Factors that influence surgical decision-making for geriatric displaced femoral neck fractures: Bullet Health Analysis (BHA) I : Worldwide Orthopaedic Research Collaboration: Leveraging Big Data (WORLD) I.

PURPOSE: The management of geriatric femoral neck fractures, which includes options like hemiarthroplasty (HA), total hip arthroplasty (THA), and fixation, exhibits regional and healthcare setting variations. However, there is a lack of information on global variations in practice patterns and surgical decision factors for this injury. METHODS: Survey data were collected from April 2020 to June 2023 via Orthobullets Case Studies, a global clinical case collaboration platform hosted on a prominent orthopedic educational website. Collaboratively developed standardized polls, based on the best available evidence and a comprehensive, peer-reviewed, evidence-based item list, were used to capture surgeons' treatment preferences worldwide. Subsequent analyses explored preferences within subspecialties and practice settings. Multivariable regression analysis identified associations between subspecialty, practice type, the likelihood of choosing THA, and the preferred femoral fixation method. RESULTS: Our study encompassed 2595 respondents from 76 countries. Notably, 51.5% of participants (n = 1328; 51.5%, 95% CI 49.6-53.4%) leaned towards THA and 44.9% for HA, while 3.6% favoured surgical fixation. Respondents affiliated with academic institutions and large non-university-affiliated hospitals were 1.74 times more likely to favour THA, and arthroplasty specialists exhibited a 1.77-fold preference for THA. There was a 19-fold variation for cemented femoral fixation between the United Kingdom (UK) and USA with the UK favouring cemented fixation. CONCLUSION: Our study reveals a significant shift towards THA preference for managing geriatric femoral neck fractures, influenced by subspecialty and practice settings. We also observed a pronounced predominance of cement fixation in specific geographic locations. These findings highlight the evolving fracture management landscape, emphasizing the need for standardization and comprehensive understanding across diverse healthcare settings.

Evaluating ChatGPT responses in the context of a 53-year-old male with a femoral neck fracture: a qualitative analysis.

PURPOSE: The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) tools, such as ChatGPT, in clinical medicine and medical education has gained significant attention due to their potential to support decision-making and improve patient care. However, there is a need to evaluate the benefits and limitations of these tools in specific clinical scenarios. METHODS: This study used a case study approach within the field of orthopaedic surgery. A clinical case report featuring a 53-year-old male with a femoral neck fracture was used as the basis for evaluation. ChatGPT, a large language model, was asked to respond to clinical questions related to the case. The responses generated by ChatGPT were evaluated qualitatively, considering their relevance, justification, and alignment with the responses of real clinicians. Alternative dialogue protocols were also employed to assess the impact of additional prompts and contextual information on ChatGPT responses. RESULTS: ChatGPT generally provided clinically appropriate responses to the questions posed in the clinical case report. However, the level of justification and explanation varied across the generated responses. Occasionally, clinically inappropriate responses and inconsistencies were observed in the generated responses across different dialogue protocols and on separate days. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study highlight both the potential and limitations of using ChatGPT in clinical practice. While ChatGPT demonstrated the ability to provide relevant clinical information, the lack of consistent justification and occasional clinically inappropriate responses raise concerns about its reliability. These results underscore the importance of careful consideration and validation when using AI tools in healthcare. Further research and clinician training are necessary to effectively integrate AI tools like ChatGPT, ensuring their safe and reliable use in clinical decision-making.

Ten simple rules for establishing a mentorship programme.

In recent years, a wide variety of mentorship programmes targeting issues that cannot be addressed through traditional teaching and learning methods alone have been developed. Mentoring plays significant roles in the growth and development of both mentors and mentees, and the positive impacts of mentoring have been well documented. Mentorship programmes are therefore increasingly being implemented in a wide variety of fields by organisations, academic institutes, businesses, and governments. While there is a growing body of literature on mentoring and mentorship programmes, gaining a clear overview of the field is often challenging. In this article, we therefore provide a concise summary of recommendations to consider when designing and establishing mentorship programmes. These recommendations are based on the collective knowledge and experiences of 4 different emerging and established mentorship programmes and can be adapted across various mentorship settings or contexts.

Children and young people with Down syndrome: Their awareness of Down syndrome and developing self-perceptions.

