Longitudinal SARS-CoV-2 Nucleocapsid Antibody Kinetics, Seroreversion, and Implications for Seroepidemiologic Studies.

Given widespread use of spike antibody in generating coronavirus disease vaccines, SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid antibodies are increasingly used to indicate previous infection in serologic surveys. However, longitudinal kinetics and seroreversion are poorly defined. We found substantial seroreversion of nucleocapsid total immunoglobulin, underscoring the need to account for seroreversion in seroepidemiologic studies.

A description of nurses' decision-making in managing electrocardiographic monitor alarms.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To describe the cues and factors that nurses use in their decision-making when responding to clinical alarms. BACKGROUND: Alarms are designed to be very sensitive, and as a result, they are not very specific. Lack of adherence to the practice standards for electrocardiographic monitoring in hospital settings has been observed, resulting in overuse of the electrocardiographic monitoring. Monitoring without consideration of clinical indicators uses scarce healthcare resources and may even produce untoward circumstances because of alarm fatigue. With so many false alarms, alarm fatigue represents a symptom of a larger problem. It cannot be fixed until all of the factors that contribute to its existence have been examined. DESIGN: This was a qualitative descriptive study. METHOD: This study was conducted at an academic medical centre located in the Northeast United States. Eight participants were enrolled using purposive sampling. Nurses were observed for two three-hour periods. Following each observation, the nurse was interviewed using the critical decision method to describe the cognitive processes related to the alarm activities. Qualitative data from the conducted interviews were analysed via an a priori framework founded in the critical decision method. RESULTS: This study reveals information, experience, guidance and decision-making as the four prominent categories contributing to nurses' decision-making in relation to alarm management. Managing technology was a category not identified a priori that emerged in the data analysis. CONCLUSION: Nurses revealed a breadth of information needed to adequately identify and interpret monitor alarms, and how they used that information to put the alarms into the particular context of an individual patient's situations. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Understanding the cues and factors nurses use when responding to cardiac alarms will guide the development of learning experiences and inform policies to guide practice.

Androgen Deprivation Therapy Is Associated With Prolongation of QTc Interval in Men With Prostate Cancer.

CONTEXT: Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) for prostate cancer (PCa) is associated with increased cardiovascular mortality and sudden cardiac death, with some events occurring early after initiation of ADT. Testosterone levels are inversely associated with corrected QT (QTc) interval duration; therefore, prolongation of QTc duration could be responsible for some of these events during ADT. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate changes in QTc duration during ADT. DESIGN AND INTERVENTIONS: A 6-month prospective cohort study that enrolled men with PCa about to undergo ADT (ADT group) and a control group of men who previously underwent prostatectomy for PCa and never received ADT (non-ADT group). PATIENTS: At study entry, all participants were eugonadal and had no history of cardiac arrhythmias or complete bundle branch block. OUTCOMES: Difference in change in QTc duration from baseline on a 12-lead electrocardiogram at 6, 12, and 24 weeks after initiation of ADT compared with electrocardiograms performed at the same intervals in the non-ADT group. PR, QRS, and QT interval durations were also evaluated. RESULTS: Seventy-one participants formed the analytical sample (33 ADT and 38 non-ADT). ADT was associated with prolongation of the QTc by 7.4 ms compared with the non-ADT group [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.08 to 14.7 ms; P = 0.048]. ADT was also associated with shortening of the QRS interval by 2.4 ms (95% CI -4.64 to -0.23; P = 0.031). Electrolytes did not change. CONCLUSIONS: Men undergoing ADT for PCa experienced prolongation of the QTc. These findings might explain the increased risk of sudden cardiac death seen in these patients.

Effect of Protein Intake on Lean Body Mass in Functionally Limited Older Men: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: The Institute of Medicine set the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for protein at 0.8 g/kg/d for the entire adult population. It remains controversial whether protein intake greater than the RDA is needed to maintain protein anabolism in older adults. Objective: To investigate whether increasing protein intake to 1.3 g/kg/d in older adults with physical function limitations and usual protein intake within the RDA improves lean body mass (LBM), muscle performance, physical function, fatigue, and well-being and augments LBM response to a muscle anabolic drug. Design, Setting, and Participants: This randomized clinical trial with a 2 × 2 factorial design was conducted in a research center. A modified intent-to-treat analytic strategy was used. Participants were 92 functionally limited men 65 years or older with usual protein intake less thanor equal to 0.83 g/kg/d within the RDA. The first participant was randomized on September 21, 2011, and the last participant completed the study on January 19, 2017. Interventions: Participants were randomized for 6 months to controlled diets with 0.8 g/kg/d of protein plus placebo, 1.3 g/kg/d of protein plus placebo, 0.8 g/kg/d of protein plus testosterone enanthate (100 mg weekly), or 1.3 g/kg/d of protein plus testosterone. Prespecified energy and protein contents were provided through custom-prepared meals and supplements. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was change in LBM. Secondary outcomes were muscle strength, power, physical function, health-related quality of life, fatigue, affect balance, and well-being. Results: Among 92 men (mean [SD] age, 73.0 [5.8] years), the 4 study groups did not differ in baseline characteristics. Changes from baseline in LBM (0.31 kg; 95% CI, -0.46 to 1.08 kg; P = .43) and appendicular (0.04 kg; 95% CI, -0.48 to 0.55 kg; P = .89) and trunk (0.24 kg; 95% CI, -0.17 to 0.66 kg; P = .24) lean mass, as well as muscle strength and power, walking speed and stair-climbing power, health-related quality of life, fatigue, and well-being, did not differ between men assigned to 0.8 vs 1.3 g/kg/d of protein regardless of whether they received testosterone or placebo. Fat mass decreased in participants given higher protein but did not change in those given the RDA: between-group differences were significant (difference, -1.12 kg; 95% CI, -2.04 to -0.21; P = .02). Conclusions and Relevance: Protein intake exceeding the RDA did not increase LBM, muscle performance, physical function, or well-being measures or augment anabolic response to testosterone in older men with physical function limitations whose usual protein intakes were within the RDA. The RDA for protein is sufficient to maintain LBM, and protein intake exceeding the RDA does not promote LBM accretion or augment anabolic response to testosterone. Trial Registration: clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01275365.

Design of a randomized trial to determine the optimum protein intake to preserve lean body mass and to optimize response to a promyogenic anabolic agent in older men with physical functional limitation.

The dietary protein allowance for older men to maintain lean body mass and muscle strength and to accrue optimal anabolic responses to promyogenic stimuli is poorly characterized. The OPTIMEN trial was designed to assess in older men with moderate physical dysfunction and insufficient habitual protein intake (