Hereditary angioedema in older adults: Understanding the patient perspective.

BACKGROUND: Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a rare condition characterized by potentially fatal, recurrent episodes of painful swelling. Whereas there are limited studies evaluating the quality of life of individuals with HAE, none have evaluated the impact of HAE on older adults. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of HAE on older adults through qualitative methodology. METHODS: A group of 3 physicians with extensive research and clinical experience in HAE developed a focus group guidebook highlighting issues of importance to older adults. A total of 17 patients with HAE (type I or II) aged 60 years and older participated in focus groups. Three independent reviewers coded each focus group transcript using a thematic saturation approach. RESULTS: Reviewers identified 7 core themes from the focus groups. The themes identified encompassed the following: (1) challenges with securing medications and insurance concerns; (2) the experience of living with HAE before the advent of newer and more effective therapeutic options; (3) a worsening of HAE attack frequency and severity with aging; (4) the effects of comorbid conditions such as arthritis, memory loss, and irritable bowel syndrome; (5) changes in HAE with menopause; and (6) changing perspective on HAE with age, the effect of HAE on interpersonal relationships including the decision to have children, and goals for future care and research including support groups and a desire to be included in clinical trials. CONCLUSION: Older adults with HAE have specific challenges and concerns that may be unique compared with younger populations. Health care providers should address these to provide optimal care.

A novel 2-step process for the management of inpatient beta-lactam allergy labels.

BACKGROUND: Inpatient beta-lactam allergy labels may increase the unnecessary use of aztreonam and non-beta-lactam antibiotics, which can then lead to more adverse events and increased health care costs, OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of a novel 2-step process (medication history review followed by risk stratification) on rates of beta-lactam delabeling, aztreonam use, and desensitizations on pediatric, adult, and obstetrics inpatients at a tertiary academic center. METHODS: We prospectively collected data on 700 patients who received inpatient consultation from the Beta-Lactam Allergy Evaluation Service between August 2021 and July 2022. Patients were delabeled either by medication review alone, drug challenge alone if with a low-risk history, or penicillin skin test followed by drug challenge if with a high-risk history. Generalized linear regression modeling was used to compare aztreonam days of therapy in the intervention year with the 2 prior years. Drug desensitizations were assessed by electronic chart review. RESULTS: Most of the patients (n = 656 of 700, 94%) had more than or equal to 1 beta-lactam allergy label removed, clarified, or both; 77.9% of these patients (n = 511 of 656) had 587 beta-lactam allergy labels removed. Nearly one-third (n = 149, 27.6%) had 162 allergy labels removed solely by medication history review. All 114 penicillin skin tests performed had negative results, and 98% (8 of 381) of the patients who underwent any drug challenge passed. Only 5.7% of the delabeled patients were relabeled. There was a 27% reduction in aztreonam use (P = .007). Beta-lactam desensitizations were reduced by 80%. CONCLUSION: A full-time inpatient beta-lactam allergy service using medication history review and risk stratification can safely and effectively remove inpatient beta-lactam allergy labels, reduce aztreonam use, and decrease beta-lactam desensitizations.

Consequences of Insurance Coverage Delays and Denials for Patients With Hereditary Angioedema.

BACKGROUND: Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a rare and potentially fatal genetic disease associated with recurrent and unpredictable episodes of angioedema. Although modern therapies have dramatically increased quality of life, insurance changes, delays, and denials are becoming more common. OBJECTIVE: To examine the impact of insurance delays and denials on patient health and well-being. METHODS: A total of 20 patients with HAE (type 1 and 2) who recently experienced insurance delays or denials completed an online survey, and 19 participated in a follow-up focus group. The survey and focus group addressed the impact of insurance challenges on the use of health care services, work/school attendance, and anxiety. Three independent reviewers coded each focus group transcript using a thematic saturation approach. RESULTS: A total of 70% of participants reported an increased frequency of angioedema attacks resulting from insurance delays or denials. More than 50% missed work/school days because of increased attacks, and 90% reported greater anxiety. Twenty-five percent of respondents reported more urgent care or emergency department visits. In focus groups, participants identified specific ways that losing access to medication had a negative impact on their health, family, and work/school life. Insufficient notification of health insurance policy changes and the time and effort required to regain access to medications compounded patients' frustration and anxiety. CONCLUSION: Insurance delays and denials have significant impacts on individuals with HAE including (1) increased urgent care and emergency department visits, (2) missed work/school days, (3) higher levels of anxiety, and (4) a negative impact on family life.

Mastocytosis in Pregnancy.

