Proposing the "Continuum of UTI" for a Nuanced Approach to Diagnosis and Management of Urinary Tract Infections.

PURPOSE: Patients with suspected UTIs are categorized into 3 clinical phenotypes based on current guidelines: no UTI, asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB), or UTI. However, all patients may not fit neatly into these groups. Our objective was to characterize clinical presentations of patients who receive urine tests using the "continuum of UTI" approach. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study of a random sample of adult noncatheterized inpatient and emergency department encounters with paired urinalysis and urine cultures from 5 hospitals in 3 states between January 01, 2017, and December 31, 2019. Trained abstractors collected clinical (eg, symptom) and demographic data. A focus group discussion with multidisciplinary experts was conducted to define the continuum of UTI, a 5-level classification scheme that includes 2 new categories: lower urinary tract symptoms/other urologic symptoms and bacteriuria of unclear significance. The newly defined continuum of UTI categories were compared to the current UTI classification scheme. RESULTS: Of 220,531 encounters, 3392 randomly selected encounters were reviewed. Based on the current classification scheme, 32.1% (n = 704) had ASB and 53% (n = 1614) did not have a UTI. When applying the continuum of UTI categories, 68% of patients (n = 478) with ASB were reclassified as bacteriuria of unclear significance and 29% of patients (n = 467) with "no UTI" were reclassified to lower urinary tract symptoms/other urologic symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest the need to reframe our conceptual model of UTI vs ASB to reflect the full spectrum of clinical presentations, acknowledge the diagnostic uncertainty faced by frontline clinicians, and promote a nuanced approach to diagnosis and management of UTIs.

Leveraging behavioral modification technology for the prevention of kidney stones.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The purpose of this review is to examine the use of technology to help promote and maintain behaviors that decrease stone recurrence. RECENT FINDINGS: Behavior change is a complex process with various interacting components. Recent developments have sought to utilize technology in combination with behavioral change techniques to promote behavior that lowers stone recurrence risk. Smart water bottles are becoming a popular way to accurately measure fluid intake with variable impact on adherence to the recommended daily fluid intake. Mobile apps have also been explored as a method to improve fluid intake. Interventions that combine smart water bottles, mobile apps, and behavioral change techniques have shown the most promise in promoting increased daily fluid intake. Other technologies, such as smart pill dispensers and hydration monitors, have potential applications in promoting behavioral change for stone disease but have yet to be evaluated for this purpose. SUMMARY: There is a limited number of studies exploring technology as a means to promote and maintain behaviors that decrease urinary stone recurrence. Future research is needed to elucidate how to maximize the potential of these technologies and better understand which behavioral change techniques best promote habit formation for the prevention of stones.

Using structured problem solving to promote fluid consumption in the prevention of urinary stones with hydration (PUSH) trial.

BACKGROUND: Structured Problem Solving (SPS) is a patient-centered approach to promoting behavior change that relies on productive collaboration between coaches and participants and reinforces participant autonomy. We aimed to describe the design, implementation, and assessment of SPS in the multicenter Prevention of Urinary Stones with Hydration (PUSH) randomized trial. METHODS: In the PUSH trial, individuals with a history of urinary stone disease and low urine output were randomized to control versus a multicomponent intervention including SPS that was designed to promote fluid consumption and thereby prevent recurrent stones. We provide details specifically about training and fidelity assessment of the SPS coaches. We report on implementation experiences related to SPS during the initial conduct of the trial. RESULTS: With training and fidelity assessment, coaches in the PUSH trial applied SPS to help participants overcome barriers to fluid consumption. In some cases, coaches faced implementation barriers such as variable participant engagement that required tailoring their work with specific participants. The coaches also faced challenges including balancing rapport with problem solving, and role clarity for the coaches. CONCLUSIONS: We adapted SPS to the setting of kidney stone prevention and overcame challenges in implementation, such as variable patient engagement. Tools from the PUSH trial may be useful to apply to other health behavior change settings in nephrology and other areas of clinical care. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT03244189.

Risk Factors for Increased Stent-associated Symptoms Following Ureteroscopy for Urinary Stones: Results From STENTS.

