A comparison of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) versus influenza during the pandemic: Can we distinguish COVID-19 from flu?

We conducted a retrospective chart review examining the demographics, clinical history, physical findings, and comorbidities of patients with influenza and patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Older patients, male patients, patients reporting fever, and patients with higher body mass indexes (BMIs) were more likely to have COVID-19 than influenza.

A 90-second magnetocardiogram using a novel analysis system to assess for coronary artery stenosis in Emergency department observation unit chest pain patients.

BACKGROUND: Magnetocardiography (MCG) has been shown to non-invasively detect coronary artery stenosis (CAS). Emergency department (ED) patients with possible acute coronary syndrome (ACS) are commonly placed in an observation unit (OU) for further evaluation. Our objective was to compare a novel MCG analysis system with stress testing (ST) and/or coronary angiography (CA) in non-high risk EDOU chest pain patients. METHODS: This is a prospective pilot study of non-high risk EDOU chest pain patients evaluated with ST and/or CA that underwent a resting 90-second MCG scan between August 2017 and February 2018. A positive MCG scan was defined as having current dipole deviations with dispersion or splitting during the repolarization phase. ST, CA and major adverse cardiac events (MACE) 30 days and 6 months post-discharge assessed. RESULTS: Of 101 study patients, mean age was 56 years and 53.6% were male. MCG scan sensitivity with 95% CI was 27.3% [7.3%, 60.7%], specificity 77.8% [67.5%, 85.6%], PPV 13.0% [3.4%, 34.7%] and NPV 89.7% [80.3%, 95.2%] compared to ST, and 33.3% [7.5%, 70.7%], 78.3% [68.4%, 86.2%], 13% [5.2%, 29.0%] and 92.3% [88.2%, 95.1%] respectively compared to ST and CA. No patients had positive ST, CA or MACE 30 days and 6 months post-discharge. CONCLUSION: This pilot study suggests a resting 90-second MCG scan shows promise in evaluating EDOU chest pain patients for CAS and warrants further study as an alternative testing modality to identify patients safe for discharge. Larger studies are needed to assess accuracy of MCG using this novel analysis system.

Radiation Exposure in Pediatric Intensive Care Unit Patients: How Much Is Too Much?

We aimed to determine median cumulative radiation exposure in pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) patients, proportion of patients with high radiation exposure (above annual average radiation per person of 6.2 mSv), and determine risk factors for high exposure. This was a retrospective chart review of PICU patients up to 18 years of age admitted to a large community hospital over 2 years. Radiologic studies and radiation exposure were determined for each patient, and total hospital radiation exposure was classified as high (>6.2 mSv) or not (≤6.2 mSv). Median radiation exposure per patient was 0.2 mSv (interquartile range = 2.1) and 11.7% of patients received >6.2 mSv radiation during their hospitalization. Factors associated with high radiation exposure included admission for trauma or surgery, number of computed tomography scans, age, and PICU length of stay (all P < .0001). We concluded that subsets of PICU patients are at risk of high radiation exposure. Policies and protocols may help minimize radiation exposure among PICU patients.

Reduction in Radiation Exposure through a Stress Test Algorithm in an Emergency Department Observation Unit.

INTRODUCTION: Clinicians are urged to decrease radiation exposure from unnecessary medical procedures. Many emergency department (ED) patients placed in an observation unit (EDOU) do not require chest pain evaluation with a nuclear stress test (NucST). We sought to implement a simple ST algorithm that favors non-nuclear stress test (Non-NucST) options to evaluate the effect of the algorithm on the proportion of patients exposed to radiation by comparing use of NucST versus Non-NucST pre- and post-algorithm. METHODS: An ST algorithm was introduced favoring Non-NucST and limiting NucST to a subset of EDOU patients in October 2008. We analyzed aggregate data before (Jan-Sept 2008, period 1) and after (Jan-Sept 2009 and Jan-Sept 2010, periods 2 and 3 respectively) algorithm introduction. A random sample of 240 EDOU patients from each period was used to compare 30-day major adverse cardiac events (MACE). We calculated confidence intervals for proportions or the difference between two proportions. RESULTS: A total of 5,047 STs were performed from Jan-Sept 2008-2010. NucST in the EDOU decreased after algorithm introduction from period 1 to 2 (40.7%, 95% CI [38.3-43.1] vs. 22.1%, 95% CI [20.1-24.1]), and remained at 22.1%, 95% CI [20.3-24.0] in period 3. There was no difference in 30-day MACE rates before and after algorithm use (0.1% for period 1 and 3, 0% for period 2). CONCLUSION: Use of a simple ST algorithm that favors non-NucST options decreases the proportion of EDOU chest pain patients exposed to radiation exposure from ST almost 50% by limiting NucST to a subset of patients, without a change in 30-day MACE.

