Clinical Impact of Multiplex Molecular Diagnostic Testing in Children With Acute Gastroenteritis Presenting to an Emergency Department: A Multicenter Prospective Study.

BACKGROUND: Multiplex molecular diagnostic panels have greatly enhanced detection of gastrointestinal pathogens. However, data on the impact of these tests on clinical and patient-centered outcomes are limited. METHODS: We conducted a prospective, multicenter, stepped-wedge trial to determine the impact of multiplex molecular testing at 5 academic children's hospitals on children presenting to the emergency department with acute gastroenteritis. Caregivers were interviewed on enrollment and 7-10 days after enrollment to determine symptoms, risk factors, subsequent medical visits, and impact on family members. During the pre-intervention period, diagnostic testing was performed at the clinician's discretion . During the intervention period, multiplex molecular testing was performed on all children, with results available to clinicians. The primary outcome was return visits to a healthcare provider within 10 days of enrollment. RESULTS: Potential pathogens were identified by clinician-ordered tests in 19 of 571 (3.3%) in the pre-intervention period compared with 434 of 586 (74%) in the intervention period; clinically relevant pathogens were detected in 2.1% and 15%, respectively. In the multivariate model, the intervention was associated with a 21% reduction in the odds of any return visit (odds ratio, 0.79; 95% confidence interval, .70-.90) after adjusting for potential confounders. Appropriate treatment was prescribed in 11.3% compared with 19.6% during the intervention period (P = .22). CONCLUSIONS: Routine molecular multiplex testing for all children who presented to the ED with acute gastroenteritis detected more clinically relevant pathogens and led to a 21% decrease in return visits. Additional research is needed to define patients most likely to benefit from testing. Clinical Trials Registration. NCT02248285.

A randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial of sterile filtered human amniotic fluid for treatment of COVID-19.

IMPORTANCE: Acellular human amniotic fluid (hAF) is an antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory fluid that has been used to treat various pro-inflammatory conditions. In a feasibility study, we have previously demonstrated that hAF could be safely administered to severely ill patients with coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19). The impact of acellular hAF on markers of systemic inflammation and clinical outcomes during COVID-19 infection remain unknown. OBJECTIVE: To determine the safety and efficacy of acellular, sterile processed intravenously administered hAF on markers of systemic inflammation during COVID-19. DESIGN, SETTINGS AND PARTICIPANTS: This single-center Phase I/II randomized, placebo controlled clinical trial enrolled adult (age ≥ 18 years) patients hospitalized for respiratory symptoms of COVID-19, including hypoxemia, tachypnea or dyspnea. The study was powered for outcomes with an anticipated enrollment of 60 patients. From 09/28/2020 to 02/04/2022 we enrolled and randomized 47 (of an anticipated 60) patients hospitalized due to COVID-19. One patient withdrew consent after randomization but prior to treatment. Safety outcomes to 30 days were collected through hospital discharge and were complete by the end of screening on 6/30/2022. INTERVENTIONS: Intravenous administration of 10 cc sterile processed acellular hAF once daily for up to 5 days vs placebo. MAIN OUTCOME AND MEASURES: Blood biomarkers of inflammation, including C-Reactive protein (CRP), lactate dehydrogenase, D-dimer, and interleukin-6 (IL-6), as well as safety outcomes. RESULTS: Patients who were randomized to hAF (n = 23) were no more likely to have improvements in CRP from baseline to Day 6 than patients who were randomized to placebo (n = 24) hAF: -5.9 [IQR -8.2, -0.6] vs placebo: -5.9 [-9.4, -2.05]; p = 0.6077). There were no significant differences in safety outcomes or adverse events. Secondary measures of inflammation including lactate dehydrogenase, D-dimer and IL-6 were not statistically different from baseline to day 6. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: In this randomized clinical trial involving hospitalized patients with COVID-19, the intravenous administration of 10 cc of hAF daily for 5 days did not result in statistically significant differences in either safety or markers of systemic inflammation compared to placebo, though we did not achieve our enrollment target of 60 patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This trial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov as #NCT04497389 on 04/08/2020.

Vitamin D, bone density, and nephrocalcinosis in preterm infants: a prospective study.