PURPOSE: The STudy to Enhance uNderstanding of sTent-associated Symptoms sought to identify risk factors for pain and urinary symptoms, as well as how these symptoms interfere with daily activities after ureteroscopy for stone treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective observational cohort study enrolled patients aged ≥12 years undergoing ureteroscopy with ureteral stent for stone treatment at 4 clinical centers. Participants reported symptoms at baseline; on postoperative days 1, 3, 5; at stent removal; and day 30 post-stent removal. Outcomes of pain intensity, pain interference, urinary symptoms, and bother were captured with multiple instruments. Multivariable analyses using mixed-effects linear regression models were identified characteristics associated with increased stent-associated symptoms. RESULTS: A total of 424 participants were enrolled. Mean age was 49 years (SD 17); 47% were female. Participants experienced a marked increase in stent-associated symptoms on postoperative day 1. While pain intensity decreased ∼50% from postoperative day 1 to postoperative day 5, interference due to pain remained persistently elevated. In multivariable analysis, older age was associated with lower pain intensity (P = .004). Having chronic pain conditions (P < .001), prior severe stent pain (P = .021), and depressive symptoms at baseline (P < .001) were each associated with higher pain intensity. Neither sex, stone location, ureteral access sheath use, nor stent characteristics were drivers of stent-associated symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: In this multicenter cohort, interference persisted even as pain intensity decreased. Patient factors (eg, age, depression) rather than surgical factors were associated with symptom intensity. These findings provide a foundation for patient-centered care and highlight potential targets for efforts to mitigate the burden of stent-associated symptoms.

Redlining has led to increasing rates of nephrolithiasis in minoritized populations: a hypothesis.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The persistent rise in kidney stone prevalence in recent decades has prompted much speculation as to the causes. There has been some discussion about the effect of heat on nephrolithiasis. Here, we review recent data and postulate that heat may play a role in stone formation on a large scale and among African-Americans in particular. RECENT FINDINGS: African-Americans are the race/ancestry group with faster rates of increasing incidence and prevalence of kidney stones. We make the observation that urban heat islands in the United States have resulted in part from the effects of redlining, a practice of systematic segregation and racism in housing that led to the development of neighborhoods with substantial disparities in environmental conditions. SUMMARY: In this thought experiment, we propose that the disproportionate rise in the prevalence of nephrolithiasis in minoritized populations correlates with increased temperatures specifically in neighborhoods adversely affected by the practice of redlining. We discuss phenomena in support of this hypothesis and ongoing work to test this theory.

Complications, Costs, and Healthcare Resource Utilization After Staged, Delayed, and Immediate Free-Flap Breast Reconstruction: A Longitudinal, Claims-Based Analysis.

BACKGROUND: There is a lack of consensus detailing the optimal approach to free-flap breast reconstruction when considering immediate, delayed, or staged techniques. This study compared costs, complications, and healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) across staged, delayed, and immediate free-flap breast reconstruction. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Retrospective study using MarketScan databases to identify women who underwent mastectomies and free-flap reconstructions between 2014 and 2018. Complications, costs, and HCRU [readmission, reoperation, emergency department (ED) visits] occurring 90 days after mastectomy and 90 days after free flap were compared across immediate, delayed, and staged reconstruction. RESULTS: Of 3310 women identified, 69.8% underwent immediate, 11.7% underwent delayed, and 18.5% underwent staged free-flap reconstruction. Staged reconstruction was associated with the highest rate (57.8% staged, 42.3% delayed, 32.0% immediate; p < 0.001) and adjusted relative risk [67% higher than immediate (95% CI: 49-87%; p < 0.001)] of surgical complications. Staged displayed the highest HCRU (staged 47.9%, delayed, 38.4%, immediate 25.2%; p < 0.001), with 16.5%, 30.7%, and 26.5% of staged patients experiencing readmission, reoperation, or ED visit, respectively. The adjusted probability of HCRU was 206% higher (95% CI: 156-266%; p < 0.001) for staged compared with immediate. Staged had the highest mean total cost (staged $106,443, delayed $80,667, immediate $76,756; p < 0.001) with regression demonstrating the adjusted mean cost for staged is 31% higher (95% CI: 23-39%; p < 0.001) when compared with immediate. CONCLUSIONS: Staged free-flap reconstruction is associated with increased complications, costs, and HCRU, while immediate demonstrated the lowest. The potential esthetic benefits of a staged approach should be balanced with the increased risk for adverse events after surgery.

