Sodium-glucose cotransport-2 inhibitor induced ketoacidosis following coronary artery bypass surgery: implications for management.

Sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) improve cardiovascular outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is an uncommon, but well recognised, life-threatening complication of SGLT2i. In a retrospective study of patients with T2D undergoing cardiac surgery at our institution, DKA occurred in 15.3% of patients taking SGLT2i at the time of surgery, compared with 0.47% of non-SGLT2i-treated patients. Intravenous insulin in the first 24 h after surgery was associated with a significantly lower risk of DKA in SGLT2i patients. Use of an insulin infusion should be considered in these patients, especially in those who are unable to cease their SGLT2i pre-operatively.

Rare Norovirus GIV Foodborne Outbreak, Wisconsin, USA.

We report a norovirus GIV outbreak in the United States, 15 years after the last reported outbreak. During May 2016 in Wisconsin, 53 persons, including 4 food handlers, reported being ill. The outbreak was linked to individually prepared fruit consumed as a fruit salad. The virus was phylogenetically classified as a novel GIV genotype.

Surgery versus cast immobilisation for adults with a bicortical fracture of the scaphoid waist (SWIFFT): a pragmatic, multicentre, open-label, randomised superiority trial.

BACKGROUND: Scaphoid fractures account for 90% of carpal fractures and occur predominantly in young men. The use of immediate surgical fixation to manage this type of fracture has increased, despite insufficient evidence of improved outcomes over non-surgical management. The SWIFFT trial compared the clinical effectiveness of surgical fixation with cast immobilisation and early fixation of fractures that fail to unite in adults with scaphoid waist fractures displaced by 2 mm or less. METHODS: This pragmatic, parallel-group, multicentre, open-label, two-arm, randomised superiority trial included adults (aged 16 years or older) who presented to orthopaedic departments of 31 hospitals in England and Wales with a clear bicortical fracture of the scaphoid waist on radiographs. An independent remote randomisation service used a computer-generated allocation sequence with randomly varying block sizes to randomly assign participants (1:1) to receive either early surgical fixation (surgery group) or below-elbow cast immobilisation followed by immediate fixation if non-union of the fracture was confirmed (cast immobilisation group). Randomisation was stratified by whether or not there was displacement of either a step or a gap of 1-2 mm inclusive on any radiographic view. The primary outcome was the total patient-rated wrist evaluation (PRWE) score at 52 weeks after randomisation, and it was analysed on an available case intention-to-treat basis. This trial is registered with the ISRCTN registry, ISRCTN67901257, and is no longer recruiting, but long-term follow-up is ongoing. FINDINGS: Between July 23, 2013, and July 26, 2016, 439 (42%) of 1047 assessed patients (mean age 33 years; 363 [83%] men) were randomly assigned to the surgery group (n=219) or to the cast immobilisation group (n=220). Of these, 408 (93%) participants were included in the primary analysis (203 participants in the surgery group and 205 participants in the cast immobilisation group). 16 participants in the surgery group and 15 participants in the cast immobilisation group were excluded because of either withdrawal, no response, or no follow-up data at 6, 12, 26, or 52 weeks. There was no significant difference in mean PRWE scores at 52 weeks between the surgery group (adjusted mean 11·9 [95% CI 9·2-14·5]) and the cast immobilisation group (14·0 [11·3 to 16·6]; adjusted mean difference -2·1 [95% CI -5·8 to 1·6], p=0·27). More participants in the surgery group (31 [14%] of 219 participants) had a potentially serious complication from surgery than in the cast immobilisation group (three [1%] of 220 participants), but fewer participants in the surgery group (five [2%]) had cast-related complications than in the cast immobilisation group (40 [18%]). The number of participants who had a medical complication was similar between the two groups (four [2%] in the surgery group and five [2%] in the cast immobilisation group). INTERPRETATION: Adult patients with scaphoid waist fractures displaced by 2 mm or less should have initial cast immobilisation, and any suspected non-unions should be confirmed and immediately fixed with surgery. This treatment strategy will help to avoid the risks of surgery and mostly limit the use of surgery to fixing fractures that fail to unite. FUNDING: National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment Programme.

Newborn Screening Practices and Alpha-Thalassemia Detection - United States, 2016.

