EMR Learning Curve -Long-term Benefits & Burnout Narrative

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  1. Electronic Health Records Associated With Lower Hospital Mortality After Systems Have Time To Mature
  2. Beyond Burnout Moving narrative on the issue of burnout (JAMA link from 33mail -Bryan Vartabedian)

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Catheter-Related Venous Thrombosis in Pediatric Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease

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A recent retrospective study (CE Diamond et al. J Pediatr 2018; 198: 53-9) examined the issue of catheter-related venous thrombosis in pediatric inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients (2015-17).

In total, 40 patients (47 hospitalizations, median age 14 yrs) with IBD were reviewed.  At the discretion of the treating physician, anticoagulation therapy (AT) with enoxaparin was administered in some children due to the recognized increase risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE).  This protocol did NOT evaluate for subclinical venous thrombotic events.  Detection of VTE was undertaken in those who became symptomatic (eg. pain or swelling).

AT protocol: 

  • In patients less than 40 kg, the starting dose of enoxaparin was 0.5 mg/kg/dose SC every 12 hrs with anti-factor Xa levels drawn 4-6 hours after the patient had received at least 2 doses with a target level of 0.1-0.3 U/mL. The first dose was administered on the same day as CVC placement but after placement.
  • In patients >40 kg, a fixed dose of 40 mg of enoxaparin SC every 24 hrs without laboratory monitoring

Key findings:

  • 5 of 23 (22%) hospitalizations without AT developed VTE; in contrast 0 of 24 with AT prophylaxis.  Mean duration of AT was 11 days.
  • All five who developed VTE had complete resolution after treatment with anticoagulation Rx. No cases of genetic thrombophilia were identified.
  • Bleeding issues were similar in the two groups –46% of those receiving AT Rx required at least one blood transfusion compared with 39% who did not receive AT Rx.

Overall, these groups (with and without AT Rx) had similar demographic features and had severe active IBD.  Most were receiving biologic therapy and the majority were receiving steroids.  The authors observed a trend towards more use of AT over the study period, “suggesting increased comfort levels of treating physician…even in the presence of rectal bleeding.”

My take: This relatively small study found that AT Rx reduced the rate of CVC-related venous thrombosis.  A larger prospective study is needed to confirm the potential benefit of AT treatment.

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Artwork near Azalea Drive/Chattahoochee river

Disclaimer: These blog posts are for educational purposes only. Specific dosing of medications (along with potential adverse effects) should be confirmed by prescribing physician.  This content is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment provided by a qualified healthcare provider. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a condition.

Liver Shorts August 2018

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M Yakoot et al. JPGN 2018; 67: 86-89. This prospective, open-label, unblinded study from Egypt indicated that 29 of 30 (96.7%) pediatric (12-17 yr) patients with HCV (genotype 4) attained an SVR12 with sofusbuvir/daclatasvir.  No serious adverse effects were evident.  The one patient who did not achieve SVR12 was lost to followup but had viral negativity after completing treatment.

Related blog post: New HCV Treatment Effective in Adolescents –Important Study Now Published Online

O El-Sherif, ZG Jiang et al. Gastroenterol 2018; 154: 2111-21. This study showed that a “BE3A Score” based on BMI <25, no Encephalopathy, no Ascites, Albumin >3.5 and ALT >60 IU/L could be used to discriminate the likelihood of reducing the Child-Pugh-Turcotte (CPT) score to class A in patients with hepatitis C virus-associated decompensated cirrhosis who received DAA therapy.  This retrospective  analysis was based on 4 trials of a sofusbuvir-therapy with 502 CPT class B and 120 CPT class C patients.

AH Ali et al. Hepatology 2018; 67: 2338-51.  This study convincingly shows that surveillance for hepatobiliary cancers improves outcomes in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis.  Among their cohort of 830 patients (Mayo clinic), 79 developed malignancies.  Of those under surveillance (n=40), the 5-year survival was 68% compared to 20% for those who had not been under surveillance.  While the true cynic might ascribe some of the difference to ‘lead-time’ bias, this is unlikely to account for this difference at 5 years.

F Aberg et al. Hepatology 2018; 67: 2141-49.  This Finish-population prospective study, over an 11 year follow-up, using a nationally-representative cohort (n=6771) showed that even moderate alcohol consumption worsened outcomes (eg hepatic decompensation, hepatocellular carcinoma) in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.  In addition, the authors showed that diabetes the most significant predictor of poor outcome (HR 6.79). In a related commentary, pg 2072-73, the authors state that this article “put an end to the ongoing ddebate whether moderate alcohol drinking (less than 20 g of alcohol/day or 2 drinks per day) could be helpful.”

IBD Shorts August 2018

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Vitamin D Receptor Signaling in IBD. Inflamm Bowel Dis 2018; 24: 1149-54.  This article reviews the ways vitamin D/vitamin D receptor may contribute to the genetic, environmental, immune, and microbial aspects of IBD.

LY Chi et al. Inflamm Bowel Dis 2018; 24: 1344-51. This study with 223 pediatric patients & young adults found that current or prior combination therapy with infliximab, compared to monotherapy resulted in higher infliximab levels and lower antibody formation. Combination agent was mainly methotrexate (n=71) rather than thiopurine (n=13). In those with infliximab dose <10 mg/kg, those currently receiving combination therapy had median level of 11.1 compared with 7.0 for prior combination and 5.86 for monotherapy (never combination).

