To Debride or Not to Debride: A Review of Wound Management for Stevens-Johnson Syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis.

Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) are immune-mediated skin reactions with high mortality as a result of severely compromised skin barrier function. Currently, there is no consensus on the topical management of these conditions. Some advocate for surgical debridement of affected skin as a means of preventing infection and facilitating reepithelialization with synthetic and biological wound coverage. Others prefer a conservative approach that relies on leaving the blistered skin in situ. A consensus is lacking, primarily due to the rarity of the disease and the lack of high-quality evidence supporting one particular form of management. The goal of this review is to explore and compare the two treatment approaches for SJS and TEN, namely conservative management and surgical debridement.

Mechanical Support in High-Risk Pulmonary Embolism: Review Article.

Acute pulmonary embolism (PE) may manifest with mild nonspecific symptoms or progress to a more severe hemodynamic collapse and sudden cardiac arrest. A substantial thrombotic burden can precipitate sudden right ventricular strain and failure. Traditionally, systemic thrombolytics have been employed in such scenarios; however, patients often present with contraindications, or these interventions may prove ineffective. Outcomes for this medically complex patient population are unfavorable, necessitating a compelling argument for advanced therapeutic modalities or alternative approaches. Moreover, patients frequently experience complications beyond hemodynamic instability, such as profound hypoxia and multiorgan failure, necessitating assertive early interventions to avert catastrophic consequences. The existing data on the utilization of mechanical circulatory support (MCS) devices are not exhaustive. Various options for percutaneous MCS devices exist, each possessing distinct advantages and disadvantages. There is an imminent imperative to develop a tailored approach for this high-risk patient cohort to enhance their overall outcomes.

Use of Digital COVID-19 Exposure Notifications at a Large Gathering: Survey Analysis of Public Health Conference Attendees.

BACKGROUND: WA Notify was Washington State's smartphone-based COVID-19 digital exposure notification (EN) tool, which was used to help limit the spread of COVID-19 between November 30, 2020, and May 11, 2023. Following the 2022 Washington State Public Health Association Annual Conference, attendees who had WA Notify activated began receiving ENs alerting them to a possible COVID-19 exposure during the conference. A survey was emailed to all conference attendees to measure WA Notify adoption, mechanisms through which attendees received ENs, and self-reported engagement in protective behaviors postexposure. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to learn more about the experiences of WA Notify adopters and nonadopters who may have been exposed to COVID-19 at a large group gathering. METHODS: A web-based survey administered through REDCap (Research Electronic Data Capture; Vanderbilt University) was sent to all attendees of the Washington State Public Health Association conference. Self-reported demographic information and characteristics of respondents were summarized. Regression models were used to estimate relative risks to compare WA Notify adoption and testing behaviors between groups. RESULTS: Of the 464 total registered attendees who were sent the survey, 205 (44%) responses were received; 201 eligible attendees were included in this analysis. Of those, 149 (74%) respondents reported having WA Notify activated on their phones at the time of the conference. Among respondents with WA Notify activated, 54% (n=77) reported learning of their potential exposure from a WA Notify EN. Respondents who reported that they did not have WA Notify activated and learned of their potential exposure via the event-wide email from conference organizers were 39% less likely to test for COVID-19 compared to respondents with WA Notify activated who learned of their potential exposure from the email (relative risk 0.61, 95% CI 0.40-0.93; P=.02), and this gap was even larger when compared to respondents who learned of their exposure from a WA Notify EN. The most commonly cited reason for not having WA Notify activated was privacy concerns (n=17, 35%), followed by not wanting to receive ENs (n=6, 12%) and being unaware of WA Notify (n=5, 10%). CONCLUSIONS: Digital EN systems are an important tool to directly and anonymously notify close contacts of potential exposures and provide guidance on the next steps in a timely manner. Given the privacy concerns, there is still a need for increasing transparency surrounding EN technology to increase uptake by the public if this technology were to be used in the future to slow the spread of communicable diseases.

Hypoglycemia Induced by Zinc Supplementation for COVID-19 Prophylaxis: A Case Series.

