Evaluation of Primary Oral Vancomycin Prophylaxis Against Infection During Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation.

Background: Evaluations of oral vancomycin prophylaxis (OVP) against have been reported in stem cell transplant populations with short follow-up periods. The longest known duration of standardized follow-up post-OVP is 90 days within an allogeneic stem cell transplant population. In 2017, we implemented OVP 125 mg twice daily in autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) recipients beginning the day of admission and continued until the day of discharge.

Comparison of intermittent intravenous tacrolimus to continuous tacrolimus in adult allogeneic stem cell transplant recipients.

Initial continuous intravenous (CIV) tacrolimus (0.03 mg/kg/day based on ideal body weight [IBW]) has been favored for graft versus host disease (GVHD) prevention in allogeneic stem cell transplant patients due to the consistent, steady-state degree of immunosuppression; however, this method poses many logistical challenges. We implemented intermittent (IIV) tacrolimus at a starting dose of 0.

Evaluation of potential cost savings through chemotherapy and biotherapy dose-rounding at a pediatric institution.

Introduction: Rapidly increasing costs of medication acquisition can pose a challenge for health-system pharmacy budgets. The impact of dose-rounding in a pediatric oncology population has not previously been well documented and a retrospective review was undertaken to quantify the potential cost benefits.

Methods: A retrospective chart review of patients with an oncologic diagnosis was performed for cytotoxic agents, asparaginase products, and biotherapy administered between January 1, 2014, and December 31, 2017.

Professional partners: Longitudinal interprofessional education events with pharmacy and nursing programs.

Background And Purpose: Faculty from a school of pharmacy and a school of nursing developed a series of interprofessional education (IPE) events to create a two-year, longitudinal experience to maximize the time student groups would be able to work together. This paper outlines the activities created and the assessment tool utilized to evaluate the experiences.

Educational Activity And Setting: Four activities were planned for 43 pharmacy and 19 nursing students to cover topics encountered by both professions.

Association of Surgical Margin Distance With Survival in Patients With Resected Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Clear surgical margins reduce the risk of local recurrence, improve survival, and determine decision-making with regard to adjuvant treatment of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN). However, the definitions of clear, close, or positive surgical margins vary in both the literature and in practice.

Objective: To examine whether the association between surgical margin distance and survival varies by primary tumor site.

Tolerability and Efficacy of a 1-Bag Pegaspargase Densensitization Protocol in Pediatric Oncology Patients.

Desensitization to pegaspargase has been previously attempted in patients who have a hypersensitivity reaction to pegaspargase when Erwinia asparaginase is not an available alternative because of supply issues. Often, these desensitizations have utilized a 3-bag method to complete the infusion. Retrospective chart review was utilized to evaluate the tolerability and efficacy of a 1-bag method for pegaspargase densensitization at a single center.

Perioperative thrombelastography serves as an important assessment tool of transfusion requirements during liver transplantation.

Background: Thrombelastography has become increasingly used in liver transplantation. The implications of thrombelastography at various stages of liver transplantation, however, remain poorly understood. Our goal was to examine thrombelastography-based coagulopathy profiles in liver transplantation and determine whether preoperative thrombelastography is predictive of transfusion requirements perioperatively.

Pilot Study to Assess the Use of Ultrasound in Evaluating the Abnormal Pediatric Airway.

In this study, we sought to explore the feasibility of using ultrasonography to evaluate airway anomalies in awake children with previous airway reconstruction. For the month of December 2018, we reviewed the medical records of patients aged <18 years old with prior airway reconstruction who had an outpatient appointment and a microlaryngoscopy and bronchoscopy within 24 hours of each other. Four patients met inclusion criteria and were enrolled.

Benefit of social media on patient engagement and satisfaction: Results of a 9-month, qualitative pilot study using Facebook.

Background: Despite the potential benefits of social media, health care providers are often hesitant to engage patients through these sites. Our aim was to explore how implementation of social media may affect patient engagement and satisfaction.

Methods: In September 2016 a Facebook support group was created for liver transplant patients to use as a virtual community forum.

Transient neonatal myasthenia gravis in a baby born to a mother with new-onset anti-MuSK-mediated myasthenia gravis.

We describe a 30-year-old pregnant woman with undiagnosed weakness who delivered a severely weak neonate. Subsequent workup of the mother revealed myasthenia gravis with muscle-specific kinase antibodies. The infant responded to intravenous immunoglobulin and symptoms normalized.