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Experimental evaluation of conversion factors, N(D,w)/N(X), for Roos-type and Advanced-Markus-type plane-parallel ionization chambers.

A Japanese code of practice for clinical dosimetry, titled "Standard Dosimetry of Absorbed Dose in External Beam Radiotherapy" was published by the Japan Society of Medical Physics (JSMP) in 2002. It mostly followed IAEA Technical Reports Series No. 398, which was based on N(D,w), i.e., the calibration factor in terms of absorbed dose to water for a dosimeter. The Japanese primary standard dosimetry laboratory, however, has not supplied N(D,w) but N(X), as the calibration factor in terms of exposure. The unique feature of the Japanese code was provision of a data table of calculated conversion factors, N(D,w) / N(X) values, for many types of ionization chambers, excluding new plane-parallel ionization chambers. This paper describes the experimental evaluation of the conversion factors for the new plane-parallel ionization chambers, such as the Roos-type and Advanced Markus chambers. The obtained N(D,w) / N(X) values for PTW 34001, Wellhöfer PPC 40 and PTW 34045 were 37.96 +/- 0.19, 37.85 +/- 0.36 and 37.90 +/- 0.26 (Gy/C kg(-1)), respectively. They agreed with estimations based on Monte Carlo calculations.

Calibration↗

Facial expressions of pain and emotions in chronic TMD patients.

This research was designed to identify and validate facial expressions of pain occurring in a clinical chronic pain condition. Facial expressions of 28 patients with chronic temporomandibular disorder pain were videotaped during a painful clinical examination procedure and coded using an anatomically based system. Characteristics of the expressions occurring most frequently were compared with self-report measures of pain, anxiety, depression and somatic symptoms. The frequency, duration and intensity of the identified expressions were dependably correlated with pain report, but unrelated to self report of other somatic symptoms, depression or anxiety. A small number of facial expressions of specific negative emotions were also observed; pain report and pain facial expressions were higher for persons showing a greater number of negative affects. These findings support the promise of facial expressions as measures of clinical pain.

Adult↗

Failure of ICD-9-CM codes to identify patients with comorbid chronic kidney disease in diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: To determine prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in patients with diabetes, and accuracy of International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) codes to identify such patients. DATA SOURCES/STUDY SETTING: Secondary data from 1999 to 2000. We linked all inpatient and outpatient administrative and clinical records of U.S. veterans with diabetes dually enrolled in Medicare and the Veterans Administration (VA) health care systems. STUDY DESIGN: We used a cross-sectional, observational design to determine the sensitivity and specificity of renal-related ICD-9-CM diagnosis codes in identifying individuals with chronic kidney disease. DATA COLLECTION/EXTRACTION METHODS: We estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) from serum creatinine and defined CKD as Stage 3, 4, or 5 CKD by eGFR criterion according to the Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative guidelines. Renal-related ICD-9-CM codes were grouped by algorithm. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Prevalence of CKD was 31.6 percent in the veteran sample with diabetes. Depending on the detail of the algorithm, only 20.2 to 42.4 percent of individuals with CKD received a renal-related diagnosis code in either VA or Medicare records over 1 year. Specificity of renal codes for CKD ranged from 93.2 to 99.4 percent. Patients hospitalized in VA facilities were slightly more likely to be correctly coded for CKD than patients hospitalized in facilities reimbursed by Medicare (OR 5.4 versus 4.1, p=.0330) CONCLUSIONS: CKD is a common comorbidity for patients with diabetes in the VA system. Diagnosis codes in administrative records from Medicare and VA systems are insensitive, but specific markers for patients with CKD.

Adult↗

Germline mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 in breast-ovarian families from a breast cancer risk evaluation clinic.

