Assessing the Modified Frailty Index and Post-Operative Outcomes in Adhesive Small Bowel Obstruction: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

INTRODUCTION: Studies identifying predictors of postoperative outcomes in adhesive small bowel obstruction are limited. This study investigates the efficacy of the modified frailty index (mFI)to predict postoperative morbidity and mortality among patients undergoing surgery for adhesive small bowel obstruction. METHODS: A multicentre retrospective cohort study including patients undergoing surgery for adhesive small bowel obstruction after failed trial of nonoperative management between January 2015 and December 2020 was performed. Impact of frailty status using the mFI, stratified as frail (≥0.27) and robust (<0.27), on postoperative morbidity, mortality, length of stay, and discharge destination was evaluated using multiple logistic regression. RESULTS: Ninety-two robust patients (mean age 62.4 y, 68% female) and 41 frail patients (mean age 81.7 y, 63% female) were included. On simple stratification, frail patients had significantly increased 30-d morbidity (overall morbidity 80% versus 49%) and need for higher level of care on discharge (41% versus 9%). However, on multiple regression, functional dependence but not the mFI, was independently associated with worse 30-d overall morbidity (odds ratio [OR] 3.97, confidence interval [CI] 1.29-12.19) and lower likelihood of returning to preoperative disposition (OR 0.21, CI 0.05-0.91). The delay in operation beyond 5 d was independently associated with worse 30-d outcomes including overall morbidity and mortality (OR 7.54, CI 2.13-26.73) and decreased return to preoperative disposition (OR 0.14, CI 0.04-0.56). CONCLUSIONS: The mFI, although promising, was not independently predictive of outcomes following surgery for adhesive small bowel obstruction. Further adequately powered studies are required.

Postoperative Gastrointestinal Dysfunction After Neuromuscular Blockade Reversal With Sugammadex Versus Cholinesterase Inhibitors in Patients Undergoing Gastrointestinal Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative gastrointestinal dysfunction (POGD) commonly occurs following gastrointestinal (GI) surgery and is associated with specific anesthetic agents. Cholinesterase inhibitors employed for reversing neuromuscular blockade have been implicated in development of POGD. Sugammadex, a novel reversal agent, is linked with reduced POGD. However, there is a lack of comprehensive comparative review between these agents regarding their impact on POGD following GI surgery. This study aims to systematically review the effects of sugammadex on POGD compared to cholinesterase inhibitors following GI surgery. METHODS: MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CENTRAL were searched as of July 2022 to identify articles comparing sugammadex with cholinesterase inhibitors in patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery, specifically in relation to POGD. Secondary endpoints included length of hospital stay, readmission rates, pulmonary complications, and postoperative morbidity. RESULTS: From 198 citations, 2 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and 3 retrospective cohorts with 717 patients receiving sugammadex and 812 patients receiving cholinesterase inhibitors were included. Significantly lower rates of prolonged postoperative ileus (OR .44, 95% CI .25-.77, P < .05, I2 = 56%, low certainty evidence) was observed with sugammadex. No significant difference in any other outcome was observed. Narrative review of readmission data demonstrated no significant difference. CONCLUSION: The use of sugammadex following gastrointestinal surgery is associated with significantly lower rates of prolonged postoperative ileus compared to cholinesterase inhibitors. However, these do not translate into a significant reduction in length of stay, morbidity, or postoperative nausea and vomiting. Results are limited by the numer of studies included and missing data, more robust RCTs are needed before recommendations can be made.

HEmoRhoidal disease management with Band ligation versus polidocanol Sclerotherapy: a systematic review and meta-analysis (the HerBS Review).

