Faculty Bibliography

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a hematologic malignancy of the plasma cell that causes symptoms of bone pain, renal failure, and anemia. It is usually preceded by a precursor disease state, such as smoldering multiple myeloma (SMM) or monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS), and traditional dogma dictates that treatment should be initiated on frank MM symptom development. Emerging evidence suggests that a defined group of "high-risk SMM" may benefit from early treatment, before organ damage and symptoms actually occur. The following article frames the evidence for treatment of high-risk SMM by defining risk categories, reviewing existing therapeutic trial data, and exploring the long-term biologic implications of early treatment.

OBJECTIVE: Measurement error in self-reported total sugars intake may obscure associations between sugars consumption and health outcomes, and the sum of 24 h urinary sucrose and fructose may serve as a predictive biomarker of total sugars intake. DESIGN: The Study of Latinos: Nutrition & Physical Activity Assessment Study (SOLNAS) was an ancillary study to the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL) cohort. Doubly labelled water and 24 h urinary sucrose and fructose were used as biomarkers of energy and sugars intake, respectively. Participants' diets were assessed by up to three 24 h recalls (88 % had two or more recalls). Procedures were repeated approximately 6 months after the initial visit among a subset of ninety-six participants. SETTING: Four centres (Bronx, NY; Chicago, IL; Miami, FL; San Diego, CA) across the USA. SUBJECTS: Men and women (n 477) aged 18-74 years. RESULTS: The geometric mean of total sugars was 167.5 (95 % CI 154.4, 181.7) g/d for the biomarker-predicted and 90.6 (95 % CI 87.6, 93.6) g/d for the self-reported total sugars intake. Self-reported total sugars intake was not correlated with biomarker-predicted sugars intake (r=-0.06, P=0.20, n 450). Among the reliability sample (n 90), the reproducibility coefficient was 0.59 for biomarker-predicted and 0.20 for self-reported total sugars intake. CONCLUSIONS: Possible explanations for the lack of association between biomarker-predicted and self-reported sugars intake include measurement error in self-reported diet, high intra-individual variability in sugars intake, and/or urinary sucrose and fructose may not be a suitable proxy for total sugars intake in this study population.

Background/UNASSIGNED:Accurate coding and billing are critical for the financial health of hospitals. Neurologic inpatient services have specific, complex documentation requirements, which can result in inadequate billing. Methods/UNASSIGNED:We retrospectively compared coding practices from July 2013 to June 2014 (FY2014) using evaluation and management codes for initial inpatient encounters (CPT 99221-3) of a neurohospitalist group (NHG) to a hospital medicine group (HMG) and to national benchmarks. We further examined a sample of the lowest level encounters (CPT 99221) from the 4th quarter of FY2014 for specific deficiencies and compared these among groups. Results/UNASSIGNED:= 1.0) were common in both groups. In the NHG group, documentation did not reflect the acuity of patients' medical conditions. Conclusions/UNASSIGNED:Neurologists should pay close attention to documentation requirements-especially the neurologic examination-in order to allow for accurate coding and billing.

Anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) is an aggressive T-cell lymphoma characterized by strong and uniform expression of CD30. Brentuximab vedotin (BV), an anti-CD30 antibody-drug conjugate has been approved by the U.S. FDA for relapsed/refractory systemic ALCL and achieves improved outcomes. We report a 44-year-old African-American man who presented with lymphadenopathy, lip and chest nodules diagnosed as CD30+, ALK-negative ALCL. The patient was treated with BV upon recurrence. While on treatment, the patient developed new-onset nodules on the chest and back. Skin biopsy showed a diffuse dermal infiltrate of medium-to-large atypical lymphocytes with frequent mitosis and scattered eosinophils. Immunohistochemically, the atypical cells displayed the same immunophenotype as previous specimens (CD3+, CD4-/CD8-, CD56-, ALK- and TCR γ-), except for lack of CD30 expression which was attributed to BV treatment effect. The diagnosis was thought to be consistent with ALK-negative ALCL and the patient was continued on BV along with total skin electron beam radiation and the lesions cleared. The patient relapsed 2 months later with extensive disease and expired. In summary, this is the first report in the literature of loss of CD30 expression in ALCL after BV therapy. Awareness of this may prevent a mistaken diagnosis of a CD30-negative secondary T-cell lymphoma.

