Handgrip Strength Adds More Prognostic Value to the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease Score Than Imaging-Based Measures of Muscle Mass in Men With Cirrhosis.

Sarcopenia is associated with mortality in cirrhosis, but there is no gold standard for its diagnosis. The comparative utility of different diagnostic methods is unknown. This single-center observational cohort study followed 145 men referred for liver transplant evaluation between 2005 and 2012. Muscle mass was estimated by handgrip strength, dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) lean mass, and single-slice computed tomography (CT) scan at the fourth lumbar vertebra. Recorded outcomes included time to death or liver transplantation. The median (interquartile range [IQR]) age was 54 years (47-59 years), and Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score was 17 (14-23). Of 145 men, 56 died with a median (IQR) time to death of 7.44 months (3.48-14.16 months). In total, 79 men underwent transplantation with median (IQR) time to transplant of 7.20 months (3.96-12.84 months). The prevalence of sarcopenia differed between diagnostic modalities with 70.3% using CT muscle mass, 45.9% using handgrip strength, and 38.7% using DEXA. Muscle mass was inversely associated with wait-list mortality for measured CT muscle mass (hazard ratio [HR], 0.94; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.90-0.98; P = 0.002), DEXA muscle mass (HR, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.99-0.99; P = 0.003), and handgrip strength (HR, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.91-0.98; P = 0.002). These results retained significance independent of the MELD score. In predicting mortality, the MELD-handgrip strength bivariate Cox model was superior to a MELD-CT muscle Cox model (P < 0.001). In conclusion, handgrip strength combined with MELD score was the superior predictive model in this novel study examining 3 commonly employed techniques to diagnose sarcopenia in cirrhosis. Handgrip strength has additional potential clinical benefits because it can be performed serially without the radiation dose, cost, and access issues attributable to CT and DEXA.

An Electronic Medical Record in Pediatric Medical Education: Survey of Medical Students' Expectations and Experiences.

OBJECTIVE: This study sought to quantitatively characterize medical students' expectations and experiences of an electronic health record (EHR) system in a hospital setting, and to examine perceived and actual impacts on learning. METHODS: Medical students from July to December 2016 at a tertiary pediatric institution completed pre- and postrotation surveys evaluating their expectations and experience of using an EHR during a pediatric medicine rotation. Survey data included past technology experience, EHR accessibility, use of learning resources, and effect on learning outcomes and patient-clinician communication. RESULTS: Students generally reported high computer self-efficacy (4.16 ± 0.752, mean ± standard deviation), were comfortable with learning new software (4.08 ± 0.771), and expected the EHR to enhance their overall learning (4.074 ± 0.722). Students anticipated the EHR to be easy to learn, use, and operate, which was consistent with their experience (pre 3.86 vs. post 3.90, p = 0.56). Students did not expect nor experience that the EHR reduced their interaction, visual contact, or ability to build rapport with patients. The EHR did not meet expectations to facilitate learning around medication prescribing, placing orders, and utilizing online resources. Students found that the EHR marginally improved feedback surrounding clinical contributions to patient care from clinicians, although not to the expected levels (pre 3.50 vs. post 3.17, p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Medical students readily engaged with the EHR, recognized several advantages in clinical practice, and did not consider their ability to interact with patients was impaired. There was widespread consensus that the EHR enhanced their learning and clinician's feedback, but not to the degree they had expected.

Extubation Failure Is Associated With Increased Mortality Following First Stage Single Ventricle Reconstruction Operation.

OBJECTIVES: To identify the prevalence, causes, risk factors, and outcomes associated with extubation failure following first stage single ventricle reconstruction surgery. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort analysis of neonates who underwent a first stage single ventricle reconstruction operation. Extubation failure was defined as endotracheal reintubation within 48 hours of first extubation attempt. SETTING: The Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne. PATIENTS: Data were collected for all infants who underwent a Norwood or Damus-Kaye-Stansel procedure between 2005 and 2014 at our institution. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Extubation failure occurred in 23 of 137 neonates (16.8%; 95% CI, 11.0-24.1%) who underwent a trial of extubation. Overall, 42 patients (30.7%) were extubated to room air, 88 (64.2%) to nasal continuous positive airway pressure, and seven (5.1%) to high-flow nasal cannulae, though there was no major difference in extubation failure rates between these three groups (p = 0.37). The median time to reintubation was 16.7 hours (interquartile range, 3.2-35.2), and male infants failed extubation more frequently (63.2% vs 87.0%; p = 0.02), although age, gestation, weight, cardiac diagnosis (hypoplastic left heart syndrome vs other single ventricle conditions), shunt type (modified Blalock-Taussig vs right ventricle-pulmonary artery shunt), intraoperative perfusion times, preextubation mechanical ventilation duration, preextubation acid-base status, and postoperative fluid balance were not related to extubation outcome. Infants who failed extubation had a higher intensive care mortality (19.4% vs 3.5%; p = 0.03) and in-hospital mortality (30.4% vs 6.1%; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: There is a high prevalence of extubation failure following first stage single ventricle reconstruction, and this is associated with considerably worse patient outcomes. The high prevalence and also the wide variation in rates of extubation failure in reported literature provide with an opportunity for implementation of quality assurance activities to minimize this complication and improve outcomes.

