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Context Preventive training programs (PTPs) reduce injury risk by improving movement control. Corrective feedback is important; however, many cues at once may be too complicated for athletes. Objective To compare movement control and long-jump (LJ) changes in youth athletes participating in a season-long PTP, with simplified feedback, traditional feedback, or a warmup of the coaches' choosing. Design Cluster-randomized controlled trial. Setting Soccer fields. Patients or Other Participants A total of 420 athletes (simplified feedback = 173, traditional feedback = 118, and control = 129; age = 11 ± 3 years). Intervention(s) Teams were randomized into the simplified PTP, traditional PTP, or control group. Simplified and traditional PTPs lasted 10 to 12 minutes and used the same exercises. The simplified PTP provided only sagittal-plane feedback (eg, “get low”), and the traditional PTP provided feedback targeting all motion planes (eg, “don't let your knees cave inward”). Research assistants administered the PTP warmups 2 to 3 times/week for the season. Control team coaches chose and ran their own warmup strategies. Main Outcome Measure(s) Participants completed 4 sessions (preseason [PRE], postseason [POST] at approximately 8 weeks after PRE, retention 1 [R1] at 6 weeks postseason, and retention 2 [R2] at 12 weeks postseason). They performed 3 trials of a jump-landing task, which was evaluated using the Landing Error Scoring System (LESS) and 2 recorded standing LJ trials at each test session. A time series panel was used to evaluate group differences across time points for the LESS and LJ. Results Change score analyses revealed improvements in the LESS score from PRE to POST for all groups. Improvements from PRE were retained at R1 and R2 for the intervention groups (simplified and traditional). The traditional group demonstrated better LJ performance at POST (P < .001) and R1 (P = .049) than the simplified or control group. Conclusions Simplified cues were as effective as traditional cues in improving LESS scores from PRE to POST season. Participating in PTPs, regardless of their complexity, likely provides movement benefits.

The transition in health care from a volume-based to value-based model of care, combined with pressures brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, makes the need for efficiency and coordination of the health center system imperative. The Value Transformation Framework (VTF), developed with health centers in mind, provides an organizing framework to support transformation of infrastructure, care delivery, and people systems.NACHC applied the VTF within a cohort of health centers across the country to drive systems change and improve performance on measures of clinical care.A comparison of health centers "participating" in application of the VTF relative to "nonparticipating" health centers nationally showed improvement during 3 years of program implementation. Significant differences ( p.05) favoring health centers who participated were noted for screening of colorectal cancer ( p.001), depression ( p.001), hypertension ( p.001), obesity ( p = .001), and cervical cancer ( p = .011). Performance for diabetes control also favored participating programs, although the difference did not quite reach significance ( p = .45).Applying a systems approach, organized by the VTF, with evidence-based interventions and deployed in a learning community, can result in improved performance across multiple measures of clinical care.

Context Social determinants of health (SDH)—education, transportation, housing, employment, health systems and services, economic status, and physical and social environments—influence patient outcomes; therefore, athletic trainers (ATs) need to be able to understand and address these factors. However, little is known about how ATs perceive SDH or how knowledgeable they are about social factors that contribute to patient health and well-being. Objective To evaluate ATs' familiarity and comfort with SDH and their perceived knowledge and recognition of SDH. Design Cross-sectional. Setting Online survey. Patients or Other Participants Our survey was distributed to 17 000 ATs; 1829 accessed it (access rate=10.8%), and 1694 completed it (completion rate=92.6%, AT experience=15.2±10.6 years, age=36.6±10.8 years). Main Outcome Measures The survey included multipart questions that evaluated ATs' perceptions of their familiarity, comfort, and knowledge about SDH. Data were summarized using descriptive statistics. Results Few respondents (4.1%, 70/1691) reported they were extremely familiar with SDH. Most reported being moderately familiar (45.0%, 761/1691), minimally familiar (34.7%, 587/1691), or not familiar at all (16.1%, 273/1691). For questions about comfort, few reported being extremely comfortable (3.5%, 59/1691) with SDH, and most reported being moderately comfortable (35.4%, 598/1691), minimally comfortable (41.1%, 695/1691), or not comfortable at all (18.6%, 314/1691). For questions about knowledge, few reported being extremely knowledgeable (2.7%, 46/1686) about SDH, and the majority reported being moderately (38.9%, 622/1686), minimally (41.8%, 704/1686) or not knowledgeable at all (18.6%, 314/1686). Over half of ATs accurately categorized 8 of the 9 SDH listed in the survey, and 22% endorsed more correct than incorrect items. Conclusions A majority of ATs perceived their familiarity, comfort, and knowledge about SDH to be moderate-to-low, which may reflect the relatively recent emphasis on SDH in athletic healthcare. Because SDH can have a major impact on patient health and well-being, strategies should be developed for educating ATs about SDH. Developing strategies to increase comfort with the SDH in patient care is critical to ensure that those factors that can be addressed at the patient level are identified and managed.

Medical students have unprecedented access to a large variety of learning resources, but patterns of resource use, differences in use across education cohorts, and the relationship between resource use and academic performance are unclear. Therefore, the purpose of the current study was to evaluate student resource use and its relationship to academic performance during preclerkship years. First-year and second-year medical students completed a 10-question electronic survey that assessed likelihood of using outside resources recommended by others, reasons for using outside resources, frequency of use of resources, and use of outside resources for specific disciplines. Outcomes were compared between the 2 cohorts of students. First-year students were more likely to use instructor-produced resources and self-generated study resources, and second-year students were more likely to use board review resources. Although differences were found between cohorts for frequency of use of certain resources, correlations between resource use and academic performance were modest. Overall, our results indicated that student use of study resources changed between the first and second years of medical school. These results suggest opportunities for medical educators to guide students in the selection and effective use of outside resources as they mature as self-regulated learners. Further, since students seem to extensively use external resources for learning, institutions should consider calibrating their curriculum and teaching methods to this learning style and providing high-quality, accessible resource materials for all students to reduce the potential impact of socioeconomic factors on student performance.

Introduction Research regarding the prevalence of psychopathology issues in burn-injured youth is limited. The Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) is valid for both self- and parent-report, and is widely used. This study sought to evaluate the level of agreement between the youth self-report and parental response. Methods Respondents included 36 adolescent/parent dyads. The youth included 11-18 years old, 14% African American, 19% Hispanic and 44% White, 19 females, 17 males with 58% reporting both visible & hidden scars. The SDQ is a widely used behavioral screening tool assessing children’s positive & negative attributes on 5 scales: 1) Emotional Symptoms, 2) Conduct Problems, 3) Hyperactivity/Inattention, 4) Peer Problems, 5) Prosocial Behavior as well as a Total Difficulties Score. Results Youth reported significantly higher scores than parents on Total Difficulty (P < 0.001). They had significantly higher scores on all scale scores – Emotional Problems (P = 0.01), Hyperactivity (P = 0.001), Conduct Problems (P = 0.041), Peer Problems (P=0.041), Internalizing (P = 0.005), and Externalizing Behaviors ((P < 0.001), but not the Pro-Social Scale (P=0.303). Correlations between self- and parent-report were significant only for the Hyperactivity scale, r=.40, p=0.017. Conclusions The large difference in youth vs. parent responses is of concern because study parents appear to be unaware of psychosocial issues challenging their children. This study mirrors other research which has documented a lack of awareness of parents regarding children’s reported anxiety disorder symptomology. Applicability of Research to Practice Healthcare providers & parents should discuss burn-injured youths’ feelings regarding their progress. Providers should not rely solely on parents when determining the well-being of pediatric survivors. This survey can be completed easily by youth and parents in the aftercare setting and used as a tool for recommending intervention when difficulties are present.

