Extended Pharmacologic Prophylaxis for Venous Thromboembolism after Colon Cancer Surgery is Associated with Improved Long-term Survival: A Natural Experiment in the Chemotherapeutic Benefit of Heparin Derivatives.

OBJECTIVE: This large database study assessed whether extended pharmacologic prophylaxis for venous thromboembolism after colon cancer resection was associated with improved oncologic survival. BACKGROUND: Heparin-derivatives may confer an anti-neoplastic effect via a variety of mechanisms (e.g. inhibiting angiogenesis in the tumor microenvironment). Studies evaluating the oncologic benefit of heparin and its derivatives have been limited in post-surgical patients. Multiple society guidelines recommend consideration of 30-day treatment with low molecular weight heparin to reduce venous thromboembolism risk after abdominopelvic cancer surgery. However, utilization of extended prophylaxis remains low. METHODS: Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare data were used to identify patients (age 65+) undergoing resection for non-metastatic colon cancer from 2016-2017. The primary outcomes were overall and cancer-specific survival. Log-rank testing and multivariable Cox regression compared survival in patients who received extended prophylaxis versus those that did not in an inverse propensity treatment weighted cohort. RESULTS: 20,102 patients were included in propensity-weighting and analyzed. 800 (3.98%) received extended pharmacologic prophylaxis. Overall and cancer-specific survival were significantly higher in patients receiving prophylaxis on log-rank tests (P=0.0017 overall, P=0.0200 cancer-specific). Multivariable Cox regression showed improved overall survival [aHR 0.66 (0.56-0.78)] and cancer-specific survival [aHR 0.56 (0.39-0.81)] with prophylaxis after controlling for patient, treatment, and hospital factors. CONCLUSIONS: Extended pharmacologic prophylaxis after colon cancer resection was independently associated with improved overall and cancer-specific survival. These results suggest a potential anti-neoplastic effect from heparin derivatives when used in the context of preventing post-surgical venous thromboembolism.

Abdominal Surgical Procedures in Adult Patients With Cystic Fibrosis: What Are the Risks?

BACKGROUND: With advances in medical care, patients with cystic fibrosis are more commonly living into adulthood, yet there are limited data describing the need for GI surgery and its outcomes in adult cystic fibrosis patients. OBJECTIVE: We aim to use a national administrative database to evaluate trends in abdominal GI surgery and associated postoperative outcomes among adult cystic fibrosis patients. DESIGN: This was a national retrospective cohort study. SETTING: A national all-payor administrative database from 2000 to 2014 was used. PATIENTS: Patients included adults (age ≥18 years) with cystic fibrosis undergoing abdominal GI surgery. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was trend over time in number of surgical admissions. Secondary outcomes included morbidity and mortality by procedure type. RESULTS: We identified 3075 admissions for abdominal surgery, of which 28% were elective. Major GI surgical procedures increased over the study period ( p < 0.01), whereas appendectomy and cholecystectomy did not demonstrate a clear trend ( p = 0.90). The most common procedure performed was cholecystectomy ( n = 1280; 42%). The most common major surgery was segmental colectomy ( n = 535; 18%). Obstruction was the most common surgical indication ( n = 780; 26%). For major surgery, in-hospital mortality was 6%, morbidity was 37%, and mean length of stay was 15.9 days (SE 1.2). LIMITATIONS: The study is limited by a lack of granular physiological and clinical data within the administrative data source. CONCLUSIONS: Major surgical admissions for adult patients with cystic fibrosis are increasing, with the majority being nonelective. Major surgery is associated with significant morbidity, mortality, and prolonged length of hospital stay. These findings may inform perioperative risk for adult patients with cystic fibrosis in need of GI surgery. See Video Abstract at http://links.lww.com/DCR/B850 . PROCEDIMIENTOS QUIRRGICOS ABDOMINALES EN PACIENTES ADULTOS CON FIBROSIS QUSTICA CULES SON LOS RIESGOS: ANTECEDENTES:Con los avances en la medicina, los pacientes con fibrosis quística viven más comúnmente hasta la edad adulta, pero hay datos escasos que describan la necesidad de cirugía gastrointestinal y sus resultados en pacientes adultos con fibrosis quística.OBJETIVO:Nuestro objetivo es utilizar una base de datos administrativa nacional para evaluar las tendencias en la cirugía gastrointestinal abdominal y los resultados posoperatorios asociados entre los pacientes adultos con fibrosis quística.DISEÑO:Estudio de cohorte retrospectivo nacional.AJUSTE:Base de datos administrativa nacional de todas las instituciones pagadoras desde 2000 a 2014.PACIENTES:Todos los pacientes adultos (edad> 18) con fibrosis quística sometidos a cirugía gastrointestinal abdominal.PRINCIPALES MEDIDAS DE RESULTADO:El resultado primario fue la tendencia a lo largo del tiempo en el número de ingresos quirúrgicos. Los resultados secundarios incluyeron morbilidad y mortalidad por tipo de procedimiento.RESULTADOS:Identificamos 3.075 ingresos por cirugía abdominal de los cuales el 28% fueron electivos. Los procedimientos quirúrgicos gastrointestinales mayores aumentaron durante el período de estudio (p <0,01) mientras que la apendicectomía y la colecistectomía no demostraron una tendencia clara (p = 0,90). El procedimiento realizado con mayor frecuencia fue la colecistectomía (n = 1.280; 42%). La cirugía mayor más común fue la colectomía segmentaria (n = 535; 18%). La obstrucción fue la indicación quirúrgica más común (n = 780; 26%). Para la cirugía mayor, la mortalidad hospitalaria fue del 6%, la morbilidad del 37% y la estadía media de 15,9 días (EE 1,2).LIMITACIONES:El estudio está limitado por la falta de datos clínicos y fisiológicos granulares dentro de la fuente de datos administrativos.CONCLUSIONES:Los ingresos quirúrgicos mayores de pacientes adultos con fibrosis quística están aumentando y la mayoría no son electivos. La cirugía mayor se asocia con una morbilidad y mortalidad significativas y una estancia hospitalaria prolongada. Estos hallazgos pueden informar el riesgo perioperatorio para pacientes adultos con fibrosis quística que necesitan cirugía gastrointestinal. Consulte Video Resumen en http://links.lww.com/DCR/B850 . (Traducción-Dr. Felipe Bellolio ).