BACKGROUND: Past research suggests children with Down syndrome often lack awareness of their disability despite the visibility of their condition. METHOD: This study used novel tasks to investigate their insight. Twenty-eight young people with Down syndrome (aged 8-17 years) were recruited, along with control groups of 67 typically developing young people. Three tasks explored the children's awareness of Down syndrome: (a) choice of partner for social activities, (b) sorting photographs and (c) attributing positive or negative descriptors to photographs. RESULTS: All participants expressed a preference to engage in social activities with typically developing peers. Most participants with Down syndrome identified with the typically developing person. Even though all participants attributed more positive descriptors to the photographs of the typically developing individuals, they remained positive about themselves. CONCLUSION: The early awareness of difference shown by young people with Down syndrome suggests this may play an important role in their developing identities.

Multicenter Study of Staging and Therapeutic Predictors of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Recurrence Following Transplantation.

Orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) and resection are effective treatments for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, optimizing OLT and limiting HCC recurrence remains a vexing problem. New HCC Model for End-Stage Liver Disease and allocation algorithms provide greater observation of HCC patients, many while receiving local-regional treatments. Potential benefits of local-regional treatment for limiting HCC recurrence after OLT remain incompletely understood. Therefore, we aimed to define HCC-specific prognostic factors affecting recurrence in a contemporary, multicenter cohort of HCC patients undergoing OLT and specifically whether local-regional therapies limited recurrence. We identified 441 patients undergoing OLT for HCC at 3 major transplant centers from 2008 to 2013. Cox regression was used to analyze covariate-adjusted recurrence and mortality rates after OLT. "Bridging" or "downstaging" therapy was used in 238 (54%) patients with transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) being used in 170 (71%) of treated patients. The survival rate after OLT was 88% and 78% at 1 and 3 years, respectively, with HCC recurrence (28% of deaths) significantly increasing the mortality rate (hazard ratio [HR], 19.87; P < 0.001). Tumor size, not tumor number, either at presentation or on explant independently predicted HCC recurrence (HR, 1.36 and 1.73, respectively; P < 0.05) with a threshold effect noted at 4.0-cm size. Local-regional therapy (TACE) reduced HCC recurrence by 64% when adjusting for presenting tumor size (HR, 0.36; P < 0.05). Explant tumor size and microvascular invasion predicted mortality (HR, 1.19 and 1.51, respectively; P < 0.05) and pathologic response to therapy (TACE or radiofrequency ablation) significantly decreased explant tumor size (0.56-1.62 cm diameter reduction; P < 0.05). In conclusion, HCC tumor size at presentation or explant is the most important predictor for HCC recurrence after OLT. Local-regional therapy to achieve a pathologic response (decreasing tumor size) can limit HCC recurrences after OLT. Liver Transplantation 00 000-000 2018 AASLD.

Peptide Vaccine Formulation Controls the Duration of Antigen Presentation and Magnitude of Tumor-Specific CD8+ T Cell Response.

Despite remarkable progresses in vaccinology, therapeutic cancer vaccines have not achieved their full potential. We previously showed that an excessively long duration of Ag presentation critically reduced the quantity and quality of vaccination-induced T cell responses and subsequent antitumor efficacy. In this study, using a murine model and tumor cell lines, we studied l-tyrosine amino acid-based microparticles as a peptide vaccine adjuvant with a short-term Ag depot function for the induction of tumor-specific T cells. l-Tyrosine microparticles did not induce dendritic cell maturation, and their adjuvant activity was not mediated by inflammasome activation. Instead, prolonged Ag presentation in vivo translated into increased numbers and antitumor activity of vaccination-induced CD8+ T cells. Indeed, prolonging Ag presentation by repeated injection of peptide in saline resulted in an increase in T cell numbers similar to that observed after vaccination with peptide/l-tyrosine microparticles. Our results show that the duration of Ag presentation is critical for optimal induction of antitumor T cells, and can be manipulated through vaccine formulation.

Cancer vaccine formulation dictates synergy with CTLA-4 and PD-L1 checkpoint blockade therapy.