The role that social determinants of health (SDHs) play in athletic healthcare is gaining attention, yet little is known about athletic trainers’ (ATs) perceptions of and encounters with the impact of SDHs. The purpose of this study was to evaluate ATs’ perceptions of various SDHs and their experience treating patients whose health and well-being were influenced by SDHs. This was a cross-sectional, web-based survey completed by 1694 ATs (completion rate = 92.6%; 61.1% female; age = 36.6 ± 10.8 years). The survey consisted of several multipart questions focusing on specific SDHs. Descriptive statistics were used to report frequencies and percentages. Results indicated widespread agreement that SDHs matter to patient health and are of concern in athletic healthcare. The SDHs that ATs most commonly reported encountering included lifestyle choices (n = 1306/1406; 93.0%), social support (n = 1185/1427; 83.0%), income (n = 1167/1502; 77.7%), and access to quality and timely healthcare (n = 1093/1420, 77.0%). The SDHs that ATs least commonly reported having experience with was governmental policy (n = 684/1411; 48%). The perceived importance of SDHs among ATs and their commonly reported experiences managing patient cases in which SDHs negatively influence patients’ health and healthcare suggest that efforts to assess these factors are needed so that strategies to address their influence on athletic healthcare can be identified.

Objectives The aim of this systematic review is to assess the treatment effects (amount of distalization, distal tipping and vertical movement) of buccally versus palatally placed temporary skeletal anchorage devices (TSADs) on maxillary first molars during distalization. Materials and methods Medline and Scopus databases were searched up to September 2020 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and non-randomized prospective cohort studies on maxillary molar distalization using TSADs in patients with Class II malocclusion. After study selection, data extraction and risk of bias assessment, meta-analyses were performed for the amount of distalization, distal tipping and intrusion of first molars. Results Nine studies (2 RCTs and 7 prospective studies) were included. The risk of bias of the RCTs was low to unclear. The non-randomized studies were of moderate quality. In five studies, the TSADs were placed in the infrazygomatic process while in two studies, they were placed in the buccal inter-radicular spaces, and in two studies, they were placed in the midpalatal region. The first molar distalization was 2.75 mm when buccal inter-radicular TSADs were used, but 4.07 and 4.17 mm with palatal and infrazgomatic TSADs. The palatal appliances were associated with 11.17° of distal tipping of the first molar while infrazygomatic and buccal inter-radicular TSADs resulted in 3.99° and 1.70° of tipping, respectively. Conclusions Inter-radicular TSADs resulted in less distal tipping but also in less distalization. Palatal TSAD-supported appliances showed the greatest amount of distal tipping. Further RCTs or prospective studies on the effect of various designs of TSAD-supported distalization are warranted.

Background: Updated rates and patterns associated with patients with dance-related injuries reporting to US emergency departments (EDs) is needed. Hypothesis: Between the years 2014 and 2018, there will be an observed rise of patients with dance-related injuries seen within US EDs. Study Design: Retrospective analysis. Level of Evidence: Level 4. Methods: Utilizing the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) database, data were abstracted for all structured dance-related injuries for all people who presented to a NEISS participating hospital from January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2018. Data were abstracted on age, sex, race, disposition, location on the body where the injury happened, and free text box regarding the mechanism and nature of the injury. Each patient case was associated with a weight to provide national incidence rate (per 100,000) estimates. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize counts, percentages, and rates across patient cases. Results: Between years 2014 and 2018, 4152 patients reported to the NEISS EDs with a dance-related injury. Most injuries occurred in female patients (83.3%; n = 3459) and among those who were 10 to 18 years old (76.2%; n = 3164). The most common injuries were ankle sprain/strain (12.7%; n = 527) and knee sprain/strain (10.4%; n = 431). Almost all patients were treated and released (97.1%; n = 4033). These data yielded population-weighted estimates of 125,618 injuries for the study period, with an increasing trend over time (19.2% increase over 5 years). Incidence rates were over 4 times higher for female (12.4) than for male patients (3.0) and highest in the 10- to 18-year-old age group (incidence rate = 46.4). Conclusion: Patients with dance-related injuries reporting to EDs increased over a 5-year period from 2014 to 2018. The majority of dancers in the study were female patients, between the ages of 10 and 18 years, nearly half of the patients reported to the ED with a sprain/strain, and almost all patients were treated and released. Clinical Relevance: An increase in access to proper injury prevention medical services and education should be provided to female dancers between the ages of 10 and 18 years. Strength of Recommendation Taxonomy: B.

We have noticed an increase in the number of patients who go through the court-ordered evaluation (COE) process but are not placed on a court-ordered treatment, and who then return to the hospital on another COE petition within one year from their initial discharge. The aim of this study is to examine what factors might be involved in rehospitalization in this population of psychiatric patients. The records of 146 readmitted patients and 146 randomized patients not readmitted were compared for various risk factors. Data were analyzed using univariate and mutivariate procedures. All patients who had diagnoses of substance-induced mood or psychotic disorders were readmitted within one year. Other risk factors included younger age, seriously mentally ill (SMI) status, longer length of stay and having a psychotic or schizophrenia spectrum disorder. Substance-induced mood or psychotic disorder may play significant roles for patients who are rehospitalized within a year of initial COE.

693 Background: Although modern cancer treatment has significantly prolonged patient’s life, it comes with a high financial cost. Based on an NIH report on Financial Burden of Cancer Care, treating PDAC costs $108K, $18K, and $125K for initial treatment, during follow up, and in last year of life, respectively. Of these, CA19-9 and CT studies are obtained concurrently to evaluate tumor burden whose cost can be reduced by decreasing imaging frequency when CA19-9 remains stable. As a pilot study, we evaluated whether changes in CA19-9, an inexpensive laboratory study commonly used for monitoring treatment response, correlates with tumor size change on imaging studies. A positive correlation may lead us to design future studies to evaluate whether stable CA19-9 can serve as an indicator for stable disease on CT scan such that imaging frequency (and cost) may be reduced. Methods: We retrospectively identified PDAC patients from our tumor registry from 2016 to 2019. Subjects were included if they met the following criteria: 1) diagnosed with PDAC 2) had at least 2+ CA19-9 and CT/MR follow up assessments with the laboratory and imaging studies within one month of each other, and 3) had measurable lesions as defined by RECIST 1.1 criteria. Due to limited resources, we limited the maximum number of lesions to 4 instead of the usual 5 for RECIST 1.1. Two-dimensional orthogonal tumor sizes were measured on axial images with the largest cross-section. Changes in the values were obtained serially (from the immediately prior study). Nonparametric correlations (Spearman’s rho) were used to evaluate monotonicity. The significance level was set at p < 0.05. Results: We screened 300 subjects from the tumor registry and identified 23 subjects suitable for our study. 13 subjects were female and 10 were male with ages ranging from 35 to 84. We identified 55 target lesions and 128 assessments (with both CA19-9 and imaging) from the 23 subjects. We analyzed the log absolute and log relative change in CA19-9 with change in tumor area. When absolute CA19-9 value, absolute change in CA19-9, and relative change in CA19-9 were tested against the absolute change in tumor size, the correlation was significant for the absolute value and absolute change of CA19-9 (p < 0.01), but not for relative change of CA19-9 (p < 0.11). When tested against relative change in tumor size, all three values were highly significant (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Our finding of direct correlations between changes of CA19-9 and relative change of tumor size on imaging suggests that CA19-9 can serve as a surrogate measure of relative change of tumor burden for patients undergoing treatment. This provides motivation for future studies evaluating the possibility that stable CA19-9 can represent stable tumor burden such that expensive imaging studies may be obtained at longer time intervals to reduce financial cost to patients.

