Predicting aggressive behavior in psychiatric patients in emergency department: A systematic literature review

INTRODUCTION

Aggression and violence are major concerns in emergency departments (EDs), and have negative consequences for patient and staff health and safety. Few validated tools exist for identifying patients at risk of agitation. This study conducted a systematic literature review to identify and summarize the scores that predict aggressive behavior in EDs.

METHODS

The search included articles published between Jan 1st, 1987, and Dec 31st, 2022, using the terms "aggress*," "violent*," "emergency," "acute," "score," or "scale."

RESULTS

Ten scores were found to be relevant, with eight of the developed scores intended for use in EDs. The Aggressive Behavior Risk Assessment Tool (ABRAT) was found to be sensitive (84.3%) and specific (95.3%). The Brøset Violence Checklist (BVC) was highly specific (99.4%), whereas the Violence Screening Checklist (VSC) was less sensitive (57.2%) and specific (45.7%). The violence and aggression (OVA)/BVC checklist was found to significantly decrease the number of security call activations (P < 0.001). The Behavioral Activity Rating Scale (BARS) and OVA/BVC scores were the shortest, with seven and six items, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The OVA/BVC checklist is a valuable tool for predicting and preventing violence in the EDs. Future prospective studies should investigate its effectiveness.

Hyperkalemia and Electrocardiogram Manifestations in End-Stage Renal Disease

Hyperkalemia is one of the more common acute life-threatening metabolic emergencies. The aim of our study is to determine the correlation and accuracy of abnormal ECG parameters as a function of serum potassium concentration in the end-stage renal disease (ESRD) population. We performed a retrospective chart review of emergency department patients presenting with ESRD and receiving emergent hemodialysis treatment. A total of 96 patients, each with five independent ED visits, provided 480 sets of ECGs and electrolytes. Of these, four ECGs were excluded for inability to interpret, leaving a total of 476 patient encounters that met all inclusion criteria. Linear regression analysis on the limited data set for serum potassium versus T/R in V2, V3, and V4, PR, and QRS found weak correlations (r2 = 0.02 to 0.12) with statistical significance <0.05 level for T/R in V2, V3, and V4. In summary, we found that a QRS duration of 120 ms or greater is most predictive of hyperkalemia in the ESRD population. On the other hand, T/R ratio, PR interval and QRS duration have poor correlations with serum potassium and are not predictive of hyperkalemia in patients with ESRD.

Boosted selective internal radiation therapy with 90Y-loaded glass microspheres (B-SIRT) for hepatocellular carcinoma patients: a new personalized promising concept

PURPOSE

To evaluate the impact of dosimetry based on MAA SPECT/CT for the prediction of response, toxicity and survival, and for treatment planning in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treated with (90)Y-loaded glass microspheres (TheraSphere®).

METHODS

TheraSphere® was administered to 71 patients with inoperable HCC. MAA SPECT/CT quantitative analysis was used for the calculation of the tumour dose (TD), healthy injected liver dose (HILD), and total injected liver dose. Response was evaluated at 3 months using EASL criteria. Time to progression (TTP) and overall survival (OS) were evaluated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Factors potentially associated with liver toxicity were combined to construct a liver toxicity score (LTS).

RESULTS

The response rate was 78.8%. Median TD were 342 Gy for responding lesions and 191 Gy for nonresponding lesions (p < 0.001). With a threshold TD of 205 Gy, MAA SPECT/CT predicted response with a sensitivity of 100% and overall accuracy of 90%. Based on TD and HILD, 17 patients underwent treatment intensification resulting in a good response rate (76.4%), without increased grade III liver toxicity. The median TTP and OS were 5.5 months (2-9.5 months) and 11.5 months (2-31 months), respectively, in patients with TD <205 Gy and 13 months (10-16 months) and 23.2 months (17.5-28.5 months), respectively, in those with TD >205 Gy (p = 0.0015 and not significant). Among patients with portal vein thrombosis (PVT) (n = 33), the median TTP and OS were 4.5 months (2-7 months) and 5 months (2-8 months), respectively, in patients with TD <205 Gy and 10 months (6-15.2 months) and 21.5 months (12-28.5 months), respectively, in those with TD >205 Gy (p = 0.039 and 0.005). The median OS was 24.5 months (18-28.5 months) in PVT patients with TD >205 Gy and good PVT targeting on MAA SPECT/CT. The LTS was able to detect severe liver toxicity (n = 6) with a sensitivity of 83% and overall accuracy of 97%.

CONCLUSION

Dosimetry based on MAA SPECT/CT was able to accurately predict response and survival in patients treated with glass microspheres. This method can be used to adapt the injected activity without increasing liver toxicity, thus defining a new concept of boosted selective internal radiation therapy (B-SIRT). This new concept and LTS enable fully personalized treatment planning with glass microspheres to be achieved.