Anticancer vaccination is a promising approach to increase the efficacy of cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) and programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) checkpoint blockade therapies. However, the landmark FDA registration trial for anti-CTLA-4 therapy (ipilimumab) revealed a complete lack of benefit of adding vaccination with gp100 peptide formulated in incomplete Freund's adjuvant (IFA). Here, using a mouse model of melanoma, we found that gp100 vaccination induced gp100-specific effector T cells (Teffs), which dominantly forced trafficking of anti-CTLA-4-induced, non-gp100-specific Teffs away from the tumor, reducing tumor control. The inflamed vaccination site subsequently also sequestered and destroyed anti-CTLA-4-induced Teffs with specificities for tumor antigens other than gp100, reducing the antitumor efficacy of anti-CTLA-4 therapy. Mechanistically, Teffs at the vaccination site recruited inflammatory monocytes, which in turn attracted additional Teffs in a vicious cycle mediated by IFN-γ, CXCR3, ICAM-1, and CCL2, dependent on IFA formulation. In contrast, nonpersistent vaccine formulations based on dendritic cells, viral vectors, or water-soluble peptides potently synergized with checkpoint blockade of both CTLA-4 and PD-L1 and induced complete tumor regression, including in settings of primary resistance to dual checkpoint blockade. We conclude that cancer vaccine formulation can dominantly determine synergy, or lack thereof, with CTLA-4 and PD-L1 checkpoint blockade therapy for cancer.

Association between Depressed Mood and Youth Condom/Contraceptive Nonuse: A Systematic Review of Literature.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this review article was to determine whether an association exists between depressed mood and contraceptive/condom nonuse among adolescents and young adults. METHODS: CINAHL, Google Scholar, the ProQuest Digital Dissertations and PubMed databases were searched from 1990 through 2016. Longitudinal and cross-sectional studies focusing on the associations between depressed mood and sexual risk behavior of youths or adolescents, aged 12-26 years, were eligible. Study quality was assessed by the criteria for methodology, measurements, description of attrition rates/follow up, sampling methods, and controlling for potential confounders. RESULTS: Twenty seven eligible studies were found, including 12 cross-sectional studies, 11 prospective observational studies, and 4 longitudinal randomized interventions. There were a number of potential methodological problems in many of the research studies. Methodological limitations include use of purely cross-sectional research designs and reliance on self-report measures and the long time interval between the baseline and the follow-up data. CONCLUSIONS: There is fair evidence of an association of depressed mood with contraceptive nonuse. Further specific analyses need to be conducted on this topic. Additional research using true prospective design and improved reporting on the measure of both exposure and outcome are also needed to provide more reliable findings and facilitate improved understanding of the association between depressed mood and sexual risk behavior.

An Olympic Legacy? Did the Urban Regeneration Associated With the London 2012 Olympic Games Influence Adolescent Mental Health?

Public expenditure on large events such as the London 2012 Olympic Games is often justified by the potential legacy of urban regeneration and its associated health and well-being benefits for local communities. In the Olympic Regeneration in East London Study, we examined whether there was an association between urban regeneration related to the 2012 Games and improved mental health in young people. Adolescents aged 11-12 years attending schools in the Olympic host borough of Newham in London or in 3 adjacent comparison London boroughs completed a survey before the 2012 Games and 6 and 18 months after the Games (in 2013 and 2014, respectively). Changes in depressive symptoms and well-being between baseline and each follow-up were examined. A total of 2,254 adolescents from 25 randomly selected schools participated. Adolescents from Newham were more likely to have remained depressed between baseline and the 6- and 18-month follow-up surveys (for 6-month follow-up, relative risk = 1.78, 95% confidence interval: 1.12, 2.83; for 18-month follow-up, relative risk = 1.93, 95% confidence interval: 1.01, 3.70) than adolescents from the comparison boroughs. No differences in well-being were observed. There was little evidence that urban regeneration had any positive influence on adolescent mental health and some suggestion that regeneration may have been associated with maintenance of depressive symptoms. Such programs may have limited short-term impact on the mental health of adolescents.

Symptomatic Urinary Tract Infections in Renal Transplant Recipients after Cystoscopy for Ureteral Stent Removal.

INTRODUCTION: Symptomatic urinary tract infection (UTI) is a known complication of cystoscopy with ureteral stent removal. However, little is known about the incidence and risk factors for post-cystoscopy UTI in renal transplant recipients, who likely represent a high-risk cohort. Our aim was to determine the infection rate following cystoscopy with stent removal in this population and identify opportunities for care improvement. METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study of office cystoscopies with stent removal in renal transplant recipients performed at a single institution from April 2012 through May 2014. Strict criteria were used to determine presence of symptomatic UTI within one month of the procedure. Fisher's exact tests were completed to examine associations between patient characteristics and post-transplant outcomes with UTI. RESULTS: A total of 324 patients were included. Mean age was 50.0 (SD 13.1) years, and 187 (57.7%) patients were male. Within this group,165 (52.5%) patients received a pre-procedural oral fluoroquinolone antibiotic dose prior to the procedure. Nine patients had symptomatic UTIs (2.8%), of which three infections (33.3%) were due to quinolone-resistant organisms. Female sex (P =0.04), but no other patient or post-operative characteristic was associated with symptomatic UTI, including the use of peri-procedural antibiotics. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of symptomatic UTI after cystoscopy with ureteral stent removal in renal transplant recipients is less than three percent and comparable to post-cystoscopy UTI risk in the general population. Female sex is associated with symptomatic UTI. Further investigation is needed to identify groups most at risk for UTI and other complications.