Alpha-thalassemia comprises a group of inherited disorders in which alpha-hemoglobin chain production is reduced. Depending on the genotype, alpha-thalassemia results in moderate to profound anemia, hemolysis, growth delays, splenomegaly, and increased risk for thromboembolic events; certain patients might require chronic transfusions. Although alpha-thalassemia is not a core condition of the United States Recommended Uniform Screening Panel* for state newborn screening programs, methodologies used by some newborn screening programs to detect sickle cell disease, which is a core panel condition, also detect a quantitative marker of alpha-thalassemia, hemoglobin (Hb) Bart's, an abnormal type of hemoglobin. The percentage of Hb Bart's detected correlates with alpha-thalassemia severity. The Association of Public Health Laboratories' Hemoglobinopathy Workgroup conducted a survey of state newborn screening programs' alpha-thalassemia screening methodologies and reporting and follow-up practices. Survey findings indicated that 41 of 44 responding programs (93%) report some form of alpha-thalassemia results and 57% used a two-method screening protocol. However, the percentage of Hb Bart's used for thalassemia classification, the types of alpha-thalassemia reported, and the recipients of this information varied widely. These survey findings highlight the opportunity for newborn screening programs to revisit their policies as they reevaluate their practices in light of the recently released guideline from the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) on Newborn Screening for Hemoglobinopathies (1). Although deferring to local programs for policies, the report used a cutoff of 25% Hb Bart's in its decision tree, a value many programs do not use. Standardization of screening and reporting might lead to more timely diagnoses and health care services and improved outcomes for persons with a clinically significant alpha-thalassemia.

Cooled Radiofrequency Ablation Treatment of the Genicular Nerves in the Treatment of Osteoarthritic Knee Pain: 18- and 24-Month Results.

OBJECTIVE: The primary objective of this observational, prospective, multicenter study was to evaluate the long-term outcomes, including pain, function, and perceived effect of treatment, in subjects undergoing cooled radiofrequency ablation (CRFA) who have pain due to osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee. METHODS: This analysis included a subset of subjects previously enrolled in a prospective, multicenter randomized study comparing the safety and effectiveness of CRFA and intra-articular steroid injection in patients with knee OA through 12 months who were contacted to participate in this extension study. Subjects were enrolled if they agreed to participate in up to 2 additional follow-ups, at 18 and 24 months. RESULTS: Eighty-three subjects from the 5 participating sites underwent CRFA during the original study and were contacted for this extension study. Of the 33 subjects enrolled, 25 were evaluated at 18 months after CRFA treatment, and their mean numeric rating scale (NRS) score was 3.1 ± 2.7, with 12 subjects reporting ≥50% pain relief compared to baseline. At 24 months, 18 subjects reported a mean NRS score of 3.6 ± 2.8, with 11 demonstrating ≥50% pain relief. Functional improvement as measured by the Oxford Knee Score continued to be present, with an overall mean change from baseline of 26.0 ± 9.6 points at 18 months and 29.9 ± 10.4 points at 24 months. CONCLUSION: In this subset of subjects from a randomized controlled trial, CRFA provided sustained pain relief, improved function, and perceived positive effect through 24 months for subjects with OA knee pain with no safety concerns identified.

Equipping Public Spaces to Facilitate Rapid Point-of-Injury Hemorrhage Control After Mass Casualty.

In response to increasing violent attacks, the Stop the Bleed campaign recommends that everyone have access to both personal and public bleeding-control kits. There are currently no guidelines about how many bleeding victims public sites should be equipped to treat during a mass casualty incident. We conducted a retrospective review of intentional mass casualty incidents, including shootings, stabbings, vehicle attacks, and bombings, to determine the typical number of people who might benefit from immediate hemorrhage control by a bystander before professional medical help arrives. On the basis of our analysis, we recommend that planners at public venues consider equipping their sites with supplies to treat a minimum of 20 bleeding victims during an intentional mass casualty incident.

Selective Radiofrequency Stimulation of the Dorsal Root Ganglion (DRG) as a Method for Predicting Targets for Neuromodulation in Patients With Post Amputation Pain: A Case Series.