Mastocytosis is a rare neoplastic disorder of the mast cell lineage resulting in unregulated proliferation and activation of mast cells. Symptoms worsen in about one-third of pregnant patients. Treatment focuses on management of symptoms with antimediator therapy (H1 & H2 antihistamines, glucocorticoids, and epinephrine, if required). Medication selection requires care during labor and delivery. Although it is generally considered safe to use a medication patient tolerated before, some common medications may need to be avoided or used with caution (eg, codeine, morphine, nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs, vancomycin) if the patient does not have any history of exposure to them.

Asthma care during COVID-19: differences in attitudes and expectations between physicians and patients.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to explore differences in attitudes, behaviors and expectations related to COVID-19 between physicians and patients with asthma. METHODS: An anonymous survey was distributed through email and social media to adult patients with asthma during a three-week period in April-May 2020. A separate survey was sent to physicians. The surveys asked about demographic information, specific challenges and concerns due to COVID-19, and attitudes/behaviors during this time. RESULTS: A total of 1171 patients and 225 physicians completed the surveys. Overall, patients with asthma and physicians had large differences in expectations related to COVID-19. Patients were more likely than physicians to believe that individuals with asthma are at a higher risk to get COVID-19 (37.5% vs. 12.0%, p < 0.001), have increased anxiety due to COVID-19 (79.6% vs 70.0%, p = 0.002), and should not go to work (62.7% vs 11.9%, p < 0.001). Neither patients nor physicians felt confident they could distinguish COVID-19 symptoms from asthma (61.2% and 74.5% did not feel confident, respectively). Patients with severe asthma were significantly more impacted by the pandemic (e.g., became unemployed [OR 2.15], had difficulty getting asthma medications [OR 2.37]) compared to those with nonsevere asthma. CONCLUSION: Patients with asthma and their physicians have markedly different attitudes and opinions regarding care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Such differences have important implications when providing patient-centered care.Supplemental data for this article can be accessed at publisher's website.

Emergency Department Clinician Perceptions of Implementing High-Sensitivity Troponin T Assay in an Academic Hospital Emergency Department.

PURPOSE: A newly approved, high-sensitivity troponin T (hsTnT) assay may offer opportunities to more rapidly assess for acute coronary syndrome and identify lower thresholds of myocardial injury. As more emergency departments begin to use the hsTnT assay, anticipating barriers to hsTnT implementation success are critical to realizing potential benefits in rapid, accurate patient assessment. METHODS: At a tertiary health system emergency department, hsTnT was implemented along with a diagnostic algorithm and a decision tree to aid in utilization. Qualitative interviews with 18 physicians and advance practice providers were conducted 2 months' postimplementation and again 4 to 6 months postimplementation to capture clinician perceptions to hsTnT implementation efforts. Deductive coding was performed using implementation science determinants frameworks to identify emerging themes related to this topic. RESULTS: Four themes emerged from the interviews: 1) the need for additional clinician education, 2) challenges with care handoffs, 3) lack of buy-in from the hospital community, and 4) key successes. CONCLUSION: Interviews demonstrated that implementation of hsTnT was associated with several implementation barriers from the perspective of emergency department clinicians. Future implementation efforts should focus on diverse and sustained staff educational efforts, models that address challenges with care handoffs between emergency department clinicians and inpatient clinicians, and operational teams that include inpatient clinicians to facilitate buy-in.

Firearms Screening in the Pediatric Inpatient Setting.

OBJECTIVES: Firearm-related deaths remain a top cause of mortality in American children and adolescents. In a 2012 policy statement, the American Academy of Pediatrics urged pediatricians to incorporate questions about the availability of firearms into their patient history taking. We aim to evaluate the frequency of screening for home firearms in an academic tertiary-care hospital inpatient setting. METHODS: This retrospective chart review examined patients with the following pediatric diagnoses admitted to a tertiary-care pediatric hospital from 2006 to 2015: asthma, bronchiolitis, cellulitis, jaundice, single liveborn infant, bacterial and viral pneumonia, and all mood disorders. Data analysts then searched the patient charts that met these inclusion criteria for documentation of firearm screening as indicated by use of the terms "firearm," "pistol," "gun," "handgun," "bullet," "ammunition," or "rifle" in the admissions history and physical. RESULTS: Evidence of screening for firearms in the home was found in 1196 of the 40 658 charts included in the study (2.94%). The most frequently screened diagnosis and admitting service were mood disorders and child psychiatry, respectively (1159 of 3107; 37.3%). Only 19.8% of identified gun-owning families received specific anticipatory guidance. CONCLUSIONS: Firearm screening and gun safety education occurred infrequently in the inpatient setting. Inpatient encounters may provide an opportunity for increased screening and education because the hospital environment also includes additional resources, exposure to a greater number of providers, and the presence of more family members or caregivers. Further studies are warranted to explore barriers to inpatient screening and possible mechanisms for improvement.

