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Vernacchio L, Trudell EK, McLaughlin SR, Bhambhani V. Effect of Instrument-Based Vision Screening for 3- to 5-Year-Old Children on Referrals to Eye Care Specialists. Clin Pediatr (Phila) 2019; 58:541-546. [PMID: 30781998 DOI: 10.1177/0009922819832020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Recently, several professional groups have recommended a change from chart-based to instrument-based screening for preschool-age children, but the effect of this change on health care utilization is unknown. We performed a secondary analysis of a site-randomized quality improvement project on transitioning from chart-based to instrument-based vision screening for 3- to 5-year-old children in primary care. We analyzed visit rates to ophthalmologists and optometrists and costs of such care before and after implementation of instrument-based vision screening with comparison to nonparticipating practices. The implementation of instrument-based vision screening resulted in a decrease in visits to eye care specialists from 83.1 visits per 1000 children per year to 55.0, a reduction of 33.8%; no comparable reduction was seen in nonparticipating practices. The cost of services by eye care specialists fell from $65 715 per 1000 children per year prior to $55 740, a decline of 15.2%; similar costs among control practices rose 13.4%.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louis Vernacchio
- 1 Pediatric Physicians' Organization at Children's, Brookline, MA, USA.,2 Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.,3 Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Emily K Trudell
- 1 Pediatric Physicians' Organization at Children's, Brookline, MA, USA
| | | | - Vijeta Bhambhani
- 4 Children's Hospital Integrated Care Organization, Boston, MA, USA
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Saleeb SF, McLaughlin SR, Graham DA, Friedman KG, Fulton DR. Resource reduction in pediatric chest pain: Standardized clinical assessment and management plan. CONGENIT HEART DIS 2017; 13:46-51. [DOI: 10.1111/chd.12539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2017] [Revised: 08/08/2017] [Accepted: 09/01/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Susan F. Saleeb
- Department of Cardiology; Boston Children's Hospital; Boston Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sarah R. McLaughlin
- Clinical Research Program; Boston Children's Hospital; Boston Massachusetts, USA
| | - Dionne A. Graham
- Clinical Research Program; Boston Children's Hospital; Boston Massachusetts, USA
| | - Kevin G. Friedman
- Department of Cardiology; Boston Children's Hospital; Boston Massachusetts, USA
| | - David R. Fulton
- Department of Cardiology; Boston Children's Hospital; Boston Massachusetts, USA
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Modest JR, Majzoub KM, Moore B, Bhambhani V, McLaughlin SR, Vernacchio L. Implementation of Instrument-Based Vision Screening for Preschool-Age Children in Primary Care. Pediatrics 2017. [PMID: 28637654 DOI: 10.1542/peds.2016-3745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Vision screening is an essential element of well-child care for young children. Recently, several professional groups have recommended the use of instrument-based screening; however, studies demonstrating the effectiveness of this technique in pediatric primary care settings are lacking. METHODS We designed a cluster randomized quality improvement project to test the implementation of instrument-based vision screening for 3- to 5-year-old children within a pediatric primary care network. The program consisted of 12 pediatric practices randomized into phase 1 and phase 2 groups. We evaluated the effect of the intervention on completed vision screening at well-child visits, family satisfaction, and referrals to eye care specialists. RESULTS Instrument-based vision screening increased completed screening among 3- to 5-year-old children from 54% to 89% in the phase 1 group and from 65% to 92% in the phase 2 group. Improvement was most marked among 3-year-old children, with completed screening increasing from 39% with chart-based screening to 87% with instrument screening. Family satisfaction was higher with instrument screening. In addition, instrument screening was associated with a 15% reduction in referrals to eye care specialists. CONCLUSIONS Instrument-based vision screening for preschool-aged children can be effectively implemented into primary care practice, results in substantially improved rates of completed vision screening at well-child visits, and may result in a reduction in unnecessary referrals to eye care specialists. Additional research is needed regarding how best to overcome barriers to the widespread use of this technology in pediatric primary care settings, as well as its longer-term effect on referrals and the prevalence of amblyopia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan R Modest
