A comparison of prostate health index, total PSA, %free PSA, and proPSA in a contemporary US population-The MiCheck-01 prospective trial.

Background: Increasing numbers of patients are presenting with aggressive prostate cancer (CaP); therefore, there exists a need to optimally identify these patients pre-biopsy.

Objectives: To compare the accuracy of total prostate specific antigen (PSA), %free PSA, and prostate health index (PHI) to differentiate between patients without CaP, with non-aggressive (Gleason 3 + 3, non-AgCaP) and with aggressive (Gleason ≥ 3 + 4, AgCaP) in a contemporary US population.

Design, Settings, And Participants: Serum samples were collected from 332 US patients scheduled for biopsy due to an elevated age-adjusted PSA.

Comparative Analysis of Prostate Volume as a Predictor of Outcome in Prostate Artery Embolization.

Purpose: To determine the role of prostate volume as a predictor of outcome after prostatic artery embolization (PAE).

Materials And Methods: From January 2012 to September 2014, 78 consecutive patients undergoing PAE were evaluated at baseline and 1, 3, and 6 months. Analysis was performed comparing prostate volume groups (group 1, < 50 cm3; group 2, 50-80 cm(3); group 3, > 80 cm3) at baseline and follow-up to assess for differences in outcomes of American Urological Association (AUA) symptom index, quality of life (QOL)-related symptoms, and International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF).

Ultrasound-accelerated catheter-directed thrombolysis for acute submassive pulmonary embolism.

Purpose: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of ultrasound-accelerated catheter-directed thrombolysis (USAT) in patients with submassive pulmonary embolism (PE).

Materials And Methods: This retrospective study comprised 45 consecutive patients (15 prospective, 30 retrospective) who underwent USAT for submassive PE from June 2012-May 2014. Inclusion criteria were right ventricular dysfunction (RVD) as indicated by right ventricle-to-left ventricle (RV:LV) ratio > 0.

Erythropoiesis-Stimulating Agent (ESA) Practice Patterns in Patients With Chemotherapy-Induced Anemia (CIA) Treated at Hospital Oncology Clinics.

Objectives: To characterize erythropoiesis-stimulating agent (ESA) usage initiated in hospital outpatient oncology centers that employ weekly (QW) and every-3-week (Q3W) ESA dosing regimens; describe the frequency of ESA dosing, transfusions, hemoglobin determinations, and anemia-related visits between these 2 regimens; and compare the rates at which inpatient ESA doses are administered on QW versus Q3W schedules.

Methods: This was a retrospective, observational record review evaluating ESA usage in 641 patients from 8 outpatient oncology clinics throughout the United States. Adult patients who initiated myelosuppressive chemotherapy for a documented solid tumor between August 1, 2007 and June 30, 2009 and received their first 3 consecutive outpatient ESA doses on a QW or Q3W schedule were eligible for study inclusion.

Clinical utility of a biopsy-based cell cycle gene expression assay in localized prostate cancer.

Objective: The CCP signature test (Prolaris) quantifies a patient's risk of disease progression and prostate cancer specific mortality using a gene-expression-based cell cycle progression (CCP) score. This study evaluated the potential clinical utility of the CCP test in a US-based clinical setting.

Methods: Urologists who participated in a prospective clinical study were sent a retrospective questionnaire to assess the value of the CCP test result.

Early results from a United States trial of prostatic artery embolization in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Purpose: To report early findings from a prospective United States clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of prostatic artery embolization (PAE) for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

Materials And Methods: From January 2012 to March 2013, 72 patients were screened and 20 patients underwent treatment. Patients were evaluated at baseline and selected intervals (1, 3, and 6 mo) for the following efficacy variables: American Urological Association (AUA) symptom score, quality of life (QOL)-related symptoms, International Index of Erectile Function score, peak urine flow rate, and prostate volume (on magnetic resonance imaging at 6 mo).

Utility of cone-beam CT imaging in prostatic artery embolization.

Purpose: To evaluate the utility of cone-beam computed tomography (CT) in patients undergoing prostatic artery (PA) embolization (PAE) for benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Materials And Methods: From January 2012 to January 2013, 15 patients (age range, 59-81 y; mean, 68 y) with moderate- or severe-grade lower urinary tract symptoms, in whom medical management had failed were enrolled in a prospective United States trial to evaluate PAE. During pelvic angiography, 15 cone-beam CT acquisitions were performed in 11 patients, and digital subtraction angiography was performed in all patients.

Staff time and motion assessment for administration of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents: a two-phase pilot study in clinical oncology practices.

Background: Erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) are used for the management of anaemia in patients with non-myeloid malignancies where anaemia is due to the effect of concomitant myelosuppressive chemotherapy. Assessing the impact of different ESA dosing regimens on office staff time and projected labour costs is an important component of understanding the potential for optimization of oncology practice efficiencies.

Objectives: A two-phase study was conducted to evaluate staff time and labour costs directly associated with ESA administration in real-world oncology practice settings among cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.

Geniculate artery embolization in the management of spontaneous recurrent hemarthrosis of the knee: case series.

Spontaneous recurrent hemarthrosis after knee arthroplasty is reported to occur in 0.3%-1% of patients, likely secondary to hypertrophic vascular synovium. Five patients who underwent previous arthroplasty presented with spontaneous hemarthrosis.

The burden of blood transfusion: a utilization and economic analysis--a pilot study in patients with chemotherapy-induced anemia (CIA).

Objective: The objective is to measure the burden of blood transfusion of Packed Red Blood Cells (PRBCs) in patients with chemotherapy-induced anemia (CIA) on the institutional outpatient transfusion center.

Methods: This is a retrospective chart review (starting July 1, 2010, working backwards until 120 evaluable patients are accrued) at a single institutional transfusion center in the US. The mean and standard deviation (SD) were calculated for patient's age, pre-transfusion Hgb level, and other transfusion-related activities.

Clinical staff resource use with intravenous patient-controlled analgesia in acute postoperative pain management: results from a multicenter, prospective, observational study.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate hospital resource utilization associated with intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (IV-PCA), with a focus on nursing, pharmacy, and central supply/engineering time spent from a hospital perspective. Data were collected during a multicenter (29 sites), prospective observational study in the United States of subjects who underwent total knee replacement (TKR), total hip replacement (THR), or abdominal hysterectomy (AH) and were administered analgesia through IV PCA for the management of acute postoperative pain. Nursing staff recorded the IV PCA-related tasks they performed for a subject and the duration of time required to perform each task from initial IV PCA set-up to discontinuation.