Trust in the oncologist is crucial for breast cancer patients. It reduces worry, enhances decision making, and stimulates adherence. Optimal nonverbal communication by the oncologist, particularly ...eye contact, body posture, and smiling, presumably benefits patients’ trust. We were the first to experimentally examine (1) how the oncologist’s nonverbal behavior influences trust, and (2) individual differences in breast cancer patients’ trust. Analogue patients (APs) viewed one out of eight versions of a video vignette displaying a consultation about chemotherapy treatment. All eight versions varied only in the oncologist’s amount of eye contact (consistent vs. inconsistent), body posture (forward leaning vs. varying), and smiling (occasional smiling vs. no smiling). Primary outcome was trust in the observed oncologist (Trust in Oncologist Scale). 214 APs participated. Consistent eye contact led to stronger trust (
β
= −.13,
p
= .04). This effect was largely explained by lower educated patients, for whom the effect of consistent eye contact was stronger than for higher educated patients (
β
= .18,
p
= .01). A forward leaning body posture did not influence trust, nor did smiling. However, if the oncologist smiled more, he was perceived as more friendly (
r
s
= .31,
p
< .001) and caring (
r
s
= .18,
p
= .01). Older (
β
= .17,
p
= .01) and lower educated APs (
β
= −.25,
p
< .001) were more trusting. Trust was weaker for more avoidantly attached APs (
β
= −.16,
p
= .03). We experimentally demonstrated the importance of maintaining consistent eye contact for breast cancer patients’ trust, especially among lower educated patients. These findings need to be translated into training for oncologists in how to optimize their nonverbal communication with breast cancer patients while simultaneously managing increased time pressure and computer use during the consultation.
Medication-related problems can cause serious adverse drug events (ADEs) that may lead to hospitalization of the patient. There are multiple screening methods to detect and reduce potentially ...inappropriate medications (PIMs) and potential prescribing omissions (PPOs). Whether this will result in less medication-related hospitalizations is unknown. The study objective was to assess the risk of preventable medication-related hospital admissions associated with potentially inappropriate prescribing, using the Beers 2012 and the Screening Tool of Older Person's Prescriptions and the Screening Tool to Alert doctors to Right Treatment (STOPP & START) 2008 criteria.
A nested case-control study was conducted with a subset of Dutch participants from the Hospital Admissions Related to Medication (HARM) study. Cases were defined as patients aged ≥65 years with a potentially preventable medication-related hospital admission. For each case, one control was selected, matched for age and sex. The primary determinant was the presence of one or more PIMs according to the Beers 2012 and STOPP 2008 criteria. The secondary determinant was the presence of one or more PIMs and PPOs according to the STOPP & START 2008 criteria. The strength of the association between inappropriate prescribing and medication-related hospital admission was evaluated with multivariate logistic regression and expressed as odds ratios (ORs) with 95 % confidence intervals (CIs).
The prevalence of Beers 2012 criteria PIMs in the total cohort was 44.4 %. The prevalence of STOPP & START 2008 criteria PIMs and PPOs were, respectively, 34.1 and 57.7 %. STOPP 2008 criteria PIMs were associated with preventable medication-related hospital admissions OR adjusted for number of drugs and comorbidities (ORadj) 2.30, 95 % CI 1.30-4.07, whereas there was no association with Beers 2012 criteria PIMs (ORadj 1.49, 95 % CI 0.90-2.47). STOPP PIMs and START PPOs together were also associated with preventable medication-related hospital admissions (ORadj 3.47, 95 % CI 1.70-7.09).
Our study shows that patients with potentially inappropriate prescribing detected with the STOPP & START 2008 criteria are at risk of preventable medication-related hospital admissions. The STOPP & START 2008 criteria can be used to identify older people at risk of medication-related problems.
Secondary ischaemia is a frequent cause of poor outcome in patients with subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH). Its pathogenesis has been incompletely elucidated, but vasospasm probably is a contributing ...factor. Experimental studies have suggested that calcium antagonists can prevent or reverse vasospasm and have neuroprotective properties.
To determine whether calcium antagonists improve outcome in patients with aneurysmal SAH.
We searched the Cochrane Stroke Group Trials Register (last searched April 2006), MEDLINE (1966 to March 2006) and EMBASE (1980 to March 2006). We handsearched two Russian journals (1990 to 2003), and contacted trialists and pharmaceutical companies in 1995 and 1996.
Randomised controlled trials comparing calcium antagonists with control, or a second calcium antagonist (magnesium sulphate) versus control in addition to another calcium antagonist (nimodipine) in both the intervention and control groups.
Two review authors independently extracted the data and assessed trial quality. Trialists were contacted to obtain missing information.
