Review article: Roles of activities of daily living and frailty assessments for residents of residential aged care services in emergency department transfers: A scoping review.

Residents from residential aged care services (RACS) (i.e. nursing homes) many of whom are frail or disabled, are frequently transferred to ED for treatment of acute episodes of illness or injury. This review scoped the research related to the ways in which frailty or activities of daily living (ADL) measures are used for clinical purposes, either prior to the transfer of patients to ED or in ED themselves. A search for original studies up to June 2021 that included participants aged 65 years or over was conducted across four databases. Abstracts were first reviewed, leading to full text screening and article selection. Thirty-four studies were included in the scoping review. Most of the ADL and frailty assessments were conducted in residential aged care settings. In seven studies, ADL or frailty assessments in the aged care setting contributed to reduced transfer rates to ED. No results were found that associated the assessment of ADL or frailty with decisions related to treatment in the ED. A single ED study involved specialist emergency nursing in an ED as an intervention which included frailty assessment and led to decreased hospitalisation. This scoping review confirms an opportunity for further research into the ways frailty and ADL assessments are used for decision making in relation to the transfer of frail older people to ED, including how these assessments influence their treatment.

Intramedullary nail: the past, present and the future - a review exploring where the future may lead us.

BACKGROUND: Intramedullary nails (IMNs) are the current gold standard treatment for long bone diaphyseal and selected metaphyseal fractures. The design of IMNs has undergone many revisions since its invention in the 16th century, with a dramatic increase in novel designs in recent years aiming to further improve intramedullary fixation techniques. AIMS: To map the evolution of IMNs in orthopedic surgery, discuss the limitations and complications of current IMNs and identify novel IMNs that may influence future design innovations. METHODS: We undertook a scoping review on the status of orthopedic IMNs by reviewing Google Scholar with the following keywords. Publications and patents selected for retrieval were initially assessed on the title and abstract by five independent reviewers. 52 papers were retrieved for complete text examination, and secondary references were checked from these papers. The results were discussed within the research group and consensus was obtained describing novel IMNs. RESULTS: Novel IMN designs include growth factor and/or antimicrobial coatings targeting fracture healing and perioperative infection risk, respectively; minimally invasive expandable IMNs to avoid the need for interlocking screws; and novel materials such as carbon fiber for their theoretically superior biomechanical properties and avoidance of artifact on CT and MRI imaging. CONCLUSION: The novel IMNs proposed in recent years collectively aim to improve intramedullary fixation techniques by reducing operative time and radiation exposure, improving fracture healing or monitoring bone cancer progression. However, more research and development are necessary to solve these complex problems.

Anthropometric prediction equations for estimating body mass composition: a scoping review protocol.

REVIEW QUESTIONS/OBJECTIVES: The overall aim of this scoping review is to determine the optimal anthropometric variable parameters used to develop predictive equation(s) to estimate the components of body mass composition.The objectives of the scoping review are:The questions for the scoping review are.

Frailty in nursing home residents: a scoping review protocol.

OBJECTIVES AND REVIEW QUESTIONS: The overall research objective of this scoping review is to determine the current evidence on frailty in nursing homes.The objectives of the scoping review are to map the following, as reported in international literature:The questions for the scoping review are.

Effectiveness of different minimally invasive epiphysiodesis techniques in the management of pediatric leg length discrepancies: a systematic review protocol.

REVIEW QUESTION/OBJECTIVE: The objective of this review is to synthesize the best available evidence on the use of percutaneous epiphysiodesis for the management of pediatric leg length discrepancies (LLDs). The effectiveness of four different percutaneous epiphysiodesis techniques will be compared, including transphyseal screws (percutaneous epiphysiodesis using transphyseal screws), physeal drilling and curettage, physeal stapling and guided growth with eight-Plates.Specific review questions to be addressed include.

Oncological and survival outcomes following transoral robotic surgery versus transoral laser microsurgery for the treatment of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma: a systematic review protocol.