Predictors of screening for hyperlipidemia in an urban pediatric tertiary care center.

INTRODUCTION: It is unknown how the conflicting recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the US Preventive Services Task Force on pediatric hyperlipidemia affect screening. OBJECTIVES: (a) Identify clinical predictors for screening for hyperlipidemia, (b) assess the adherence to the 2008 American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines, and (c) determine the efficacy of reminder cards in increasing the adherence to the aforementioned guidelines. METHODS: Retrospective chart review in the resident, attending, and adolescent medicine clinics during a 3-month period. Reminder cards on each patient chart outlining guidelines for lipid screening for the same clinics were inserted and prospectively assessed for adherence during the following 3 months. RESULTS: Older age and higher body mass index increased likelihood (odds ratio = 1.2 and 12.7, respectively) for lipid screening. Reminder cards improved adherence in the resident clinic only (χ2 P = .016). CONCLUSIONS: Age and body mass index were the most significant predictors for lipid screening. Reminder cards modestly improved adherence among resident physicians.

Improving Foot Examinations in Patients With Diabetes: A Performance Improvement Continuing Medical Education (PI-CME) Project.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this project was to determine if a Performance-Improvement Continuing Medical Education (PI-CME) project, using the American Medical Association's methodology, would help improve the timeliness and comprehensiveness of foot examinations in patients with diabetes. METHODS: A PI-CME project was conducted with the Internal Medicine faculty staff physicians (n = 8) and residents (n = 45). Following the 3 steps of PI-CME, participants received baseline reports about their performance defined by the American Diabetes Association's guidelines for foot examinations (stage A). Each group received an educational intervention (stage B) and a reminder tool for use in the practice. Participants received individualized reports about their performance post intervention (stage C) for comparison with preintervention data and reflection on any changes in compliance. RESULTS: In the faculty and resident clinics, the percentage of patients who received an annual foot examination when due increased significantly. Both clinics also showed improvements in the percentage of patients who received all 3 components of the exam, with the greatest improvement in the resident clinic. CONCLUSIONS: The PI-CME approach can be successfully used both with faculty staff physicians (who receive CME credits) and residents (who do not receive credits) to improve performance on diabetes quality measures.

The effect of resident peer-to-peer education on compliance with urinary catheter placement indications in the emergency department.

OBJECTIVE This study aims to evaluate the effect of resident peer-to-peer education on knowledge of appropriate urinary catheter (UC) placement in the emergency department (ED) and to determine if this translates into further reduction in UC utilisation. Background Instituting guidelines for appropriate UC placement reduces UC utilisation in the ED. No study has explored if resident education in a teaching hospital would further reduce UC utilisation. METHODS An educational intervention implemented in February 2009 consisted of a lecture, distribution of pocket cards and a peer-administered weekly review of institutional UC guidelines. A 12-question multiple-choice test was given to residents prelecture and postlecture, and the 12-question test was repeated 3 months later. Retrospective chart review was performed to evaluate UC utilisation before, immediately after and 3 months after the educational intervention. RESULTS 30 residents completed all three tests. Significant differences were found between the mean test score pre-education and the mean test score immediately after education (9.43±1.17 vs 10.87±1.46, p<0.001) and between the mean test score pre-education and the mean test score 3 months posteducation (9.43±1.17 vs 10.43±1.28, p<0.001). There was no significant difference in UC utilisation or in the proportion of indicated UCs placed by residents within the three study periods. CONCLUSIONS Resident peer-to-peer education was associated with improvement of knowledge but did not result in decreased UC utilisation. A more active approach must be taken and other factors need to be further explored to reduce unnecessary placement of UC by residents in the ED.

