Health and Care Needs of Young Adults Exiting Jail.

Reentry is a difficult juncture for young adults (ages 18-24 years), who simultaneously face challenges of emerging adulthood. Although their health-related needs may be substantial, little is reported on young adults' reentry health care and social service needs. Furthermore, empirical measurements of factors affecting their engagement in reentry services after jail are lacking. We sought to describe health needs and predictors of linkages to reentry services for the 2,525 young adult participants in the Whole Person Care-LA Reentry program (WPC Reentry). Descriptive statistics were calculated and chi-square tests, t tests, and logistic regression were performed to identify factors associated with linkage to WPC Reentry postrelease compared with only engaging with WPC Reentry prerelease. Most participants (72.6%) were male, 80.2% were Hispanic or Black, and 60.9% had been unhoused. Mental health (57.2%) and substance use disorders (45.8%) were common, physical health was overall good (mean Charlson Comorbidity Index score 0.53), and social needs, especially housing, were high (40.7%). Older age (i.e., closer to 25 years) and history of being unhoused were associated with higher postrelease engagement in WPC Reentry (age: odds ratio [OR] = 1.06, p = .01; history of being unhoused: OR = 1.18, p = .05). Attentiveness to younger clients and to addressing housing needs may be key for successful reentry care linkages.

Caracterización de pacientes con pie diabético en el servicio de urgencias del Hospital de Clínicas, Paraguay. Periodo 2015-2016 / Characterization of patients with diabetic foot in the emergency service of the Hospital de Clínicas, Paraguay. Period 2015-2016

Objetivo: determinar las características de los pacientes con diagnóstico de Pie Diabético en un servicio de Urgencias. Materiales y métodos: estudio retrospectivo, descriptivo, basado en la revisión de 525 historias clínicas de pacientes que acudieron al servicio de Urgencias-Adultos del Hospital de Clínicas, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Asunción, Paraguay entre los años 2015 y 2016. Se recopilaron los siguientes datos: edad, sexo, comorbilidades, tratamiento, tipo de amputaciones, identificación del mecanismo y lugar de inicio de lesiones; destino de los pacientes luego de Urgencias y mortalidad. Resultados: La frecuencia de Pie Diabético fue del 40% de 2718 pacientes con Diabetes;60% era del sexo masculino, el promedio de edad 63 años (±10);34 (65,3%) tenían antecedentes de hipertensión arterial; amputación previa 99 (18,9%);cardiopatía isquémica 56 (10,7%);accidente cerebro vascular 21(4%);tabaquismo 18 (3,4%). Recibieron tratamiento quirúrgico 274 (52%), de ellos 199 fueron amputaciones (73%); el 56% fueron amputaciones mayores;256 de 356 pacientes (72%) no identificaron un traumatismo causal de la lesión; 270 (51%) refirieron a los dedos como el lugar de inicio de lesiones. Hubo336 altas (64%) y 14 (2,67%) fallecieron. Conclusión: Se observó una alta frecuencia de pacientes con pie diabético en Urgencias, lo cual urge establecer programas estructurados para prevención y tratamiento multidisciplinario.

Objective: to determine the characteristicsof patients diagnosed with Diabetic Foot in an emergency service. Materials and methods: a retrospective, descriptive study, based on the review of 525 medical records of patients who attended the Emergency-Adult service of the Hospital de Clínicas, Faculty ofMedicine, National University of Asunción, Paraguay between the years 2015 and 2016. The following data were collected: age, sex, comorbidities, treatment, type of amputations, identification of the mechanism and place of initiation of injuries; destination of patients after emergencies and mortality. Results:The frequency of Diabetic Foot was 40% of 2718 patients with Diabetes, 60% were male, average age was 63 years (± 10),34 (65.3%) had a history of high blood pressure, previous amputation 99 (18.9%),ischemic heart disease 56 (10.7%), stroke 21 (4%), smoking 18 (3.4%),274 (52%) received surgical treatment, of which 199 were amputations (73%); 56% major amputations,256 of 356 patients (72%) did not identify a traumatic cause of the injury; 270 (51%) referred to the fingers as the place of initiation of lesions. There were 336 discharges (64%) and 14 patients (2.67%) died. Conclusion:High frequency of patients with diabetic foot in the Emergency Department, which makes it urgent to establish structured programs for prevention and multidisciplinary treatment.

Community-based organizations' perspectives on improving health and social service integration.