Context COVID-19 caused a worldwide pandemic, and there are still many uncertainties about the disease. C-reactive protein (CRP) levels could be utilized as a prognosticator for disease severity in COVID-19 patients. Objectives This study aims to determine whether CRP levels are correlated with COVID-19 patient outcomes and length of stay (LoS). Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted utilizing data obtained between March and May 2020. Data were collected by abstracting past medical records through electronic medical records at 10 hospitals within CommonSpirit Health. Patients were included if they had a positive COVID-19 test from a nasopharyngeal swab sample, and if they were admitted and then discharged alive or had in-hospital mortality and were ≥18 years. A total of 541 patients had CRP levels measured and were included in this report. Patient outcome and LoS were the endpoints measured. Results The 541 patients had their CRP levels measured, as well as the demographic and clinical data required for analysis. While controlling for body mass index (BMI), number of comorbidities, and age, the first CRP was significantly predictive of mortality (p Conclusions The results indicate that there is a positive correlation between the CRP levels of COVID-19 patients and their respective outcomes with regard to death and LoS.

142 Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths, and its outcome can be improved with better detection of incidental early CRC on routine CT of the abdomen and pelvis (CTAP). AI-second observer (AI) has the potential as shown in our companion abstract. The bottleneck in training AI is the time required for radiologists to segment the CRC. We compared two techniques for accelerating the segmentation process: 1) Sparse annotation (annotating some of the CT slice containing CRC instead of every slice); 2) Allowing AI to perform initial segmentation followed by human adjustment. Methods: 2D U-Net convolutional neural network (CNN) containing 31 million trainable parameters was trained with 58 CRC CT images from Banner MD Anderson (AZ) and MD Anderson Cancer Center (TX) (51 used for training and 7 for validation) and 59 normal CT scans from Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center. Twenty of the 25 CRC cases from public domain data (The Cancer Genome Atlas) were used to evaluate the performance of the models. The CRC was segmented using ITK-SNAP open-source software (v. 3.8). For the first objective, 3 separate models were trained (fully annotated CRC, every other slice, and every third slice). The AI-annotation on the TCGA dataset was analyzed by the percentage of correct detection of CRC, the number of false positives, and the Dice similarity coefficient (DSC). If parts of the CRC were flagged by AI, then it was considered correct. A detection was considered false positive if the marked lesion did not overlap with CRC; contiguous false positives across different slices of CT image were considered a single false positive. DSC measures the quality of the segmentation by measuring the overlap between the ground-truth and AI detected lesion. For the second objective, the time required to adjust the AI-produced annotation was compared to the time required for annotating the entire CRC without AI assistance. The AI-models were trained using ensemble learning (see our companion abstract for details of the techniques). Results: Our results showed that skipping slices of tumor in training did not alter the accuracy, false positives, or DSC classification of the model. When adjusting the AI-observer segmentation, there was a trend toward decreasing the time required to adjust the annotation compared to full manual segmentation, but the difference was not statistically significant (Table; p=0.121). Conclusions: Our results show that both skipping slices of tumor as well as starting with AI-produced annotation can potentially decrease the effort required to produce high-quality ground truth without compromising the performance of AI. These techniques can help improve the throughput to obtain a large volume of cases to train AI for detecting CRC.[Table: see text]

BACKGROUND Fear of falling (FOF) is associated with restricted activities, increased risk of falling, and decreased quality of life. A Matter of Balance (AMOB) is an evidence-based programme designed to decrease FOF. The current study investigated the influence of the AMOB on activity avoidance caused by FOF in older adults using the Fear of Falling Avoidance Behavior Questionnaire (FFABQ), health-related quality of life, and a question regarding concerns about falling. METHODS Participants of this quasi-experimental, one-group, pretest-post-test study design were older adults from community sites in the Phoenix, Arizona, metropolitan area. Participants attended the AMOB programme, which consisted of one weekly 2-h session for 8 weeks. At the beginning and end of the programme, participants completed the standard AMOB assessments, the FFABQ, the Centers for Disease Control Core Healthy Days Measure (CDC HRQOL-4), and a question regarding concerns about falling. RESULTS Sixty-three participants completed the study; their mean ± SD age was 75.3 ± 7.1 years (range: 60.0-90.0 years), and 84.1% were women. The FFABQ scores decreased from baseline (24.4 ± 12.7 points) to post-AMOB (20.1 ± 11.9 points; t = 2.62, P = 0.01). No changes in any of the CDC HRQOL-4 questions were noted (CDC HRQOL-4 question (Q)1 (z = -1.41, P = 0.16), CDC HRQOL-4 Q2 and Q3 summary index (z = -1.60, P = 0.11), and CDC HRQOL-4 Q4 (z = -0.97, P = 0.33)). Concerns about falling decreased from baseline (3.4 ± 0.9 points) to post-AMOB (2.8 ± 0.8 points; z = -4.09, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION Avoidance behaviour caused by FOF, as measured by the FFABQ, and concerns about falling decreased in community-dwelling older adults who participated in the AMOB. Findings support the efficacy of the AMOB for reducing both avoidance behaviour caused by FOF and concerns about falling through an approach that combines education and exercise.

Introduction: The androgen receptor (AR) regulates immune-related epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and prostate cancer (PCa) metastasis. Primary tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) [CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+ TILs] are potential prognostic indicators in PCa, and variations may contribute to racial disparities in tumor biology and PCa outcomes. Aim: To assess the technical feasibility of tumor microarray (TMA)-based methods to perform multi-marker TIL profiling in primary resected PCa. Methods: Paraffin-embedded tissue cores of histopathologically-confirmed primary PCa (n = 40; 1 TMA tissue specimen loss) were arrayed in triplicate on TMAs. Expression profiles of AR, CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+ TILs in normal prostate, and the center and periphery of both the tumor-dominant nodule and highest Gleason grade were detected by IHC and associated with clinical and pathological data using standard statistical methodology. An independent pathologist, blinded to the clinical data, scored all samples (percent and intensity of positive cells). Results: TMAs were constructed from 21 (53.8%) Black and 18 (46.2%) White males with completely-resected, primarily pT2 stage PCa [pT2a (n = 3; 7.7%); pT2b (n = 2; 5.1%); pT2c (n = 27; 69.2%); pT3a (n = 5; 12.8%); mean pre-op PSA = 8.17 ng/ml]. The CD3, CD4, CD8, and CD8/CD3 cellular protein expression differed from normal in the periphery of the dominant nodule, the center of the highest Gleason grade, and the periphery of the highest Gleason grade (P < 0.05). Correlations between TIL expression in the center and periphery of the dominant nodule, with corresponding center and periphery of the highest Gleason grade, respectively, were robust, and the magnitude of these correlations differed markedly by race (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Multi-marker (AR, CD3, CD4, CD8) profiling with IHC analysis of TMAs consisting of primary, non-metastatic resected prostate cancer is technically feasible in this pilot study. Future studies will evaluate primary tumor immunoscore using semi-quantitative, IHC-based methodology to assess differences in the spectrum, quantity, and/or localization of TILs, and to gain insights into racial disparities in PCa tumor biology and clinical outcomes.

Introduction Growing up with disfigurement and functional limitations resulting from childhood burns can be challenging. Initial stages of care involve painful surgeries/dressing changes, strenuous physical & occupational therapy, pressure garments and time away from family/school activities. Few studies have examined the voiced issues faced by youth while maturing with burns. This study’s purpose was to determine if experiences in the post-injury phase differed between currently burn-injured youth vs. young adults burned as children. Methods A prior study asked Child Burn Survivors (CBS -10–16 yrs.) and Young Adults (YAs -17-25yrs.) to answer the statement: “The hardest thing about being burned is…” The most common issues included: People Staring, Getting Unwanted Questions, Being Bullied, Remembering When I Was Burned, Having Additional Surgeries and My Scars. The current study asked participants to rate items on a 4-point scale from (1) Not at all to (4) Really a lot. The YAs were asked to consider issues they encountered maturing with burns. Results Child Survivors (CBS, n=147) mean age 13.4 years, male (n=46%) female (n=54%), and YA Survivors (YA, n = 81) male(n=39%) female (n=61%) mean age =19.1 yrs. and were predominately racial/ethnic minorities (CBS=67%; YA = 58%). No differences existed for age burned (CBS=6 yrs. vs. YA = 6.4 yrs.) hidden & visible scars (CBS=55% vs. YA=68%) and TBSA > 50% (CBS=19% vs. YA =20%). Top mean scores for CBS’s included: Remembering the Burn (2.05) & Getting Unwanted Questions (2.0). The YA group’s top mean scores included Being Bullied (2.10) & People Staring (2.0). The CBS group reported that Getting Unwanted Questions was more problematic than the YA Group (p =003). YAs shared that Being Bullied was their biggest problem vs. CVS, significantly more so (p=.01). Conclusions Bullying appears to be less of a problem for current child burn survivors than those previously burned. The difference may be due to a recent emphasis placed on anti-bullying in US schools. Findings highlight an ongoing need to address the psycho/social issues related to burns. Teaching interventions like the Phoenix Society’s Rehearse Your Response can help youth address unwanted questions and staring. Providing children an opportunity to process the injury event may also improve their ability to cope with burn stressors.

