What do the revised UK standards of proficiency mean for diagnostic radiography training? A regional radiographer focus group study

INTRODUCTION

Revisions to the UK Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) standards of proficiency for diagnostic radiographers came into effect on September 1st 2023. Changes include an increase of proficiencies in CT and extended to MRI imaging. As workforce support the development of learners to meet stage outcomes in practice, this study aimed to understand the radiographers' expectations of future learners' training to meet the new standards of proficiency.

METHODS

Snowball sampling was used to invite practice educators/student supervisors and department leads within the 21 NHS Trusts in the North East and Yorkshire region providing diagnostic radiography practice placements. Online focus groups used a semi structured topic guide to explore the expectations of student performance during different stages of their training, and on different types of pre-registration programmes. Participants views were sought on considerations for appropriate assessment. Thematic analysis was supported by NVivo software.

RESULTS

Fifteen diagnostic radiographers across 11 NHS trusts participated in 5 focus groups in November 2022. The findings showed consistency in expectations of student performance in projectional radiography, patient care and communication. Participants felt some standards of proficiency were beyond threshold competency, or current practices were a barrier in supporting learning. Participants felt assessment over a period and range of examinations in the clinical environment gave a fairer picture of student performance.

CONCLUSION

There is uncertainty and perceived barriers in supporting future diagnostic radiography training in the practice setting.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

Further work will be needed to identify and support appropriate learning opportunities and stage outcomes if learners are to meet the breadth of HCPC standards of proficiency with some consistency.

1251 FRAILTY PREVALENCE AND RISK OF SARCOPENIA IN OLDER HEART FAILURE (HF) INPATIENTS

Introduction

Both frailty and HF are common in the elderly population. Elderly HF patients have an increased risk of frailty and elderly frail patients are at a higher risk of developing HF. Frailty is an independent predictor of mortality in cardiovascular disease. Sarcopenia (defined as decreased muscle mass and muscle strength and/or performance) is also prevalent in HF patients and may progress to cardiac cachexia. HF may induce sarcopenia and sarcopenia may contribute to the poor prognosis of HF.

Aims

Methods

A cross-sectional, retrospective analysis of consecutive patients, 60 years and over, admitted with HF to a UK hospital. Data was manually extracted from anonymized electronic records. The Rockwood Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) was used for assessment for frailty and the SARC-F tool was used for screening for sarcopenia. Patients with medical history of HF but did not present with decompensated HF were excluded. Also, patients with incomplete data were excluded. The IBM SPSS 28 statistical package was used for statistical analysis. Descriptive statistics and risk estimates were calculated.

Results

163 patients were analysed; 82 males and 81 females. The mean age was 81.4 years (SD 9.69). 71.5 % of patients were frail while 28.5 % were non-frail. The risk of sarcopenia was 10.9 times greater in the frail than in the non-frail patients (OR = 10.9; 95% C.I 4.85 – 24.67). There was a lower risk of sarcopenia in male patients than in the female patients (OR =0.45; 95% C.I 0.22 – 0.94).

Conclusions

Frailty is prevalent in older heart failure inpatients. It significantly increases the risk of sarcopenia in these patients. Women are at higher risk of sarcopenia than men. More research is needed into frailty and sarcopenia in.

1242 CO-MORBIDITY, FRAILTY AND EJECTION FRACTION IN OLDER HEART FAILURE INPATIENTS

Introduction

Co-morbidities and frailty are common in older heart failure patients. The aim of this study is to explore the relationship between co-morbidity, frailty and ejection fraction (EF) in older heart failure inpatients

Methods

A cross-sectional, observational, retrospective analysis of consecutive patients aged 60 years and over who were admitted with heart failure in a UK hospital. Patients with incomplete data were excluded. The Carlson’s comorbidity index (CCI) was used to compute comorbidity and the Rockwood Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) was used to measure frailty. The EF was calculated as the midpoint of the ranges measured by echocardiography. IBM SPSS 28 software was used for statistical analysis. Descriptive statistics were used to measure baseline characteristics and Pearson’s correlation coefficient and linear regression were used to calculate correlation.

