Nevin Manimala

Front Aging Neurosci. 2024 Oct 17;16:1456169. doi: 10.3389/fnagi.2024.1456169. eCollection 2024.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: This study utilized recent advancements in electroencephalography (EEG) technology that enable the measurement of prefrontal event-related potentials (ERPs) to facilitate the early detection of mild cognitive impairment (MCI). We investigated two-channel prefrontal ERP signals obtained from a large cohort of elderly participants and compare among cognitively normal (CN), subjective cognitive decline (SCD), amnestic MCI (aMCI), and nonamnestic MCI (naMCI) groups.

METHODS: Signal processing and ERP component analyses, specifically adapted for two-channel prefrontal ERP signals evoked by the auditory oddball task, were performed on a total of 1,754 elderly participants. Connectivity analyses were conducted to assess brain synchronization, especially in the beta band involving the phase locking value (PLV) and coherence (COH). Time-frequency, time-trial, grand average, and further statistical analyses of the standard and target epochs were also conducted to explore differences among the cognition groups.

RESULTS: The MCI group’s response to target stimuli was characterized by greater response time variability (p < 0.001) and greater variability in the P300 latency (p < 0.05), leading to less consistent responses than those of the healthy control (HC) group (CN+SCD subgroups). In the connectivity analyses of PLV and COH waveforms, significant differences were observed, indicating a loss of synchronization in the beta band in response to standard stimuli in the MCI group. In addition, the absence of event-related desynchronization (ERD) indicated that information processing related to readiness and task performance in the beta band was not efficient in the MCI group. Furthermore, the observed decline in the P200 amplitude as the standard trials progressed suggests the impaired attention and inhibitory processes in the MCI group compared to the HC group. The aMCI subgroup showed high variability in COH values, while the naMCI subgroup showed impairments in their overall behavioral performance.

CONCLUSION: These findings highlight the variability and connectivity measures can be used as markers of early cognitive decline; such measures can be assessed with simple and fast two-channel prefrontal ERP signals evoked by both standard and target stimuli. Our study provides deeper insight of cognitive impairment and the potential use of the prefrontal ERP connectivity measures to assess early cognitive decline.

PMID:39484363 | PMC:PMC11524914 | DOI:10.3389/fnagi.2024.1456169

Dermatol Reports. 2024 Feb 9;16(3):9919. doi: 10.4081/dr.2024.9919. eCollection 2024 Sep 2.

ABSTRACT

The text discusses the role of general practitioners (GPs) in the prevention and early diagnosis of melanoma, a type of skin cancer. It highlights the need for GPs to be able to recognize suspicious skin lesions and refer patients to specialist dermatology centers. However, many GPs lack comprehensive training in diagnosing melanoma. The text mentions that various training courses have been conducted for GPs, but their impact on clinical practice has been limited. The MelaMEd Programme is an e-learning course developed by the Italian Melanoma Intergroup (IMI). The programme aims to provide GPs with comprehensive knowledge of melanoma prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. It includes an e-learning section, and a dedicated platform called MelaMEd platform, which offers a multimedia atlas of melanoma. The objective of the study is to evaluate the impact of the MelaMEd programme on GPs’ diagnostic accuracy, knowledge of melanoma, and management of suspicious lesions. The methodology involves administering pre-training and post-training questionnaires to participants, assessing their diagnostic skills and evaluating the training course’s effectiveness. The study aims to demonstrate the effectiveness of the MelaMEd programme in improving GPs’ ability to recognize and manage melanoma. It also seeks to identify areas for improvement and recommend interventions to enhance diagnostic accuracy. The results will be analyzed statistically using descriptive, univariate, and multivariate analysed methods.

