Non-targeted HIV screening in emergency departments in the Netherlands.

BACKGROUND: In the Netherlands a substantial proportion of newly diagnosed human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) patients present late for care and an estimated 12-34% of people living with HIV are undiagnosed. Linkage to care of these patients is important to decrease HIV transmission and to improve individual patient outcomes. We investigated if non-targeted HIV testing in emergency departments is a useful and cost-effective way to identify these patients. METHODS: In a cross-sectional multicentre study, eligible adult patients who underwent phlebotomy were given an active choice to be additionally tested for HIV. In a subset of patients, risk factors for HIV infection were asked for. A cost-effectiveness analysis was conducted. RESULTS: Of 7577 eligible patients, 3223 patients were tested, and two new HIV infections were diagnosed (0.06%). Both patients had risk factors for HIV infection. Non-targeted HIV testing in the emergency department was not considered cost-effective, with a cost per quality adjusted life years gained of € 77,050, more than triple the Dutch cost-effectiveness threshold of € 20,000. CONCLUSION: Non-targeted HIV testing in emergency departments in the Netherlands had a low yield of newly diagnosed HIV infections and was not cost-effective. Our data suggest that targeted HIV testing may offer an alternative approach to decrease the number of undiagnosed people living with HIV.

A diagnostic score for molecular analysis of hereditary autoinflammatory syndromes with periodic fever in children.

OBJECTIVE: To identify a set of clinical parameters that can predict the probability of carrying mutations in one of the genes associated with hereditary autoinflammatory syndromes. METHODS: A total of 228 consecutive patients with a clinical history of periodic fever were screened for mutations in the MVK, TNFRSF1A, and MEFV genes, and detailed clinical information was collected. A diagnostic score was formulated based on univariate and multivariate analyses in genetically positive and negative patients (training set). The diagnostic score was validated in an independent set of 77 patients (validation set). RESULTS: Young age at onset (odds ratio [OR] 0.94, P = 0.003), positive family history of periodic fever (OR 4.1, P = 0.039), thoracic pain (OR 4.6, P = 0.05), abdominal pain (OR 33.1, P < 0.001), diarrhea (OR 3.3, P = 0.028), and oral aphthosis (OR 0.2, P = 0.007) were found to be independently correlated with a positive genetic test result. These variables were combined in a linear score whose ability to predict a positive result on genetic testing was validated in an independent data set. In this latter set, the diagnostic score revealed high sensitivity (82%) and specificity (72%) for discriminating patients who were genetically positive from those who were negative. In patients with a high probability of having a positive result on genetic testing, a regression tree analysis provided the most reasonable order in which the genes should be screened. CONCLUSION: The proposed approach in patients with periodic fever will increase the probability of obtaining positive results on genetic testing, with good specificity and sensitivity. Our results further help to optimize the molecular analysis by suggesting the order in which the genes should be screened.

Short-term and long-term mortality in very elderly patients admitted to an intensive care unit.

OBJECTIVE: To report short-term and long-term mortality of very elderly ICU patients and to determine independent risk factors for short-term and long-term mortality DESIGN AND SETTING: Retrospective cohort study in the medical/surgical ICU of a tertiary university teaching hospital. PATIENTS: 578 consecutive ICU patients aged 80 years or older. RESULTS: Demographic, physiological, and laboratory values derived from the first 24h after ICU admission. ICU mortality of unplanned surgical (34.0%) and medical patients (37.7%) was higher than that of planned surgical patients (10.6%), as was post-ICU hospital mortality (26.5% and 29.7% vs. 4.4%). Mortality 12 months after hospital discharge, including ICU and hospital mortality, was 62.1% in unplanned surgical and 69.2% in medical patients vs. 21.6% in planned patients. Only median survival of planned surgical patients did not differ from survival in the age- and gender-matched general population. Independent risk factors for ICU mortality were lower Glasgow Coma Scale score, higher SAPS II score, the lowest urine output over 8 h, abnormal body temperature, low plasma bicarbonate levels, and higher oxygen fraction of inspired air. High urea concentrations and admission type were risk factors for hospital mortality, and high creatinine concentration was an independent risk factor for 12-month mortality. CONCLUSION: Mortality in very elderly patients after unplanned surgical or medical ICU admission is higher than after planned admission. The most important factors independently associated with ICU mortality were related to the severity of illness at admission. Long-term mortality was associated with renal function.

Mechanical and histologic evaluation of Ca-P plasma-spray and magnetron sputter-coated implants in trabecular bone of the goat.

To aim of this study was to investigate the bone response to calcium phosphate (Ca-P) plasma-spray and radiofrequency magnetron sputter-coated implants with comparable roughness. Therefore, tapered conical screw designed implants were installed in the trabecular bone of the femurs of nine goats. They were provided with two types of coatings, a plasma-spray dual coating of fluorapatite and hydroxyapatite (FA/HA-PS) and a titanium plasma-spray coating, covered with an amorphous Ca-P magnetron sputtercoating (TPS/Ca-P-a). These implants were evaluated histologically and mechanically after 3 months of implantation. A well-controlled method to apply and measure a torsional force to load the screw-type implants to the point of failure was introduced. All implants healed uneventful and were well fixed. No significant difference (Student t test, p > 0.05) for the torsional failure force was measured for both type of coatings. Nevertheless, SEM revealed differently situated fracture planes. Light microscopy showed intimate bone-implanted contact for both types of coatings; original drill margins were still visible. A lamellar type of bone with some remodeling lacunae was shown. Histomorphometry revealed a higher percentage of bone contact for the FA/HA-PS-coated implants (students t test, p < 0.05). Measurement of the amount of bone revealed more bone mass around TPS/Ca-P-a-coated implants (analysis of variance and Turkey multiple comparison, p < 0.05).