There has been significant research and therapeutic activity within the healthcare sector in response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In the United States, a complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) treatment regimen for improving patients' immune systems against COVID-19 prophylaxis includes excess zinc, vitamin C, and vitamin D supplementation administered over a seven-day period. Despite the fact that zinc and other mineral supplements are becoming increasingly popular in Western culture, clinical research on CAM remains limited. This case series examines three patients treated with a surplus of zinc tablets for COVID-19 prophylaxis who presented with moderate-to-severe hypoglycemia. Varying amounts of glucose were administered to these patients to offset their low blood sugar levels. Medical staff noted a positive Whipple's triad in two of the patients but observed no other abnormalities in the laboratory values. All three patients were instructed to cease zinc tablet intake upon discharge. Our findings raise awareness of the potential dangers associated with mineral supplements and serve as a warning for those seeking CAM treatment options.

Step-by-Step Guide to the Punch Removal Technique for Dermal Piercing: A Surgical Pearl.

While dermal piercings have become increasingly popular, there is limited dermatologic literature detailing a standard removal technique. Dermal piercings are often removed in the emergency department using non-serrated hemostats and a rocking motion until the anchor can be pulled through the skin. Removal by these means may lead to unnecessary damage to the skin, infections, and scarring. This article describes a straightforward technique for extracting dermal piercings that does not require the patient to know the size or type of dermal anchor. A detailed description, with corresponding images, is provided as a step-by-step guide on implementing a punch removal technique for dermal piercings. Dermatologists can implement this technique to remove piercings without knowing the underlying anchor type. This punch removal technique offers a solution for removing a variety of dermal piercings and subsequent scar tissue while minimizing scar formation and leaving patients with more cosmetically appealing skin.

Teleoncology: Novel Approaches for Improving Cancer Care in North America.

Due to widespread healthcare workforce shortages, many patients living in remote and rural North America currently have reduced access to various medical specialists. These shortages, coupled with the aging North American population, highlight the need to transform contemporary healthcare delivery systems. The exchange of medical information via telecommunication technology, known as telemedicine, offers promising solutions to address the medical needs of an aging population and the increased demand for specialty medical services. This progressive movement has also improved access to quality health care by mitigating the current shortage of trained subspecialists. Minimizing the effects of these shortages is particularly urgent in the care of cancer patients, many of whom require regular follow-up and close monitoring. Cancer patients living in remote areas of North America have reduced access to specialized care and, thus, have unacceptably high mortality and morbidity rates. Teleoncology, or the use of telemedicine to provide oncology services remotely, has the ability to improve access to high-quality care and assist in alleviating the burden of some of the severe adverse events associated with cancer. In this review, the authors describe how recent advances in teleoncology can reduce healthcare disparities and improve future cancer care in North America.

Modeling the impact of different PrEP targeting strategies combined with a clinic-based HIV-1 nucleic acid testing intervention in Kenya.

BACKGROUND: Up to 69% of adults who acquire HIV in Kenya seek care for acute retroviral symptoms, providing an important opportunity for early diagnosis and HIV care engagement. The Tambua Mapema Plus (TMP) trial tested a combined HIV-1 nucleic acid testing, linkage, treatment, and partner notification intervention for adults with symptoms of acute HIV infection presenting to health facilities in coastal Kenya. We estimated the potential impact on the Kenyan HIV epidemic of providing PrEP to individuals testing negative in TMP, if scaled up. METHODS: We developed an agent-based simulation of HIV-1 transmission using TMP data and current Kenyan statistics. PrEP interventions were layered onto a model of TMP as standard of care, to estimate additional potential population-level impact of enrolling HIV-negative individuals identified through TMP on PrEP over 10 years. Four scenarios were modeled: PrEP for uninfected individuals in disclosed serodiscordant couples; PrEP for individuals with concurrent partnerships; PrEP for all uninfected individuals identified through TMP; and PrEP integrated into the enhanced partner services component of TMP. FINDINGS: Providing PrEP to both individuals with concurrent partnerships and uninfected partners identified through enhanced partner services reduced new HIV infections and was efficient based on numbers needed to treat (NNT). The mean percent of infections averted was 2.79 (95%SI:-10.83, 15.24) and 4.62 (95%SI:-9.5, 16.82) when PrEP uptake was 50% and 100%, respectively, and median NNT was 22.54 (95%SI:not defined, 6.45) and 27.55 (95%SI:not defined, 11.0), respectively. Providing PrEP for all uninfected individuals identified through TMP averted up to 12.68% (95%SI:0.17, 25.19) of new infections but was not efficient based on the NNT: 200.24 (95%SI:523.81, 123.23). CONCLUSIONS: Providing PrEP to individuals testing negative for HIV-1 nucleic acid after presenting to a health facility with symptoms compatible with acute HIV adds value to the TMP intervention, provided PrEP is targeted effectively and efficiently. FUNDING: National Institutes of Health, Sub-Saharan African Network for TB/HIV Research Excellence.