[Ultrasonographic evaluation of the uterine cervix length remaining after LOOP-excision]

OBJECTIVES

To assess whether there is a correlation between the length of a conization specimen and the length of the cervix measured by vaginal ultrasonography after the operation

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Prospective observational study including patients less than 45 years with measurement of cervical length before and the day of the conization, and measuring the histological length of the specimen.

RESULTS

Among the 40 patients enrolled, the average ultrasound measurements before conization was 26.9 mm (± 4.9 mm) against 18.1mm (± 4.4mm) after conization with a mean difference of 8.8mm (± 2.4mm) (difference statistically significant P<.0001). The extent of histological specimen was 9 mm (± 2.2mm) on average. A correlation between ultrasound and histological measurements with a correlation coefficient R=0.85 was found statistically significant (P<0.0001). Moreover, the rate of cervix length remove by loop-excision in our series is 33% (± 8.5%).

DISCUSSION

A good correlation between the measurements of the specimen and the cervical ultrasound length before and after conization was found, as a significant reduction in cervical length after conization. The precise length of the specimen should be known in case of pregnancy and the prevention of prematurity due to conization rests on selected indications and efficient surgical technique.

Lobar hepatocellular carcinoma with ipsilateral portal vein tumor thrombosis treated with yttrium-90 glass microsphere radioembolization: preliminary results

Portal vein tumor thrombosis (PVTT) is a common complication of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and has a negative impact on prognosis. This characteristic feature led to the rationale of the present trial designed to assess the efficacy and the safety of yttrium-90 glass-microsphere treatment for advanced-stage lobar HCC with ipsilateral PVTT. 18 patients with unresectable lobar HCC and ipsilateral PVTT were treated in our institution with (90)Y-microS radioembolization. Patients were evaluated every 3 to 6 months for response, survival, and toxicity. Mean follow-up was 13.0 months (2.2-50.6). Outcomes were: complete response (n = 2), partial response (n = 13), stable disease (n = 1), and progressive disease (n = 2) giving a disease control rate of 88.9%. Four patients were downstaged. Treating lobar hepatocellular carcinoma with ipsilateral portal vein thrombosis with yttrium-90 glass-microsphere radioembolization is safe and efficacious. Further clinical trials are warranted to confirm these results and to compare (90)Y-microS with sorafenib, taking into account not only survival but also the possibility of secondary surgery for putative curative intention after downstaging.

Subthalamic nucleus stimulation in Parkinson disease induces apathy: a PET study

OBJECTIVE

Apathy may be induced by subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation (STN-DBS) in Parkinson disease (PD). We therefore wished to test the hypothesis that apathy induced by STN-DBS correlates with changes in glucose metabolism, using (18)FDG-PET.

METHODS

Twelve patients with PD were assessed 3 months before (M-3) and 3 months after (M+3) STN-DBS with (18)FDG-PET and the Apathy Evaluation Scale.

RESULTS

Apathy had significantly worsened at M+3 after STN-DBS. Positive correlations were observed between this variation in apathy scores and changes in glucose metabolism, especially in the right frontal middle gyrus (Brodmann area [BA] 10) and right inferior frontal gyrus (BA 46 and BA 47). Negative correlations between the two were observed in the right posterior cingulate gyrus (BA 31) and left medial frontal lobe (BA 9).

CONCLUSION

These preliminary results confirm the role of the subthalamic nucleus in associative and limbic circuitry in humans and suggest that it is a key basal ganglia structure in motivation circuitry.

[Cytological study of 191 women with invasive cancer of the uterine cervix in Brittany, France]

INTRODUCTION

The cancer of the cervix annually occurs in 150 women in Brittany in the absence of organized screening.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Retrospective study concerning 191 patients treated for an invasive cancer of the uterine cervix between 2000 and 2005 analyzing their cytological past. The average age of the patients was 52 years (22-87 years). The socioeconomic level of the patients was recorded. The distribution of under histological types was: squamous, 73% (54 years average age) and adenocarcinoma, 22% (average age 47 years). All the stages were represented: stage I 46%, II 32%, III 9% and stage IV 13%.

RESULTS

Cancer was symptomatic in 89% of the cases and 72% of the patients had not profited from cytological screening according to French recommendations (50% no follow-up, 22% follow-up between three and 10 years), while 28% of the patients had a smear in the three years. The socioeconomic level of the patients strongly influenced the participation in screening. The proportion of patients having an invasive adenocarcinom was 31% in the patients with a smear going back to less than three years (versus 22% in our total population) and this histological subtype was mainly represented in patients less than 35 years old (35%). Lastly, 2,6% of the patients were lost after realization of a pathological smear.

CONCLUSION

The extension of screening and its organization remain a priority in our area. The average sensitivity of the smear is illustrated by the on-representation of the adenocarcinoma, in particular among young women.