Kaiser Permanente Roseville Medical Center

BackgroundInvasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) is the second most common subtype of breast cancer, comprising 10–15% of cases. Due to its diffuse growth pattern, conventional imaging techniques have decreased sensitivity for ILC. While breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is often recommended for ILC, its accuracy following neoadjuvant therapy is unknown. We evaluated the accuracy of post-treatment MRI and examined the impact on surgical outcomes. Patients and MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed 129 patients with ILC who underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) or endocrine therapy (NET) and had post-treatment MRI. We considered a 0.5 cm difference between longest tumor diameter on MRI and pathologic tumor size to be discrepant. Tumor imaging phenotype was categorized as mass, non-mass enhancement (NME), or mass + NME. We evaluated concordance between imaging and pathology by tumor phenotype and associations with positive margin rates using Stata 18.0. ResultsPost-treatment MRI underestimated tumor size in 52.5% of cases, was concordant in 25.3%, and overestimated in 22.2%. The presence of NME was associated with a higher rate of tumor size underestimation (62.5% versus 39.5% for mass only, p = 0.023); mean underestimation was 3.4 cm in those with NME. Underestimation was associated with higher positive margin rates following breast-conserving surgery (p = 0.018). Finally, among patients with complete imaging response on MRI, 93.3% had residual invasive disease on pathology.ConclusionsFollowing neoadjuvant therapy, post-treatment MRI frequently underestimates tumor size in ILC, particularly in tumors with NME. Surgeons should consider these imaging limitations when planning resection, which could improve surgical outcomes.

Importance: Dermoscopy is increasingly recognized by skin cancer experts and professional leaders as an essential skill for physicians in dermatology and primary care. A substantial number of patients in both settings also receive care from physician assistants (PAs), who provide additional opportunities to evaluate patients with concerning skin lesions. Earning dermatology-specific credentials from the National Commission on Certification for PAs requires passing a written exam with dermoscopic content, and 77% of practicing PAs (all specialties) believe dermoscopy should be a standard element of their formal education. No published studies have identified precise learning objectives that would represent appropriate foundational proficiency in dermoscopy for PAs. Objective: We sought to identify common diagnoses with distinct dermoscopic features and delineate which of these represent appropriate proficiency expectations for early-career PAs in primary care and dermatology. Design, setting, and participants: A panel of 14 dermoscopists was assembled (8 dermatologists; 6 PAs), reflecting contributors to existing consensus statements on physician dermoscopy proficiency benchmarks, dermatologist-recommended competencies for PAs, and/or standardized test content for dermatology PAs. Panelists completed a modified Delphi consensus process involving electronic surveys and roundtable discussions. Main outcomes and measures: Consensus on which specific dermoscopic diagnoses reflect appropriate foundational proficiency expectations for PAs in both primary care and dermatology. Results: Twelve of 14 panelists (86%) reported using dermoscopy for over 12 years (mean: 15.5 y). All panelists completed 2 iterations of an electronic survey regarding 54 diagnoses, with 39 (72%) reaching a final consensus for inclusion in PA curricula and 15 (28%) being identified as non-priority items for early-career PAs. Panelists recommended 14 conditions for primary care PAs and 25 conditions for dermatology PAs. Conclusions and Relevance: Consensus achieved in this modified Delphi process identified diagnoses that represent pragmatic learning objectives to achieve foundational proficiency in dermoscopy for PAs in both primary care and dermatology. This list of validated objectives provides a consensus-based guide to help educators, supervising physicians, and professional leaders to cultivate specialty-appropriate dermoscopic proficiency among early-career PAs.

