Temporal Trends and Prognosis of Physical Examination Findings in Patients With Acute Decompensated Heart Failure: The ARIC Study Community Surveillance.

BACKGROUND: Bedside evaluation of congestion is a mainstay of heart failure (HF) management. Whether detected physical examination signs have changed over time as obesity prevalence has increased in HF populations, or if the associated prognosis differs for HF with reduced or preserved ejection fraction (HFrEF or HFpEF) is uncertain. METHODS: From 2005 to 2014, the ARIC study (Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities) conducted adjudicated hospital surveillance of acute decompensated HF. We analyzed trends in physical examination findings, imaging signs, and symptoms related to congestion, both over time and by obesity class, and associated 28-day mortality risks. RESULTS: Of 24 937 weighted hospitalizations for acute decompensated HF (mean age 75 years, 53% women, 32% Black), 47% had HFpEF. The prevalence of obesity increased from 2005 to 2014 for both HF types. With increasing obesity category, detected edema increased, while jugular venous distension decreased, and rales remained stable. Detected edema also increased over time, for both HF types. Associations between 28-day mortality and individual signs and symptoms of congestion were similar for HFpEF and HFrEF; however, the adjusted mortality risk with all 3 (edema, rales, and jugular venous distension) versus <3 physical examination findings was higher for patients with HFpEF (odds ratio, 2.41 [95% CI, 1.53-3.79]) than HFrEF (odds ratio, 1.30 [95% CI, 0.87-1.93]); P for interaction by HF type =0.02. CONCLUSIONS: In patients hospitalized with acute decompensated HF, detected physical examination findings differ both temporally and by obesity. Combined findings from the physical examination are more prognostic of 28-day mortality for patients with HFpEF than HFrEF.

Accessing Healthcare Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Plight of Sexual Assault Survivors.

INTRODUCTION: Despite a global focus on intimate partner violence during the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been little exploration into how the pandemic and its associated restrictions have impacted sexual assault survivors and their ability to access specialized care and resources. The purpose of this research brief is to use longitudinal data to compare the number of medical forensic examinations done seasonally prepandemic and during the COVID-19 pandemic shelter-in-place order. METHODS: This analysis uses retrospective data on medical forensic examinations from January 2010 through November 2020 from one large academic Midwestern hospital. RESULTS: Results show that monthly medical forensic examinations have increased over time, from a mean of 4.5 cases per month (range: 1-9) in 2010 to a mean of 9 cases per month (range: 7-11) in 2019. In April 2020, when COVID-19-related shutdowns were at their first peak, cases dropped to a historic low of 0 examinations (the lowest number of cases in the past 10 years). CONCLUSIONS: The data show an initial drop in the number of survivors seeking postassault care after the COVID shutdown; however, cases rebounded through the second full month of shutdown orders. Programs that provide medical forensic examinations need to be prepared for subsequent waves of survivors, who may be COVID-19 positive. We must be better prepared for many of the adverse consequences impacting individuals around the country related to COVID-19 responses.

A Systematic Review of Assessments and Interventions for Chronic Pain in Young Children With or at High Risk for Cerebral Palsy.

BACKGROUND: Pain is common in children with cerebral palsy. The purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate the evidence regarding assessments and interventions for chronic pain in children aged ≤2 years with or at high risk for cerebral palsy. METHODS: A comprehensive literature search was performed. Included articles were screened using PRISMA guidelines and quality of evidence was reviewed using best-evidence tools by independent reviewers. Using social media channels, an online survey was conducted to elicit parent preferences. RESULTS: Six articles met criteria. Parent perception was an assessment option. Three pharmacologic interventions (gabapentin, medical cannabis, botulinum toxin type A) and 1 nonpharmacologic intervention were identified. Parent survey report parent-comfort and other nonpharmacologic interventions ranked as most preferable. CONCLUSION: A conditional GRADE recommendation was in favor of parent report for pain assessment. Clinical trials are sorely needed because of the lack of evidence for safety and efficacy of pharmacologic interventions.

Monitoring Sexual Violence Trends in Emergency Department Visits Using Syndromic Data From the National Syndromic Surveillance Program-United States, January 2017-December 2019.