Asian Americans have lower levels of physical activity (PA) compared to other racial/ethnic groups; however, there is little understanding of the social and cultural determinants of PA in this population. Few analyses describe specific PA domains (occupation-, transportation-, recreation-related), focus on one Asian subgroup, or use validated scales. The study objective was to assess the association between acculturation and activity behaviors (meeting 2008 PA guidelines, activity minutes by PA domain, sitting time) in a cross-sectional sample of urban-dwelling, Chinese American immigrants. Data were from the Chinese American Cardiovascular Health Assessment (CHA CHA) 2010-11 among participants with valid reports of PA minutes, assessed by the WHO Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (n = 1772). Acculturation was assessed using the Stephenson Multigroup Acculturation Scale, a 32-item instrument which characterizes two acculturative dimensions: ethnic society (Chinese) immersion and dominant society (American) immersion (maximum possible scores = 4). Multivariable models regressing activity behaviors on acculturation were run, adjusting for age, sex, household income, education, and age at immigration. Ethnic society immersion was high (mean = 3.64) while dominant society immersion was moderate (mean = 2.23). Higher ethnic society immersion was associated with less recreation-related PA (- 40.7 min/week); higher dominant society immersion was associated with a higher odds of meeting PA guidelines (OR: 1.66 (1.25, 2.20), p < 0.001) and more recreation-related PA (+ 36.5 min/week). Given low PA levels in Chinese adults in China, results suggest that PA for leisure may increase and become a more normative behavior among Chinese American immigrants with acculturation. Understanding acculturation level may inform strategies to increase PA in Chinese Americans.

OBJECTIVE: Adults with serious psychological distress have a high likelihood of mental health problems severe enough to cause serious impairment in social and occupational functioning requiring treatment. These adults visit doctors frequently yet have poor health compared to adults without serious psychological distress. This study examined associations between emotional states of serious psychological distress in relationship to healthcare utilization indicators. A guiding hypothesis was that somatization underlying emotional states contributes to excessive healthcare seeking among adults with serious psychological distress. METHODS: Using 2006-2014 National Health Interview Survey, in adults with serious psychological distress (n=9271), the six states: unable to make efforts, nervousness, hopelessness, sadness, worthlessness and restlessness were assessed in multivariate models in relation to four healthcare utilization indicators: change in the usual place of healthcare, change due to insurance, having seen a healthcare provider in the last 6months and having 10 or more doctor visits in the last 12months. Models were adjusted for sociodemographic variables, having seen a mental health provider, and health conditions. RESULTS: Adults feeling unable to make efforts were more likely to seek healthcare in the last 6months and at least ten times in the last twelve months. Adults feeling hopeless were less likely to be heavy healthcare utilizers. CONCLUSIONS: Predisposing medical conditions do not fully explain healthcare utilization in adults with serious psychological distress. Educating healthcare providers about the emotional states motivating healthcare seeking, and integrating mental healthcare into primary care, may improve the health of adults with serious psychological distress.

INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND:The aim of this systematic review was to assess the efficacy of Saline load tests (SLTs) to evaluate extension of periarticular wounds into capsule in emergent settings. METHODS:We systematically reviewed the literature to evaluate the accuracy of the SLT in diagnosing penetrating joint injuries in the elbow, wrist, shoulder, knee, or ankle. RESULTS:The SLT values to determine knee arthrotomies vary from 73.8 mL to 194 mL with sensitivities ranging between 91% and 99% depending on the size of the laceration. A SLT of 30 mL in the ankle yields sensitivities ranging from 95% to 99% in assessing joint penetration. A SLT of 45 mL in the elbow yields a sensitivity of 95% in assessing joint penetration. The addition of methylene blue does not change the sensitivity of the SLT. CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:Several studies have demonstrated the utility of the SLT as a diagnostic modality for penetrating joint injuries. However, the literature analyzed in this study was inconclusive and more studies are required to make definitive recommendations. In addition, more studies will be needed on joints other than the knee, pediatric patients, and the use of methylene blue dye in conjunction with SLT. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE/METHODS:Level II, Diagnostic study.

BACKGROUND: Chronic kidney disease is an independent risk factor for coronary artery disease and is associated with an increase in adverse outcomes. However, the optimal treatment strategies for patients with chronic kidney disease and coronary artery disease are yet to be defined. METHODS: MEDLINE, EMBASE and CENTRAL were searched for studies including at least 100 patients with chronic kidney disease (defined as estimated glomerular filtration rate