PMID:39484362 | PMC:PMC11526653 | DOI:10.4081/dr.2024.9919

J Am Geriatr Soc. 2024 Oct 31. doi: 10.1111/jgs.19253. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Geriatric Emergency Department (ED) Guidelines recommend optimizing transitions of care for older patients with complex needs. In this study, we investigated referral patterns to interprofessional services, including occupational therapy, physiotherapy, dietician, social work, home care, and specialized geriatric services, among older adults presenting to the ED with high-risk characteristics.

METHODS: We recruited community-dwelling older adults presenting to 10 EDs across Ontario, Quebec, and Newfoundland, Canada, from April 2017 to July 2018. To observe processes of care in the ED, we deployed a two-stage high-risk case-finding and focused comprehensive assessment process based on the interRAI ED-Screener and ED Contact Assessment to identify and characterize older adults at high risk. We analyzed the secondary data using descriptive statistics and logistic regression.

RESULTS: We screened 5265 individuals with the ED Screener, further assessed 1479 with the ED Contact Assessment, and analyzed data from a subset of 1055 community-dwelling older adults assessed with the ED Contact Assessment. Participants in our study sample had a mean age of 83 years, 58% were female, and many had a complex burden of cognitive and functional impairment and social needs. Over half of this high-needs sample were referred to general home care services (62.7%), occupational therapy (59.3%), and physiotherapy services (55.2%), while 16% were referred to specialized geriatric services. We also found a significant positive association between interprofessional referrals and the Assessment Urgency Algorithm and Institutional Risk Scale. The most important determinants of referral to interprofessional services were hospital province, functional, clinical, and social burden and support measures.

CONCLUSIONS: The referral patterns identified suggest that patient needs and risk intensity did not always guide referral patterns in the Canadian EDs investigated. We suggest that EDs critically examine the appropriateness of their documentation and referral systems for supporting person-centered care provision.

PMID:39482258 | DOI:10.1111/jgs.19253

J Cosmet Laser Ther. 2024 Oct 31:1-5. doi: 10.1080/14764172.2024.2420990. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Jellyfish stings can cause acute inflammatory skin lesions that may hesitate in keloids. Pulsed dye laser (PDL) represents one of the most effective treatments for newly developed keloids. Aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of PDL on newly developed keloids specifically induced by jellyfish stings in pediatric patients.We conducted a retrospective observational study on pediatric patients with newly developed keloids from jellyfish stings, treated in the last two years with 595 nm wavelength PDL with a duration of 0.45-1.5 msec, spot-size 7 mm and fluence 8.5-9.5 J/cm². PDL therapy was administered for a mean of 7.4 treatment sessions, every 1-3 months. Two expert dermatologists evaluated the vascularity, pigmentation, height, and pliability of keloids, according to the Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS), pre-and-post treatment. A total of 17 patients (7 males, 10 females) were included in the study, mean age of 11 years. Overall, mean pre-treatment global VSS was 11.0 ± 1.50. After treatment, global VSS was 3.88 ± 1.87. At paired t-test, the difference between pre-treatment and post-treatment was highly statistically significant (p < .0001). Commonly, manipulation and therapeutic intervention on jellyfish scars and keloids is feared. The present study supports the use of PDL in keloids secondary to jellyfish stings, though conducted on a limited number of patients.

PMID:39482257 | DOI:10.1080/14764172.2024.2420990

J Pediatr Urol. 2024 Oct 11:S1477-5131(24)00531-X. doi: 10.1016/j.jpurol.2024.10.010. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: While not entirely understood, nocturnal enuresis (NE) has been considered pathophysiologically distinct from other non-neurogenic voiding disorders. We believe that a significant component of the pathology is due to bladder overactivity. Intravesical Onabotulinumtoxin A (OBTA) injections are utilized in overactive bladder management. We hypothesized that OBTA injections would be efficacious for NE management in pediatric patients with symptoms refractory to conventional therapies.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective cohort analysis of patients <18-years-old with primary NE who underwent OBTA injections was performed. Injections were performed by a single surgeon at a single tertiary referral center per standardized protocol. Treatment response was defined as no improvement, greater than 50 % improvement in nightly accidents, or complete resolution of accidents. The primary outcome was treatment success, defined as greater than 50 % improvement in nightly accidents or complete resolution. Secondary outcomes included treatment response duration and complication data. Descriptive and bivariate statistics were performed as indicated. A Kaplan Meier analysis was performed to assess failure free survival following OBTA injection.