PURPOSE: Data from the Breast Cancer Linkage Consortium suggest that the proportion of familial breast and ovarian cancers linked to BRCA1 or BRCA2 may be as high as 98% depending on the characteristics of the families, suggesting that mutations in BRCA1 or BRCA2 may entirely account for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer families. We sought to determine what proportion of families with both breast and ovarian cancers seen in a breast cancer risk evaluation clinic are accounted for by coding region germline mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 as compared to a linkage study group. We also evaluated what clinical parameters were predictive of mutation status. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Affected women from 100 families with at least one case of breast cancer and at least one case of ovarian cancer in the same lineage were screened for germline mutations in the entire coding regions of BRCA1 and BRCA2 by conformation-sensitive gel electrophoresis, a polymerase chain reaction-based heteroduplex analysis, or direct sequencing. RESULTS: Unequivocal deleterious mutations were found in 55% (55 of 100) of the families studied. Mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 accounted for 80% and 20% of the mutations overall, respectively. Using multivariate analysis, the strongest predictors of detecting a mutation in BRCA1 or BRCA2 in this study group were the presence of a single family member with both breast and ovarian cancer (P <.0009; odds ratio [OR], 5.68; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.04 to 15.76) and a young average age at breast cancer diagnosis in the family (P <.0016; OR, 1.69; 95% CI, 1.23 to 2.38). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that at least half of breast/ovarian families evaluated in a high-risk cancer evaluation clinic may have germline mutations in BRCA1 or BRCA2. Whether the remaining families have mutations in noncoding regions in BRCA1, mutations in other, as-yet-unidentified, low-penetrance susceptibility genes, or represent chance clustering remains to be determined.

Adult↗

Effects of treatment distance and field size on build-up characteristics of Monte Carlo calculated absorbed dose for electron irradiation.

Surface, build-up and depth dose characteristics of a monoenergetic electron point source simulated by Monte Carlo code MCNP4c for varying field size and SSD are extensively studied in this paper. MCNP4c (Monte Carlo N-Particle Transport Code System) has been extensively used in clinical dose simulation for its versatility and powerful geometrical coding tool. A sharp increase in PDD is seen with the Monte Carlo Modelling immediately at the surface within the first 0.2 mm. This effect cannot be easily measured by experimental instruments for electron contamination, and may lead to a clinical underdosing of the basal cell layer, which is one of the most radiation sensitive layers and the main target for skin carcinogenesis. A high percentage build-up dose for electron irradiation was shown. No significant effects in surface PDDs were modelled with different SSD values from 95 cm to 125 cm. Three depths were studied in detail, these being 0.05 mm, the lower depth of the basal cell layer; 0.95 mm, the lower depth of the dermal layer; and 0.95 cm, a position within the subcutaneous tissue. Results showed only small surface PDD differences were modelled for SSD variations from 95 cm to 125 cm and field sizes variation from the values between 5 cm and 10 cm squares to 25 cm. When the field side length is smaller than this, the surface dose shows an increasing trend by about 7% at 5 x 5 cm2.

Body Burden↗

Who is at risk for influenza? Using criteria other than age.

PURPOSE: Colorado Access is a safety-net managed care organization that serves the medical and behavioral needs of the medically underserved. Because 75 percent of our population is children, we have had difficulty defining criteria to determine who is at risk for influenza and thus should receive an annual influenza vaccination. Our objective was to create a comprehensive list of diagnostic codes to be used to identify these high-risk individuals, using criteria other than age. METHODOLOGY: A task force of medical experts familiar with diseases and chronic conditions associated with influenza and pneumonia convened to determine criteria other than age that can be used to identify populations recommended to receive an annual influenza vaccination. The task force used previously published criteria, compared them to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommendations, and developed a single, comprehensive diagnostic-criteria list that correlates with the ACIP recommendations, defined by ICD-9-CM (International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification, Fifth Edition) codes, to identify populations recommended to receive an annual influenza vaccination. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: A comprehensive list of ICD-9 codes that indicate diagnostic criteria to be used to define populations at risk for influenza according to the ACIP recommendation was developed. CONCLUSION: Colorado Access found that having criteria to target groups recommended to receive an annual influenza vaccine facilitates the planning of preventive health programs. These criteria may be beneficial to other health plans and agencies that promote flu vaccination.

Adult↗

The ethics of heparin administration to the potential non-heart-beating organ donor.

The increasing need and limited sources for organs has stimulated a renewed interest in non-heart-beating organ donation (NHBOD). NHBOD is the donation of organs from cadavers that have been declared dead by cardiopulmonary criteria. Emerging protocols for heparin administration to the potential non-heart-beating organ donor (NHBD) deserve scrutiny. This topic is presented within a limited discussion of organ donation in general. The definition of death has been refined to its present state because of the need for clear parameters in light of a desire to procure organs for transplant. The administration of heparin to the NHBD is intended to prevent the formation of blood clots in the kidneys and liver. Heparin at high doses is clearly not given for the benefit of the patient, and some professionals are concerned that administration may hasten death. Nurses are guided by codes that require the consideration of the ethical principles of autonomy, informed consent, beneficence, and justice while providing compassionate care. An eagerness to procure viable organs for positive transplant outcomes must not be the guiding force in protocols that allow the administration of heparin to the potential NHBD. Heparin administration is supported for these donors within specific parameters.

