Sacroiliac Joint Fusion Methodology - Minimally Invasive Compared to Screw-Type Surgeries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Sacroiliac (SI) joint fusion represents a unique area of orthopedic surgery with procedural literature dating to the early 1920s, showing limited innovation in either technique or hardware over the last 90 years. Recent improvements in the diagnosis and treatment of SI joint dysfunction warrant comparisons to older surgical techniques.

Objective: To evaluate treatment efficacies and patient outcomes associated with minimally invasive joint fusion in comparison to screw-type surgeries.

Prevalence and predictors of distress in posttreatment adult leukemia and lymphoma survivors.

This paper examines predictors of cancer-specific distress among posttreatment adult leukemia and lymphoma survivors (LLS). Using a survey mailed to LLS in the Colorado Central Cancer Registry (N = 477), the authors developed a multivariable risk profile for distress. Thirty one percent of LLS reported indicators of distress.

Psychosocial telephone interventions for patients with cancer and survivors: a systematic review.

Objective: Over one third of patients with cancer experience elevated psychosocial distress. As screening for distress becomes more common, the number of patients referred for psychosocial care will increase. Psychosocial telephone interventions are recommended as a convenient and exportable alternative to in-person interventions addressing psychosocial distress.

Tryptophan supplementation and postoperative delirium--a randomized controlled trial.

Objectives: To determine whether the postoperative administration of tryptophan would be beneficial for elderly adults undergoing surgery who are at risk of developing postoperative delirium.

Design: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Setting: Denver Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

Early effect of tidal volume on lung injury biomarkers in surgical patients with healthy lungs.

Background: The early biological impact of short-term mechanical ventilation on healthy lungs is unknown. The authors aimed to characterize the immediate tidal volume (VT)-related changes on lung injury biomarkers in patients with healthy lungs and low risk of pulmonary complications.

Methods: Twenty-eight healthy patients for knee replacement surgery were prospectively randomized to volume-controlled ventilation with VT 6 (VT6) or 10 (VT10) ml/kg predicted body weight.

Predictors of early faculty attrition at one Academic Medical Center.

Background: Faculty turnover threatens the research, teaching and clinical missions of medical schools. We measured early attrition among newly-hired medical school faculty and identified personal and institutional factors associated with early attrition.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study identified faculty hired during the 2005-2006 academic year at one school.

Bridging the transition from cancer patient to survivor: pilot study results of the Cancer Survivor Telephone Education and Personal Support (C-STEPS) program.

Objective: To develop a feasibility study of a theory-driven telephone counseling program to enhance psychosocial and physical well-being for cancer survivors after treatment.

Methods: Participants (n=66) were recruited from two Colorado hospitals with self-administered questionnaires at baseline and two weeks post-intervention. The one group, intervention only design included up to six thematic telephone counseling sessions over three months.

Responding to a significant recruitment challenge within three nationwide psychoeducational trials for cancer patients.

Purpose: When faced with a significant recruitment challenge for three nationwide psychoeducational trials targeting prostate and breast cancer patients, the Cancer Information Service Research Consortium initiated outreach efforts to increase accrual. Recruitment is reported by major outreach strategy to inform the use of similar campaigns, either as primary recruitment efforts or to supplement "in-reach" recruitment within oncology settings.

Methods: During a 33-month period, recruitment was tracked from the National Cancer Institute's Cancer Information Service (CIS), the American Cancer Society (ACS), Dr.

The Living Well by Faith Health and wellness program for African Americans: an exemplar of community-based participatory research.

Background: Using community-based participatory research (CBPR) as a guiding framework, a faith-based diet, nutrition and physical activity intervention for African Americans was implemented and evaluated as a small-scale randomized trial.

Methods: Five churches were recruited (intervention=3, control=2), resulting in an enrolled sample of 106 adults (intervention=74, control=32). The control group received a minimal intervention consisting of one educational workshop.

Cancer patient and survivor research from the cancer information service research consortium: a preview of three large randomized trials and initial lessons learned.

The authors describe 3 large randomized trials from the Cancer Information Service Research Consortium. Three web-based multimedia programs are being tested to help newly diagnosed prostate (Project 1) and breast cancer patients (Project 2) make informed treatment decisions and breast cancer patients prepare for life after treatment (Project 3). Project 3 also tests a telephone callback intervention delivered by a cancer information specialist.

Injectable multiple sclerosis medications: a patient survey of factors associated with injection-site reactions.

Although injection-site reactions (ISRs) occur with US Food and Drug Administration-approved injectable disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) for multiple sclerosis, there are currently few reports of real-world data on ISR management strategies or possible correlations between ISRs and patient demographics, disease characteristics, and missed injections. Patient-reported data on the use of DMTs, patient demographic and disease characteristics, missed injections, and ISR reduction strategies were collected via e-mail, a patient registry (www.ms-cam.

Standard subcutaneous dosing of unfractionated heparin for venous thromboembolism prophylaxis in surgical ICU patients leads to subtherapeutic factor Xa inhibition.

Purpose: To assess coagulation status and factor Xa inhibition in surgical intensive care unit (ICU) patients administered prophylactic unfractionated heparin for venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis.