Pediatric renal malignancy diagnosis is associated with significant burden of care for families.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: New childhood cancer diagnoses require timely, complex care coordination and cause considerable logistic burden for families. We used renal tumors as a model to examine healthcare utilization and cost following new solid tumor diagnosis. METHODS: Children (ages 0-21) with International Classification of Disease (ICD) codes for renal malignancy and subsequent nephrectomy were identified from North Carolina Medicaid claims data (2014-2020). We stratified patients by duration of follow-up, then quantified healthcare utilization and billing totals. RESULTS: Eighty-one children met study criteria. Median age at diagnosis was 3 years (interquartile range [IQR]: 1-5). Median family monthly earned income was $0. One month following diagnosis, children cumulatively spent a median of 16 days receiving medical care (IQR: 10-20), 28 days at 3 months (IQR: 21-43), and 50.5 days at 1 year (IQR: 35-94.5). Children cumulatively spent a median 12 days as inpatients during the first 3 months (IQR: 7-17) and 13.5 days at 1 year (IQR: 8.5-37). Children cumulatively completed a median 12 outpatient encounters at 3 months (IQR: 7-17) and 26 at 1 year (IQR: 12-36). At 1 year, median Medicaid claim reimbursements for children with renal malignancy was $50,041 (IQR: $36,670-$80,734). CONCLUSION: In examining healthcare utilization in children with renal tumor diagnoses, the substantial number of days spent in medical facilities greatly impacts the burden of care on families, especially for those with limited financial resources. Awareness of this logistic strain on families and careful planning to consolidate patient visits may improve the navigability of pediatric cancer regimens for families, particularly those with limited resources.

Tear film dynamics of a new soft contact lens.

PURPOSE: To present the objective metrics from a study that evaluated the clinical performance of a senofilcon A contact lens, both with and without a new manufacturing technique. METHODS: This was a single-site, five-visit, controlled, randomised, subject-masked, 2 × 2 crossover study (May-August 2021) with a 2-week lens dispensing period (bilateral wear) and weekly follow-up visits. Healthy adult (18-39 years), habitual spherical silicone hydrogel contact lens wearers were included. The High-definition (HD) Analyzer™ was used to objectively measure the lens-on-eye optical system resulting from the study lenses at 1-week follow-up. Measurements assessed were vision break-up time (VBUT), modulation transfer function (MTF) cutoff, Strehl ratio (SR), potential visual acuity (PVA) for 100% contrast and objective scatter index (OSI). RESULTS: Of the 50 enrolled participants, 47 (94.0%) were randomly assigned to one of the two possible lens wear sequences (test/control or control/test) and dispensed at least one study lens. The estimated odds ratio of VBUT > 10 s was 1.582 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.009 to 2.482) in test versus control lens. The least squares mean difference estimates of MTF cutoff, SR and PVA for 100% contrast between test versus control lens were 2.243 (95% CI: 0.012 to 4.475), 0.011 (95% CI: -0.002 to 0.023) and 0.073 (95% CI: -0.001 to 0.147), respectively. The estimated ratio of median OSI between test versus control lens was 0.887 (95% CI: 0.727 to 1.081). The test lens demonstrated superiority over the control lens with respect to VBUT and MTF cutoff. No serious adverse events were reported; eight adverse events (three ocular, five non-ocular) were indicated by six participants during the study. CONCLUSION: The test lens demonstrated an increased probability of having a longer VBUT (>10 s). Future studies may be designed to assess the efficacy and long-term use of the test lens in a larger population.

Behavioral Economics in Urology: A Scoping Review.

PURPOSE: Behavioral economics is the study of human behavior in the context of irrationality, self-control and self-interest. It has been leveraged in a variety of ways in health care, including efforts to decrease smoking, encourage weight loss and promote medication adherence. Concepts from this field can be used to help urologists better understand and improve behavior-dependent clinical outcomes. Our objective in this scoping review was to assess the current state of behavioral economics in the urological literature. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a scoping review of behavioral economic research in urology by performing a broad search in MEDLINE®, Embase® and Scopus® databases from inception to August 30, 2021. Abstracts were screened, assessed for relevancy and selected for full-text review. A qualitative synthesis of selected manuscripts was then performed. RESULTS: A total of 1,855 articles were identified. Sixty-one articles were selected for full-text review. Of those, 13 were selected for qualitative synthesis. The selected articles included reports of prospective trials (6), ongoing prospective trial methods (1), abstracts without a published manuscript (4) and commentaries (2). A variety of topics were covered: prostate cancer (5), resident education (2), hematuria (1), incontinence (1), surgical costs (1), care pathways (1), nephrolithiasis (1) and bladder cancer (1). CONCLUSIONS: There is a very limited number of articles, and even fewer trials, in urology that leverage behavioral economic concepts. Given this, and the successful application of behavioral economics in other medical disciplines, there is a need for behavioral economic informed urological interventions and well-designed trials to evaluate behavioral economics outcomes in urology.