Anticoagulants↗

Androgen receptor CAGn repeat length influences phenotype of 47,XXY (Klinefelter) syndrome.

CONTEXT: Klinefelter syndrome (KS; 47,XXY karyotype and variants) is characterized by tall stature and testicular failure, with marked variation in severity of the phenotype. Previous studies have proposed that genetic factors including mosaicism, parental origin of the supernumerary X-chromosome, skewed X inactivation, and androgen receptor (AR) polyglutamine repeat length may contribute to phenotypic variability in KS. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to investigate the roles of these genetic factors in the variability of the KS phenotype. DESIGN: This was a cross-sectional study. SETTING: The study was performed at a pediatric endocrinology referral clinic. PATIENTS: Thirty-five KS boys and men, aged 0.1-39 yr, were studied. INTERVENTIONS: There were no interventions. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Auxological measurements, biological indices of testicular function, and clinical assessment of muscle tone were the main outcome measures. Genetic studies included karyotyping to detect mosaicism, genotyping of microsatellite markers to determine parental origin of the supernumerary X-chromosome, and genotyping and methylation studies to measure AR polyglutamine (AR CAGn) repeat length and X inactivation ratio. RESULTS: The only genetic factor that significantly influenced the KS phenotype was the AR CAGn repeat length, which was inversely correlated with penile length, a biological indicator of early androgen action. Mosaicism, imprinting, and skewed X inactivation did not account for the variability of the KS phenotype. CONCLUSIONS: Normal genetic variation in the AR coding sequence may be clinically significant in the setting of early testicular failure and subnormal circulating testosterone levels, as occur in KS.

Adolescent↗

Clinicians didn't reliably distinguish between different causes of cardiac death using case histories.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Routine statistics and epidemiologic studies often distinguish between types of cardiac death. Our aim was to assess agreement between doctors on cause of death given identical clinical information, and to assess agreement between a physician panel and the original cause of death as coded on national statistics. METHODS: Clinical information and autopsy reports on 400 cardiac deaths were randomly selected from a defined population in the West Midlands, UK. A panel of eight clinicians was assembled, and batches of 24-25 cases were sent to pairs of these clinicians who, blinded to the certified cause of death, independently of each other assigned underlying cause of death. Physician panel decision was achieved by consensus. Levels of agreement were assessed using the kappa statistic. RESULTS: Reviewers agreed on cause of death in 54% of cases (kappa = 0.34). Consensus decision of reviewers agreed with death certificate diagnosis in 61.5% (kappa = 0.39). Agreement was higher if an autopsy had been performed (kappa = 0.49). CONCLUSION: The process of identifying underlying cause of death is of limited reliability, and therefore, limited accuracy. This has implications for design of epidemiologic studies and clinical trials of cardiovascular disease.

Adolescent↗

Ethically-based clinical decision-making in physical therapy: process and issues.

The identification and consideration of relevant ethical issues in clinical decision-making, and the education of health care professionals (HCPs) in these skills are key factors in providing quality health care. This qualitative study explores the way in which physical therapists (PTs) integrate ethical issues into clinical practice decisions and identifies ethical themes used by PTs. A purposive sample of eight PTs was asked to describe a recent ethically-based clinical decision. Transcribed interviews were coded and themes identified related to the following categories: 1) the integration of ethical issues in the clinical decision-making process, 2) patient welfare, 3) professional ethos of the PT, and 4) health care economics and business practices. Participants readily described clinical situations involving ethical issues but rarely identified specific conflicting ethical issues in their description. Ethical dilemmas were more frequently resolved when there were fewer emotional sequelae associated with the dilemma, and the PT had a clear understanding of professional ethos, valued patient autonomy, and explored a variety of alternative actions before implementing one. HCP students need to develop a clear professional ethos and an increased understanding of the economic factors that will present ethical issues in practice.

Adult↗

Health care professionals' accuracy in predicting patients' preferred code status.