Results and discussion

101 patients were analysed; 48 males and 53 females. Mean age was 81.2 years(SD 9.98). Mean CCI was 6.97(SD 1.63) and mean CFS was 5.09(SD 1.14). There was statistically significant positive correlation between CCI and CFS (r= 0.232; p= .01). There was statistically significant inverse correlation between CCI and EF (r= -.277; p=. 005). When taking into account the level of frailty the correlation between CCI and EF was much stronger in non-frail than in frail patients (r= -.612; p=. 035 and r= -.216; p= .047 respectively). There was no correlation between CFS and EF (r= .095; p=.26). This was not surprising as HFpEF is the most common type of HF in the elderly. HFpEF patients are more likely to have more comorbidities and to be more frail compared to HFrEF patients.

Conclusion

There was a positive correlation between multi-morbidity and frailty in older inpatients admitted with heart failure. There was statistically significant inverse correlation between CCI and ejection fraction but there was no correlation between frailty and ejection.

Short-term outcomes of patients transferred from non-acute care centers with sick sinus syndrome

Background

Non-acute care centers, such as nursing homes and urgent care clinics, are a staple of healthcare systems worldwide. The short-term prognostic outcomes of patients transferred from a non-acute care center to an acute healthcare facility for further management have been less studied.

Purpose

In this study, we examine the in-hospital outcomes of patients with sick sinus syndrome who are transferred to an acute care hospital from a non-acute care center.

Methods

This was a retrospective cohort study comparing adult patients who were transferred to a hospital from a non-acute center with regular, non-transferred hospital admissions between 2016 to 2018. We queried the National Inpatient Sample database to identify patients admitted with a principal diagnosis of sick sinus syndrome. We analyzed the categorical and continuous variables by Pearson's chi-squared and Student t-test respectively. Multivariable logistic regression, adjusted for age, gender and comorbidities was used to compare mortality. The comorbidities adjusted for included atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, first and third-degree atrioventricular block, heart failure, hypertension, obstructive sleep apnea and type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Results

120,300 patients met our inclusion criteria. Patients transferred from non-acute care centers had 2.63 times higher odds of suffering in-hospital mortality compared to regular hospital admissions (aOR 2.63, 95% CI: 1.54–4.49; p<0.001). When separated by race, non-acute care transfers had higher mortality rates amongst Asian (6.9% vs 0.7%, p<0.001), Hispanic (4.8% vs 0.8%, p<0.001) and White (1.8% vs 0.6%, p<0.001, Figure 1) patients as well as longer hospital stays (4.7 vs 4.0 days, p<0.001, Table 1). Furthermore, these patients had higher rates of comorbidities such as atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, heart failure and chronic kidney disease, but decreased rates of hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus and first and third-degree atrioventricular block (Table 1). Non-acute care transfers were also more likely to have a pacemaker placed (1.5% vs 0.9%, p<0.001). In terms of operative complications, non-acute transfers were more likely to have intraoperative cardiac arrest (0.1% vs 0.03%, p<0.005, Table 1). There was no significant difference between our two cohorts in postoperative complications such as cardiac arrest and intracerebral infarction.

Conclusion

Patients who were transferred to an acute care hospital from a non-acute care center with sick sinus syndrome had higher odds of suffering in-hospital mortality compared to regular hospital admissions. These patients were also at increased risk of intraoperative cardiac arrest. Our findings illustrate that non-acute care transfers require additional support in the acute care setting. This study highlights the need for further health policy discussion and an increased emphasis on medical resource reallocation to support this vulnerable population.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: None.

Impact of transfer status on coronary artery bypass graft surgery outcomes

Background

There is limited research on how patients fare when they are transferred from one acute care center to another acute care facility for further management.

Purpose

In this study, we explore the short-term, in-hospital outcomes of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery who were transferred to acute care hospitals from other acute care centers.

Methods

This was a retrospective cohort study comparing adult patients who were transferred to the hospital from other acute centers with non-transferred hospital admissions between 2016 to 2018. We queried the National Inpatient Sample database to identify patients admitted with a principal procedural diagnosis of CABG. We analyzed the categorical and continuous variables by Pearson's chi-squared and Student t-test respectively. Multivariable logistic regression, adjusted for age, gender, hospital bed size, hospital location and comorbidities, was used to compare mortality. The comorbidities adjusted for included atrial fibrillation, chronic kidney disease, heart failure, hypertension, obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Results

