Some observations on remote delivery of eye-movement desensitisation and reprocessing to people with intellectual disabilities

It is increasingly recognised that many people with intellectual disabilities suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Eye-movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR) has been proposed as a potentially helpful intervention that is less reliant on verbal skills than other effective treatments for PTSD and therefore could be more effective than verbal interventions for people with intellectual disabilities. The Trauma-AID project is a randomised clinical trial (RCT) evaluating the effectiveness of a bespoke EMDR protocol for adults with intellectual disability and PTSD, which incorporates a prolonged phase of Psycho-Education and Stabilisation (PES) prior to the trauma confrontation phase of EMDR. The COVID-19 pandemic struck during the feasibility phase of the Trauma-AID project, necessitating a second feasibility study to evaluate the acceptability and feasibility of remote or hybrid delivery of the PES + EMDR protocol. To this end, we conducted two online surveys of therapists followed by interviews with clients, carers and senior therapists. The surveys were analysed descriptively. Content analysis was used for client and carer interviews, and framework analysis for therapist interviews. All stakeholders reported positive experiences of EMDR;however, some challenges were identified. The majority of clients, carers and therapists interviewed reported that the intervention, whether PES alone or the full PES-EMDR package, had improved symptoms of PTSD and psychological well-being, and carers also reported decreases in challenging behaviour. A full account of the data is provided in four Supplementary Digital files. PES-EMDR therapy appears both feasible and acceptable for clients with intellectual disabilities and therapists, whether delivered face-to-face or in a remote or hybrid mode, though remote working appears easier for the PES phase than the EMDR phase of the intervention. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities published by International Association for the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and Wiley Periodicals LLC.

Increasing volume and the role of gynecologic oncologists in peripartum hysterectomies – A single center study of 109 cases over 7 years (008)

Objectives: To evaluate the surgical volume, surgical outcomes, and the evolving role of gynecologic oncologists in peripartum hysterectomies (PPH). Methods: We conducted an IRB-approved retrospective chart review of PPH cases performed at our institution from June 1, 2014, to June 30, 2021. Clinical-pathologic information was ed into a REDCap database. All analyses were conducted using STATA 17. Results: A total of 109 cases were performed over the 7-year period. Gynecologic oncologists (GYO) involvement in the cases increased from 33% in 2014 to 80% in 2021. The mean age was 36 (range: 23-47) years. Most patients were White (81/109, 74.3%), and the median BMI was 30.7 (range: 21-57) kg/m2. Surgical indications included placenta accreta syndrome (PAS) in 84 (77%) cases, uterine atony in ten (9.2%), uterine rupture in three (2.8%), malignancy in five (4.6%), and hemorrhage other than atony in seven cases (6.4%). Intraoperative complications included bladder injury (or intentional dissection) in eight (7.3%), ureter injury in four (3.7%), vascular injury in three (2.8%), and femoral pseudoaneurysm in one (0.9%) of the cases. Postoperative complications included urinary tract infection in 11 (10.1%), nerve injury in one (0.9%), surgical site infection in 13 (11.2%), and venous thromboembolism in five (4.6%) cases. Resuscitative Endovascular Balloon Occlusion of the Aorta (REBOA) usage started in 2019 with one case followed by six cases in 2020 (31.6%) and 3/16 cases in the first half of 2020 (15.8%). A higher REBOA usage in 2020 corresponded with blood products shortages during the COVID crisis.[Formula presented] Conclusions: Overall volume and complexity of peripartum hysterectomy are increasing. This trend is likely driven by an increased incidence of placenta accreta syndrome cases. Gynecologic oncologists are increasingly delegated as primary surgeons in many institutions. Fellowship training programs should strongly consider training in peripartum hysterectomy for trainees.

