Complications from Administration of Vasopressors Through Peripheral Venous Catheters: An Observational Study.

BACKGROUND: The placement of a central venous catheter for the administration of vasopressors is still recommended and required by many institutions because of concern about complications associated with peripheral administration of vasopressors. OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to determine the incidence of complications from the administration of vasopressors through peripheral venous catheters (PVC) in patients with circulatory shock, and to identify the factors associated with these complications. METHODS: This was a prospective, observational study conducted in the emergency department (ED) of a tertiary care medical center. Patients presenting to the ED with circulatory shock and in whom a vasopressor was started through a PVC were included. Research fellows examined the i.v. access site for complications twice daily during the period of peripheral vasopressor administration, then daily up to 48 h after treatment discontinuation or until the patient expired. RESULTS: Of the 55 patients that were recruited, 3 (5.45% overall, 6% of patients receiving norepinephrine) developed complications; none were major. Two developed local extravasation and one developed local thrombophlebitis. All three complications occurred during the vasopressor infusion, none in the 48 h after discontinuation, and none required any medical or surgical intervention. Two of the three complications occurred in the hand, and all occurred in patients receiving norepinephrine and with 20-gauge catheters. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of complications from the administration of vasopressors through a PVC is small and did not result in significant morbidity in this study. Larger prospective studies are needed to better determine the factors that are associated with these complications, and identify patients in whom this practice is safe.

Impact of Internally Developed Electronic Prescription on Prescribing Errors at Discharge from the Emergency Department.

INTRODUCTION: Medication errors are common, with studies reporting at least one error per patient encounter. At hospital discharge, medication errors vary from 15%-38%. However, studies assessing the effect of an internally developed electronic (E)-prescription system at discharge from an emergency department (ED) are comparatively minimal. Additionally, commercially available electronic solutions are cost-prohibitive in many resource-limited settings. We assessed the impact of introducing an internally developed, low-cost E-prescription system, with a list of commonly prescribed medications, on prescription error rates at discharge from the ED, compared to handwritten prescriptions. METHODS: We conducted a pre- and post-intervention study comparing error rates in a randomly selected sample of discharge prescriptions (handwritten versus electronic) five months pre and four months post the introduction of the E-prescription. The internally developed, E-prescription system included a list of 166 commonly prescribed medications with the generic name, strength, dose, frequency and duration. We included a total of 2,883 prescriptions in this study: 1,475 in the pre-intervention phase were handwritten (HW) and 1,408 in the post-intervention phase were electronic. We calculated rates of 14 different errors and compared them between the pre- and post-intervention period. RESULTS: Overall, E-prescriptions included fewer prescription errors as compared to HW-prescriptions. Specifically, E-prescriptions reduced missing dose (11.3% to 4.3%, p <0.0001), missing frequency (3.5% to 2.2%, p=0.04), missing strength errors (32.4% to 10.2%, p <0.0001) and legibility (0.7% to 0.2%, p=0.005). E-prescriptions, however, were associated with a significant increase in duplication errors, specifically with home medication (1.7% to 3%, p=0.02). CONCLUSION: A basic, internally developed E-prescription system, featuring commonly used medications, effectively reduced medication errors in a low-resource setting where the costs of sophisticated commercial electronic solutions are prohibitive.

Management of weight loss in obesity-associated male infertility: a spotlight on bariatric surgery.

In recent years, there has been a paralleled increase between male obesity and infertility rates. Obesity is associated with impaired hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, aberrant semen parameters, and subfertility or infertility. Weight loss is strongly recommended for the management of obesity-associated infertility. Lifestyle modifications that include caloric restriction and increased physical activity have a short-lived impact. Bariatric surgery is a better and more durable weight loss alternative. Comprehensive information about the benefits of weight loss on obesity-associated male infertility following bariatric surgery is still emerging. In this review, we discuss the hormonal, physical and environmental mechanism contributing to obesity-associated infertility. We then assess weight loss approaches, which include lifestyle modification, medical and surgical approaches, that can improve fertility in obese men. This review focuses also on bariatric surgery for the management of obese men seeking fertility treatment. Anecdotal evidence suggesting that bariatric surgery can impair fertility is also discussed.

Are patients with cancer with sepsis and bacteraemia at a higher risk of mortality? A retrospective chart review of patients presenting to a tertiary care centre in Lebanon.