BACKGROUND: Vitamin D (VitD) supplementation is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) for preterm infants to improve bone density. Complications of VitD supplementation include hypercalciuria and nephrocalcinosis (NC). NC has been reported in 7-64% infants < 32 weeks gestational age (GA) or < 1500 g birth weight (BW). The relationships between VitD supplementation, serum 25-hydroxy VitD levels, bone density, hypercalciuria and development of NC in preterm infants are not well established. METHODS: Prospective, observational cohort study of 56 infants with GA ≤ 32 weeks or BW ≤ 1800 g. Demographics, dietary intakes, serum 25-hydroxy VitD levels and weekly urinalyses were collected until 40 weeks corrected GA or discharge. Bone mineral density (BMD) and content (BMC) were assessed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scan. NC was identified by kidney ultrasound. RESULTS: 56 infants received on average 447 IU/day of VitD with average serum 25-hydoxy VitD level 39.6 ng/mL. DEXA scan showed average BMD 0.13 g/cm2 and BMC 35.8 g. 23/56 (41%) infants were diagnosed with NC. Infants with NC had lower GA (p < 0.01) and BW (p < 0.01) and increased presence of calcium oxalate crystals (78% vs. 36%) (p = 0.002). There were no differences in VitD intake, urine calcium/creatinine ratios or BMD and BMC in infants with versus without NC. CONCLUSIONS: VitD supplementation per AAP guidelines resulted in acceptable serum 25-hydroxyVitD levels, but no improvement in BMD or BMC compared to previously reported values. However, infants receiving recommended amounts born at earlier GA and lower BW are at increased risk of NC. VitD supplementation and serum levels should be closely monitored in this high-risk population. A higher resolution version of the Graphical abstract is available as Supplementary information.

Outcomes of Telehealth Physical Therapy Provided Using Real-Time, Videoconferencing for Patients With Chronic Low Back Pain: A Longitudinal Observational Study.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the feasibility of an evidence-based physical therapy (PT) program for persons with chronic low back pain (LBP) originally designed for in-person delivery, adapted for telehealth using videoconferencing. DESIGN: Prospective, longitudinal cohort. SETTING: Three health care systems in the United States. PARTICIPANTS: Adults, aged 18-64 years (N=126), with chronic LBP recruited from August through December 2020. INTERVENTION: Up to 8 weekly sessions of telehealth PT. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Follow-up assessments were 10 and 26 weeks after baseline. Participant outcomes collected were the Oswestry Disability Index, Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System-29 health domains, and pain self-efficacy. Implementation outcomes included acceptability, adoption, feasibility, and fidelity assessed using participant surveys and compliance with session attendance. RESULTS: We enrolled 126 participants (mean age, 51.5 years; 62.7% female). Baseline perceptions about telehealth were generally positive. Eighty-eight participants (69.8%) initiated telehealth PT, with a median of 5 sessions attended. Participants in telehealth PT were generally satisfied (76.3%), although only 39.5% perceived the quality equal to in-person PT. Telehealth PT participants reported significant improvement in LBP-related disability, pain intensity, pain interference, physical function, and sleep disturbance at 10- and 26-week follow-ups. CONCLUSIONS: The findings generally support the feasibility of telehealth PT using videoconferencing. Implementation and participant outcomes were similar to in-person PT as delivered in the participating health care systems. We identified barriers that may detract from the patient experience and likelihood of benefitting from telehealth PT. More research is needed to optimize and evaluate the most effective strategies for providing telehealth PT for patients with chronic LBP.

Identifying Perceptions, Experiences, and Recommendations of Telehealth Physical Therapy for Patients With Chronic Low Back Pain: A Mixed Methods Survey.

OBJECTIVE: To describe concerns, advantages, and disadvantages encountered in an evidence-based physical therapy (PT) program for persons with chronic low back pain (CLBP) delivered by telehealth. DESIGN: Mixed methods survey and semistructured interview of persons with CLBP. SETTING: Prospective observational cohort study of persons with CLBP from 3 health care systems receiving 8 sessions of evidence-based telehealth PT. PARTICIPANTS: Participants were selected after completing week 10 (from baseline) assessment from an ongoing cohort study. We enrolled 31 of 126 participants (mean age, 42.4 years; 71.0% female) from the cohort study (N=31). INTERVENTIONS: Participants had completed 8 sessions of evidence-based telehealth PT and participated in semistructured interviews. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Baseline and week 10 and 26 assessments assessed psychosocial risk (StarTBack Screening Tool), working alliance (Working Alliance Inventory-Short Form), pain (Oswestry Disability Index), and health-related quality of life (Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System-29 profile, version 2). Semistructured interviews were conducted by telephone and consisted of open-ended questions assessing perception, satisfaction, and likelihood of recommending telehealth PT. Participants identified advantages and disadvantages to telehealth PT. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and coded using an iterative qualitative process. Statistical comparisons by experience were made using analysis of variance (continuous) and Fisher exact test (categorical). RESULTS: Compared with the negative experience group (n=5), participants in positive (n=16) and neutral (n=10) experience groups endorsed higher bond working alliance with their therapist. Participants with a positive experience were more likely to view telehealth PT as cost-saving (n=10, 62.5%) compared with those with a neutral (n=1, 10.0%) or negative (n=1, 20.0%) experience and less likely to view telehealth PT as lower quality (n=0, 0.0%; n=1, 10.0%; n=2, 40.0%, respectively). Prior to starting telehealth, based on semistructured interviews, 18 participants (58.1%) had concerns and these persisted after starting in half of this group. Concerns regarded telehealth being different from or inferior to in-person PT, lack of physical correction, and worries of not using technology appropriately. Convenience, time savings, and personalization were seen as advantages. Difficulty making a personal connection with the therapist, lack of physical correction, and problems with technology were seen as disadvantages. Many participants endorsed a hybrid approach that included in-person and telehealth PT. Providing necessary equipment and technology assistance was seen as ways to improve telehealth PT experience. CONCLUSIONS: Telehealth is an acceptable modality to deliver PT for patients with CLBP with most having a positive experience and reporting advantages. Improvements could include offering a hybrid approach (in-person and telehealth combined) and providing necessary equipment and technical support. More research is needed to optimize the most effective strategies for providing telehealth PT for patients with CLBP.

