Tahereh Orouji Jokar

Emergency general surgery specific frailty index: A validation study.

INTRODUCTION Assessment of operative risk in geriatric patients undergoing emergency general surgery (EGS) is challenging. Frailty is an established measure for risk assessment in surgical cases. The aim of our study was to validate a modified 15-variable EGS-specific frailty index (EGSFI). METHODS We prospectively collected geriatric (age older than 65 years) EGS patients for 2 years. Postoperative complications were collected. Frailty index was calculated for 200 patients based on their preadmission condition using 50-variable modified Rockwood frailty index. Emergency general surgery–specific frailty index was developed based on the regression model for complications and the most significant factors in the frailty index. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed to determine cutoff for frail status. We validated our results using 60 patients for predicting complications. RESULTS A total of 260 patients (developing, 200; validation, 60) were enrolled in this study. Mean age was 71 ± 11 years, and 33% developed complications. Most common complications were pneumonia (12%), urinary tract infection (9%), and wound infection (7%). Univariate analysis identified 15 variables significantly associated with complications that were used to develop the EGSFI. A cutoff frailty score of 0.325 was identified using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis for frail status. Sixty patients (frail, 18; nonfrail, 42) were enrolled in the validation cohort. Frail patients were more likely to have postoperative complications (47% vs. 20%; p < 0.001) compared to nonfrail patients. Frail status based on EGSFI was a significant predictor of postoperative complications (odds ratio, 7.3; 95% confidence interval, 1.7–19.8; p = 0.006). Age was not associated with postoperative complications (odds ratio, 0.99; 95% confidence interval, 0.92–1.06; p = 0.86). CONCLUSION The 15-variable validated EGSFI is a simple and reliable bedside tool to determine the frailty status of patients undergoing EGS. Frail status as determined by the EGSFI is an independent predictor of postoperative complications and mortality in geriatric EGS patients. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Prognostic study, level II.

The impact of frailty on failure-to-rescue in geriatric trauma patients: A prospective study

INTRODUCTION Failure-to-rescue (FTR) (defined as death from a major complication) is considered as an index of hospital quality in trauma patients. However, the role of frailty in FTR events remains unclear. We hypothesized that FTR rate is higher in elderly frail trauma patients. METHODS We performed a prospective cohort study of all elderly (age ≥ 65 years) trauma patients presenting at our level one trauma center. Patient’s frailty status was calculated utilizing the Trauma Specific Frailty Index (TSFI) within 24 hours of admission. Patients were stratified into non-frail, pre-frail, and frail. FTR was defined as death from a major complication (respiratory, infectious, cardiac, and renal). Binary logistic regression analysis was performed after adjusting for age, gender, injury severity (ISS), and vital parameters to assess the relationship between frailty status and FTR. RESULTS A total of 368 elderly trauma patients were evaluated of which 25% (n = 93) were non-frail, 38% (n = 139) pre-frail, and 37% (n = 136) frail. Overall, 30% of the patients developed in-hospital complications; of them, mortality occurred in 26% of the patients (FTR group). In the FTR group, 69% of the patients were frail compared to 17% pre-frail and 14% non-frail (p = 0.002). On multivariate regression analysis for predictors of FTR, frail status was an independent predictor of FTR (OR [95% CI] = 2.67 [1.37–5.20]; p = 0.004). On sensitivity analysis, positive predictive value of TSFI for FTR was 69% and negative predictive value for FTR was 67%. CONCLUSION In elderly trauma patients, the presence of frailty increased the odds of FTR almost threefold as compared to non-frail. Although FTR has been considered as an indicator of health care quality, the findings of this study suggest that frailty status independently contributes to FTR. This needs to be considered in the future development of quality metrics, particularly in the case of geriatric trauma patients. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Prognostic study, level II.

Antibiotics for appendicitis! Not so fast.

Background Emerging literature in acute appendicitis favors the nonoperative management of acute appendicitis. However, the actual use of this practice on a national level is not assessed. The aim of this study was to assess the changing trends in nonoperative management of acute appendicitis and its effects on patient outcomes. Methods We did an 8-year (2004–2011) retrospective analysis of the National Inpatient Sample database. We included all inpatients with the diagnosis of acute appendicitis. Patients with a diagnosis of appendiceal abscess or patients who underwent surgery for any other pathology were excluded from the analysis. Jonckheere-Terpstra trend analysis was performed for operative versus nonoperative management and outcomes. Results A total of 436,400 cases of acute appendicitis were identified. Mean age of the population was 33 ± 19.5 years, and 54.5% were male. There was no significant change in the number of acute appendicitis diagnosed over the study period (p = 0.2). During the study period, nonoperative management of acute appendicitis increased significantly from 4.5% in 2004 to 6% in 2011 (p < 0.001). When compared with operatively managed patients, conservatively managed patients had a significantly longer hospital length of stay (3 [2–6] vs. 2 [1–3] days, p < 0.001), and in-hospital complications (27.8% vs. 7%, p < 0.001). On comparison of open and laparoscopic appendectomy, both had shorter hospital length of stay and rate of in-hospital complications. Overall hospital charges were lower in patients managed conservatively (15,441 [8,070–31,688] vs. 20,062 [13,672–29,928] USD, p < 0.001). Conclusions Nonoperative management of appendicitis has increased over time; however, outcomes of nonoperative management did not improve over the study period. A more in-depth analysis of patient and system demographics may reveal this disparity in trends. Level of Evidence Epidemiologic/prognostic study, level III.