Adverse outcomes after minimally invasive surgery for pelvic organ prolapse in women 65 years and older in the United States.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: To describe complications at the time of surgery, 90-day readmission and 1-year reoperation rates after minimally invasive pelvic organ prolapse (POP) in women > 65 years of age in the US using Medicare 5% Limited Data Set (LDS) Files. METHODS: Medicare is a federally funded insurance program in the US for individuals 65 and older. Currently, 98% of individuals over the age of 65 in the US are covered by Medicare. We identified women undergoing minimally invasive POP surgery, defined as laparoscopic or vaginal surgery, in the inpatient and outpatient settings from 2011-2017. Patient and surgical characteristics as well as adverse events were abstracted. We used logistic regression for complications at index surgery and Cox proportional hazards regression models for time to readmission and time to reoperations. RESULTS: A total of 11,779 women met inclusion criteria. The mean age was 72 (SD ± 8) years; the majority were White (91%). Most procedures were vaginal (76%) and did not include hysterectomy (68%). The rate of complications was 12%; vaginal hysterectomy (aOR 2.4, 95% CI 2.2-2.7) was the factor most strongly associated with increased odds of complications. The 90-day readmission rate was 7.3%. The most common reason for readmission was infection (2.0%), three quarters of which were urinary tract infections. Medicaid eligibility (aHR 1.5, 95% CI 1.3-1.8) and concurrent sling procedures (aHR 1.2, 95% CI 1.04-1.4) were associated with a higher risk of 90-day readmission. The 1-year reoperation rate was 4.5%. The most common type of reoperation was a sling procedure (1.8%). Obliterative POP surgery (aHR 0.6, 95% CI 0.4-0.9) was associated with a lower risk of reoperation than other types of surgery. CONCLUSIONS: US women 65 years and older who are also eligible to receive Medicaid are at higher risk of 90-day readmission following minimally invasive surgery for POP with the most common reason for readmission being UTI.

Quality of life impact and recovery after ureteroscopy and stent insertion: insights from daily surveys in STENTS.

BACKGROUND: Our objective was to describe day-to-day evolution and variations in patient-reported stent-associated symptoms (SAS) in the STudy to Enhance uNderstanding of sTent-associated Symptoms (STENTS), a prospective multicenter observational cohort study, using multiple instruments with conceptual overlap in various domains. METHODS: In a nested cohort of the STENTS study, the initial 40 participants having unilateral ureteroscopy (URS) and stent placement underwent daily assessment of self-reported measures using the Brief Pain Inventory short form, Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System measures for pain severity and pain interference, the Urinary Score of the Ureteral Stent Symptom Questionnaire, and Symptoms of Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction Research Network Symptom Index. Pain intensity, pain interference, urinary symptoms, and bother were obtained preoperatively, daily until stent removal, and at postoperative day (POD) 30. RESULTS: The median age was 44 years (IQR 29,58), and 53% were female. The size of the dominant stone was 7.5 mm (IQR 5,11), and 50% were located in the kidney. There was consistency among instruments assessing similar concepts. Pain intensity and urinary symptoms increased from baseline to POD 1 with apparent peaks in the first 2 days, remained elevated with stent in situ, and varied widely among individuals. Interference due to pain, and bother due to urinary symptoms, likewise demonstrated high individual variability. CONCLUSIONS: This first study investigating daily SAS allows for a more in-depth look at the lived experience after URS and the impact on quality of life. Different instruments measuring pain intensity, pain interference, and urinary symptoms produced consistent assessments of patients' experiences. The overall daily stability of pain and urinary symptoms after URS was also marked by high patient-level variation, suggesting an opportunity to identify characteristics associated with severe SAS after URS.

Predicting in-hospital length of stay: a two-stage modeling approach to account for highly skewed data.

