Abstract
Background
Red blood cell (RBC) transfusion is a common medical procedure. While it offers clinical benefits for many, hemodynamically stable patients are often subjected to unwarranted ...transfusions, with the potential to lead to adverse consequences. We created a real-time clinical decision support (CDS) tool in the electronic health record system to address this problem and optimize transfusion practice as part of an institutional multidisciplinary, team-based patient blood management program.
Methods
The real-time CDS tool incorporated the transfusion guidelines published by the AABB. The tool was deployed as a dynamic order set within the computerized provider order entry interface. Prior to implementation, extensive education and outreach to increase provider engagement were provided. The CDS tool was launched in September 2015.
Results
The percentage of guideline-indicated RBC transfusions increased from a baseline of 43.6 to 54.2% while the percentage of multiunit (≥ 2 units) RBC transfusions decreased from 31.3 to 22.7% between September 2014 and July 2019. The estimated minimum cost saving over the entire study period was $36,519.36.
Conclusion
Our intervention increased guideline-indicated transfusions by 10.6% and reduced multiunit transfusions by 8.6%. The adoption of a dynamic order set for the CDS tool, as opposed to an interruptive alert that displays static alert messages, allowed for more customized and tighter control of RBC orders, leading to a sustained improvement in our transfusion practice.
To determine whether trauma patients managed by an admitting or consulting service with a high proportion of physicians exhibiting patterns of unprofessional behaviors are at greater risk of ...complications or death.
Trauma care requires high-functioning interdisciplinary teams where professionalism, particularly modeling respect and communicating effectively, is essential.
This retrospective cohort study used data from 9 level I trauma centers that participated in a national trauma registry linked with data from a national database of unsolicited patient complaints. The cohort included trauma patients admitted January 1, 2012 through December 31, 2017. The exposure of interest was care by 1 or more high-risk services, defined as teams with a greater proportion of physicians with high numbers of patient complaints. The study outcome was death or complications within 30 days.
Among the 71,046 patients in the cohort, 9553 (13.4%) experienced the primary outcome of complications or death, including 1875 of 16,107 patients (11.6%) with 0 high-risk services, 3788 of 28,085 patients (13.5%) with 1 high-risk service, and 3890 of 26,854 patients (14.5%) with 2+ highrisk services (P < 0.001). In logistic regression models adjusting for relevant patient, injury, and site characteristics, patients who received care from 1 or more high-risk services were at 24.1% (95% confidence interval 17.2% to 31.3%; P < 0.001) greater risk of experiencing the primary study outcome.
Trauma patients who received care from at least 1 service with a high proportion of physicians modeling unprofessional behavior were at an increased risk of death or complications.
The authors' goal was to determine the effects of specific binding and blockade of P- and E-selectins by a soluble P-selectin glycoprotein ligand-1 (PSGL-1) in rat models of hepatic in vivo warm ...ischemia and ex vivo cold ischemia. The authors also sought to determine the effect of selectin blockade on isograft survival in a syngeneic rat orthotopic liver transplant model.
Ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury is a major factor in poor graft function after liver transplantation, which may profoundly influence early graft function and late changes. It is hypothesized that I/R injury leads to the upregulation of P-selectin, which is then rapidly translocated to endothelial cell surfaces within 5 minutes of reperfusion of the liver, initiating steps leading to tethering of polymorphonuclear neutrophil leukocytes to the vascular intima. Local production by leukocytes of interleukin-1, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, or both induces P-selectin expression on the endothelium and continues the cascade of events, which increases cell adherence and infiltration of the organ.
To examine directly the effects of selectins in a warm hepatic I/R injury model, 100 microg of PSGL-1 or saline was given through the portal vein at the time of total hepatic inflow occlusion. The effects of PSGL-1 in cold ischemia were assessed using an isolated perfused rat liver after 6 hours of 4 degrees C storage in University of Wisconsin (UW) solution, with or without the instillation of PSGL-1 before the storage. To evaluate the effect of selectin blockade on liver transplant survival, syngeneic orthotopic liver transplants were performed between inbred male Sprague-Dawley rats after 24 hours of cold ischemic storage in UW solution. A separate group of animals received two doses of 100 microg of PSGL-1 through the portal vein before storage and before reperfusion of the transplanted liver. Recipient survival was assessed at 7 days, and the Kaplan-Meier product limit estimate method was used for univariate calculations of time-dependent recipient survival events.