379,195 patients met our inclusion criteria. CABG patients transferred from acute care centers had 1.34 times higher odds of suffering in-hospital mortality compared to regular hospital admissions (aOR 1.34, 95% CI: 1.17–1.52; p<0.001). When separated by race, acute care transfers had higher mortality rates amongst White patients (2.2% vs 1.4%, p<0.001, Figure 1) as well as longer hospital stays (10.9 vs 8.8 days, p<0.001, Table 1). Acute care transfers consisted of more female patients, had higher average APR-DRG mortality scores and lower median household income (Table 1). These patients also had higher rates of comorbidities such as congestive heart failure and chronic kidney disease, but decreased rates of atrial fibrillation, hypertension, obesity, prior myocardial infarction and type 2 diabetes mellitus (Table 1). In terms of operative complications, acute care transfers were more likely to have intraoperative cardiac arrest (0.2% vs 0.1%, p<0.001) and postoperative cardiac insufficiency (0.2% vs 0.1%, p<0.001, Table 1). There was no significant difference between our two cohorts in postoperative complications such as cardiac arrest, intracerebral infarction or heart failure.

Conclusion

Patients who were transferred to acute care hospitals from other acute care centers to undergo CABG had higher odds of suffering in-hospital mortality compared to regular hospital admissions. These patients were also at increased risk of intraoperative cardiac arrest and postoperative cardiac insufficiency. Our findings illustrate that acute care transfers undergoing CABG require additional medical support in the operative and postoperative setting. While additional studies are required to better understand this relationship, this study highlights the need for innovative clinical change to address these differences moving forward.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: None.

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement in patients with a concomitant aortic aneurysm

Background

Although there is extensive literature present on transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), there is limited data on TAVR patients with a concomitant aortic aneurysm.

Purpose

In this study, we investigate the short-term, in-hospital outcomes of patients undergoing TAVR with and without an aortic aneurysm.

Methods

This was a retrospective cohort study comparing adult patients undergoing TAVR with and without an aortic aneurysm from 2016 to 2018. We queried the National Inpatient Sample database to identify patients admitted for a principal procedure of TAVR, principal diagnosis of aortic stenosis and secondary diagnosis of aortic aneurysm. We analyzed the categorical and continuous variables by Pearson's chi-squared and Student t-test respectively. Multivariable logistic regression, adjusted for age, gender and comorbidities, was used to compare mortality. The comorbidities adjusted for included coronary artery disease, chronic kidney disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, hypertension, obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Results

109,170 patients met our inclusion criteria. Patients undergoing TAVR with an aortic aneurysm had 1.97 times higher odds of suffering in-hospital mortality compared to TAVR patients without an aortic aneurysm (aOR 1.97, 95% CI: 1.05–3.73; p=0.036). When separated by race, patients with an aortic aneurysm had higher mortality rates amongst White (3.4% vs 1.7%, p<0.001) and Hispanic (5.2% vs 2.6%, p=0.11, Figure 1) patients. TAVR patients with an aortic aneurysm were predominantly male and had higher average Charlson Comorbidity Index scores (Table 1). Furthermore, these patients also had higher rates of comorbidities such as coronary artery disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and prior myocardial infarction, but decreased rates of chronic kidney disease, hypertension, obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (Table 1). In terms of operative complications, TAVR patients with an aortic aneurysm were more likely to have intraoperative cardiac arrest (1.1% vs 0.4%, p<0.001, Table 1). There was no significant difference between our two cohorts in postoperative cardiac arrest and postoperative cerebral infarction.

Conclusion

Patients undergoing TAVR with an aortic aneurysm had higher odds of suffering in-hospital mortality compared to patients undergoing TAVR without an aortic aneurysm. These patients are also at an increased risk of intraoperative cardiac arrest. Surgical intervention with a concomitant aortic aneurysm poses its own unique set of clinical challenges. Our findings emphasize the importance of risk-benefit analysis and collaborative discussion amongst the medical team prior to choosing the appropriate treatment modality. Additional studies should explore if certain races are at increased risk of operative complications and mortality.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: None.

P-335 How to define recurrent implantation failure and when to start investigating the endometrium? Lessons from three years’ experience in a dedicated unit

Study question

Should we always define recurrent implantation failure (RIF) after three unsuccessful transfers and only then start investigating the endometrium?

Summary answer

Endometrial investigations can be beneficial for patients with RIF. However, waiting for three previous failures before instituting assessment might not be appropriate in every situation.

What is known already

The definition of unexplained recurrent implantation failure (RIF) continues to be debated. This usually implies a lack of embryo implantation after the transfer of three good quality blastocysts on an apparently responsive and anatomically normal endometrium. To deal with this frustrating and distressing situation for both the patient and the clinician, additional empirical interventions are often blindly used. This approach may exacerbate rather than ameliorate any underlying aetiology. There is a need therefore to base interventions on diagnostic rationale wherever possible.

