St. Anthony Hospital

ObjectiveTo assess the efficacy of pharyngeal electrical stimulation in improving dysphagia post-stroke.DesignA randomized, sham-controlled, blinded multicentre clinical trial.Subjects/PatientsSeventeen patients with acute ischaemic or haemorrhagic stroke experiencing dysphagia, indicated by a penetration aspiration scale score of 4–8 on videofluoroscopy.MethodsSites enrolled 3 open-label roll-in participants and then randomized subsequent participants to either stimulation or sham treatment. Study interventions were delivered for 10 min daily over 3 consecutive days. Prior to data lock the primary outcome was modified to the change in dysphagia severity rating scale from pre-treatment to end of follow-up period. Secondary outcomes included penetration-aspiration scale score assessed via videofluoroscopy 48 h after final treatment and functional oral intake scale, measured at 7, 14, and 83 days post-randomization.ResultsThe trial was halted early due to low recruitment, with 15 participants receiving active stimulation and 2 receiving sham treatment. Active stimulation significantly reduced dysphagia severity at day 83 (difference: –4, p = 0.027). Improvements were observed in diet and supervision subscales, and functional oral intake scores. Of those treated, 67% were discharged home, with no serious adverse events attributable to the intervention noted in either group.ConclusionPharyngeal electrical stimulation was safe and associated with reduced dysphagia severity in stroke patients, warranting further validation in larger studies.

New-Onset Diabetes Mellitus (NODM) is often an early manifestation of pancreatic cancer (Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma, PDAC). However, there is limited information about (1) the duration prior to PDAC diagnosis when the annual incidence of NODM starts significantly exceeding that in age-matched controls, (2) the percentage of PDAC patients diagnosed with NODM in the years preceding, and (3) the risk of PDAC following NODM in time when the PDAC risk is significantly higher than in controls. Using the nationwide VA database, we evaluated the annual incidence of NODM for 15 years preceding the PDAC diagnosis and in the age- and sex-matched controls (1:5 matching). In the second part, we evaluated the long-term risk and predictors of PDAC in NODM patients and controls. The case-control study comprised 8198 PDAC patients and 40,992 matched controls. The higher annual incidence of NODM in PDAC patients was statistically significant up to 15 years before PDAC diagnosis. 69.2% of PDAC patients had NODM in the preceding 15 years versus 38.0% of controls. PDAC risk in the 15 years following NODM was 0.60% compared to 0.13% in the controls (aHR 3.83, 95% CI 3.68-3.98, p < 0.001). The risk of PDAC is more pronounced in the 1 year following NODM (aHR 9.07, 95% CI 8.33-9.87) than the subsequent 5 years (aHR 2.98, 95% CI 2.82-3.15). NODM pre-dates PDAC diagnosis in most patients with PDAC. Further evaluation of NODM patients for PDAC has the potential to become a feasible strategy for diagnosing more early-stage resectable PDACs.

On-demand support is necessary to mitigate distress and attrition in healthcare staff. Healthcare chaplains' scope includes such support. This pilot studied the acceptability, feasibility, and effectiveness of a Code Lavender protocol utilizing chaplain support and stress-relief items. A post-hoc analysis examined the protocol's cost-effectiveness. The results indicated the protocol's acceptability, effectiveness, feasibility, and cost-effectiveness. Healthcare worker distress can be mitigated with this simple, on-demand support utilizing the specialized skills and training of healthcare chaplains.

Previous abdominal surgery (PAS) increases risk of small bowel obstruction (SBO) due to adhesions, and appendectomy (appy) is an independent risk factor for abdominal adhesion-related complications. Peritoneal inflammation, e.g., acute appendicitis (AA), causes formation of reactive ascitic fluid (rA) that activates peritoneum surface mesothelial cells (MCs) to form adhesions. Pathologic adhesions may arise if restoration of MC-regulated fibrinolysis and secretion of glycocalyx (GCX) are disrupted. Proteins affecting these processes may originate from peritoneal rA. This is a prospective observational IRB-approved study at three Level 1 trauma centers where rA is collected prior to surgical intervention for non-perforated AA or adhesiolysis for SBO. Samples from 48 appy and 15 SBO patients were used to treat human MCs and subjected to quantification of 85 inflammatory mediators. Results were compared between patients with surgically naïve abdomens (naïve) and patients with >1 PAS. Select rA caused MCs to form clusters of fibroblastic cells, extracellular matrix fibers (FIB), and secretion of GCX. PAS and naïve patient rA fluids were clustered into "fiber-GCX" (FIB-GCX) groups: highFIB-highGCX, highFIB-lowGCX, noFIB-highGCX, noFIB-lowGCX, and noFIB-noGCX. Between groups, 26 analytes were differentially abundant including innate immune response, wound healing, and mucosal defense proteins. Factors that contributed to the differences between groups were rA-induced highFIB and history of PAS. Overall, PAS patient rA showed a muted immune response compared to rA from naïve patients. Our data suggest that abdominal surgery may negatively impact future immune responses in the abdomen. Further, quantifying immunomodulators in peritoneal rA may lead to the development a personalized approach to post-surgical adhesion treatment and prevention.