Telemedicine and the sharing economy: the "Uber" for healthcare.

Telehealth platforms, which include both competitors and complements to traditional care delivery, will offer many benefits for both consumers and clinicians, and may promote increased specialization and competition in service delivery. Traditional medical services providers face a challenge similar to that faced by traditional taxicabs after Uber entered the marketplace: how to compete with a connection services platform that threatens to disrupt existing, regulated, and licensed service providers.

A comparison of patency and interventions in thigh versus Hemodialysis Reliable Outflow grafts for chronic hemodialysis vascular access.

OBJECTIVE: With improvements in medical management and survival of patients with end-stage renal disease, maintaining durable vascular access is increasingly challenging. This study compared primary, assisted primary, and secondary patency, and procedure-specific complications, and evaluated whether the number of interventions to maintain or restore patency differed between prosthetic femoral-femoral looped inguinal access (thigh) grafts and Hemodialysis Reliable Outflow (HeRO; Hemosphere Inc, Minneapolis, Minn) grafts. METHODS: A single-center, retrospective, intention-to-treat analysis was conducted of consecutive thigh and HeRO grafts placed between May 2004 and June 2015. Medical history, interventions to maintain or restore patency, and complications were abstracted from the electronic medical record. Data were analyzed using parametric and nonparametric statistical tests, Kaplan-Meier survival methods, and multivariable proportional hazards regression and logistic regression. RESULTS: Seventy-six (43 thigh, 33 HeRO) grafts were placed in 61 patients (54% male; age 53 [standard deviation, 13] years). Median follow-up time in the intention-to-treat analysis was 21.2 months (min, 0.0; max, 85.3 months) for thigh grafts and 6.7 months (min, 0.0; max, 56.3 months) for HeRO grafts (P = .02). The groups were comparable for sex, age, coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus, peripheral vascular disease, and smoking history (all P ≥ .12). One thigh graft (2%) and five HeRO (15%) grafts failed primarily. In the intention-to-treat analysis, patency durations were significantly longer in the thigh grafts (all log-rank P ≤ .01). Point estimates of primary patency at 6 months, 1 year, and 3 years were 61%, 46%, and 4% for the thigh grafts and 25%, 15%, and 6% for the HeRO grafts. Point estimates of assisted primary patency at 6 months, 1 year, and 3 years were 75%, 66%, and 54% for the thigh grafts and 41%, 30%, and 10% for the HeRO grafts. Point estimates of secondary patency at 6 months, 1 year, and 3 years were 88%, 88%, and 70% for the thigh grafts and 53%, 43%, and 12% for the HeRO grafts. There were no differences in ischemic (P = .63) or infectious (P = .79) complications between the groups. Multivariable logistic regression demonstrated that after adjusting for follow-up time, HeRO grafts were associated with an increased number of interventions (P = .03). CONCLUSIONS: Thigh grafts have significantly better primary, assisted primary, and secondary patency compared with HeRO grafts. There is no significant difference between thigh grafts and HeRO grafts in ischemic or infectious complications. Our logistic regression model demonstrated an association between HeRO grafts and an increased number of interventions to maintain or restore patency. Although HeRO grafts may extend the use of the upper extremity, thigh grafts provide a more durable option for chronic hemodialysis.

Patient-reported outcomes in liver transplant recipients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: The effect of awarding MELD exception points for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) on patient-reported outcomes (PROs) is unknown. We evaluated the physical and mental health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and symptoms of anxiety and depression in liver transplant recipients with HCC compared to patients without HCC. METHODS: The single-center sample measured PROs before and after transplant, which included 1521 multisurvey measurement points among 502 adults (67% male, 28% HCC, follow-up time: <1-131 months). Data were analyzed using multivariable mixed-effects models. RESULTS: Longitudinal PRO values did not differ between persons who received HCC exception points and those who did not have HCC. Patients with HCC who did not receive exception points had reduced physical HRQOL (P=.016), a late decline in mental HRQOL, and delayed reduction in anxiety (time-by-outcome interaction P<.050) compared to patients with HCC who received exception points. CONCLUSION: Transplant recipients who received HCC exception points had PROs that were comparable to those of patients without HCC, and reported better physical HRQOL and reduced symptoms of anxiety compared to patients with HCC who did not receive exception points. These analyses demonstrate the impact of HCC exception points on PROs, and may help inform policy regarding HCC exception point allocation.