OBJECTIVE: While spinal cord stimulation (SCS) has established itself as an accepted and validated treatment for neuropathic pain, there are a number of conditions where it has experienced less, long-term success: post amputee pain (PAP) being one of them. Dorsal root ganglion (DRG) stimulation has shown great promise, particularly in conditions where traditional SCS has fallen short. One major difference between DRG stimulation and traditional SCS is the ability to provide focal stimulation over targeted areas. While this may be a contributing factor to its superiority, it can also be a limitation insofar stimulating the wrong DRG(s) can lead to failure. This is particularly relevant in conditions like PAP where neuroplastic maladaptation occurs causing the pain to deviate from expected patterns, thus creating uncertainty and variability in predicting targets for stimulation. We propose selective radiofrequency (RF) stimulation of the DRG as a method for preoperatively predicting targets for neuromodulation in patients with PAP. METHODS: We present four patients with PAP of the lower extremities. RF stimulation was used to selectively stimulate individual DRG's, creating areas of paresthesias to see which most closely correlated/overlapped with the painful area(s). RF stimulation to the DRG's that resulted in the desirable paresthesia coverage in the residual or the missing limb(s) was recorded as "positive." Trial DRG leads were placed based on the positive RF stimulation findings. RESULTS: In each patient, stimulating one or more DRG(s) produced paresthesias patterns that were contradictory to know dermatomal patterns. Upon completion of a one-week trial all four patients reported 60-90% pain relief, with coverage over the painful areas, and opted for permanent implant. CONCLUSIONS: Mapping the DRG via RF stimulation appears to provide improved accuracy for determining lead placement in the setting of PAP where pain patterns are known to deviate from conventional dermatomal mapping.

Surgery for Dupuytren's contracture of the fingers.

BACKGROUND: Dupuytren's disease is a benign fibroproliferative disorder that causes the fingers to be drawn into the palm via formation of new tissue under the glabrous skin of the hand. This disorder causes functional limitations, but it can be treated through a variety of surgical techniques. As a chronic condition, it tends to recur. OBJECTIVES: To assess the benefits and harms of different surgical procedures for treatment of Dupuytren's contracture of the index, middle, ring and little fingers. SEARCH METHODS: We initially searched the following databases on 17 September 2012, then re-searched them on 10 March 2014 and on 20 May 2015: the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), The Cochrane Library, the British Nursing Index and Archive (BNI), the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), EMBASE, the Latin American Caribbean Health Sciences Literature (LILACS), Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid MEDLINE-In-Process and Other Non-Indexed Citations, ProQuest (ABI/INFORM Global and Dissertations & Theses), the Institute for Scientific Information (ISI) Web of Science and clinicaltrials.gov. We reviewed the reference lists of short-listed articles to identify additional suitable studies. SELECTION CRITERIA: We included randomised clinical trials and controlled clinical trials in which groups received surgical intervention for Dupuytren's disease of the index, middle, ring or little finger versus control, or versus another intervention (surgical or otherwise). We excluded the thumb, as cords form on the radial aspect of the thumb and thus are not readily accessible in terms of angular deformity. Furthermore, thumb disease is rare. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: A minimum of two review authors independently reviewed search results to select studies for inclusion by using pre-specified criteria, assessed risk of bias of included studies and extracted data from included studies.We grouped outcomes into the following categories: (1) hand function, (2) other patient-reported outcomes (e.g. satisfaction, pain), (3) early objective outcomes (e.g. correction of angular deformity), (4) late objective outcomes (e.g. recurrence) and (5) adverse effects. MAIN RESULTS: We included 14 articles describing 13 studies, comprising 11 single-centre studies and two multi-centre studies. These studies involved 944 hands of 940 participants; of these, 93 participants were reported twice in separate articles describing early and late outcomes of one trial. Three papers reported the outcomes of two trials comparing different procedures. One trial compared needle fasciotomy versus fasciectomy (125 hands, 121 participants), and the other compared interposition firebreak skin grafting versus z-plasty closure of fasciectomy (79 participants). The other 11 studies reported trials of technical refinements of procedures or rehabilitation adjuncts. Of these, three investigated effects of postoperative splinting on surgical outcomes.Ten studies (11 articles) were randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of varying methodological quality; one was a controlled clinical trial. Trial design was unclear in two studies awaiting classification. All trials had high or unclear risk of at least one type of bias. High risks of performance and detection bias were particularly common. We downgraded the quality of evidence (Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development and Evaluation - GRADE) of outcomes to low because of concerns about risk of bias and imprecision.Outcomes measured varied between studies. Five articles assessed recurrence; two defined this as reappearance of palpable disease and two as deterioration in angular deformity; one did not explicitly define recurrence.Hand function on the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) Scale (scores between 0 and 100, with higher scores indicating greater impairment) was 5 points lower after needle fasciotomy than after fasciectomy at five weeks. Patient satisfaction was better after fasciotomy at six weeks, but the magnitude of effect was not specified. Fasciectomy improved contractures more effectively in severe disease: Mean percentage reduction in total passive extension deficit at six weeks for Tubiana grades I and II was 11% lower after needle fasciotomy than after fasciectomy, whereas for grades III and IV disease, it was 29% and 32% lower.Paraesthesia (defined as subjective tingling sensation without objective evidence of altered sensation) was more common than needle fasciotomy at one week after fasciectomy (228/1000 vs 67/1000), but reporting of complications was variable.By five years, satisfaction (on a scale from 0 to 10, with higher scores showing greater satisfaction) was 2.1/10 points higher in the fasciectomy group than in the fasciotomy group, and recurrence was greater after fasciotomy (849/1000 vs 209/1000). Firebreak skin grafting did not improve outcomes more than fasciectomy alone, although this procedure took longer to perform.One trial investigated four weeks of day and night splinting followed by two months of night splinting after surgery. The other two trials investigated three months of night splinting after surgery, but participants in 'no splint' groups with early deterioration at one week were issued a splint for use. All three studies demonstrated no benefit from splinting. The two trials investigating postoperative night splinting were suitable for meta-analysis, which demonstrated no benefit from splinting: Mean DASH score in the splint groups was 1.15 points lower (95% confidence interval (CI) -2.32 to 4.62) than in the no splint groups. Mean total active extension in the splint groups was 2.21 degrees greater (95% CI -3.59 to 8.01 degrees) than in the no splint groups. Mean total active flexion in the splint groups was 8.42 degrees less (95% CI 1.78 to 15.07 degrees) than in the no splint groups. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Currently, insufficient evidence is available to show the relative superiority of different surgical procedures (needle fasciotomy vs fasciectomy, or interposition firebreak skin grafting vs z-plasty closure of fasciectomy). Low-quality evidence suggests that postoperative splinting may not improve outcomes and may impair outcomes by reducing active flexion. Further trials on this topic are urgently required.

