Teaching spirituality to Canadian medical students: students' perceptions of a spiritual history taking clinical skills session.

Spirituality involves one's sense of purpose, connection with others, and ability to find meaning in life. We implemented a three-year pilot of a spiritual history taking (SHT) clinical skills session. In small groups, medical students discussed and practiced SHT with clinical scenarios and the FICA framework and received preceptor and peer feedback. Post-session focus groups and interviews demonstrated student perceptions of improved comfort, knowledge, and awareness of discussing spirituality with patients. This innovation may support improved clinical skills teaching across other health professions institutions to better prepare students to recognize patients' spiritual needs and provide more holistic, culturally competent care.

La spiritualité touche au sentiment d'avoir une raison d'être, à la relation à l'autre et à la capacité de trouver un sens à la vie1. Nous avons mis en place, comme projet pilote de trois ans, une séance visant l'acquisition de compétences cliniques portant sur l'anamnèse spirituelle (AS). En petits groupes, les étudiants discutaient de l'anamnèse spirituelle et la mettaient en pratique au moyen de scénarios cliniques et du questionnaire d'anamnèse spirituelle FICA2, puis recevaient des commentaires de la part de leur précepteur et de leurs pairs. Les groupes de discussion et les entretiens après les séances ont montré que les étudiants se sentaient mieux informés, plus à l'aise et plus conscients de la nécessité de parler de spiritualité avec les patients. Cette innovation peut contribuer à améliorer l'enseignement des compétences cliniques dans d'autres professions de la santé pour mieux préparer les étudiants à reconnaître les besoins spirituels des patients et à fournir des soins plus holistiques et culturellement adaptés.

Variation in the Management of Hospitalized Children With Orbital Cellulitis Over 10 Years.

OBJECTIVES: No previous study has examined the management of hospitalized children with orbital cellulitis at both children's and community hospitals across multiple sites in Canada. We describe variation and trends over time in diagnostic testing and imaging, adjunctive agents, empiric antibiotics, and surgical intervention in children hospitalized with orbital cellulitis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Multicenter cohort study of 1579 children aged 2 months to 18 years with orbital cellulitis infections admitted to 10 hospitals from 2009 to 2018. We assessed hospital-level variation in the use of diagnostic tests, imaging, antibiotics, adjunctive agents, surgical intervention, and clinical outcomes using X2, Mann-Whitney U, and Kruskal-Wallis tests. The association between clinical management and length of stay was evaluated with median regression analysis with hospital as a fixed effect. RESULTS: There were significant differences between children's hospitals in usage of C-reactive protein tests (P < .001), computed tomography scans (P = .004), MRI scans (P = .003), intranasal decongestants (P < .001), intranasal corticosteroids (P < .001), intranasal saline spray (P < .001), and systemic corticosteroids (P < .001). Children's hospital patients had significantly longer length of hospital stay compared with community hospitals (P = .001). After adjustment, diagnostic testing, imaging, and subspecialty consults were associated with longer median length of hospital stay at children's hospitals. From 2009 to 2018, C-reactive protein test usage increased from 28.8% to 73.5% (P < .001), whereas erythrocyte sedimentation rate decreased from 31.5% to 14.1% (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: There was significant variation in diagnostic test usage and treatments, and increases in test usage and medical intervention rates over time despite minimal changes in surgical interventions and length of stay.

Factors Associated with Surgery and Imaging Characteristics in Severe Orbital Infections.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate risk factors associated with surgical intervention and subperiosteal/orbital abscess in hospitalized children with severe orbital infections. STUDY DESIGN: We conducted a multicenter cohort study of children 2 months to 18 years hospitalized with periorbital or orbital cellulitis from 2009 to 2018 at 10 hospitals in Canada. Clinical details were extracted, and patients were categorized as undergoing surgical or medical-only management. Primary outcome was surgical intervention and the main secondary outcome was clinically important imaging. Logistic regression was used to identify predictors. RESULTS: Of 1579 patients entered, median age was 5.4 years, 409 (25.9%) had an orbital/subperiosteal abscess, and 189 (12.0%) underwent surgery. In the adjusted analysis, the risk of surgical intervention was associated with older age (age 9 to <14: aOR 3.9, 95% CI 2.3-6.6; and age 14 to ≤18 years: aOR 7.0, 95% CI 3.4-14.1), elevated C-reactive protein >120 mg/L (aOR 2.8, 95% CI 1.3-5.9), elevated white blood cell count of 12-20 000/µL (aOR 1.7, 95% CI 1.1-2.6), proptosis (aOR 2.6, 95% CI 1.7-4.0), and subperiosteal/orbital abscess (aOR 5.3, 95% CI 3.6-7.9). There was no association with antibiotic use before hospital admission, sex, presence of a chronic disease, temperature greater than 38.0°C, and eye swollen shut. Complications were identified in 4.7% of patients, including vision loss (0.6%), intracranial extension (1.6%), and meningitis (0.8%). CONCLUSIONS: In children hospitalized with severe orbital infections, older age, elevated C-reactive protein, elevated white blood cell count, proptosis, and subperiosteal/orbital abscess were predictors of surgical intervention.

