Non-surgical management and analgesia strategies for older adults with multiple rib fractures: A systematic review, meta-analysis, and joint practice management guideline from the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma and the Chest Wall Injury Society.

BACKGROUND: Chest wall injury in older adults is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. Optimal nonsurgical management strategies for these patients have not been fully defined regarding level of care, incentive spirometry (IS), noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV), and the use of ketamine, epidural, and other locoregional approaches to analgesia. METHODS: Relevant questions regarding older patients with significant chest wall injury with patient population(s), intervention(s), comparison(s), and appropriate selected outcomes were chosen. These focused on intensive care unit (ICU) admission, IS, NIPPV, and analgesia including ketamine, epidural analgesia, and locoregional nerve blocks. A systematic literature search and review were conducted, our data were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively, and the quality of evidence was assessed per the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation methodology. No funding was used. RESULTS: Our literature review (PROSPERO 2020-CRD42020201241, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane, Web of Science, January 15, 2020) resulted in 151 studies. Intensive care unit admission was qualitatively not superior for any defined cohort other than by clinical assessment. Poor IS performance was associated with prolonged hospital length of stay, pulmonary complications, and unplanned ICU admission. Noninvasive positive pressure ventilation was associated with 85% reduction in odds of pneumonia ( p < 0.0001) and 81% reduction in odds of mortality ( p = 0.03) in suitable patients without risk of airway loss. Ketamine use demonstrated no significant reduction in pain score but a trend toward reduced opioid use. Epidural and other locoregional analgesia techniques did not affect pneumonia, length of mechanical ventilation, hospital length of stay, or mortality. CONCLUSION: We do not recommend for or against routine ICU admission. We recommend use of IS to inform ICU status and conditionally recommend use of NIPPV in patients without risk of airway loss. We offer no recommendation for or against ketamine, epidural, or other locoregional analgesia. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Systematic Review/Meta-analysis; Level IV.

Do incoming residents vary in measures of emotional status even prior to residency training?

Objectives: To determine whether Empathy, Emotional Intelligence, and Burnout scores differ by specialty in incoming residents. Methods: This is a single-site, prospective, cross-sectional study. Three validated survey instruments, the Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy, Maslach Burnout Inventory, and Emotional and Social Competency Inventory, were written into a survey platform as a single 125-question Qualtrics survey. Over three academic years, 2015-2017, 229 incoming residents across all specialties were emailed the survey link during orientation. Residents were grouped by incoming specialty with anonymity assured. A total of 229 responses were included, with 121 (52.8%) identifying as female. Statistical analysis was performed using the Analysis of Variance or Kruskal-Wallis test, Chi-Square or Fisher's Exact test, and Independent Samples t-test or Mann Whitney U test. A Bonferroni correction was applied for pairwise comparisons. Results: Family Medicine had a higher median Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy score (127) compared to Emergency Medicine (115), (U=767.7, p=0.0330). Maslach Burnout Inventory depersonalization and personal accomplishment subcategory scores showed a significant difference between specialties when omnibus tests were performed, but pairwise comparisons with emergency medicine residents showed no differences. Differences were found in the Maslach Burnout Inventory categories of Depersonalization (χ2(8, N=229) =15.93, p=0.0434) and Personal Accomplishment level (χ2(8, N=229) =20.80, p=0.0077) between specialties. Conclusions: Differences in measures of well-being exist across specialties, even prior to the start of residency training. The implication for educators of residency training is that some incoming residents, regardless of specialty, already exhibit troublesome features of burnout, and resources to effectively deal with these residents should be developed and utilized.

Developing a National Trauma Research Action Plan: Results from the geriatric research gap Delphi survey.