Degenerative change at the pseudarthrosis after trapeziectomy at 6-year followup.

BACKGROUND: Simple trapeziectomy has a well-documented history of success for the management of osteoarthritis at the trapeziometacarpal joint. There is concern, however, that late-onset failure can occur as a result of the development of degenerative disease at the scaphoid-metacarpal pseudarthrosis. QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: The purpose of this study was to determine whether (1) radiographic changes of degenerative joint disease progressed; (2) the pseudarthrosis height diminished between 1 year and 6 years after either simple trapeziectomy or trapeziectomy with ligament reconstruction and tendon interposition (LRTI); and 3) the presence of degenerative changes were associated with inferior scores on standardized outcomes instruments. METHODS: Using cases from an earlier randomized trial, the 1-year and 6-year stress radiographs of the pseudarthrosis between the distal pole of the scaphoid and the base of the thumb metacarpal were assessed for degenerative change in 25 thumbs that had undergone simple excision of the trapezium and 29 that had undergone trapeziectomy + LRTI for painful trapeziometacarpal joint osteoarthritis. Degenerative change was graded according to a Kellgren and Lawrence system, and clinical results were assessed using the Patient Evaluation Measure (PEM), Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) questionnaires, and thumb key pinch strength. RESULTS: One of the 29 thumbs treated with trapeziectomy + LRTI and seven of the 25 thumbs treated by simple excision of the trapezium exhibited increased degenerative change at their final followup. A pseudarthrosis space was preserved in 22 of the 25 simple trapeziectomies and 28 of the 29 trapeziectomies + LRTI. The presence of degenerative change did not adversely affect the outcome as measured by the PEM, the DASH, or thumb key pinch strength. CONCLUSIONS: Increased degenerate-like changes were observed after simple excision of the trapezium but these did not influence the clinical outcome. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level II, therapeutic study. See Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Needle fasciotomy versus limited fasciectomy for the treatment of Dupuytren's contractures of the fingers (Hand-2): study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Dupuytren's contractures (DC) are fibrous cords under the skin of the hand that cause one or more fingers to curl gradually and irreversibly towards the palm. These contractures are usually painless but can cause a loss of hand function. Two treatments for Dupuytren's contractures are widely used within the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK: removal of the contractures via surgery (limited fasciectomy) and division of the contractures via a needle inserted through the skin (needle fasciotomy). This study aims to establish the clinical and cost-effectiveness of needle fasciotomy (NF) versus limited fasciectomy (LF) for the treatment of DC in the NHS, in terms of patient-reported hand function and resource utilisation. METHODS/DESIGN: Hand-2 is a national multi-centre, two-arm, parallel-group randomised, non-inferiority trial. Patients will be eligible to join the trial if they are aged 18 years or older, have at least one previously untreated finger with a well-defined Dupuytren's contracture of 30° or greater that causes functional problems and is suitable for treatment with either LF or NF. Patients with a contracture of the distal interphalangeal joint only are ineligible. Eligible consenting patients will be randomised 1:1 to receive either NF or LF and will be followed up for 24 months post-treatment. A QuinteT Recruitment Intervention will be used to optimise recruitment. The primary outcome measure is the participant-reported assessment of hand function, assessed by the Hand Health Profile of the Patient Evaluation Measure (PEM) questionnaire at 12 months post-treatment. Secondary outcomes include other patient-reported measures, loss of finger movement, and cost-effectiveness, reported over the 24-month post-treatment. Embedded qualitative research will explore patient experiences and acceptability of treatment at 2 years post-surgery. DISCUSSION: This study will determine whether treatment with needle fasciotomy is non-inferior to limited fasciectomy in terms of patient-reported hand function at 12 months post-treatment. TRIAL REGISTRATION: International Standard Registered Clinical/soCial sTudy ISRCTN12525655. Registered on 18th September 2020.