Malignant granular cell tumor: a look into the diagnostic criteria.

Fanburg-Smith et al. classified granular cell tumors (GCTs) using six criteria with high Ki-67 and p53 in malignant cases. We aim to refine their classification and reproduce their immunohistochemical findings. We, first, classified our 48 cases according to Fanburg-Smith criteria (37 benign, seven atypical, and four malignant), and performed Ki-67 and p53 on a sample of tumors. Then, we reclassified them into 44 benign and four with uncertain malignant potential (GCT-UMP) using only necrosis and/or mitoses. (1) According to Fanburg-Smith criteria: Malignant cases were significantly younger than benign and atypical ones; occurred predominantly in males; were significantly larger in size; and showed a higher Ki-67 expression but an insignificant difference in p53 staining. (2) Comparative findings: The four malignant cases according to Fanburg-Smith corresponded to our four cases with UMP. The seven atypical cases and our benign group shared similar means, except for age. None of these atypical cases recurred or metastasized. Despite its small number, our preliminary study showed similar selectivity of two more reproducible criteria (vs six) in the classification of cases of GCT with potential aggressive behavior, preserving a role for Ki-67 in difficult cases. However, metastases remain the sole definite criterion for malignancy.

Urinary catheters in the emergency department: very elderly women are at high risk for unnecessary utilization.

BACKGROUND: Many of the urinary catheters (UCs) placed in the emergency department (ED) might not be necessary. We evaluated compliance with our institutional UC utilization guidelines and assessed factors influencing utilization. METHODS: We conducted a 12-week retrospective observational study evaluating UC utilization in all admissions from the ED. Data included reason for placement, presence of a physician's order for placement, resident physician involvement, and patient age and sex. RESULTS: Out of 4521 patients evaluated, 532 (11.8%) had a UC placed. Of these UCs, 371 (69.7%) were indicated, and 312 (58.6%) had a physician's order documented. The mean age of the patients who had a UC placed without an indication was 71.3 ± 18.8 years, that of patients with an indication was 60.0 ± 22.4 years (P < .0001), and that of patients who did not have a UC placed was 56.2 ± 22.6 years (P < .0001). Half of the women aged ≥80 years who had a UC placed did not have an indication according to our institutional guidelines. Multivariate logistic regression showed that women were 1.9 times more likely than men, and those age ≥80 years were 2.9 times more likely than those age ≤50 years, to have a UC placed without an indication. CONCLUSION: Very elderly women are at high risk for inappropriate UC utilization in the ED. Interventions are needed to address this vulnerable population.

Effect of race and insurance on outcome of pediatric trauma.

OBJECTIVES: This study sought to determine if insurance or race status affect trauma outcomes in pediatric trauma patients. METHODS: Using the National Trauma Data Bank (NTDB; v6.2), the following variables were extracted: age (0-17 years), payment type (insured, Medicaid/Medicare, or self-pay), race (white, Black/African American, or Hispanic), Injury Severity Score (ISS > 8), type of trauma (blunt or penetrating), and discharge status (alive or dead). Data were analyzed using logistic regression. RESULTS: Of the 70,781 patient visits analyzed, 67% were insured, 23% were Medicaid/Medicare, and 10% were self-pay. Self-pay patients had higher mortality (11%, compared to Medicaid/Medicare at 5% and insured at 4%; p < 0.001). African Americans and Hispanics also had higher mortality (7 and 6%) compared to whites (4%; p < 0.001). Self-pay patients more likely suffered penetrating trauma than insured patients (12% vs. 4%; p < 0.001), and mortality for penetrating trauma self-pay patients was 29%, compared to only 11% for penetrating trauma insured patients (p < 0.001). The mortality rate varied from a low of 3% for insured whites, to 18% for self-pay African Americans. Logistic regression (including race, insurance status, injury type, and ISS) revealed that African Americans and Hispanics both had an increased risk of death compared to whites (African American odds ratio [OR] = 1.37, Hispanic OR = 1.20). Medicaid/Medicare patients had a slightly increased risk of death with OR = 1.14, but self-pay patients were almost three times more likely to die (adjusted OR = 2.92). CONCLUSIONS: After controlling for ISS and type of injury, mortality disparity exists for uninsured, African American, and Hispanic pediatric trauma patients. Although the reasons for this are unclear, efforts to decrease these disparities are needed.