BACKGROUND: Treating older trauma patients requires a focus on the confluence of age-related physiological changes and the impact of the injury itself. Therefore, the primary way to improve the care of geriatric trauma patients is through the development of universal, systematic multidisciplinary research. To achieve this, the Coalition for National Trauma Research has developed the National Trauma Research Action Plan that has generated a comprehensive research agenda spanning the continuum of geriatric trauma care from prehospital to rehabilitation. METHODS: Experts in geriatric trauma care and research were recruited to identify current gaps in clinical geriatric research, generate research questions, and establish the priority of these questions using a consensus-driven Delphi survey approach. Participants were identified using established Delphi recruitment guidelines ensuring heterogeneity and generalizability. On subsequent surveys, participants were asked to rank the priority of each research question on a nine-point Likert scale, categorized to represent low-, medium-, and high-priority items. The consensus was defined as more than 60% of panelists agreeing on the priority category. RESULTS: A total of 24 subject matter experts generated questions in 109 key topic areas. After editing for duplication, 514 questions were included in the priority ranking. By round 3, 362 questions (70%) reached 60% consensus. Of these, 161 (44%) were high, 198 (55%) medium, and 3 (1%) low priority. CONCLUSION: Among the questions prioritized as high priority, questions related to three types of injuries (i.e., rib fracture, traumatic brain injury, and lower extremity injury) occurred with the greatest frequency. Among the 25 highest priority questions, the key topics with the highest frequency were pain management, frailty, and anticoagulation-related interventions. The most common types of research proposed were interventional clinical trials and comparative effectiveness studies, outcome research, and health care systems research.

Measures of Burnout and Empathy in United States Doctor of Pharmacy Students: Time for a Change?

PURPOSE: To review interim data regarding longitudinal burnout and empathy levels in a single Doctor of Pharmacy class cohort. METHODS: Students were emailed an electronic survey during their first semester and annually at the end of each academic year for a total of 3 years (2017-2020). Validated survey tools included the Jefferson Scale of Empathy (JSE) and the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) student version. The JSE survey consists of 20 questions, with higher scores denoting more empathy. The MBI student version contains 3 subscales: exhaustion (higher scores are worse), cynicism (higher scores are worse) and professional efficacy (higher scores are better). RESULTS: The median JSE score at the end of the third academic year (PY3) was 110, with females scoring significantly higher (114.5 vs. 103.5; p<0.02). A majority of the 62 students reported burn out (82.3%), scoring in the highest category for either exhaustion (76%) or cynicism (55%). A majority (66%) also reported a low or moderate professional efficacy score, a negative finding. Measures of student burnout increased after the start of the program and remained at the higher level each subsequent year (p<0.0001). In the Spring of 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly every student had moderate or high levels of emotional exhaustion (97%) and cynicism (78%) as measured by the MBI. CONCLUSION: This interim data suggests high degrees of pharmacy student burnout. Empathy levels remained stable throughout the duration of the study. Pharmacy schools may need to focus on reform regarding well-being and prevention of burnout.

Developing Emotional Intelligence Through a Longitudinal Leadership Curriculum in UME: Combating the Decline in Medical Student Empathy.

We report on a novel curriculum (Scholarly Excellence, Leadership Experiences, Collaborative Training [SELECT]) in an allopathic medical school designed to prepare students to be physician leaders while remaining empathetic by combating burnout. SELECT students were surveyed annually. The survey contained the Jefferson Scale of Empathy (JSE) and Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). In this cohort, empathy did not decrease, as measured by the JSE, and SELECT students' MBI Depersonalization burnout scores decreased after year 3. In summary, in this allopathic US medical school utilizing a novel curriculum, there was no significant decline in empathy after the third year of medical school. The SELECT program appears to mitigate the decline in empathy and increased Depersonalization burnout levels often seen at the end of the third year of medical school.

Analysis of Falls Efficacy Scale and Vulnerable Elders Survey as Predictors of Falls.