Methods: We conducted a randomized, single-blind study at a tertiary academic medical center. Included were patients 18 years and older admitted to the surgical ICU directly after major abdominal surgery.

Intraoperative ventilation: incidence and risk factors for receiving large tidal volumes during general anesthesia.

Background: There is a growing concern of the potential injurious role of ventilatory over-distention in patients without lung injury. No formal guidelines exist for intraoperative ventilation settings, but the use of tidal volumes (VT) under 10 mL/kg predicted body weight (PBW) has been recommended in healthy patients. We explored the incidence and risk factors for receiving large tidal volumes (VT > 10 mL/kg PBW).

Motor subtypes of postoperative delirium in older adults.

Hypothesis: Increased knowledge about motor subtypes of delirium may aid clinicians in the management of postoperative geriatric patients.

Design: Prospective cohort study defining preoperative risk factors, outcomes, and adverse events related to motor subtypes of postoperative delirium.

Setting: Referral medical center.

Postoperative falls in the acute hospital setting: characteristics, risk factors, and outcomes in males.

Background: Hospital falls are an important cause of morbidity in older surgical patients. The objectives of this study were to describe the characteristics, risk factors, and outcomes for postoperative falls.

Methods: A retrospective study was performed on patients who were admitted to the hospital for more than 23 hours after surgery.

The rise of health information technology.

Purpose Of Review: The purpose of this review is to discuss transformational changes taking effect in biology and medicine and to place them in a broad historical context.

Recent Findings: Recent findings suggest that in the new millennium, information technology will promote great changes in the study of biology and the practice of medicine. Digital information, more readily assessed, analyzed and manipulated, will be used to integrate large and disparate data sets.

Metabolic profiles in urine reflect nephrotoxicity of sirolimus and cyclosporine following rat kidney transplantation.

Background: Cyclosporine and/or sirolimus impair recovery of renal transplants. This study examines the changes in urine metabolite profiles as surrogate markers of renal cell metabolism and function after cyclosporine and/or sirolimus treatment employing a rat kidney transplantation model.

Methods: Using inbred Lewis rats, kidneys were transplanted into bilaterally nephrectomized recipients followed by treatment with either CsA (cyclosporine) 10, Rapa (sirolimus) 1, CsA10/Rapa1 or CsA25/Rapa1 mg/kg/day for 7 days.

Postoperative delirium in the elderly: risk factors and outcomes.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to describe the natural history, identify risk factors, and determine outcomes for the development of postoperative delirium in the elderly.

Background: Postoperative delirium is a common and deleterious complication in geriatric patients.

Methods: Subjects older than 50 years scheduled for an operation requiring a postoperative intensive care unit admission were recruited.

Risk factors for delirium after major trauma.

Background: This study aimed to describe the natural history of delirium after major injury, to identify risk factors that predict the development of postinjury delirium, and to compare outcome measures in subjects with and without delirium.

Methods: A prospective study was performed on patients with an injury severity score of 8 or higher admitted to the trauma intensive care unit (ICU) of a level I trauma center. Patients underwent daily assessments for delirium with the Confusion Assessment Method-ICU.

Brief-interval telephone surveys of medication adherence and asthma symptoms in the Childhood Asthma Management Program Continuation Study.

Background: Although it is known that most patients do not consistently take controller medications every day, the impact of nonadherence on asthma control is not well documented.

Objective: To establish the relationship between medication adherence and symptom control in adolescents and young adults with asthma.

Methods: A total of 756 adolescents and young adults diagnosed as having mild to moderate asthma on entry into the original study underwent 6 monthly telephone interviews as an ancillary project to the Childhood Asthma Management Program Continuation Study.

A phase I study of bortezomib, etoposide and carboplatin in patients with advanced solid tumors refractory to standard therapy.

Purpose: To evaluate the toxicity, pharmacological, and biological properties of the combination of bortezomib, etoposide, and carboplatin in adults with advanced solid malignancies.

Patients And Methods: Patients received escalating doses of bortezomib, etoposide, and carboplatin every 21 days. Surrogate markers of angiogenesis were evaluated.

The reno-vascular A2B adenosine receptor protects the kidney from ischemia.

Background: Acute renal failure from ischemia significantly contributes to morbidity and mortality in clinical settings, and strategies to improve renal resistance to ischemia are urgently needed. Here, we identified a novel pathway of renal protection from ischemia using ischemic preconditioning (IP).

Methods And Findings: For this purpose, we utilized a recently developed model of renal ischemia and IP via a hanging weight system that allows repeated and atraumatic occlusion of the renal artery in mice, followed by measurements of specific parameters or renal functions.

Chronic renal dysfunction following liver transplantation.

With most of the immunosuppressive protocols consisting of calcineurin inhibitors (CI), nephrotoxicity has become a major long-term complication often compromising outcome. In a single-center retrospective study, we reviewed 1173 liver transplantations to identify variables indicative for the occurrence of chronic renal dysfunction (CRD) (defined as > or = 1 episode of serum creatinine increase > or = 1.8 mg/dL > or = 2 wk).