Objectives. To report trends in sexual violence (SV) emergency department (ED) visits in the United States.Methods. We analyzed monthly changes in SV rates (per 100 000 ED visits) from January 2017 to December 2019 using Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Syndromic Surveillance Program data. We stratified the data by sex and age groups.Results. There were 196 948 SV-related ED visits from January 2017 to December 2019. Females had higher rates of SV-related ED visits than males. Across the entire time period, females aged 50 to 59 years showed the highest increase (57.33%) in SV-related ED visits, when stratified by sex and age group. In all strata examined, SV-related ED visits displayed positive trends from January 2017 to December 2019; 10 out of the 24 observed positive trends were statistically significant increases. We also observed seasonal trends with spikes in SV-related ED visits during warmer months and declines during colder months, particularly in ages 0 to 9 years and 10 to 19 years.Conclusions. We identified several significant increases in SV-related ED visits from January 2017 to December 2019. Syndromic surveillance offers near-real-time surveillance of ED visits and can aid in the prevention of SV.

Improved foot management of people with diabetes by primary healthcare nurses in Auckland, New Zealand.

AIMS: Evaluate trends in foot examinations for people with diabetes by primary healthcare nurses between 2006-2008 and 2016 in Auckland, New Zealand. METHODS: All primary care nurses in 2006-2008 and 2016 were identified and 26% and 24% were randomly sampled and surveyed, respectively. Nurse participants completed a self-administered questionnaire and telephone interview about the care provided for people with diabetes. RESULTS: Significantly more patients consulted by practice nurses received foot examinations in 2016 (58%) compared with 2006-2008 (36%), and foot-care education (66% versus 26%). Of the 43% of patients who had no foot examination in 2016, 23% had no previous examination documented. Significantly more nurses in 2016 than in 2006-2008 self-reported routinely examining patients' feet (45% versus 31%) and giving foot-care education (28% versus 13%). These practices were associated with nurses undertaking >5 hours of diabetes education within the past five years. CONCLUSIONS: Practice nurses have significantly expanded their role in managing people with diabetes over the last decade by increasing the number of foot examinations and providing recommended foot-care education. Improved management was associated with nurses attending diabetes education in the past five years. Gaps were identified in conducting the recommended number of foot examinations, categorising patients' risk of foot disease and recording previous examinations.

The diabetic foot ulcer.

BACKGROUND: Diabetic foot ulcers are associated with significant morbidity and mortality and can subsequently lead to hospitalisation and lower limb amputation if not recognised and treated in a timely manner. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this article is to review the current evidence for preventing and managing diabetic foot ulcers, with the aim to increase clinicians' confidence in assessing and treating these complex medical presentations. DISCUSSION: All patients with diabetes should have an annual foot review by a general practitioner or podiatrist. A three-monthly foot review is recommended for any patient with a history of a diabetic foot infection. Assessment involves identification of risk factors including peripheral neuropathy and peripheral vascular disease, and examination of ulceration if present. It is essential to identify patients with diabetes who are 'at risk' of ulceration, assess for any early signs of skin breakdown, initiate appropriate management to prevent progression and refer the patient if indicated.

Reinvigorating the clinical examination for the 21st century.

At its most fundamental level, the clinical encounter between a patient and their doctor seeks to solve a mystery. Clinicians uncover clues through the history, physical examination, and ancillary tests to arrive at a diagnosis and develop a management plan. Despite advances in technology, the majority of clinical diagnoses are still reached through the history and physical examination without the use of laboratory and imaging tests. However, in the modern American hospital, clinicians spend as little as 12% of their time in direct contact with patients and their families. This has led to a decline in clinical examination skills and contributes to diagnostic error. There is a growing movement to return clinicians and trainees back to the bedside. In 2017, we formed the Society of Bedside Medicine to encourage innovation, education, and research on the role of the clinical encounter in 21st century medicine. Over the last 3 years, we have embraced the following 6 strategies to reinvigorate the practice of the clinical examination: 1) be present with the patient; 2) practice an evidence­based approach to the physical exam; 3) create opportunities for intentional practice of the physical exam; 4) recognize the power of the physical examination beyond diagnosis; 5) use point­of­care technology to aid in diagnosis and reinforce skills; and 6) seek and provide specific feedback on physical examination skills. By employing these strategies in both teaching and practice, clinicians can maximize the value of time spent with patients and renew the importance of the clinical examination in 21st century practice.