Feasibility of Undertaking Off-Site Infant Eye-Tracking Assessments of Neuro-Cognitive Functioning in Early-Intervention Centres.

Recent work suggests that differences in functional brain development are already identifiable in 6- to 9-month-old infants from low socio-economic status (SES) backgrounds. Investigation of early SES-related differences in neuro-cognitive functioning requires the recruitment of large and diverse samples of infants, yet it is often difficult to persuade low-SES parents to come to a university setting. One solution is to recruit infants through early intervention children's centres (CCs). These are often located in areas of high relative deprivation to support young children. Given the increasing portability of eye-tracking equipment, assessment of large clusters of infants could be undertaken in centres by suitably trained early intervention staff. Here, we report on a study involving 174 infants and their parents, carried out in partnership with CCs, exploring the feasibility of this approach. We report the processes of setting up the project and participant recruitment. We report the diversity of sample obtained on the engagement of CC staff in training and the process of assessment itself. We report the quality of the data obtained, and the levels of engagement of parents and infants. We conclude that this approach has great potential for recruiting large and diverse samples worldwide, provides sufficiently reliable data and is engaging to staff, parents and infants.

Motor delays in MDMA (ecstasy) exposed infants persist to 2 years.

BACKGROUND: Recreational use of 3,4 methylenedioxymethamphetamine (ecstasy, MDMA) is increasing worldwide. Its use by pregnant women causes concern due to potentially harmful effects on the developing fetus. MDMA, an indirect monoaminergic agonist and reuptake inhibitor, affects the serotonin and dopamine systems. Preclinical studies of fetal exposure demonstrate effects on learning, motor behavior, and memory. In the first human studies, we found prenatal MDMA exposure related to poorer motor development in the first year of life. In the present study we assessed the effects of prenatal exposure to MDMA on the trajectory of child development through 2 years of age. We hypothesized that exposure would be associated with poorer mental and motor outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The DAISY (Drugs and Infancy Study, 2003-2008) employed a prospective longitudinal cohort design to assess recreational drug use during pregnancy and child outcomes in the United Kingdom. Examiners masked to drug exposures followed infants from birth to 4, 12, 18, and 24 months of age. MDMA, cocaine, alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, and other drugs were quantified through a standardized clinical interview. The Bayley Scales (III) of Mental (MDI) and Motor (PDI) Development and the Behavior Rating Scales (BRS) were primary outcome measures. Statistical analyses included a repeated measures mixed model approach controlling for multiple confounders. RESULTS: Participants were pregnant women volunteers, primarily white, of middle class socioeconomic status, average IQ, with some college education, in stable partner relationships. Of 96 women enrolled, children of 93 had at least one follow-up assessment and 81 (87%) had ≥ two assessments. Heavier MDMA exposure (M=1.3±1.4 tablets per week) predicted lower PDI (p<.002), and poorer BRS motor quality from 4 to 24 months of age, but did not affect MDI, orientation, or emotional regulation. Children with heavier exposure were twice as likely to demonstrate poorer motor quality as lighter and non-exposed children (O.R.=2.2, 95%, CI=1.02-4.70, p<.05). DISCUSSION: Infants whose mothers reported heavier MDMA use during pregnancy had motor delays from 4 months to two years of age that were not attributable to other drug or lifestyle factors. Women of child bearing age should be cautioned about the use of MDMA and MDMA-exposed infants should be screened for motor delays and possible intervention.

The Educational and Employment Aspirations of Adolescents from Areas of High Deprivation in London.