- Pediatric Physicians' Organization at Children's, Brookline, Massachusetts
| | | | - Bruce Moore
- New England College of Optometry, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Vijeta Bhambhani
- Children's Hospital Integrated Care Organization, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Sarah R McLaughlin
- Pediatric Physicians' Organization at Children's, Brookline, Massachusetts
| | - Louis Vernacchio
- Pediatric Physicians' Organization at Children's, Brookline, Massachusetts; .,Division of General Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; and.,Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
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Mendu ML, Ciociolo GR, McLaughlin SR, Graham DA, Ghazinouri R, Parmar S, Grossier A, Rosen R, Laskowski KR, Riella LV, Robinson ES, Charytan DM, Bonventre JV, Greenberg JO, Waikar SS. A Decision-Making Algorithm for Initiation and Discontinuation of RRT in Severe AKI. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol 2017; 12:228-236. [PMID: 28119408 PMCID: PMC5293339 DOI: 10.2215/cjn.07170716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2016] [Accepted: 11/01/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES AKI is an increasingly common and devastating complication in hospitalized patients. Severe AKI requiring RRT is associated with in-hospital mortality rates exceeding 40%. Clinical decision making related to RRT initiation for patients with AKI in the medical intensive care unit is not standardized. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS We conducted a 13-month (November of 2013 to December of 2014) prospective cohort study in an academic medical intensive care unit involving the implementation of an AKI Standardized Clinical Assessment and Management Plan, a decision-making algorithm to assist front-line clinicians caring for patients with AKI. The Standardized Clinical Assessment and Management Plan algorithms provided recommendations about optimal indications for initiating and discontinuing RRT on the basis of various clinical parameters; 176 patients managed by nine nephrologists were included in the study. We captured reasons for deviation from the recommended algorithm as well as mortality data. RESULTS Patients whose clinicians adhered to the Standardized Clinical Assessment and Management Plan recommendation to start RRT had lower in-hospital mortality (42% versus 63%; P<0.01) and 60-day mortality (46% and 68%; P<0.01), findings that were confirmed after multivariable adjustment for age, albumin, and disease severity. There was a differential effect of Standardized Clinical Assessment and Management Plan adherence in low (<50% mortality risk) versus high (≥50% mortality risk) disease severity on in-hospital mortality (interaction term P=0.02). In patients with low disease severity, Standardized Clinical Assessment and Management Plan adherence was associated with lower in-hospital mortality (odds ratio, 0.21; 95% confidence interval, 0.08 to 0.54; P=0.001), but no significant association was evident in patients with high disease severity. CONCLUSIONS Physician adherence to an algorithm providing recommendations on RRT initiation was associated with lower in-hospital mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Sarah R McLaughlin
- Department of Analytics, Institute for Relevant Clinical Data Analytics, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Dionne A Graham
- Department of Analytics, Institute for Relevant Clinical Data Analytics, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Roya Ghazinouri
- Center for Healthcare Delivery Sciences, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; and
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Rice LM, Ziemek J, Stratton EA, McLaughlin SR, Padilla CM, Mathes AL, Christmann RB, Stifano G, Browning JL, Whitfield ML, Spiera RF, Gordon JK, Simms RW, Zhang Y, Lafyatis R. A longitudinal biomarker for the extent of skin disease in patients with diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis. Arthritis Rheumatol 2016; 67:3004-15. [PMID: 26240058 DOI: 10.1002/art.39287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2015] [Accepted: 07/14/2015] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To define a pharmacodynamic biomarker based on gene expression in skin that would provide a biologic measure of the extent of disease in patients with diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis (dcSSc) and could be used to monitor skin disease longitudinally. METHODS Skin biopsy specimens obtained from a cohort of patients with dcSSc (including longitudinal specimens) were analyzed by microarray. Expression of genes correlating with the modified Rodnan skin thickness score (MRSS) were examined for change over time using a NanoString platform, and a generalized estimating equation (GEE) was used to define and validate longitudinally measured pharmacodynamic biomarkers composed of multiple genes. RESULTS Microarray analysis of genes parsed to include only those correlating with the MRSS revealed prominent clusters of profibrotic/transforming growth factor β-regulated, interferon-regulated/proteasome, macrophage, and vascular marker genes. Using genes changing longitudinally with the MRSS, we defined 2 multigene pharmacodynamic biomarkers. The first was defined mathematically by applying a GEE to longitudinal samples. This modeling method selected cross-sectional THBS1 and longitudinal THBS1 and MS4A4A. The second model was based on a weighted selection of genes, including additional genes that changed statistically significantly over time: CTGF, CD163, CCL2, and WIF1. In an independent validation data set, biomarker levels calculated using both models correlated highly with the MRSS. CONCLUSION Skin gene expression can be used effectively to monitor changes in SSc skin disease over time. We implemented 2 relatively simple models on a NanoString platform permitting highly reproducible assays that can be applied directly to samples from patients or collected as part of clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa M Rice
- Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Jessica Ziemek
- Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Michael L Whitfield
- Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth University Medical School, Hanover, New Hampshire
| | | | | | - Robert W Simms
- Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Yuqing Zhang
- Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
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Rice LM, Padilla CM, McLaughlin SR, Mathes A, Ziemek J, Goummih S, Nakerakanti S, York M, Farina G, Whitfield ML, Spiera RF, Christmann RB, Gordon JK, Weinberg J, Simms RW, Lafyatis R. Fresolimumab treatment decreases biomarkers and improves clinical symptoms in systemic sclerosis patients. J Clin Invest 2015; 125:2795-807. [PMID: 26098215 DOI: 10.1172/jci77958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 246] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2014] [Accepted: 05/14/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND TGF-β has potent profibrotic activity in vitro and has long been implicated in systemic sclerosis (SSc), as expression of TGF-β-regulated genes is increased in the skin and lungs of patients with SSc. Therefore, inhibition of TGF-β may benefit these patients. METHODS Patients with early, diffuse cutaneous SSc were enrolled in an open-label trial of fresolimumab, a high-affinity neutralizing antibody that targets all 3 TGF-β isoforms. Seven patients received two 1 mg/kg doses of fresolimumab, and eight patients received one 5 mg/kg dose of fresolimumab. Serial mid-forearm skin biopsies, performed before and after treatment, were analyzed for expression of the TGF-β-regulated biomarker genes thrombospondin-1 (THBS1) and cartilage oligomeric protein (COMP) and stained for myofibroblasts. Clinical skin disease was assessed using the modified Rodnan skin score (MRSS). RESULTS In patient skin, THBS1 expression rapidly declined after fresolimumab treatment in both groups (P = 0.0313 at 7 weeks and P = 0.0156 at 3 weeks), and skin expression of COMP exhibited a strong downward trend in both groups. Clinical skin disease dramatically and rapidly decreased (P < 0.001 at all time points). Expression levels of other TGF-β-regulated genes, including SERPINE1 and CTGF, declined (P = 0.049 and P = 0.012, respectively), and a 2-gene, longitudinal pharmacodynamic biomarker of SSc skin disease decreased after fresolimumab treatment (P = 0.0067). Dermal myofibroblast infiltration also declined in patient skin after fresolimumab (P < 0.05). Baseline levels of THBS1 were predictive of reduced THBS1 expression and improved MRSS after fresolimumab treatment. CONCLUSION The rapid inhibition of TGF-β-regulated gene expression in response to fresolimumab strongly implicates TGF-β in the pathogenesis of fibrosis in SSc. Parallel improvement in the MRSS indicates that fresolimumab rapidly reverses markers of skin fibrosis. TRIAL REGISTRATION Clinicaltrials.gov NCT01284322.