Focused Assessment with Sonography in Trauma for Assessment of Injury in Military Settings: A Meta-analysis

Background: Non-invasive, rapid, and precise assessment of injury in the military settings is extremely important, yet difficult. Focused assessment with sonography in trauma (FAST) is being increasingly employed for assessing the location and severity of injury and guiding further treatment strategy. However, the evidence regarding the utility of FAST in the military settings is scattered. Aims: To evaluate the diagnostic performance of FAST in the assessment of injury in the military settings. Study Design: Meta-analysis. Methods: We identified all relevant papers via the PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases. We evaluated the quality of included studies by the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2 tool. We pooled the area under the curve (AUC), sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative likelihood ratios, and diagnostic odds ratio as the effect sizes, followed by evaluating the heterogeneity among the studies by p value and I2. Results: Among the 39 papers, a total of six papers were included. The sample size ranged from 15 to 396. The AUC of FAST for assessing the injury was 0.85. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative likelihood ratios, and diagnostic odds ratio were 0.66, 0.98, 33.1, 0.34, and 97, respectively. The heterogeneity among the studies was statistically significant (p=0.006, I2=78%). Conclusion: FAST is potentially valuable for assessing injury in the military settings. Due to its high specificity, FAST may be appropriate to rule in significant injury. However, because of its poor sensitivity, the ability of FAST to rule out injury cannot be relied upon.

Trends in Uterine Cervical Cancer Screening at Physical Health Checkups for Company Employees in Japan.

The consultation rate for uterine cervical cancer screening in Japan is markedly low in comparison with other developed countries. The purpose of this study is to investigate the trends in uterine cervical cancer screening during regular company checkups and to identify potential problems. Questionnaires were sent to occupational health physicians through Sansuiken (Alumni Association of the University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan). Overall, 127 valid responses showed that Papanicolaou (Pap) tests are conducted in 100 companies (79%). The detailed information from 50 of the 100 responses was analyzed. Mandatory cervical cancer screenings are performed at just 6 companies (12%). Pap test are started at 30 years of age at 9 of 49 companies, and only 18 of 49 companies (37%) start Pap tests for employees at 20 years old. Of the 86,695 women, 31,294 (36%) received cervical cancer screening. Abnormal Pap test results were detected in 3.0%. Although cervical cancer screening rates have slightly increased compared to our previous studies (17% in 2004, 23% in 2008), it remains at a low level. Complete examinations with colposcopy and punch biopsy were carried out in 70% (61 of 87 women) of those with an abnormal Pap test. Twelve of 26 companies had no information about detailed examination results. It is important to note that cervical cancer incidence and mortality are increasing among young women in Japan. Occupational physicians and health nurses should manage female health education and care at the workplace, by including uterine cervical cancer screening in the growing female working population.

Examining constipation assessment and management of patients with advanced cancer receiving specialist palliative care: a multi-site retrospective case note review of clinical practice.