BACKGROUND: In spite of the emphasis on physician and patient communication in the new guidelines for the use of do-not-resuscitate orders published by the American Medical Association, informal information indicates that physicians and other health care professionals often formulate code status decisions without formal knowledge of the patient's wishes. The purpose of this study was to determine how accurately health care professionals are able to predict a patient's desired code status given a profile of the patient's medical history. METHODS: A consecutive sample of physicians and other health care professionals attending on-site primary care and long-term rehabilitation staff meetings were asked to participate in the study. Subjects read profiles of actual patients and attempted to predict the patients' desired code status. Subjects also highlighted factors of the patient profile that they deemed important in predicting each patient's desired code status. RESULTS: For the 12 patient profiles examined, the respondents accurately estimated patients' desired code status an average of only 6.5 times. Patient ability to perform the basic activities of daily living was the patient profile factor cited most frequently as influential in determining code status. CONCLUSIONS: Given only clinical and demographic data, health care professionals are only slightly better than chance in determining patients' desired code status. Health care professionals working with long-term care patients should become familiar with individual patient's values and desires for code status decisions.

Activities of Daily Living↗

A new approach to the analysis of multiple injuries using data from a national trauma registry.

OBJECTIVE: To present a new systematic approach for summarizing multiple injury diagnosis data into patient injury profiles. DESIGN: International Classification of Diseases, ninth revision, clinical modification injury diagnosis codes were classified using a modification of the Barell body region by nature of injury diagnosis matrix, then grouped by body region, injury nature, or a combination of both. Profiles were built which describe patients' injury combinations based on matrix units, enabling the analysis of patients, and not only the study of injuries. SETTING: The Israeli national trauma registry was used to retrieve patient demographic data, injury details, and information on treatment and outcome. Patients or subjects: All hospitalized patients injured in road traffic accidents and included in the trauma registry from January 1997 to December 2000 were included. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Patient profiles consisting of body regions, injury natures, their combination, and their clinical outcomes. RESULTS: The study population comprised 17459 patients. Head and neck injuries were the most frequent in all subpopulations except for motorcyclists who sustained most injuries in the extremities. Fractures were the most common injury nature (60%). Pedestrians and drivers had the highest proportion of multiple injuries in both profiles. Forty eight percent of the patients had a single cell profile. The most frequent conditions as a sole condition were extremity fractures (14%), internal injuries to the head (11%), and injuries of other nature to the torso (6%). Mortality, length of stay, and intensive care unit treatment varied dramatically between profiles and increased for multiple injury profiles. Inpatient death was an outcome for 3.3% overall; however, in patients with an internal injury to the head and torso, inpatient death rate was nine times higher, at 31%. CONCLUSIONS: Profiles maintain information on body region and nature of injury. The use of injury profiles in describing the injured improves the understanding of casemix and can be useful for efficient staffing in multidisciplinary trauma teams and for various comparisons.

Accidents, Traffic↗

Abdominal cross-sectional imaging for inpatients with abnormal liver function test results: yield and usefulness.

BACKGROUND: Abdominal cross-sectional imaging is often performed to evaluate abnormal liver function test (LFT) results in hospitalized patients. However, few data are available regarding the yield and usefulness of imaging inpatients for the indication of abnormal LFT results, the process of requesting abdominal imaging studies, or the response to their findings. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed abdominal imaging scans that were obtained during a 27-month period. We matched the imaging studies done with the indication of abnormal LFT results; all scans were requested using computerized physician order entry. Reports were coded for interpretation and associated process step results. To determine the usefulness of the imaging studies, a random sample of patient charts with positively coded imaging studies were reviewed. Imaging examinations were considered useful if they provided new diagnostic information and/or changed subsequent patient care. RESULTS: Of 6494 abdominal imaging studies, 856 were performed for the indication of abnormal LFT results and matched to both image reports and laboratory results. Report coding judged 37% of interpretations as clinically significant, including 27% with "positive" (abnormal results and explain the abnormal LFT results) examinations. Among the positive examinations, the most common diagnoses were biliary obstruction (25%), cholecystitis (21%), malignancy (20%), and cirrhosis (14%). Positively coded reports provided new clinical information in 63% of these studies and changed patient care in 42% of cases. Process measures assessed provision of additional information to and from radiologists (69% and 8%, respectively) and the frequency with which the findings of current abdominal imaging studies were compared with those of prior studies (59%). CONCLUSION: Abdominal cross-sectional imaging studies performed on inpatients with abnormal LFT results had a high diagnostic yield and frequently changed patient care.