Optimal oxygenation requires the delivery of oxygen to meet tissue metabolic demands while minimizing hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction and oxygen toxicity. Oxygen saturation by pulse oximetry (SpO2) is a continuous, non-invasive method for monitoring oxygenation. The optimal SpO2 target varies during pregnancy and neonatal period. Maternal SpO2 should ideally be ≥95 % to ensure adequate fetal oxygenation. Term neonates can be resuscitated with an initial oxygen concentration of 21 %, while moderately preterm infants require 21–30 %. Extremely preterm infants may need higher FiO2, followed by titration to desired SpO2 targets. During the NICU course, extremely preterm infants managed with an 85–89 % SpO2 target compared to 90–94 % are associated with a reduced incidence of severe retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) requiring treatment, but with higher mortality. During the later stages of ROP progression, studies suggest that higher SpO2 targets may help limit progression. A target SpO2 of 90–95 % is generally reasonable for term infants with respiratory disease or pulmonary hypertension, with few exceptions such as severe acidosis, therapeutic hypothermia, and possibly dark skin pigmentation, where 93–98 % may be preferred. Infants with cyanotic heart disease and single-ventricle physiology have lower SpO2 targets to avoid pulmonary over-circulation. In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), the scarcity of oxygen blenders and continuous monitoring may pose a challenge, increasing the risks of both hypoxia and hyperoxia, which can lead to mortality and ROP, respectively. Strategies to mitigate hyperoxia among preterm infants in LMICs are urgently needed to reduce the incidence of ROP.

Maternal prenatal cannabis use is associated with adverse neonatal health effects, yet little is known about its association with child developmental outcomes. To evaluate associations between maternal prenatal cannabis use in early pregnancy and child early developmental delays. This cohort study included 119 976 children born to 106 240 unique individuals between January 2015 and December 2019 and followed up to aged 5.5 years or younger (through December 31, 2021) at Kaiser Permanente Northern California. Individuals were screened for prenatal cannabis use via self-report and urine toxicology at entrance into prenatal care (approximately 8- to 10-weeks' gestation). Data were analyzed from February 2023 to March 2024. Maternal prenatal cannabis use defined as any use (self-reported or by urine toxicology testing) and use frequency. Early developmental delays (speech and language disorders, motor delays, global delays) in children up to age 5.5 years defined by International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Ninth Revision and Tenth Revision diagnoses codes ascertained from electronic health records. In this cohort of 119 976 pregnancies among 106 240 unique pregnant individuals, there were 29 543 Hispanic pregnancies (24.6%), 6567 non-Hispanic Black pregnancies (5.5%), 46 823 non-Hispanic White pregnancies (39.0%), 12 837 pregnancies (10.7%) to individuals aged 24 years or younger, and 10 365 pregnancies (8.6%) to individuals insured by Medicaid. Maternal prenatal cannabis use was documented for 6778 pregnancies (5.6%). Daily maternal prenatal cannabis use was reported for 618 pregnancies (0.5%), weekly for 722 pregnancies (0.6%), and monthly or less for 1617 pregnancies (1.3%). No association was observed between maternal prenatal cannabis use and child speech and language disorders (HR, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.84-1.03), global developmental delays (HR, 1.04; 95% CI, 0.68-1.59), or motor delays (HR, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.69-1.06). No association was detected between the frequency of maternal prenatal cannabis use and child early developmental delays. In this cohort study, maternal prenatal cannabis use was not associated with an increased risk of child early developmental delays. Future research is needed to assess different patterns of cannabis use throughout pregnancy. Given the association between maternal prenatal cannabis use and other adverse outcomes, pregnant individuals should be educated on those risks.

Background and AimsHome treatment is considered safe in acute pulmonary embolism (PE) patients selected by a validated triage tool (e.g. simplified PE severity index score or Hestia rule), but there is uncertainty regarding the applicability in underrepresented subgroups. The aim was to evaluate the safety of home treatment by performing an individual patient-level data meta-analysis.MethodsTen prospective cohort studies or randomized controlled trials were identified in a systematic search, totalling 2694 PE patients treated at home (discharged within 24 h) and identified by a predefined triage tool. The 14- and 30-day incidences of all-cause mortality and adverse events (combined endpoint of recurrent venous thromboembolism, major bleeding, and/or all-cause mortality) were evaluated. The relative risk (RR) for 14- and 30-day mortalities and adverse events is calculated in subgroups using a random effects model.ResultsThe 14- and 30-day mortalities were 0.11% [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.0–0.24, I2 = 0) and 0.30% (95% CI 0.09–0.51, I2 = 0). The 14- and 30-day incidences of adverse events were 0.56% (95% CI 0.28–0.84, I2 = 0) and 1.2% (95% CI 0.79–1.6, I2 = 0). Cancer was associated with increased 30-day mortality [RR 4.9; 95% prediction interval (PI) 2.7–9.1; I2 = 0]. Pre-existing cardiopulmonary disease, abnormal troponin, and abnormal (N-terminal pro–)B-type natriuretic peptide [(NT-pro)BNP] at presentation were associated with an increased incidence of 14-day adverse events [RR 3.5 (95% PI 1.5–7.9, I2 = 0), 2.5 (95% PI 1.3–4.9, I2 = 0), and 3.9 (95% PI 1.6–9.8, I2 = 0), respectively], but not mortality. At 30 days, cancer, abnormal troponin, and abnormal (NT-pro)BNP were associated with an increased incidence of adverse events [RR 2.7 (95% PI 1.4–5.2, I2 = 0), 2.9 (95% PI 1.5–5.7, I2 = 0), and 3.3 (95% PI 1.6–7.1, I2 = 0), respectively].ConclusionsThe incidence of adverse events in home-treated PE patients, selected by a validated triage tool, was very low. Patients with cancer had a three- to five-fold higher incidence of adverse events and death. Patients with increased troponin or (NT-pro)BNP had a three-fold higher risk of adverse events, driven by recurrent venous thromboembolism and bleeding.

