Re-Exposure to Culprit Medication Following Adverse Drug Event Diagnosis in Canadian Emergency Department Patients: A Cohort Study.

Purpose: The magnitude of repeat exposures to culprit medications after hospital discharge is not well studied. We combined prospective cohort data with administrative health data to understand the frequency of repeat exposures to culprit medications after discharge and the risk factors for their occurrence.

Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of three prospective cohorts of patients who presented to the hospital with an adverse drug event in British Columbia, from 2008 to 2015 (n = 849).

Validating use of diagnostic codes in Canadian administrative data for identification of adverse drug events.

Aims: While diagnostic codes from administrative health data might be a valuable source to identify adverse drug events (ADEs), their ability to identify unintended harms remains unclear. We validated claims-based diagnosis codes for ADEs based on events identified in a prospective cohort study and assessed whether key attributes predicted their documentation in administrative data.

Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of 3 prospective cohorts in British Columbia, from 2008 to 2015 (n = 13 969).

Validating methods used to identify non-adherence adverse drug events in Canadian administrative health data.

Aims: Medication non-adherence is a type of adverse drug event that can lead to untreated and exacerbated chronic illness, and that drives healthcare utilization. Research using medication claims data has attempted to identify instances of medication non-adherence using the proportion of days covered or by examining gaps between medication refills. We sought to validate these measures compared to a gold standard diagnosis of non-adherence made in hospital.

Characterizing and Comparing Adverse Drug Events Documented in 2 Spontaneous Reporting Systems in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, Canada: Retrospective Observational Study.

Background: Robust adverse drug event (ADE) reporting systems are crucial to monitor and identify drug safety signals, but the quantity and type of ADEs captured may vary by system characteristics.

Objective: We compared ADEs reported in 2 different reporting systems in the same jurisdictions, the Patient Safety and Learning System-Adverse Drug Reaction (PSLS-ADR) and ActionADE, to understand report variation.

Methods: This retrospective observational study analyzed reports entered into PSLS-ADR and ActionADE systems between December 1, 2019, and December 31, 2022.

Sharing Adverse Drug Event Reports Between Hospitals and Community Pharmacists to Inform Re-dispensing: An Analysis of Reports and Process Outcomes.

Introduction: Adverse drug events (ADEs) are a leading cause of unplanned hospital visits. We designed ActionADE, an online ADE reporting platform, and integrated it with PharmaNet, British Columbia's (BC's) provincial medication dispensing system, to overcome identified barriers in ADE reporting and communicate ADEs to community pharmacies. Our objectives were to characterise ADEs reported in ActionADE, explore associations between patients' age, sex and ADE characteristics, and estimate the re-dispensation rate of culprit medications in community pharmacies.

Comparing methods to classify admitted patients with SARS-CoV-2 as admitted for COVID-19 versus with incidental SARS-CoV-2: A cohort study.

Introduction: Not all patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection develop symptomatic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), making it challenging to assess the burden of COVID-19-related hospitalizations and mortality. We aimed to determine the proportion, resource utilization, and outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 positive patients admitted for COVID-19, and assess the impact of using the Center for Disease Control's (CDC) discharge diagnosis-based algorithm and the Massachusetts state department's drug administration-based classification system on identifying admissions for COVID-19.

Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, we enrolled consecutive SARS-CoV-2 positive patients admitted to one of five hospitals in British Columbia between December 19, 2021 and May 31,2022.

An external facilitation intervention to increase uptake of an adverse drug event reporting intervention.

Background: Adverse drug events (ADEs) are a leading cause of emergency department visits and hospital admissions in Canada. ActionADE prevents repeat ADEs by enabling clinicians to document and communicate standardized ADE information across care settings. We used an external facilitation intervention to promote the uptake of ActionADE in four hospitals in British Columbia, Canada.

Using ActionADE to create information continuity to reduce re-exposures to harmful medications: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Repeat exposures to culprit medications are a common cause of preventable adverse drug events. Health information technologies have the potential to reduce repeat adverse drug events by improving information continuity. However, they rarely interoperate to ensure providers can view adverse drug events documented in other systems.

Preventable adverse drug events: Descriptive epidemiology.

Aim: Our objective was to identify preventable adverse drug events and factors contributing to their development.

Methods: We performed a retrospective chart review combining data from three prospective multicentre observational studies that assessed emergency department patients for adverse drug events. A clinical pharmacist and physician independently reviewed the charts, extracted data and rated the preventability of each adverse drug event.

Repeat adverse drug events associated with outpatient medications: a descriptive analysis of 3 observational studies in British Columbia, Canada.

Background: Adverse drug events are an important cause of preventable emergency department visits and hospital admissions. We examined repeat adverse drug events associated with outpatient medications resulting in acute care utilization.

Methods: This descriptive analysis combined data from 3 prospective multicentre observational studies, in which clinical pharmacists and physicians independently evaluated patients who visited the emergency department for adverse drug events in 3 hospitals in British Columbia.

Risk Factors for Misuse of Prescribed Opioids: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Study Objective: Increasing opioid prescribing has been linked to an epidemic of opioid misuse. Our objective is to synthesize the available evidence about patient-, prescriber-, medication-, and system-level risk factors for developing misuse among patients prescribed opioids for noncancer pain.

Methods: We performed a systematic search of the scientific and gray literature for studies reporting on risk factors for prescription opioid misuse.

Methods for evaluating adverse drug event preventability in emergency department patients.