Adherence to AAP Healthy Newborn Discharge Criteria in a Tertiary Care Children's Hospital.

OBJECTIVES: In 2015, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) published an updated consensus statement containing 17 discharge recommendations for healthy term newborn infants. In this study, we identify whether the AAP criteria were met before discharge at a tertiary care academic children's hospital. METHODS: A stratified random sample of charts from newborns who were discharged between June 1, 2015, and May 31, 2016, was reviewed. Of the 531 charts reviewed, 433 were included in the study. A review of each chart was performed, and data were collected. RESULTS: Descriptive statistics for our study population (N = 433) revealed that all 17 criteria were followed <5% of the time. The following criteria were met 100% of the time: clinical course and physical examination, postcircumcision bleeding, availability of family members or health care providers to address follow-up concerns, anticipatory guidance, first appointment with the physician scheduled or parents knowing how to do so, pulse oximetry screening, and hearing screening. These criteria were met at least 95% to 99% of the time: appropriate vital signs, regular void and stool frequency, appropriate jaundice and sepsis management, and metabolic screening. The following criteria were met 50% to 95% of the time: maternal serologies, hepatitis B vaccination, and social risk factor assessment. Four of the criteria were met <50% of the time: feeding assessment, maternal vaccination, follow-up timing for newborns discharged at <48 hours of life, and car safety-seat assessment. CONCLUSIONS: Our data reveal that the AAP healthy term newborn discharge recommendations are not consistently followed in our institution.

Reducing opioid misuse among adolescents through physician education.

Increased prescribing of opioids has been associated with an epidemic of nonmedical prescription opioid use in the United States; adolescents and young adults are particularly vulnerable to opioid misuse. The role of physicians as health care providers, educators, and confidants for their adolescent patients equips them to intervene in adolescent opioid misuse. The authors advocate for improving the education of physicians and residents regarding opioid use and misuse among adolescents. To achieve this, we can require residency education that includes opioid misuse and appropriate prescribing, widely disseminate existing resources on management of pain and opioid misuse, and develop pain management and addiction mentorship programs.

Probability of Opioid Prescription Refilling After Surgery: Does Initial Prescription Dose Matter?

OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine the correlation between the probability of postoperative opioid prescription refills and the amount of opioid prescribed, hypothesizing that a greater initial prescription yields a lower probability of refill. BACKGROUND: Although current guidelines regarding opioid prescribing largely address chronic opioid use, little is known regarding best practices and postoperative care. METHODS: We analyzed Optum Insight claims data from 2013 to 2014 for opioid-naïve patients aged 18 to 64 years who underwent major or minor surgical procedures (N = 26,520). Our primary outcome was the occurrence of an opioid refill within 30 postoperative days. Our primary explanatory variable was the total oral morphine equivalents provided in the initial postoperative prescription. We used logistic regression to examine the probability of an additional refill by initial prescription strength, adjusting for patient factors. RESULTS: We observed that 8.67% of opioid-naïve patients refilled their prescriptions. Across procedures, the probability of a single postoperative refill did not change with an increase with initial oral morphine equivalents prescribed. Instead, patient factors were correlated with the probability of refill, including tobacco use [odds ratio (OR) 1.42, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.23-1.57], anxiety (OR 1.30, 95% CI 1.15-1.47), mood disorders (OR 1.28. 95% CI 1.13-1.44), alcohol or substance abuse disorders (OR 1.43, 95% CI 1.12-1.84), and arthritis (OR 1.21, 95% CI 1.10-1.34). CONCLUSIONS: The probability of refilling prescription opioids after surgery was not correlated with initial prescription strength, suggesting surgeons could prescribe smaller prescriptions without influencing refill requests. Future research that examines the interplay between pain, substance abuse, and mental health could inform strategies to tailor opioid prescribing for patients.

Communication challenges for nongeneticist physicians relaying clinical genomic results.

AIM: Identify the behavioral challenges to the use of genome sequencing (GS) in a clinical setting. MATERIALS & METHODS: We observed how general internists and nongenetic specialists delivered GS results to patients enrolled in the MedSeq Project. Using transcripts of such disclosure interactions, we made qualitative observations of communication behaviors that could limit the usefulness of GS results until reaching the point of thematic saturation. RESULTS: Findings included confusion regarding genomic terminology, difficulty with the volume or complexity of information and difficulties communicating complex risk information to patients. We observed a broad dismissal of clinical value of GS by some physicians and sometimes ineffective communication regarding health behavior change. CONCLUSION: Overcoming these behavioral challenges is necessary to make full use of clinical GS results.