Quality Evaluation of a Checklist for Intubation Preparation in Graduate Medical Education.

Background Rapid sequence intubation (RSI) is a multistep process that emergency physicians commonly perform. Unfortunately, there is little published in the graduate medical education literature regarding the use of checklists for RSI education. Methods We developed a pre-intubation checklist for RSI preparation and evaluated emergency medicine residents' use of it. We developed the checklist using a three-round modified Delphi process among a group of emergency medicine faculty physicians within our institution. Over a three-year period, residents were randomized into two groups: a "checklist group" and a "without-checklist group." Residents were then evaluated for RSI critical step completion in a simulated critically ill patient by two independent study investigators. Inter-rater reliability kappa scores were calculated. Following completion of the scenario, residents in both groups were asked to complete an anonymous survey. Both groups had access to the checklist at the time of the survey. The survey was used to determine if they found the checklist helpful. Odds ratios with p-values, at an alpha of 0.05 for significance, were computed for checklist items comparing the checklist and without-checklist groups. Data analysis was performed using SAS software (SAS, Cary, NC v 9.4). This study was approved by the authors' Institutional Review Board. Results Each assessment was completed by two investigators. Inter-rater reliability was substantial (κ=0.79). Residents having access to the checklist were more likely to verbalize a critical step with a p-value of < 0.0001 and an odds ratio of 2.17 (95% CI: 1.48, 3.19). The checklist group normalized vital signs prior to intubation in 25/28 (89%, 95% CI: 72.81, 96.29) versus only 6/29 (21%, 95% CI: 9.85, 38.39) with a p-value of <0.0001 in the without-checklist group. The checklist group evaluated for difficult laryngoscopy 26/28 (93%, 95% CI: 77.36, 98.02) versus only 21/29 (72%, CI 95% 54.28, 85.30) with p=0.0223 in the without-checklist group. All of the surveyed residents indicated that the checklist would be helpful for future use in the ED. Conclusion This RSI checklist improved adherence to preparatory steps of RSI. Utilizing a checklist increased evaluation for a difficult airway and normalizing vital signs. Residents found the checklist helpful for ED use.

Perturbed myoepithelial cell differentiation in BRCA mutation carriers and in ductal carcinoma in situ.

Myoepithelial cells play key roles in normal mammary gland development and in limiting pre-invasive to invasive breast tumor progression, yet their differentiation and perturbation in ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) are poorly understood. Here, we investigated myoepithelial cells in normal breast tissues of BRCA1 and BRCA2 germline mutation carriers and in non-carrier controls, and in sporadic DCIS. We found that in the normal breast of non-carriers, myoepithelial cells frequently co-express the p63 and TCF7 transcription factors and that p63 and TCF7 show overlapping chromatin peaks associated with differentiated myoepithelium-specific genes. In contrast, in normal breast tissues of BRCA1 mutation carriers the frequency of p63+TCF7+ myoepithelial cells is significantly decreased and p63 and TCF7 chromatin peaks do not overlap. These myoepithelial perturbations in normal breast tissues of BRCA1 germline mutation carriers may play a role in their higher risk of breast cancer. The fraction of p63+TCF7+ myoepithelial cells is also significantly decreased in DCIS, which may be associated with invasive progression.

Impact of Lowering Irrigation Flow Rate on Atrial Lesion Formation in Thin Atrial Tissue: Preliminary Observations From Experimental and Clinical Studies.

OBJECTIVES: The authors sought to investigate the effect of low irrigation flow rate on lesion characteristics and ablation outcomes in a clinicopathological study. BACKGROUND: Irrigated ablation produces deeper lesions compared with nonirrigated ablation, which may not be desirable in the thin-walled posterior left atrium (LA), where collateral esophageal injury is possible. METHODS: Lesions were placed on the smooth posterior right atrium in 20 swine and posterior LA in 60 patients at a maximum power of 20 to 25 W with either: 1) power-controlled ablation at an irrigation flow rate of 17 ml/min (high-flow group 10 swine; n = 40) or 2) temperature-controlled ablation at an irrigation flow rate of 2 ml/min (low-flow group 10 swine; n = 20). Safety and efficacy was also compared in 326 patients undergoing AF ablation using high-flow (n = 160) or low-flow settings (n = 166) for posterior LA ablation. RESULTS: Low-flow, compared with high-flow, lesions in swine had a higher incidence of lesions with: impedance fall ≥10 Ω, loss of pace capture, electrograms characteristic of transmural lesions, and visible lesions on anatomic inspection (p < 0.05 for all). Low-flow lesions had a maximal diameter at the endocardial surface, whereas high-flow lesions had a maximal diameter at the epicardial surface. In humans, impedance, pace capture, and transmurality data also strongly favored low-flow lesions. There was no difference in acute pulmonary vein isolation, complications, or 12-month arrhythmia-free survival between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: Low-flow irrigated ablation provides favorable lesion characteristics for posterior LA ablation without increasing the risk of adverse events.