BACKGROUND: In the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic our institution was interested in forecasting how long surgical patients receiving elective procedures would spend in the hospital. Initial examination of our models indicated that, due to the skewed nature of the length of stay, accurate prediction was challenging and we instead opted for a simpler classification model. In this work we perform a deeper examination of predicting in-hospital length of stay. METHODS: We used electronic health record data on length of stay from 42,209 elective surgeries. We compare different loss-functions (mean squared error, mean absolute error, mean relative error), algorithms (LASSO, Random Forests, multilayer perceptron) and data transformations (log and truncation). We also assess the performance of two stage hybrid classification-regression approach. RESULTS: Our results show that while it is possible to accurately predict short length of stays, predicting longer length of stay is extremely challenging. As such, we opt for a two-stage model that first classifies patients into long versus short length of stays and then a second stage that fits a regresssor among those predicted to have a short length of stay. DISCUSSION: The results indicate both the challenges and considerations necessary to applying machine-learning methods to skewed outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Two-stage models allow those developing clinical decision support tools to explicitly acknowledge where they can and cannot make accurate predictions.

Prevention of Urinary Stones With Hydration (PUSH): Design and Rationale of a Clinical Trial.

RATIONALE & OBJECTIVE: Although maintaining high fluid intake is an effective low-risk intervention for the secondary prevention of urinary stone disease, many patients with stones do not increase their fluid intake. STUDY DESIGN: We describe the rationale and design of the Prevention of Urinary Stones With Hydration (PUSH) Study, a randomized trial of a multicomponent behavioral intervention program to increase and maintain high fluid intake. Participants are randomly assigned (1:1 ratio) to the intervention or control arm. The target sample size is 1,642 participants. SETTING & PARTICIPANTS: Adults and adolescents 12 years and older with a symptomatic stone history and low urine volume are eligible. Exclusion criteria include infectious or monogenic causes of urinary stone disease and comorbid conditions precluding increased fluid intake. INTERVENTIONS: All participants receive usual care and a smart water bottle with smartphone application. Participants in the intervention arm receive a fluid intake prescription and an adaptive program of behavioral interventions, including financial incentives, structured problem solving, and other automated adherence interventions. Control arm participants receive guideline-based fluid instructions. OUTCOMES: The primary end point is recurrence of a symptomatic stone during 24 months of follow-up. Secondary end points include changes in radiographic stone burden, 24-hour urine output, and urinary symptoms. LIMITATIONS: Periodic 24-hour urine volumes may not fully reflect daily behavior. CONCLUSIONS: With its highly novel features, the PUSH Study will address an important health care problem. FUNDING: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Registered at ClinicalTrials.gov with study number NCT03244189.

Strategies for research participant engagement: A synthetic review and conceptual framework.

BACKGROUND: Research participant engagement, which we define as recruitment and retention in clinical trials, is a costly and challenging issue in clinical research. Research teams have leveraged a variety of strategies to increase research participant engagement in clinical trials, although a framework and evidence for effective participant engagement strategies are lacking. We (1) developed a novel conceptual framework for strategies used to recruit and retain participants in clinical trials based on their underlying behavioral principles and (2) categorized empirically tested recruitment and retention strategies in this novel framework. METHODS: We conducted a synthetic analysis of interventions tested in studies from two Cochrane reviews on clinical trial recruitment and retention, which included studies from 1986 to 2015. We developed a conceptual framework of behavioral strategies for increasing research participant engagement using deductive and inductive approaches with the studies included in the Cochrane reviews. Reviewed interventions were then categorized using this framework. We examined the results of reviewed interventions and categorized the effects on clinical trial recruitment and retention as significantly positive, null, or significantly negative; summary statistics are presented for the frequency and effects of each behavioral strategy type. RESULTS: We analyzed 141 unique interventions across 96 studies: 91 interventions targeted clinical trial research participant recruitment and 50 targeted retention. Our framework included 14 behavioral strategies to improve research participant engagement grouped into four general approaches: changing attitudes by appealing to social motivators, changing attitudes by targeting individual psychology, reducing barriers and cognitive burdens, and providing incentives. The majority of interventions (54%) aimed to reduce barriers or cognitive burdens, with improving comprehension (27%) as the most common specific strategy identified. For recruitment, the most common behavioral strategies tested were building legitimacy or trust (38%) and framing risks and benefits (32%), while financial or material incentives (32%) and reducing financial, time, and social barriers (32%) were most common for retention interventions. Among interventions tested in randomized controlled trials, 51% had a null effect on research participant engagement, and 30% had a statistically significant positive effect. DISCUSSION: Clinical researchers have tested a wide range of interventions that leverage distinct behavioral strategies to achieve improved research participant recruitment and retention. Common behavioral strategies include building legitimacy or trust between research teams and participants, as well as improving participant comprehension of trial objectives and procedures. The high frequency of null effects among tested interventions suggests challenges in selecting the optimal interventions for increasing research participant engagement, although the proposed behavioral strategy categories can serve as a conceptual framework for developing and testing future interventions.

