Reassessing the Need for Preoperative Transfusions in Sickle Cell Disease Patients With an Elevated Baseline Hemoglobin-A Retrospective Study.

BACKGROUND: Current guidelines recommend a preoperative hemoglobin of 10.0 g/dL in patients with sickle cell disease [SCD], however, this threshold continues to be an area of controversy. Previous studies demonstrating the benefits of preoperative transfusions have largely not captured patients with elevated baseline hemoglobin, in part due to low hydroxyurea uptake and exclusion of nonhemoglobin SS SCD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective chart review of patients with SCD <18 years of age undergoing low and medium-risk procedures at 2 academic medical centers in Canada between 2007 and 2017. The primary objective was to study the association of preoperative transfusion on postoperative complications in patients with SCD with baseline hemoglobin between 9.0 and 10.0 g/dL. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate the adjusted effect of preoperative transfusion on the risk of developing postoperative complications. RESULTS: In all, 159 procedures in patients with hemoglobin <9.0 g/dL [Hb <9.0 ] and 173 procedures in patients with hemoglobin between 9.0 and 10.0 g/dL [Hb 9.0-10.0 ] were analyzed. In the absence of preoperative transfusion, Hb 9.0-10.0 patients had lower overall complications [23% vs. 34%] compared with Hb <9.0 patients [OR 0.29, 95% CI 0.12-0.72, P =0.008]. In total, 75% of Hb <9.0 and 21% of Hb 9.0-10.0 patients received a preoperative simple transfusion. Transfusion was associated with increased risk of postoperative complications in Hb 9.0-10.0 [OR 3.02, 95% CI 1.26-7.23, P =0.013], but not Hb <9.0 patients [OR 0.64, 95% CI 0.28-1.45, P =0.30]. CONCLUSIONS: Simple transfusion may not be warranted in Hb 9.0-10.0 patients undergoing low-risk procedures. Prospective studies validating these findings are needed.

Understanding Supporting and Hindering Factors in Community-Based Psychotherapy for Refugees: A Realist-Informed Systematic Review.

Culture, tradition, structural violence, and mental health-related stigma play a major role in global mental health for refugees. Our aim was to understand what factors determine the success or failure of community-based psychotherapy for trauma-affected refugees and discuss implications for primary health care programs. Using a systematic realist-informed approach, we searched five databases from 2000 to 2018. Two reviewers independently selected RCTs for inclusion, and we contacted authors to obtain therapy training manuals. Fifteen articles and 11 training manuals met our inclusion criteria. Factors that improved symptoms of depression, anxiety, and PTSD included providing culturally adapted care in a migrant-sensitive setting, giving a role to other clinical staff (task-shifting), and intervention intensity. Precarious asylum status, constraining program monitoring requirements, and diverse socio-cultural and gender needs within a setting may reduce the effectiveness of the program. Primary care programs may enable community based mental health care and may reduce mental health-related stigma for refugees and other migrants. More research is needed on the cultural constructs of distress, programs delivered in primary care, and the role of cultural and language interpretation services in mental health care.

Accuracy of Adverse Drug Reaction Documentation upon Implementation of an Ambulatory Electronic Health Record System.

BACKGROUND: Detection, monitoring and treatment of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) are paramount to patient safety. The use of a comprehensive electronic health record (EHR) system has the potential to address inadequacies in ADR documentation and to facilitate ADR reporting to health agencies. However, effective methods to maintain the quality of documented ADRs within an EHR have not been well studied. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the accuracy and effectiveness of ADR documentation transfer throughout the implementation of a comprehensive EHR system. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of ADR documentation at a tertiary care pediatric hospital between January 2013 and June 2014. ADRs documented in the newly implemented ambulatory EHR, pharmacy system and hybrid health record system were extracted. Documentation inconsistencies and processes for managing ADR documentation within the EHR were reviewed. RESULTS: A total of 115 patients with 260 unique ADRs were identified. Only 155 (60 %) of the identified ADRs were found in the ambulatory EHR system. The remaining 105 ADRs (40 %) were missing from the EHR when it was compared with the other systems. Seventy-two patients (63 %) returned for a follow-up visit, and each had their ADR documentation reviewed in the ambulatory EHR. Following the visit, 44 % of these ambulatory EHR records still included incorrect information. CONCLUSIONS: We identified discrepancies in ADR documentation within hospital systems, which need to be addressed as healthcare institutions transition to EHRs. Processes related to the transfer of ADR information into the EHR should be clearly defined. To improve the quality of ADR documentation, steps to force complete and continual ADR verification should be introduced at early stages of implementation of a new EHR, and all responsible providers should play a role.