Effect of establishing guidelines on appropriate urinary catheter placement.

OBJECTIVES: Avoiding placement of unnecessary urinary catheters (UCs) in the emergency department (ED) affects UC utilization during hospitalization. The authors sought to evaluate the effect of establishing institutional guidelines for appropriate UC placement coupled with emergency physician (EP) education on UC utilization. METHODS: Urinary catheter utilization was measured before and after the establishment of guidelines and EP education. Data collected included the presence of a UC on ED arrival, placement of a UC in the ED, documentation of a physician order for UC placement, reasons for placement, and compliance with the guidelines. Chi-square analyses were used to study the association between pre- and postintervention time periods and catheter use. RESULTS: A total of 377 (15%) patients had UCs; only 151 (47%) UCs initially placed in the ED had a physician order documented. UC placement was appropriately indicated in 75.5% of patients with a documented physician order, but in only 52% of cases without a documented physician order (p<0.001). The physician intervention was associated with an overall reduction in UC utilization from 16.4% to 13% (p=0.018). Physicians ordered 40% fewer UCs postintervention compared to preintervention. Preintervention, a physician order for UC placement was found indicated in 72.6% patients, compared to 82.2% patients with UC placed postintervention (p=0.21). CONCLUSIONS: Establishing guidelines for UC placement and physician education in the ED were associated with a marked reduction in utilization. However, addressing appropriate UC utilization may require evaluating other factors such as nursing influence on utilization.

An assessment of user acceptance and satisfaction with the tobacco use cessation automated clinical practice guideline.

OBJECTIVE: To describe user acceptance of and satisfaction with the Tobacco Use Cessation (TUC) Automated Clinical Practice Guideline (ACPG) at the Henry Ford Health System. STUDY DESIGN: A previous investigation assessed compliance with the 5 As (ask, advise, assess, assist, and arrange) of the TUC ACPG across 3 study arms. This article describes user satisfaction with the TUC ACPG after implementation. METHODS: In all study arms, providers completed a survey before participating in a focus group. RESULTS: All providers in the TUC arm indicated that they "almost always" asked their patients about tobacco use. Providers in the TUC arm were generally satisfied with the features of the TUC ACPG, particularly the ease of electronically referring a patient to the Smoking Intervention Program. Barriers to use included time constraints, lack of staff, and the desire to "opt out" of the program for patients in specific situations (eg, patients with terminal illnesses). CONCLUSION: Because ACPGs are incorporated into electronic medical records, it is important to obtain provider input before implementation, to supply technology that is user friendly and fits into the work flow of the clinic, and to afford physicians the autonomy to opt out of the guideline in specific clinical circumstances.

Effects of the tobacco use cessation automated clinical practice guideline.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of the Tobacco Use Cessation (TUC) Automated Clinical Practice Guideline (ACPG) (a variation of the US Department of Health and Human Services Clinical Practice Guideline on Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence) on guideline adherence in a multisite health system. STUDY DESIGN: The study used a pre-post cross-sectional design. Paneled patients were enrolled from 6 clinics, including 2 control clinics (arm 1), 2 control clinics that received a check-in screen only (the check-in screen provided a simplified method for entering patient vital signs into the electronic medical record) (arm 2), and 2 clinics that received the TUC intervention (arm 3). METHODS: Baseline data on physician compliance with the 5 As (ask, assess, advise, assist, and arrange) at the last office visit were collected via telephone surveys from patients in the 3 study arms. The TUC-ACPG was then introduced in the TUC intervention clinics as part of the existing electronic medical record. Approximately 2 weeks after the TUC intervention, postimplementation data were collected via telephone survey. RESULTS: In the TUC intervention arm, postimplementation adherence rates increased relative to baseline for all 5 points of the guideline, with the largest increases seen in the assess and arrange guideline points. Controlling for factors such as age, race, and relevant comorbidities, logistic regression analysis indicated that the time (preimplementation vs postimplementation)-x-TUC intervention arm interaction demonstrated a statistically significant increase in the assess guideline point. CONCLUSION: Although baseline adherence rates were already high, the introduction of the TUC-ACPG led to further increases in guideline adherence.