Effectiveness and safety of tranexamic acid in pediatric trauma: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Trauma is the leading cause of childhood death in the United States. Our goal was to determine the effectiveness of tranexamic acid (TXA) in improving survival in pediatric trauma. METHODS: MEDLINE (OVID), Embase (OVID), Cochrane Central Register databases, CINAHL (EBSCO), Web of Science (Clarivate Analytics), and grey literature sources were searched for publications reporting survival and safety outcomes in children receiving TXA in acute trauma, with no language restrictions, published until February 11, 2021. Two independent researchers assessed studies for eligibility, bias, and quality. Data on the study setting, injury type, participants, design, interventions, TXA dosing and outcomes were extracted. The primary outcome was survival in children who received TXA following trauma. Forest plots of effect estimates were constructed for each study. Heterogeneity was assessed and data were pooled by meta-analysis using a random-effects model. RESULTS: Fourteen articles met inclusion criteria - six single-institution and eight multicentre retrospective cohort studies. Overall, TXA use was not associated with increased survival in pediatric trauma (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 0.61, 95% CI: 0.30-1.22) after adjustment for patient-level variables, such as injury severity. Increased survival was documented in the subset of children experiencing trauma in combat settings (aOR for mortality: 0.31, 95% CI: 0.14-0.68). There were no differences in the odds of thromboembolic events (OR 1.15, 95% CI: 0.46-2.87) in children who received TXA versus not. CONCLUSIONS: The utility of TXA in children with trauma is unclear. Guidelines supporting TXA use in pediatric trauma may not be based on the available evidence of its use in this context. Rigorous trials measuring survival and other meaningful outcomes and exploring optimal TXA dosing are urgently needed. Study Registration (PROSPERO): CRD42020157683.

Parenteral versus enteral fluid therapy for children hospitalised with bronchiolitis.