Re-Treatment after Ureteroscopy and Shock Wave Lithotripsy: A Population Based Comparative Effectiveness Study.

PURPOSE: Shock wave lithotripsy and ureteroscopy are the most commonly performed surgeries for kidney and ureteral stones, but the comparative effectiveness of these interventions at the population level is unclear. We compared re-treatment for shock wave lithotripsy and ureteroscopy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective cohort study using all-payer claims data for all patients who underwent shock wave lithotripsy or ureteroscopy from 1997 to 2016 at 74 hospitals in South Carolina was performed. The primary outcome measure was subsequent shock wave lithotripsy or ureteroscopy within 6 months of initial surgery. Pseudorandomized trials of ureteroscopy vs shock wave lithotripsy were performed for each year, applying propensity scores to balance hospital and patient characteristics. Discrete time failure models were fit using propensity score weighted logistic regression. RESULTS: Overall 136,152 ureteroscopy and shock wave lithotripsy surgeries were performed in 95,227 unique patients with re-treatment representing 9% of all surgeries. A total of 74,251 index surgeries were shock wave lithotripsy (59.9%) and 49,743 were ureteroscopy (40.1%). Shock wave lithotripsy was associated with a 20% increased odds of re-treatment (OR 1.20; 95% CI 1.13-1.26). The probability of re-treatment was 7.5% for ureteroscopy and 10.4% for shock wave lithotripsy. Shock wave lithotripsy had the greatest risk of re-treatment at months 2 (OR 1.85; 95% CI 1.64-2.10) and 3 (OR 1.76; 95% CI 1.50-2.06). Patients with initial shock wave lithotripsy were more likely to have shock wave lithotripsy for re-treatment (84.6%) than those patients who had initial ureteroscopy were to have ureteroscopy (29.3%). CONCLUSIONS: Compared to ureteroscopy, shock wave lithotripsy was associated with increased odds of re-treatment. These results have implications for shared decision making and value based surgical treatment of nephrolithiasis.

Alpha-blockers after shock wave lithotripsy for renal or ureteral stones in adults.