Redefining the association between old age and poor outcomes after trauma: The impact of frailty syndrome.

BACKGROUND Frailty syndrome (FS) is a well-established predictor of outcomes in geriatric patients. The aim of this study was to quantify the prevalence of FS in geriatric trauma patients and to determine its association with trauma readmissions, repeat falls, and mortality at 6 months. METHODS we performed a 2-year (2012–2013) prospective cohort analysis of all consecutive geriatric (age, ≥ 65 years) trauma patients. FS was assessed using a Trauma-Specific Frailty Index (TSFI). Patients were stratified into: nonfrail, TSFI ⩽ 0.12; prefrail, TSFI = 0.1 to 0.27; and frail, TSFI > 0.27. Patient follow-up occurred at 6 months to assess outcomes. Regression analysis was performed to assess independent associations between TSFI and outcomes. RESULTS Three hundred fifty patients were enrolled. Frail patients were more likely to develop in-hospital complications (nonfrail, 12%; prefrail, 17.4%; and frail, 33.4%; p = 0.02) and an adverse discharge disposition compared with nonfrail and prefrail (nonfrail, 8%; prefrail,18%; and frail, 47%; p = 0.001). Six-month follow-up was recorded in 80% of the patients. Compared with nonfrail patients, frail patients were more likely to have had a trauma-related readmission (odds ratio [OR], 1.4; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.2–3.6) and/or repeated falls (OR, 1.6; 95%CI, 1.1–2.5) over the 6-month period. Overall 6-month mortality was 2.8% (n = 10), and frail elderly patients were more likely to have died (OR, 1.1; 95% CI, 1.04–4.7) compared with nonfrail patients. CONCLUSION Over a third of geriatric trauma patients had FS. TSFI provides a practical and accurate assessment tool for identifying elderly trauma patients who are at increased risk of both short-term and long-term outcomes. Early focused intervention in frail geriatric patients is warranted to improve long-term outcomes. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Prognostic study, level II.

Early feeds not force feeds: Enteral nutrition in traumatic brain injury.

BACKGROUND Brain Trauma Foundation guidelines recommend the early use of enteral nutrition to optimize recovery following traumatic brain injury (TBI). Our aim was to examine the effect of early feeds (⩽24 hours) on clinical outcomes after TBI. METHODS We performed a 3-year retrospective study of patients with severe TBI (Glasgow Coma Scale score <8) who were intubated, admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU), and received tube feeds. Early tube feeds (early TF) were defined as initiation of tube feeds within 24 hours, whereas late tube feeds (late TF) were defined as initiation of tube feeds after 24 hours. Outcome measures included pneumonia rates, days on ventilator, hospital and ICU stay, and mortality rates. RESULTS A total of 90 patients (early TF: 58, late TF: 32) were included, of which 73.3% were male, mean age was 42 (SD, 20) years, and median head Abbreviated Injury Scale score was 4 (range, 3–5). There was no difference in age (p = 0.1), head Abbreviated Injury Scale score (p = 0.5), or admission Glasgow Coma Scale score (p = 0.9) between the two groups. Patients with early TF were associated with higher number of ICU days (p = 0.03) and higher pneumonia rates (p = 0.04), but there was no significant difference in mortality (p = 0.44) as compared with those who underwent late TF. CONCLUSIONS Although early tube feeds are known to improve outcomes in TBI patients, our data suggest that early feeds in TBI patients are associated with higher rates of pneumonia and greater hospital resource utilization. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Therapeutic study, level IV.

Assessing the Efficacy of Prothrombin Complex Concentrate in Multiply Injured Patients With High-Energy Pelvic and Extremity Fractures.

