Robert F. Groff

Global trends in the awareness of sepsis: insights from search engine data between 2012 and 2017

BackgroundSepsis is an established global health priority with high mortality that can be curtailed through early recognition and intervention; as such, efforts to raise awareness are potentially impactful and increasingly common. We sought to characterize trends in the awareness of sepsis by examining temporal, geographic, and other changes in search engine utilization for sepsis information-seeking online.MethodsUsing time series analyses and mixed descriptive methods, we retrospectively analyzed publicly available global usage data reported by Google Trends (Google, Palo Alto, CA, USA) concerning web searches for the topic of sepsis between 24 June 2012 and 24 June 2017. Google Trends reports aggregated and de-identified usage data for its search products, including interest over time, interest by region, and details concerning the popularity of related queries where applicable. Outlying epochs of search activity were identified using autoregressive integrated moving average modeling with transfer functions. We then identified awareness campaigns and news media coverage that correlated with epochs of significantly heightened search activity.ResultsA second-order autoregressive model with transfer functions was specified following preliminary outlier analysis. Nineteen significant outlying epochs above the modeled baseline were identified in the final analysis that correlated with 14 awareness and news media events. Our model demonstrated that the baseline level of search activity increased in a nonlinear fashion. A recurrent cyclic increase in search volume beginning in 2012 was observed that correlates with World Sepsis Day. Numerous other awareness and media events were correlated with outlying epochs. The average worldwide search volume for sepsis was less than that of influenza, myocardial infarction, and stroke.ConclusionsAnalyzing aggregate search engine utilization data has promise as a mechanism to measure the impact of awareness efforts. Heightened information-seeking about sepsis occurs in close proximity to awareness events and relevant news media coverage. Future work should focus on validating this approach in other contexts and comparing its results to traditional methods of awareness campaign evaluation.

Highly visible sepsis publications from 2012 to 2017: Analysis and comparison of altmetrics and bibliometrics

Purpose: We sought to delineate highly visible publications related to sepsis. Within these subsets, elements of altmetrics performance, including mentions on Twitter, and the correlation between altmetrics and conventional citation counts were ascertained. Materials and Methods: Three subsets of sepsis publications from 2012 to 2017 were synthesized by the overall Altmetric.com attention score, number of mentions by unique Twitter users, and conventional citation counts. For these subsets, geolocated Twitter activity was plotted on a choropleth, the lag between publication date and altmetrics mentions was characterized, and correlations were examined between altmetrics performance and normalized conventional citation counts. Results: Of 57,152 PubMed query results, Altmetric.com data was available for 28,344 (49.6%). The top 50 publications by Altmetric.com attention score and Twitter attention represented a mix of original research and other types of work, garnering attention from Twitter users in 143 countries that was highly contemporaneous with publication. Altmetrics performance and conventional citation counts were poorly correlated. Conclusions: While unreliable to gauge impact or future citation potential, altmetrics may be valuable for parties who wish to detect and drive public awareness of research findings and may enable researchers to dynamically explore the reach of their work in novel dimensions.

Modes of mechanical ventilation vary between hospitals and intensive care units within a university healthcare system: a retrospective observational study

ObjectiveAs evidence-based guidance to aid clinicians with mechanical ventilation mode selection is scant, we sought to characterize the epidemiology thereof within a university healthcare system and hypothesized that nonconforming approaches could be readily identified. We conducted an exploratory retrospective observational database study of routinely recorded mechanical ventilation parameters between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2016 from 12 intensive care units. Mode epoch count proportions were examined using Chi squared and Fisher exact tests as appropriate on an inter-unit basis with outlier detection for two test cases via post hoc pairwise analyses of a binomial regression model.ResultsFinal analysis included 559,734 mode epoch values. Significant heterogeneity was demonstrated between individual units (P < 0.05 for all comparisons). One unit demonstrated heightened utilization of high-frequency oscillatory ventilation, and three units demonstrated frequent synchronized intermittent mandatory ventilation utilization. Assist control ventilation was the most commonly recorded mode (51%), followed by adaptive support ventilation (23.1%). Volume-controlled modes were about twice as common as pressure-controlled modes (64.4% versus 35.6%). Our methodology provides a means by which to characterize the epidemiology of mechanical ventilation approaches and identify nonconforming practices. The observed variability warrants further clinical study about contributors and the impact on relevant outcomes.