Study design, size, duration

In order to base advice and any interventions for RIF on diagnostic rationale, we created a referral unit dedicated to the investigation and treatment of patients meeting the traditional criteria for RIF. Over three years, 395 patients were referred to this unit and 237 completed their investigations. Here we present the clinical outcomes and insights obtained over these three years.

Participants/materials, setting, methods

Blood sampling for serum progesterone level and endometrial pipelle biopsy were performed after five days of luteal support in a standardised substituted cycle. The samples underwent dating by gene expression (ERA test) and immune assessment describing the recruitment and activation of the uterine Natural Killer cells (MLI test, Matrice Lab Innove). A personalised treatment plan was thus derived and suggested to the referring clinician. The outcomes after the subsequent personalised single embryo transfer were monitored.

Main results and the role of chance

The patients referred had an average of 4.3 previous good quality blastocysts transferred in the past. 58% of the referred patients had used their own eggs, including 49% after conventional IVF or ICSI, and 9% after using PGT-A. 42% of the referred patients had used donor eggs. To date, 237 patients completed their endometrial assessment. 92% of the tested patients revealed at least one disrupted endometrial marker. With the subsequent personalised single embryo transfer, an implantation rate of 58% was observed. The ongoing pregnancy rate at 12 weeks was reported at 39%.

Limitations, reasons for caution

While confirmatory prospective controlled studies are required, these data indicate that more targeted rather than blind usage of simple known therapeutics could be beneficial for patients experiencing RIF. The clinical context these referred was highly variable, including patients undergoing PGT-A and egg donation.

Wider implications of the findings

Given the higher implantation rates to be expected in some groups, waiting for at least three embryos to fail before investigating the endometrium may be inappropriate and underlie the relatively high miscarriage rate observed. The investigation of implantation failure should be driven by context rather than arbitrary definition.

Trial registration number

Not Applicable

A call for citizen science in pandemic preparedness and response: beyond data collection

The COVID-19 pandemic has underlined the need to partner with the community in pandemic preparedness and response in order to enable trust-building among stakeholders, which is key in pandemic management. Citizen science, defined here as a practice of public participation and collaboration in all aspects of scientific research to increase knowledge and build trust with governments and researchers, is a crucial approach to promoting community engagement. By harnessing the potential of digitally enabled citizen science, one could translate data into accessible, comprehensible and actionable outputs at the population level. The application of citizen science in health has grown over the years, but most of these approaches remain at the level of participatory data collection. This narrative review examines citizen science approaches in participatory data generation, modelling and visualisation, and calls for truly participatory and co-creation approaches across all domains of pandemic preparedness and response. Further research is needed to identify approaches that optimally generate short-term and long-term value for communities participating in population health. Feasible, sustainable and contextualised citizen science approaches that meaningfully engage affected communities for the long-term will need to be inclusive of all populations and their cultures, comprehensive of all domains, digitally enabled and viewed as a key component to allow trust-building among the stakeholders. The impact of COVID-19 on people’s lives has created an opportune time to advance people’s agency in science, particularly in pandemic preparedness and response.

In-hospital predictors of 60-day readmission in COVID-19 patients

Introduction

Preventing hospital readmissions can improve a patient's quality of life and decrease healthcare costs. While prior work has focused on pre-existing comorbidities to predict COVID-19 readmissions, the prognostic role of in-hospital data and complications has been less studied.

Methods

Data was collected on adult patients diagnosed with COVID-19 and admitted to a multicenter hospital system in Illinois between March and November 2020. Our cohort consisted of COVID-19 hospitalization survivors excluding those discharged to hospice care. Major adverse events (MAEs) were defined as venous thromboembolism (VTE), myocardial injury (troponin greater than upper limit of normal), stroke, new requirement for renal replacement therapy (RRT), life-threatening arrhythmia, or acute heart failure exacerbation. The primary outcome was readmission within 60 days of initial hospitalization.

Results

From the 1406 survivors of the index hospitalization, 223 (15.9%) patients were readmitted within 60 days. Those readmitted were older and more likely to have underlying comorbidities including atrial fibrillation, coronary artery disease, and hypertension (Table 1). Length of stay between the readmission and non-readmission groups was trending towards statistical significance (10.52 days vs 8.95 days, p=0.053).

