Experiences of Medical Interpreters During Palliative Care Encounters With Limited English Proficiency Patients: A Qualitative Study.

Background: There are many challenges in communication and cultural barriers for patients with limited English proficiency (LEP) who suffer from serious illnesses. Palliative care utilization among this population remains limited and the experiences of medical interpreters during palliative care encounters remain understudied. Methods: We conducted semistructured video interviews with interpreters working at an academic medical center. Interview questions explored interpreters' observations and experiences during palliative care encounters with LEP patients. We performed thematic analysis of the interview contents. Results: Our study included 20 interpreters who interpret in 9 languages with a mean experience of 16.3 years. We identified four themes from the interviews that shed light on the challenges of incorporating palliative care into the care of patients with LEP: (1) lack of a verbatim interpretation for the term "palliative care," (2) poor patient understanding of their treatment goals, (3) suboptimal timing of palliative care involvement, and (4) fears and misconceptions related to palliative care. Owing to challenges in word choice, the timing of palliative care involvement, and poor understanding of palliative care, interpreters observed that many patients with LEP declined palliative care involvement in their treatment plan. Conclusions: In this study, we identified several actionable barriers interpreters noted to incorporating palliative care into care of patients with LEP. Interventions directed toward providing LEP patients with standardized culturally appropriate information on palliative care are needed.

Cardiogenic shock related cardiovascular disease mortality trends in US population: Heart failure vs. acute myocardial infarction as contributing causes.

BACKGROUND: Observational and trial data have revealed significant improvement in cardiogenic shock (CS) mortality due to acute myocardial infarction (AMI) after introducing early coronary revascularization. Less is known about CS mortality due to heart failure (HF), which is increasingly recognized as a distinct entity from AMI-CS. METHODS AND RESULTS: In this nationwide observational study, the CDC WONDER database was used to identify national trends in age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMR) due to CS (HF vs. AMI related) per 100,000 people aged 35-84. AAMR from AMI-CS decreased significantly from 1999 to 2009 (AAPC: -6.9% [95%CI -7.7, -6.1]) then stabilized from 2009 to 2020. By contrast, HF-CS associated AAMR rose steadily from 2009 to 2020 (AAPC: 13.3% [95%CI 11.4,15.2]). The mortality rate was almost twice as high in males compared to females in both AMI-CS and HF-CS throughout the study period. HF-CS mortality in the non-Hispanic Black population is increasing more quickly than that of the non-Hispanic White population (AAMR in 2020: 4.40 vs. 1.97 in 100,000). The AMI-CS mortality rate has been consistently higher in rural than urban areas (30% higher in 1999 and 28% higher in 2020). CONCLUSIONS: These trends highlight the fact that HF-CS and AMI-CS represent distinct clinical entities. While mortality associated with AMI-CS has primarily declined over the last two decades, the mortality related to HF-CS has increased significantly, particularly over the last decade, and is increasing rapidly among individuals younger than 65. Accordingly, a dramatic change in the demographics of CS patients in modern intensive care units is expected.

Forgotten in the crowd: A qualitative study of medical interpreters' role in medical teams.

BACKGROUND: Patients with limited English proficiency (LEP) experience worse outcomes compared with native English speakers. Communication errors are partly responsible for the disparities among this population. Medical interpreters improve communication and often assume multiple roles during clinical encounters. We sought to explore the perspectives of medical interpreters regarding their role within medical teams and ways to improve communication. METHODS: We conducted a qualitative study using semistructured interviews with inpatient and outpatient medical interpreters at an academic medical center between March and August 2021. Interview questions explored interpreters' perceptions of their roles within the medical team and best practices to improve communication during encounters. Interview transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis. RESULTS: Our sample consisted of 20 interpreters with a mean age of 48 years (SD: 14.3) and a mean experience of 16.3 years (SD: 10.6). Two main themes emerged from interviews: (1) the full spectrum of medical interpreters' role and (2) factors acting as barriers and facilitators of interpretation. Interpreters described their role as language interpreters, cultural mediators, and patient advocates. They also identified several factors that may enhance encounters, such as utilizing the teach-back method with patients and debriefing with interpreters. CONCLUSIONS: Interpreters view their role as extending beyond interpretation to include cultural mediation and patient advocacy. Addressing commonly encountered challenges and adopting some of the proposed solutions highlighted in this study may facilitate improved communication with LEP patients receiving care in healthcare systems.