BACKGROUND: Shock wave lithotripsy (SWL) is a widely used method to treat renal and ureteral stone. It fragments stones into smaller pieces that are then able to pass spontaneously down the ureter and into the bladder. Alpha-blockers may assist in promoting the passage of stone fragments, but their effectiveness remains uncertain.  OBJECTIVES: To assess the effects of alpha-blockers as adjuvant medical expulsive therapy plus usual care compared to placebo and usual care or usual care alone in adults undergoing shock wave lithotripsy for renal or ureteral stones. SEARCH METHODS: We performed a comprehensive literature search of the Cochrane Library, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, MEDLINE, Embase, several clinical trial registries and grey literature for published and unpublished studies irrespective of language. The date of the most recent search was 27 February 2020. SELECTION CRITERIA: We included randomized controlled trials of adults undergoing SWL. Participants in the intervention group had to have received an alpha-blocker as adjuvant medical expulsive therapy plus usual care. For the comparator group, we considered studies in which participants received placebo. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two review authors independently selected studies for inclusion/exclusion, and performed data abstraction and risk of bias assessment. We conducted meta-analysis for the identified dichotomous and continuous outcomes using RevManWeb according to Cochrane methods using a random-effects model. We judged the certainty of evidence on a per outcome basis using GRADE. MAIN RESULTS: We included 40 studies with 4793 participants randomized to usual care and an alpha-blocker versus usual care alone. Only four studies were placebo controlled. The mean age of participants was 28.6 to 56.8 years and the mean stone size prior to SWL was 7.1 mm to 13.2 mm. The most widely used alpha-blocker was tamsulosin; others were silodosin, doxazosin, terazosin and alfuzosin.  Alpha-blockers may improve clearance of stone fragments after SWL (risk ratio (RR) 1.16, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.09 to 1.23; I² = 78%; studies = 36; participants = 4084; low certainty evidence). Based on the stone clearance rate of 69.3% observed in the control arm, an alpha-blocker may increase stone clearance to 80.4%. This corresponds to 111 more (62 more to 159 more) participants per 1000 clearing their stone fragments. Alpha-blockers may reduce the need for auxiliary treatments after SWL (RR 0.67, 95% CI 0.45 to 1.00; I² = 16%; studies = 12; participants = 1251; low certainty evidence), but also includes the possibility of no effect. Based on a rate of auxiliary treatments in the usual care arm of 9.7%, alpha-blockers may reduce the rate to 6.5%. This corresponds 32 fewer (53 fewer to 0 fewer) participants per 1000 undergoing auxiliary treatments. Alpha-blockers may reduce major adverse events (RR 0.60, 95% CI 0.46 to 0.80; I² = 0%; studies = 7; participants = 747; low certainty evidence). Major adverse events occurred in 25.8% of participants in the usual care group; alpha-blockers would reduce this to 15.5%. This corresponds to 103 fewer (139 fewer to 52 fewer) major adverse events per 1000 with alpha-blocker treatment. None of the reported major adverse events appeared drug-related; most were emergency room visits or rehospitalizations. Alpha-blockers may reduce stone clearance time in days (mean difference (MD) -3.74, 95% CI -5.25 to -2.23; I² = 86%; studies = 14; participants = 1790; low certainty evidence). We found no evidence for the outcome of quality of life. For those outcomes for which we were able to perform subgroup analyses, we found no evidence of interaction with stone location, stone size or type of alpha-blocker. We were unable to conduct an analysis by lithotripter type. The results were also largely unchanged when the analyses were limited to placebo controlled studies and those in which participants explicitly only received a single SWL session. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Based on low certainty evidence, adjuvant alpha-blocker therapy following SWL in addition to usual care may result in improved stone clearance, less need for auxiliary treatments, fewer major adverse events and a reduced stone clearance time compared to usual care alone. We did not find evidence for quality of life. The low certainty of evidence means that our confidence in the effect estimate is limited; the true effect may be substantially different from the estimate of the effect.

Psychiatric Diagnoses and Other Factors Associated with Emergency Department Return within 30 Days of Ureteroscopy.

PURPOSE: Emergency department visits after ureteroscopy are costly and inconvenient. To better understand those at risk we aimed to identify patient demographic, medical and surgical factors associated with 30-day emergency department presentation following ureteroscopy for urolithiasis with particular attention to those with a history of a psychiatric diagnosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 1,576 cases (1,395 adults) who underwent stone related ureteroscopy during 3 years at a total of 2 hospitals. We collected patient demographics, medical history and operative details. The primary outcome was return to the emergency department within 30 days of ureteroscopy. Logistic regression was performed to examine factors associated with emergency department presentation. RESULTS: Of the patients 613 (43.9%) had a history of psychiatric diagnosis. Of those with ureteroscopy encounters 12.6% returned to the emergency department within 30 days of ureteroscopy, including 58.8% with a history of psychiatric diagnosis. On multivariable analysis variables associated with emergency department return included a history of psychiatric diagnosis (OR 1.57, p = 0.012), uninsured status (OR 2.46, p = 0.001) and a stone only in the kidney (OR 1.76, p = 0.022). Patients who returned to the emergency department had had more emergency department visits in the year prior to surgery (OR 1.40, p <0.001). On univariable analysis older patients and those with longer operative time were more frequently admitted from the emergency department (OR 1.03, p = 0.002 and OR 1.96, p = 0.03. respectively) while uninsured patients were admitted less frequently (OR 0.19, p = 0.013). No difference was noted in admissions between those with a psychiatric diagnosis and all others (60.7% vs 55.8%, p = 0.48). CONCLUSIONS: We identified factors associated with emergency department return after ureteroscopy, including a history of psychiatric diagnosis, uninsured status and emergency department visits in the year before surgery. These patients may benefit from targeted interventions to help avoid unnecessary emergency department visits.

Imaging in Suspected Renal Colic: Systematic Review of the Literature and Multispecialty Consensus.