OBJECTIVE: Most sepsis studies have looked at the general population. The aim of this study is to report on the characteristics, treatment and hospital mortality of patients with cancer diagnosed with sepsis or septic shock. SETTING: A single-centre retrospective study at a tertiary care centre looking at patients with cancer who presented to our tertiary hospital with sepsis, septic shock or bacteraemia between 2010 and 2015. PARTICIPANTS: 176 patients with cancer were compared with 176 cancer-free controls. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOMES: The primary outcome of this study was the in hospital mortality in both cohorts. Secondary outcomes included patient demographics, emergency department (ED) vital signs and parameters of resuscitation along with laboratory work. RESULTS: A total of 352 patients were analysed. The mean age at presentation for the cancer group was 65.39±15.04 years, whereas the mean age for the control group was 74.68±14.04 years (p<0.001). In the cancer cohort the respiratory system was the most common site of infection (37.5%) followed by the urinary system (26.7%), while in the cancer-free arm, the urinary system was the most common site of infection (40.9%). intravenous fluid replacement for the first 24 hours was higher in the cancer cohort. ED, intensive care unit and general practice unit length of stay were comparable in both the groups. 95 (54%) patients with cancer died compared with 75 (42.6%) in the cancer-free group. The 28-day hospital mortality in the cancer cohort was 87 (49.4%) vs 46 (26.1%) in the cancer-free cohort (p=0.009). Patients with cancer had a 2.320 (CI 95% 1.225 to 4.395, p=0.010) odds of dying compared with patients without cancer in the setting of sepsis. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study looking at an in-depth analysis of sepsis in the specific oncology population. Despite aggressive care, patients with cancer have higher hospital mortality than their cancer-free counterparts while adjusting for all other variables.

Knowledge, attitudes and awareness regarding fertility preservation among oncologists and clinical practitioners in Lebanon.

Fertility preservation (FP) aims to help individuals overcome the infertility associated with cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation. The objective of this study was to assess the awareness, attitudes and knowledge of oncologists' and clinical practitioners' (CPs) about fertility preservation and its options in Lebanon. This was a cross-sectional study with surveys carried out between March 2012 and February 2013 on CPs at the American University of Beirut Medical Centre and Saint Jude's Children Cancer Centre as well as all registered oncologists in Lebanon. Ninety percent of CPs (n = 88) and 94% of oncologists (n = 53) agreed that fertility preservation should be discussed with patient before their cancer treatment. Our data showed a gender bias in relation to patients being informed of their FP options, as well as conflicting knowledge of FP options available in Lebanon among oncologists. The CPs were more likely to have accurate knowledge of FP options and treatment than oncologists. A proactive approach is required to: (1) increase the awareness and knowledge of FP; (2) improve attitudes towards FP; and (3) encourage its communication between CPs, oncologists and patients in Lebanon. Increased education programs, awareness campaigns and development of dedicated FP centres are needed.

Cynicism and other attitudes towards patients in an emergency department in a middle eastern tertiary care center.

BACKGROUND: A caring, compassionate practitioner of the medical arts is the idealized version of what makes a good doctor. If asked to think of a painting of a doctor we most likely conjure an image of a physician sitting at a patient's bedside checking the pulse with a concerned look on his face. The reality is however that cynicism, among other negative attitudes, is becoming more prominent among physicians and medical staff. The causes and extent of cynicism likely vary among medical departments and different cultures. In this study, we aimed to assess attitudes of medical students and physicians in an Emergency Department (ED) in Lebanon that accommodates both local patients and is also known to attract patients from around the Middle East. METHODS: A total of 30 students, residents and attending physicians at the American University of Beirut Medical Center were invited to participate. All participants underwent semi-structured interviews that were recorded, transcribed and then analyzed for common themes. RESULTS: More negative emotions were expressed among participants than positive ones. Negative emotions were more frequently expressed among medical students, interns and residents than attending physicians. Cynicism in the ED was commonly reported however, maintenance of professionalism and adequate patient care were underscored. While empathy was recurrently found among participants, a trend towards a decrease in empathy with career progression was noted among attending physicians. Further, negative feelings towards patient families were prominent. Participants tended to categorize patients based on willingness to cooperate, gender, age, case acuity, ethnic origins and social status. CONCLUSIONS: Cynicism emerged as a prominent theme among medical students and staff in our study. However, participants were also empathetic. These attitudes were generally attributed to the peculiar stressors associated with the Lebanese culture, low acuity cases and "VIP" patients. It is crucial to explore methods in order to decrease cynicism and improve patient care. Also, the implications of these attitudes on patient care remain to be discovered.

Sepsis in hemodialysis patients.

