Risk of complication at the time of laparoscopic hysterectomy: a prediction model built from the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database.

Background: Although laparoscopic hysterectomy is well established as a favorable mode of hysterectomy owing to decreased perioperative complications, there is still room for improvement in quality of care. Previous studies have described laparoscopic hysterectomy risk, but there is currently no tool for predicting risk of complication at the time of laparoscopic hysterectomy.

Objective: This study aimed to create a prediction model for complications at the time of laparoscopic hysterectomy for benign conditions.

Improving decision making for massive transfusions in a resource poor setting: a preliminary study in Kenya.

Background: The reality of finite resources has a real-world impact on a patient's ability to receive life-saving care in resource-poor settings. Blood for transfusion is an example of a scarce resource. Very few studies have looked at predictors of survival in patients requiring massive transfusion.

A clinical prediction rule for the severity of congenital diaphragmatic hernias in newborns.

Background: Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is a condition with a highly variable outcome. Some infants have a relatively mild disease process, whereas others have significant pulmonary hypoplasia and hypertension. Identifying high-risk infants postnatally may allow for targeted therapy.

Liver transplantation in the critically ill: a multicenter Canadian retrospective cohort study.

Introduction: Critically ill cirrhosis patients awaiting liver transplantation (LT) often receive prioritization for organ allocation. Identification of patients most likely to benefit is essential. The purpose of this study was to examine whether the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score can predict 90-day mortality in critically ill recipients of LT and whether it can predict receipt of LT among critically ill cirrhosis listed awaiting LT.

The breast reconstruction satisfaction questionnaire (BRECON-31): an affirmative analysis.

Objective: To verify the subscale structure of the BRECON-31 using a test sample of women naïve to the questionnaire.

Methods: The BRECON-31 was administered to women following breast reconstruction. Their responses were subjected to principal components analysis (PCA) with a varimax rotation.

18F-FDG metabolic tumor volume and total glycolytic activity of oral cavity and oropharyngeal squamous cell cancer: adding value to clinical staging.

Unlabelled: (18)F-FDG metabolic tumor volume (MTV) and total glycolytic activity (TGA) have been proposed as potential prognostic imaging markers for patient outcome in human solid tumors. The purpose of this study was to establish whether MTV and TGA add prognostic information to clinical staging in patients with oral and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs).

Methods: The Institutional Review Board approved this Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act-compliant single-institution retrospective study.

Appropriate time-interval application of alcohol hand gel on reducing influenza-like illness among preschool children: a randomized, controlled trial.

Background: We studied the efficacy of different time-interval applications of alcohol hand gel as a strategy for the prevention of influenza-like illness (ILI) in preschool-age children.

Methods: We performed a classroom-based cluster randomization at a kindergarten school in Bangkok, Thailand. A total of 1437 children were placed into 3 test groups, based on the frequency of alcohol hand gel use for hand hygiene: only before lunch (q lunch), every 120 minutes (q 120), and every 60 minutes (q 60).

Treatment interruptions among patients with tuberculosis in Russian TB hospitals.

Objective: To evaluate risk factors for in-patient treatment interruptions (TIs) in Russian tuberculosis (TB) hospitals.

Methods: The regional case-based registers for all TB patients registered in the main regional TB hospitals were analyzed for the period 1993-2002. Multivariable analysis of risk factors for TIs was performed using logistic regression.

Development and validation of a colon cancer risk assessment tool for patients undergoing colonoscopy.

Objectives: Diagnostic criteria for hereditary colorectal cancer (CRC) are complex. "Open-access" colonoscopy makes it challenging to identify who needs genetic evaluation, intensive surveillance, and screening for extracolonic tumors. Our aim was to develop a simple, preprocedural risk assessment tool to identify who may be at highest risk for CRC.

A simple validated gluten-free diet adherence survey for adults with celiac disease.

Background & Aims: Celiac disease is an increasingly prevalent disorder. To monitor response to treatment in clinical and research settings, it is essential to accurately measure gluten-free diet (GFD) adherence in a standardized manner. The aim of this study was to develop a valid and reliable Celiac Dietary Adherence Test (CDAT).

Identifying the components of asthma health status in children with mild to moderate asthma.

Background: Weak and inconsistent correlations between measurements of asthma health status suggest that the disease is composed of nonoverlapping components.

Objective: Factor analysis was used to explore the relationships between measures of asthma morbidity and to identify heterogeneous components of asthma health status in children 5 to 12 years old. Results were compared across time (baseline and 48-month visit) and treatment arms.

Understanding of prognosis and goals of care among couples whose child died of cancer.

Purpose: Little is known about how couples care for the terminally ill child with cancer. We assessed both parents' understanding of prognosis and treatment goals for children with cancer and explored whether sex mediates these views. We also investigated whether discordance within couples regarding treatment goals was related to parental perception of the child's end-of-life (EOL) experience.

Clinical evaluation of oral chronic graft-versus-host disease.

Oral chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) is a significant and serious complication following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). The purpose of this study was to characterize the distribution, type, and extent of lesions and their correlation with patient-reported symptoms such as pain and discomfort. The effect of time since transplantation on these measures was also assessed.

Predicting patients at low probability of requiring postmastectomy radiation therapy.

Background: Postmastectomy radiation therapy (PMRT) is recommended for patients with four or more positive lymph nodes (LN+). Given the ramifications of PMRT for immediate reconstruction, we sought to create a model using preoperative and intraoperative factors to predict which patients with a positive sentinel lymph node will have less than four LN+.

Methods: The database from a prospective multicenter study of 4,131 patients was used for this analysis.

The importance of patient expectations in predicting functional outcomes after total joint arthroplasty.

Objective: To evaluate the relationship between patient expectations of total joint arthroplasty (TJA) and health related quality of life plus satisfaction 6 months after surgery. Methods. This prospective cohort study included patients undergoing primary total hip (THA) and knee arthroplasty (TKA).