Tranq Dope: Characterization of an ED cohort treated with a novel opioid withdrawal protocol in the era of fentanyl/xylazine.

BACKGROUND: Treating opioid use disorder has reached a new level of challenge. Synthetic opioids and xylazine have joined the non-medical opioid supply, multiplying the complexities of caring for individuals in emergency departments (ED). This combination, known as 'tranq dope,' is poorly described in literature. Inadequate withdrawal treatment results in a disproportionately high rate of patient-directed discharges (also known as against medical advice dispositions, or AMA). This study aimed to describe a cohort of individuals who received a novel order set for suspected fentanyl and xylazine withdrawal in the ED. METHODS: This is a descriptive study evaluating a cohort of ED patients who received withdrawal medications from a novel protocol and electronic health record order set. Individuals being assessed in the ED while suffering from withdrawal were eligible. Individuals under age 18, on stable outpatient MOUD or who were pregnant were excluded. Treatment strategies included micro-induction buprenorphine, short acting opioids, non-opioid analgesics, and other adjunctive medications. Data collected included: demographics including zip code, urine toxicology screening, order set utilization and disposition data. Clinical Opiate Withdrawal Scale (COWS) scores were recorded, where available, before and following exposure to the medications. RESULTS: There were 270 patient encounters that occurred between September 14, 2022, and March 9, 2023 included in the total study cohort. Of those, 66 % were male, mean age 37 with 71 % residing within Philadelphia zip codes. 100 % of urine toxicology screenings were positive for fentanyl. Of the 177 patients with both pre- and post-exposure COWS scores documented, constituting the final cohort, patients receiving medications had their COWS score decrease from a median of 12 to a median of 4 (p < 0.001). The AMA rate for this cohort was 3.9 %, whereas the baseline for the population with OUD was 10.7 %. Recorded adverse effects were few and resolved without complication. CONCLUSIONS: Fentanyl and xylazine withdrawal are challenging for patients and providers. A novel tranq dope withdrawal order set may reduce both COWS scores and rate of patient-directed discharge in this cohort of patients, though further investigation is needed to confirm findings.

A Young Skier with Leg Pain.

BACKGROUND: Proximal tibiofibular joint (PTFJ) dislocation is a rare injury that can disrupt the proximal tibia-fibula joint. The abnormalities in knee x-ray imaging can be subtle and difficult to detect, requiring careful assessment. This rare cause of lateral knee pain requires a high level of suspicion for diagnosis. Treatment is closed reduction; unstable PTFJ dislocations often require surgical intervention. CASE REPORT: A 17-year-old young man presented to the emergency department (ED) with right lateral knee pain and difficulty walking after colliding with another skier 2 days prior. The examination showed right lateral ecchymosis and tenderness over the lateral proximal fibula. He remained neurovascularly intact with a full passive and active range of motion. X-ray studies were obtained. The patient was referred by his outpatient orthopedic surgeon after the initial knee x-ray study was concerning for PTFJ dislocation and unsuccessful reduction. In the ED, the patient underwent moderate sedation and successful orthopedic-guided reduction via medial force on the lateral fibular head, while hyper-flexing the knee and holding the foot dorsiflexed and everted. Post-reduction radiographs showed improved proximal tibiofibular alignment without fracture. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: PTFJ dislocation is a rare injury that can be missed easily and requires a high level of suspicion when presented with an acute traumatic knee pain. Closed reduction of PTFJ dislocation can be achieved in the ED and early identification can prevent long-term sequelae.

Obesity education in medical schools, residencies, and fellowships throughout the world: a systematic review.

Obesity is pandemic throughout the world, and there is concern that physicians are inadequately trained to treat their patients with obesity despite its prevalence. This review explores obesity education in medical students, resident, and fellow physicians throughout the world from 2005 to 2018. Previous reviews on obesity education were conducted before 2011, focused solely on medical students, and only explored obesity education in the United States. We systematically searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and ERIC databases for studies which included the search terms "obesity education" AND either "medical students", "residency", or "fellowship" that met PICOS (Population, Interventions, Comparators, Outcomes, Study Design) criteria for articles published in English for obesity education and evaluation of outcomes. Our initial search yielded 234 articles, and 27 studies met criteria for our review. We described and analyzed these studies for their study design and graded quality, quantity, and consistency for each measured outcome. We applied an evidence grading system that has been previously applied in the literature in which each outcome measure was graded on a scale from A to D. We evaluated obesity education programs for outcomes regarding implicit and explicit bias, changes in attitude towards obesity, weight change, obesity knowledge, counseling confidence, intent to counsel, and counseling quality. There was a significant degree of heterogeneity in the studies included. While obesity knowledge was most frequently studied, counseling confidence was the only outcome with an overall grade A. There is currently a paucity of obesity education programs for medical students, residents, and fellow physicians in training programs throughout the world despite high disease prevalence. However, these programs often improve outcomes when they are administered. Our review suggests that more obesity education should be administered in undergraduate and graduate medical education to ensure optimal treatment of patients with obesity.

Preoperative considerations for the pediatric patient undergoing metabolic and bariatric surgery.

To ensure successful outcomes in pediatric patients with severe obesity who undergo metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS), a number of pre-operative patient management options should be considered. This manuscript will review the indications and contraindications of MBS and special considerations for youth who might benefit from MBS. The treatment team conducts a thorough pre-operative evaluation, assessing risks and benefits of surgical intervention, and prepares patients and families to be successful with MBS by providing education about the surgical intervention and lifestyle changes that will be necessary. This article reviews the pre-operative considerations for adolescents with severe obesity who are being considered for MBS, based upon recent clinical practice guidelines.

Can genetics help predict efficacy of bariatric surgery? An analysis of microRNA profiles.

BACKGROUND: There is significant variability in weight loss after bariatric surgery. We hypothesize that part of this variability may be predetermined by genetic differences associated with metabolic homeostasis. MicroRNA (miRNA) are short pieces of RNA that regulate gene expression and are readily detectable in serum. They are implicated in numerous metabolic processes, including weight homeostasis. In this pilot study, we briefly review the role of miRNA, and assess the feasibility of using them in the clinical setting of obesity treatment. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the feasibility of using miRNA to predict weight loss after bariatric surgery. SETTING: Academic medical center. METHODS: Serum was collected from patients at the initial bariatric surgery consultation. Weight loss data were collected 6 to 12 months postoperatively. Individuals experiencing the least and the greatest amount of percentage of excess weight lost at 6 months were analyzed to assess for genetic differences in miRNA expression. RESULTS: The median percentage of excess weight lost was 51% (range, 34%-63%) for those who lost the least and 87% (range, 82%-111%) for those who lost the most weight. Groups were similar in age, sex, diabetic status, and type of surgery. In total, of the 119 miRNA detected in the serum of the patients, 6 demonstrated potential for discriminating between the high and low weight loss groups. These miRNA have previously been implicated in regulation of fatty acid biosynthesis, adipocyte proliferation, type 2 diabetes, and obesity. CONCLUSIONS: In this pilot study, we demonstrated the feasibility of identifying genetic differences between high and low weight loss groups by identifying distinct serum miRNA. In the near future, these biomarkers could facilitate informed decisions about surgery. In addition, these miRNA could open new genetic pathways that describe the pathophysiology of obesity, and provide targets for future treatment.