This document provides evidence-based clinical practice guidelines on the management of adult patients with community-acquired pneumonia.
A multidisciplinary panel conducted pragmatic systematic ...reviews of the relevant research and applied Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation methodology for clinical recommendations.
The panel addressed 16 specific areas for recommendations spanning questions of diagnostic testing, determination of site of care, selection of initial empiric antibiotic therapy, and subsequent management decisions. Although some recommendations remain unchanged from the 2007 guideline, the availability of results from new therapeutic trials and epidemiological investigations led to revised recommendations for empiric treatment strategies and additional management decisions.
The panel formulated and provided the rationale for recommendations on selected diagnostic and treatment strategies for adult patients with community-acquired pneumonia.
Methods to optimize care after T1D diagnosis are needed. We hypothesized lowering A1c targets to <7% would further lower A1c in the 4T Study in which CGM with asynchronous remote patient monitoring ...(RPM) is initiated after T1D diagnosis. All youth with newly diagnosed T1D (June 2020-March 2022) were offered CGM and RPM after diagnosis (Study 1, n=133). We compared A1c at 1-year in Study 1 with the 4T Pilot (2018-20) and Historical cohorts (2014-16). We visualized population-based A1c trajectories using locally estimated scatter plot smoothing (Fig) and % meeting A1c targets. Mean A1c at diagnosis was similar in Pilot (12.2%±2.1%) and Study 1 (12.2±2.4%) and higher than the Historical cohort (10.7±2.5%). In Study 1, the median age of diagnosis was 10.8 years, 55% male, 40% non-Hispanic White, and 38% with public insurance. CGM initiation occurred within 30 days of diagnosis in 98.5%. At 3, 6, 9, and 12 months post-diagnosis, the Study 1 cohort had LOESS-based mean A1c differences of 0.16%, 0.24%, 0.31%, and 0.58% lower than the Pilot and 0.04%, 0.60%, 0.83%, and 1.06% lower than the Historical cohort. A1c target <7% was met by 61% of youth in Study 1, 51% in the Pilot and 28% in the Historical cohort. Time <70mg/dl was ≤2.3%. The 4T program which emphasizes early CGM initiation, RPM, tighter glucose targets, and consistent team messaging was associated with lower A1c. These data support implementation of the 4T program in youth with T1D.
Disclosure
P.Prahalad: None. D.M.Maahs: Advisory Panel; Medtronic, LifeScan Diabetes Institute, MannKind Corporation, Consultant; Abbott, Research Support; Dexcom, Inc. 4t study group: n/a. V.Ding: None. D.P.Zaharieva: Advisory Panel; Dexcom, Inc., Research Support; Hemsley Charitable Trust, International Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Diabetes, Insulet Corporation, Speaker's Bureau; American Diabetes Association, Ascensia Diabetes Care, Medtronic. A.Addala: None. F.K.Bishop: None. D.Scheinker: None. R.Johari: None. M.Desai: None. K.K.Hood: Consultant; Cecelia Health.
Funding
National Institutes of Health (P30DK116074), (R18DK122422 to D.M.M.); Dexcom, Inc.; Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Auxiliaries Endowment; Stanford Maternal and Child Health Research Institute
On global scale, the current situation of pandemic is symptomatic of increased incidences of contagious diseases caused by pathogens. The faster spread of these diseases, in a moderately short ...timeframe, is threatening the overall population wellbeing and conceivably the economy. The inadequacy of conventional diagnostic tools in terms of time consuming and complex laboratory-based diagnosis process is a major challenge to medical care. In present era, the development of point-of-care testing (POCT) is in demand for fast detection of infectious diseases along with “on-site” results that are helpful in timely and early action for better treatment. In addition, POCT devices also play a crucial role in preventing the transmission of infectious diseases by offering real-time testing and lab quality microbial diagnosis within minutes. Timely diagnosis and further treatment optimization facilitate the containment of outbreaks of infectious diseases. Presently, efforts are being made to support such POCT by the technological development in the field of internet of medical things (IoMT). The IoMT offers wireless-based operation and connectivity of POCT devices with health expert and medical centre. In this review, the recently developed POC diagnostics integrated or future possibilities of integration with IoMT are discussed with focus on emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases like malaria, dengue fever, influenza A (H1N1), human papilloma virus (HPV), Ebola virus disease (EVD), Zika virus (ZIKV), and coronavirus (COVID-19). The IoMT-assisted POCT systems are capable enough to fill the gap between bioinformatics generation, big rapid analytics, and clinical validation. An optimized IoMT-assisted POCT will be useful in understanding the diseases progression, treatment decision, and evaluation of efficacy of prescribed therapy.
•Infectious diseases are serious but manageable using intelligent diagnostics.•Biosensing enables low detection of virus needed for viral infection management.•IoMT-integrated biosensor enable diagnostics at site-of-infection efficiently.•IoMT-supported POC-biosensing enable viral infection management in personalized manner.•POC-biosensing is needed for diseases diagnostics and therapy decision along with investigation.