Abdomen↗

National Academy of Neuropsychology/Division 40 of the American Psychological Association Practice Survey of Clinical Neuropsychology in the United States. Part II: Reimbursement experiences, practice economics, billing practices, and incomes.

Leaders of the National Academy of Neuropsychology and Division 40 (Clinical Neuropsychology) of the American Psychological Association determined that current information on the professional practice of clinical neuropsychology within the United States was needed. These two organizations co-sponsored a national survey of U.S. clinical neuropsychologists that was conducted in September 2000. The primary goal of the survey was to gather information on such topics as: practitioner and practice characteristics, economic variables (e.g., experience with major third party payors, such as Medicare and managed care), practice expenses, billing methods, experiences with Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes, time spent on various clinical tasks, use of assistants, and income. In this second of two articles describing the survey results, reimbursement experiences, practice economics, billing practices, and incomes are highlighted. Survey results indicate that neuropsychologists frequently have difficulty gaining access to membership on managed care panels. For those who gain access, managed care companies often limit provision of services; this is quite often perceived as negatively affecting quality of patient care. It is very common for neuropsychologists to feel obligated to provide more services to managed care and Medicare patients than are allowed to be billed to the insurance carrier; these hours are typically "written off." Numerous CPT codes are used to bill the same clinical service. Awareness of Medicare practice and billing expectations is variable among practitioners, as is awareness of public aid/Medicaid billing status. Professional income is influenced by years of licensed practice, practice setting, gender, types and amounts of non-clinical professional activities, and types and amounts of reimbursement sources within one's clinical practice. Income of neuropsychologists has only a minimal relationship to percentage of clinical practice per week. Within the context of prior surveys, neuropsychologists are engaging in more clinical hours per week and, nevertheless, compared to data from 1993, are reporting decreased income. These and other findings are presented and discussed.

Academies and Institutes↗

Family interaction coding systems: a descriptive review.

Summaries and critique of 13 coding systems used in the observation of family interaction are presented. Each system is first described in terms of its theoretical origins and key constructs. Comparative analyses are presented for physical descriptions of the codes, administrative procedures, reliability, validity, and clinical and research utility. Recommendations for further development of family interaction coding systems are presented.

Adolescent↗

The Biobank Rare Variant consortium powers the discovery of rare genetic associations through global collaboration.

Rare coding variants can have large effects on disease risk and provide direct routes from human genetics to disease mechanisms and therapeutic targets, but their discovery is constrained by sample size, particularly for low-prevalence diseases. Here we establish the Biobank Rare Variant Analysis (BRaVa) consortium, a global rare variant association resource that integrates sequencing and linked health-record data from ten biobanks and cohorts comprising over 1.2 million individuals across diverse ancestries. We performed gene-based meta-analyses of rare coding variation across 33 clinical endpoints and 11 quantitative traits. Aggregating evidence across biobanks and ancestries identified 514 gene-trait associations, including 31 not previously reported in prior studies or curated association resources following systematic literature review. Notably, 36.1% of gene-level associations were undetectable in any individual biobank, and 91 emerged only through cross-ancestry meta-analysis, demonstrating that federated integration enables discovery beyond the reach of single cohorts. Similar gains were observed at the variant level, where 25.0% of phenotype-locus associations were detectable only through meta-analysis. Effect size estimates were correlated across ancestries with concordant directions of effect, supporting the generalizability of rare variant associations. The identified signals implicate pathways involved in transcriptional and epigenetic regulation, metabolism, vascular and epithelial biology, and immune function, highlighting rare coding variation as an engine for biological discovery across medical record phenotypes. For example, damaging variation in ANKRD12 implicates inflammatory transcriptional dysregulation in asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and ultra-rare predicted loss-of-function variants in NAA15 link protein acetylation processes to type 2 diabetes risk. BRaVa establishes a scalable framework and freely available community resource for rare variant meta-analysis across global biobanks. Public release of gene- and variant-level association summary statistics provides a reference map of rare coding variant associations to support disease gene discovery, biological interpretation, and therapeutic target prioritization as sequencing-linked health-record resources continue to expand.

Journal Article↗