PURPOSE: Symptomatic internal hemorrhoids affect up to 40% of people in Western society. Patients with grade I-III hemorrhoids, who fail lifestyle and medical management, may benefit from office-based procedures. As per the American Society of Colon and Rectum Surgeons (ASCRS), rubber band ligation (RBL) is the first-line office-based treatment. Polidocanol sclerotherapy is a relatively new approach for these patients. The aim of this systematic review is to compare the efficacy of RBL and polidocanol sclerotherapy with the treatment of symptomatic grade I-III internal hemorrhoids. METHODS: The systematic review was completed by searching MEDLINE, Embase, and CENTRAL databases from inception to August 2022 for prospective studies comparing RBL and polidocanol sclerotherapy or evaluating the efficacy of polidocanol sclerotherapy alone for adult (> 18 years) patients with grade I-III internal hemorrhoids. Treatments were evaluated for therapeutic success and post-procedure morbidity. RESULTS: Of 155 citations obtained, 10 studies (3 comparative and 7 single-arm studies) and 4 abstracts (2 comparative and 2 single arm) were included in the study. The patients undergoing sclerotherapy had a 93% (151/163) therapeutic success rate compared to 75% (68/91) in the RBL group (OR 3.39, 95% CI 1.48-7.74, p < 0.01). The post-procedure morbidity was 8% (17/200) in the sclerotherapy group and 18% (23/128) in the RBL group (OR 0.53, 95% CI 0.15-1.82, p = 0.31). CONCLUSION: This study highlights that polidocanol sclerotherapy may be associated with higher therapeutic success in patients with symptomatic grade I-III internal hemorrhoids. Further evaluations in the form of randomized trials are required to evaluate patient populations, which may benefit more from sclerotherapy.

Racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic inequities in amputation risk for patients with peripheral artery disease and diabetes.

Peripheral artery disease and diabetes are highly prevalent diseases and the leading cause of limb loss. Despite advances in medical and surgical techniques, there are stark differences in delivery and outcomes of lower extremity amputation among populations when stratified by race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. We reviewed studies from the last 2 decades (1999-2022) to provide a comprehensive assessment of the current impact of disparities on the risk for, and management of, lower extremity amputation and offer action items that can optimize health outcomes.

The short and long-term effects of open vs minimally invasive thymectomy in myasthenia gravis patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Thymectomy has been utilized as a treatment for Myasthenia Gravis (MG) for many decades, with both open and minimally invasive surgical (MIS) techniques currently used. Although MIS has shown improved short-term results, long-term effects remain uncertain. This systematic review and meta-analysis aim to compare the post-operative and long-term outcomes of MIS versus open thymectomy in MG patients. METHODS: MEDLINE, EMBASE and CENTRAL databases were searched from inception till January 2022 for keywords related to MG and open or MIS thymectomy. Primary outcome was complete stable remission (CSR), and secondary outcomes were clinical improvement, complications, length of stay, operation time, and blood loss. Grading of recommendations, assessment, development, and evaluation was used to assess the certainty of evidence. RESULTS: 26 studies with 3588 patients were included in the analysis. At 1, 3 and 5 years, there was no statistical difference noted in CSR between open versus MIS thymectomy. However, CSR was improved at 1 year for MIS thymectomy in non-thymomatous MG (P = 0.03). There was no significant difference in rates of partial clinical improvement between techniques at 1-year. Although analyses on length of hospital stay and blood loss showed improvement following MIS thymectomy, operative time was shorter for open thymectomy. CONCLUSION: This is the first systematic review and meta-analysis assessing long-term effects of MIS versus open thymectomy in MG patients. Given the lack of significant differences noted, either MIS or open thymectomy can be performed, based on surgeon preference. Further high-level, long-term research should be conducted to determine the benefit of each technique.

A Systematic Review of the Recruitment and Outcome Reporting by Sex and Race/Ethnicity in Stent Device Development Trials for Endovascular Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair.

BACKGROUND: Women and racial/ethnic minority groups have been shown to experience poor outcomes after endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR). One potential reason is the rare inclusion of these populations in initial phases of device development. The objective of this systematic review is to understand enrollment and outcome reporting by sex and race/ethnicity in industry-funded EVAR device development trials. METHODS: MEDLINE, PubMed, and Embase were searched from inception to January 2022 without language restrictions using the following terminology: "stent", "graft", "endograft", "device", and "abdominal aortic aneurysm" (AAA). CLINICALTRIALS: gov was also searched from inception to January 2022 for "AAA." Two independent reviewers screened and extracted data. All phase I-III and postmarket evaluation trials that included patients ≥18 years of age, who underwent EVAR were assessed. Participation-to-prevalence ratios (PPRs) were calculated to estimate representation of participants by sex and race/ethnicity in trials compared with their share of disease burden. RESULTS: Among the 4,780 retrieved articles, 55 industry-funded trials met inclusion criteria for this review. A total of 51 trials (93%) reported enrollment by sex/gender, and only 7 trials (13%) reported enrollment by race/ethnicity of the participants. A median of 19 (interquartile range [IQR]: 4.5, 51) women participants were recruited compared to 171 (IQR: 57, 311.5) men, and 17 (IQR: 7.5, 21.5) racial/minority patients were recruited compared to 241 (IQR: 123, 463.5) White participants. Women represent 16.6% of the disease population, and the median PPR is 0.62 (IQR: 0.42, 0.88), which has remained constant over time (Figure 1). None of the device trials reported outcomes based on sex/gender or race/ethnicity. CONCLUSIONS: This systematic review highlights the disparities in recruitment and outcome reporting based on sex and race/ethnicity in EVAR device development trials. While most trials may be underpowered to study these differences, recent registry studies show differential outcomes based on sex and race/ethnicity of vascular patients. Therefore, it is imperative to include and report outcomes in these participants, starting from the initial device development phases to improve generalizability of device-use and understand sources of variation in device performance.

