Lastly, shorter time to tracheostomy was significantly associated with shorter ICU stays (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: This study is the largest epidemiologic study of laryngeal trauma to date and identifies the risk of surgical intervention with firearm and cutting injuries as well as the importance of earlier time to tracheostomy for ICU management.
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Armas de Fuego , Heridas por Arma de Fuego , Adulto , Humanos , Masculino , Adolescente , Femenino , Traqueostomía , Modelos Logísticos , Estudios RetrospectivosRESUMEN
INTRODUCTION: Management of the neck in oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC) is essential to oncologic control and survival. The rates of lymph node metastasis (LNM) vary based on oral cavity tumor site and stage and influence treatment decisions. The aim of this paper was to describe clinical LNM for different tumor subsites and stages of surgically managed OCSCC. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 25,846 surgically managed OCSCC patients from the National Cancer Database (NCDB) stratified by tumor subsite and clinical T-stage. For cN + patients, rates of pathologic LNM and absence of pathologic LNM were determined. For cN0 patients, outcomes included the rates of elective neck dissection (END) and occult LNM and predictors of occult LNM determined by a multivariable logistic regression model. RESULTS: A total of 25,846 patients (59.1% male, mean age 61.9 years) met inclusion criteria with primary tumor sites including oral tongue (50.8%), floor of mouth (21.2%), lower alveolus (7.6%), buccal mucosa (6.7%), retromolar area (4.9%), upper alveolus (3.6%), hard palate (2.7%), and mucosal lip (2.5%). Among all sites, clinical N+ rates increased with T-stage (8.9% T1, 28.0% T2, 51.6% T3, 52.5% T4); these trends were preserved across subsites. Among patients with cN + disease, the overall rate of concordant positive pathologic LNM was 80.1% and the rate of discordant negative pathologic LNM was 19.6%, which varied based on tumor site and stage. In the overall cohort of cN0 patients, 59.9% received END, and the percentage of patients receiving END increased with higher tumor stage. Occult LNM among those cN0 was found in 25.1% of END cases, with the highest rates in retromolar (28.8%) and oral tongue (27.5%) tumors. Multivariable regression demonstrated significantly increased rates of occult LNM for higher T stage (T2 OR: 2.1 [1.9-2.4]; T3 OR: 3.0 [2.5-3.7]; T4 OR: 2.7 [2.2-3.2]), positive margins (OR: 1.4 [1.2-1.7]), and positive lymphovascular invasion (OR: 5.1 [4.4-5.8]). CONCLUSIONS: Management of the neck in OCSCC should be tailored based on primary tumor factors and considered for early-stage tumors.
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Carcinoma de Células Escamosas , Neoplasias de Cabeza y Cuello , Neoplasias de la Boca , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Femenino , Carcinoma de Células Escamosas de Cabeza y Cuello/patología , Estudios Retrospectivos , Estadificación de Neoplasias , Neoplasias de la Boca/patología , Carcinoma de Células Escamosas/patología , Disección del Cuello , Metástasis Linfática , Neoplasias de Cabeza y Cuello/patologíaRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To assess existing literature on topical intranasal fluorescein (TINF) for the diagnosis and localization of nasal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). STUDY DESIGN: Systematic review. METHODS: A 6-database literature search was conducted to identify articles providing insight into TINF for the diagnosis and treatment of sinonasal CSF leak. Demographic characteristics, technical details, efficacy, and safety data were extracted and analyzed. Methodological quality was assessed using Methodological Items for Non-Randomized Studies (MINORS) criteria. RESULTS: All studies reported a diagnostic accuracy rate ≥96%. There were no major complications reported for any patient (n=99) with either 5% or 10% fluorescein use. The MINORS instrument of methodological quality indicated that the assessed studies were of moderate quality (7.29 out of a maximum score of 24). CONCLUSION: This systematic review indicates that TINF is an easy, safe, inexpensive, and sensitive approach for the diagnosis and treatment of sinonasal CSF leakage. For these reasons, it may be especially well suited for resource-limited clinical scenarios.