BACKGROUND: The main focus of treatment for children hospitalised with bronchiolitis is supportive, including oxygen supplementation, respiratory support, and fluid therapy. Up to half of infants hospitalised with bronchiolitis require non-oral fluid therapy due to dehydration or concerns related to the safety of oral feeding. The two main modalities used for non-oral fluid therapy are parenteral (intravenous (IV)) and enteral tube (nasogastric (NG) or orogastric (OG)). However, it is not known which mode is optimal in young children. OBJECTIVES: To systematically review randomised clinical trials (RCTs) of the effectiveness and safety of parenteral and enteral tube fluid therapy for children under two years of age hospitalised with bronchiolitis. SEARCH METHODS: We conducted a search of the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, Web of Science, ClinicalTrials.gov, and the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform on 8 March 2021. We handsearched conference proceedings, conducted forward and backward searching of citation lists of relevant articles, and contacted experts. SELECTION CRITERIA: We included RCTs and quasi-RCTs of children aged up to two years admitted to hospital with a clinical diagnosis of bronchiolitis who required fluid therapy. The trials compared enteral tube fluid therapy with parenteral fluid therapy. The primary outcome was difference in length of hospital stay in hours after each non-oral fluid therapy modality. As actual time of discharge can be impacted by various factors, we also assessed theoretical length of stay (i.e. time when a patient is safe for discharge). We assessed several secondary outcomes. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: We used standard methodological procedures expected by Cochrane.  MAIN RESULTS: The searches yielded 615 unique records, of which four articles underwent full-text screening. We included two trials (810 children). Oakley 2013 was an open, non-blinded RCT of infants aged two to 12 months admitted to hospitals in Australia and New Zealand with a clinical diagnosis of bronchiolitis during three bronchiolitis seasons. The trial enrolled 759 children, of which 381 were randomised to NG tube therapy and 378 to IV therapy. Risk of bias was low in most domains. Kugelman 2013 was an open, non-blinded RCT that enrolled infants aged less than six months with a clinical diagnosis of "moderate bronchiolitis" at a single hospital in Israel. The study enrolled 51 infants, of which 31 were assigned to NG or OG tube therapy and 20 to IV therapy. Risk of bias was unclear in most domains. The application of enteral tube fluid therapy compared to IV fluid therapy probably makes little to no difference for actual length of hospital stay (mean difference (MD) 6.8 hours, 95% confidence interval (CI) -4.7 to 18.4 hours; 2 studies, 810 children, moderate certainty evidence). There was also little to no difference for theoretical length of stay (MD 4.4 hours, 95% CI -3.6 to 12.4 hours; 2 studies, 810 children, moderate certainty evidence). For the secondary outcomes, enteral tube fluid therapy probably makes little to no difference for time to resume full oral feeding compared to IV fluid therapy (MD 2.8 hours, 95% CI -3.6 to 9.2 hours; 2 studies, 810 children, moderate certainty evidence). The use of enteral tube for fluid therapy probably results in a large increase in the success of insertion of fluid modality at first attempt (risk ratio (RR) 1.52, 95% CI 1.36 to 1.69; 1 study, 617 children, moderate certainty evidence), and probably largely reduces the chances of change in fluid therapy modality (RR 0.52, 95% CI 0.38 to 0.71; 1 study, 759 children, moderate certainty evidence) compared to IV fluid.  Oakley 2013 reported 47 local complication events after discharge in the IV fluid group compared to 30 events in the NG tube group. They also evaluated parental satisfaction, which was high with both modalities. Enteral tube fluid therapy makes little to no difference to the duration of oxygen supplementation (MD 2.2 hours, 95% CI -5.0 to 9.5 hours; 2 studies, 810 children, moderate certainty evidence). Compared with the IV fluid therapy group, there was a 17% relative reduction in the number of intensive care unit admissions (RR 0.83, 95% CI 0.47 to 1.46; 1 study, 759 children, moderate certainty evidence) and a 19% relative reduction in number of readmissions to hospital (RR 0.81, 95% CI 0.33 to 2.04; 1 study, 678 children, moderate certainty evidence) in the enteral tube fluid therapy group. Adverse events were uncommon in both trials, with likely little to no differences between groups. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Based on two RCTs, enteral tube feeding likely results in little to no difference in length of hospital stay compared with the IV fluid group. However, enteral tube fluid therapy likely results in a large increase in the success of insertion of fluid modality at first attempt, and a large reduction in change in modality of fluid therapy. It also probably reduces local complications compared to the IV fluid group. Despite bronchiolitis being one of the most prevalent childhood conditions, we identified only two studies with under 1000 participants in total, which highlights the need for multicentre trials. Future studies should explore type of fluid administered, parent-reported outcomes and preferences, and the role of shared decision-making.

Corticosteroids for periorbital and orbital cellulitis.