A Scoping Review of Foot Screening in Adults With Diabetes Mellitus Across Canada.

OBJECTIVES: Regular foot screening by a knowledgeable health-care provider is the cornerstone of ulcer and amputation prevention in people with diabetes. However, information on foot screening practices among Canadians with diabetes remains sparse. Therefore, we sought to synthesize available data on the frequency and approach to diabetic foot screening across Canada. METHODS: We conducted a scoping review by searching MEDLINE and Embase databases, alongside a grey literature search, for both English- and French-language reports. Data on patients' demographics, setting as well as the frequency of and approach to foot screening were abstracted. Title and abstract screening, full-text review and data abstraction were conducted in duplicate, with discrepancies resolved by a third reviewer. RESULTS: The search yielded 21 reports including information on diabetic foot screening practices in Canada. In a consolidated study sample of 13,388 Canadians with diabetes, 7,277 (53%) reported receiving a foot examination by a health-care provider at least once in the past year. The majority of reports did not provide information on the demographics of patients being screened or details on the approach to foot screening. No report mentioned the use of a triage algorithm applied to the results of foot screening. CONCLUSIONS: In this work, we identified the limited frequency and uncertain quality of diabetic foot screening across Canada. Further research should focus on better understanding disparities and barriers to regular diabetic foot screening.

The Role of the Canadian Media During the Initial Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Topic Modelling Approach Using Canadian Broadcasting Corporation News Articles.

BACKGROUND: Beginning as a local epidemic, COVID-19 has since rapidly evolved into a pandemic. As countries around the world battle this outbreak, mass media has played an active role in disseminating public health information. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to get a better understanding of the role that the Canadian media played during the pandemic and to investigate the patterns of topics covered by media news reporting. METHODS: We used a data set consisting of news articles published on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) website between December 2019 and May 2020. We then used Python software to analyze the data using Latent Dirichlet Allocation topic modelling. Subsequently, we used the pyLDAvis tool to plot these topics on a 2D plane through multidimensional scaling and divided these topics into different themes. RESULTS: After removing articles that were published before the year 2019, we identified 6771 relevant news articles. According to the CV coherence value, we divided these articles into 15 topics, which were categorized into 6 themes. The three most popular themes were case reporting and testing (n=1738), Canadian response to the pandemic (n=1259), and changes to social life (n=1171), which accounted for 25.67%, 18.59%, and 17.29% of the total articles, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Understanding the Canadian media's reporting on the COVID-19 pandemic shows that the Canadian pandemic response is a product of consistent government communication, as well as the public's understanding of and adherence to protocols.

Identifying the gap in clinical skills: a pilot study investigating the use of clinical respiratory examination skills in practice.

There is a paucity of literature that explores whether students use clinical skills learned during medical school in practice. The study aimed to report on the most clinically relevant examination skills to focus on and increase student preparedness for clinical practice. We disseminated a 10-minute online anonymised survey to residents and physicians using an open recruitment strategy with convenience and snowball sampling. This survey sought to determine the practical use of respiratory exam skills. We conducted basic quantitative and descriptive content analysis to evaluate results.From a total of 161 respondents, 148 completed the entire survey. The majority of respondents found all 12 inspection skills to be useful in practice. Tracheal deviation was the only palpation skill found useful (68.63% useful). Auscultating for breath sounds was found to be unanimously useful, while all other percussion and auscultation skills were not found useful. In qualitative analysis, the major theme was that skills should be taught despite minimal use as they help teach disease pathophysiology, help in limited resource settings, and have usefulness in particular situations (e.g. traumas or different specialities).There is a discrepancy between the clinical skills taught to students and the ones actually used in practice. Despite this, there is still utility in teaching these skills to medical students. Rather than removing skills from the curriculum, a better avenue would be to emphasise manoeuvres that are clinically important to help guide preparation for clinical settings.

