Does vaginal estrogen use increase the risk for adverse cardiovascular outcomes?

NO. In general, nonoral estrogen use for menopausal symptoms is associated with a lower cardiovascular (CV) risk profile than oral estrogen use (strength of recommendation [SOR], B; meta-analysis of cohort studies). Vaginal estrogen use is associated with lower risk for coronary heart disease (CHD) and similar risk for myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, and deep vein thrombosis/pulmonary embolism (DVT/ PE) compared with nonuse (SOR, B; cohort studies). Vaginal estrogen therapy also is associated with lower CV-related mortality for 3 to 5 years compared withnonuse (SOR, B; cohort study). No high-quality randomized trials address this topic.

Evaluating Occupant Light Exposure and Usage Patterns in an Inpatient Behavioral Health Unit.

OBJECTIVE: To (1) evaluate the use case for tunable lighting in inpatient behavioral health, (2) describe differences in staff lighting exposures between static and tunable lighting conditions using wearable sensors, and (3) document occupant lighting control usage patterns. BACKGROUND: Tunable lighting fixtures can vary the amount of light and spectral content, so have been offered as a way to address light and health considerations. Before we can understand potential health benefits of tunable lighting, it is helpful to understand how occupant exposures under tunable lighting differ from those under more traditional lighting systems. METHODS: Tunable lighting benefits and challenges for inpatient behavioral health were carefully detailed during design. Light exposure measurements were recorded at an old site with static fluorescent lighting and a new site with tunable light-emitting diode (LED) lighting. Behavioral health inpatient unit staff participants voluntarily wore a light measurement device to estimate light exposure. At the new site, controls usage data were recorded each time a button was pressed on a lighting control station. RESULTS: While general observations can be made about the data between sites, there is notable variation at both sites depending on the day and hour. Button press data revealed that occupants used the full capability of the tunable lighting system to support different activities and needs. CONCLUSION: Understanding the relationship between occupant well-being and light requires a holistic research approach including thoughtful design accounting for real-world constraints, detailed measurement of light exposure, and understanding how occupants interact and make use of new technology.

Does an early COPD diagnosis improve long-term outcomes?

It depends. A diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) made using screening spirometry in patients without symptoms does not change the course of the disease or alter smoking rates (strength of recommendation [SOR]: A, preponderance of evidence from multiple randomized controlled trials [RCTs]). However, once a patient develops symptoms of lung disease, a delayed diagnosis is associated with poorer outcomes (SOR: B, cohort studies). Active case finding (including the use of spirometry) is recommended for patients with risk factors for COPD who present with consistent symptoms (SOR: C, expert opinion).

How accurate is transcutaneous bilirubin testing in newborns with darker skin tones?

Fairly accurate. Photometric transcutaneous bilirubin (TcB) testing may overestimate total serum bilirubin (TSB) in neonates with darker skin tones by a mean of 0.68 to > 2 mg/dL (strength of recommendation [SOR]: C, diagnostic cohort studies with differing reference standards).Overall, TcB meters retain accept able accuracy in infants of all skin tones across a range of bilirubin levels, despite being more likely to underestimate lighter skin tones and overestimate darker ones (SOR: C, diagnostic cohort studies with differing reference standards). It is unclear if the higher readings prompt an increase in blood draws or otherwise alter care.

Does adjunctive oxytocin infusion during balloon cervical ripening improve labor induction?

Evidence-Based Answer: Yes. Compared to the use of a transcervical balloon alone, combined cervical ripening with a balloon catheter and oxytocin shortens the time to overall delivery by 3 hours and the time to vaginal delivery by 4 hours, without altering the rate of cesarean section (strength of recommendation [SOR]: A, network meta-analysis). The effect is more pronounced in nulliparous patients (SOR: A, meta-analysis).When combined therapy is used, 6 hours of balloon time may result in faster delivery than 12 hours (SOR: B, single randomized controlled trial [RCT]). Fixed-dose oxytocin and titrated oxytocin appear to have similar effect when combined with a cervical ripening balloon (SOR: C, underpowered RCT).

How does gender-affirming hormone therapy affect QOL in transgender patients?

There are modest effects on depression but not anxiety. Gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT) is associated with modest improvements in standardized scores for quality of life (QOL) and depression in adult male-to-female and female-to-male transgender people and modest improvements in depression scores in transgender adolescents, but the effect on anxiety is uncertain (strength of recommendation [SOR]: B, based on a preponderance of low-quality prospective cohort studies with inconsistent results). GAHT is associated with reduced gender dysphoria and decreased suicidality (SOR: B, based on a prospective cohort study). However, there is insufficient evidence to determine any effect on suicide completion. No studies associated GAHT with worsened QOL, depression, or anxiety scores.

Is event-driven PrEP dosing for HIV as effective as daily dosing?