RESULTS: Fifty patients met inclusion criteria for this analysis. All patients had trialed at least one lifestyle modification, a bowel regimen, and at least two medications with symptom persistence. The median post-procedure follow-up time was 9.5 months (range 2-82). Improvement in incontinence symptoms compared to pre-operative baseline was seen in 94.0 % of patients, with 58.0 % demonstrating complete resolution of incontinence through most recent follow up. There was no difference in improvement rates or resolution rates in male vs female gender. The median failure free survival identified on Kaplan Meier analysis was 12.5 months (Figure 1) Minor post-operative complications (4 urinary tract infections; 1 retentive episode necessitating catheterization) were identified in five patients. There were no major post-operative complications.

DISCUSSION: Efficacy of OBTA injections was high, with treatment success demonstrated in 94 % of patients and failure free survival of 12.5 months. This procedure also demonstrated a favorable safety profile, with few minor post-operative complications identified. These results indicate that this procedure may be a beneficial therapeutic option for patients with NE refractory to multiple lines of conventional therapy. This study is limited by its retrospective design with short median follow up and potential for recall bias. It is strengthened by its large sample size and novelty.

CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this is the first analysis of the efficacy of OBTA injections for management of primary NE. A follow up clinical trial is essential to further understand this association.

PMID:39482187 | DOI:10.1016/j.jpurol.2024.10.010

Child Abuse Negl. 2024 Oct 30:107099. doi: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2024.107099. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

RATIONALE: Most child well-being and childhood adversity research is informed by proxy informants such as parents or teachers rather than children and youth. This may be due to concerns about perceived sensitivity, challenges accessing and engaging with children in research, ethical considerations, and apprehensions about causing undue harm and distress. This study aimed to understand adolescents’ identification of, and reactions to, questions in the context of participating in a survey of well-being and adversity.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to enhance our understanding of how adolescents identify and respond to potentially upsetting questions about well-being and life experiences, including childhood adversity.

METHOD: Data were from 1002 adolescent respondents aged 14 to 17 years. The Well-being and Experiences (WE) survey assessed several domains of life, including general health and well-being and early life adversity. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, logistic regression models, and thematic analysis approaches.

RESULTS: Few adolescent respondents reported feeling upset when completing the survey (11.2 %). Among those who reported feeling upset, 92.0 % indicated that it was still important to ask those upsetting questions, and only two respondents (1.8 %) thought upsetting questions should be removed. Ten themes emerged from the adolescents’ reflections on self-reported upsetting questions, including identity and life satisfaction, motivation, mental health, and school; childhood adversity was not primarily identified.

CONCLUSIONS: Findings indicate that conducting research on well-being and childhood adversity directly with adolescents is feasible and minimally distressing. Future research should consider how to engage youth directly in research to understand better the scope and outcomes associated with childhood adversity.

PMID:39482185 | DOI:10.1016/j.chiabu.2024.107099

J Voice. 2024 Oct 30:S0892-1997(24)00344-8. doi: 10.1016/j.jvoice.2024.10.001. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to assess the feasibility of an intensive voice therapy delivered via telepractice for pediatric vocal fold nodules (VFNs).

METHOD: Ten children with VFNs (mean age = 6 years, range = 5-8 years) were recruited in this study. Assessments including stroboscopic ratings, acoustic parameters, aerodynamic and auditory perceptual measures, and parent-reported Pediatric Voice Handicap Index were administered pretreatment and within 1 week post treatment. Eight resonant voice therapy sessions were provided three times a week via a secure online platform, which were completed within 3 weeks. The assessments were conducted in a clinical face-to-face modality in China, whereas the therapy sessions were all conducted online, with the participants and their caregivers in China and the speech-language pathologist in Taiwan.