Sixteen trials, involving 3361 patients, were included in the review; three of the studies were of magnesium sulphate in addition to nimodipine. Overall, calcium antagonists reduced the risk of poor outcome: the relative risk (RR) was 0.81 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.72 to 0.92); the corresponding number of patients needed to treat was 19 (95% CI 1 to 51). For oral nimodipine alone the RR was 0.67 (95% CI 0.55 to 0.81), for other calcium antagonists or intravenous administration of nimodipine the results were not statistically significant. Calcium antagonists reduced the occurrence of secondary ischaemia and showed a favourable trend for case fatality. For magnesium in addition to standard treatment with nimodipine, the RR was 0.75 (95% CI 0.57 to 1.00) for a poor outcome and 0.66 (95% CI 0.45 to 0.96) for clinical signs of secondary ischaemia.
Calcium antagonists reduce the risk of poor outcome and secondary ischaemia after aneurysmal SAH. The results for 'poor outcome' depend largely on a single large trial of oral nimodipine; the evidence for other calcium antagonists is inconclusive. The evidence for nimodipine is not beyond all doubt, but given the potential benefits and modest risks of this treatment, oral nimodipine is currently indicated in patients with aneurysmal SAH. Intravenous administration of calcium antagonists cannot be recommended for routine practice on the basis of the present evidence. Magnesium sulphate is a promising agent but more evidence is needed before definite conclusions can be drawn.
Despite significant improvement in power conversion efficiencies of bulk-heterojunction solar cells, the mechanism of mobile charge carrier generation is still under debate. The time-resolved ...microwave conductivity technique is used to investigate the mobile charge carrier generation in blends of P3HT with monoPCBM and bisPCBM by varying the excitation wavelength from the visible to NIR and the temperature from 88 to 300 K. NIR excitation corresponds to the transition of an electron from the HOMO of the P3HT directly to the LUMO of the fullerene forming the charge transfer band (CT). From the results it is inferred that the binding energy between the electron and hole in the CT state is smaller than thermal energy at 88 K (7.8 meV) that is in large contrast to previously reported values of 0.3 eV. This is ascribed to efficient charge delocalization, which increases the mean distance between the electron and hole at the interface. For P3HT:bisPCBM, the yield of charge carries decreases by a factor of 3 on changing the wavelength from the visible to the NIR. This is attributed to recombination of CT states to triplet level of P3HT. However, as the yields for P3HT:PCBM and P3HT:bisPCBM are comparable on visible excitation, we conclude that for the latter blend formation of mobile charge carrier occurs primarily via a thermally nonrelaxed, hot CT state. This observation indicates that the excess energy involved in the exciton dissociation process is indeed important to avoid recombination to the triplet level and to achieve higher yields of charge carrier generation. On the basis of these findings, we suggest that the excess energy can be small as long as the triplet level of the polymer is located energetically higher than the CT state. This insight is of particular interest for the rational design of novel polymer/fullerene systems to achieve higher power conversion efficiencies.
Autosomal recessive spastic ataxia of Charlevoix-Saguenay (ARSACS) is a childhood-onset neurological disease resulting from mutations in the SACS gene encoding sacsin, a 4,579-aa protein of unknown ...function. Originally identified as a founder disease in Québec, ARSACS is now recognized worldwide. Prominent features include pyramidal spasticity and cerebellar ataxia, but the underlying pathology and pathophysiological mechanisms are unknown. We have generated an animal model for ARSACS, sacsin knockout mice, that display agedependent neurodegeneration of cerebellar Purkinje cells. To explore the pathophysiological basis for this observation, we examined the cell biological properties of sacsin. We show that sacsin localizes to mitochondria in non-neuronal cells and primary neurons and that it interacts with dynamin-related protein 1, which participates in mitochondrial fission. Fibroblasto from ARSACS patients show a hyperfused mitochondrial network, consistent with defects in mitochondrial fission. Sacsin knockdown leads to an overly interconnected and functionally impaired mitochondrial network, and mitochondria accumulate in the soma and proximal dendrites of sacsin knockdown neurons. Disruption of mitochondrial transport into dendrites has been shown to lead to abnormal dendritic morphology, and we observe striking alterations in the organization of dendritic fields in the cerebellum of knockout mice that precedes Purkinje cell death. Our data identifies mitochondrial dysfunction/mislocalization as the likely cellular basis for ARSACS and indicates a role for sacsin in regulation of mitochondrial dynamics.
The aim of this article is to provide an updated systematic review on the 8 most commonly used surgical procedures to treat trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis. A thorough literature search was ...performed using predetermined criteria. A total of 35 articles fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Nine of these 35 articles were not included in previous systematic reviews. Systematic evaluation demonstrated the following: (1) there is no evidence that trapeziectomy or trapeziectomy with tendon interposition is superior to any of the other techniques. However, when interposition is performed, autologous tissue interposition seems to be preferable. (2) Trapeziectomy with ligament reconstruction or trapeziectomy with ligament reconstruction and tendon interposition (LRTI) is not superior to any of the other techniques. However, follow-up in the studies with a higher level of evidence was relatively short (12 mo); therefore, long-term benefits could not be assessed. In addition, trapeziectomy with LRTI seems associated with a higher complication rate. (3) Because the studies on thumb carpometacarpal (CMC) arthrodesis were of less methodological quality and had inconsistent outcomes, we are not able to conclude whether CMC arthrodesis is superior to any other technique. Therefore, high-level randomized trials comparing CMC arthrodesis with other procedures are needed. Nevertheless, findings in the newly included studies did show that nonunion rates in the literature are on average 8% to 21% and, complications and repeat surgeries are more frequent following CMC arthrodesis. (4) A study on joint replacement showed that total joint prosthesis might have better short-term results compared to trapeziectomy with LRTI. However, high-level randomized trials comparing total joint prosthesis with other procedures are needed. In addition, there is no evidence that the Artelon spacer is superior to trapeziectomy with LRTI. We conclude that, at this time, no surgical procedure is proven to be superior to another. However, based on good results of CMC arthrodesis and total joint prostheses, we postulate that there could be differences between the various surgical procedures. Therefore randomized clinical trials of CMC arthrodesis and total joint prostheses compared to trapeziectomy with long follow-up (>1 y) are warranted.