Challenges Facing Heart Failure Patients With Limited English Proficiency: A Qualitative Analysis Leveraging Interpreters' Perspectives.

BACKGROUND: Limited English proficiency (LEP) heart failure (HF) patients experience worse HF outcomes, including higher readmission rates and emergency department visits. To elucidate the challenges this population faces, the authors interviewed interpreters to identify gaps in care quality and ways to improve care for LEP HF patients. OBJECTIVES: The authors sought to understand the challenges facing HF patients with LEP using medical interpreters' perspectives. METHODS: The authors conducted a qualitative study using semistructured interviews with interpreters working at an academic medical center. All interpreters employed by the medical center were eligible to participate. Interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis. RESULTS: The authors interviewed 20 interpreters from 9 languages (mean age: 48 ± 14.3 years; mean experience: 16.3 ± 10.6 years). Two themes regarding the challenges of care delivery to LEP HF patients emerged: 1) LEP patients often had a limited understanding of HF etiology, prognosis, and treatment options, and interpreters cited difficulty explaining HF given the complexity of the subject; and 2) practical steps to improve the discharge process for LEP HF patients. Integrating interpreters into both the inpatient and outpatient HF teams was a strongly supported intervention. Additionally, conducting pre-encounter huddles, providing the interpreter service phone number at the time of discharge, involving family members when appropriate, and considering nutrition referrals were all important steps highlighted by interpreters. CONCLUSIONS: This study illuminates challenges that LEP HF patients face and provides potential solutions to improve care for this vulnerable group. Integrating interpreters as part of the HF team and designing practical discharge plans for LEP HF patients could reduce current disparities.

Importancia de la vena cística en la colecistectomía laparoscópica / Importance of the cystic vein in laparoscopic cholecystectomy

Resumen Objetivo: Existen diferencias en la descripción de la vena cística en la literatura, en muchas ocasiones sin considerarla un elemento importante. Consideramos que es de vital importancia describir la presencia de la vena cística como elemento significativo que puede alterar la vista crítica de seguridad (VCS) durante las colecistectomías y asimismo, originar errores. Materiales y Método: Entre el 1° de enero de 2014 hasta el 31 de diciembre de 2018, se evaluó la presencia de la vena cística durante la disección del triángulo hepatocístico en las colecistectomías. Resultados: 397 colecistectomías laparoscópicas fueron realizadas, en 30 casos se evidenciaron elementos adicionales en el triángulo hepatocístico que requirieron una disección prolija, la cual después de seguir su trayecto y al evaluar otros reparos anatómicos como el surco de Rouvière y la visualización de la vía biliar, se consideró debido a sus características que se trataba de una vena cística en 8 casos (2%). Discusión: La vena cística es una estructura anatómica cuya existencia se debe tener en mente por parte del cirujano que realiza la colecistectomía laparoscópica, porque puede aparecer como un elemento significativo alterando la vista crítica de seguridad. Aunque en nuestra serie como elemento significativo es del 2%, otras series la describen con una frecuencia mucho mayor. Conclusión: Es necesario realizar más estudios sobre la presencia e importancia como reparo anatómico debido a su valor para prevenir lesiones de la vía biliar y como factor de confusión en la vista crítica de seguridad.

