Faculty Bibliography

Outcomes: 1. Understand the historical use of palliative care for patients with acute kidney injury (AKI) 2. Describe the use of palliative care for patients with AKI and COVID-19 during the surge at our institution 3. Describe the associations of palliative care with subsequent health care utilization such as hospice use, ICU time, and mechanical ventilation Original Research Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common morbidity seen in patients with COVID-19 and is associated with high mortality. Palliative care is valuable for these patients yet is historically underused in AKI. Research Objectives: To describe the use of palliative care and subsequent health care utilization by COVID-19 patients with AKI.
Method(s): A retrospective analysis of NYU's electronic health data of COVID-19 hospitalizations between March 2, 2020 and August 25, 2020. AKI was defined by the AKI Network creatinine criteria. Regression models examined characteristics associated with a receiving palliative care and discharge to hospice versus death in the hospital.
Result(s): Patientswith COVID-19 and AKI were more likely than those without AKI to receive palliative care (42% vs 7%, p < 0.001); however, consults came significantly later (10 days from admission vs 5 days, p < 0.001). 66% of patients initiated on renal replacement therapy (RRT) received palliative care versus 37% (p < 0.001) of those with AKI not on RRT, also later in timing (12 days from admission vs 9 days, p = 0.002). Patients with AKI had a significantly longer stay, more ICU admissions, use of mechanical ventilation, discharges to hospice (6% vs 3%), and changes in code status (34% vs 7%, p < 0.001) than those without AKI. Among those who received palliative care, AKI both without RRT (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.51, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.27-0.95) and with RRT (aOR 0.18, 95% CI 0.04-0.67) was associated with a lower likelihood of discharge to hospice versus hospital death compared to those without AKI.
Conclusion(s): Palliative care was used more for patients with AKI and COVID-19 than historically reported, yet this consultation came later in the hospital course and did not avoid invasive interventions despite high mortality. Implications for Research, Policy, or Practice: These data can lead to further exploration of earlier timing of palliative care consultation in AKI.
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Importance/UNASSIGNED:Antibiotic treatment for asymptomatic bacteriuria is not recommended in guidelines but is a major driver of inappropriate antibiotic use. Objective/UNASSIGNED:To evaluate whether clinician culture and personality traits are associated with a predisposition toward inappropriate prescribing. Design, Setting, and Participants/UNASSIGNED:This survey study involved secondary analysis of a previously completed survey. A total of 723 primary care clinicians in active practice in Texas, the Mid-Atlantic, and the Pacific Northwest, including physicians and advanced practice clinicians, were surveyed from June 1, 2018, to November 26, 2019, regarding their approach to a hypothetical patient with asymptomatic bacteriuria. Clinician culture was represented by training background and region of practice. Attitudes and cognitive characteristics were represented using validated instruments to assess numeracy, risk-taking preferences, burnout, and tendency to maximize care. Data were analyzed from November 8, 2021, to March 29, 2022. Interventions/UNASSIGNED:The survey described a male patient with asymptomatic bacteriuria and changes in urine character. Clinicians were asked to indicate whether they would prescribe antibiotics. Main Outcomes and Measures/UNASSIGNED:The main outcome was self-reported willingness to prescribe antibiotics for asymptomatic bacteriuria. Willingness to prescribe antibiotics was hypothesized to be associated with clinician characteristics, background, and attitudes, including orientation on the Medical Maximizer-Minimizer Scale. Individuals with a stronger orientation toward medical maximizing prefer treatment even when the value of treatment is ambiguous. Results/UNASSIGNED:Of the 723 enrolled clinicians, 551 (median age, 32 years [IQR, 29-44 years]; 292 [53%] female; 296 [54%] White) completed the survey (76% response rate), including 288 resident physicians, 202 attending physicians, and 61 advanced practice clinicians. A total of 303 respondents (55%) were from the Mid-Atlantic, 136 (25%) were from Texas, and 112 (20%) were from the Pacific Northwest. A total of 392 clinicians (71% of respondents) indicated that they would prescribe antibiotic treatment for asymptomatic bacteriuria in the absence of an indication. In multivariable analyses, clinicians with a background in family medicine (odds ratio [OR], 2.93; 95% CI, 1.53-5.62) or a high score on the Medical Maximizer-Minimizer Scale (indicating stronger medical maximizing orientation; OR, 2.06; 95% CI, 1.38-3.09) were more likely to prescribe antibiotic treatment for asymptomatic bacteriuria. Resident physicians (OR, 0.57; 95% CI, 0.38-0.85) and clinicians in the Pacific Northwest (OR, 0.49; 95% CI, 0.33-0.72) were less likely to prescribe antibiotics for asymptomatic bacteriuria. Conclusions and Relevance/UNASSIGNED:The findings of this survey study suggest that most primary care clinicians prescribe inappropriate antibiotic treatment for asymptomatic bacteriuria in the absence of risk factors. This tendency is more pronounced among family medicine physicians and medical maximizers and is less common among resident physicians and clinicians in the US Pacific Northwest. Clinician characteristics should be considered when designing antibiotic stewardship interventions.

SOURCE CITATION:Lancet. 2021;398:1803-10. 34774144.

• Discoid lupus may be associated with SLE. In this study, most children with discoid lupus did not have systemic disease. Concurrent SLE was highest in female adolescents (>10 years of age) with generalized discoid lupus, who had clinically aggressive disease. • Discoid lupus in adolescence should prompt thorough evaluation for SLE.

OBJECTIVE/BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE:To examine the impact of prostate cancer (PCa) on sleep health for patients and caregivers. We hypothesized that sleep disturbances and poor sleep quality would be prevalent among patients with PCa and their caregivers. PATIENTS/METHODS/METHODS:A systematic literature search was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis guidelines. To be eligible for this systematic review, studies had to include: (1) patients diagnosed with PCa and/or their caregivers; and (2) objective or subjective data on sleep. 2431 articles were identified from the search. After duplicates were removed, 1577 abstracts were screened for eligibility, and 315 underwent full-text review. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS/CONCLUSIONS:Overall, 83 articles met inclusion criteria and were included in the qualitative synthesis. The majority of papers included patients with PCa (98%), who varied widely in their treatment stage. Only 3 studies reported on sleep among caregivers of patients with PCa. Most studies were designed to address a different issue and examined sleep as a secondary endpoint. Commonly used instruments included the Insomnia Severity Index and European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Core Quality of Life Questionnaires (EORTC-QLQ). Overall, patients with PCa reported a variety of sleep issues, including insomnia and general sleep difficulties. Both physical and psychological barriers to sleep are reported in this population. There was common use of hypnotic medications, yet few studies of behavioral interventions to improve sleep for patients with PCa or their caregivers. Many different sleep issues are reported by patients with PCa and caregivers with diverse sleep measurement methods and surveys. Future research may develop consensus on validated sleep assessment tools for use in PCa clinical care and research to promote facilitate comparison of sleep across PCa treatment stages. Also, future research is needed on behavioral interventions to improve sleep among this population.