Objective structured clinical examination to teach competency in planetary health care and management - a prospective observational study.

BACKGROUND: Health professionals are increasingly called upon and willing to engage in planetary health care and management. However, so far, this topic is rarely covered in medical curricula. As the need for professional communication is particularly high in this subject area, this study aimed to evaluate whether the objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) could be used as an accompanying teaching tool. METHODS: During the winter semester 2022/2023, 20 third- and fifth-year medical students voluntarily participated in a self-directed online course, three workshops, and a formal eight-station OSCE on planetary health care and management. Each examinee was also charged alternatingly as a shadower with the role of providing feedback. Experienced examiners rated students' performance using a scoring system supported by tablet computers. Examiners and shadowers provided timely feedback on candidates` performance in the OSCE. Immediately after the OSCE, students were asked about their experience using a nine-point Likert-scale survey and a videotaped group interview. Quantitative analysis included the presentation of the proportional distribution of student responses to the survey and of box plots showing percentages of maximum scores for the OSCE performance. The student group interview was analyzed qualitatively. RESULTS: Depending on the sub-theme, 60% -100% of students rated the subject of planetary health as likely to be useful in their professional lives. Similar proportions (57%-100%) were in favour of integrating planetary health into required courses. Students perceived learning success from OSCE experience and feedback as higher compared to that from online courses and workshops. Even shadowers learned from observation and feedback discussions. Examiners assessed students' OSCE performance at a median of 80% (interquartile range: 83%-77%) of the maximum score. CONCLUSIONS: OSCE can be used as an accompanying teaching tool for advanced students on the topic of planetary health care and management. It supports learning outcomes, particularly in terms of communication skills to sensitise and empower dialogue partners, and to initiate adaptation steps at the level of individual patients and local communities.

The novel cystatin C, lactate, interleukin-6, and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (CLIP)-based mortality risk score in cardiogenic shock after acute myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND: Cardiogenic shock (CS) complicating acute myocardial infarction (AMI) still reaches excessively high mortality rates. This analysis is aimed to develop a new easily applicable biomarker-based risk score. METHODS AND RESULTS: A biomarker-based risk score for 30-day mortality was developed from 458 patients with CS complicating AMI included in the randomized CULPRIT-SHOCK trial. The selection of relevant predictors and the coefficient estimation for the prognostic model were performed by a penalized multivariate logistic regression analysis. Validation was performed internally, internally externally as well as externally in 163 patients with CS included in the randomized IABP-SHOCK II trial. Blood samples were obtained at randomization. The two trials are registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT01927549 and NCT00491036), are closed to new participants, and follow-up is completed. Out of 58 candidate variables, the four strongest predictors for 30-day mortality were included in the CLIP score (cystatin C, lactate, interleukin-6, and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide). The score was well calibrated and yielded high c-statistics of 0.82 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.78-0.86] in internal validation, 0.82 (95% CI 0.75-0.89) in internal-external (temporal) validation, and 0.73 (95% CI 0.65-0.81) in external validation. Notably, it outperformed the Simplified Acute Physiology Score II and IABP-SHOCK II risk score in prognostication (0.83 vs 0.62; P < 0.001 and 0.83 vs. 0.76; P = 0.03, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: A biomarker-only score for 30-day mortality risk stratification in infarct-related CS was developed, extensively validated and calibrated in a prospective cohort of contemporary patients with CS after AMI. The CLIP score outperformed other clinical scores and may be useful as an early decision tool in CS.

Successful outpatient parenteral antibiotic therapy with cefiderocol for osteomyelitis caused by multi-drug resistant Gram-negative bacteria: a case report.

Objectives: Post-traumatic osteomyelitis attributed to metallo-ß-lactamase (MBL)-producing Gram-negative bacteria presents a challenging clinical scenario. Cefiderocol emerges as a viable treatment option within the limited therapeutic options available. Patient/case description: In this brief report, we present a case of a Ukrainian patient with osteomyelitis caused by multi-drug resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which was successfully treated with cefiderocol, facilitated in part by outpatient parenteral antibiotic therapy (OPAT). Results and discussion: Administration of Cefiderocol via OPAT can present a safe and effective option for treatment of post-traumatic osteomyelitis with multi-drug resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa. A possible effect on iron homeostasis of extended treatment duration with cefiderocol may be taken into consideration.