OBJECTIVE/REVIEW QUESTIONS: The objective of this systematic review is to synthesize the best available evidence regarding the oncological and survival outcomes (as measured by disease control, disease-free survival, disease-specific survival and overall survival) of transoral robotic surgery (TORS) versus transoral laser microsurgery (TLM) in the treatment of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma in adults (aged 18 years or older). Specifically the review questions are:1 Is there a difference in oncological outcomes between a traditional "Halstedian" en bloc tumor resection technique used in TORS versus a modern segmental tumor dissection technique used in TLM?2 Does one surgical approach confer better oncological outcomes with respect to a particular patient subgroup, such as patients with a positive human papilloma virus status or patient's with different tumor T-stages?

Feeding and reflux in children after mandibular distraction osteogenesis for micrognathia: A systematic review.

UNLABELLED: Mandibular distraction osteogenesis (MDO) is becoming increasingly more commonly used as in neonates and infants with upper airway obstruction secondary to micrognathia. A significant number of these children are dependent on nasoenteric feeding or gastrostomies after birth for adequate nutrition and often suffer from gastro-esophageal reflux (GERD). OBJECTIVE: This analysis is a subset of a larger systematic review. The objective of this study is to determine the effects of MDO on feeding and GERD. DATA SOURCES: The databases searched included PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Knowledge and grey literature sources. STUDY SELECTION: The inclusion criterion included studies in children with clinical evidence of micrognathia/Pierre Robin Sequence (PRS) who have failed conservative treatments, including both syndromic (sMicro) and non-syndromic (iPRS) patients. 21 studies relevant to feeding and 4 studies relevant to GERD outcomes were included. All studies included were case series and case reports. RESULTS: MDO leads to a significant improvement in feeding, with 82% of children feeding exclusively orally after surgery. The overall percentage of children with iPRS who were feeding orally was 93.7% compared with only 72.9% in the sMicro group (p<0.004). A growth decline within the first six weeks after surgery was observed in multiple studies. Overall, out of 70 patients with pre-operative GERD, only four had evidence of GERD after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Considering the limitations of this systematic review, this study found that successful relief of airway obstruction by MDO leads to improvement of feeding and improvement in symptoms of GERD in children with upper airway obstruction secondary to micrognathia. Clinicians need to be aware of the risk of growth decline in the initial post-operative period.

Does the Rate of Distraction or Type of Distractor Affect the Outcome of Mandibular Distraction in Children With Micrognathia?

PURPOSE: A variety of surgical protocols are available in the literature for performing mandibular distraction. This study aims to determine the ideal rate of distraction and compare outcomes between internal and external distractors in children and infants with upper airway obstruction due to micrognathia. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A systematic review was performed. The databases searched included PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Knowledge, and gray-literature sources. The intervention was bilateral mandibular distraction for upper airway obstruction in children with clinical evidence of micrognathia or Pierre Robin sequence. The variables for comparison included distraction rates of 1 mm/d and 2 mm/d and external versus internal distractors. The outcome was successful completion of distraction. Complications also were recorded and compared. The data were analyzed by cross tabulation to calculate odds ratios. RESULTS: Overall, 43 studies were included in the surgical outcomes analysis. The overall success rate of distraction was 95.4%. There was no statistically significant difference in success rate with distraction at 1 mm/d or 2 mm/d (P = .18). Distraction at 1 mm/d was associated with a higher rate of technical failures. External distractors had a higher failure rate than internal distractors (P = .012). Internal distractors had a lower rate of significant scarring (P = .006) and had a lower incidence of technical failures (P = .039). CONCLUSIONS: In children younger than 12 months, distraction at a rate of 2 mm/d is safe and appears to have a similar success rate to distraction at 1 mm/d. Internal distractors have a higher success rate than external distractors and should be used when possible.

Evidence-Based Practice Point-of-Care Resources: A Quantitative Evaluation of Quality, Rigor, and Content.