In an in vivo warm rat liver ischemia model, perfusion with PSGL-1 afforded considerable protection from I/R injury, as demonstrated by decreased transaminase release, reduced histologic hepatocyte damage, and suppressed neutrophil infiltration, versus controls (p < 0.05). When cold stored livers were reperfused, PSGL-1 reduced the degree of hepatocyte transaminase release, reduced neutrophil infiltration, and decreased histologic hepatocyte damage (p < 0.05 vs. UW-only controls). On reperfusion, livers treated with PSGL-1 demonstrated increased portal vein blood flow and bile production (p < 0.05 vs. UW-only controls). In addition, 90% of the rats receiving liver isografts stored in UW solution supplemented with PSGL-1 survived 7 days versus 50% of those whose transplanted syngeneic livers had been stored in UW alone (p < 0.05).
Selectins play an important role in I/R injury of the liver. Early modulation of the interaction between P-selectin and its ligand decreases hepatocyte injury, neutrophil adhesion, and subsequent migration in both warm and cold rat liver ischemia models. In addition, the use of PSGL-1 before ischemic storage and before transplantation prevents hepatic injury, as documented by a significant increase in liver isograft survival. These findings have important clinical ramifications: early inhibition of alloantigen-independent mechanisms during the I/R damage may influence both short- and long-term survival of liver allografts.
To estimate the impact of parametrial lymphovascular and perineural involvement on nodal metastasis and failure pattern of women with early-stage, surgically treated cervical cancer.
Clinical records ...and pathologic slides of 93 patients with early-stage cervical cancer (2 IA2, 52 IB1, 31 IB2, and 8 IIA) treated with radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy with or without paraaortic lymphadenectomy were reviewed. The study group comprised 80 patients with squamous cell carcinoma and 13 patients with adenocarcinoma of the cervix. Median follow-up time was 33 months. The association among the various histopathologic predictors of outcome was determined with chi2 analysis. The influence of the predictors on outcome was examined with log rank survival methods and the Cox regression model.
The presence of parametrial lymphovascular space invasion is a predictor of disease in the pelvic (P<.001) and paraaortic (P<.05) lymphatics independently. Large tumor size (greater than 4 cm), parametrial perineural invasion, cervical lymphovascular space invasion, and tumor depth (greater than two thirds) were found to be simultaneous predictors of recurrence on multivariate analysis (P<.05). Using these four binary predictor variables, we have computed a model-based relative risk. Based on this model, the presence of perineural invasion in the parametria more than doubles the risk of recurrence in the cohort of patients with large (greater than 4 cm) tumors (P<.05). In a subset analysis of patients with negative nodal disease, parametrial perineural invasion and tumor size were independent predictors of poor outcome (P<.05).
Presence of parametrial lymphovascular space invasion correlates significantly with the risk of nodal metastasis in women with early-stage cervical cancer. Parametrial perineural invasion is an independent poor prognostic factor. Histopathologic findings within the parametria are a valuable independent predictor of recurrence and thus may influence the selection of patients for adjuvant treatment.
The purpose of this study was to combine our clinical experience with a review of the literature to determine the value of orthotopic liver transplantation in the treatment of both boys and girls ...with ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency. Three boys younger than 1 year of age with symptomatic ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency (median age, 116 days; range, 40 to 223 days) underwent orthotopic liver transplantation. The patients' growth, developmental progress, ammonia levels, and amino acid levels were analyzed pre– and post–liver transplantation. The clinical courses of the respective patients and the treatment modalities used were compared with published reports from 1978 through 1997. The median follow‐up period in these 3 patients was 3.2 years (range, 9 months to 5.2 years). Orthotopic liver transplantation restored normal urea production and stabilized ammonia levels within 24 hours of surgery (median serum ammonia level 24 hours post–liver replacement, 43 μmol/L; range, 30 to 66 μmol/L). After liver replacement, arginine synthesis was normalized; however, plasma citrulline levels remained less than normal in all patients. Linear growth was evaluated in all 3 patients at the time of the most recent follow‐up; median z scores for patient height and weight were −2.16 and −1.16, respectively. Standardized intelligence tests showed that 2 of the 3 patients continue to perform at age‐appropriate levels. The third child was developmentally delayed pretransplantation at 4 months of age on presentation and continues to perform in a below‐average fashion. Orthotopic liver transplantation results in the restoration of normal urea production and serum ammonia levels in the boy suffering from symptomatic ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency. Serum arginine, but not citrulline, levels are normalized, probably because of the persistent intestinal mucosa defect. Patient growth is similar to that in infants undergoing liver transplantation for other causes. When liver transplantation is performed before cognitive impairment occurs, intellectual development is normal, because the risk of additional episodes of hyperammonemia is elevated.