CM Johnson et al. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol 2018; 16: 900-7.  In this retrospective study with 1466 patients with Crohn’s disease, the subset of patients with granulomas (n=187, 12.8%) were associated with a more aggressive phenotype and a younger age at diagnosis (23.6 years compared with 27.9 years; P= .0005). These patients had higher rates of steroid use, narcotic use, more stricturing and penetrating disease along with increase rates of surgery.

 

Declining Role of Fundoplication in Esophageal Atresia, Too

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A recent study (SA Pellegrino et al. J Pediatr 2018; 198: 60-6) examines the likelihood of redo fundoplication for esophageal atresia (EA) in comparison to redo fundoplication for other indications.

Key findings:

  • Among all EA cases, n=344 (1994-2013), 85 underwent fundoplication (single-center study from Melbourne)
  • Rates of fundoplication were declining over study period: there was a 37% drop from 2010-2013 compared to 1994-97.
  • Overall, 767 patients had a fundoplication (n=682 without EA).  The rates of redo fundoplication were similar 11/85 compared with 53/682, despite the fact that EA patients had earlier surgery with median ages of 7.2 months versus 23 months, respectively.

Factors leading to fewer fundoplications:

  • Improving medical therapies, including proton pump inhibitors and use of jejunal feedings
  • Awareness that fundoplication may not be curative and is associated with significant morbidity

Anecdotally, I have had some EA patients whose lives were transformed positively by fundoplication, though many are difficult operations due to anatomic factors like small gastric volumes and pulmonary issues.  Careful selection and surgical expertise are essential to good outcomes.

My take: The authors note that “this study challenges the assertion that fundoplicaiton is less successful in patients with EA.”

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Gibbs Gardens

Costs/Yield of Diagnosing Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome

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A recent retrospective study (CJ Lucia-Casadonte et al. JPGN 2018; 67: 13-17) examined the costs and yield of testing for Cyclic Vomiting Sydrome (CVS).

As a bonus –this is a study with CME available (& ABP MOC): NASPGHAN-JPGN CME The full text can be obtained at CME website.

This study looked at 503 charts from a single center using ICD-9 coding to identify patients. In this group, 165 (33%) had a diagnosis of CVS with 135 of this group (82%) meeting NASPGHAN diagnostic criteria with a mean age of 7.7 years.

Key findings:

  • 6 (4%) had a change in management based on CVS evaluation
  • The mean cost for screening was $6125.02 per patient
  • Atypical symptoms included bilious emesis in 9 (7%), abdominal pain in 67 (50%), attacks precipitated by fasting 1 (0.7%), and neurologic abnormalities in 3 (2%).
  • Brain MRI was performed in 68 patients and 10 were considered abnormal; though, only 1 (0.7%) had a change in management related to increased intracranial pressure (this patient had hx/o hydrocephalus). Other findings included Chiari I malformation, cerebral cyst, macrocephaly, and abnormal myelination pattern.
  • Other underlying diagnosis: UPJ obstruction (n=1), unspecified metabolic condition with carnitine deficiency (n=1), and eosinophilic esophagitis.
  • Given the costs involved, the authors reiterate NASPGHAN recommendations to avoid a ‘shotgun’ approach and note that it has previously been shown that “the most cost effective therapy in the management of CVS to be UGI with small bowel follow through (SBFT) with empiric treatment.”  Additional evaluation would be indicated for those with red flags and/or progressive or a changing pattern of vomiting episodes.
  • The authors indicate that endoscopy was the most costly evaluation tool at their institution ($11,500) and only used in 36 patients and was considered to have a low yield.

My take: This study underscores the low yield and expense involved in the evaluation of pediatric CVS; yet, it remains difficult to balance this with the concern of overlooking some anatomic and metabolic problems which can benefit from a timely diagnosis.

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Gibbs Gardens 2018

 

Common Sense Media Web Site

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“Common sense is not so common.” Voltaire,, Dictionnaire Philosophique 1764

A website that I learned about recently from the Journal of Pediatrics article, “The Elephant in the Examination Room: Addressing Parent and Child Mobile Device Use as a Teachable Moment:”  commonsensemedia.org

“Common Sense is the nation’s leading nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of kids and families by providing the trustworthy information, education, and independent voice they need to thrive in the 21st century.”
This website has extensive resources for families regarding all forms of media.  This includes advice on apps, age for using smartphones, encouragement for device-free dinners, movie/TV reviews and more.
The AAP also has a media use plan tool: www.healthychildren.org/mediauseplan based on children’s ages.

Dietary Patterns in First Year of Life May Increase Risk of Celiac Autoimmunity

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M Barroso et al. Gastroenterol 2018; 154: 2087-96.

Background: “Western-like diets –mainly characterized by high intake of red and processed meats, refined grains, simple sugars, and saturated fats and low intake of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains– have been associated with low-grade chronic inflammation, which is involved in the etiology of inflammatory conditions.” Ref: Br J Nutr 2015; 114: 999-1012.

To examine how diet may influence the development of celiac autoimmunity, defined by TG2A positivity, the authors examined a subset of patients (n=1997) from the prospective Generation R study (Netherlands); 27 in this cohort developed celiac autoimmunity (1.4%).

Key finding:

  • Higher adherence to a “prudent” diet which had a higher intake of vegetables, vegetable oils, pasta, and grains and low consumption of refined cereals and sweet beverages at 1 year of age was associated with a lower odds of celiac autoimmunity at 6 years of age with an odds ratio of 0.67.

This study is limited by the relatively low number who had celiac autoimmunity and by its use of a food questionnaire.

My take: This study indicates that diet plays a role in the development of celiac along with other disease, but this likely involves a complex mix of components rather than a single toxic agent.

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