Clinical descriptions about influenza-like illnesses (ILI) in COVID-19 seem non-specific. We aimed to compare the clinical features of COVID-19 and influenza. We retrospectively investigated the ...clinical features and outcomes of confirmed cases of COVID-19 and influenza in Nord Franche-Comté Hospital between February 26th and March 14th 2020. We used SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR and influenza virus A/B RT-PCR in respiratory samples to confirm the diagnosis. We included 124 patients. The mean age was 59 (±19 19–98) years with 69% female. 70 patients with COVID-19 and 54 patients with influenza A/B. Regarding age, sex and comorbidities, no differences were found between the two groups except a lower Charlson index in COVID-19 group (2 ±2.5 vs 3 ±2.4,p = 0.003). Anosmia (53% vs 17%,p < 0.001), dysgeusia (49% vs 20%,p = 0.001), diarrhea (40% vs 20%,p = 0.021), frontal headache (26% vs 9%,p = 0.021) and bilateral cracklings sounds (24% vs 9%,p = 0.034) were statistically more frequent in COVID-19. Sputum production (52% vs 29%,p = 0.010), dyspnea (59% vs 34%,p = 0.007), sore throat (44% vs 20%,p = 0.006), conjunctival hyperhemia (30% vs 4%,p < 0.001), tearing (24% vs 6%,p = 0.004), vomiting (22% vs 3%,p = 0.001) and rhonchi sounds (17% vs 1%,p = 0.002) were more frequent with influenza infection. We described several clinical differences which can help the clinicians during the co-circulation of influenza and SARS-CoV-2.
Clinicians are required to assess abnormal liver chemistries on a daily basis. The most common liver chemistries ordered are serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), ...alkaline phosphatase and bilirubin. These tests should be termed liver chemistries or liver tests. Hepatocellular injury is defined as disproportionate elevation of AST and ALT levels compared with alkaline phosphatase levels. Cholestatic injury is defined as disproportionate elevation of alkaline phosphatase level as compared with AST and ALT levels. The majority of bilirubin circulates as unconjugated bilirubin and an elevated conjugated bilirubin implies hepatocellular disease or cholestasis. Multiple studies have demonstrated that the presence of an elevated ALT has been associated with increased liver-related mortality. A true healthy normal ALT level ranges from 29 to 33 IU/l for males, 19 to 25 IU/l for females and levels above this should be assessed. The degree of elevation of ALT and or AST in the clinical setting helps guide the evaluation. The evaluation of hepatocellular injury includes testing for viral hepatitis A, B, and C, assessment for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and alcoholic liver disease, screening for hereditary hemochromatosis, autoimmune hepatitis, Wilson's disease, and alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency. In addition, a history of prescribed and over-the-counter medicines should be sought. For the evaluation of an alkaline phosphatase elevation determined to be of hepatic origin, testing for primary biliary cholangitis and primary sclerosing cholangitis should be undertaken. Total bilirubin elevation can occur in either cholestatic or hepatocellular diseases. Elevated total serum bilirubin levels should be fractionated to direct and indirect bilirubin fractions and an elevated serum conjugated bilirubin implies hepatocellular disease or biliary obstruction in most settings. A liver biopsy may be considered when serologic testing and imaging fails to elucidate a diagnosis, to stage a condition, or when multiple diagnoses are possible.
Focal liver lesions (FLL) have been a common reason for consultation faced by gastroenterologists and hepatologists. The increasing and widespread use of imaging studies has led to an increase in ...detection of incidental FLL. It is important to consider not only malignant liver lesions, but also benign solid and cystic liver lesions such as hemangioma, focal nodular hyperplasia, hepatocellular adenoma, and hepatic cysts, in the differential diagnosis. In this ACG practice guideline, the authors provide an evidence-based approach to the diagnosis and management of FLL.
Since its debut in 2011, cell-free fetal DNA screening has undergone rapid expansion with respect to both utilization and coverage. However, conclusive data regarding the clinical validity and ...utility of this screening tool, both for the originally included common autosomal and sex-chromosomal aneuploidies as well as the more recently added chromosomal microdeletion syndromes, have lagged behind. Thus, there is a continued need to educate clinicians and patients about the current benefits and limitations of this screening tool to inform pre- and posttest counseling, pre/perinatal decision making, and medical risk assessment/management.
The objective of this study was to determine the positive predictive value and false-positive rates for different chromosomal abnormalities identified by cell-free fetal DNA screening using a large data set of diagnostic testing results on invasive samples submitted to the laboratory for confirmatory studies.
We tested 712 patient samples sent to our laboratory to confirm a cell-free fetal DNA screening result, indicating high risk for a chromosome abnormality. We compiled data from all cases in which the indication for confirmatory testing was a positive cell-free fetal DNA screen, including the common trisomies, sex chromosomal aneuploidies, microdeletion syndromes, and other large genome-wide copy number abnormalities. Testing modalities included fluorescence in situ hybridization, G-banded karyotype, and/or chromosomal microarray analysis performed on chorionic villus samples, amniotic fluid, or postnatally obtained blood samples. Positive predictive values and false-positive rates were calculated from tabulated data.
The positive predictive values for trisomy 13, 18, and 21 were consistent with previous reports at 45%, 76%, and 84%, respectively. For the microdeletion syndrome regions, positive predictive values ranged from 0% for detection of Cri-du-Chat syndrome and Prader-Willi/Angelman syndrome to 14% for 1p36 deletion syndrome and 21% for 22q11.2 deletion syndrome. Detection of sex chromosomal aneuploidies had positive predictive values of 26% for monosomy X, 50% for 47,XXX, and 86% for 47,XXY.
The positive predictive values for detection of common autosomal and sex chromosomal aneuploidies by cell-free fetal DNA screening were comparable with other studies. Identification of microdeletions was associated with lower positive predictive values and higher false-positive rates, likely because of the low prevalence of the individual targeted microdeletion syndromes in the general population. Although the obtained positive predictive values compare favorably with those seen in traditional screening approaches for common aneuploidies, they highlight the importance of educating clinicians and patients on the limitations of cell-free fetal DNA screening tests. Improvement of the cell-free fetal DNA screening technology and continued monitoring of its performance after introduction into clinical practice will be important to fully establish its clinical utility. Nonetheless, our data provide valuable information that may aid result interpretation, patient counseling, and clinical decision making/management.
PDF