Breastfeeding Attitudes and Practices in a Rural Utah Navajo Community.

OBJECTIVES: Despite known health benefits of breastfeeding, the Navajo have low reported frequency of breastfeeding initiation and support. We evaluated breastfeeding frequencies and practices in the predominately Navajo community of rural San Juan County, Utah, to identify factors that affect breastfeeding decisions and duration. METHODS: We performed retrospective chart review for 135 infants aged 0 to 12 months, and surveys of 85 mothers of infants aged 0 to 2 years, and eight primary care providers. We characterized demographic factors using counts/percentages and medians/inter-quartile ranges, and compared mothers who breastfed for 6 months or less versus greater than 6 months. RESULTS: In 96 infants with complete feeding documentation, 86 infants (90%) received some breast milk and 36 infants (38%) were exclusively breastfed at age 2 months. In 67 infants with complete feeding documentation at ≥ 6 months, 22 infants (33%) were exclusively breastfed 6 months. Most mothers knew about breastfeeding benefits. In 56 mothers whose infants were aged ≥ 6 months at the time of the survey, breastfeeding for more than 6 months had been planned by 44 mothers (79%) but performed by only 29 mothers (52%). Mothers who breastfed for > 6 months were more likely to have been influenced by WIC and less likely to have introduced formula at an early age. Barriers to breastfeeding included maternal pain, latch difficulties, and concerns about inadequate milk supply. Primary care providers reported limited confidence in providing breastfeeding support but would support telehealth-driven interventions. CONCLUSIONS FOR PRACTICE: Practical, culturally sensitive interventions, including telehealth and improved provider education, may improve breastfeeding outcomes and community health in this underserved population.

Hospital Outcomes of Infants with Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome at a Tertiary Care Hospital with High Rates of Concurrent Nonopioid (Polysubstance) Exposure.

OBJECTIVE: Neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS) describes infants' withdrawal signs and symptoms after birth due to an interruption of prenatal opioid exposure. Many infants with NOWS are also exposed to nonopioids, however. This study was to determine hospital outcomes of infants exposed to opioids alone or coexposed with nonopioid substances (polysubstance). STUDY DESIGN: We reviewed infants of ≥34 weeks of gestation with prenatal opioid exposure from April 2015 to May 2018. We compared the median lengths of stay (LOS) and treatment (LOT) and the percentages of infants requiring pharmacologic and adjunctive treatment in infants exposed to opioids alone or polysubstance. We used Wilcoxon's test for continuous outcomes or Chi-squared test for categorical outcomes to determine statistical significance. We used multivariable regression model to calculate each drug category's estimates of adjusted mean ratios for LOS and LOT plus estimates of adjusted odds ratios for pharmacologic/adjunctive treatments. RESULTS: Of the 175 infants, 33 (19%) infants had opioid exposure alone. Opioid exposure included short- and/or long-acting opioids. A total of 142 (81%) had polysubstance exposure with 47% of mothers using nicotine products. We saw similar hospital outcomes between infants exposed to opioids alone or polysubstance; however, a higher percentage of infants with both short- and long-acting opioid exposure required pharmacologic treatment compared with either opioid alone. Focusing on individual drug categories, we detected differential hospital outcomes in which short-acting opioids decreased LOT, whereas long-acting opioids increased LOS, LOT, and need for pharmacologic and adjunctive treatment. Coexposure of opioids with stimulants decreased LOT and reduced need for adjunctive treatment. Coexposures with antidepressants increased LOT, while with antiepilepetics increased LOS. CONCLUSION: Because infants with NOWS often have coexposures to other nonopioid substances, appreciating the associated risks of individual or combination of drugs in modulating hospital outcomes may help counsel families on their infants' expected hospital course. KEY POINTS: · Hospital outcomes were similar between infants exposed to opioids alone or polysubstance including opioids.. · Infants with short- and long-acting opioids required pharmacologic treatment more often than either opioid alone.. · Differential hospital outcomes exist for various co-exposures of opioids with nonopioids..

Early postpartum physical activity and pelvic floor support and symptoms 1 year postpartum.