BACKGROUND: Constipation is a common symptom for patients receiving palliative care. Whilst international clinical guidelines are available on the clinical management of constipation for people with advanced cancer receiving specialist palliative care (SPC), the extent to which the guidelines are implemented in practice is unclear. This study aimed to examine clinical practices for the assessment and management of constipation for patients with advanced cancer within inpatient SPC settings. METHODS: A multi-site retrospective case-note review was conducted, consisting of 150 patient case-notes from three inpatient SPC units across the United Kingdom between August 2016 and May 2017. The variables selected for review were determined by the recommendations within the clinical guidelines. Descriptive statistics, cross tabulation, chi square, and bivariate correlations were used to examine clinical practices compared to policy guidelines for the assessment and management of constipation. Reporting was structured by the STROBE checklist for observational research (Additional File 2). RESULTS: A comprehensive assessment, including a full history and performing a physical exam, was recorded for 109 patients (73%), however, no standardised documentation was utilised. Assessment was nurse led, with variable involvement across sites of other members of the multidisciplinary team (MDT). Education on prevention was documented in 30 (20%) case-notes, and 53% recorded evidence of non-pharmacological intervention. Age, gender, and reason for admission did not impact on the likelihood of receiving a comprehensive assessment, education, or non-pharmacological intervention, however, significant differences were evident between sites. Pharmacological management was well developed and aligned to the guidelines however, 33% of patient case-notes recorded no information on the titration of laxatives. Twelve percent of patients experienced partial or complete bowel obstruction, and management strategies were variable. CONCLUSIONS: Constipation management is driven by a pharmacological approach, with little evidence of the implementation of preventative and non-pharmacological strategies. The nurse plays a key coordinating role in assessment; however, involvement and roles of the wider MDT varies. Accurate recording of care is essential when examining clinical practice and identifying areas for improvement. Further education is needed to equip HCPs with the knowledge and skills to ensure consistency in assessment and implementation of appropriate non-pharmacological/ preventative strategies.

Back to the Future: Impact of a Paper-Based Admission H&P on Clinical Documentation Improvement at a Level 1 Trauma Center.

The Medicare Severity Diagnosis Related Group (MS-DRG) weight, as derived from the MS-DRG assigned at discharge, is in part determined by the physician-documented diagnoses. However, the terminology associated with MS-DRG determination is often not aligned with typical physician language, leading to inaccurate coding and decreased hospital reimbursements. The goal of this study was to evaluate the impact of a diagnosis picklist within a paper-based history and physical examination (H&P) on the average MS-DRG weight and the Case-mix index (CMI). Our trauma center implemented a paper H&P form for trauma patients featuring picklist diagnoses aligned with the MS-DRG terminology and arranged by the physiologic system. To evaluate its impact, we conducted a cohort study using data from our trauma registry between July 2015 and November 2017. Our cohort included 442 (26.0%) paper and 1,261 (74.0%) dictated H&Ps. Average CMI (2.56 vs 2.15) and expected patients ($25,057 vs $19,825) were higher for the paper group (P < 0.001, P = 0.002). Adjusted regression models demonstrated paper coding to be associated with 0.265 CMI points, translating to an average increase in expected payment of 6.5 per cent per patient. Utilization of a standardized, paper-based H&P template with picklist diagnoses was associated with a higher trauma service CMI and higher expected payments. Preprinted diagnoses that align with the MS-DRG terminology lead to clinical documentation improvement.

Bone age assessment with various machine learning techniques: A systematic literature review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The assessment of bone age and skeletal maturity and its comparison to chronological age is an important task in the medical environment for the diagnosis of pediatric endocrinology, orthodontics and orthopedic disorders, and legal environment in what concerns if an individual is a minor or not when there is a lack of documents. Being a time-consuming activity that can be prone to inter- and intra-rater variability, the use of methods which can automate it, like Machine Learning techniques, is of value. OBJECTIVE: The goal of this paper is to present the state of the art evidence, trends and gaps in the research related to bone age assessment studies that make use of Machine Learning techniques. METHOD: A systematic literature review was carried out, starting with the writing of the protocol, followed by searches on three databases: Pubmed, Scopus and Web of Science to identify the relevant evidence related to bone age assessment using Machine Learning techniques. One round of backward snowballing was performed to find additional studies. A quality assessment was performed on the selected studies to check for bias and low quality studies, which were removed. Data was extracted from the included studies to build summary tables. Lastly, a meta-analysis was performed on the performances of the selected studies. RESULTS: 26 studies constituted the final set of included studies. Most of them proposed automatic systems for bone age assessment and investigated methods for bone age assessment based on hand and wrist radiographs. The samples used in the studies were mostly comprehensive or bordered the age of 18, and the data origin was in most of cases from United States and West Europe. Few studies explored ethnic differences. CONCLUSIONS: There is a clear focus of the research on bone age assessment methods based on radiographs whilst other types of medical imaging without radiation exposure (e.g. magnetic resonance imaging) are not much explored in the literature. Also, socioeconomic and other aspects that could influence in bone age were not addressed in the literature. Finally, studies that make use of more than one region of interest for bone age assessment are scarce.