Effects and clinical significance of GII.4 Sydney norovirus, United States, 2012-2013.

During 2012, global detection of a new norovirus (NoV) strain, GII.4 Sydney, raised concerns about its potential effect in the United States. We analyzed data from NoV outbreaks in 5 states and emergency department visits for gastrointestinal illness in 1 state during the 2012-13 season and compared the data with those of previous seasons. During August 2012-April 2013, a total of 637 NoV outbreaks were reported compared with 536 and 432 in 2011-2012 and 2010-2011 during the same period. The proportion of outbreaks attributed to GII.4 Sydney increased from 8% in September 2012 to 82% in March 2013. The increase in emergency department visits for gastrointestinal illness during the 2012-13 season was similar to that of previous seasons. GII.4 Sydney has become the predominant US NoV outbreak strain during the 2012-13 season, but its emergence did not cause outbreak activity to substantially increase from that of previous seasons.

Rationale, design and methods for a community-based study of clustering and cumulative effects of chronic disease processes and their effects on ageing: the Busselton healthy ageing study.

BACKGROUND: The global trend of increased life expectancy and increased prevalence of chronic and degenerative diseases will impact on health systems. To identify effective intervention and prevention strategies, greater understanding of the risk factors for and cumulative effects of chronic disease processes and their effects on function and quality of life is needed.The Busselton Healthy Ageing Study aims to enhance understanding of ageing by relating the clustering and interactions of common chronic conditions in adults to function. Longitudinal (3-5 yearly) follow-up is planned. METHODS/DESIGN: Phase I (recruitment) is a cross-sectional community-based prospective cohort study involving up to 4,000 'Baby Boomers' (born from 1946 to 1964) living in the Busselton Shire, Western Australia. The study protocol involves a detailed, self-administered health and risk factor questionnaire and a range of physical assessments including body composition and bone density measurements, cardiovascular profiling (blood pressure, ECG and brachial pulse wave velocity), retinal photography, tonometry, auto-refraction, spirometry and bronchodilator responsiveness, skin allergy prick tests, sleep apnoea screening, tympanometry and audiometry, grip strength, mobility, balance and leg extensor strength. Cognitive function and reserve, semantic memory, and pre-morbid intelligence are assessed. Participants provide a fasting blood sample for assessment of lipids, blood glucose, C-reactive protein and renal and liver function, and RNA, DNA and serum are stored. Clinically relevant results are provided to all participants. The prevalence of risk factors, symptoms and diagnosed illness will be calculated and the burden of illness will be estimated based on the observed relationships and clustering of symptoms and illness within individuals. Risk factors for combinations of illness will be compared with those for single illnesses and the relation of combinations of illness and symptoms to cognitive and physical function will be estimated. DISCUSSION: This study will enable a thorough characterization of multiple disease processes and their risk factors within a community-based sample of individuals to determine their singular, interactive and cumulative effects on ageing. The project will provide novel cross-sectional data and establish a cohort that will be used for longitudinal analyses of the genetic, lifestyle and environmental factors that determine whether an individual ages well or with impairment.