Introduction Growing up with disfigurement and functional limitations resulting from childhood burns can be challenging. Initial stages of care involve painful surgeries/dressing changes, strenuous physical & occupational therapy, pressure garments and time away from family/school activities. Few studies have examined the voiced issues faced by youth while maturing with burns. This study’s purpose was to determine if experiences in the post-injury phase differed between currently burn-injured youth vs. young adults burned as children. Methods A prior study asked Child Burn Survivors (CBS -10–16 yrs.) and Young Adults (YAs -17-25yrs.) to answer the statement: “The hardest thing about being burned is…” The most common issues included: People Staring, Getting Unwanted Questions, Being Bullied, Remembering When I Was Burned, Having Additional Surgeries and My Scars. The current study asked participants to rate items on a 4-point scale from (1) Not at all to (4) Really a lot. The YAs were asked to consider issues they encountered maturing with burns. Results Child Survivors (CBS, n=147) mean age 13.4 years, male (n=46%) female (n=54%), and YA Survivors (YA, n = 81) male(n=39%) female (n=61%) mean age =19.1 yrs., and were predominately racial/ethnic minorities (CBS=67%; YA = 58%). No differences existed for age burned (CBS=6 yrs. vs. YA = 6.4 yrs.) hidden & visible scars (CBS=55% vs. YA=68%) and TBSA ≥ 50% (CBS=19% vs. YA =20%). Top mean scores for CBS’s included: Remembering the Burn (2.05) & Getting Unwanted Questions (2.0). The YA group’s top mean scores included Being Bullied (2.10) & People Staring (2.0). The CBS group reported that Getting Unwanted Questions was more problematic than the YA Group (p =003). YAs shared that Being Bullied was their biggest problem vs. CVS, significantly more so (p=.01). Conclusions Bullying appears to be less of a problem for current child burn survivors than those previously burned. The difference may be due to a recent emphasis placed on anti-bullying in US schools. Findings highlight an ongoing need to address the psycho/social issues related to burns. Teaching interventions like the Phoenix Society’s Rehearse Your Response can help youth address unwanted questions and staring. Providing children an opportunity to process the injury event may also improve their ability to cope with burn stressors. Applicability of Research to Practice This research has clinical implications as issues shared by participants can be addressed by burn healthcare providers and therapists. Results endorse the delivery of supportive strategies which complement surgical/medical treatment and should help improve their social interactions/quality of life.

Introduction The potential consequences of vitamin D insufficiency/deficiency (I/D) in critically ill patients include: increased ICU length of stay, organ dysfunction, infectious complications, and mortality. Burn patients, in particular, may be at increased risk of vitamin D I/D due to bleeding, systemic inflammatory response syndrome, increased utilization of vitamin D by injured tissues, compromised vascular integrity, fluid shifts, and leakage of vitamin D binding protein (VDBP) and albumin. The purpose of this study is to determine the incidence of vitamin D I/D and evaluate the institutional vitamin D dosing regimen. Methods A retrospective chart review was performed on all adult patients from January 1, 2018 through December 31, 2019 who received cholecalciferol and had at least one 25-hydroxy vitamin D level during their hospitalization. Vitamin D level was drawn on admission, then weekly thereafter. Patients found to be I/D were initiated on high dose vitamin D supplementation and then adjusted based on the weekly levels. The therapeutic goal for vitamin D supplementation was set at 50 ng/ml. Results Three hundred and sixteen patients met criteria for review. Of those patients, 293 patients (93%) were vitamin D I/D. The magnitude of vitamin D deficiency was strongly negatively correlated with increasing % total body surface area (TBSA) burn size (p< 0.001). Mean time to reach therapeutic vitamin D levels following initiation of supplementation was 19 days, requiring an average of 116,125 units cholecalciferol weekly. Time to reach therapeutic levels was also positively correlated with increasing burn size (p< 0.05). Many patients, however, were discharged prior to reaching therapeutic levels. Conclusions Vitamin D I/D is present in over 90% of burn center patients and the degree of I/D was profound. Additionally, vitamin D I/D was not easily corrected, taking almost 3 weeks to reach therapeutic levels using an aggressive supplementation regimen. Further studies documenting the consequences of vitamin D I/D and development of evidence-based supplementation dosing regimens are warranted. Applicability of Research to Practice This study documents common and severe vitamin D deficiency in burn patients, and difficulty in correcting this deficiency.

The purpose of this study was to describe current practices for onboarding travel nurses (TRNs) and identify TRNs' specific onboarding needs.Onboarding must be streamlined and organized for TRNs to provide safe patient care.Cross-sectional descriptive survey was used with 306 TRNs throughout United States who were recruited electronically from a closed social media group page.The TRNs identified critical information, including unit patient ratios, onboarding schedule 7 to 14 days before travel assignment start, and login IDs/accesses on day 1. Travel nurse onboarding and competency assessment checklists should be specific to the unit/facility where they will work.Findings from this study have the potential to support hospitals in the development of streamlined and tailored TRN onboarding to support regulatory compliance and patient safety as well as realize significant cost savings for TRN onboarding.

Introduction The use of oxygen is a key component of acute burn resuscitation, particularly when there is concern for carbon monoxide toxicity or inhalation injury. Prior studies of critically-ill patients have shown an association between early hyperoxia and increased mortality. There are no studies to date evaluating outcomes related to excessive oxygen administration in burn patients. Methods We conducted a retrospective analysis of 219 severely burned patients to quantify the average amount of oxygen given during initial resuscitation, the level of carbon monoxide exposure, and to determine if early exposure to supratherapeutic oxygen was associated with increased hospital mortality or ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). The models were adjusted for inhalation injury and total body surface area (TBSA) burned. Results Early hyperoxia in severely burn patients is common and possibly associated with increased overall mortality, although the results were inconclusive and after adjusting for burn-specific scoring systems, we found a negative correlation between hyperoxia and mortality. Confirmed carbon monoxide poisoning was relatively uncommon, but also associated with increased mortality. Patients with elevated carboxyhemoglobin did not receive more oxygen compared to others within the cohort. Conclusions Burn patients are exposed to higher concentrations of pure oxygen compared to other critically-ill patients, presumably for empiric treatment of carbon monoxide poisoning. Our data showed a liberal use of oxygen therapy across all patients. Considering the potentially negative effects of hyperoxia, this study exposes either a gap in clinical research or need for clearer indications.