BACKGROUND: Risks of pelvic organ prolapse and urinary incontinence increase after the first vaginal delivery. During the early postpartum period, a time of active regeneration and healing of the pelvic floor, women may be particularly vulnerable to greater pelvic floor loading. OBJECTIVE: This prospective cohort study aimed to determine whether objectively measured moderate to vigorous physical activity in the early postpartum period predicts pelvic floor support and symptoms 1 year after the first vaginal birth. STUDY DESIGN: We enrolled nulliparous women in the third trimester, later excluding those who had a cesarean or preterm delivery. Participants wore triaxial wrist accelerometers at 2 to 3 weeks and 5 to 6 weeks postpartum for ≥4 days. Primary outcomes, assessed 1 year postpartum, included (1) pelvic floor support on Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification examination, dichotomized as maximal vaginal descent of <0 cm (better support) vs ≥0 cm (worse support); and (2) pelvic floor symptom burden, considered positive with report of ≥1 bothersome symptom in ≥2 of 6 domains, assessed using the Epidemiology of Prolapse and Incontinence Questionnaire. The primary predictor was average daily moderate to vigorous physical activity. Because we could not eliminate women with pelvic floor changes before pregnancy, we modeled prevalence, rather than risk, ratios for each outcome using modified Poisson regression. RESULTS: Of 825 participants eligible after delivery, 611 completed accelerometry and 1-year follow-up; 562 completed in-person visits, and 609 completed questionnaires. The mean age was 28.9 years (standard deviation, 5.01). The mean for moderate to vigorous physical activity measured in minutes per day was 57.3 (standard deviation, 25.4) and 68.1 (standard deviation, 28.9) at 2 to 3 weeks and 5 to 6 weeks, respectively. One year postpartum, 53 of 562 participants (9.4%) demonstrated worse vaginal support and 330 of 609 participants (54.2%) met criteria for pelvic floor symptom burden. In addition, 324 (53.1%), 284 (46.6%), 144 (23.6%), and 25 (4.1%) reported secondary outcomes of stress urinary incontinence, overactive bladder, anal incontinence, and constipation, respectively, and 264 (43.4%), 250 (41.0%), and 89 (14.6%) reported no, mild, or moderate to severe urinary incontinence, respectively. The relationship between moderate to vigorous physical activity and outcomes was not linear. On the basis of plots, we grouped quintiles of moderate to vigorous physical activity into 3 categories: first and second quintiles combined, third and fourth quintiles combined, and fifth quintile. In final multivariable models, compared with women in moderate to vigorous physical activity quintiles 3 and 4, those in the lower 2 (prevalence ratio, 0.55; 95% confidence interval, 0.31-1.00) and upper quintile (prevalence ratio, 0.70; 95% confidence interval, 0.35-1.38)) trended toward lower prevalence of worse support. However, we observed the reverse for symptom burden: compared with women in quintiles 3 and 4, those in the lower 2 (prevalence ratio, 1.20; 95% confidence interval, 1.02-1.41) and upper quintile prevalence ratio 1.34 (95% confidence interval, 1.11-1.61) demonstrated higher prevalence of symptom burden. Moderate to vigorous physical activity did not predict any of the secondary outcomes. The presence of a delivery factor with potential to increase risk for levator ani muscle injury did not modify the effect of moderate to vigorous physical activity on outcomes. CONCLUSION: Except for support, which was worse in women with moderately high levels of activity, early postpartum moderate to vigorous physical activity was either protective or had no effect on other parameters of pelvic floor health. Few women performed substantial vigorous activity, and thus, these results do not apply to women performing strenuous exercise shortly after delivery.

Neonatal Outcomes Associated with Umbilical Cord Milking in Preterm Multiple Gestations.

OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to evaluate the effect of umbilical cord milking on outcomes for preterm multiples. STUDY DESIGN: We implemented a policy of cord milking in neonates born at less than 30 weeks' gestation in September 2011. We compared cord milking in multiples with a historical cohort. Multivariable logistic regression models estimated the effect of cord milking on a composite neonatal adverse outcome. Secondary outcomes were hematocrit at birth, need for blood transfusion, and inotrope use. RESULTS: We identified 149 neonates (120 twins, 29 triplets), 51 historical controls, and 98 neonates with cord milking. Cord milking was associated with a lower rate of adverse composite neonatal outcome in univariable analysis (odds ratio [OR]: 0.36; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.15-0.84). However, in multivariable modeling, the effect was not significant (adjusted OR [aOR]: 0.54, 95% CI: 0.23-1.28). Hematocrit was 4.6 unit % (95% CI: 2-7.3) higher in the cord milking group, and cord milking was associated with a lower rate of blood transfusion (aOR: 0.28; 95% CI: 0.1-0.74; p = 0.01). There was no difference in inotrope administration. CONCLUSION: Umbilical cord milking was not associated with a decrease in composite neonatal adverse outcome. However, we observed an increase in hematocrit and decreased need for blood transfusion in neonates with cord milking.