Aim: There are differences in the description of the cystic vein in the literature, often without considering it an important element. We consider it vital to describe the presence of the cystic vein as a significant element that can disturb the critical view of safety during cholecystectomies, and also cause mistakes. Materials and Method: Between January 1, 2014 and December 31, 2018, the presence of the cystic vein during the dissection of the cystohepatic triangle in cholecystectomies was evaluated. Results: 397 laparoscopic cholecystectomies were performed, in 30 cases additional elements were evidenced in the cystohepatic triangle, which required a careful dissection, which after following its path and when evaluating other anatomical repairs such as the Rouvière sulcus and the visualization of the biliary tract, it was considered due to its characteristics that it was a cystic vein in 8 cases (2%). Discussion: The cystic vein is an anatomical structure whose existence must be kept in mind by the surgeon who performs laparoscopic cholecystectomy, because it can appear as a significant element altering the critical view of safety. Although in our series as a significant element it is 2%, other series describe it with a much higher frequency. Conclusion: It is necessary to carry out more studies on the presence and importance as an anatomical repair due to its value to prevent bile duct injuries and as a factor of confusion in the critical safety view.

Small RNA-seq during acute maximal exercise reveal RNAs involved in vascular inflammation and cardiometabolic health: brief report.

Exercise improves cardiometabolic and vascular function, although the mechanisms remain unclear. Our objective was to demonstrate the diversity of circulating extracellular RNA (ex-RNA) release during acute exercise in humans and its relevance to exercise-mediated benefits on vascular inflammation. We performed plasma small RNA sequencing in 26 individuals undergoing symptom-limited maximal treadmill exercise, with replication of our top candidate miRNA in a separate cohort of 59 individuals undergoing bicycle ergometry. We found changes in miRNAs and other ex-RNAs with exercise (e.g., Y RNAs and tRNAs) implicated in cardiovascular disease. In two independent cohorts of acute maximal exercise, we identified miR-181b-5p as a key ex-RNA increased in plasma after exercise, with validation in a separate cohort. In a mouse model of acute exercise, we found significant increases in miR-181b-5p expression in skeletal muscle after acute exercise in young (but not older) mice. Previous work revealed a strong role for miR-181b-5p in vascular inflammation in obesity, insulin resistance, sepsis, and cardiovascular disease. We conclude that circulating ex-RNAs were altered in plasma after acute exercise target pathways involved in inflammation, including miR-181b-5p. Further investigation into the role of known (e.g., miRNA) and novel (e.g., Y RNAs) RNAs is warranted to uncover new mechanisms of vascular inflammation on exercise-mediated benefits on health.NEW & NOTEWORTHY How exercise provides benefits to cardiometabolic health remains unclear. We performed RNA sequencing in plasma during exercise to identify the landscape of small noncoding circulating transcriptional changes. Our results suggest a link between inflammation and exercise, providing rich data on circulating noncoding RNAs for future studies by the scientific community.

A Novel Transgenic Mouse Model of Cardiac Hypertrophy and Atrial Fibrillation.

Cardiac hypertrophy is a major risk factor for the development of atrial fibrillation (AF). However, there are few animal models of AF associated with cardiac hypertrophy. In this study, we describe the in vivo electrophysiological characteristics and histopathology of a mouse model of cardiac hypertrophy that develops AF. Myostatin is a well-known negative regulator of skeletal muscle growth that was recently found to additionally regulate cardiac muscle growth. Using cardiac-specific expression of the inhibitory myostatin pro-peptide, we generated transgenic (TG) mice with dominant-negative regulation of MSTN (DN-MSTN). One line (DN-MSTN TG13) displayed ventricular hypertrophy, as well as spontaneous AF on the surface electrocardiogram (ECG), and was further evaluated. DN-MSTN TG13 had normal systolic function, but displayed atrial enlargement on cardiac MRI, as well as atrial fibrosis histologically. Baseline ECG revealed an increased P wave duration and QRS interval compared with wild-type littermate (WT) mice. Seven of 19 DN-MSTN TG13 mice had spontaneous or inducible AF, while none of the WT mice had atrial arrhythmias (p<0.05). Connexin40 (Cx40) was decreased in DN-MSTN TG13 mice, even in the absence of AF or significant atrial fibrosis, raising the possibility that MSTN signaling may play a role in Cx40 down-regulation and the development of AF in this mouse model. In conclusion, DN-MSTN TG13 mice represent a novel model of AF, in which molecular changes including an initial loss of Cx40 are noted prior to fibrosis and the development of atrial arrhythmias.