Introduction Falls are the leading cause of injury-related death among older adults according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The Falls Efficacy Scale (FES) and Vulnerable Elder Survey (VES-13) are validated screening tools used to assess concern of falling, health deterioration and functional decline. We set out to determine if the FES or VES-13 could serve as a predictor of falls among older adults in the Emergency Department (ED) setting. Methods This prospective pilot cohort study was conducted at a Level 1 Trauma Center. ED patients aged ≥65 were eligible for the study if they had a mechanical fall risk defined by CDC criteria. After consent and enrollment, FES and the VES surveys were completed. Participants were followed by phone quarterly, and results of the one-year follow-up self-report of fall history described.  Results There were 200 subjects enrolled and after excluding those that were withdrawn, deceased, or lost to follow-up, 184 were available for analysis of their follow-up visit at 12 months. A greater proportion of the participants were women (108 (58.7%) vs 76 (41.3%); P=0.88). The average age of the study participants was 74.2±7.3 years. There was no significant difference in age between men and women (median: 73 vs 73; p=0.47).  At the follow-up visit, 33 (17.9%) had a reported fall. The mean age did not significantly differ when comparing those with versus without a fall (75.6 vs 73.9; p=0.24). There was no significant difference in the proportion with a VES-13 ≥ 3 when comparing those with and without a reported fall (45.5% vs 37.8%; p = 0.41). The median FES score did not differ among those with as compared to without a fall (11 vs 10; p=0.12). Conclusions Subjects who had a VES-13 score of ≥3 were statistically no more likely to have fallen than those with a score of <3. Additionally, the FES score did not statistically differ when comparing those who had fallen to those who had not. Further research into alternative screening methods in the ED setting for fall risk is recommended.

Relationship Between Vaccination Status and Biopsychosocial Characteristics in Sheltered Adolescents.

Introduction Homeless youth are a vulnerable population. A volunteer clinic supported by medical students in northeastern Pennsylvania provides shelter and healthcare to adolescents seeking refuge. We set out to determine the immunization status of youth in the shelter and evaluate for associations of immunization deficiency with demographics or biopsychosocial factors. Methods After IRB approval, a retrospective cohort study was performed from existing clinical records at the shelter 2/2015-9/2019. Chart abstraction included variables such as demographics (including age, sex, and race/ethnicity), biopsychosocial factors (including childhood trauma/abuse history, substance abuse history, and sexual activity), and immunization history. Results A total of 440 charts were analyzed. When comparing demographics of patients that had complete vaccine regimens versus those who did not, the race was statistically significant (p=.006). The most prominent difference in race was seen for Black/African American patients; only 19.57% had a completed vaccine regimen documented. Regarding immunization history, vaccine schedules of hepatitis B, measles mumps rubella (MMR), inactivated polio vaccine (IPV), and varicella were most likely to be complete; pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) 13, rotavirus, influenza, and human papillomavirus vaccine (HPV) were least likely. There was no association found between a completed vaccine regimen and biopsychosocial variables. A larger portion of females (37.35%) completed the HPV vaccine compared to males (23.14%) (p=.009). Conclusions In this single-site study, this vulnerable, at-risk population of sheltered adolescents lacked the vaccinations recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Racial disparities further compounded this vulnerability for Black/African American teens. Additionally, a significantly greater number of female patients received the HPV vaccine compared to males.

Atlantoaxial rotatory subluxation presenting as acute torticollis after mild trauma.

Atlantoaxial rotatory subluxation (AARS) is a rare outcome of trauma in adults. We present a case of a 38-year-old female who presented with neck pain and stiffness after a mild trauma. On exam the patient had a "cock-robin" position, comparable to acute torticollis. Computerized tomography demonstrated findings consistent with AARS. Reduction was performed in the emergency department and the patient had no further neurological sequelae. Recognition of AARS after trauma requires a high index of suspicion and early diagnosis is important to best patient outcomes.

Emergency Department Stopping Elderly Accidents, Deaths and Injuries (ED STEADI) Program.