Laparoscopic uterosacral ligament suspension (LUSLS) is a technique to correct apical pelvic organ prolapse (POP) by shortening the uterosacral ligaments with sutures.
A systematic review with ...meta-analysis of the effectiveness and safety of LUSLS as treatment for apical POP.
PubMed and Cochrane search using 'pelvic organ prolapse', 'laparoscopy' and 'uterosacral', including synonyms.
All articles in English presenting outcome of an original series of women with LUSLS as treatment of apical POP. Case reports were excluded.
Study enrollment was performed by two reviewers. Our primary outcome measures were objective and subjective effectiveness of the procedure. Secondary outcome measures regarded complications and recurrence. Bias was assessed with the Newcastle Ottawa Scale.
Of 138 hits, 13 studies were included with 933 LUSLS patients. The average follow-up was 22 months. All were nonrandomised cohort studies. The pooled anatomic success rate is 90% for all LUSLS procedures (95% confidence interval CI 83.3-95.5). LUSLS with hysterectomy resulted in an anatomic success rate of 96.6% (95% CI 87.5-100) and LUSLS with uterus preservation 83.4% (95% CI 67.7-94.6). The pooled subjective cure rate was 90.5% (95% CI 81.9-96.5). The rate of major complications was 1%.
Laparoscopic uterosacral ligament suspension (with or without uterus preservation) seems to be an effective and safe treatment for women with apical POP, but long-term prospective trials and randomised controlled trials are necessary to confirm these findings.
Background In many countries, medical interventions are reimbursed on the basis of recommendations made by advisory boards and committees that apply multiple criteria in their assessment procedures. ...Given the diversity of these criteria, it is difficult to find common ground to determine what information is required for setting priorities. Objective To investigate whether society and patients share the same interests and views concerning healthcare priorities. Methods We applied a framework of discrete choice models in which respondents were presented with judgmental tasks to elicit their preferences. They were asked to choose between two hypothetical scenarios of patients receiving a new treatment. The scenarios graphically presented treatment outcomes and patient characteristics. Responses were collected through an online survey administered among respondents from the general population (N = 1,253) and patients (N = 1,389) and were analyzed using conditional logit and mixed logit models. Results The respondents' preferences regarding new medical treatments revealed that they attached the most relative importance to additional survival years, age at treatment, initial health condition, and the cause of disease. Minor differences in the relative importance assigned to three criteria: age at treatment, initial health, and cause of disease were found between the general population and patient samples. Health scenarios in which patients had higher initial health-related quality of life (i.e., a lower burden of disease) were favored over those in which patients' initial health-related quality of life was lower. Conclusions Overall, respondents within the general population expressed preferences that were similar to those of the patients. Therefore, priority-setting studies that are based on the perspectives of the general population may be useful for informing decisions on reimbursement and other types of priority-setting processes in health care. Incorporating the preferences of the general population may simultaneously increase public acceptance of these decisions.
Summary
Background
Delayed gastric emptying limits the administration of enteral nutrition, leading to malnutrition, which is associated with higher mortality and morbidity. Currently available ...prokinetics have limitations in terms of sustained efficacy and side effects.
Aim
To summarise the mechanisms of action and to discuss the possible utility of gastrointestinal hormones to prevent or treat delayed gastric emptying in critically ill patients.
Methods
We searched PubMed for articles discussing ‘delayed gastric emptying’, ‘enteral nutrition’, ‘treatment’, ‘gastrointestinal hormones’, ‘prokinetic’, ‘agonist’, ‘antagonist’ and ‘critically ill patients’.
Results
Motilin and ghrelin receptor agonists initiate the migrating motor complex in the stomach, which accelerates gastric emptying. Cholecystokinin, glucagon‐like peptide‐1 and peptide YY have an inhibiting effect on gastric emptying; therefore, antagonising these gastrointestinal hormones may have therapeutic potential. Other gastrointestinal hormones appear less promising.
Conclusions
Manipulation of endogenous secretion, physiological replacement and administration of gastrointestinal hormones in pharmacological doses is likely to have therapeutic potential in the treatment of delayed gastric emptying. Future challenges in this field will include the search for candidates with improved selectivity and favourable kinetic properties.
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