OBJECTIVE: Clinicians and other healthcare professionals need access to summaries of evidence-based information in order to provide effective care to their patients at the point-of-care. Evidence-based practice (EBP) point-of-care resources have been developed and are available online to meet this need. This study aimed to develop a comprehensive list of available EBP point-of-care resources and evaluate their processes and policies for the development of content, in order to provide a critical analysis based upon rigor, transparency and measures of editorial quality to inform healthcare providers and promote quality improvement amongst publishers of EBP resources. DESIGN: A comprehensive and systematic search (Pubmed, CINAHL, and Cochrane Central) was undertaken to identify available EBP point-of-care resources, defined as "web-based medical compendia specifically designed to deliver predigested, rapidly accessible, comprehensive, periodically updated, and evidence-based information (and possibly also guidance) to clinicians." MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: A pair of investigators independently extracted information on general characteristics, content presentation, editorial quality, evidence-based methodology, and breadth and volume. RESULTS: Twenty-seven summary resources were identified, of which 22 met the predefined inclusion criteria for EBP point-of-care resources, and 20 could be accessed for description and assessment. Overall, the upper quartile of EBP point-of-care providers was assessed to be UpToDate, Nursing Reference Centre, Mosby's Nursing Consult, BMJ Best Practice, and JBI COnNECT+. LINKING EVIDENCE TO ACTION: The choice of which EBP point-of-care resources are suitable for an organization is a decision that depends heavily on the unique requirements of that organization and the resources it has available. However, the results presented in this study should enable healthcare providers to make that assessment in a clear, evidence-based manner, and provide a comprehensive list of the available options.

Sarcopenia in older people.

Sarcopenia is the age-related loss of muscle mass and strength. It has been receiving international attention because of its increased prevalence in western societies, such as Australia, which have large and growing older populations. Adverse health consequences of sarcopenia are falls and loss of independence, increased health costs and reduced quality of life. Recently, there have been international attempts to come to a consensus with regards to a definition of the condition, and, increasingly, clinicians are being encouraged to screen and assess for sarcopenia. Screening pathways are being investigated and some are discussed in this review. There is an emphasis on early screening, as it is believed that early detection will allow early intervention. As with most conditions in older age, there are many environmental and medical factors that can contribute to the development and worsening of sarcopenia, and it is important that, when possible, these contributing factors be addressed. Pharmaceutical treatment strategies are under development with some early promise and there is the possibility of clinical trials in the near future. Currently, nutritional supplementation and physical therapy are the strategies advocated for the management of sarcopenia once it is diagnosed.

Correlation of acid alpha-glucosidase and glycogen content in skin fibroblasts with age of onset in Pompe disease.

BACKGROUND: Pompe disease is an autosomal recessive disorder of glycogen metabolism resulting from a deficiency of acid alpha-glucosidase. Pompe disease can present within a broad clinical spectrum, from the severe infantile to the attenuated adult onset phenotypes. Early diagnosis, in the form of newborn screening has been proposed. However, in the absence of clinical symptoms, prediction of disease severity and progression will be critical to provide appropriate management and treatment of affected individuals. METHODS: We have used sensitive immune-assays to measure levels of acid alpha-glucosidase protein and activity in cultured skin fibroblasts and a new glycogen assay to specifically determine the lysosomal accumulation of glycogen in the same cells. These markers were assessed for their ability to predict age of onset. RESULTS: Acid alpha-glucosidase activity and specific activity as well as lysosomal glycogen showed significant correlations with age of onset, with acid alpha-glucosidase activity having the highest Spearman correlation coefficient (0.887, p<0.001). Lysosomal glycogen accumulated only in cells from infantile and juvenile patients but not from adult-onset patients. However, cells from adult-onset patients had relatively low cytoplasmic glycogen compared to control individuals and other forms of the disease. CONCLUSION: Acid-alpha-glucosidase activity and specific activity, and lysosomal glycogen content are useful predictors of age of onset in Pompe disease.