Shannon Morrison

Characteristics of hospitalized cancer patients who fall.

Fall prevention for hospitalized patients is an important nursing quality indicator. Current studies do not describe characteristics of hospitalized patients with cancer who fall, although these patients have been noted to have higher fall and injury rates. This descriptive study represents an initial attempt to identify characteristics of patients hospitalized with cancer who fall compared with adult medical-surgical hospitalized patients who fall. We found that many characteristics of our sample were similar to those of other patients who had experienced a fall during their hospitalization.

Pilot trial of intravenous autologous culture-expanded mesenchymal stem cell transplantation in multiple sclerosis:

Background: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) exhibit immunomodulatory, tissue-protective, and repair-promoting properties in vitro and in animals. Clinical trials in several human conditions support the safety and efficacy of MSC transplantation. Published experience in multiple sclerosis (MS) is modest. Objective: To assess feasibility, safety, and tolerability and explore efficacy of autologous MSC transplantation in MS. Methods: Participants with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) or secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS), Expanded Disability Status Scale score 3.0–6.5, disease activity or progression in the prior 2 years, and optic nerve involvement were enrolled. Bone-marrow-derived MSCs were culture-expanded and then cryopreserved. After confirming fulfillment of release criteria, 1–2 × 106 MSCs/kg were thawed and administered IV. Results: In all, 24 of 26 screened patients were infused: 16 women and 8 men, 10 RRMS and 14 SPMS, mean age 46.5, mean Expanded Disability Status Scale score 5.2, 25% with gadolinium-enhancing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) lesions. Mean cell dosage (requiring 1–3 passages) was 1.9 × 106 MSCs/kg (range, 1.5–2.0) with post-thaw viability uniformly ⩾95%. Cell infusion was tolerated well without treatment-related severe or serious adverse events, or evidence of disease activation. Conclusion: Autologous MSC transplantation in MS appears feasible, safe, and well tolerated. Future trials to assess efficacy more definitively are warranted.

Current Safety Practices Relating to I-131 Administration for Diseases of the Thyroid: A Survey of Physicians and Allied Practitioners

BACKGROUND There is little information about the individual safety instructions provided by healthcare professionals to patients receiving radioactive iodine (I-131) therapy for the treatment of benign and malignant thyroid disorders or about whether these instructions are consistent across medical specialties. Currently, no national guidelines exist to standardize safety instructions related to I-131 administration. Here, we examine the spectrum of I-131 safety practices in contemporary use. METHODS Members of major societies of physicians and allied specialists who treat patients with thyroid disorders were invited to complete a 27-question online survey about safety practices related to I-131 administration. Data from questionnaires were analyzed by type of safety recommendation and grouped according to provider specialty and geographic location. RESULTS A total of 311 endocrinologists, surgeons, nuclear medicine radiologists, and allied health professionals completed questionnaires. They indicated that patients often receive instruction from more than one treating specialist. The decision to hospitalize a patient for treatment and the length of stay were determined by the patients social situation and the dose of I-131 administered. Starting at I-131 doses between 259 and 1073 MBq (7 and 29 mCi), over 60% of respondents advised avoiding contact with children, sexual activity, and breastfeeding, with the latter recommendation continuing beyond 48 hours after treatment. Personal hygiene, laundry, and meal preparation precautions varied across respondents. Over 90% of respondents used serum or urine testing to screen for pregnancy status. Precautions to delay parenthood were given more often to female than male patients (90% vs. 60%), with a minimum recommended delay of 6 months. About 20% of respondents considered insurance coverage as a factor in selecting outpatient versus inpatient I-131 therapy, and this consideration varied geographically. CONCLUSION A wide variety of safety recommendations are given to patients who receive I-131. To our knowledge, this survey represents the first organized inquiry into safety practices related to I-131 administration. The diversity of responses suggests an opportunity for multispecialty collaboration in defining more uniform recommendations for patient safety instructions during and after I-131 treatment.

Nursing Satisfaction With Implementation of Electronic Medication Administration Record

Nurses’ perceptions of electronic medication administration record documentation versus medication administration record documentation over time in workload, teamwork, ease of documentation, drug information accuracy, patient safety, and overall satisfaction are not well understood. Using survey methods and a longitudinal design, nurses administering medications completed the Nursing Satisfaction with eMAR instrument anonymously after electronic medication administration record implementation and at 3 and 6 months. Data were analyzed using comparative and correlational statistics, and analysis-of-variance models used to complete multivariable regression. Participants were 719 nurses: baseline, n = 389; 3 months, n = 213; and 6 months, n = 117. Electronic medication administration record documentation was associated with perceived improvement in overall nurse satisfaction, workload, teamwork, ease of documentation, drug information accuracy, and patient safety across time periods (all P < .001) and in trends across time, (all P < .001). After regression, electronic medication administration record satisfaction improved across time periods (all P < .02), with the greatest improvement between baseline and 6-month follow-up (P < .001). An electronic medication administration record documentation system is associated with overall nurse satisfaction and perceptions of improvement in workload, teamwork, ease of documentation, drug information accuracy, and patient safety but not nurse/pharmacy communication. Since timeliness and accuracy of nurse/pharmacy communication remain key components to safe and timely medication administration and documentation, nurse and pharmacy personnel should develop alternate systems of communication.