Background: There is a high degree of variability in assessing the preventability of adverse drug events, limiting the ability to compare rates of preventable adverse drug events across different studies. We compared three methods for determining preventability of adverse drug events in emergency department patients and explored their strengths and weaknesses.

Methods: This mixed-methods study enrolled emergency department patients diagnosed with at least one adverse drug event from three prior prospective studies.

Single-center experience with complex abdominal aortic aneurysms treated by open or endovascular repair using fenestrated/branched endografts.

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate outcomes of patients with complex abdominal aortic aneurysms (cAAAs) treated with open repair (OR) or fenestrated/branched endovascular aneurysm repair (F/B-EVAR) from a single center.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of consecutive patients with cAAAs treated electively by OR or F/B-EVAR between January 2010 and February 2017 was conducted. Demographics of the patients, cardiovascular risk factors, procedure time, number of vessels incorporated, radiation dose, estimated blood loss, intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay (LOS), and hospital LOS were recorded.

Risk factors for addiction among patients receiving prescribed opioids: a systematic review protocol.

Background: Opioid addiction prevention has become an urgent public health priority, with several countries declaring a state of emergency due to rising death tolls from opioid abuse. Reducing the risk of developing addiction among opioid-naïve patients exposed to prescribed opioids during the process of medical care may be an important primary prevention strategy. Our objective is to synthesize the available evidence about factors associated with the development of addiction among patients first exposed to prescribed opioids, with a focus on opioid-naïve patients.

Diagnosis, Management, and Outcome of Aortitis at a Single Center.

Background: Aortitis is a rare condition with inflammatory or infectious etiology that can be difficult to diagnose due to the highly variable clinical presentation and nonspecific symptoms. However, current literature on the diagnosis, management, and prognosis of aortitis is extremely scarce.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed all patients' charts who were diagnosed with giant cell arteritis, Takayasu arteritis, or noninfectious aortitis presenting at a single center between January 1, 2009, and April 17, 2015.

A Dedicated Surveillance Program Improves Compliance with Endovascular Aortic Aneurysm Repair Follow-up.

Background: Current recommendations suggest lifetime follow-up for endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR) patients to avoid consequences associated with endoleak and aneurysm enlargement. Follow-up compliance has been reported between 43% and 92%, with most single-center studies citing successful follow-up surveillance at less than 60%. We investigated follow-up completeness with a defined surveillance program and subsequent secondary intervention prevalence from a single center.

A prospective randomized comparison of contralateral snare versus retrograde gate cannulation in endovascular aneurysm repair.

Objective: The objective of this study was to compare snare vs the standard retrograde gate cannulation method during endovascular aneurysm repair to determine the most efficient technique and to evaluate whether time was affected by graft design or the surgeon's experience.

Methods: This was a prospective randomized study involving single-center elective endovascular aneurysm repairs. Patients were randomized to the snare or retrograde group in a 1:1 ratio.

Preoperative Inferior Mesenteric Artery Embolization: A Valid Method to Reduce the Rate of Type II Endoleak after EVAR?

Background: Type II endoleak is the most commonly encountered endoleak after endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR). Some have advocated preoperative inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) embolization as a valid method for reducing the incidence of this endoleak, but controversies exist. We sought to demonstrate the impact of IMA embolization using a meta-analysis of currently available studies combined with our own experience.

Sexually transmitted infection testing among heterosexual Maritime Canadian university students engaging in different levels of sexual risk taking.

Objectives: Individuals aged 15-29 years have the highest rates of diagnosed sexually transmitted infection (STI), and in Canada routine STI testing is recommended for sexually active individuals under 25 years of age. Despite its being readily available to most Canadian university students, testing is not accessed by all sexually active students. This study examines correlates of STI testing among sexually active heterosexual university students.

Sexual health among female Aboriginal university students in the Maritime Provinces of Canada: risk behaviours and health services use.

Unlabelled: Background Young Aboriginal Canadian people are at increased risk of negative sexual health outcomes, including sexually transmissible infections (STIs) and unplanned pregnancy. Associations between Aboriginal ethnicity and sexual risk behaviours and related health services use among sexually active female university students in eastern Canada were examined.

Methods: A secondary analysis of online survey data collected from sexually active female university students under age 30 years from eight post-secondary institutions in the Maritime Provinces of Canada was carried out (N=5010).

Arterial Embolisms and Thrombosis in Upper Extremity Ischemia.

Objective: Upper extremity ischemia (UEI) is an uncommon condition that can lead to permanent disability. There is a limited understanding of the etiology, management, and outcomes of the disease.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the charts of all patients who were diagnosed with "embolism and/or thrombosis of arteries of upper extremity" at our institution from January 2005 to December 2013.

Hyperbaric oxygen treatment outcome for different indications from a single center.

Background: Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) is used as an adjunctive therapy for a variety of indications. However, there is a lack of high-quality research evaluating HBO treatment outcomes for different indications available in the current literature.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed all patients who underwent HBO therapy at a single hyperbaric center from January 2010 to December 2013 using predetermined criteria to analyze successful, improved, or failed treatment outcomes for the following indications: chronic refractory osteomyelitis, diabetic foot ulcer, failed flap or skin graft, osteoradionecrosis, soft tissue radiation necrosis, and multiple coexisting indications.

The epidemiology and management of recent-onset atrial fibrillation and flutter presenting to the Emergency Department.

Objectives: Atrial fibrillation (AF) and flutter are common tachyarrhythmias seen in the Emergency Department (ED). The management of recent-onset AF remains poorly defined. Two management strategies have been proposed: rhythm control versus rate control.