This study retrospectively compared the outcomes of patients who received ultrasound facilitated catheter-directed thrombolysis (UFCDT) versus systemically administered ‘half-dose’ thrombolysis (HDT) in 97 patients with PE. The outcomes assessed included changes in baseline pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP), right ventricle/left ventricle ratio (RV/LV), cost and duration of hospitalization, death, bleeding, and recurrent venous thromboembolism in the short and intermediate term follow-up. Analyses were performed using a covariance adjustment propensity score approach to address baseline differences between groups in variables associated with PASP and RV/LV, covarying baseline scores. The baseline mean ± SE PASP dropped from 49.3 ± 1.1 to 32.5 ± 0.3 mmHg at 36 hours in the HDT group, and from 50.6 ± 1.2 to 35.1 ± 0.4 mmHg in the UFCDT group; group × time interaction p-value = 0.007. Corresponding drops in the RV/LV were from a baseline of 1.26 ± 0.05 to 1.07 ± 0.01 in the HDT group and from 1.30 ± 0.05 to 1.14 ± 0.01 in the UFCDT group at 36 hours; group × time interaction p-value = 0.269. Statistically significant decreases were noted in PASP and RV/LV for both the HDT and UFCDT at 36 hours and follow-up. PASP through follow-up was significantly lower in the HDT than the UFCDT group. Likewise, RV/LV was lower in the HDT group. The duration and cost of hospitalization were lower in the HDT group (6.2 ± 1.4 days vs 1.9 ± 0.3 days, p < 0.001; US$12,000 ± $3000 vs $74,000 ± $6000, p < 0.001). We conclude that both UFCDT and HDT lead to rapid reduction of PASP and RV/LV, whereas HDT leads to a lower duration and cost of hospitalization.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence of white spot lesions (WSLs) in various practice settings and patient populations, and to gather information about the treatment timing and modalities used by pediatric dentists in the United States. Study design: A fourteen question, multiple choice, electronic survey was developed and distributed to 6,092 active American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) members. Results: A total of 625 active members responded, garnering a 9.7% response rate. Before treatment, there were significantly more WSLs reported in Corporate practice than Multi-Doctor Practice (P=0.002), and significantly more WSLs in Academics/Hospital-Based Practices than in Multi-Doctor Practices (P=0.002). For WSLs after treatment, there were significantly more WSLs in Academic/Hospital-Based practices than in single-practitioner settings (P=0.003). Approximately 38% of pediatric dentists preferred to treat WSLs before, during or after orthodontic treatment, while 23% treat only before and 20% treat only after treatment. The three most common treatment modalities for WSLs, were prescription fluoride toothpaste (5000 ppm), fluoride varnish, and fluoride rinse. Approximately 47% of respondents reported they were “very comfortable” treating WSLs and 31.0% felt “comfortable.” Conclusions: The prevalence of WSLs differed across types of practice. There is no agreement among pediatric dentist as to timing and treatment modalities for WSLs.

Introduction The potential consequences of vitamin D insufficiency/deficiency (I/D), include increases in ICU length of stay, organ dysfunction, infectious complications, and mortality. Burn patients, in particular, may be at increased risk of vitamin D I/D due to bleeding, systemic inflammatory response syndrome, increased utilization of vitamin D by injured tissues, compromised vascular integrity, fluid shifts, and leakage of vitamin D binding protein (VDBP) and albumin. The purpose of this study is to determine the incidence of vitamin D I/D and evaluate the institutional vitamin D dosing regimen. Methods A retrospective chart review was performed of all adult patients from January 1, 2018 through December 31, 2019 who received cholecalciferol and had at least one vitamin D hydroxy level during their hospitalization. Vitamin D level was drawn on admission, then weekly thereafter. Patients found to be I/D were initiated on high dose vitamin D supplementation and then adjusted based on the weekly levels. The therapeutic goal for vitamin D supplementation was set at 50 ng/ml. Results Three hundred and sixteen patients met criteria for review. Of those patients, 293 patients (93%) were vitamin D I/D. The magnitude of vitamin D deficiency was strongly positively correlated with %TBSA burn size (p< 0.001). Mean time to reach therapeutic vitamin D levels following initiation of supplementation was 19 days with an average weekly dose of 142,877 international units cholecalciferol. Many patients were discharged prior to reaching therapeutic levels. Time to reach therapeutic levels was also positively correlated with increasing burn size (p< 0.05). Conclusions Vitamin D I/D is present is over 90% of burn patients and the degree of I/D was profound. Additionally, vitamin D I/D was not easily corrected, taking almost 3 weeks to reach therapeutic levels using an aggressive supplementation regimen. Further studies documenting the clinical consequences of vitamin D I/D and development of evidence-based supplementation dosing regimens are warranted.

Introduction There is a paucity of research regarding the challenges faced by young adults (YA) who matured with burns. It is well documented that acute burn care is laden with painful surgeries/dressing changes, gruesome physical/occupational therapies, anxiety and time away from family & friends. However, the specific issues young adults burned as children find most challenging remain largely unknown. This study sought to provide YA survivors with an opportunity to describe the difficult issues they endured. Methods Burn surviving youth responded to the open-ended statement “The hardest thing about being burned is…” Seven themes were derived from their responses: People Staring at Me, Being Bullied, Remembering When I was Burned, Having Additional Surgeries, My Scars, Getting Questions About My Burns,& the Pain & Itching, Young adult survivors were asked to rate each item on a 4-point scale from (1) Not at all to (4) Really a lot. Results Participants were YA survivors (n=64) mean age 19.1 years, female (62%) male (38%), average age at burn of 6.4 yrs. Sixty-eight percent reported both visible & hidden scars; 25% had a TBSA > 50%., Sixty-six percent were minority race/ethnicity. More than half of respondents reported issues with My Scars (65%), Remembering the Burn (52%) and Pain & Itching (50%). People Staring and Bullying has been bothersome for over 70%, 72% reported Being Bullied and 71% noted People Staring. The highest 5 means among YA subgroups included: Participants with hand scars- Being Bullied (2.6), those with visible scars - My Scars (2.6). Those reporting both facial & hand scars endorsed People Staring (2.4), youth with a TBSA ≥ 50% - Being Bullied (2.4) and with visible scars - Remembering the Burn – (2.4). Girls were bothered significantly more by My Scars (p=.02). Youth with both facial & hand scars had greater issues with Pain/Itch (p=.03). Conclusions This study provides insight into problems encountered by maturing burn survivors and discloses the more challenging issues they endured. These data can assist burn centers, camps, and psychotherapists in discussing potential survivor issues and suggest interventions to help burn-injured youth respond to challenges. Special consideration should be given to girls, those with facial/hand scars, large TBSAs and visible scarring.

Pulseless electrical activity (PEA) during cardiac arrest portends a poor prognosis. There is a paucity of data in the use of thrombolytic therapy in PEA and cardiopulmonary arrest due to confirmed pulmonary embolism (PE). We evaluated the outcome of low-dose systemic thrombolysis with tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) in patients presenting with PEA due to PE.During a 34-month period, we treated 23 patients with PEA and cardiopulmonary arrest due to confirmed massive PE. All patients received 50 mg of tPA as intravenous push in 1 minute while cardiopulmonary resuscitation was ongoing. The time from initiation of cardiopulmonary resuscitation to administration of tPA was 6.5 ± 2.1 minutes.Return of spontaneous circulation occurred in 2 to 15 minutes after tPA administration in all but 1 patient. There was no minor or major bleeding despite chest compression. Of the 23 patients, 2 died in the hospital, and at 22 ± 3 months of follow-up, 20 patients (87%) were still alive. The right ventricular/left ventricular ratio and pulmonary artery systolic pressure dropped from 1.79 ± 0.27 and 58.10 ± 7.99 mm Hg on admission to 1.16 ± 0.13 and 40.25 ± 4.33 mm Hg within 48 hours, respectively (P.001 for both comparisons). There was no recurrent venous thromboembolism or bleeding during hospitalization or at follow-up.Rapid administration of 50 mg of tPA is safe and effective in restoration of spontaneous circulation in PEA due to massive PE leading to enhanced survival and significant reduction in pulmonary artery pressures.