Perceived social risk in medical decision-making for physical child abuse: a mixed-methods study.

BACKGROUND: The medical literature reports differential decision-making for children with suspected physical abuse based on race and socioeconomic status. Differential evaluation may be related to differences of risk indicators in these populations or differences in physicians' perceptions of abuse risk. Our objective was to understand the contribution of the child's social ecology to child abuse pediatricians' perception of abuse risk and to test whether risk perception influences diagnostic decision-making. METHODS: Thirty-two child abuse pediatrician participants prospectively contributed 746 consultations from for children referred for physical abuse evaluation (2009-2013). Participants entered consultations to a web-based interface. Participants noted their perception of child race, family SES, abuse diagnosis. Participants rated their perception of social risk for abuse and diagnostic certainty on a 1-100 scale. Consultations (n = 730) meeting inclusion criteria were qualitatively analyzed for social risk indicators, social and non-social cues. Using a linear mixed-effects model, we examined the associations of social risk indicators with participant social risk perception. We reversed social risk indicators in 102 cases whilst leaving all injury mechanism and medical information unchanged. Participants reviewed these reversed cases and recorded their social risk perception, diagnosis and diagnostic certainty. RESULTS: After adjustment for physician characteristics and social risk indicators, social risk perception was highest in the poorest non-minority families (24.9 points, 95%CI: 19.2, 30.6) and minority families (17.9 points, 95%CI, 12.8, 23.0). Diagnostic certainty and perceived social risk were associated: certainty increased as social risk perception increased (Spearman correlation 0.21, p < 0.001) in probable abuse cases; certainty decreased as risk perception increased (Spearman correlation (-)0.19, p = 0.003) in probable not abuse cases. Diagnostic decisions changed in 40% of cases when social risk indicators were reversed. CONCLUSIONS: CAP risk perception that poverty is associated with higher abuse risk may explain documented race and class disparities in the medical evaluation and diagnosis of suspected child physical abuse. Social risk perception may act by influencing CAP certainty in their diagnosis.

Lifetime physical activity and female stress urinary incontinence.

OBJECTIVE: We sought to estimate whether moderate/severe stress urinary incontinence (SUI) in middle-aged women is associated with overall lifetime physical activity (including leisure, household, outdoor, and occupational), as well as lifetime leisure (recreational), lifetime strenuous, and strenuous activity during the teen years. STUDY DESIGN: Recruitment for this case-control study was conducted in primary-care-level family medicine and gynecology clinics. A total of 1538 enrolled women ages 39-65 years underwent a Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification examination to assess vaginal support. Based on Incontinence Severity Index scores, cases had moderate/severe and controls had no/mild SUI. We excluded 349 with vaginal descent at/below the hymen (pelvic organ prolapse), 194 who did not return questionnaires, and 110 with insufficient activity data for analysis. In all, 213 cases were frequency matched 1:1 by age group to controls. Physical activity was measured using the Lifetime Physical Activity Questionnaire, in which women recall activity from menarche to present. We created separate multivariable logistic regression models for activity measures. RESULTS: SUI odds increased slightly with overall lifetime activity (odds ratio [OR], 1.20 per 70 additional metabolic equivalent of task-h/wk; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02-1.41), and were not associated with lifetime strenuous activity (OR, 1.11; 95% CI, 0.99-1.25). In quintile analysis of lifetime leisure activity, which demonstrated a nonlinear pattern, all quintiles incurred about half the odds of SUI compared to reference (second quintile; P = .009). Greater strenuous activity in teen years modestly increased SUI odds (OR, 1.37 per 7 additional h/wk; 95% CI, 1.09-1.71); OR, 1.75; 95% CI, 1.15-2.66 in sensitivity analysis adjusting for measurement error. The predicted probability of SUI rose linearly in women exceeding 7.5 hours of strenuous activity/wk during teen years. Teen strenuous activity had a similar effect on SUI odds when adjusted for subsequent strenuous activity during ages 21-65 years. CONCLUSION: In middle-aged women, a slight increased odds of SUI was noted only after substantially increased overall lifetime physical activity. Increased lifetime leisure activity decreased and lifetime strenuous activity appeared unrelated to SUI odds. Greater strenuous activity during teen years modestly increased SUI odds.