Abstract Date Presented 03/22/24 The paper describes a quantitative retrospective study examining the effect of OT-led remedial vision on patient-reported occupational performance and satisfaction posttreatment. Significant results were found. OT’s role is discussed. Primary Author and Speaker: Suzanne Briggs Contributing Authors: Mitchell Scheiman, Yuki Asakura

IntroductionOptimal venous thromboembolism (VTE) enoxaparin prophylaxis dosing remains elusive. Weight-based (WB) dosing safely increases anti-factor Xa levels without the need for routine monitoring but it is unclear if it leads to lower VTE risk. We hypothesized that WB dosing would decrease VTE risk compared with standard fixed dosing (SFD).MethodsPatients from the prospective, observational CLOTT-1 registry receiving prophylactic enoxaparin (n=5539) were categorized as WB (0.45–0.55 mg/kg two times per day) or SFD (30 mg two times per day, 40 mg once a day). Multivariate logistic regression was used to generate a predicted probability of VTE for WB and SFD patients.ResultsOf 4360 patients analyzed, 1065 (24.4%) were WB and 3295 (75.6%) were SFD. WB patients were younger, female, more severely injured, and underwent major operation or major venous repair at a higher rate than individuals in the SFD group. Obesity was more common among the SFD group. Unadjusted VTE rates were comparable (WB 3.1% vs. SFD 3.9%; p=0.221). Early prophylaxis was associated with lower VTE rate (1.4% vs. 5.0%; p=0.001) and deep vein thrombosis (0.9% vs. 4.4%; p<0.001), but not pulmonary embolism (0.7% vs. 1.4%; p=0.259). After adjustment, VTE incidence did not differ by dosing strategy (adjusted OR (aOR) 0.75, 95% CI 0.38 to 1.48); however, early administration was associated with a significant reduction in VTE (aOR 0.47, 95% CI 0.30 to 0.74).ConclusionIn young trauma patients, WB prophylaxis is not associated with reduced VTE rate when compared with SFD. The timing of the initiation of chemoprophylaxis may be more important than the dosing strategy. Further studies need to evaluate these findings across a wider age and comorbidity spectrum.Level of evidenceLevel IV, therapeutic/care management.

The efficacy of antifibrinolytics in subarachnoid hemorrhage remains unclear due to conflicting evidence from studies. Online databases were queried to include randomized controlled trials and propensitymatched observational studies. We used Review Manager for the statistical analysis, presenting results as odds ratios with 95% CI. The 12 shortlisted studies included 3359 patients, of which 1550 (46%) were in the intervention (tranexamic acid) group and 1809 (54%) in the control group. Antifibrinolytic therapy significantly reduced the risk of rebleeding (OR: 0.55;95% CI: 0.40-0.75;p=0.0002) with no significant decrease in poor clinical outcome (OR: 1.02;95% CI: 0.86-1.20;p=0.85) and all-cause mortality (OR: 0.92;CI: 0.72-1.17; p=0.50). In patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage, antifibrinolytics reduce the risk of rebleeding without significantly affecting mortality or clinical outcomes.

IntroductionSciatic nerve blocks are essential for surgical treatment of various lower limb pathologies. Due to the complexity and variation of anatomical landmarks, ultrasound (US) guided injection of local anesthesia has become common practice. In patients with thicker thigh girth (i.e., obese patients) excess tissue may distort US penetration thereby diminishing efficacy of the nerve block and/or cause severe post‐operative pain. Dye tracing techniques have been used to test the effectiveness of nerve blocks, but there is little research on using massage to manipulate anesthetic spread. Therefore, the aim of this study is to assess the effects of massage to manipulate local anesthesia spread in sciatic nerve blocks. We hypothesize massaging after injection will increase the spread of local anesthesia compared to non‐massage post injection.MethodsForty un‐fixed cadaveric legs were injected with a mixture of methylene blue dye and 2% Lidocaine Hydrochloride. Specimens were divided into non‐massage (control) (n=20) and massage (n=20) groups. Sciatic nerve blocks were performed by a nurse anesthetist using US guidance at the popliteal fossa traveling proximally until the sciatic nerve was identified and the location was tagged. Immediately following, massage group specimens received five repeated proximally directed massages with the US transducer head. Specimens from both groups were then dissected to expose the sciatic nerve. Measurements of the distance traveled from marked site of injection to proximal end of dyed area were measured and compared.ResultsSpread of local anesthesia in the inferior‐superior direction was significantly higher in the massage group than the control group (p≤0.05).ConclusionsMassaging post‐injection caused a greater spread of local anesthesia during sciatic nerve block.SignificanceSciatic nerve block techniques often utilize nerve stimulation to identify the sciatic nerve location. This may be due to lack of US penetration through the gluteus maximus muscle. In patients with thicker thigh girth due to subcutaneous fat, imaging visibility may be more difficult as well. Our findings suggest that clinicians may block the sciatic nerve at a more distal location with US guidance and manipulate the anesthesia to the region of interest.