To determine the impact of different flush and reperfusion techniques on postreperfusion syndrome (PRS) and postoperative graft function, 100 transplants were randomly assigned into four groups as ...follows: group 1 (n=31), portal vein flush, no vena caval venting; group 2 (n=21), hepatic arterial flush, no vena caval venting; group 3 (n=29), portal vein flush with vena caval venting; and group 4 (n=19), hepatic artery flush with vena caval venting. Donor and recipient characteristics were similar. Extensive intraoperative and postoperative monitoring was performed and measurements were documented immediately before reperfusion and at 1, 5, 15, and 30 min after reperfusion. PRS was defined by three criteria: mean arterial pressure (MAP) <60 mmHg at 1 min after reperfusion, MAP <60 mmHg at 5 min after reperfusion, and a decrease of 30% or more for the MAP percent area under the curve during the initial 5 min after reperfusion (%AUC). Using these definitions, the overall incidence of PRS was 21%, 8%, and 43%, respectively. Group 1 was the most hemodynamically stable; the incidence of PRS in group 1 was 2/31 (7%) at 1 min and 8/31 (25%) using %AUC criteria compared with 7/21 (33%) at 1 min and 12/21 (57%) using %AUC criteria for group 2 (P<0.05). The patients in groups 3 and 4 (vena caval venting) demonstrated smaller percentage increases in serum potassium levels (as determined by %AUC; 4.3+/-6.8 and 0.3+/-5.4, vs. 15.1+/-8.1 for group 1 and 22.9+/-8.2 for group 2). The difference between group 4 and group 2 was statistically significant (P<0.05). The increases in serum potassium did not translate into increased cardiac or hemodynamic instability. Combining all data obtained over the first 30 min after reperfusion, there was no statistically significant difference in hemodynamic or biochemical changes noted among the four groups. Postoperative liver function was similar among the four groups. We conclude that portal vein flush without vena caval venting provided a lower incidence of PRS than any other technique. Vena caval venting decreased the release of potassium into the circulation. Postoperative graft function was not significantly affected by flush and reperfusion techniques.
Cold preservation/reperfusion leads to sinusoidal endothelial cell (SEC) activation and damage in nearly every liver transplantation; the extent of these changes influences early graft function. Upon ...reperfusion, activated SEC show increased expression of adhesion molecules, including von Willebrand factor (vWF) which is released into the circulation. This study was designed to evaluate the levels of vWF measured in the caval effluent and correlate these findings with known markers of SEC damage and early graft function. Data were obtained from 35 patients undergoing orthotopic liver transplantation (LTx). Two samples were taken from each patient for measurement of vWF: a) from the portal vein immediately prior to reperfusion; and b) from the first 50 ml of the caval effluent. Commercial assays were used to measure vWF, as well as hyaluronic acid (HA), thrombomodulin (TM), IL‐1β, IL‐6, IL‐8 and TNF‐α. Patients were divided into two groups based on early graft function. Poor early graft function (PEGF) was defined as a peak aspartate transaminase (AST) or alanine transaminase (ALT) level> 2500 U/L during the first three postoperative days (POD) and a prothrombin time (PT)> 16 s on POD 2 (n=8). The remaining 27 patients had good early graft function (GEGF). In patients with GEGF, vWF levels dropped significantly between the two time points. This change was not observed in those with PEGF. A positive linear correlation was observed in the PEGF group between vWF and HA and IL‐6. The different pattern of change in vWF between the two groups, as well as the positive correlation between HA, IL‐6 and vWF in PEGF, suggest that vWF may be a useful marker of early graft function.
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