Objectives: Prothrombin complex concentrate (PCC) is being increasingly used for reversing induced coagulopathy of trauma. However, the use of PCC for reversing coagulopathy in multiply injured patients with pelvic and/or lower extremity fractures remains unclear. The aim of our study was to assess the efficacy of PCC for reversing coagulopathy in this group of patients. Design: Two-year retrospective analysis. Setting: Our level I trauma center. Patients/Participants: All coagulopathic [International normalized ratio (INR) ≥1.5] trauma patients. Patients with femur, tibia, or pelvic fracture were included. Patients were divided into 2 groups: PCC (single dose) and fresh frozen plasma (FFP). Patients in the 2 groups were matched using propensity score matching. Main Outcome Measurements: Time to correction of INR, time to intervention, development of thromboembolic complications, mortality, and cost of therapy. Results: A total of 81 patients (PCC: 27, FFP: 54) were included. Patients who received PCC had faster correction of INR and shorter time to surgical intervention in comparison to patients who received FFP. PCC therapy was also associated with lower overall blood product requirement (P = 0.02) and lower transfusion costs (P = 0.0001). Conclusions: In a matched cohort of multiply injured patients with pelvic and/or lower extremity fractures, administration of a single dose of PCC significantly reduced the time to correction of INR and time to intervention compared with patients who received FFP therapy. This may allow orthopaedic surgeons to more safely proceed with early, definitive fixation strategies. Level of Evidence: Therapeutic level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Higher TSH Levels Within the Normal Range Are Associated With Unexplained Infertility

Context Unexplained infertility (UI), defined as the inability to conceive after 12 months of unprotected intercourse with no diagnosed cause, affects 10% to 30% of infertile couples. An improved understanding of the mechanisms underlying UI could lead to less invasive and less costly treatment strategies. Abnormalities in thyroid function and hyperprolactinemia are well-known causes of infertility, but whether thyrotropin (TSH) and prolactin levels within the normal range are associated with UI is unknown. Objective To compare TSH and prolactin levels in women with UI and women with a normal fertility evaluation except for an azoospermic or severely oligospermic male partner. Design, Setting, and Participants Cross-sectional study including women evaluated at a large academic health system between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2012 with normal TSH (levels within the normal range of the assay and ≤5 mIU/L) and normal prolactin levels (≤20 ng/mL) and either UI (n = 187) or no other cause of infertility other than an azoospermic or severely oligospermic partner (n = 52). Main Outcome Measures TSH and prolactin. Results Women with UI had significantly higher TSH levels than controls [UI: TSH 1.95 mIU/L, interquartile range: (1.54, 2.61); severe male factor: TSH 1.66 mIU/L, interquartile range: (1.25, 2.17); P = 0.003]. This finding remained significant after we controlled for age, body mass index, and smoking status. Nearly twice as many women with UI (26.9%) had a TSH ≥2.5 mIU/L compared with controls (13.5%; P < 0.05). Prolactin levels did not differ between the groups. Conclusions Women with UI have higher TSH levels compared with a control population. More studies are necessary to determine whether treatment of high-normal TSH levels decreases time to conception in couples with UI.

Increasing organ donation after cardiac death in trauma patients

BACKGROUND Organ donation after cardiac death (DCD) is not optimal but still remains a valuable source of organ donation in trauma donors. The aim of this study was to assess national trends in DCD from trauma patients. METHODS A 12-year (2002 to 2013) retrospective analysis of the United Network for Organ Sharing database was performed. Outcome measures were the following: proportion of DCD donors over the years and number and type of solid organs donated. RESULTS DCD resulted in procurement of 16,248 solid organs from 8,724 donors. The number of organs donated per donor remained unchanged over the study period (P = .1). DCD increased significantly from 3.1% in 2002 to 14.6% in 2013 (P = .001). There was a significant increase in the proportion of kidney (2002: 3.4% vs 2013: 16.3%, P = .001) and liver (2002: 1.6% vs 2013: 5%, P = .041) donation among DCD donors over the study period. CONCLUSIONS DCD from trauma donors provides a significant source of solid organs. The proportion of DCD donors increased significantly over the last 12 years.

The surgeon’s burnout: How to deal with it

Inherent idealistic nature of surgical disciplines demands exclusive dedication from surgeons to provide optimal patient care, but doing so puts them at significant risk for personal and continuous professional stresses, which may result in burnout. Burnout is a gradual process and often heralded with warning signs or red flags, which can result in physical, behavioral, and emotional symptoms. Work-related stressors are often underestimated and considered a trivial part of emotional and physical well-being. Literature demonstrates that undetermined stress and anxiety may lead to burnout. Burnout can lead to impaired technical performance, medical errors, physical and mental health problems, increasing incidence of divorce, negative work attitude, decreased professional satisfaction, hopelessness and helplessness, detachment, isolation, and increased risk of depression and suicide. Therefore, recognizing these warning signs or red flags is extremely crucial. Individual surgeons at personal level and the organizations at institutional level should recognize the early symptoms of burnout, implement coping strategies, and maintain a work-life balance for the well-being of surgeons.