Introduction There is a paucity of research regarding the challenges faced by young adults (YA) who matured with burns. It is well documented that acute burn care is laden with painful surgeries/dressing changes, gruesome physical/occupational therapies, anxiety and time away from family & friends. However, the specific issues young adults burned as children find most challenging remain largely unknown. This study sought to provide YA survivors with an opportunity to describe the difficult issues they endured. Methods Burn surviving youth responded to the open-ended statement “The hardest thing about being burned is…” Seven themes were derived from their responses: People Staring at Me, Being Bullied, Remembering When I was Burned, Having Additional Surgeries, My Scars, Getting Questions About My Burns,& the Pain & Itching, Young adult survivors were asked to rate each item on a 4-point scale from (1) Not at all to (4) Really a lot. Results Participants were YA survivors (n=64) mean age 19.1 years, female (62%) male (38%), average age at burn of 6.4 yrs. Sixty-eight percent reported both visible & hidden scars; 25% had a TBSA > 50%. Sixty-six percent were minority race/ethnicity. More than half of respondents reported issues with My Scars (65%), Remembering the Burn (52%) and Pain & Itching (50%). People Staring and Bullying has been bothersome for over 70%, 72% reported Being Bullied and 71% noted People Staring. The highest 5 means among YA subgroups included: Participants with hand scars- Being Bullied (2.6), those with visible scars - My Scars (2.6). Those reporting both facial & hand scars endorsed People Staring (2.4), youth with a TBSA ≥ 50% - Being Bullied (2.4) and with visible scars - Remembering the Burn – (2.4). Girls were bothered significantly more by My Scars (p=.02). Youth with both facial & hand scars had greater issues with Pain/Itch (p=.03). Conclusions This study provides insight into problems encountered by maturing burn survivors and discloses the more challenging issues they endured. These data can assist burn centers, camps, and psychotherapists in discussing potential survivor issues and suggest interventions to help burn-injured youth respond to challenges. Special consideration should be given to girls, those with facial/hand scars, large TBSAs and visible scarring. Applicability of Research to Practice This research can help burn care professionals better understand the major difficulties burn-injured youth experience. Supportive strategies should be developed to augment surgical/medical treatment with constructive psycho/social interventions. Providing survivors with constructive coping strategies can help to improve their social interactions and quality of life.

Background Oculomotor function is impaired when an individual has a concussion and as such, it is important to identify tests that are able to assess oculomotor impairment. The King-Devick (K-D) test assesses horizontal saccadic eye movement and attention. The Developmental Eye Movement (DEM) test is designed to identify oculomotor dysfunction in children. It measures both horizontal and vertical saccades. The K-D test shows promise as a concussion-screening tool and part of a multifactorial assessment. The DEM has not been tested as a concussion assessment tool, but the neuroanatomical control of horizontal and vertical saccades originates from different areas of the brain, so one might expect to see differences in performance on the K-D and DEM tests when administered to concussed patients. First, it is important to determine if performance on the DEM and K-D tests, particularly with respect to the measurement of vertical and horizontal saccades, is similar in a healthy population.Hypothesis/Purpose: The primary purpose was to evaluate the relationship between horizontal and vertical saccade tests over repeated trials in normal, healthy subjects. A secondary purpose of this study was to determine the number of trials needed to reach a performance plateau for both the DEM and K-D tests.Study Design: This study used a prospective cohort research design. Methods Forty-two healthy non-concussed participants (22 males, 20 females; mean age, 24.2 ± 2.92 years) completed six repeated trials of both the DEM, and then six trials of the K-D test in a single testing session. Trials within each test were performed in random order and participants were offered short rest breaks as needed between test administrations. Results Results indicated strong correlations, r=.67, or greater, between measurements of horizontal and vertical saccades. Performance plateaued on the K-D at trial three and on the DEM at trial two for both horizontal and vertical saccades. Conclusion It appears that the DEM and K-D tests measure similar constructs in healthy individuals and that no additional information is provided by assessment of vertical saccades. Additional studies are required to investigate the usefulness of the DEM in concussed individuals. Level of evidence 3: Laboratory study with repeated measures.

Post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS) is a common complication of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) of the iliofemoral venous system leading to significant morbidity and high health care costs. It has been recently shown that percutaneous endovenous intervention (PEVI) can effectively reduce the incidence of PTS. The role of new oral anticoagulants (NOACs) in combination with PEVI in the reduction of PTS has not been previously studied. This report sought to evaluate the role of PEVI plus NOACs in the reduction of PTS in acute symptomatic femoropopliteal and iliac DVT. We studied 127 patients with acute lower extremity DVT who had undergone PEVI plus administration of NOACs. All had received a minimum of 3 months of anticoagulation with a NOAC following PEVI. The mean follow-up was 22±5 months. The patients were evaluated for development of PTS, bleeding, recurrent venous thromboembolism (VTE), duration of hospitalization and mortality. There was no in-hospital bleeding. The mean duration of hospitalization was 46±9 hours. DVT occurred in two patients who had been later switched to warfarin. There were four non-VTE-related deaths. PTS developed in five patients (3%), two of whom were those who had been switched to warfarin. Their mean Villalta score was 6.2±0.9. We conclude that the combination of PEVI plus NOAC and low dose aspirin is associated with a very low rate of PTS with the severity being only mild. This approach leads to very low rates of bleeding and recurrent VTE and promotes early discharge.

Unresolved pediatric pain, both acute and chronic, has been associated with negative short- and long-term physical and mental health outcomes. This study sought to determine whether an association existed between self-reported pain coping skills and anxiety levels in a cohort of pediatric burn patients, and whether gender would influence their responses. The sample comprised burn-injured children in attendance at one of three mature burn camp sites. The self-report measures utilized included the 41-item Screen for Child Anxiety Related Disorders Child Version and the 39-item Pain Coping Questionnaire. Parental consent was obtained. A psychologist administered the measures. Participants included 187 youth, mean age 12.4 ± 2.4 years, girls (n = 89) boys (n = 98) with 67% reporting visible burn scars. Among boys, the use of Internalizing Coping Strategies was moderately correlated with elevated scores on Panic Disorder symptoms (r = .42, P.001). Among girls, the use of Internalizing Coping Strategies was associated with elevated Generalized Anxiety (r = .51, P.001), Panic Disorder (r = .46, P.001), and Total Anxiety Symptom Scores (r = .49, P.001). Those children who reported using Behavioral Distraction Strategies did not have any elevated anxiety scores. These findings suggest that burn-injured children, who employ Internalization as their pain coping strategy, may be more vulnerable to the development of long-term anxiety disorder, which, if left untreated may result in a negative psycho/social outcome. Applicability to Practice: Assessment of in-patient pediatric patients with the Pain Coping Questionnaire may help to identify children who are more likely to experience long-term anxiety. Future studies should seek to confirm these findings and determine whether improved pain management and early treatment of anxiety can help to diminish the long-term implications of unhelpful pain strategies and increased anxiety in burn-injured children.

Objective Native Americans (NAs) have worse healthcare outcomes over some measures than non-Native Americans (non-NAs) (i.e., lower life expectancy, higher heart disease and psychiatric disease rates). Little data exists to show if there are differences in the hospital course of burned NAs versus non-NA patients. The purpose of this study is to analyze the epidemiology, clinical course, and outcomes of NA burn injury in Arizona. Methods We conducted a retrospective database review of all burn center burn admissions from 2000 to 2015. This initial dataset of 12,724 patients included all initial presentations for burns, non-burns, and readmissions. From this database, we extracted all patients who were new admissions for burn injuries only. This resulted in 10,521 patients of which 9555 patients were non-NA patients and 966 were NA patients. The burn center collects sixty-eight data points to populate our burn database; of these data points, we reviewed twenty-nine to assess if differences existed. Results Statistically significant differences exist between the two groups with regard to age, geographic locality at time of burn, circumstances surrounding the injury, etiology of the injury, method of transport to the regional burn center, total length of stay, Injury Severity Score on admission, total percent total body surface area burned, month of year of burn injury, hospital charges, payor source for medical costs, and the final disposition. NA burn patients were more often burned at recreational than occupational sites and while participating in non-work related activities. Burn etiologies in NA patients were more frequently due to contact and flame. NA burn patients tended to have greater hospital length of stays and greater charges, and were less likely to be discharged home. Conclusions Our data demonstrate that NAs have a different experience with the healthcare system than non-NAs after a burn injury. The majority of these issues revolve around socioeconomic differences between the two groups.