Those with one or more MAE during their index hospitalization, when adjusted for age and body mass index, were at an increased risk of readmission (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.90, p<0.01). Readmitted patients were more likely to have VTE during their index hospitalization than those not readmitted (7.2% vs 3.7%, p<0.05). The incidence of new RRT (4.9% vs 2.5%, p=0.083) and myocardial injury (3.6% vs 1.5%, p=0.067) between the groups was also trending towards statistical significance (Table 1). No statistical difference was present between the other individual MAEs; however, this is limited by small sample sizes of certain MAEs. Of the 322 patients with echocardiography during the index admission, 82 (25.5%) were readmitted. In this cohort, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) that was reduced (LVEF <50%) or hyperdynamic (LVEF >65%) was not a statistically significant predictor of readmission (Figure 1).

Lastly, discharge disposition was predictive of readmission as those being sent to acute rehab (OR 2.04, p<0.01), long-term acute care (OR 2.58, p<0.01), or skilled nursing facility (OR 2.67, p<0.001) were at higher risk compared to those who were discharged to home (Figure 1).

Conclusion

In this cohort, the occurrence of any MAE during index COVID-19 hospitalization, particularly VTE, RRT, and myocardial injury, can be used to predict 60-day readmission. Furthermore, discharge disposition, but not LVEF, demonstrated prognostic value in our cohort. Identifying high risk patients prior to discharge helps health care providers focus resources on patients most likely to be readmitted.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: None.

Development and validation of circulating tumour cell enumeration (Epic Sciences) as a prognostic biomarker in men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer

PURPOSE

To evaluate the prognostic significance of circulating tumour cell (CTC) number determined on the Epic Sciences platform in men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) treated with an androgen receptor signalling inhibitor (ARSI).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A pre-treatment blood sample was collected from men with progressing mCRPC starting either abiraterone or enzalutamide as a first-, second- or third-line systemic therapy at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (Discovery cohort, N = 171) or as a first- or second-line therapy as part of the multicenter PROPHECY trial (NCT02269982) (Validation cohort, N = 107). The measured CTC number was then associated with overall survival (OS) in the Discovery cohort, and progression-free survival (PFS) and OS in the Validation cohort. CTC enumeration was also performed on a concurrently obtained blood sample using the CellSearch® Circulating Tumor Cell Kit.

RESULTS

In the MSKCC Discovery cohort, CTC count was a statistically significant prognostic factor of OS as a dichotomous (<3 CTCs/mL versus ≥ 3 CTCs/mL; hazard ratio [HR] = 1.8 [95% confidence interval {CI} 1.3-3.0]) and a continuous variable when adjusting for line of therapy, presence of visceral metastases, prostate-specific antigen, lactate dehydrogenase and alkaline phosphatase. The findings were validated in an independent datas et from PROPHECY (HR [95% CI] = 1.8 [1.1-3.0] for OS and 1.7 [1.1-2.9] for PFS). A strong correlation was also observed between CTC counts determined in matched samples on the CellSearch® and Epic platforms (r = 0.84).

CONCLUSION

The findings validate the prognostic significance of pretreatment CTC number determined on the Epic Sciences platform for predicting OS in men with progressing mCRPC starting an ARSI.

Borges and the art of forgetting

Introduction

In 2005 Elizabeth Parker and fellow researchers described the first case of Hyperthymestic Syndrome, a woman going by initials AJ. Thereafter, a handful more of such cases have emerged. Older descriptions of extraordinary memory in medical literature mainly considered semantic and working memories. Jorge Luis Borges in his 1930s short story ‘Funes, his Memory’ writes about his, presumably fictitious, encounter with a man named Ireno Funes who possessed an extraordinary memory and a knack for keeping track of briefest of passing moment. Among many qualities that Funes and AJ share are their extraordinary memories, obsession for keeping track of time, and their problems with abstraction. After describing his extraordinary memory, Borges says of Funes, ‘I suspect nevertheless, that he was not very good at thinking. To think is to ignore (or forget) differences, to generalize, to abstract.’ Similarly, AJ has been described to have impaired abstraction, hypothesis formation and conceptual shifting. Moreover, both Funes and AJ see their capability as a burden rather than a gift. “My memory, sir, is like a garbage heap.” Says Funes.

Objectives

A brief exploration of Jorge Luis Borges’ works in the context of autobiographical memory.