Long versus short course anti-MICROBIAL therapy of uncomplicated STAPHYLOCOCCUS aureus bacteraemia: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Current guidelines recommend at least two weeks duration of antibiotic therapy (DOT) for patients with uncomplicated Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia (SAB) but the evidence for this recommendation is unclear. OBJECTIVES: To perform a systematic literature review assessing current evidence for recommended DOT for patients with SAB. METHODS: Data sources: We searched MEDLINE, ISI Web of Science, the Cochrane Database and clinicaltrials.gov from inception to March 30, 2024. References of eligible studies were screened and experts in the field contacted for additional articles. STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: All clinical studies, regardless of design, publication status and language. PARTICIPANTS: Adult patients with uncomplicated SAB. INTERVENTIONS: Long (>14; >18; 11-16 days) vs. short (≤14; 10-18; 6-10 days, respectively) DOT with the DOT being defined as the first until the last day of antibiotic therapy. ASSESSMENT OF RISK OF BIAS: Risk of bias was assessed using the ROBINS-I-tool. METHODS OF DATA SYNTHESIS: The primary outcome was 90-day all-cause mortality. Only studies presenting results of adjusted analyses for mortality were included. Data synthesis could not be performed. RESULTS: Eleven non-randomized studies were identified that fulfilled the predefined inclusion criteria, of which three studies reported adjusted effect ratios. Only these were included in the final analysis. We did not find any RCT. Two studies with 1,230 patients reported the primary endpoint 90-day all-cause mortality. Neither found a statistically significant superiority for longer (>14; 11-16 days) or shorter DOT (≤14; 6-10 days, respectively) for patients with uncomplicated SAB. Two studies investigated the secondary endpoint 30-day all-cause mortality (>18; 11-16 days vs. 10-18; 6-10 days, respectively) and did not find a statistically significant difference. All included studies had a moderate risk of bias. CONCLUSIONS: Sound evidence that supports any duration of antibiotic treatment for patients with uncomplicated SAB is lacking.

Association of plasma trimethylamine N-oxide levels with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and factors of the metabolic syndrome.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The association of plasma trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), diabetes mellitus (DM) and its determinants, as well as the role of TMAO as a predictor for short and long-term mortality, is still under discussion. We investigated associations between four plasma metabolites of the TMAO pathway and different clinical manifestations of atherosclerosis, diabetes determinants, and risk of short and long-term mortality in patients with stable ASCVD, acute myocardial infarction (AMI), cardiogenic shock (CS), and DM in three independent cohorts. METHODS: TMAO and its dietary precursors were simultaneously quantified by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry in a total of 2655 participants of the German Leipzig Research Center for Civilization Diseases (LIFE)-Heart study, LIFE-Adult study, and the European Culprit Lesion Only PCI versus Multivessel PCI in Cardiogenic Shock (CULPRIT-SHOCK) multicenter trial. Associations with ASCVD manifestations, metabolic syndrome, 30-day mortality of patients with AMI and CS, and long-term mortality of subjects with suspected coronary artery disease (CAD) were analyzed. RESULTS: TMAO plasma levels were not independently associated with stable ASCVD. Elevated TMAO plasma concentrations were independently associated with obesity (odds ratio, 1.23; p < 0.01) and DM (odds ratio, 1.37; p < 0.001) in LIFE-Heart. The latter association was confirmed in LIFE-Adult. We found no association of TMAO plasma levels with short-term mortality in patients with AMI and CS. However, TMAO plasma levels were independent predictors of long-term mortality in patients with suspected CAD (hazard ratio, 1.24; p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Potential proatherogenic mechanisms of TMAO seem to have no short-term effect in AMI. Presented associations with diabetes mellitus and obesity suggest that TMAO might have a functional role in metabolic syndrome.