RESULTS: All participants completed the therapy sessions as scheduled, and there were no dropouts. Statistical analyses showed that significant improvements in acoustic and aerodynamic parameters, as well as stroboscopic and auditory-perceptual ratings.

CONCLUSION: This study provides positive preliminary results indicating intensive voice therapy delivered via telepractice may be feasible and effective for the pediatric VFN population. Service providers and families may consider this delivery modality for ease of access when voice therapy is recommended.

PMID:39482182 | DOI:10.1016/j.jvoice.2024.10.001

Clin Ther. 2024 Oct 30:S0149-2918(24)00290-X. doi: 10.1016/j.clinthera.2024.09.027. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is a common neurologic complication that occurs after surgery, which prolongs the hospital stay of patients to a certain extent, increases the occurrence of complications, and even leads to the patient’s death. Intravenous lidocaine can reduce perioperative inflammatory response in patients undergoing surgery, but its effect on postoperative cognitive function has not been systematically evaluated. Notably, prior findings regarding the impact of intravenous lidocaine on postoperative cognitive function have been variable. Therefore, on this basis, this study explored the effects of intravenous lidocaine on postoperative cognitive function of patients undergoing general anesthesia through a systematic review and meta-analysis.

METHODS: Pubmed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Medline, Wanfang Medical Database, China Biomedical Literature Database, and China Academic Journals Full-Text Database were searched from inception to February 2024 for relevant studies that investigated effect of intravenous lidocaine on POCD in patients undergoing general anesthesia surgery. Key data obtained from the referenced literature included the prevalence of POCD, scores from the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), and perioperative serum concentrations of neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and central nervous specific protein (S-100β) protein, serving as biomarkers for central nervous system specificity. Meta-analysis of data was performed using RevMan5.3 software. The software Trial Sequential Analysis (version 0.9) (TSA) was used to analyze high-quality literature focusing on POCD outcome indicators to explore the reliability of the results of meta-analysis.

FINDINGS: Twenty-five studies were included for quality evaluation and data analysis. The studies compared the effect of intravenous lidocaine on the incidence of POCD in patients undergoing surgery at different time points. Subgroup analysis was used to investigate the incidence of POCD at different time points. The results showed that intravenous lidocaine significantly reduced the incidence of POCD at 1, 3, 7, 9 days and 1 year after surgery compared with the control group (on the first day postoperatively: odds ratio (OR) = 0.48, 95% CI: 0.32-0.69, P < 0.001; postoperative day 3: OR = 0.42, 95% CI: 0.25-0.72, P = 0.002; postoperative day 7: OR = 0.34, 95% CI: 0.21-0.55, P < 0.001; postoperative day 9: OR = 0.32, 95% CI: 0.17-0.61, P < 0.001; 1 year postoperatively: OR = 0.39, 95% CI: 0.28-0.54, P < 0.001). The incidence of POCD in patients undergoing general anesthesia at postoperative day 1 with lidocaine was analyzed sequentially. The results showed that with the increase of the included sample size, the Z-curve still did not exceed the TSA boundary and did not reach the required information size. Fourteen studies compared MMSE scores before, 1, 2, 3, and 7 days after surgery between the 2 groups. The results showed that the MMSE score of lidocaine group was significantly higher than that of control group on the first and third postoperative day, with statistical significance (P < 0.05). Compared with the control group, the serum concentrations of neuron-specific enolase and central nervous specific protein in the lidocaine group significantly decreased postoperatively and on the first and third day postoperatively.

IMPLICATIONS: Perioperative intravenous lidocaine may improve postoperative cognitive function and reduce the incidence of POCD. However, limited to the current situation of low quality and small sample size, TSA analysis suggests the need for larger high-quality sample to confirm the accuracy of our findings.

CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: This is a systematic review, equivalent to a review, and does not require clinical trial registration. We have registered on PROSPERO.

REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42023493992.

PMID:39482176 | DOI:10.1016/j.clinthera.2024.09.027

J Pediatr Nurs. 2024 Oct 30:S0882-5963(24)00391-9. doi: 10.1016/j.pedn.2024.10.030. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: This study aimed to explore nurse perceptions of barriers and facilitators to weaning humidified high flow nasal cannula (HHFNC) in Australian paediatric settings.

DESIGN AND METHODS: A qualitative descriptive two phased study was conducted across Australia. Purposeful sampling and snowballing technique were used to recruit nurses with the study advertised widely on social media nursing groups. Phase One data collection was via a survey with open and closed ended questions, and Phase Two via semi-structured interviews. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics (Phase One) and thematic analysis (Phase One and Two) to identify themes and patterns in the narrative.

RESULTS: Phase one: 36(56.25 %) participants identified their workplace had clear guidelines, 57(89.06 %) received education on HHFNC and 34(57.63 %) experienced barriers when weaning. Three themes and nine subthemes were identified i) variable clinical process for weaning HHFNC, ii) knowledge and skills and iii) clinical observation and assessment of the child. Phase two: four themes and nine subthemes were identified, i) ‘There doesn’t seem to be any pattern’: no evidence to guide practice, ii) Nursing and medical led weaning, iii) Knowledge and skills and iv) Family centred approaches to weaning.

CONCLUSIONS: Current research on HHFNC does not consider best practice for weaning. This study identified barriers as inconsistency in weaning practice and availability of guidelines and facilitators were a robust education program and confidence in weaning. Multidisciplinary team need to collaborate to determine standardised weaning practice.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Further research is essential to determine best practice weaning methods and inform national/international guidelines.

PMID:39482166 | DOI:10.1016/j.pedn.2024.10.030

J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg. 2024 Oct 14:S1748-6815(24)00664-8. doi: 10.1016/j.bjps.2024.10.021. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: There is currently no consensus on the efficacy of operative reinnervation at the time of post-mastectomy reconstruction. This review compares postoperative sensation between innervated and non-innervated flaps in breast reconstruction through systematic review and meta-analysis.

METHODS: EMBASE, Ovid, and CENTRAL were searched from inception to December 6, 2023. The primary outcome was level of sensation postoperatively. Secondary outcomes included presence of sensation, breast-related complications, operative time, and quality of life. Meta-analysis was conducted using mean difference (MD) or standardized mean difference (SMD) for continuous outcomes and odds radio (OR) for dichotomous outcomes. Quality of evidence was appraised using RoB-2/ROBINS-I. Certainty of evidence was assessed with Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations.

RESULTS: Twenty-eight studies were included; studies were observational studies except one randomized controlled trial. Common flaps were deep inferior epigastric perforator (11/28, 39.3%) and transversus rectus abdominis muscle (9/28, 32.1%). Innervated flaps were significantly associated with improved level of postoperative sensation (SMD: -0.94, 95% CI: [-1.35; -0.53], I²: 78%, p < 0.01), presence of postoperative sensation (OR: 11.4, 95% CI: [5.09; 24.5], I²: 0%, p < 0.01), and improved postoperative BREAST-Q scores (MD: 8.11, 95% CI: [4.33; 11.89], I²: 27%, p < 0.01). However, certainty of evidence was low/very low for all outcomes. Most studies had moderate risk of bias (56.5%). There were no statistically significant differences in breast-related complications or operative time.

CONCLUSIONS: Operative reinnervation in breast reconstruction is significantly associated with improved level and presence of postoperative sensation and BREAST-Q scores without significant increase in breast-related complications/operative time. More high-quality studies are required to improve the certainty of outcomes.

PMID:39482121 | DOI:10.1016/j.bjps.2024.10.021