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Spencer C, Montalvo J, McLaughlin SR, Bryan BA. Small molecule inhibition of cytoskeletal dynamics in melanoma tumors results in altered transcriptional expression patterns of key genes involved in tumor initiation and progression. Cancer Genomics Proteomics 2011; 8:77-85. [PMID: 21471517 PMCID: PMC3209963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Rho kinase signaling plays an important role in the oncogenic process largely through its regulation of F-actin dynamics, and inhibition of this pathway results in reduction in tumor volume and metastasis across a number of tumor types. While the cytoskeletal-regulatory role of Rho kinase has been a topic of in-depth study, the mechanisms linking Rho kinase to altered gene expression are largely unknown. MATERIALS AND METHODS Global gene expression analysis was performed on melanoma tumors treated with sham or the small molecule inhibitor Y27632. RESULTS Inhibition of Rho kinase activity in melanoma tumors results in a statistically significant change in gene transcription of 94 genes, many of which are critically involved in tumor initiation and progression. CONCLUSION In addition to regulating tumorigenesis through modulation of the phosphoproteome, Rho kinase signaling also contributes to the regulation of the tumor transcriptome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carrie Spencer
- Ghosh Science and Technology Center, Department of Biology, Worcester State University, Worcester, MA 01602 USA
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Rosenblatt JI, Hokanson JA, McLaughlin SR, Leary JF. Theoretical basis for sampling statistics useful for detecting and isolating rare cells using flow cytometry and cell sorting. Cytometry 1997; 27:233-8. [PMID: 9041111 DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1097-0320(19970301)27:3<233::aid-cyto4>3.0.co;2-f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
This paper describes new approaches to calculating the number of cells that need to be processed using flow cytometry (FCM) techniques and the subsequent time required in order to isolate a specific number of cells having selected characteristics. The methods proposed use probabilistic assumptions about the contents of the sample to be sorted, logarithmic/exponential transformations to avert the computer "underflow" and "overflow" limitations of brute force calculations for the parameters of the binomial distribution imposed by existing computer hardware, and an established mathematical procedure for calculating error bounds for the normal approximation to the binomial distribution. Estimates are derived for the total number of cells in the FCM sample volume that must be available for processing and, for given FCM cell sorting decision speeds, the total elapsed times necessary to conduct particular experiments. The proposed approach obviates the need to resort to calculation expediencies such as the theoretically limited Poisson approximation for what can be considered a Bernoulli process mathematically characterized by the binomial distribution. Tables and graphs illustrate the projected times required to complete FCM experiments as a function of "effective" cell sorting decision speeds. Results from this paper also demonstrate that, as the "effective" cell sorting decision speed increases, there may not be a corresponding linear decrease in the time required to sort a given number of cells with selected statistical properties. The focus of this paper is on the use of innovative mathematical techniques for the design of experiments involving rare cell sorting. However, these same computational approaches may also prove useful for the high-speed enrichment sorting of non-rare cell subpopulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- J I Rosenblatt
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Community Health, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston 77555-0835, USA
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Leary JF, Schmidt DF, Gram JG, McLaughlin SR, Dalla Torre C, Burde S. High-speed flow cytometric analysis and sorting of human fetal cells from maternal blood for molecular characterization. Ann N Y Acad Sci 1994; 731:138-41. [PMID: 7524388 DOI: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.1994.tb55758.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- J F Leary
- Department of Pathology, University of Rochester, New York 14642
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Abstract
For optimum performance in cell sorting, it is critical to assure proper timing in the charging of droplets to be deflected. A method for determining the transiet delay time in cell sorters has been devised and applied to daily operation in the Los Alamos sorter systems. This delay monitor relies on detection of either scattered or absorbed light from cells in the fluid stream near the point of droplet breakoff.
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