Trends in COVID-19 patient characteristics in a large electronic health record database in the United States: A cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Electronic health record (EHR) databases provide an opportunity to facilitate characterization and trends in patients with COVID-19. METHODS: Patients with COVID-19 were identified based on an ICD-10 diagnosis code for COVID-19 (U07.1) and/or a positive SARS-CoV-2 viral lab result from January 2020 to November 2020. Patients were characterized in terms of demographics, healthcare utilization, clinical comorbidities, therapies, laboratory results, and procedures/care received, including critical care, intubation/ventilation, and occurrence of death were described, overall and by month. RESULTS: There were 393,773 patients with COVID-19 and 56,996 with a COVID-19 associated hospitalization. A greater percentage of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 relative to all COVID-19 cases were older, male, African American, and lived in the Northeast and South. The most common comorbidities before admission/infection date were hypertension (40.8%), diabetes (29.5%), and obesity (23.8%), and the most common diagnoses during hospitalization were pneumonia (59.6%), acute respiratory failure (44.8%), and dyspnea (28.0%). A total of 85.7% of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 had CRP values > 10 mg/L, 75.5% had fibrinogen values > 400 mg/dL, and 76.8% had D-dimer values > 250 ng/mL. Median values for platelets, CRP, lactate dehydrogenase, D-dimer, and fibrinogen tended to decrease from January-March to November. The use of chloroquine/hydroxychloroquine during hospitalization peaked by March (71.2%) and was used rarely by May (5.1%) and less than 1% afterwards, while the use of remdesivir had increased by May (10.0%) followed by dexamethasone by June (27.7%). All-cause mortality was 3.2% overall and 15.0% among those hospitalized; 21.0% received critical care and 16.0% received intubation/ventilation/ECMO. CONCLUSIONS: This study characterizes US patients with COVID-19 and their management during hospitalization over the first eleven months of this disease pandemic.

Predictors of critical care, mechanical ventilation, and mortality among hospitalized patients with COVID-19 in an electronic health record database.

BACKGROUND: There are limited data on risk factors for serious outcomes and death from COVID-19 among patients representative of the U.S. POPULATION: The objective of this study was to determine risk factors for critical care, ventilation, and death among hospitalized patients with COVID-19. METHODS: This was a cohort study using data from Optum's longitudinal COVID-19 electronic health record database derived from a network of healthcare provider organizations across the US. The study included patients with confirmed COVID-19 (presence of ICD-10-CM code U07.1 and/or positive SARS-CoV-2 test) between January 2020 and November 2020. Patient characteristics and clinical variables at start of hospitalization were evaluated for their association with subsequent serious outcomes (critical care, mechanical ventilation, and death) using odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) from logistic regression, adjusted for demographic variables. RESULTS: Among 56,996 hospitalized COVID-19 patients (49.5% male and 72.4% ≥ 50 years), 11,967 received critical care, 9136 received mechanical ventilation, and 8526 died. The median duration of hospitalization was 6 days (IQR: 4, 11), and this was longer among patients that experienced an outcome: 11 days (IQR: 6, 19) for critical care, 15 days (IQR: 8, 24) for mechanical ventilation, and 10 days (IQR: 5, 17) for death. Dyspnea and hypoxemia were the most prevalent symptoms and both were associated with serious outcomes in adjusted models. Additionally, temperature, C-reactive protein, ferritin, lactate dehydrogenase, D-dimer, and oxygen saturation measured during hospitalization were predictors of serious outcomes as were several in-hospital diagnoses. The strongest associations were observed for acute respiratory failure (critical care: OR, 6.30; 95% CI, 5.99-6.63; ventilation: OR, 8.55; 95% CI, 8.02-9.11; death: OR, 3.36; 95% CI, 3.17-3.55) and sepsis (critical care: OR, 4.59; 95% CI, 4.39-4.81; ventilation: OR, 5.26; 95% CI, 5.00-5.53; death: OR, 4.14; 95% CI, 3.92-4.38). Treatment with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers during hospitalization were inversely associated with death (OR, 0.57; 95% CI, 0.54-0.61). CONCLUSIONS: We identified several clinical characteristics associated with receipt of critical care, mechanical ventilation, and death among COVID-19 patients. Future studies into the mechanisms that lead to severe COVID-19 disease are warranted.

Radiographic Findings and Association With Clinical Severity and Outcomes in Critically Ill Patients With COVID-19.

PURPOSE: To describe evolution and severity of radiographic findings and assess association with disease severity and outcomes in critically ill COVID-19 patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study included 62 COVID-19 patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). Clinical data was obtained from electronic medical records. A total of 270 chest radiographs were reviewed and qualitatively scored (CXR score) using a severity scale of 0-30. Radiographic findings were correlated with clinical severity and outcome. RESULTS: The CXR score increases from a median initial score of 10 at hospital presentation to the median peak CXR score of 18 within a median time of 4 days after hospitalization, and then slowly decreases to a median last CXR score of 15 in a median time of 12 days after hospitalization. The initial and peak CXR score was independently associated with invasive MV after adjusting for age, gender, body mass index, smoking, and comorbidities (Initial, odds ratio [OR]: 2.11 per 5-point increase, confidence interval [CI] 1.35-3.32, P= 0.001; Peak, OR: 2.50 per 5-point increase, CI 1.48-4.22, P= 0.001). Peak CXR scores were also independently associated with vasopressor usage (OR: 2.28 per 5-point increase, CI 1.30-3.98, P= 0.004). Peak CXR scores strongly correlated with the duration of invasive MV (Rho = 0.62, P< 0.001), while the initial CXR score (Rho = 0.26) and the peak CXR score (Rho = 0.27) correlated weakly with the sequential organ failure assessment score. No statistically significant associations were found between radiographic findings and mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Evolution of radiographic features indicates rapid disease progression and correlate with requirement for invasive MV or vasopressors but not mortality, which suggests potential nonpulmonary pathways to death in COVID-19.