BACKGROUND: Falls are among the leading cause of emergency department (ED) visits. OBJECTIVE: We set out to determine whether using a bedside decision aid could decrease falls. METHODS: This randomized controlled trial was conducted on those aged ≥ 65 years who were being discharged home and screened positive for a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) fall risk factor. Control-arm subjects were given a CDC brochure about falls. The active-arm subjects received a personalized decision aid intervention. Both groups were followed up via telephone. RESULTS: A total of 200 subjects were enrolled and, after exclusions, 184 patients were analyzed. There were 76 male (41.3%) and 108 female (58.7%) subjects; 14% of the subjects chose to have their medications reviewed, 13.6% chose to have an eye examination, 22.8% chose to begin an exercise program, and the majority (44.6%) chose to have a home safety evaluation. Patients in the intervention arm chose more interventions to complete compared to control-arm subjects (p < 0.0001), but did not complete more interventions (p = 0.3387) and did not experience fewer falls compared to the control arm (p = 0.5675). At study conclusion, 73 subjects reported at least one fall during the study. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, in this study, subjects who had their fall-risk interventions facilitated by a decision tool chose to participate in interventions more than control subjects. However, they did not complete the interventions or fall less often than their counterparts in the control arm. Future study is needed to determine the effect of CDC screening guidelines and interventions facilitated by a decision aid on fall outcomes and their application in the ED population.

Post-traumatic left anterior descending artery dissection.

BACKGROUND: Patients who experience trauma, particularly thoracic trauma, may be at risk for missed cardiac injury. CASE REPORT: We present a case of a 36-year-old male presenting to the Emergency Department (ED) as a trauma after a high-speed motor vehicle crash. After computed tomography (CT) scans revealed a right hemopneumothorax and multiple orthopedic injuries, the patient was admitted to the trauma neuroscience intensive care unit (TNICU), where telemetry revealed ST elevations. An electrocardiogram (EKG) was performed and he was noted to have an acute anterolateral STEMI. The patient was intubated and underwent a cardiac catheterization that revealed a dissection of his left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery and a stent was successfully placed. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: In cases of trauma patients who can't report the symptoms they are experiencing, or have distracting injury, there is the potential for a missed diagnosis of either significant cardiac injury and/or myocardial infarction (MI). Emergency physicians should be aware that an EKG is recommended in the ED evaluation of a trauma patient, especially those with thoracic trauma.

Elderly adults with isolated hip fractures- orthogeriatric care versus standard care: A practice management guideline from the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma.

BACKGROUND: Elderly patients commonly suffer isolated hip fractures, causing significant morbidity and mortality. The use of orthogeriatrics (OG) management services, in which geriatric specialists primarily manage or co-manage patients after admission, may improve outcomes. We sought to provide recommendations regarding the role of OG services. METHODS: Using GRADE methodology with meta-analyses, the Practice Management Guidelines Committee of the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma conducted a systematic review of the literature from January 1, 1900, to August 31, 2017. A single Population, Intervention, Comparator and Outcome (PICO) question was generated with multiple outcomes: Should geriatric trauma patients 65 years or older with isolated hip fracture receive routine OG management, compared with no-routine OG management, to decrease mortality, improve discharge disposition, improve functional outcomes, decrease in-hospital medical complications, and decrease hospital length of stay? RESULTS: Forty-five articles were evaluated. Six randomized controlled trials and seven retrospective case-control studies met the criteria for quantitative analysis. For critical outcomes, retrospective case-control studies demonstrated a 30-day mortality benefit with OG (OR, 0.78 [0.67, 0.90]), but this was not demonstrated prospectively or at 1 year. Functional outcomes were superior with OG, specifically improved score on the Short Physical Performance Battery at 4 months (mean difference [MD], 0.78 [0.28, 1.29]), and improved score on the Mini Mental Status Examination with OG at 12 months (MD, 1.57 [0.40, 2.73]). Execution of activities of daily living was improved with OG as measured by two separate tests at 4 and 12 months. There was no difference in discharge disposition. Among important outcomes, the OG group had fewer hospital-acquired pressure ulcers (OR, 0.30 [0.15, 0.60]). There was no difference in other complications or length of stay. Overall quality of evidence was low. CONCLUSION: In geriatric patients with isolated hip fracture, we conditionally recommend an OG care model to improve patient outcomes. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Systematic review/meta-analysis, level III.

Effectiveness of the "Timed Up and Go" (TUG) and the Chair test as screening tools for geriatric fall risk assessment in the ED.