PROBABLY, although there are no head-to-head trials comparing the 2 dosing regimens. Event-driven pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) dosing reduces HIV conversion by 86% compared to placebo (strength of recommendation [SOR]: B, large randomized controlled trial [RCT]). Daily PrEP reduces HIV conversion by 44% to 86% (SOR: B, based on open-label RCTs).Event-driven PrEP regimens may be associated with lower adherence when compared with daily PrEP regimens (average of 70% for event-driven PrEP vs average of 92% for daily PrEP) (SOR: B, based on open-label and cohort trials). Event-driven PrEP regimens have lower medication costs, and they are associated with no difference in the rate of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) (SOR: B, based on prospective cohort studies). Patients may prefer them to daily regimens (75% choose event driven PrEP vs 25% choose daily PrEP) (SOR: BB, based on the preponderance of prospective cohort studies with conflicting results).

Can family physicians accurately screen for AAA with point-of-care ultrasound?

Likely yes. Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) screening for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) by nonradiologist physicians is 98% sensitive and 99% specific, compared with imaging performed by radiologists (strength of recommendation [SOR]: B, meta-analysis of diagnostic accuracy studies mostly involving emergency medicine physicians). European family physicians demonstrated 100% concordance with radiologist readings (SOR: C, very small subsequent diagnostic accuracy studies).

Is ketamine effective and safe for treatment-resistant depression?

MAYBE, but it's too soon to tell. There is limited evidence that ketamine by itself is effective in the very short term. Single-dose intravenous (IV) ketamine is more likely than placebo (odds ratio = 11-13) to produce improvement (> 50%) in standardized depression scores in 1 to 3 days, lasting up to a week. Twice- or thriceweekly IV ketamine improves symptom scores by 20%-25% over 2 weeks (strength of recommendation [SOR]: B, meta-analysis of small, low-quality, randomized controlled trials [RCTs] and a single small RCT).Augmentation of sertraline with daily oral ketamine moderately improves symptom scores for 6 weeks in patients with moderate depression (SOR: B, small, lowquality RCTs).Augmentation of oral antidepressants (duloxetine, escitalopram, sertraline, venlafaxine) with intranasal esketamine spray improves response and remission rates at 4 weeks (16% for both outcomes) in patients with predominantly treatment-resistant major depression (SOR: A, meta-analysis of RCTs).Ketamine therapy is associated with confusion, emotional blunting, headache, dizziness, and blurred vision (SOR: A, metaanalyses).Nasal esketamine spray produces the adverse effects of dizziness, vertigo, and blurred vision severe enough to cause discontinuation in 4% of patients; it also can produce transient elevation of blood pressure (SOR: A, meta-analyses).

Is metformin effective for reducing weight in obese or overweight adolescents?

YES, TO SOME DEGREE-BUT IT IS OF UNCERTAIN CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE. OVER A PERIOD OF 6 MONTHS, METFORMIN MODESTLY REDUCED WEIGHT (-2.1 KG) AND BODY FAT MASS (-1.9%), BUT NOT BODY MASS INDEX (BMI) OR LEAN BODY MASS, IN ADOLESCENTS WHO WERE OVERWEIGHT OR OBESE. THIS IS COMPARABLE TO LIFESTYLE INTERVENTIONS (DIET AND EXERCISE) SUPPORTED WITH > 26 HOURS OF COUNSELING, WHICH MODESTLY IMPROVED BMI BUT NOT WEIGHT. (STRENGTH OF RECOMMENDATION [SOR]: A, BASED ON A LARGE META-ANALYSIS OF RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIALS [RCTS] OF VARIABLE QUALITY).

Lighting Control in Patient Rooms: Understanding Nurses' Perceptions of Hospital Lighting Using Qualitative Methods.

PURPOSE: This study differs in its methodological approach from previously published research by interpreting qualitative results against existing literature to understand how nurses conceptualize medical-surgical patient rooms as productive settings in relation to lighting, as well as the ways in which nurses believe these spaces could be enhanced for patient satisfaction. METHODS: Content analysis was used to interpret themes emerging from nurses' subjective responses to open-ended items. Three of the facilities had older, traditional lighting systems; one had a contemporary framework. RESULTS: A theme of environmental control over both overhead and task lighting emerged from data from all items. Although controllability was among the "best" lighting attributes, more refinement is necessary for optimal staff productivity and patient satisfaction. Daylighting was also considered to be among the best attributes. Control over light level via additional dimming capability for patients, as well as additional light sources, was prominent across the four hospitals. Unique to the more modern facility, trespassing of light was problematic for nurses considering the experiences of patients-even where modern models exist, more attention can be paid to the ways in which window shades, and light sources outside of rooms, penetrate spaces and affect users. CONCLUSION: The finding that nurses and patients desire greater control over the lighting in patient rooms is consistent with Ulrich's theory of supportive design for healthcare and coincides with advances in lighting technology. Despite differences in the level of sophistication in lighting among the four facilities, control continues to be a primary concern for nurses.