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Rinorrea de Líquido Cefalorraquídeo , Humanos , Fluoresceína , Rinorrea de Líquido Cefalorraquídeo/diagnóstico por imagen , Administración Intranasal , Pérdida de Líquido Cefalorraquídeo , Nariz , Estudios RetrospectivosRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks are a complication from dural violations that can occur in the setting of skull base fractures. No prior study provides a nationwide epidemiological analysis of traumatic CSF leaks. The objective of this report is to characterize patient demographics, injury-related variables, and operative management. METHODS: The national trauma data bank was queried for both anterior and lateral skull base fracture cases between 2008 and 2016. Clinical data were extracted. RESULTS: A total of 242 skull base fractures with CSF leak were identified. Most patients were male (84.3%), and the median patient age was 39.7±17.6 years old. Glasgow Coma Scale was 14.0 [interquartile range (IQR): 6.5-10.6] for lateral fractures, 13.0 (IQR: 3.0-10.0) for anterior fractures, and severe range for combined fractures at 7.0 (IQR: 5.0-9.0) (analysis of variance, P =0.122). Common mechanisms of injury were motor vehicle accidents (107, 44.2%), followed by falls and firearms (65, 26.9% and 20, 8.3%, respectively). The median length of stay was 2 weeks, with a median of 14 days (IQR: 10-25) for the anterior fractures and 10 days (IQR 5-19) among the lateral fractures ( P =0.592). Patients were most commonly discharged home in both the anterior (43.8%) and lateral (49.2%) groups. CONCLUSIONS: The prototypical patient tends to be a young adult male presenting with moderate-to-severe range neurological dysfunction after a vehicular accident. The overall prognosis of skull base fractures with CSF leak remains encouraging, with nearly half of these patients being discharged home within 2 weeks.
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Fractura Craneal Basilar , Fracturas Craneales , Adulto Joven , Humanos , Masculino , Adulto , Persona de Mediana Edad , Femenino , Fractura Craneal Basilar/diagnóstico por imagen , Fractura Craneal Basilar/epidemiología , Pérdida de Líquido Cefalorraquídeo/epidemiología , Pérdida de Líquido Cefalorraquídeo/etiología , Fracturas Craneales/epidemiología , Fracturas Craneales/cirugía , Fracturas Craneales/complicaciones , Base del Cráneo , Estudios RetrospectivosRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To identify key recommendations for maximizing the efficiency and efficacy of perioperative care in transsphenoidal pituitary surgery. METHODS: The authors performed a comprehensive literature search of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery protocols implemented for patients undergoing transsphenoidal adenomectomy (TSA); individual recommendations were abstracted, and the evidence base thoroughly reviewed. RESULTS: The authors identified 19 individual recommendations pertinent to the care of patients undergoing TSA, which were subdivided into preoperative (n=6), intraoperative (n=6), and postoperative (n=7) interventions. Key factors recommended for minimizing length of stay, preventing readmission, and improving patient outcomes included comprehensive patient education, multidisciplinary evaluation, avoidance of routine lumbar drain placement and nasal packing, and rigorous postoperative monitoring of pituitary function and salt-water imbalances. The overall level of evidence for 7/19 (37%) implemented recommendations was found to be low, suggesting a need for continued research in this patient population. CONCLUSION: Several key interventions should be considered in the development of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery protocols for TSA, which may aid in further decreasing length of stay and promoting positive patient outcomes.
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Recuperación Mejorada Después de la Cirugía , Enfermedades de la Hipófisis , Neoplasias Hipofisarias , Humanos , Neoplasias Hipofisarias/cirugía , Hipófisis/cirugía , Atención Perioperativa , Complicaciones Posoperatorias/prevención & control , Complicaciones Posoperatorias/epidemiologíaRESUMEN
Patients considering rhytidectomy often search for information online prior to in-office consultation. This study identifies the most searched queries regarding rhytidectomy and evaluates sources to which patients are directed. The search engine optimization tool Ahrefs was utilized to extract Google metadata on searches performed in the United States. Frequently asked questions were categorized by topic; websites were categorized by type. Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) benchmark criteria enabled information quality assessment. A total of 565 questions for three search phrases were extracted (265 "facelift," 265 "face lift," and 35 "rhytidectomy"). The majority of monthly searches in the facelift and face lift groups pertained to procedural cost, which was significantly higher than in the rhytidectomy group (52.9% and 50.7 vs. 0.0%, ANOVA p <0.001). The mean JAMA score for private practice sources (1.2 ± 0.42) was significantly lower than that of academic pages of (2.3 ± 1.9, p = 0.026) and commercial sources (3.0 ± 0.82, p = 0.008). The most popular destinations for rhytidectomy were California and Mexico (630 and 440 searches/month). Online searches for facelifts often revolve around the topic of cost and frequently direct patients to websites that provide inadequate information on authorship, attribution, disclosure, and currency.