Methods

The comparisons between Borges’ description of his character’s autobiographical memory and findings of modern research techniques will be done qualitatively.

Results

Effort is made to undersatnd Borges philosophy in context of mordern memory research.

Conclusions

An in depth look into Borges’ philosohies linking perception of time, coding of memory, abstration and language can inform further line of research regarding autobiographical memory.

Disclosure

No significant relationships.

Relationship between online cognition and personality traits: A questionnaire based study of medical college students

Introduction

Current classification systems are not sure where to place the internet use disorder. Is it an addiction, an impulse control disorder, a consequence of another psychiatric morbidity or a consequence of personality trait/personality disorder?

Objectives

We intended to study which personality traits associated with online cognition may contribute towards Problematic internet use(PIU). We also analysed the relationship between number of hours of use/week of internet and PIU along with its relation with two ‘screening’ questions.

Methods

Online cognition scale and Abbreviated Eysenck Personality questionnaires were our measurements of choice in addition to demographic measures and some questions pertaining to online behaviour patterns.

Results

Total 163 responses were analysed. The demographic pools consisted mostly of young adults who had, on average, used the internet for 5.2 years at present rate of 21.81hours/week. We observed significantly higher mean OCS scores in men, in people who thought that the internet interfered with their lives and in those who felt the need to ‘cut-down’. A moderate positive and significant correlation was observed between hpurs/week of internet use and OCS scores. Also, significant positive correlation was observed between Neuroticism and OCS, impulsivity, and loneliness/depression scores. Significant negative correlations were observed between the Lie trait and impulse control. Neuroticism and Lie together contributed to 21.8% of variance in OCS scores.

Conclusions

Neuroticism and Lie traits (representing need for social acceptance) were found to the causing significamn varience in the OCS scores of the subjects. High number of hours/week use of internet was related to the feeling of ‘need to cut down use’.

Sexual fantasies, subjective satisfaction and quality of sexual life in patients of sexual dysfunction: A comparative study

Introduction

Exploring the ways in which sexual fantasies may affect sexual experience and satisfaction is of relavence in the clinical setting involving sexual dysfuntion.

Objectives

To observe how the sexual fantasy scores differ in their relationship with sexual satisfaction, experience and quality between sexual dysfunction cases and normal controls.

Methods

Scales included: Wilson’s sex fantasy questionnaire (WSFQ), Arizona Sexual Experience Scale (ASEX), Sexual Quality of life Questionnaire (SQoL), and a subjective sexual satisfaction meter. Differences in resposes of both groups on WSFQ (item-wise and domain-wise) were analysed using T-tests. Two-way ANOVA was applied to see how other scales affected sexual fantasy.

Results

Cases scored significantly higher on ASEX scale, and low on satisfaction, SQoL and WSFQ

	Cases N=1OO	Controls N=100	t-test
Satisfaction Mean(sd)	4.27(1.85)	7.82(1.31)	t=3.052;df=198,p=0.0026
Asex	17.52(4.73)	8.28(1.34)	t=15.24;df=198,p<0.0001
SQoL	29.41(12.12)	49.5(6.67)	t=14.52;df=198,p<0.0001
WSFQ	26.80(17.61)	30.59(15.32)	t=1.62,df=98,p=0.106

Majority of WSFQ responses, both in cases and controls, fell in the intimate and impersonal domains. Sexual fantasy scores and sexual satisfaction had a strong positive and significant correlation in controls but no linear correlation in the case-subjects. sexual fantasy scores contributed to 5.7% of difference in the scores of SQoL between groups. Major variance in scores of satisfaction in our subjects depended on presence or absence of sexual dysfunction(46.5%)but sexual fantasies also contributed to 8.8% of the variance.

Conclusions

The study showed that fantasies contribute to positive sexual outcomes only in absence of sexual dysfunction. ANOVAanalysis revealed that in case-subjects sexual satisfaction briefly increases initially with increase in fantasy scores but starts to decline as fantasies increase.

Disclosure

No significant relationships.