BACKGROUND: Collaborations between health systems and community-based organizations (CBOs) are increasingly common mechanisms to address the unmet health-related social needs of high-risk populations. However, there is limited evidence on how to develop, manage, and sustain these partnerships, and implementation rarely incorporates perspectives of community social service organizations. To address these gaps, we elicited CBOs' perspectives on service delivery for clients, the impact of the Whole Person Care-Los Angeles (WPC-LA) initiative to integrate health and social care, and their suggestions for improving health system partnerships. METHODS: Using stakeholder engaged principles and a qualitative Rapid Assessment Process, we conducted brief surveys and in-depth semi-structured interviews with 65 key informants from 36 CBOs working with WPC-LA. RESULTS: Major themes identified by CBOs included: 1) the importance of a holistic, client-centered, continuously engaged approach that is reliant on regional partnerships; 2) benefits of WPC-LA expanding capacity and networks; 3) concerns about communication and redundancy hindering WPC-LA; and 4) a need for more equitable partnerships incorporating their approaches. CONCLUSIONS: CBOs value opportunities for integration with health systems, bring critical expertise to these partnerships, and seek to strengthen cross-sector collaborations. Early, equitable, and inclusive participation in the development and implementation of these partnerships may enhance their effectiveness, but requires policy that prioritizes and incentivizes sustainable and mutually beneficial partnerships.

DUOX2 Mutations Are Associated With Congenital Hypothyroidism With Ectopic Thyroid Gland.

Context: Thyroid dysgenesis (TD) is the leading cause of congenital hypothyroidism (CH). The etiology of TD remains unknown in ∼90% of cases, the most common form being thyroid ectopia (TE) (48% to 61%). Objective: To search for candidate genes in hypothyroid children with TE. Design, Setting, and Participants: We followed a cohort of 268 children with TD and performed whole-exome sequencing (WES) in three children with CH with TE (CHTE) and compared them with 18 thyroid-healthy controls. We then screened an additional 41 children with CHTE by Sanger sequencing and correlated the WES and Sanger molecular findings with in vitro functional analysis. Main Outcome Measures: Genotyping, mutation prediction analysis, and in vitro functional analysis. Results: We identified seven variants in the DUOX2 gene, namely G201E, L264CfsX57, P609S, M650T, E810X, M822V, and E1017G, and eight known variations. All children carrying DUOX2 variations had high thyroid-stimulating hormone levels at neonatal diagnosis. All mutations were localized in the N-terminal segment, and three of them led to effects on cell surface targeting and reactive oxygen species generation. The DUOX2 mutants also altered the interaction with the maturation factor DUOXA2 and the formation of a stable DUOX2/DUOXA2 complex at the cell surface, thereby impairing functional enzymatic activity. We observed no mutations in the classic genes related to TD or in the DUOX1 gene. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that, in addition to thyroid hormonogenesis, the DUOX2 N-terminal domain may play a role in thyroid development.

Utilization of excimer laser debulking for critical lesions unsuitable for standard renal angioplasty.

BACKGROUND: The energy emitted by ultraviolet laser is avidly absorbed in atherosclerotic plaques. Conceptually, it could be applied for debulking of selected atherosclerotic renal artery stenoses. We describe early experience with revascularization of critical renal artery lesions deemed unsuitable for standard renal angioplasty. Institutional Review Board permission to conduct the data analysis was obtained. METHODS: Among 130 percutaneous renal artery interventions with balloon angioplasty and adjunct stenting, there were 12 (9%) patients who underwent laser debulking prior to stenting. These patients presented with critical (95+/-3.5% stenoses) lesions (11 de novo, 1 stent restenosis) deemed unsuitable for standard renal angioplasty because of marked eccentricity and presence of thrombus. Indications for intervention included preservation of kidney function, treatment of uncontrolled hypertension, management of congestive heart failure, and treatment of unstable angina. Blood pressure and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) were measured pre- and 3 weeks post-intervention. RESULTS: A baseline angiographic stenosis of 95+/-3.5% was reduced to 50+/-13% with laser debulking. There were no laser-induced complications. Post-stenting the angiographic residual stenosis was 0%. The mean gradient across the lesions was reduced from baseline 85+/-40 to 0 mmHg. A normal post-intervention antegrade renal flow was observed in all patients. Baseline mean systolic BP of 178+/-20 mmHg decreased to 132+/-12 mmHg (P<0.0001) and mean diastolic pressure of 85+/-16 mmHg reduced to 71+/-9 mmHg (P = 0.01). A pre-intervention mean eGFR of 47.7+/-19 ml/min/1.73 m(2) increased to 56+/-20.4 ml/min/1.73 m(2) (P = 0.05) post-procedure. The interventions were not associated with major renal or cardiac adverse events. During follow-up one patient developed transient contrast-induced nephropathy. CONCLUSIONS: Debulking of select renal artery stenoses with laser angioplasty followed by adjunct stenting is feasible. Further prospective, randomized studies will be required to explore the role of debulking and laser angioplasty in renal artery revascularization.