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Ritidoplastia , Humanos , Motor de Búsqueda , InternetRESUMEN
Proper staging and diagnosing of mucosal head and neck cancers is necessary given important differences in tumor behaviors that lead to different standards of treatment. We report the unusual case of a 65-year-old woman who is a former smoker with an implant-supported upper denture who developed an isolated nasal mass on examination, which was confirmed after resection to be a squamous cell carcinoma originating from the hard palate. Although this is a rare scenario, an oral cavity cancer should be taken into consideration in the differential diagnosis of a nasal cavity mass in the setting of a fixed upper dental implant.
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Carcinoma de Células Escamosas , Implantes Dentales , Neoplasias de Cabeza y Cuello , Neoplasias de la Boca , Femenino , Humanos , Anciano , Carcinoma de Células Escamosas de Cabeza y Cuello , Carcinoma de Células Escamosas/diagnóstico , Carcinoma de Células Escamosas/cirugía , Neoplasias de la Boca/diagnóstico , Neoplasias de la Boca/cirugía , Dentaduras , Prótesis Dental de Soporte ImplantadoRESUMEN
Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) is a minimally invasive surgical procedure that is standard of care for the evaluation of clinically negative regional lymph nodes in patients with cutaneous melanoma. As the presence of metastases dictates patient prognosis and determines the need for further regional disease control or adjuvant therapy, SLNB is invaluable to clinical decision-making in patients presenting with melanoma. However, the indications for SLNB, specifically among patients with thin (<1 mm) or thick (>4 mm) melanomas, remain unclear. A number of clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) have been developed outlining recommendations for the role of lymph node biopsy in the management of melanoma. However, to date, their quality has not been critically appraised. Our objective was to systematically evaluate all available CPGs on this topic using the validated Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE II) instrument. Four total guidelines met the inclusion criteria and underwent appraisal. Only one CPG achieved a "high" quality rating, indicating scores of >60% in at least five of the six AGREE II domains. Across all CPGs, the lowest scoring domains were "Applicability" and "Stakeholder involvement," which had average scores of 41.2% and 48.3%, respectively. Based on the AGREE II instrument, the quality of existing CPGs for the indications of SLNB for melanoma is low. Future guidelines should be pilot tested to evaluate barriers to application and should utilize multidisciplinary guideline development teams that include patients and key stakeholders in addition to clinical experts from all relevant disciplines.
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Melanoma , Neoplasias Cutáneas , Humanos , Biopsia del Ganglio Linfático Centinela , Melanoma/patología , Neoplasias Cutáneas/cirugía , Neoplasias Cutáneas/patología , Ganglios Linfáticos/patología , PronósticoRESUMEN
PURPOSE: Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) is a rare and aggressive form of thyroid neoplasia that requires multidisciplinary collaboration for effective management. We systematically appraise the quality of clinical practice guidelines (CPG) for the diagnosis and treatment of MTC using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE II) instrument. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A systematic literature search was performed to identify CPGs pertaining to the diagnosis and treatment of MTC. Data were abstracted from guidelines meeting inclusion criteria and appraised by four independent reviewers in the six domains of quality defined by the AGREE II. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were calculated across domains to qualify interrater reliability. RESULTS: Fourteen guidelines met inclusion criteria. No guideline achieved a score of >60 % in five or more AGREE II quality domains, which is required to gain designation as 'high' quality. One "average quality" guideline authored by the British Thyroid Association achieved a score of >60 % in three quality domains. The remaining thirteen (92.9 %) CPGs demonstrated low quality content, with deficits most pronounced in domains 3, 5, and 6, suggesting a lack of rigorously developed, clinically applicable, and transparent information. CONCLUSIONS: As the diagnosis and treatment of MTC continues to evolve, the development of high-quality guidelines becomes increasingly important; few existing meet appropriate standards.
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Carcinoma Neuroendocrino , Neoplasias de la Tiroides , Humanos , Carcinoma Neuroendocrino/diagnóstico , Carcinoma Neuroendocrino/terapia , Reproducibilidad de los Resultados , Neoplasias de la Tiroides/diagnóstico , Neoplasias de la Tiroides/terapiaRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To assess the feasibility and effectiveness of indocyanine green (ICG) for image-guided resection of head and neck cancer (HNC). DATA SOURCES: PubMed, Embase, and Scopus databases. REVIEW METHODS: Searches were conducted from database inception to February 2022. Patient and study characteristics, imaging parameters, and imaging efficacy data were extracted from each study. RESULTS: Nine studies met inclusion criteria, representing 103 head and neck tumors. Weighted mean ICG dose and imaging time were 1.27 mg/kg and 11.77 h, respectively. Among the five studies that provided quantitative metrics of imaging efficacy, average ICG tumor-to-background ratio (TBR) was 1.56 and weighted mean ONM-100 TBR was 3.64. Pooled sensitivity and specificity across the five studies were 91.7 % and 71.9 %, respectively. CONCLUSION: FGS with ICG may facilitate real-time tumor-margin delineation to improve margin clearance rates and progression-free survival. Future studies with validated, quantitative metrics of imaging success are necessary to further evaluate the prognostic benefit of these techniques.