BACKGROUND: Periorbital and orbital cellulitis are infections of the tissue anterior and posterior to the orbital septum, respectively, and can be difficult to differentiate clinically. Periorbital cellulitis can also progress to become orbital cellulitis. Orbital cellulitis has a relatively high incidence in children and adults, and potentially serious consequences including vision loss, meningitis, and death. Complications occur in part due to inflammatory swelling from the infection creating a compartment syndrome within the bony orbit, leading to elevated ocular pressure and compression of vasculature and the optic nerve. Corticosteroids are used in other infections to reduce this inflammation and edema, but they can lead to immune suppression and worsening infection. OBJECTIVES: To assess the effectiveness and safety of adjunctive corticosteroids for periorbital and orbital cellulitis, and to assess their effectiveness and safety in children and in adults separately. SEARCH METHODS: We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (which contains the Cochrane Eyes and Vision Trials Register) (2020, Issue 3); Ovid MEDLINE; Embase.com; PubMed; Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature Database (LILACS); ClinicalTrials.gov, and the World Health Organization (WHO) International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP). We did not use any date or language restrictions in the electronic search for trials. We last searched the electronic databases on 2 March 2020. SELECTION CRITERIA: We included studies of participants diagnosed with periorbital or orbital cellulitis. We excluded studies that focused exclusively on participants who were undergoing elective endoscopic surgery, including management of infections postsurgery as well as studies conducted solely on trauma patients. Randomized and quasi-randomized controlled trials were eligible for inclusion. Any study that administered corticosteroids was eligible regardless of type of steroid, route of administration, length of therapy, or timing of treatment. Comparators could include placebo, another corticosteroid, no treatment control, or another intervention. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: We used standard methodological procedures recommended by Cochrane. MAIN RESULTS: The search yielded 7998 records, of which 13 were selected for full-text screening. We identified one trial for inclusion. No other eligible ongoing or completed trials were identified. The included study compared the use of corticosteroids in addition to antibiotics to the use of antibiotics alone for the treatment of orbital cellulitis. The study included a total of 21 participants aged 10 years and older, of which 14 participants were randomized to corticosteroids and antibiotics and 7 participants to antibiotics alone. Participants randomized to corticosteroids and antibiotics received adjunctive corticosteroids after initial antibiotic response (mean 5.13 days), at an initial dose of 1.5 mg/kg for three days followed by 1 mg/kg for another three days before being tapered over a one- to two-week period. We assessed the included study as having an unclear risk of bias for allocation concealment, masking (blinding), selective outcome reporting, and other sources of bias. Risk of bias from sequence generation and incomplete outcome data were low. The certainty of evidence for all outcomes was very low, downgraded for risk of bias (-1) and imprecision (-2). Length of hospital stay was compared between the group receiving antibiotics alone compared to the group receiving antibiotics and corticosteroids (mean difference (MD) 4.30, 95% confidence interval (CI) -0.48 to 9.08; 21 participants). There was no observed difference in duration of antibiotics between treatment groups (MD 3.00, 95% CI -0.48 to 6.48; 21 participants). Likewise, preservation of visual acuity at 12 weeks of follow-up between group was also assessed (RR 1.00, 95% CI 0.82 to 1.22; 21 participants). Pain scores were compared between groups on day 3 (MD -0.20, 95% CI -1.02 to 0.62; 22 eyes) along with the need for surgical intervention (RR 1.00, 95% CI 0.11 to 9.23; 21 participants). Exposure keratopathy was reported in five participants who received corticosteroids and antibiotics and three participants who received antibiotic alone (RR 1.20, 95% CI 0.40 to 3.63; 21 participants). No major complications of orbital cellulitis were seen in either the intervention or the control group. No side effects of corticosteroids were reported, although it is unclear which side effects were assessed. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: There is insufficient evidence to draw conclusions about the use of corticosteroids in the treatment of periorbital and orbital cellulitis. Since there is significant variation in how corticosteroids are used in clinical practice, additional high-quality evidence from randomized controlled trials is needed to inform decision making. Future studies should explore the effects of corticosteroids in children and adults separately, and evaluate different dosing and timing of corticosteroid therapy.

Hair Cortisol Concentration and Mental Disorder in Children With Chronic Physical Illness.

BACKGROUND: To examine changes in hair cortisol concentrations (HCC) in children with chronic physical illness and identify patterns of association between HCC and mental comorbidity. METHODS: A sample of 50 children aged 6 to 16 years were recruited within six months of being diagnosed with a chronic physical illness. Data were collected via hair samples, structured interviews, and behavioral checklists. RESULTS: There was no change in HCC over six months. Baseline HCC was associated with internalizing-odds ratio (OR) = 1.29 (90% confidence interval (CI): 1.01-1.66)-and externalizing disorders-OR = 1.32 (90% CI: 1.07-1.64). Externalizing disorder at six months was associated with elevated baseline-OR = 1.25 (90% CI: 1.02-1.53)-and six-month HCC-OR = 1.25 (90% CI: 1.02-1.54). Associations between HCC and mental disorder weakened over time, and for internalizing disorders, changed direction (i.e., inverse association), albeit not significantly. CONCLUSION: Results provide preliminary evidence that physiological stress, measured using HCC, may be implicated in the relationship between physical and mental illness, and these associations align with attenuated stress responses over time.