Age estimation based on visual parameters of the skin of cadavers.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have reported relationships between various visual parameters of the skin and changes due to aging. Due to an increase in the discovery of unidentified bodies, the field of forensic medicine anticipates the development of a rapid method for estimating age. The present study measured various visual parameters of the skin in human remains and investigated the correlation between these parameters and age. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Skin images were taken of four body parts (cheek, chin, brachium, and thigh) of 414 forensic cases. We interpreted eight visual parameters of the skin (smoothness, roughness, texture, dullness, brightness, erythema, color phase, and sagging) from skin photograph images, and constructed three age-prediction models, categorized by sex, postmortem interval, and age. RESULTS: Significant correlations were observed in the erythema of the cheek and chin, the roughness of the brachium, and the texture of the brachium and thigh among the visual parameters calculated in four body parts, using the three models. The root-mean-square errors, which indicate the precision of the three prediction models, were 13.06, 13.80, and 13.77. The only model that demonstrated a correlation with the visual parameters was sex (but not age or postmortem interval). CONCLUSION: Similar to living subjects, we observed a correlation with age for a number of visual parameters. The parameters that correlate with age depend on whether the site being measured was exposed to sunlight. Age estimation based on visual parameters requires measurement of visual parameters for skin both exposed and not exposed to sunlight.

Hand Assessment for Elderly People in the Community.

BACKGROUND: Hand conditions are common in elderly persons. PURPOSE: To assess the prevalence of common hand conditions in elderly persons in a community setting, specifically osteoarthritis of the hand, trigger finger, and carpal tunnel syndrome. METHODS: The elderly persons were recruited from community groups for elderly persons. Data collection included participants' demographic and clinical data; quick disability, arm, shoulder, and hand (QuickDASH) questionnaire; and presence of hand conditions. RESULTS: Of the 55 elderly persons recruited, almost a third of them presented with a hand condition (n = 17, 30.8%). Hand conditions were more common in females (39% in females, 7% in males; χ = 4.97, p = .04). Quick-DASH scores were higher in those with hand conditions, indicating lower levels of function (greater disability) (t =-4.61, p = .002). CONCLUSIONS: Most elderly persons did not seek medical attention for their hand condition until the late stages. Nurses can play an important role in providing community hand assessment, education on hand symptoms, information about available treatment, and adaptive approaches to maximize functioning.

Incidence of frailty among community-dwelling older adults: a nationally representative profile in China.

BACKGROUND: Frailty is a clinically recognizable state of reduced resilience to stressors and increased vulnerability to adverse outcomes. The majority of studies have focused on the prevalence and risk factors of frailty, while the incidence of frailty has not been well documented, especially in less developed regions including China-a country that has the largest aging population in the world. We investigated the incidence of frailty among non-frail Chinese older adults by sociodemographic characteristics, disease burden, and geographic region. METHODS: Participants were 4939 adults aged ≥60 years from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, a cohort study of a nationally representative sample of middle-aged and older community-dwelling adults from 28 provinces in China. Frailty was assessed by an adapted version of the well-validated Fried's physical frailty phenotype, in which five criteria were included: weakness, slowness, exhaustion, physical inactivity, and shrinking. RESULTS: Over an average of 2.1 years of follow-up (10,514.2 person-years), the weighted incidence rate of frailty was 60.6 per 1000 person-years; the incidence rate was 28.8 and 86.6 per 1000 person-years for those who were initially robust and prefrail, respectively. Participants who were older and widowed, had lower education and household income, lived in rural areas, and had higher burden of chronic conditions had higher frailty incidence. Frailty incidence ranged from 44.8 per 1000 person-years in the Southeast to 93.0 per 1000 person-years in the Northwest. CONCLUSIONS: Incidence rate of frailty was 60.6 per 1000 person-years among community-living Chinese adults aged ≥ 60 years. Substantial sociodemographic and geographical disparities exist in frailty incidence.