Five- to 18-year follow-up for treatment of trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis: a prospective comparison of excision, tendon interposition, and ligament reconstruction and tendon interposition.

PURPOSE: To investigate whether palmaris longus interposition or flexor carpi radialis ligament reconstruction and tendon interposition improve the outcome of trapezial excision for the treatment of basal joint arthritis after a minimum follow-up of 5 years. METHODS: We randomized 174 thumbs with trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis into 3 groups to undergo simple trapeziectomy, trapeziectomy with palmaris longus interposition, or trapeziectomy with ligament reconstruction and tendon interposition using 50% of the flexor carpi radialis tendon. A K-wire was passed across the trapezial void and retained for 4 weeks, and a thumb spica was used for 6 weeks in all 3 groups. We reviewed 153 thumbs after a minimum of 5 years (median, 6 y; range, 5-18 y) after surgery with subjective and objective assessments of thumb pain, function, and strength. RESULTS: There was no difference in the pain relief achieved in the 3 treatment groups, with good results in 120 (78%) patients. Grip strength and key and tip pinch strengths did not differ among the 3 groups and range of movement of the thumb was similar. Few complications persisted after 5 years, and these were distributed evenly among the 3 groups. Compared with the results at 1 year in the same group of patients, the good pain relief achieved was maintained in the longer term, irrespective of the type of surgery. While improvements in grip strength achieved at 1 year after surgery were preserved, the key and tip pinch strengths deteriorated with time, but the type of surgery did not influence this. CONCLUSIONS: The outcomes of these 3 variations of trapeziectomy were similar after a minimum follow-up of 5 years. There appears to be no benefit to tendon interposition or ligament reconstruction in the longer term.

Surface plasmon resonances in strongly coupled gold nanosphere chains from monomer to hexamer.

We present experimental data on the light scattering properties of linear chains of gold nanoparticles with up to six nanoparticles and an interparticle spacing of 1 nm. A red shift of the surface plasmon resonance with increasing chain length is observed. An exponential model applied to the experimental data allows determination of an asymptotic maximum resonance at a chain length of 10-12 particles. The optical data are compared with analytical and numerical calculation methods (EEM and BEM).

A Systematic Review of Treatment Interventions for Metacarpal Shaft Fractures in Adults.

Metacarpal shaft fractures are common hand injuries that predominantly affect younger patients. There is wide variability in their treatment with no consensus on best practice. We performed a systematic review to assess the breadth and quality of available evidence supporting different treatment modalities for metacarpal shaft fractures of the finger digits in adults. A comprehensive search was conducted across multiple databases, in line with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. A total of 1600 records were identified; 7 studies fulfilled eligibility criteria and were included. No randomized controlled trials directly comparing surgery with nonsurgical treatment were found. One retrospective study compared nonsurgical with surgical treatment, whereas 6 compared surgical or nonsurgical treatments. Considerable heterogeneity between studies along with a high or critical risk of bias restricts direct comparison and conclusions. There is a lack of high-quality evidence to guide treatment, supporting the need for well-designed, multicenter trials to identify the most effective and cost-efficient treatment for metacarpal shaft fractures in adults.

A comparative analysis of multidimensional computerized adaptive testing for the DASH and QuickDASH scores in Dupuytren's disease.

The QuickDASH is a short-form version of the DASH questionnaire, the most widely used patient-reported outcome measure in hand surgery. Multidimensional computerized adaptive testing (MCAT) can produce shorter and more precise testing than static short forms, like QuickDASH. We used DASH responses from 507 patients with Dupuytren's disease to develop a MCAT. The algorithm was evaluated in a Monte Carlo simulation, where the standard error of measurement (SEm) of scores obtained from the 11-item QuickDASH was compared with scores obtained from an MCAT that could administer up to 11 items from the full 30-item DASH. The MCAT asked a mean of 8.51 items (SD 2.93) and 265/1000 simulated respondents needed to complete ≤five items. Median SEms were better for DASH MCAT: 0.299 (hand function) and 0.256 (sensory symptoms) versus 0.320 and 0.290, respectively, for QuickDASH. Our study showed that the DASH MCAT can produce more precise DASH measurement than the QuickDASH, from fewer items.