'Driving' Rates Down: A Population-Based Study of Opening New Radiation Therapy Centers on the Use of Mastectomy for Breast Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Two new cancer centers providing radiation therapy opened in Alberta, Canada, in 2010 and 2013, respectively. We aimed to assess whether opening the new RT centers influenced mastectomy rates for breast cancer. METHOD: Breast cancer patients who underwent surgery from 2004 through 2015 were identified from the Alberta Cancer Registry. Mastectomy rates for 64 predefined health status areas (HSAs) were calculated after adjusting for patient and system factors. Variations in mastectomy rates among the HSAs were quantified using weighted coefficient of variation (CV). Multivariable logistic regressions were performed to determine associations between driving time and mastectomy use in the entire cohort and in subgroups. RESULTS: Of the 21,872 patients, the proportion of patients who lived a ≤ 60 min drive from the nearest RT center significantly increased from 68.8% (95% CI 67.7-69.9%) to 80.7% (95% CI 79.5-81.9%) during the study period. Concurrently, the crude provincial mastectomy rate decreased from 56.2% (95% CI 55.3-57.1%) to 45.3% (95% CI 44.1-46.5%). However, variation in adjusted mastectomy rates (weighted CV) across the 64 HSAs increased from 9.5 to 14.6. Factors associated with mastectomy included age, larger tumor size, lymph node involvement, higher tumor grade, molecular subtype, lobular histology type, more comorbidities, academic institution, region, earlier period of diagnosis, and longer driving time to the nearest RT center. CONCLUSIONS: Opening new RT centers in previously underserved regions reduced driving times to the nearest center, and was associated with a reduction in mastectomy rates; however, these reductions among regions across the province were not uniform.

Urban and rural differences in outcomes of head and neck cancer.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: To assess for potential urban and rural disparities in head and neck cancer (HNC) outcomes within a single-payer healthcare system. STUDY DESIGN: A large retrospective population-based cohort analysis of consecutive HNC patients treated in British Columbia, Canada between 2001 and 2010 was conducted. METHODS: All patients diagnosed with HNC from 2001 to 2010 and referred to any one of five British Columbia Cancer Agency centers for management were reviewed. Based on census data, patients were classified into: 1) rural, 2) small urban, 3) moderate urban, and 4) large urban areas. Kaplan-Meier methods and Cox regression models were used to correlate site of residence with overall survival (OS), controlling for prognostic factors that included sociodemographic and other tumor and treatment-related characteristics. RESULTS: We identified 3,036 patients; the median age was 64 years, 26% were women, and 32% had Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) 0 or 1. The majority resided in large urban areas (55%) followed by rural (22%), moderate urban (13%), and small urban (10%). In regression analyses, smoking (hazard ratio [HR]: 2.10, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.28-3.45, P < .001), ECOG 2 + (HR: 3.44, 95% CI: 2.26-5.22, P < .001), oral cavity (HR: 1.54, 95% CI: 1.03-2.32, P = .04) and hypopharyngeal tumors (HR: 2.31, 95% CI: 1.42-3.77, P = .00), and large tumor size (HR: 1.69, 95% CI: 1.08-2.64, P = .02) were correlated with inferior OS, but site of residence was not. When stratified by type of treatment, OS remained similar irrespective of urban or rural residence. CONCLUSIONS: Urban-rural differences in HNC survival outcomes were not observed. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 2c. Laryngoscope, 128:852-858, 2018.

Asian and non-Asian disparities in outcomes of non-nasopharyngeal head and neck cancer.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: To evaluate disparities in overall survival (OS) between Asian and non-Asian patients diagnosed with non-nasopharyngeal head and neck cancer (HNC). STUDY DESIGN: This was a population-based, retrospective study of patients diagnosed with non-nasopharyngeal HNC of squamous cell carcinoma histology between 2001 and 2010 in British Columbia, Canada. METHODS: Using Kaplan-Meier methods and Cox regression models, we examined the relationship between race and OS. RESULTS: A total of 3,036 patients were included in the study. Median age was 64 years, 74% were men, and 7% were Asians. Asians had worse Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) status (29% vs. 23%, P = .07) and larger tumors (33% vs. 21%, P = .02), and were more likely to be diagnosed with oral cavity cancers (38% vs. 25%, P < .001) than non-Asians. Asians were also less likely to receive multimodality therapy than non-Asians (90% vs. 95%, P = .02). Asians were more likely to have never smoked (49% vs. 15%, P < .001) and to be married or with a partner (80% vs. 69%, P = .02). Multivariate models showed that Asians had better OS than non-Asians (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.50, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.25-0.99, P = .05). Three-year OS did not differ significantly between Asians and non-Asians (41% vs. 42%, P = .18); however, 5-year OS did (22% vs. 19% P = .03). Stratifying by treatment type, outcomes were comparable in both groups except for radiotherapy alone, where Asians showed significantly better OS (HR = 0.71, 95% CI = 0.51-0.99, P = .04). Advanced age, worse ECOG, greater tumor size, and lack of treatment also correlated with inferior OS. CONCLUSIONS: Despite several worse prognostic features and less aggressive treatment, Asians tended to exhibit better OS than non-Asians. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 2c. Laryngoscope, 127:2528-2533, 2017.