OBJECTIVE: We sought to evaluate the effectiveness of the "Timed Up and Go" (TUG) and the Chair test as screening tools in the Emergency Department (ED), stratified by sex. METHODS: This prospective cohort study was conducted at a Level 1 Trauma center. After consent, subjects performed the TUG and the Chair test. Subjects were contacted for phone follow-up and asked to self-report interim falling. RESULTS: Data from 192 subjects were analyzed. At baseline, 71.4% (n = 137) screened positive for increased falls risk based on the TUG evaluation, and 77.1% (n = 148) scored below average on the Chair test. There were no differences by patient sex. By the six-month evaluation 51 (26.6%) study participants reported at least one fall. Females reported a non-significant higher prevalence of falls compared to males (29.7% versus 22.2%, p = 0.24). TUG test had a sensitivity of 70.6% (95% CI: 56.2%-82.5%), a specificity of 28.4% (95% CI: 21.1%-36.6%), a positive predictive (PP) value 26.3% (95% CI: 19.1%-34.5%) and a negative predictive (NP) value of 72.7% (95% CI: 59.0%-83.9%). Similar results were observed with the Chair test. It had a sensitivity of 78.4% (95% CI: 64.7%-88.7%), a specificity of 23.4% (95% CI: 16.7%-31.3%), a PP value 27.0% (95% CI: 20.1%-34.9%) and a NP value of 75.0% (95% CI: 59.7%-86.8%). No significant differences were observed between sexes. CONCLUSIONS: There were no sex specific significant differences in TUG or Chair test screening performance. Neither test performed well as a screening tool for future falls in the elderly in the ED setting.

Evidence-based review of trauma center care and routine palliative care processes for geriatric trauma patients; A collaboration from the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma Patient Assessment Committee, the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma Geriatric Trauma Committee, and the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma Guidelines Committee.

BACKGROUND: Despite an aging population and increasing number of geriatric trauma patients annually, gaps in our understanding of best practices for geriatric trauma patients persist. We know that trauma center care improves outcomes for injured patients generally, and palliative care processes can improve outcomes for disease-specific conditions, and our goal was to determine effectiveness of these interventions on outcomes for geriatric trauma patients. METHODS: A priori questions were created regarding outcomes for patients 65 years or older with respect to care at trauma centers versus nontrauma centers and use of routine palliative care processes. A query of MEDLINE, PubMed, Cochrane Library, and EMBASE was performed. Letters to the editor, case reports, book chapters, and review articles were excluded. GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) methodology was used to perform a systematic review and create recommendations. RESULTS: We reviewed seven articles relevant to trauma center care and nine articles reporting results on palliative care processes as they related to geriatric trauma patients. Given data quality and limitations, we conditionally recommend trauma center care for the severely injured geriatric trauma patients but are unable to make a recommendation on the question of routine palliative care processes for geriatric trauma patients. CONCLUSIONS: As our older adult population increases, injured geriatric patients will continue to pose challenges for care, such as comorbidities or frailty. We found that trauma center care was associated with improved outcomes for geriatric trauma patients in most studies and that utilization of early palliative care consultations was generally associated with improved secondary outcomes, such as length of stay; however, inconsistency and imprecision prevented us from making a clear recommendation for this question. As caregivers, we should ensure adequate support for trauma systems and palliative care processes in our institutions and communities and continue to support robust research to study these and other aspects of geriatric trauma. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Systematic review/guideline, level III.

Development of a health care systems curriculum.

