Use of the Electronic Health Record for Monitoring Adverse Drug Reactions.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. The electronic health record (EHR) provides an opportunity to monitor ADRs, mainly through the utilization of drug allergy data and pharmacogenomics. This review article explores the current use of the EHR for ADR monitoring and highlights areas that require improvement. RECENT FINDINGS: Recent research has identified several issues with using EHR for ADR monitoring. These include the lack of standardization between EHR systems, specificity in data entry options, incomplete and inaccurate documentation, and alert fatigue. These issues can limit the effectiveness of ADR monitoring and compromise patient safety. The EHR has great potential for monitoring ADR but needs significant updates to improve patient safety and optimize care. Future research should concentrate on developing standardized documentation and clinical decision support systems within EHRs. Healthcare professionals should also be educated on the significance of accurate and complete ADR monitoring.

Ultraviolet radiation, both UVA and UVB, influences the composition of the skin microbiome.

BACKGROUND: Studies have begun to investigate the complex relationship between host and microorganisms in non-infectious pathologies such as acne, atopic dermatitis and psoriasis. Though the skin is exposed to environmental stressors such as ultraviolet radiation (UVR), no studies exist examining the effects of both UVA and UVB on the skin microbiome. OBJECTIVE: To test the effect of UVA and UVB on human skin microbiome. METHODS: To test whether UV will alter the cutaneous microbiome, participants were exposed to doses of UVA (22-47 J/cm2 ) or UVB (100-350 mJ/cm2 ) and samples were collected. DNA was isolated and sequenced to identify the microbial composition of each sample. RESULTS: There was vast intra- and inter-subject variation at all time points, and phylum and species-level differences were identified. These included an increase in the phylum Cyanobacteria and a decrease in the family Lactobacillaceae and Pseudomonadaceae. The sensitivity of microbes to UVR and their re-colonization potential following exposure differed in UVA vs UVB samples. LIMITATIONS: The sample size was small, and the study was limited to males. CONCLUSION: The results demonstrate that UVR has profound qualitative and quantitative influences on the composition of the skin microbiome, possibly effecting skin pathology in which UVR is a factor.

Examining cefazolin utilization and perioperative anaphylaxis in patients with and without a penicillin allergy label: A cross-sectional study.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To compare the occurrence of cefazolin perioperative anaphylaxis (POA) in patients with and without a penicillin allergy label (PAL) to determine whether the prevalence of cefazolin POA differs based on the presence of a PAL. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: A large U.S. healthcare system in the Baltimore-D.C. region, July 2017 to July 2020. PATIENTS: 112,817 surgical encounters across inpatient and outpatient settings in various specialties, involving 90,089 patients. Of these, 4876 (4.3%) encounters had a PAL. INTERVENTIONS: Perioperative cefazolin administration within 4 h before surgery to 4 h after the procedure began. MEASUREMENTS: The primary outcome was cefazolin POA in patients with and without PALs. Potential POA cases were identified based on tryptase orders or diphenhydramine administrations within the initial cefazolin administration to 6 h postoperatively. Verification included two validation steps. The first checked for hypersensitivity reaction (HSR) documentation, and the second, led by Allergy specialists, identified POA and the probable culprit. The secondary outcome looked at cefazolin use trends in patients with a PAL, stratified by setting and specialty. MAIN RESULTS: Of 112,817 encounters, 1421 (1.3%) had possible cefazolin HSRs. Of these, 22 (1.5%) had POA, resulting in a 0.02% prevalence. Of these, 13 (59.1%) were linked to cefazolin and 9 (40.9%) attributed to other drugs. Only one cefazolin POA case had a PAL, indicating no significant difference in cefazolin POA prevalence between patients with and without PALs (p = 0.437). Perioperative cefazolin use in patients with PALs steadily increased from 2.6% to 6.0% between 2017 and 2020, specifically in academic settings. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of cefazolin POA does not exhibit significant differences between patients with and without PALs, and notably, the incidence remains remarkably low. Based on these findings, it is advisable to view cefazolin as an acceptable choice for prophylaxis in patients carrying a PAL.

Association of Vitamin D Receptor Polymorphisms With the Risk of Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer in Adults.

IMPORTANCE: Protective effects of UV-B radiation against nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) are exerted via signaling mechanisms involving the vitamin D receptor (VDR). Recent studies have examined single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the VDR, resulting in contradictory findings as to whether these polymorphisms increase a person's risk for NMSC. OBJECTIVE: To examine whether the polymorphisms in the VDR gene are associated with the development of NMSC and the demographic characteristics of the participants. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This case-control study recruited 100 individuals who received a diagnosis of and were being treated for basal cell carcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma (cases) and 100 individuals who were receiving treatment of a condition other than skin cancer (controls) at the dermatology clinics at the Kirklin Clinic of the University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital between January 1, 2012, and December 31, 2014. All participants completed a questionnaire that solicited information on skin, hair, and eye color; skin cancer family history; and sun exposure history, such as tanning ability and number of severe sunburns experienced throughout life. Blood samples for DNA genotyping were collected from all participants. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Polymorphisms in the VDR gene (ApaI, BsmI, and TaqI) were assessed to determine the association of polymorphisms with NMSC development and demographic characteristics. χ2 Analysis was used to determine whether genotype frequencies deviated significantly from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and associated 95% CIs for the identification of factors associated with NMSC diagnosis. A model was created to predict NMSC diagnoses using known risk factors and, potentially, VDR SNPs. RESULTS: A total of 97 cases and 100 controls were included. Of the 97 cases, 68 (70%) were men and 29 (30%) were women, with a mean (SD) age of 70 (11) years. Of the 100 controls, 46 (46%) were men and 54 (54%) were women, with a mean (SD) age of 63 (9) years. All participants self-identified as non-Hispanic white. A model including age, sex, and skin color was created to most effectively predict the incidence of skin cancer. Risk factors that significantly increased the odds of an NMSC diagnosis were light skin color (OR, 5.79 [95% CI, 2.79-11.99]), greater number of severe sunburns (OR, 2.59 [95% CI, 1.31-5.10]), light eye color (OR, 2.47 [95% CI, 1.30-4.67]), and less of an ability to tan (OR, 2.35 [95% CI, 1.23-4.48]). The risk factors of family history of NMSC (OR, 1.66 [95% CI, 0.90-3.07]) and light hair color (OR, 1.17 [95% CI, 0.51-2.71]) did not reach statistical significance. Participants with the BsmI SNP were twice as likely to develop NMSC than participants with no mutation (OR, 2.04 [95% CI, 1.02-4.08]; P = .045). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: The results of this study are especially useful in the early treatment and prevention of NMSC with chemopreventive agents (for those with the BsmI SNP). A screening for the BsmI SNP may emphasize the importance of sun protection and facilitate skin cancer prevention and, therefore, decrease the skin cancer burden.