Use of Lifestyle Modifications for Management of a Patient with Severely High Total Cholesterol (> 14 mmol/L) and Triglycerides (> 40 mmol/L).

In this report, we describe a case of a 37-year old man who presented with a history of total cholesterol > 14 mmol/L and triglyceride levels > 40 mmol/L. The patient was initially thought to have familial hypercholesterolemia due to his elevated total cholesterol, by his family physician. He was prescribed evolucumab, a proprotein convertase subtilisin/ kexin type 9 inhibitor drug which has shown efficacy for lowering low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels, to reduce his high total cholesterol. However, in this patient, the elevated total cholesterol was likely due to hypertriglyceridemia, rather than increased low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels. Through this case we provide an approach for the clinical management of patients with elevated total cholesterol with underlying triglycerides ≥ 10 mmol/L. The primary intervention for management of triglycerides ≥ 10 mmol/L involves lifestyle modifications including, changes in diet, exercise, reduction in body mass index, and abstinence from alcohol consumption. Secondary intervention involves management through pharmacotherapy with fibrates and statins. Creating a plan of action with the patient, incorporating lifestyle modifications alone, the patient was able to reduce the triglycerides from an average of 44.94 mmol/L to 3.28 mmol/L.

Work productivity among Sjögren's Syndrome and non-Sjögren's dry eye patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Dry eye disease (DED) is one of the most common conditions presenting to eye care providers and is increasingly recognized to have poor outcomes on quality of life, activities of daily living, and social and emotional well-being. Here, we aim to understand the association between dry eye symptoms and workplace productivity experienced by patients with non-Sjögren's dry eye and Sjögren's Syndrome. METHODS: MEDLINE, PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Healthstar, and PsycINFO were searched from inception to May 2019. RESULTS: Thirty-one studies consisting of 50,446 study participants from 14 countries were included in this systematic review. Among non-Sjögren's dry eye patients, there was significant absenteeism (ES = 0.19; 95% CI: [0.04, 0.35]), presenteeism (ES = 0.25; 95% CI: [0.15. 0.35]), productivity impairment (ES = 0.24; 95% CI: [0.20, 0.27]), activity impairment (ES = 0.30; 95% CI: [0.21, 0.38]), and subjective difficulties at work (ES = 0.58; 95% CI: [0.40, 0.75]). Patients with Sjögren's Syndrome demonstrated significant absenteeism (ES = 0.13, 95% CI: [0.10, 0.17]), presenteeism (ES = 0.28, 95% CI: [0.24, 0.32]), productivity impairment (ES = 0.31, 95% CI: [0.27, 0.35]), and activity impairment (ES = 0.39, 95% CI: [0.32, 0.47]) in the workplace. In addition, patients with Sjögren's Syndrome demonstrated significantly lower employment rate (ES = 0.42, 95% CI: [0.34, 0.50]), decreased number of hours worked (SMD = -0.21, 95% CI: [-0.39, -0.02]), and increased work disability (ES = 0.18; 95% CI: [0.09, 0.27]). CONCLUSIONS: This is the first systematic review and meta-analysis to demonstrate the negative association between DED and several work productivity measures.

Stethopedia: an e-learning resource for medical students to supplement Canadian clinical skills education.

Online clinical skills videos can supplement teaching and allow for greater flexibility when learning physical examination skills. There are currently few open access clinical skills video resources available for Canadian medical students. Stethopedia is an easy-to-use, open-access library of clinical skills teaching videos based on the Canadian medical curriculum. We created Stethopedia to increase accessibility to clinical skills resources and improve the competency and confidence of medical students performing clinical skills on examinations and clerkship rotations. Medical students would benefit from similar resources based on their school's specific curriculum in order to improve clinical skill performance.

Les vidéos disponibles en ligne sur les habiletés cliniques peuvent améliorer l'apprentissage de nouvelles compétences cliniques. Cependant, il existe très peu de ressources canadiennes gratuites qui enseignent les compétences cliniques basées sur la vidéo. Stethopedia est une bibliothèque qui est facile à utiliser et à l'accès libre avec des vidéos d'enseignement des compétences cliniques basées sur le curriculum médical canadien. Nous avons créé Stethopedia pour accroître l'accessibilité aux ressources de compétences cliniques et améliorer la compétence et la confiance des étudiants en médecine qui exécutent des compétences cliniques pendant leurs examens et l'externat. Les étudiants en médecine bénéficieraient de ressources similaires basées sur le programme spécifique de leur école afin d'améliorer leurs compétences cliniques.