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OBJECTIVES: This study evaluates the variation in practice patterns associated with contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI) and identifies clinical practices that have been associated with a reduction in CI-AKI. Background CI-AKI is recognised as a complication of invasive cardiovascular procedures and is associated with cardiovascular events, prolonged hospitalisation, end-stage renal disease, and all-cause mortality. Reducing the risk of CI-AKI is a patient safety objective set by the National Quality Forum. METHODS: This study prospectively collected quantitative and qualitative data from 10 centres, which participate in the Northern New England Cardiovascular Disease Study Group PCI Registry. Quantitative data were collected from the PCI Registry. Qualitative data were obtained through clinical team meetings to map care processes related to CI-AKI and focus groups to understand attitudes towards CI-AKI prophylaxis. Fixed and random effects modelling were conducted to test the differences across centres. RESULTS: Significant variation in rates of CI-AKI were found across 10 medical centres. Both fixed effects and mixed effects logistic regression demonstrated significant variability across centres, even after adjustment for baseline covariates (p<0.001 for both modelling approaches). Patterns were found in reported processes and clinical leadership that were attributable to centres with lower rates of CI-AKI. These included reducing nil by mouth (NPO) time to 4 h prior to case, and standardising volume administration protocols in combination with administering three to four high doses of N-acetylcysteine (1200 mg) for each patient. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that clinical leadership and institution-focused efforts to standardise preventive practices can help reduce the incidence of CI-AKI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This report updates U.S. Public Health Service recommendations for the management of health-care personnel (HCP) who have occupational exposure to blood and other body fluids that might contain human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Although the principles of exposure management remain unchanged, recommended HIV postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) regimens have been changed. This report emphasizes adherence to HIV PEP when it is indicated for an exposure, expert consultation in management of exposures, follow-up of exposed workers to improve adherence to PEP, and monitoring for adverse events, including seroconversion. To ensure timely postexposure management and administration of HIV PEP, clinicians should consider occupational exposures as urgent medical concerns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. Firefighters and emergency medical services (EMS) personnel have the potential for occupational exposures to blood, which increases their risk for occupational blood-borne infection. To address this concern, the authors conducted a literature review of occupational blood exposures, the seroprevalence of blood-borne pathogens among these workers, and the seroprevalence of blood-borne pathogens among the patients they serve. Methods. A MEDLINE search was conducted, and all identified articles that described surveys of exposures to blood or surveil-lance of blood-borne infections among firefighters and/or emergency medical technicians (EMTs) in the United States were reviewed. For hepatitis B, only seroprevalence surveys conducted after the 1992 requirement by the Bloodborne Pathogens Standard to offer vaccination to potentially ex-posed employees were included. Results. From these data, the expected number of annual occupational hepatitis C virus seroconversions was estimated to be between 5.8 and 118.9 per 100,000 employee-years for EMT--paramedics, between 3.4 and 33.7 per 100,000 for firefighter--EMTs, and up to 3.6 per 100,000 for firefighters (non-EMT). Conclusions. This review suggests there are a limited number of studies ad-dressing this issue, and these studies have numerous limitations. Despite the expected occupational seroconversions and recognizing the limitations in drawing conclusions from these studies, it appears that firefighters and EMS personnel do not have an elevated seroprevalence of hepatitis C virus compared with the general population. Improved exposure surveillance programs would clarify exposure risks and identify potential interventions for firefighters and EMS personnel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To examine the effect of lowest core body temperature on adverse outcomes associated with coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery, data were collected on 7134 isolated CABG procedures carried out in New England from 1997 to 2000. Excluded from the analysis were patients with pump times < 60 and > 120 min and those operated upon using continuous warm cardioplegia. Data for lowest core temperature were divided into quartiles for analysis ( < 31.4 degrees C, 31.5-33.1 degrees C, 33.2-34.3 degrees C, and 2 34.4 degrees C). Patients with lower core body temperature on cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) had higher in-hospital mortality rates. Crude mortality rates were 2.9% in the < or = 31.4 degrees C group, 2.1% in the 31.5-33.1 degrees C group, 1.3% in the 33.2-34.3 degrees C group and 1.2% in the > or = 34.4 degrees C group. The trend toward higher mortality as core temperature decreased was statistically significant (P(trend) < 0.001). Adjustment for differences in patient and disease characteristics did not significantly change the results and the test of trend remained significant (p < 0.001). Rates of perioperative stroke were somewhat lower in the colder groups. Rates in the two colder groups were 0.9% compared with 1.6% and 1.4% in the warmer groups (P(trend) = 0.082). This remained a marginal but significant trend after adjustment for possible confounding factors (p = 0.044). Low core body temperatures on CPB are associated with higher rates of in-hospital mortality among isolated CABG patients. Rates of intra- or postoperative use of an intra-aortic balloon pump are also higher with lower core temperatures. We concluded that temperature management strategy during CABG surgery has an important effect on patient outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]