Cardiac Tamponade After Removal of Temporary Pacer Wires

BACKGROUND After removal of temporary pacemaker wires, nurses measure vital signs frequently to assess for cardiac tamponade; however, evidence for this procedure is limited. OBJECTIVES To determine risk factors for cardiac tamponade after temporary pacemaker wire removal. METHODS Retrospective review of data for coronary artery bypass graft and valve surgery (N = 23 717) performed from January 1999 to December 2008. Patients were categorized by reason for reoperation: bleeding less than 3 days after initial surgery (n = 812, group 1), bleeding 3 days or more after index surgery but not for cardiac tamponade (n = 171, group 2), bleeding 3 days or more after index surgery for cardiac tamponade after temporary pacemaker wire removal (n = 23, group 3), and no reoperation (n = 22 711, group 4). RESULTS Less than 1% (9.7 cases/10 000) of patients required reoperation for cardiac tamponade after removal of temporary pacer wires. Of patient-related factors studied, only smoking history differed for group 3 vs group 1 (P = .03) and group 2 (P = .01). Of vital sign changes, 1 patient (4%) had tachycardia and 3 patients had cardiac arrest, but only 1 of the 3 had hypotension before the arrest. In total, 12 patients (52%) had hypotension; however, it was mild or intermittent in 5 cases, and did not occur within the 4 hours after wire removal in 3 cases. After removal of temporary pacing wires, common early signs/symptoms were bleeding (26%) and dyspnea (26%). Other documented changes were pressure in the chest, diaphoresis, cold and clammy skin, dizziness, and mental status changes. CONCLUSIONS Tamponade related to pacer wire removal was rare and not consistently associated with changes in vital signs. Dyspnea, bleeding, and other factors may indicate early onset of cardiac tamponade after removal of temporary pacer wires.

Lacosamide tolerability in adult patients with partial-onset seizures: Impact of planned reduction and mechanism of action of concomitant antiepileptic drugs

OBJECTIVE We evaluated the impact of planned dose reduction and mechanism of action of concomitant AEDs on tolerability in adults with partial-onset seizures undergoing lacosamide (LCM) titration. METHODS Data were collected at baseline and 3-6 and 12-24 months post-LCM initiation. Subjects were categorized as having planned reduction of concomitant AEDs or not; AEDs were categorized as traditional sodium channel blockers (TSCB) or non-TSCB (NTSCB). Groups with/without planned reduction were compared on the presence and number of treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) using chi-square tests or logistic regression and on time to LCM discontinuation with time-to-event methods controlling for standardized (STD) AED dose, a measure of concomitant AED load. Similar analyses were performed comparing subjects taking TSCB and NTSCB agents and used to identify relationships with ≥50% decreases in seizure frequency. RESULTS One hundred six adults (mean age 41.4 ± 13.4; 50% male) underwent LCM titration from June 2009-2011 with complete data. Reduction of concomitant AEDs was planned at the time of LCM initiation in 59 (55.7%) subjects. Fewer subjects with planned reduction had TEAEs (49.2% vs. 68.1%; p=0.05), and these subjects had a lower risk of TEAEs (OR 0.36; p=0.019) after adjusting for STD AED dose. The hazard ratio (95% CI) for LCM discontinuation was 0.46 (0.23, 0.94) in subjects with planned reduction of concomitant AEDs vs. others (p=0.033) and 3.29 (1.01, 10.70) in subjects taking TSCB vs. NTSCB agents (p=0.048). Among all cases, those who ever had TEAEs had significantly higher STD dose at both follow-up visits (p=0.033 and p=0.023, respectively). Seizure outcomes were not significantly different between groups at the last follow-up assessment. SIGNIFICANCE Planned reduction of concomitant AEDs during LCM initiation and the use of NTSCB agents only are associated with a reduced risk of TEAEs and LCM discontinuation in adults with partial-onset seizures. This study extends prior observations by considering total AED load in the assessment of tolerability and supports the benefits of early reduction of concomitant AEDs during LCM initiation.

