ABSTRACT
Canada's health system faces a lag in implementing high-quality evidence and research-driven innovation into service delivery, while demonstrating accountability and benefit to the public. To address these challenges, Patient-Oriented Research (POR) builds teams that engage researchers, healthcare providers, decision-makers, and most importantly, patients (people with lived and living experience) in the process of generating and applying evidence to inform health services and decision-making. A Learning Health System (LHS) systematically integrates external evidence with internal data and experience and puts that knowledge into practice in a continuous cycle. Using a POR/LHS example from a BC health authority, we describe nine enablers required to support LHS capacity development. The LHS case study, Walk With Me, addresses a health system high-priority topic: the toxic drug crisis. Understanding the value of learning health systems, along with the enablers required to support and implement them, will empower health leaders to champion and orchestrate positive change.
Subject(s)
Capacity Building , Learning Health System , Humans , Canada , Health Services Research , Patient ParticipationABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To develop a list of tests or treatments frequently used in pediatric rheumatology practice that may be unnecessary based on existing evidence. METHODS: A Choosing Wisely (CW) working group composed of 16 pediatric rheumatologists, 1 allied health professional, 1 parent, and 1 patient used the Delphi method to generate, rank, and refine a list of tests and treatments that may be unnecessary or harmful. The items with the highest content agreement and perceived impact were presented in a survey to all Canadian Rheumatology Association (CRA) physicians who practice pediatric rheumatology. Respondents were asked to rate their agreement and impact, and to rank the items. Five items with the highest composite scores and 2 additional items selected by the CW working group were put forward for literature review. RESULTS: The initial Delphi procedure generated 80 items. After 3 rounds, the list was narrowed to 13 items. The survey was completed by 41/81 (51%) CRA pediatric members across Canada. Respondent characteristics were similar to those of the CRA pediatric membership for self-reported gender, geographical location, and career stage. The highest composite score items were antinuclear antibody testing, drug toxicity monitoring, HLA-B27 testing, rheumatoid factor/anticyclic citrullinated peptide testing, and Lyme serology testing. Two additional items (numerous or repeated intraarticular corticosteroid injections, and autoinflammatory diseases genetic testing) were also selected. Literature review was performed for these 7 highest priority items. CONCLUSION: We have identified areas for quality improvement in the evaluation and treatment of rheumatic diseases in Canadian children.
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Unresectable and metastatic small cell carcinoma of the prostate (SCPC) is a rare and aggressive disease that is under-represented in clinical trials. We carried out a retrospective chart review of metastatic or unresectable SCPC patients at British Columbia (BC) Cancer centers, studying diagnosis and treatment patterns. METHODS: Drug-dispensing records from the six BC Cancer centers were obtained from 2002-2017. For each patient, information was collected on baseline information prior to therapy and for each line of treatment. Treatments at each line were compared regarding time to progression and overall survival by Kaplan-Meier curves. RESULTS: Forty-one patients received treatment; 65.6% had metastatic disease and 61% had pure small cell carcinoma. Median time from treatment to death was 10 months (95% confidence interval [CI] 6-16). Patients with initially prostate-confined disease had a better median overall survival (mOS) of 21 months (95% CI 13-34) compared to those with initially locally advanced (mOS 19 months, 95% CI 5-37) and metastatic disease (mOS 8 months, 95% CI 6-10) (log-rank p=0.0364). All patients received either cisplatin- or carboplatin-based combination chemotherapy as the first-line treatment and 36.7% received second-line therapy. Time to second-line therapy was eight months for those who presented with metastatic SCPC, compared to 13 months for those with initial non-metastatic SCPC. CONCLUSIONS: This single-province, multi-institution cohort reports data on unresectable and metastatic SCPC and highlights the poor prognosis of this rare disease entity.
ABSTRACT
Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ)-induced hyperpigmentation is uncommon but is increasingly recognized. To our knowledge, HCQ-induced hyperpigmentation has not been reported in the pediatric age group. Herein, we present the case of a 14-year-old girl with systemic lupus erythematosus, who developed hyperpigmentation on her shins and dorsum of the left foot, approximately 3 years after initiating treatment with HCQ. Physicians who treat children with HCQ for reasons such as rheumatologic disorders, dermatologic disorders and, more recently, coronavirus disease-19 should be aware of this less-known side effect of HCQ.