Compensation among graduated fellowship in minimally invasive gynecologic surgery fellows.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: The Fellowship in Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery (FMIGS) is a postresidency fellowship developed with the mission to train the next generation of minimally invasive gynecologic surgeons. The need for surgeons trained in this field has increased, yet there remains a paucity of information regarding the compensation of these specialized surgeons. DESIGN: A survey was sent via e-mail to FMIGS graduates (N = 221) using an online survey tool; it was sent twice more to increase the response rate between July and December 2013. The survey collected information on current and starting salaries and benefits as well as academic rank, location, practice type, and practice breadth. Comparisons were analyzed using multivariable linear regression models (Canadian Task Force Classification II-2). SETTING: E-mail-based survey. PATIENTS: Graduates of the FMIGS. INTERVENTIONS: A single survey sent 3 times. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Of 221 graduates surveyed, 164 responded (response rate = 74%). Sixty-one percent of respondents (n = 100) were from academic institutions, and the remainder were from private practice (n = 64). Of all respondents, 27 (16.5%) reported less than 1 year of postfellowship experience and had a median starting salary of $216 399 (range, $106 834-$542 930). Survey respondents were on average 3.3 years (range, 0-14) out of fellowship with a median salary of $238 198 (range, $108 200-$993 765). Academic surgeons (average experience = 3.4 years) earned $208 743 (range, $106 834-$542 930) compared with private practice surgeons (average experience = 3.2 years) who earned $233 020 (range, $115 000-$454 448). CONCLUSION: Salaries and compensation benefits of graduates of the FMIGS are varied. This information is very relevant to those attempting to hire or become employed as gynecologic surgical specialists.

Lifetime physical activity and pelvic organ prolapse in middle-aged women.

OBJECTIVE: To determine, in a case-control study, whether pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is associated with overall lifetime physical activity (combined leisure, outdoor, household, occupational), and lifetime leisure, lifetime strenuous, and teen years strenuous activity. STUDY DESIGN: One hundred ninety-one POP cases (defined as maximal vaginal descent ≥1 cm below the hymen) and 191 age and recruitment-site matched controls (defined as maximal vaginal descent ≤1 cm above the hymen) between 39-65 years with no or mild urinary incontinence, were recruited chiefly from primary care clinics. Participants completed Lifetime Physical Activity and Occupation Questionnaires, recalling activities during 4 age epochs. We performed separate logistic regression models for physical activity measures. RESULTS: Compared with controls, POP cases had greater body mass index and parity. Median overall lifetime activity, expressed in metabolic equivalents-hours/week, did not differ significantly between cases and controls. In adjusted analyses, we observed no associations between odds of POP and overall lifetime physical activity, lifetime leisure activity, or lifetime strenuous activity. There was a marginally significant nonlinear relationship between teen strenuous activity and POP with an increase in the log-odds of POP for women reporting ≥21 hours/week of strenuous activity (P = .046). CONCLUSION: Lifetime physical activity does not increase the odds of anatomic POP in middle-aged women not seeking care for POP. Strenuous activity during teenage years may confer higher odds of POP. This relationship and the potential role of physical activity and POP incidence should be evaluated prospectively.

Urinary tract injuries in laparoscopic hysterectomy: a systematic review.

The aim of this review was to estimate the incidence of urinary tract injuries associated with laparoscopic hysterectomy and describe the long-term sequelae of these injuries and the impact of early recognition. Studies were identified by searching the PubMed database, spanning the last 10 years. The key words "ureter" or "ureteral" or "urethra" or "urethral" or "bladder" or "urinary tract" and "injury" and "laparoscopy" or "robotic" and "gynecology" were used. Additionally, a separate search was done for "routine cystoscopy" and "gynecology." The inclusion criteria were published articles of original research referring to urologic injuries occurring during either laparoscopic or robotic surgery for gynecologic indications. Only English language articles from the past 10 years were included. Studies with less than 100 patients and no injuries reported were excluded. No robotic series met these criteria. A primary search of the database yielded 104 articles, and secondary cross-reference yielded 6 articles. After reviewing the abstracts, 40 articles met inclusion criteria and were reviewed in their entirety. Of those 40 articles, 3 were excluded because of an inability to extract urinary tract injuries from total injuries. Statistical analysis was performed using a generalized linear mixed effects model. The overall urinary tract injury rate for laparoscopic hysterectomy was 0.73%. The bladder injury rate ranged from 0.05% to 0.66% across procedure types, and the ureteral injury rate ranged from 0.02% to 0.4% across procedure type. In contrast to earlier publications, which cited unacceptably high urinary tract injury rates, laparoscopic hysterectomy appears to be safe regarding the bladder and ureter.

Practice variation and resource use in the evaluation of pediatric vasovagal syncope: are pediatric cardiologists over-testing?