PURPOSE: Renal colic is common and CT (computerized tomography) is frequently utilized when the diagnosis of kidney stone is suspected. CT is accurate, but exposes patients to ionizing radiation and has not been shown to alter either interventional approaches or hospital admission rates. This multi-organizational transdisciplinary collaboration sought evidence-based, multispecialty consensus on optimal imaging across different clinical scenarios in patients with suspected renal colic in the acute setting. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In conjunction with the ACEP (American College of Emergency Physicians®) E-QUAL (Emergency Quality Network) we formed a nine-member panel with three physician representatives each from the ACEP, the ACR® (American College of Radiology) and the AUA (American Urological Association). A systematic literature review was used as the basis for a 3-step modified Delphi process to seek consensus on optimal imaging in 29 specific clinical scenarios. RESULTS: From an initial search yielding 6,337 records there were 232 relevant articles of acceptable evidence quality to guide the literature summary. At the completion of the Delphi process consensus, agreement was rated as perfect in 15 (52%), excellent in 8 (28%), good in 3 (10%) and moderate in 3 (10%) of the 29 scenarios. There were no scenarios where at least moderate consensus was not reached. CT was recommended in 7 scenarios (24%) with ultrasound in 9 (31%) and no further imaging needed in 13 (45%). CONCLUSIONS: Evidence and multispecialty consensus support ultrasound or no further imaging in specific clinical scenarios, with reduced-radiation dose CT to be employed when CT is needed in patients with suspected renal colic.

Imaging in Suspected Renal Colic: Systematic Review of the Literature and Multispecialty Consensus.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: Renal colic is common and computed tomography (CT) is frequently used when the diagnosis of kidney stone is suspected. CT is accurate but exposes patients to ionizing radiation and has not been shown to alter either interventional approaches or hospital admission rates. This multiorganizational transdisciplinary collaboration seeks evidence-based, multispecialty consensus on optimal imaging across different clinical scenarios in patients with suspected renal colic in the acute setting. METHODS: In conjunction with the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) Emergency Quality Network, we formed a 9-member panel with 3 physician representatives each from ACEP, the American College of Radiology, and the American Urology Association. A systematic literature review was used as the basis for a 3-step modified Delphi process to seek consensus on optimal imaging in 29 specific clinical scenarios. RESULTS: From an initial search yielding 6,337 records, there were 232 relevant articles of acceptable evidence quality to guide the literature summary. At the completion of the Delphi process consensus, out of the 29 scenarios agreement was rated as perfect in 15 (52%), excellent in 8 (28%), good in 3 (10%), and moderate in 3 (10%). There were no scenarios in which at least moderate consensus was not reached. CT was recommended in 7 scenarios (24%), with ultrasonography in 9 (31%) and no further imaging needed in 12 (45%). CONCLUSION: Evidence and multispecialty consensus support ultrasonography or no further imaging in specific clinical scenarios, with reduced-radiation-dose CT to be used when CT is needed for patients with suspected renal colic.

Carbon compositional analysis of hydrogel contact lenses by solid-state NMR spectroscopy.

Contact lenses are worn by over 140 million people each year and tremendous research and development efforts contribute to the identification and selection of hydrogel components and production protocols to yield lenses optimized for chemical and physiological properties, eye health and comfort. The final molecular composition and extent of incorporation of different components in contact lenses is routinely estimated after lens production through the analysis of the soluble components that were not included in the lens, i.e. remaining starting materials. Examination of composition in the actual intact materials is always valued and can reveal details that are missed by only examining the non-incorporated components, for example identifying chemical changes to components in lenses during the production process. Solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is a powerful tool for the direct compositional analysis of insoluble and heterogeneous materials and is also uniquely suited to determining parameters of architecture in contact lenses. We utilized 13C cross-polarization magic angle spinning (CPMAS) NMR to examine and compare the carbon composition of soft contact lenses. 13C NMR spectra of individual polymer components enabled the determination of the approximate molecular carbon contributions of major lens components. Comparisons of the conventional etafilcon A hydrogel (1 Day Acuvue MOIST) lenses and silicone hydrogel lenses (Acuvue Oasys, Dailies Total 1, Clariti 1 Day, Biofinity, and Pure Vision) revealed major spectral differences, with considerable variation even among different silicone hydrogel lenses. The solid-state NMR approach provides a direct spectral reporting of carbon types in the hydrogel lens itself. This approach represents a valuable complementary analysis to benefit contact lens research and development and could be extended to isotopically labeled hydrogel lenses to map proximities and architecture between hydrogel components.