Trapeziometacarpal joint arthritis: a personal approach to its treatment.

Many hand surgeons have fixed beliefs on how trapeziometcarapl (TMC) osteoarthritis should be treated. However, not all hand surgeons share the same fixed beliefs, so different factions of hand surgeons can hold contradictory beliefs. Many retain their fixed beliefs, rather than reconsidering them, when the best available evidence challenges them. The problem causing this heterogeneity of fixed beliefs is the lack of high-quality evidence that can withstand critical appraisal and cannot be ignored or simply dismissed by those with rigid contradictory beliefs. This article examines some of the dogmas surrounding the treatment of TMC osteoarthritis.

Protocol for surgical and non-surgical treatment for metacarpal shaft fractures in adults: an observational feasibility study.

INTRODUCTION: Metacarpal shaft fractures (MSF) are common traumatic hand injuries that usually affect young people of working age. They place a significant burden on healthcare resources and society; however, there is a lack of evidence to guide their treatment. Identifying the most beneficial and cost-efficient treatment will ensure optimisation of care and provide economic value for the National Health Service. The aim of this study is to assess the feasibility of a randomised controlled trial comparing surgical and non-surgical treatment for MSF in adults. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This is a multicentre prospective cohort study, with a nested qualitative study consisting of patient interviews and focus groups, and an embedded factorial randomised substudy evaluating the use of text messages to maximise data collection and participant retention. The outcomes of interest include eligibility, recruitment and retention rates, completion of follow-up, evaluation of primary outcome measures, calculation of the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) for selected outcome measures and establishing the feasibility of data collection methods and appropriate time-points for use in a future trial. Data will be captured using a secure online data management system. Data analyses will be descriptive and a thematic inductive analysis will be used for qualitative data. Minimum clinically important effects for each patient-reported outcome measure will be estimated using anchor-based responsiveness statistics and distribution-based methods. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This study has received ethical approval from the Research Ethics Committee and the Health Research Authority (REC reference 20/EE/0124). Results will be made available to patients, clinicians, researchers and the funder via peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations. Social media platforms, local media and feedback from the Patient Advisory Group will be used to maximise circulation of findings to patients and the public. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ISRCTN13922779.

Common hand and wrist conditions: creation of UK research priorities defined by a James Lind Alliance Priority Setting Partnership.

OBJECTIVE: Prioritisation of important treatment uncertainties for 'Common Conditions Affecting the Hand and Wrist' via a UK-based James Lind Alliance Priority Setting Partnership. SETTING: This process was funded by a national charitable organisation and based in the UK. PARTICIPANTS: Anyone with experience of common conditions affecting the adult hand and wrist, including patients, carers and healthcare professionals. All treatment modalities delivered by a hand specialist, including therapists, surgeons or other allied professionals, were considered. INTERVENTIONS: Established James Lind Alliance Priority Setting Partnership methods were employed.Electronic and paper questionnaires identified potential uncertainties. These were subsequently confirmed using relevant, up-to-date systematic reviews. A final list of top 10 research uncertainties was developed via a face-to-face workshop with representation from patients and clinicians. Impact of research was sought by surveying hand clinicians electronically. OUTCOME MEASURES: The survey responses and prioritisation-both survey and workshop based. RESULTS: There were 889 individually submitted questions from the initial survey, refined to 59 uncertainties across 32 themes. Eight additional uncertainties were added from published literature before prioritisation by 261 participants and the workshop allowed the final top 10 list to be finalised. The top 10 has so far contributed to the award of over £3.8 million of competitively awarded funding. CONCLUSIONS: The Common Conditions in the Hand and Wrist Priority Setting Partnership identified important research questions and has allowed research funders to identify grant applications which are important to both patients and clinicians.

Plasmon coupling of gold nanorods at short distances and in different geometries.

The experimentally determined scattering spectra of discrete, crystalline, gold nanorod dimers arranged side-to-side, end-to-end, at right angles in different orientations and also with longitudinal offsets are reported along with the electron micrographs of the individual dimers. The spectra exhibit both red- and blue-shifted surface plasmon resonances, consistent with the plasmon hybridization model. However, the plasmon coupling constant for gold dimers with less than a few nanometers separation between the particles does not obey the exponential dependence predicted by the Universal Plasmon Ruler equation. The experimentally determined spectra are compared with electrodynamic calculations and the interactions between the individual rod plasmons in different dimer orientations are elucidated.