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Neoplasias de Cabeza y Cuello , Cirugía Asistida por Computador , Neoplasias de Cabeza y Cuello/diagnóstico por imagen , Neoplasias de Cabeza y Cuello/cirugía , Humanos , Verde de Indocianina , Márgenes de Escisión , Imagen Óptica/métodosRESUMEN
INTRODUCTION: Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) has gained significant recent global interest in the treatment of benign thyroid nodules and thyroid cancer. It is a relatively new, minimally invasive, thermal ablation technique that is an alternative to surgery. Several clinical practice guidelines (CPGs), consensus statements, and recommendations currently exist for the use of RFA in the treatment of benign thyroid nodules and thyroid cancers. These documents have considerable variability amongst them, and to date, their quality and methodologic rigor have not been appraised. OBJECTIVE: To identify and perform a quality appraisal of clinical practice guidelines for RFA in the treatment of benign thyroid nodules and thyroid cancer using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE II) tool. METHODS: A comprehensive literature search was performed in MEDLINE (via PubMed), EMBASE, and SCOPUS databases from inception to November 1, 2021. Four reviewers independently evaluated each guideline using the AGREE II instrument. Scaled domain scores were generated and the threshold used for satisfactory quality was >60%. Additionally, intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were calculated to determine level of agreement between reviewers. RESULTS: Seven guidelines were selected for final evaluation based on inclusion/exclusion criteria. Two guidelines were classified "high" quality, one "average" quality, and the rest "low" quality. The "Clarity and Presentation" (65.68 ± 26.1) and "Editorial Independence" (61.32 ± 25.8) domains received the highest mean scores, while the "Applicability" (32.14 ± 22.8) and "Rigor of Development" (45.02 ± 29.8) domains received the lowest mean scores. ICC statistical analysis showed high magnitude of agreement between reviewers with a range of (0.722-0.944). CONCLUSION: Reflecting upon our quality appraisal, it is evident that the quality and methodologic rigor of RFA guidelines can be improved upon in the future. Our findings also elucidate the existing variability/discrepancies amongst guidelines in the indications and use of RFA.
Asunto(s)
Ablación por Catéter , Ablación por Radiofrecuencia , Neoplasias de la Tiroides , Nódulo Tiroideo , Bases de Datos Factuales , Humanos , Neoplasias de la Tiroides/cirugía , Nódulo Tiroideo/cirugíaRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Several clinical practice guidelines (CPGs), consensus statements, and recommendations currently exist for the diagnosis and management of breakthrough cancer pain (BTcP). These documents have considerable variability amongst them, and to date, their quality and methodologic rigor have not been appraised. AIM: We aim to identify and perform a quality appraisal of CPGs for the diagnosis and management of BTcP using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE II) tool. METHODS: A comprehensive literature search was performed in MEDLINE (via PubMed), EMBASE, and SCOPUS databases up until January 1, 2021. Four reviewers independently evaluated each guideline using the AGREE II instrument. Scaled domain scores were generated and the threshold used for satisfactory quality was >60%. Additionally, intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were calculated to determine level of agreement between reviewers. RESULTS: Eleven guidelines were selected for final evaluation based on inclusion/exclusion criteria. Only one guideline was classified of "average" quality while the rest were classified as "low" quality. The "Editorial Independence" (70.46 ± 35.7) and "Scope and Purpose" (64.78 ± 12.5) domains received the highest mean scores, while the "Applicability" (32.58 ± 13.5) and "Rigor of Development" (35.04 ± 9.0) domains received the lowest mean scores. ICC statistical analysis showed high magnitude of agreement between reviewers with a range of (0.790-0.988). CONCLUSIONS: Reflecting upon our quality appraisal, it is evident that the quality and methodologic rigor of BTcP guidelines can be improved upon in the future. Our findings also elucidate the existing variability/discrepancies among guidelines in diagnostic criteria and management of BTcP.