Syncope is a common problem in children and adolescents. Usually vasovagal in etiology, this benign problem often results in considerable testing and expense. We sought to define the current practice, practice variation, and resource utilization as well as evaluate a screening strategy for syncope at an academic tertiary care center. We reviewed the medical records of all patients age 8 to 19 years who presented with syncope between January 1994 and January 2012 and collected data regarding demographics, history, physical examination, and diagnostic tests. Practice variation was evaluated based on provider experience and subspecialty. The sensitivity and specificity of history, physical examination, and electrocardiogram (ECG) to identify a cardiac cause for syncope were calculated. Of the 617 patients studied, a cardiac cause for syncope was found in 15 (2 %). A screening strategy consisting of history, physical examination, and ECG was 100 % sensitive and 55 % specific for diagnosing a cardiac cause for syncope. Despite having a negative screen, 314 (54 %) patients had a total of 334 additional tests at an average charge of $983/patient. Although practice variation existed, it was not explained by provider experience or electrophysiology training. Factors associated with increased testing included greater number of clinic visits and increased frequency of events, whereas those associated with decreased testing included increased number of syncopal episodes and history of psychiatric medication use. A more standardized approach to syncope is needed to decrease resource use and cost while maintaining quality of care.

Factors associated with recoarctation after surgical repair of coarctation of the aorta by way of thoracotomy in young infants.

Echocardiography is the mainstay of preoperative arch imaging in infants with coarctation of the aorta. In simple coarctation, repair by way of sternotomy or thoracotomy is often determined by echocardiographic transverse arch measurements. The degree of arch hypoplasia that is prohibitive to repair by way of thoracotomy is unknown. Clinical predictors of recoarctation are also unknown. Demographic, echocardiographic (transverse arch and aortic measurements), operative, and postoperative data of infants <90 days old with simple coarctation repaired by way of thoracotomy between February 2005 and November 2011 were evaluated. Recoarctation was defined as surgical or catheter reintervention after hospital discharge. Eighty-four infants underwent coarctation repair at median age of 12 (range 1-85) days with median follow-up of 12.3 (range 0.5-71.9) months. The seven (8 %) infants with recoarctation underwent balloon angioplasty. In multivariable analysis, only greater postoperative Doppler peak velocity [1.13, confidence interval (CI) 1.04-1.23] and greater sinotubular junction z-score (hazard ratio 4.19, CI 1.47-11.95) independently predicted coarctation. Doppler peak velocity >2.12 m/s had sensitivity of 63 % and specificity of 83 % of predicting recoarctation, and ST junction z-score >-0.93 had sensitivity of 100 % and specificity of 58 %. No transverse arch dimensions were independently associated with recoarctation. Infants with transverse arch z-score as low as -2.8 underwent successful repair by way of thoracotomy. No clinical predictors were significant.

Admission to a dedicated cardiac intensive care unit is associated with decreased resource use for infants with prenatally diagnosed congenital heart disease.

Many factors in the delivery and perinatal care of infants with a prenatal diagnosis of congenital heart disease (CHD) have an impact on outcome and costs. This study sought to determine the modifiable factors in perinatal management that have an impact on postnatal resource use for infants with CHD. The medical records of infants with prenatally diagnosed CHD (August 2006-December 2011) who underwent cardiac surgery before discharge were reviewed. The exclusion criteria ruled out prematurity and intervention or transplantation evaluation before surgery. Clinical characteristics, outcomes, and cost data were collected. Multivariate linear regression models were used to determine the impact of perinatal decisions on hospitalization cost and surrogates of resource use after adjustment for demographic and other risk factors. For the 126 patients who met the study criteria, the median hospital stay was 22 days (range 4-122 days), and the median inflation-adjusted total hospital cost was $107,357 (range $9,746-602,320). The initial admission to the neonatal versus the cardiac intensive care unit (NICU vs. CICU) was independently associated with a 19 % longer hospital stay, a 26 % longer ICU stay, and 47 % more mechanical ventilation days after adjustment for Risk Adjustment for Congenital Heart Surgery, version 1 score, gestation age, genetic abnormality, birth weight, mode of delivery, and postsurgical complications. Weekend versus weekday delivery was not associated with hospital cost or length of hospital stay. For term infants with prenatally diagnosed CHD undergoing surgery before discharge, preoperative admission to the NICU (vs. the CICU) resulted in a longer hospital stay and greater intensive care use. Prenatal planning for infants with CHD should consider the initial place of admission as a modifiable factor for potential lowering of resource use.

Predictive value of myocardial delayed enhancement in Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