Micronutrient Needs of the Elderly.

Older adults are becoming a significant percentage of the world's population. A multitude of factors, from the normal aging process to the progression of chronic disease, influence the nutrition needs of this very diverse group of people. Appropriate micronutrient intake is of particular importance but is often suboptimal. Here we review the available data regarding micronutrient needs and the consequences of deficiencies in the ever growing aged population.

What micronutrient deficiencies should be considered in distinct neurological disorders?

The expanding understanding of the biochemical and physiologic role of micronutrients, commonly referred to as vitamins and minerals, is driving the identification of their consequences in both deficiency and toxicity. Neural tissue is quite sensitive to physiologic changes, and as such, micronutrient deficiencies can have significant and profound effects on the functioning of both the central and peripheral nervous systems. Understanding which micronutrients can affect the nervous system can aid physician identification of these neurological symptoms and signs, leading to diagnostic testing and appropriate therapy.

Technical skills acquisition in surgery-bound senior medical students: an evaluation of student assertiveness.

OBJECTIVE: To prepare students pursuing surgical careers, we devised a senior subinternship curriculum supplement that focused on the acquisition of technical skills required of surgical residents. We hypothesized that more assertive students, those that accomplished more of the curriculum, would perform better on a technical skills Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE). DESIGN: Senior medical students rotating on their first general surgery subinternship were administered a 6-station OSCE on the first day of their subinternship and again during the final week of the month-long rotation. A self-directed, 38-task "scavenger hunt" representing common intern level clinical skills, procedures, and patient care activities was provided to each student. SETTING: The study was performed at Jefferson Medical College, a large, private medical school in Philadelphia, PA. PARTICIPANTS: Forty-nine senior students completed surgical subinternships between July 2009 and September 2010, and participated both in the pre-/post-OSCEs and the scavenger hunt. RESULTS: Students performed significantly better on the post-rotation OSCE than on the pre-rotation OSCE; 70.2% ± 8.1% vs. 60.4% ± 12.0%, p < 0.0001. Assertiveness scores from the "scavenger hunt" did not correlate with final OSCE scores (r = -0.328, p = 0.25), and were negatively correlated with the change between pre- and post-OSCE scores (r = -0.573, p < 0.04). Individual student assertiveness scores were determined by the number of tasks completed over the course of the rotation. CONCLUSIONS: As surgical education becomes more streamlined with evolving work hour restrictions, medical school education is playing an increasingly pivotal role in preparing students for internship. In our study, individual assertiveness in completing structured self-directed learning tasks did not directly predict the acquisition of proficiency in technical skills. We feel assertiveness is overshadowed by other factors that may carry more weight in terms of technical skills acquisition. Further studies are required to delineate these factors and ultimately enhance technical skills acquisition during medical school.