Noninvasive cardiac testing (NICT) has been associated with decreased long-term risks of major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) among emergency department patients at high coronary risk. It is unclear whether this association extends to patients without evidence of myocardial injury on initial ECG and cardiac troponin testing. A retrospective cohort study was conducted of patients presenting with chest pain between 2013 and 2019 to 21 emergency departments within an integrated health care system in Northern California, excluding patients with ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction or myocardial injury by serum troponin testing. To account for confounding by indication, we grouped patient encounters by the NICT referral rate of the initially assigned emergency physician relative to local peers within discrete time periods. The primary outcome was MACE within 2 years. Secondary outcomes were coronary revascularization and MACE, inclusive of all-cause mortality. Associations between the NICT referral group (low, intermediate, or high) and outcomes were assessed using risk-adjusted proportional hazards methods with censoring for competing events. Among 144 577 eligible patient encounters, the median age was 58 years (interquartile range, 48-68) and 57% were female. Thirty-day NICT referral was 13.0%, 19.9%, and 27.8% in low, intermediate, and high NICT referral groups, respectively, with a good balance of baseline covariates between groups. Compared with the low NICT referral group, there was no significant decrease in the adjusted hazard ratio of MACE within the intermediate (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.08 [95% CI, 1.02-1.14]) or high (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.05 [95% CI, 0.99-1.11]) NICT referral groups. Results were similar for MACE, inclusive of all-cause mortality, and coronary revascularization, as well as subgroup analyses stratified by estimated risk (history, electrocardiogram, age, risk factors, troponin [HEART] score: percent classified as low risk, 48.2%; moderate risk, 49.2%; and high risk, 2.7%). Increases in NICT referrals were not associated with changes in the hazard of MACE within 2 years following emergency department visits for chest pain without evidence of acute myocardial injury. These findings further highlight the need for evidence-based guidance regarding the appropriate use of NICT in this population.

Invasive bacterial infections (IBIs) in febrile infants are rare but potentially devastating. We aimed to derive and validate a predictive model for IBI among febrile infants age 7-60 days. Data were abstracted retrospectively from electronic records of 37 emergency departments (EDs) for infants with a measured temperature >=100.4 F who underwent an ED evaluation with blood and urine cultures. Models to predict IBI were developed and validated respectively using a random 80/20 dataset split, including 10-fold cross-validation. We used precision recall curves as the classification metric. Of 4411 eligible infants with a mean age of 37 days, 29% had characteristics that would likely have excluded them from existing risk stratification protocols. There were 196 patients with IBI (4.4%), including 43 (1.0%) with bacterial meningitis. Analytic approaches varied in performance characteristics (precision recall range 0.04-0.29, area under the curve range 0.5-0.84), with the XGBoost model demonstrating the best performance (0.29, 0.84). The five most important variables were serum white blood count, maximum temperature, absolute neutrophil count, absolute band count, and age in days. A machine learning model (XGBoost) demonstrated the best performance in predicting a rare outcome among febrile infants, including those excluded from existing algorithms. Several models for the risk stratification of febrile infants have been developed. There is a need for a preferred comprehensive model free from limitations and algorithm exclusions that accurately predicts IBIs. This is the first study to derive an all-inclusive predictive model for febrile infants aged 7-60 days in a community ED sample with IBI as a primary outcome. This machine learning model demonstrates potential for clinical utility in predicting IBI.