Late-Term Gestation Is Associated With Improved Survival in Neonates With Congenital Heart Disease Following Postoperative Extracorporeal Life Support.

OBJECTIVE: Several population-based studies have shown that gestational age 39-40 weeks at birth is associated with superior outcomes in various pediatric settings. A high proportion of births for neonates with congenital heart disease occur before 39 weeks. We aimed to assess the influence of late-term gestation (39-40 wk) on survival in neonates requiring extracorporeal life support following surgery for congenital heart disease. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: The Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia. PATIENTS: Neonates requiring extracorporeal life support after cardiac surgery for congenital heart disease. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: From 2005 to 2014, 110 neonates (10.5% of neonates undergoing cardiac surgery) required extracorporeal life support after cardiac surgery. Indications were failure to separate from cardiopulmonary bypass in 40 (36%), extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation in 48 (44%), progressive low cardiac output in 15 (14%), and other reasons in seven (6%). Extracorporeal life support duration was 94 hours (interquartile range, 53-135), and 54 (49%) underwent single ventricle repair. Gestation at birth (n [%]) was as follows: less than 37 weeks, 19 (17%); 37-38 weeks, 38 (35%); 39-40 weeks, 50 (45%); 41 weeks or more, 3 (3%). By multivariable analysis (controlling for age, era of extracorporeal life support 2005-2009 vs 2010-2014, single ventricle status and acute renal failure), gestational age of 39-40 weeks was associated with the lowest odds for intensive care mortality: using less than 37 weeks as referent, the adjusted odds ratio (95% CI) for 37-38 weeks was 0.41 (0.12-1.33); for 39-40 weeks, 0.27 (0.08-0.84); and for 41 weeks or more, 1.06 (0.07-14.7). Similar association was also seen in a subcohort of study neonates (n = 66) who were commenced on extracorporeal life support after admission to intensive care: using less than 37 weeks as referent, the adjusted odds ratio (95% CI) for 37-38 weeks was 0.52 (0.10-2.80) and for 39-40 weeks, 0.15 (0.03-0.81). CONCLUSIONS: In this cohort of neonates requiring extracorporeal life support following cardiac surgery, 39-40 weeks of gestation at birth is associated with the best survival. The additional maturity gained by reaching a gestation of at least 39 weeks is likely to confer a survival advantage in this high-risk cohort.

Low testosterone as a better predictor of mortality than sarcopenia in men with advanced liver disease.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Both sarcopenia and low serum testosterone have been associated with increased mortality in men with cirrhosis. It is not known how these variables interact. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective longitudinal cohort study of 145 men referred for liver transplant evaluation between 2005 and 2012. Baseline demographics included hormone profile and model of end-stage liver disease (MELD) score. Baseline computerized tomography was reformatted to calculate skeletal muscle area at L4 using validated, Tomovision software-based methodology. The primary outcome was time to death or liver transplantation. RESULTS: Median testosterone was low at 6.2 nmol/L (ref. 10-27.6 nmol/L) as was muscle mass at 48.0 cm(2)/m(2) (ref. > 52.4 cm(2)/m(2)). Muscle mass correlated with both serum testosterone (tau = 0.132, P = 0.019) and MELD score (tau = -0.155, P = 0.007). In separate multivariable models, both sarcopenia (hazard ratio [HR] 1.05, P = 0.04) and low testosterone (HR 1.08, P = 0.01) were significantly associated with mortality independent of MELD score. When the variables MELD score, muscle area, and testosterone were entered into a single model, low testosterone but not sarcopenia remained significantly predictive of mortality (HR 1.07, P = 0.02, and HR 1.04, P = 0.09, respectively). CONCLUSION: Low testosterone and sarcopenia are both associated with increased mortality in men with advanced liver disease and may identify patients at high risk of mortality that would be missed by the MELD score alone. Low testosterone appears to be a better predictor of mortality than sarcopenia and is a simpler test to improve the prognostic value of the MELD score. Interventional trials are required to determine whether low testosterone and sarcopenia are markers or mediators of mortality in this population.