Workplace Health Promotion Programs Available to Emergency Medical Services Clinicians in North Carolina.

BACKGROUND: Emergency medical services (EMS) clinicians demonstrate a high prevalence of chronic medical conditions that place them at risk for early mortality. Workplace health promotion programs improve health outcomes, but the availably of such programs for EMS clinicians has not been described. We investigate the availability, scope, and participation of workplace health promotion programs available to EMS clinicians in North Carolina (NC). METHODS: We administered an electronic survey based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Worksite Health ScoreCard to key representatives of EMS agencies within NC that provide primarily transport-capable 9-1-1 response with ground ambulances. We collected information on agency size, rurality, elements of health promotion programs offered, incentives for participation, and participation rate. We calculated descriptive statistics using frequency and percentage for worksite and health promotion program characteristics. We compared the participation rate for agencies who did and did not incentivize participation using Fisher's exact test. RESULTS: Complete responses were received from 69 of 92 agencies (response = 75%) that collectively employ 6679 EMS clinicians [median employees per agency 71 (IQR 50-131)]. Most agencies (88.4%, 61/69) offered at least one element of a worksite health program, but only 13.0% (9/69) offered all elements of a worksite health program. In descending order, the availability of program elements were employee assistance programs (73.9%, 51/69), supportive physical and social environment (66.7%, 46/69), health education (62.3%, 43/69), health risk assessments (52.2%, 36/69), and organization culture of health promotion (20.3%, 14/69). Of agencies with programs, few (11.5%, 7/61) required participation, but most (59.0%, 36/61) offered incentives to participate. Participation rates were <25% among nearly all of the agencies that did not offer incentives, but >50% among most agencies that did offer incentives (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: While most agencies offer at least one element of a worksite health promotion program, few agencies offer all elements and participation rates are low.

Trigeminal Trophic Syndrome Leading to Orbital Cellulitis.

Trigeminal trophic syndrome is a rare condition that develops from trigeminal nerve damage causing dysesthesias that result in self-mutilation. Facial and nasal destruction develops from self-destructive behavior (repetitive picking or scratching) secondary to the altered skin sensation created by the damaged trigeminal nerve. Early recognition of this condition is crucial to the prevention of the detrimental complications of facial ulceration and nasal tissue necrosis that can lead to corneal ulcerations, full-thickness eyelid defect, and canthal lesions. This case demonstrates a previously unreported complication: orbital cellulitis.

Association of inflammatory and endothelial cell activation biomarkers with acute kidney injury after sepsis.

OBJECTIVE: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a sequela of sepsis associated with increased morbidity and mortality. We sought to determine if individuals with elevated baseline levels of inflammation and endothelial cell activation are at increased risk for future AKI after sepsis. METHODS: We conducted an analysis of individuals developing sepsis in the national 30,239 subject REGARDS cohort. Biomarkers measured at the beginning of an 8-year observation period included high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), E-selectin, inter-cellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), and urinary Albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR). We defined subsequent sepsis as hospitalization for a serious infection with ≥2 Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS) criteria. We excluded patients with prior dialysis or kidney transplantation, or those receiving less than two serum creatinine (sCr) measurements during hospitalization. We defined AKI as an increase in sCr ≥0.3 mg/dL from the initial sCr measurement, or the initiation of hemodialysis. Using logistic regression, we evaluated the associations between AKI and biomarker quartiles, adjusting for comorbidities. RESULTS: We identified 212 sepsis cases encompassing 41 (19.3%) AKI. Elapsed time from biomarker measurement to sepsis episode was 3.1 years (IQR 1.6-4.5). Compared with non-AKI, AKI individuals exhibited higher TNF-α (9.4 vs. 6.2 pg/mL, p = 0.003) and ACR (504.82 vs 61.81 mg/g, p < 0.001). hsCRP, IL-6, E-selectin, ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 were similar between AKI and non-AKI. After adjustment for confounders, AKI after sepsis was more likely in those with higher E-selectin (adjusted ORs 2.91 (0.95-8.93), 1.99 (0.61-6.47), 4.01 (1.30-12.35), test of linear trend p = 0.04), and higher ACR (adjusted ORs 2.29 (0.99-5.30), 10.67 (3.46-32.90), test of linear trend p < 0.001). Baseline hsCRP, TNF-α, IL-6, VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 were not associated with AKI after sepsis. CONCLUSION: Elevated baseline levels of E-selectin and ACR are associated with future AKI in the setting of sepsis. Baseline inflammatory and endothelial activation biomarkers may be useful for predicting future risk of AKI in sepsis.