Adolescents from areas of high deprivation are often assumed to have low aspirations for the future. However, recent research has suggested otherwise and there have been calls for more substantial investigation into the relationship between poverty and aspiration. This article reports levels and variation in aspiration from 1214 adolescents (49.5 % male; 50.5 % female) living in areas of high deprivation across 20 London boroughs. A strength of this study is our large and diverse population of low socio-economic status (SES) adolescents, comprising of white British (22 %), black African (21 %), black Caribbean (9 %), Indian/Pakistani/Bangladeshi/Other Asian (24 %), mixed ethnicity (9 %), and 15 % defining themselves as Other. Our measures indicated a high group level of reported aspiration with notable variations. Females reported higher educational (but not occupational) aspirations than males; white British students reported lower educational and occupational aspirations than other ethnic groups; and black African children reported the highest educational aspirations. Perceived parental support for education had the largest positive association with aspirations. In contrast to previous findings from studies carried out in the United States, aspirations were found to be negatively associated with perceptions of school and school peer environment. These measures explored feelings of safety, happiness and belonging within the school environment and school peer group. We discuss possible explanations for this unexpected finding within our population of adolescents from UK state schools and how it might affect future policy interventions. This study makes an important contribution to the literature on adolescent aspirations because of the unique nature of the data sample and the multiple domains of functioning and aspiration measured.

Developmental outcomes of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (ecstasy)-exposed infants in the UK.

OBJECTIVE: This paper aims to review findings from a longitudinal study of prenatal methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, "ecstasy") on infant development. METHODS: In a prospective, longitudinal cohort design, we followed 28 MDMA-exposed and 68 non-MDMA-exposed infants from birth to 2 years of age. Women recruited voluntarily into a study of recreational drug use during pregnancy were interviewed to obtain type, frequency, and amount of recreational drug use. Their children were followed for a 2-year period after birth. A large number of drug and environmental covariates were controlled. Infants were seen at 1, 4, 12, 18, and 24 months using standardized normative tests of mental and motor development. RESULTS: There were no differences between MDMA-exposed and non-MDMA-exposed infants at birth except that MDMA-exposed infants were more likely to be male. Motor delays were evident in MDMA infants at each age and amount of MDMA exposure predicted motor deficits at 12 months in a dose-dependent fashion. CONCLUSIONS: Prenatal MDMA exposure is related to fine and gross motor delays in the first 2 years of life. Follow-up studies are needed to determine long-term effects.

Validation of the Written Administration of the Short Literacy Survey.

Most health literacy assessments are time consuming and administered verbally. Written self-administration of measures may facilitate more widespread assessment of health literacy. This study aimed to determine the intermethod reliability and concurrent validity of the written administration of the 3 subjective health literacy questions of the Short Literacy Survey (SLS). The Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine (REALM) and the shortened test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (S-TOFHLA) were the reference measures of health literacy. Two hundred ninety-nine participants completed the written and verbal administrations of the SLS from June to December 2012. Intermethod reliability was demonstrated when (a) the written and verbal SLS score did not differ and (b) written and verbal scores were highly correlated. The written items were internally consistent (Cronbach's α = .733). The written total score successfully identified persons with sixth-grade equivalency or less for literacy on the REALM (AUROC = 0.753) and inadequate literacy on the S-TOFHLA (AUROC = 0. 869). The written administration of the SLS is reliable, valid, and is effective in identifying persons with limited health literacy.

Multidisciplinary team approach to end-stage dialysis access patients.

BACKGROUND: The hemodialysis reliable outflow (HeRO) access device is a permanent dialysis graft used in patients with central venous obstruction. Given the complexity of care related to end-stage dialysis access (ESDA) patients, a multidisciplinary approach has been used to achieve operative success of HeRO graft placement. METHODS: The single-center retrospective review included adult patients that were seen in ESDA clinic who underwent a HeRO graft placement from September 2010-September 2014 under the care of a team consisting of a nephrologist, an interventional radiologist, and a surgeon. The effectiveness of the multidisciplinary approach was evaluated using outcome variables including successful HeRO graft placement, operative complications, the rate of obtaining central venous access, and advanced endovascular maneuvers performed by interventional radiology to obtain central venous access. RESULTS: A multidisciplinary approach has been used in 33 ESDA patients. Access to the right atrium was achieved in 100% of cases. Fifty-eight percent of patients required advanced endovascular maneuvers in the interventional radiology suite to obtain central venous access. Successful HeRO graft placement was achieved in 94% (31 of 33) of the study population. No intraoperative complications were encountered. Median primary and secondary patency rates were 83 d (interquartile range: 45-170) and 345 d (interquartile range: 146-579) per HeRO graft placement, respectively. Primary and secondary patency rates at 60 d were 70% (23 of 33) and 79% (26 of 33), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In this difficult patient population, a multidisciplinary team can provide a unique and collaborative approach to HeRO graft placement in patients with complex central venous outflow obstruction.