BACKGROUND: Bacterial infections are very common in End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) patients. The diagnosis of sepsis in such patients is often challenging and requires a high index of suspicion. The aim of this study is to report on a series of patient with ESRD on hemodialysis (HD) diagnosed with sepsis. METHODS: Single center retrospective study looking at ESRD on HD who presented to our tertiary hospital were retrieved. Inclusion criteria included a discharge diagnosis of sepsis, septic shock or bacteremia. RESULTS: Our sample was composed of 41 females and 49 males, with a mean age of 70 ± 15 years. Infections from the HD catheters followed by lower respiratory tract infections were the most common cause of bacteremia. IV fluid replacement for the first 6 and 24 h were 0.58 and 1.27 l respectively. Vasopressors were used in 30 patients with norepinephrine, dopamine and dobutamine used in 22, nine and one patients respectively. Out of 90 subjects, 24 (26.6 %) were dead within the same hospital visit. the 28 days out of hospital mortality was 25.6 %. There was no significant difference in mortality in patients who presented with less than two SIRS or two or more SIRS criteria. CONCLUSION: This is the first study looking at an in depth analysis of sepsis in the specific dialysis population and examining the influence of fluid resuscitation, role of SIRS criteria and vasopressor use on their mortality.

Descriptive analysis of sepsis in a developing country.

BACKGROUND: Most studies on sepsis were conducted in developed countries. The aim of this study is to report on a series of patients with sepsis in a tertiary hospital in a developing country. METHODS: Patients admitted through the emergency department of a single university-based institution between January 2008 and June 2012, with a final diagnosis of sepsis, bacteremia, or septic shock, were retrieved. A sample of 97 patients was selected. Vital signs at presentation, number of SIRS criteria, use of vasopressors and steroids, and in-hospital mortality were recorded. RESULTS: The mean age was 70.09 ± 16.82, ranging from 19 to 96 years; 48.5 % were females and 51.5 % were males; 42.3 % of the patients were found to be bacteremic. IV fluid requirement during the first 6 h was 1.75 ± 1.96 l. The time for antibiotic initiation was 3.43 ± 4.48 h, with 87.6 % of the antibiotics initiated in the emergency department. Norepinephrine was the most commonly used vasopressor (38.1 %) followed by dopamine (8.2 %), and the inotrope dobutamine (4.1 %); 45.3 % of the patients were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU), and the remaining 54.7 % were managed on the general practice unit (GPU). A total of 30 (30.9 %) septic patients died. The 28-day mortality was 20.6 %. Deceased patients had greater vasopressor use, a longer stay in the ICU (p = 0.001), and a longer time to norepinephrine use (p = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study providing an in-depth analysis of sepsis patients in a developing country, looking at in-hospital mortality, SIRS criteria utility, and at the overall sepsis management.

Validity and reliability of the Arabic version of the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale in rural Lebanon.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the validity and reliability of the Arabic version of the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) in rural Lebanon. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study on a sample of households with at least one child aged 0-2 years. In a one-to-one interview, participants completed an adapted Arabic version of the HFIAS. In order to evaluate the validity of the HFIAS, basic sociodemographic information, anthropometric measurements of the mother and child, and dietary intake data of the child were obtained. In order to examine reproducibility, the HFIAS was re-administered after 3 months. SETTING: Rural Lebanon. SUBJECTS: Mother and child pairs (n 150). RESULTS: Factor analysis of HFIAS items revealed two factors: 'insufficient food quality' and 'insufficient food quantity'. Using Pearson's correlation, food insecurity was inversely associated with mother's and father's education levels, number of cars and electrical appliances in the household, income, weight-for-age and length-for-age of the child and the child's dietary adequacy. In contrast, mother's BMI and crowding index were positively associated with food insecurity scores (P < 0·05 for all correlations). Cronbach's α of the scale was 0·91. A moderate correlation was observed between the two administrations of the questionnaire (intra-class correlation = 0·58; P < 0·05). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicated that the adapted Arabic version of the HFIAS is a valid and reliable tool to assess food insecurity in rural Lebanon, lending further evidence to the utility of the HFIAS in assessing food insecurity in culturally diverse populations.

Cylindrospermopsin, a blue-green algal toxin, inhibited human luteinised granulosa cell protein synthesis in vitro.

The blue-green algal toxin cylindrospermopsin (CYN) inhibits protein synthesis, and CYP450 enzymes metabolise CYN to cytotoxic endproducts. Human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) stimulates the de novo synthesis of StAR and CYP450 aromatase. Human IVF-derived granulosa cells (GC) (n=7) were exposed to 0-5µM CYN±1IU/ml hCG for 2-24h. After 24h pre-culture GC responded to hCG by increasing estradiol 17ß (E(2)) and progesterone (P(4)) synthesis. Three micromolar of CYN±1IU/ml hCG for 24h was not cytotoxic and did not affect basal or hCG-stimulated E(2) or P(4) production, but did inhibit protein synthesis (p<0.05, n=4). hCG-stimulated steroidogenesis was not reduced by CYN, suggesting a lack of effect on StAR or CYP450 aromatase protein synthesis. hCG enhanced the effects of CYN on GC protein synthesis. Twenty four hours exposure to 0.1µM CYN did not affect GC, supporting the establishment of a 0.0024µM Guideline level for CYN in public water supplies.