In other cardiomyopathies, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR)-derived myocardial delayed enhancement (MDE), a marker of myocardial fibrosis, is a risk factor for sudden cardiac death (SCD). In Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), the prognostic value of MDE for ventricular arrhythmias and death is unknown. This study aimed to evaluate associations between MDE and electrocardiographic (ECG) changes, ventricular remodeling, risk of arrhythmias, and death in DMD. This retrospective study included all subjects with DMD who had undergone a CMR between January 2006 and December 2011 and had available ECG and 24-h Holter records from the same period. Left ventricular (LV) MDE was semiquantitatively graded from 0 to 4. Comparisons of demographic and clinical characteristics between MDE and no-MDE groups were made. Cox regression analysis was performed to assess factors associated with death. This study investigated 32 boys with a median age of 13.8 years (range, 7.2-17.4 years) and found MDE present in 25 (78 %) of the boys. Compared with the no-MDE subjects, the MDE subjects were older (15.7 ± 3.3 vs 12.1 ± 4.8 years) and had a wider QT dispersion (QTd: 74 ± 30 vs 55 ± 33 ms), a higher incidence of ventricular tachycardia (40 vs 0 %), a lower LV ejection fraction (46 ± 12 vs 56 ± 9 %), a larger LV end-diastolic volume (124 ± 58 vs 68 ± 14 ml/m(2)), and a larger end-systolic volume (57 ± 29 vs 28 ± 10 ml/m(2)) (p < 0.05 for all). During the study period, six of the subjects (19 %) died. The factors associated with mortality were increased age, advanced grade of MDE, higher LV end-systolic volume, lower LV ejection fraction, use of beta-blockers, and ventricular tachycardia. Myocardial fibrosis detected by CMR is an independent predictor of adverse cardiac remodeling, ventricular arrhythmias, and death in DMD. Cardiac MRI using MDE can be applied as a screening tool to detect patients at risk for ventricular arrhythmias, more advanced disease, adverse LV remodeling, and death.

Risk factors for placenta accreta: a large prospective cohort.

OBJECTIVE: Placenta previa and prior cesarean delivery are known risk factors for placenta accreta. However, other risk factors have not been identified. Our objective was to examine risk factors for accreta using data collected prospectively in a large multicenter cohort. STUDY DESIGN: Secondary analysis of women with accreta compared to those without accreta in a large multicenter cesarean delivery cohort. Potential accreta risk factors were examined by univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: In this study, 196 of 73,257 (0.27%) cesarean deliveries were complicated by accreta. As expected, women with increasing numbers of prior cesareans were more likely to have an accreta (p < 0.001), as were women with previa (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 34.9; 95% confidence interval [CI], 22.4-54.3). We also considered only patients with previa and examined the following variables: maternal demographics, prior cesareans, interval between deliveries, parity, body mass index, tobacco use, and coexisting hypertension or diabetes. In this model, patients with previa and two or three prior cesarean deliveries had an adjusted OR for accreta of 4.9 (95% CI, 1.7-14.3) or 7.7 (95% CI, 2.4-24.9), respectively. However, no other variables were significantly associated with accreta. CONCLUSION: Patients with previa have increased risk for accreta that increases with the number of prior cesarean deliveries. However, no other maternal characteristics were associated with accreta.

Impact of Local Tailoring on Acute Stroke Care in 21 Disparate Emergency Departments: A Prospective Stepped Wedge Type III Hybrid Effectiveness-Implementation Study.

BACKGROUND: Faster delivery of tPA (tissue-type plasminogen activator) results in better health outcomes for eligible patients with stroke. Standardization of stroke protocols in emergency departments (EDs) has been difficult, especially in nonstroke centers. We measured the effectiveness of a centrally led implementation strategy with local site tailoring to sustain adherence to an acute stroke protocol to improve door-to-needle (DTN) times across disparate EDs in a multihospital health system. METHODS: Prospective, type III hybrid effectiveness-implementation cohort study measuring performance at 21 EDs in Utah and Idaho (stroke centers [4]/nonstroke centers [17]) from January 2018 to February 2020 using a nonrandomized stepped-wedge design, monthly repeated site measures and multilevel hierarchical modeling. Each site received the implementation strategies in 1 of 6 steps providing control and intervention data. Co-primary outcomes were percentage of DTN times ≤60 minutes and median DTN time. Secondary outcomes included percentage of door-to-activation of neurological consult times ≤10 minutes and clinical effectiveness outcomes. Results were stratified between stroke and nonstroke centers. RESULTS: A total of 855 474 ED patient encounters occurred with 5325 code stroke activations (median age, 69 [IQR, 56-79] years; 51.8% female patients]. Percentage of door-to-activation times ≤10 minutes increased from 47.5% to 59.9% (adjusted odds ratio, 1.93 [95% CI, 1.40-2.67]). A total of 615 patients received tPA of ≤3 hours from symptom onset (median age, 71 [IQR, 58-80] years; 49.6% female patients). The percentage of DTN times ≤60 minutes increased from 72.5% to 86.1% (adjusted odds ratio, 3.38, [95% CI, 1.47-7.78]; stroke centers (77.4%-90.0%); nonstroke centers [59.3%-72.1%]). Median DTN time declined from 46 to 38 minutes (adjusted median difference, -9.68 [95% CI, -17.17 to -2.20]; stroke centers [41-35 minutes]; nonstroke centers [55-52 minutes]). No differences were observed in clinical effectiveness outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: A centrally led implementation strategy with local site tailoring led to faster delivery of tPA across disparate EDs in a multihospital system with no change in clinical effectiveness outcomes including rates of complication. Disparities in performance persisted between stroke and nonstroke centers.