Transcatheter Recanalization of Totally Occluded Proximal Pulmonary Arteries and Major Systemic Veins in Patients With Congenital Heart Disease

The purpose of the present study was to assess the results and technical aspects of attempted transcatheter recanalization of occluded pulmonary arteries or major systemic veins from our center. Occluded pulmonary arteries or major systemic veins are often not considered amenable to transcatheter treatment and can be a cause of significant hemodynamic compromise for patients. The records of patients with occluded pulmonary arteries or major systemic veins who underwent cardiac catheterization from April 1997 to February 2011 were reviewed. We identified 18 patients, of whom, 9 had occluded pulmonary arteries and 9 occluded systemic veins. Recanalization was achieved in 17 of the 18 patients (94%). At a median follow-up of 35 months (range 6 months to 12 years), all vessels remained patent. The freedom from reintervention rate in the entire cohort was 61% at 6 months, 35% at 1 year, and 35% at 5 years. Freedom from an unplanned reintervention was 67% at 6 months. Procedural adverse events occurred in 2 patients. One death occurred within 24 hours of the catheterization procedure and 2 late deaths occurred, all unrelated to the procedure. In conclusion, both acute and chronic success at recanalizing the occluded pulmonary arteries and major systemic veins can be achieved using percutaneous techniques. Careful follow-up is needed, because reintervention can be necessary to maintain long-term vessel patency without stenosis.

Perceptions of reasons call lights are activated pre- and postintervention to decrease call light use.

Patients were assessed regarding the reasons for activating call lights. Top reasons were requests for pain medication, monitor/device alarms, and needing assistance. Nurse perceptions of the top 10 reasons for patients to activate call lights matched patient perceptions. After implementing interventions that anticipated patient needs, the likelihood of patients activating a call light decreased significantly for most needs, but call lights for nonspecific reasons, such as having caregivers check something, increased.

Changes within clinical practice after a randomized controlled trial of knee arthroscopy for osteoarthritis

Background: In 2002, Moseley et al published a randomized controlled trial (RCT) that showed no difference between knee arthroscopy and placebo for patients with osteoarthritis (OA). We wanted to assess the impact of the trial on clinical practice in the United States. Purpose/Hypothesis: To evaluate changes in knee arthroscopy practice before and after publication of the article by Moseley et al and to assess the effect of this landmark RCT on the behavior of practicing orthopaedic surgeons. We hypothesized that after publication of the Moseley trial, the overall frequency of knee arthroscopy would decrease, that the mean age of patients undergoing knee arthroscopy would decrease, and that the proportion of arthroscopies for a diagnosis of OA would decrease. Study Design: Descriptive epidemiology study. Methods: The State Ambulatory Surgery Database was used to analyze cases from 1998 to 2006, which were classified as meniscus tear, OA, or OA with meniscus tear. Changes in age, surgery rates, and case classification were evaluated before and after Moseley’s trial using Student t tests and analysis of variance. Results: After publication of the trial, the number of knee arthroscopies per year increased from 155,057 in 1998 to 172,317 in 2006 (P ≤ .001). Mean patient age increased from 47.6 to 49.2 years (P < .001). Meniscus tears increased from 69.1% to 70.8%, representing approximately 15,500 additional cases per year. OA decreased from 10.6% to 7.2%, representing approximately 4000 fewer cases per year. OA with meniscus tear increased from 20.3% to 22.0%, representing approximately 6400 additional cases per year. Conclusion: While overall age and rates of knee arthroscopy increased contrary to our hypothesis, we identified a decrease in rates of knee arthroscopy for OA after publication of the Moseley trial, demonstrating that well-publicized RCTs can influence patterns of clinical practice.

Wake up to sleep: The effects of lacosamide on daytime sleepiness in adults with epilepsy.

OBJECTIVE The objective of the study was to investigate the effects of lacosamide (LCM) on daytime sleepiness ascertained by the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) in adults with focal epilepsy in a randomized, controlled design. METHODS Subjects taking ≤2 AEDs for ≥4weeks underwent polysomnography with EEG followed by the maintenance of wakefulness test (MWT) and completed the ESS and other patient-reported outcomes (PROs) at baseline, LCM 200mg/day, and LCM 400mg/day (Visit 4; V4). Primary endpoint was ESS change (V4 to baseline) between LCM and placebo. Noninferiority test on ESS used a one-sided t-test based on a hypothesized difference of 4-point change between groups. Superiority test used a two-sided t-test to investigate the difference in change in PROs and MWT mean sleep latency (MSL) between groups. Fifty-five subjects provided 80% power to show noninferiority of LCM assuming 10% dropout. RESULTS Fifty-two subjects (mean age: 43.5±13.2years, 69% female, median monthly seizure frequency: 1 [0, 4.0]) participated. Baseline group characteristics including age, sex, ethnicity, standardized AED dose, seizure frequency, and ESS were similar. Abnormal baseline ESS scores were found in 35% of subjects. Noninferiority test found a ≤4-point increase in ESS (mean [95% CI]) in LCM subjects vs. placebo (-1.2 [-2.9, 0.53] vs. -1.1 [-5.2, 3.0], p=0.027) at V4. No significant difference in change in PROs, MSL, seizure frequency, or AED standardized dose was observed between groups. SIGNIFICANCE Our interventional trial found that LCM is not a major contributor to daytime sleepiness based on subjective and objective measures. Inclusion of sleepiness measures in AED trials is warranted given the high prevalence of sleep-wake complaints in people with epilepsy.