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Elevated serum creatinine in the context of HIV - who is the culprit? Over-the-counter supplements vs. antiretrovirals

We present a case of a 53-year-old male living with well-controlled HIV who, as part of routine monitoring, was noted to have an unexpected decline in renal function. His antiretrovirals were switched accordingly. It subsequently transpired that he had recently started taking creatine supplements in order to build muscle mass. He underwent specialist renal review and further investigation with a chromium-labelled scan which revealed his renal function was, in fact, stable. He continues under renal and HIV follow-up. It is now more widely recognised that creatine can affect renal function, and result in difficulty in interpretation of traditional renal blood tests. However, the further investigations that may be undertaken in such settings and HIV treatment considerations are not as widely reported. This case serves as a reminder to ensure over-the-counter and herbal supplements are part of routine questioning in HIV clinics, and outlines the specialist investigations that may be undertaken in cases of apparent renal decline.

Perioperative intravenous contrast administration and the incidence of acute kidney injury after major gastrointestinal surgery: prospective, multicentre cohort study

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to determine the impact of preoperative exposure to intravenous contrast for CT and the risk of developing postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI) in patients undergoing major gastrointestinal surgery.

METHODS

This prospective, multicentre cohort study included adults undergoing gastrointestinal resection, stoma reversal or liver resection. Both elective and emergency procedures were included. Preoperative exposure to intravenous contrast was defined as exposure to contrast administered for the purposes of CT up to 7 days before surgery. The primary endpoint was the rate of AKI within 7 days. Propensity score-matched models were adjusted for patient, disease and operative variables. In a sensitivity analysis, a propensity score-matched model explored the association between preoperative exposure to contrast and AKI in the first 48 h after surgery.

RESULTS

A total of 5378 patients were included across 173 centres. Overall, 1249 patients (23·2 per cent) received intravenous contrast. The overall rate of AKI within 7 days of surgery was 13·4 per cent (718 of 5378). In the propensity score-matched model, preoperative exposure to contrast was not associated with AKI within 7 days (odds ratio (OR) 0·95, 95 per cent c.i. 0·73 to 1·21; P = 0·669). The sensitivity analysis showed no association between preoperative contrast administration and AKI within 48 h after operation (OR 1·09, 0·84 to 1·41; P = 0·498).

CONCLUSION

There was no association between preoperative intravenous contrast administered for CT up to 7 days before surgery and postoperative AKI. Risk of contrast-induced nephropathy should not be used as a reason to avoid contrast-enhanced CT.

Pure red cell aplasia and seronegative myasthenia gravis in association with thymoma

Pure red cell aplasia is an uncommon paraneoplastic syndrome of thymoma. Myasthenia gravis is the most common paraneoplastic syndrome associated with thymoma. We present a case of a 79-year-old Pacific Islander female who presented with profound fatigue, generalized weakness, significant unintentional weight loss, bilateral ptosis, and anemia. The bone marrow biopsy showed near absence of erythroid elements consistent with pure red cell aplasia. Ice-pack test was consistent with myasthenia gravis and computed tomography of the chest demonstrated a thymoma. The patient was started on immunosuppressive treatment with prednisone and cyclosporine. This case demonstrates a rare combination of paraneoplastic manifestations of thymoma: pure red cell aplasia and myasthenia gravis.

Prevalence of mental health conditions amongst people living with human immunodeficiency virus in one of the most deprived localities in England

Mental health conditions (MHCs) are often unrecognised which can result in detrimental physical health outcomes and poor quality of life. This can be compounded by the impact of deprivation. People living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLWH) are more likely to be affected by MHCs which if untreated, may result in both clinical and psychosocial adversities. To ascertain the prevalence of and factors associated with MHCs in the human immunodeficiency virus cohort of Stoke-on-Trent, which is the 13th most deprived locality in England, we conducted a cross-sectional service evaluation using electronic records of 302 PLWH attending the service between October 2018 and January 2019. The prevalence of MHCs amongst PLWH was 33.4% (101/302). Depression was the most prevalent MHC affecting 17.2% (52/302). Those of white ethnicity were at higher risk (odds ratio [OR] = 3.14; p < 0.01) of MHCs compared to black Asian and minority ethnic groups. Women were at higher risk of having an MHC (OR = 3.15; p < 0.01), and recreational drug use was also a significant factor (OR = 16.18; p = 0.01) associated with MHCs. There is sub-optimal access and heterogeneity in the modes of referral to mental health support services. Commissioning constraints will further detrimentally affect our ability to provide support in an already deprived area, thus widening health inequalities affecting the most vulnerable.