Disruption of the visual and vestibular systems is commonly observed following concussion. Researchers have explored the utility of screening tools to identify deficits in these systems in concussed patients, but it is unclear if these tests are measuring similar or distinct phenomena.To determine the relationships between common vestibular tests including the King-Devick (K-D) test, Sensory Organization Test (SOT), Head Shake-Sensory Organization Test (HS-SOT), and Dynamic Visual Acuity (DVA) test, when administered contiguously, to healthy recreational athletes aged 14 to 24 years.This study used a prospective design to evaluate relationships between the K-D, SOT, HS-SOT, and DVA tests in 60 healthy individuals.Sixty participants (30 males, 30 females; mean age, 19.9 ± 3.74 years) completed the four tests in a single testing session.Results did not support a relationship between any pair of the K-D, SOT, HS-SOT, and DVA tests. Pearson correlations between tests were poor, ranging from 0.14 to 0.20. As expected the relationship between condition 2 of the SOT and HS-SOT fixed was strong (ICC=0.81) as well as condition 5 of the SOT with HS-SOT sway (ICC=0.78). The test-retest reliability of all 4 tests was evaluated to ensure the relationships of the 4 tests were consistent between test trials and reliability was excellent with intraclass correlations ranging from 0.79 to 0.97.The lack of relationships in these tests is clinically important because it suggests that the tests evaluate different aspects of visual and vestibular function. Further, these results suggest that a comprehensive assessment of visual and vestibular deficits following concussion may require a multifaceted approach.2b: Individual Cohort Study.

Fear of falling (FOF) is associated with restricted activities, increased risk of falling, and decreased quality of life. A Matter of Balance (AMOB) is an evidence-based programme designed to decrease FOF. The current study investigated the influence of the AMOB on activity avoidance caused by FOF in older adults using the Fear of Falling Avoidance Behavior Questionnaire (FFABQ), health-related quality of life, and a question regarding concerns about falling.Participants of this quasi-experimental, one-group, pretest-post-test study design were older adults from community sites in the Phoenix, Arizona, metropolitan area. Participants attended the AMOB programme, which consisted of one weekly 2-h session for 8 weeks. At the beginning and end of the programme, participants completed the standard AMOB assessments, the FFABQ, the Centers for Disease Control Core Healthy Days Measure (CDC HRQOL-4), and a question regarding concerns about falling.Sixty-three participants completed the study; their mean ± SD age was 75.3 ± 7.1 years (range: 60.0-90.0 years), and 84.1% were women. The FFABQ scores decreased from baseline (24.4 ± 12.7 points) to post-AMOB (20.1 ± 11.9 points; t = 2.62, P = 0.01). No changes in any of the CDC HRQOL-4 questions were noted (CDC HRQOL-4 question (Q)1 (z = -1.41, P = 0.16), CDC HRQOL-4 Q2 and Q3 summary index (z = -1.60, P = 0.11), and CDC HRQOL-4 Q4 (z = -0.97, P = 0.33)). Concerns about falling decreased from baseline (3.4 ± 0.9 points) to post-AMOB (2.8 ± 0.8 points; z = -4.09, P0.001).Avoidance behaviour caused by FOF, as measured by the FFABQ, and concerns about falling decreased in community-dwelling older adults who participated in the AMOB. Findings support the efficacy of the AMOB for reducing both avoidance behaviour caused by FOF and concerns about falling through an approach that combines education and exercise.

ObjectiveSport-related concussions are considered a public health issue due to the number of athletes who sustain concussions.BackgroundThe Vestibular Ocular Motor Screening (VOMS) Assessment appears to be useful in evaluating concussion. Investigators have reported that abnormal near point of convergence (NPC), a component of the VOMS, is associated with prolonged concussion recovery. The purpose of this study was to compare four commonly used approaches to estimating NPC.Design/MethodsFour methods of measuring NPC were evaluated (tip of a pen, 12-point font, 14-point font, and the Bernell Vergel™ 9-point font). A generalized estimating equations approach was used to compare NPC measurements with the four methods, employing one practice trial, followed by three test trials. A sequential Bonferroni adjustment was used for pairwise comparisons. NPC estimate was modestly correlated with age of the subject, so age was included as a covariate. Significance was set at p = 0.05, a priori.ResultsSeventy-five healthy adults (16 males, 59 females; mean age, 21 ± 6.12 years, range, 18-58 years) were tested. The mean (standard error) for NPC was 7.13 ± 0.36 (95% CI, 6.45, 7.88). The smaller targets (Bernell Vergell™ and pen) yielded significantly larger estimates of NPC than both the 12- and 14-point font targets, p < 0.001). The Bernell Vergell™ and pen NPC did not differ (p = 0.134), and the 12- and 14-point font NPC’s did not differ (p = 0.794).ConclusionsEvaluation of NPC in the clinical environment uses non-standardized items of convenience that vary in size. The results of this study suggest that size is an important consideration when measuring NPC. Multiple disciplines are investigating NPC because of its relationship with concussion. Using evidence-based assessment tools such as the VOMS requires a systematic approach. Precision is required in clinical assessment, so it is suggested that clinicians use one standard approach to estimate NPC.

233 Background: Pancreatic cancer has significant mortality at five years, even in resectable disease. Recent effort has been dedicated to identify a more specific tumor marker for screening and assessing tumor response, in part because 10% of the population does not produce CA19-9. Detection and quantification of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in the bloodstream is a novel concept for screening and treatment response assessment. This study examined possible correlations between ctDNA levels and various aspects of pancreatic cancer in a total of 17 patients receiving treatment at Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center. Methods: Present study is approved by our local IRB. Research was conducted according HIPPA regulation. Subjects on the present study were obtained from the list of patients participating in our ctDNA trial. A total of 17 subjects were identified from the list. Their ctDNA index levels were obtained from the sponsor (Chronyx) at baseline and following each cycle of the treatment. For each CT scan and each ctDNA study, they are considered the same time if they are obtained within 4 weeks of each other. The sizes of the primary tumor and the largest metastatic lesion were on a transverse image at the largest extent of the lesion. Data was analyzed with Spearman's correlation. Results: Baseline ctDNA levels did not correlate with patient demographic data (N = 17; gender, p = 0.63; age, p = 0.82), baseline size of primary mass on CT scan (N = 16; p = 0.85), baseline vessel involvement on CT Scan (N = 17; p = 0.58), presence of metastasis on CT scan (N = 17; p = 0.78), size of largest metastasis on CT scan (N = 17; p = 0.85), presence of peripancreatic lymph nodes on CT scan (N = 17; p = 0.45), or overall survival (N = 8; p = 0.6). However, there is a trend toward correlating the change in ctDNA and change in size on CT scan following treatment (N = 7; p = 0.12). Conclusions: ctDNA at baseline appears to be secreted independent of the primary tumor size, location, or presence of metastasis. However, changes in ctDNA does seem to correlate with changes in tumor size following treatment. Although our data was not statistically significant, this may be related to the low sample size. With larger sample size, it is expected that changes in ctDNA may prove to correlate with changes in tumor size.