BACKGROUND: There is currently no gold standard for delivery of systems-based practice in medical education, and it is challenging to incorporate into medical education. Health systems competence requires physicians to understand patient care within the broader health care system and is vital to improving the quality of care clinicians provide. We describe a health systems curriculum that utilizes problem-based learning across 4 years of systems-based practice medical education at a single institution. METHODS: This case study describes the application of a problem-based learning approach to system-based practice medical education. A series of behavioral statements, called entrustable professional activities, was created to assess student health system competence. Student evaluation of course curriculum design, delivery, and assessment was provided through web-based surveys. RESULTS: To meet competency standards for system-based practice, a health systems curriculum was developed and delivered across 4 years of medical school training. Each of the health system lectures and problem-based learning activities are described herein. The majority of first and second year medical students stated they gained working knowledge of health systems by engaging in these sessions. The majority of the 2016 graduating students (88.24%) felt that the course content, overall, prepared them for their career. CONCLUSION: A health systems curriculum in undergraduate medical education using a problem-based learning approach is feasible. The majority of students learning health systems curriculum through this format reported being prepared to improve individual patient care and optimize the health system's value (better care and health for lower cost).

Perceived Fall Risk and Functional Decline: Gender Differences in Patient's Willingness to Discuss Fall Risk, Fall History, or to Have a Home Safety Evaluation.

The CDC reports that among older adults, falls are the leading cause of injury-related death and rates of fall-related fractures among older women are twice those of men. We set out to 1) determine patient perceptions (analyzed by gender) about their perceived fall risk compared to their actual risk for functional decline and death and 2) to report their comfort level in discussing their fall history or a home safety plan with their provider. Elders who presented to the Emergency Department (ED†) were surveyed. The survey included demographics, the Falls Efficacy Scale (FES) and the Vulnerable Elders Survey (VES); both validated surveys measuring fall concern and functional decline. Females had higher FES scores (mean 12.3, SD 5.9) than males (mean 9.7, SD 5.9 p = .007) in the 146 surveys analyzed. Females were more likely to report an increased fear of falling, and almost three times more likely to have a VES score of 3 or greater than males (OR = 2.86, 95% CI: 1.17-7.00, p = .02). A strong correlation was observed between FES and VES scores (r = 0.80, p < .001). No difference in correlation was observed between males and females, p = .26. Participants (77 percent) reported they would be comfortable discussing their fall risk with a provider; there was no difference between genders (p = .57). In this study, irrespective of gender, there appears to be a high association between subjects' perceived fall risk and risk for functional decline and death. The majority of patients are likely willing to discuss their fall risk with their provider. These findings may suggest a meaningful opportunity for fall risk mitigation in this setting.

Prevention of fall-related injuries in the elderly: An Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma practice management guideline.

BACKGROUND: Fall-related injuries among the elderly (age 65 and older) are the cause of nearly 750,000 hospitalizations and 25,000 deaths per year in the United States, yet prevention research is lagging. Using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) methodology, the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma produced this practice management guideline to answer the following injury prevention-related population, intervention, comparator, outcomes (PICO) questions:PICO 1: Should bone mineral-enhancing agents be used to prevent fall-related injuries in the elderly?PICO 2: Should hip protectors be used to prevent fall-related injuries in the elderly?PICO 3: Should exercise programs be used to prevent fall-related injuries in the elderly?PICO 4: Should physical environment modifications be used to prevent fall-related injuries in the elderly?PICO 5: Should risk factor screening be used to prevent fall-related injuries in the elderly?PICO 6: Should multiple interventions tailored to the population or individual be used to prevent fall-related injuries in the elderly? METHODS: A comprehensive search and review of all the available literature was performed. We used the GRADE methodology to assess the breadth and quality of the data specific to our PICO questions. RESULTS: We reviewed 50 articles that met our inclusion and exclusion criteria as they applied to our PICO questions. CONCLUSION: Given the data constraints, we offer the following suggestions and recommendations:PICO 1: We conditionally recommend vitamin D and calcium supplementation for frail elderly individuals.PICO 2: We conditionally recommend hip protectors for frail elderly individuals, in the appropriate environment.PICO 3: We conditionally recommend evidence-based exercise programs for frail elderly individuals.PICO 4: We conditionally recommend physical environment modification for frail elderly people.PICO 5: We conditionally recommend frailty screening for the elderly.PICO 6: We strongly recommend risk stratification with targeted comprehensive risk-reduction strategies tailored to particular high-risk groups. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Systematic review, level III.