The Impact of Aging in Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome: A Clinical and Mechanistic Overview.

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is associated with increased morbidity and mortality in the elderly population (≥65 years of age). Additionally, age is widely reported as a risk factor for the development of ARDS. However, the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms behind the increased risk of developing, and increased severity of, ARDS in the elderly population are not fully understood. This is compounded by the significant heterogeneity observed in patients with ARDS. With an aging population worldwide, a better understanding of these mechanisms could facilitate the development of therapies to improve outcomes in this population. In this review, the current clinical evidence of age as a risk factor and prognostic indicator in ARDS and the potential underlying mechanisms that may contribute to these factors are outlined. In addition, research on age-dependent treatment options and biomarkers, as well as future prospects for targeting these underlying mechanisms, are discussed.

Psychological Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Athletes.

This study explored the influence of athletic identity and sports participation on the psychological well-being of athletes during a pandemic. The objective of the study was to understand the psychological impact of the coronavirus lockdown measure on athletes who were not able to carry out their normal daily routine. Athletes from nine different sports completed an online survey during the sixth week of the total lockdown in Nigeria. The online survey consists of an athletic identity scale and the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10). Data collected were analyzed using Multiple regression and the Mann-Whitney test at 0.05 level of significance. The result of the findings revealed that category of sports (individual and team) (M = 0.73, ß = -6.116) and athletic identity (M = 59.16, ß = -0.166) predicts psychological distress to some degree. Few individual sports athletes and athletes with low athletic identity are prone to higher levels of psychological distress than team sports athletes and athletes with high athletic identity during the coronavirus pandemic lockdown. Individual sports athletes reported elevated levels of psychological distress compared to team sports athletes (z = -2.186, p = 0.03, r = 0.27). In conclusion, the results have confirmed that some athletes competing in individual sports experience elevated levels of psychological distress during the coronavirus pandemic, therefore they need the support of a sports psychologist during such periods to help in maintaining their psychological well-being.

Comparison of Clinical Features and Outcomes in Critically Ill Patients Hospitalized with COVID-19 versus Influenza.

Rationale: No direct comparisons of clinical features, laboratory values, and outcomes between critically ill patients with coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and patients with influenza in the United States have been reported.Objectives: To evaluate the risk of mortality comparing critically ill patients with COVID-19 with patients with seasonal influenza.Methods: We retrospectively identified patients admitted to the intensive care units (ICUs) at two academic medical centers with laboratory-confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) or influenza A or B infections between January 1, 2019, and April 15, 2020. The clinical data were obtained by medical record review. All patients except one had follow-up to hospital discharge or death. We used relative risk regression adjusting for age, sex, number of comorbidities, and maximum sequential organ failure scores on Day 1 in the ICU to determine the risk of hospital mortality and organ dysfunction in patients with COVID-19 compared with patients with influenza.Results: We identified 65 critically ill patients with COVID-19 and 74 patients with influenza. The mean (±standard deviation) age in each group was 60.4 ± 15.7 and 56.8 ± 17.6 years, respectively. Patients with COVID-19 were more likely to be male, have a higher body mass index, and have higher rates of chronic kidney disease and diabetes. Of the patients with COVID-19, 37% identified as Hispanic, whereas 10% of the patients with influenza identified as Hispanic. A similar proportion of patients had fevers (∼40%) and lymphopenia (∼80%) on hospital presentation. The rates of acute kidney injury and shock requiring vasopressors were similar between the groups. Although the need for invasive mechanical ventilation was also similar in both groups, patients with COVID-19 had slower improvements in oxygenation, longer durations of mechanical ventilation, and lower rates of extubation than patients with influenza. The hospital mortality was 40% in patients with COVID-19 and 19% in patients with influenza (adjusted relative risk, 2.13; 95% confidence interval, 1.24-3.63; P = 0.006).Conclusions: The need for invasive mechanical ventilation was common in patients in the ICU for COVID-19 and influenza. Compared with those with influenza, patients in the ICU with COVID-19 had worse respiratory outcomes, including longer duration of mechanical ventilation. In addition, patients with COVID-19 were at greater risk for in-hospital mortality, independent of age, sex, comorbidities, and ICU severity of illness.