Background Thrombolysis, though very effective, has not been embraced as routine therapy for symptomatic pulmonary embolism (PE) except in very severe cases. Rivaroxaban recently has been approved for the treatment of venous thromboembolism (VTE). There are no data on the combined use of thrombolysis and rivaroxaban in PE. Hypothesis “Safe dose” thrombolysis (SDT) plus new oral anticoagulants are expected to become an appealing, safe and effective approach in the treatment of moderate and severe PE in the near future, thereby drastically reducing hospitalization time. Methods Over a 12-month period, 98 consecutive patients with symptomatic PE were treated by a combination of SDT and rivaroxaban. The SDT was started in parallel with unfractionated heparin and given in 2 hours. Heparin was given for a total of 24 hours and rivaroxaban started at 15 or 20 mg daily 2 hours after termination of heparin infusion. Results There was no bleeding due to SDT. Recurrent VTE occurred in 3 patients who had been switched to warfarin. No patient on rivaroxaban developed VTE. Two patients died of cancer at a mean follow-up of 12 ± 2 months. The pulmonary artery systolic pressure dropped from 52.8 ± 3.9 mm Hg before to 32 ± 4.4 mm Hg within 36 hours of SDT (P < 0.001). The duration of hospitalization for patients presenting primarily for PE was 1.9 ± 0.2 days. Conclusions “Safe dose” thrombolysis plus rivaroxaban is highly safe and effective in the treatment of moderate and severe PE, leading to favorable early and intermediate-term outcomes and early discharge.

Catheter-directed thrombolysis (CDT) is a highly effective approach in the treatment of deep venous thrombosis (DVT). There are no data on the primary use of CDT with argatroban and tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) in patients without heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT). The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the combined administration of argatroban and tPA during CDT for massive DVT in patients without HIT. Thirty-three patients with massive symptomatic iliac and femoropopliteal DVT underwent CDT with tPA and argatroban within 28 ± 6 h of presentation. The dose of tPA was 0.75–1 mg/h through the infusion port and that of argatroban at 0.3–1 μg/kg/min through the side port of the sheath. The patients were evaluated for the efficacy and safety of CDT and recurrent symptomatic venous thromboembolism (VTE) at a mean follow-up of 22 months. There was no bleeding or iatrogenic pulmonary embolism with the CDT regimen we used. Grade III lysis (complete resolution of thrombus on venography) was achieved in 30 patients (91 %). In 3 patients with additional inferior vena cava filter thrombosis, further thrombectomy of the filter was required. No patient developed recurrent VTE. Concomitant administration of argatroban and tPA is a highly safe and effective regimen for CDT for massive DVT.

Immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) is a leading cause of chronic kidney disease, frequently associated with hypertension and renal inflammation. ω-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in fish oil (FO) improve kidney function in animal models, but have inconsistent metabolic effects in humans. Oxylipin profiles in serum from IgAN patients supplemented with either FO or corn oil (CO) placebo were analyzed by liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry. EPA cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase metabolites, and EPA and DHA epoxides and diols were increased in response to FO supplementation, as were total epoxides and epoxide/diol ratios. Several of these metabolites were drivers of separation as assessed by multivariate analysis of FO patients pre- vs. post-supplementation, including 17,18-dihydroxyeicosatrienoic acid, prostaglandin D3, prostagalandin E3, Resolvin E1, 12-hydroxyeicosapentaenoic acid, and 10(11)-epoxydocosapentaenoic acid. In patients whose proteinuria improved, plasma total oxylipins as well as several hydroxyoctadecadienoic acids, hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acids, and leukotriene B4 metabolites were among the metabolites that were significantly lower than in patients whose proteinuria either did not improve or worsened. These data support the involvement of oxylipins in the inflammatory component of IgAN as well as the potential use of oxylipin profiles as biomarkers and for assessing responsiveness to ω-3 fatty acid supplementation in IgAN patients.

To present midterm results from a randomized study comparing the safety and efficacy of percutaneous endovenous intervention (PEVI) + anticoagulation vs. anticoagulation alone in the reduction of venous thromboembolism (VTE) and post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS) in acute symptomatic proximal deep venous thrombosis (DVT).The TORPEDO trial was a randomized study to demonstrate superiority of PEVI in the reduction of the VTE and PTS at 6 months; in that trial, 183 patients (103 men; mean age 61 ± 11 years) with symptomatic proximal DVT were randomized to receive PEVI + anticoagulation (n = 91) or anticoagulation alone (n = 92). PEVI consisted of one or more of a combination of thrombectomy, balloon venoplasty, stenting, and/or local low-dose thrombolytic therapy.At 6 months, recurrent VTE developed in 2.3% of the PEVI + anticoagulation group vs. 14.8% in the anticoagulation only group (p = 0.003); PTS developed in 3.4% vs. 27.2% (p0.001), respectively. At a mean follow-up of 30 ± 5 months (range 12-41), 88 patients in the PEVI + anticoagulation group and 81 patients in the anticoagulation only group reached target follow-up. Recurrent VTE developed in 4 (4.5%) of the 88 PEVI + anticoagulation patients vs. 13 (16%) of the 81 patients receiving anticoagulation only (p = 0.02). PTS developed in 6 (6.8%) of the PEVI + anticoagulation group vs. 24 (29.6%) of the anticoagulation only group (p0.001).In patients with proximal DVT, PEVI is superior to anticoagulation alone in the reduction of VTE and PTS. This benefit, which appears early in the course of treatment, extends to2.5 years.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the necessity of and recommend indications for inferior vena cava (IVC) filter implantation during percutaneous endovenous intervention (PEVI) for deep venous thrombosis (DVT).PEVI has emerged as a powerful tool in the management of acute proximal DVT. Instrumentation of extensive fresh thrombus is potentially associated with iatrogenic pulmonary embolism (PE). The true frequency of this complication has not been studied in a randomized fashion. We evaluated IVC filter implantation during PEVI for DVT.A total of 141 patients with symptomatic proximal DVT undergoing PEVI for symptomatic DVT were randomized to receive an IVC filter (70 patients) or no filter (71 patients; control group). The anticoagulation and PEVI regimen were similar between the two groups. Patients with development of symptoms suggestive of PE underwent objective testing for PE.PE developed in 1 of the 14 symptomatic patients in the filter group and 8 of the 22 patients in the control group (P = 0.048). There was no mortality in any group. Three patients (4.2%) in the control group had transient hemodynamic instability necessitating resuscitory efforts. Predictors of iatrogenic PE were found to be PE at admission; involvement of two or more adjacent venous segments with acute thrombus; inflammatory form of DVT (severe erythema, edema, pain, and induration); and vein diameter of ≥7 mm with preserved architecture.IVC filter implantation during PEVI reduces the risk of iatrogenic PE by eightfold without a mortality benefit. A selective approach may be exercised in filter implantation during PEVI.

OBJECTIVE: The long-term outcome of patients treated with gamma knife radiosurgery (GKRS) for typical trigeminal neuralgia has not been fully studied. We evaluated 185 patients who underwent their first GKRS treatment between 1997 and 2003 at the Barrow Neurological Institute. METHODS: Follow-up was obtained by surveys and review of medical records. Outcomes were assessed by the Barrow Neurological Institute Pain Intensity Score and Brief Pain Inventory. The most common maximum dose was 80 Gy targeted at the root entry zone. Outcomes are presented for the 136 (74%) patients for whom more than 4 years of clinical follow-up data were obtained. RESULTS: Treatment failed in 33% of the cohort within 2 years, but only an additional 1% relapsed after 4 years. Actuarial analysis demonstrated that 32% of patients were pain-free off medication and 63% had at least a good outcome at 7 years. When GKRS was used as the primary treatment, 45% of the patients were pain-free at 7 years. In contrast, 10% of patients in whom previous treatment had failed were pain-free. When needed, salvage therapy with repeat GKRS, microvascular decompression, or percutaneous lesioning was successful in 70%. Posttreatment facial numbness was reported as very bothersome in 5%, most commonly in patients who underwent another invasive treatment. After GKRS, 73% reported that trigeminal neuralgia had no impact on their quality of life. CONCLUSION: GKRS is a reasonable long-term treatment option for patients with typical trigeminal neuralgia. It yields durable pain control in a majority of patients, as well as improved quality of life with limited complications and it does not significantly affect the efficacy of other surgical treatments, should they be needed.