Exploration of a New Source of Sustainable Nanomaterial from the Koh-e-Suleiman Mountain Range of Pakistan for Industrial Applications

The present study aimed to explore a new source of montmorillonite and to develop an extraction and purification protocol for its isolation from raw clay samples acquired from the Koh-e-Suleiman mountain range in Pakistan. The process involved the collection of raw clay from the source, identification and quantification of montmorillonite. Granulometric extraction and purification protocols increased the montmorillonite content from 21.8-25.1% in the raw clay to 90.1-93.9% after small-scale extraction and 85.33-89.33% on a larger scale. A techno-economic analysis highlighted the practicality and economic benefits of large-scale extraction for industrial applications. This study highlights the existence of a substantial new source of this valuable clay which is currently used across multiple industries including construction, pottery making, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and engineering. It is intuitively expected that the large-scale extraction of the material will improve the economic condition of the region by providing employment opportunities to locals and may be a valuable resource for export.

Life-threatening hemorrhage from acquired hemophilia A as a presenting manifestation of prostate cancer

Acquired factor VIII deficiency (acquired hemophilia A) is a rare condition characterized by the acquisition of autoantibodies that affect the clotting activity of factor VIII (fVIII). The most common manifestation in affected patients is a hemorrhagic diathesis. This disorder is associated with autoimmune diseases, pregnancy, postpartum period, drugs, and malignancy. Management of this condition begins with attempts to arrest an acute bleed based on the site and severity of bleeding and inhibitor titer. The next priority is eradication of the fVIII antibodies using immunosuppressive therapies. We report the case of a 66-year-old male who presented with spontaneous right thigh hematoma with prolonged activated partial prothrombin time and normal prothrombin time. Mixing studies confirmed the presence of an inhibitor. Further investigation for the underlying etiology of acquired hemophilia A leads to diagnosis of prostate cancer. Treatment consisted of bypassing agents including activated factor VII and activated prothrombin plasma concentrate to arrest the bleeding. Steroids and cyclophosphamide were added to suppress the fVIII inhibitors. Concomitant treatment of locally advanced prostate cancer with chemotherapy confirmed the eradication of the inhibitors. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of prostate cancer diagnosed and treated simultaneously with acquired hemophilia A resulting in favorable patient outcome.

Phase 3, open-label, randomized study of the pharmacokinetics, efficacy and safety of ixekizumab following subcutaneous administration using a prefilled syringe or an autoinjector in patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis (UNCOVER-A)

Background

The efficacy of ixekizumab, an anti‐interleukin‐17A (anti‐IL‐17A) monoclonal IgG4 antibody, was demonstrated in moderate‐to‐severe psoriasis patients when administered via prefilled syringe (PFS).

Objective

To evaluate the effect of two drug delivery devices on the pharmacokinetics (PK) of ixekizumab as well as efficacy and safety with both devices.

Methods

In the first 12 weeks of an open‐label, phase 3 study, moderate‐to‐severe psoriasis patients were randomized to ixekizumab delivery via PFS or autoinjector device. Randomization was stratified by weight (<80 kg, 80–100 kg, >100 kg), injection assistance (yes/no) and injection site (arm, thigh or abdomen). Following a 160‐mg initial dose at week 0, patients received subcutaneous 80‐mg ixekizumab as a single injection every 2 weeks for 12 weeks. Blood samples were collected following the initial 160‐mg dose on days 2, 4, 7, 10 and 14 for PK analysis. Primary PK parameters were maximum concentration (C_max) and area under the curve (AUC_0‐tlast) where t_last is the time of last sample (14 days ± 24 h). Efficacy was assessed by percent improvement on the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) at week 12. Adverse event reporting, vital signs and clinical laboratory data were used to evaluate safety.

Results

Of 204 randomized patients, 192 were included in the PK analysis (PFS: 94; autoinjector: 98). The PFS and autoinjector showed similar geometric mean C_max (90% CI) [15.0 μg/mL (13.9–16.1) vs. 14.8 μg/mL (13.8–15.9)] and geometric mean AUC_0‐tlast (90% CI) [157 μg × day/mL (147–168) vs. 154 μg × day/mL (144–165)]. When comparing C_max and AUC_0‐tlast of the autoinjector to PFS, the geometric LS mean ratios were 0.97. At week 12, mean percent PASI improvement (via modified baseline observation carried forward) was similar with the PFS (89.3%) and autoinjector (86.9%). Both devices had safety results that were consistent with the known safety profile of ixekizumab.

Conclusion

The PK, efficacy and safety of ixekizumab administered subcutaneously by PFS and autoinjector were similar.

Clinicaltrials.gov number: NCT01777191 https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01777191