Anti-SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in King County, WA-Cross-sectional survey, August 2020.

We conducted a seroprevalence survey to estimate the true number of infections with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, in King County as of August 2020 by measuring the proportion of residents from who had antibodies against the virus. Participants from 727 households took part in a cross-sectional address-based household survey with random and non-random samples and provided dried blood spots that were tested for total antibody against the viral nucleocapsid protein, with confirmatory testing for immunoglobulin G against the spike protein. The data were weighted to match King County's population based on sex, age group, income, race, and Hispanic status. After weighting and accounting for the accuracy of the tests, our best overall estimate of anti-SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in King County as of August 2020 is 3.9% (95% confidence interval (CI) 2.4%-6.0%) with an effective sample size of 589. Comparing seroprevalence with positive test reports, our survey suggests that viral testing underestimated incidence by a factor of about five and suggests that the proportion of cases that were serious (based on hospitalization) or fatal was 2.4% and 0.8%, respectively. Prevalence varied by subgroup; households reporting incomes at or below $100,000 in 2019 had nearly five times higher estimated antibody prevalence than those with incomes above $100,000. Those reporting non-White/non-Asian race had roughly seven times higher estimated antibody prevalence than those reporting White race. This survey was noteworthy for including people of all ages; among all age groups, the weighted estimate of prevalence was highest in older teens and young adults and lowest in young children, although these differences were not statistically significant.

Modeling the Impact of HIV-1 Nucleic Acid Testing Among Symptomatic Adult Outpatients in Kenya.

BACKGROUND: Up to 69% of adults who acquire HIV in Kenya seek care before seroconversion, providing an important opportunity for early diagnosis and treatment. The Tambua Mapema Plus (TMP) trial tested a combined HIV-1 nucleic acid testing, linkage, treatment, and partner notification intervention for adults aged 18-39 years with symptoms of acute HIV infection presenting to health facilities in coastal Kenya. We estimated the potential impact of TMP on the Kenyan HIV epidemic. METHODS: We developed an agent-based network model of HIV-1 transmission using TMP data and Kenyan statistics to estimate potential population-level impact of targeted facility-based testing over 10 years. Three scenarios were modeled: standard care [current use of provider-initiated testing and counseling (PITC)], standard HIV rapid testing scaled to higher coverage obtained in TMP (scaled-up PITC), and the TMP intervention. RESULTS: Standard care resulted in 90.7% of persons living with HIV (PLWH) knowing their status, with 67.5% of those diagnosed on treatment. Scaled-up PITC resulted in 94.4% of PLWH knowing their status and 70.4% of those diagnosed on treatment. The TMP intervention achieved 97.5% of PLWH knowing their status and 80.6% of those diagnosed on treatment. The percentage of infections averted was 1.0% (95% simulation intervals: -19.2% to 19.9%) for scaled-up PITC and 9.4% (95% simulation intervals: -8.1% to 24.5%) for TMP. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that leveraging new technologies to identify acute HIV infection among symptomatic outpatients is superior to scaled-up PITC in this population, resulting in >95% knowledge of HIV status, and would reduce new HIV infections in Kenya.

Estimation and Inference for Upper Hinge Regression Models.

We introduce a new type of threshold regression models called upper hinge models. Under this type of threshold models, there only exists an association between the predictor of interest and the outcome when the predictor is less than some threshold value. Just like hinge models, upper hinge models can be seen as a special case of the more general segmented or two-phase regression models. The importance of studying upper hinge models is that even though they only have one fewer degree of freedom than segmented models, they can be estimated with much greater efficiency. We develop a new fast grid search algorithm to estimate upper hinge linear regression models. The new algorithm reduces the computational complexity of the search algorithm dramatically and renders the existing fast grid search algorithm inadmissible. The fast grid search algorithm makes it feasible to construct bootstrap confidence intervals for upper hinge linear regression models; for upper hinge generalized linear models of non-Gaussian family, we derive asymptotic normality to facilitate construction of model-robust confidence intervals. We perform numerical experiments and illustrate the proposed methods with two real data examples from the ecology literature.