Optimizing Virtual Follow-Up Care: Realist Evaluation of Experiences and Perspectives of Patients With Breast and Prostate Cancer.

Background: Virtual follow-up (VFU) has the potential to enhance cancer survivorship care. However, a greater understanding is needed of how VFU can be optimized.

Objective: This study aims to examine how, for whom, and in what contexts VFU works for cancer survivorship care.

Recommendations for the effective use of T-cell-redirecting therapies: a Canadian consensus statement.

Background: T-cell-redirecting therapies, such as bispecific antibodies and chimeric antigen receptor T-cells, exploit the cytotoxic capabilities of the immune system to destroy cells expressing specific surface antigens, including malignant cells. These therapies have demonstrated unprecedented rates, depth, and duration of responses in relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma. However, there are significant challenges in implementing these therapies into practice, which require multidisciplinary and multicenter coordination and significant healthcare resources to effectively manage these patients.

Those who opt to leave: Comparison by triage acuity of emergency patients who leave prior to seeing a medical practitioner.

Background: People who present to an emergency department but leave before seeing a medical practitioner (LWBS) pose a potential risk, especially those triaged with higher acuity care needs.

Objective: To describe and compare characteristics of emergency patients who LWBS by triage acuity.

Method: Retrospective review of administrative data for a 1-year period.

Accuracy and Reproducibility of BiliCare™ Transcutaneous Bilirubin Device.

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the analytical performance of a new transcutaneous bilirubin (TcB) device - BiliCareTM (Gerium Medical, Yavne, Israel).

Methods: The neonatal TcB measurements were compared between BiliCareTM and the existing BiliChekTM systems (n = 40). TcB measured by BiliCareTM were also compared with total serum bilirubin (TSB) using a Roche Cobas702 chemistry analyzer (n = 31) and whole blood bilirubin using a Radiometer ABL 835 (n = 11).

Sample suitability and stability in different blood collection tubes for methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, acetone and glycols analysis.

Aim: To systematically examine the sample suitability and stability for volatile alcohols (methanol, ethanol and isopropanol with its metabolite acetone) and glycols (ethylene/propylene glycols, EG/PG) in different collection tubes.

Method: Two pools of whole blood were created and spiked with two levels of volatile alcohols and EG/PG. The spiked whole blood was added to six different blood collection tubes and were kept at different storage conditions.

Patient Engagement in Health Research: Perspectives from Patient Participants.

Background And Purpose: Over the past decade, patient engagement (PE) has emerged as an important way to help improve the relevance, quality, and impact of health research. However, there is limited consensus on how best to meaningfully engage patients in the research process. The goal of this article is to share our experiences and insights as members of a Patient Advisory Committee (PAC) on a large, multidisciplinary cancer research study that has spanned six years.

Risk of Treatment Failure for Prosthetic Joint Infections: Retrospective Chart Review in an Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy Program.

Background: Prosthetic joint infections (PJIs) are a major complication of total joint replacement surgeries. Treatment includes surgical intervention with prolonged courses of IV antibiotics in outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) programs. The risk of PJI treatment failure is high and may be associated with various clinical factors.

AACC Guidance Document on the Use of Point-of-Care Testing in Fertility and Reproduction.

Background: The AACC Academy revised the reproductive testing section of the Laboratory Medicine Practice Guidelines: Evidence-Based Practice for Point-of-Care Testing (POCT) published in 2007.

Methods: A panel of Academy members with expertise in POCT and laboratory medicine was formed to develop guidance for the use of POCT in reproductive health, specifically ovulation, pregnancy, premature rupture of membranes (PROM), and high-risk deliveries. The committee was supplemented with clinicians having Emergency Medicine and Obstetrics/Gynecology training.

A Point Prevalence Survey of Antimicrobial Usage in New Brunswick Hospitals.

Background: Prevalence surveys are useful tools for assessing the appropriateness of antimicrobial therapy.

Objectives: The primary objective was to assess patterns of antimicrobial utilization and appropriateness in New Brunswick hospitals. The secondary objective was to assess the impact of hospital size and the presence of a penicillin allergy label on antimicrobial appropriateness.

Association of lewy bodies, hippocampal sclerosis and amyloid angiopathy with dementia in community-dwelling elderly: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: We measured the proportion of Lewy body pathology (LB), hippocampal sclerosis (HS), and cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) among community-dwelling people with and without dementia.

Methods: We searched for community-based cohorts with postmortem brain autopsy until 1 January 2020. We calculated the summary risk difference and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) using a random-effects model in R.

Eastern Canadian Gastrointestinal Cancer Consensus Conference 2019.

The annual Eastern Canadian Gastrointestinal Cancer Consensus Conference 2019 was held in Morell, Prince Edward Island, 19-21 September 2019. Experts in medical oncology, radiation oncology, and surgical oncology who are involved in the management of patients with gastrointestinal malignancies participated in presentations and discussion sessions for the purpose of developing the recommendations presented here. This consensus statement addresses multiple topics in the management of anal, colorectal, biliary tract, and gastric cancers, including: radiotherapy and systemic therapy for localized and advanced anal cancer; watch and wait strategy for the management of rectal cancer; role of testing for dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) deficiency prior to commencement of fluoropyrimidine therapy; radiotherapy and systemic therapy in the adjuvant and unresectable settings for biliary tract cancer; and radiotherapy and systemic therapy in the perioperative setting for early-stage gastric cancer.

Secular trends of ischaemic heart disease, stroke, and dementia in high-income countries from 1990 to 2017: the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017.

Background: We assessed secular trends in the burden of ischaemic heart disease (IHD), stroke, and dementia in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries.

Methods: Using the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study 2017, we compared sex-specific and age-standardized rates of disability-adjusted life years (DALY); mortality, incidence, and prevalence of IHD and stroke; and dementia per 100,000 people, in the world, OECD countries, and Canada.

Results: From 1990 to 2017, the crude incidence number of IHD, stroke, and dementia increased 52%, 76%, and 113%, respectively.

The first epidemiology study of urolithiasis in New Brunswick.

Introduction: Understanding the composition of a kidney stone is crucial in leading to proper treatment and preventing reoccurring urolithiasis. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of urolithiasis in the province of New Brunswick (NB), Canada.

Methods: A total of 3828 kidney stone analysis reports from October 1, 2016 to September 30, 2019, were reviewed from laboratory information systems.

Stroke Care Trends During COVID-19 Pandemic in Zanjan Province, Iran. From the CASCADE Initiative: Statistical Analysis Plan and Preliminary Results.

Background: The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted global healthcare systems and this may affect stroke care and outcomes. This study examines the changes in stroke epidemiology and care during the COVID-19 pandemic in Zanjan Province, Iran.

Methods: This study is part of the CASCADE international initiative.

Correction to: Task sharing for the care of severe mental disorders in a low-income country (TaSCS): study protocol for a randomised, controlled, non-inferiority trial.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article.

Call to Action: SARS-CoV-2 and CerebrovAscular DisordErs (CASCADE).

Background And Purpose: The novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-Cov-2), now named coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), may change the risk of stroke through an enhanced systemic inflammatory response, hypercoagulable state, and endothelial damage in the cerebrovascular system. Moreover, due to the current pandemic, some countries have prioritized health resources towards COVID-19 management, making it more challenging to appropriately care for other potentially disabling and fatal diseases such as stroke. The aim of this study is to identify and describe changes in stroke epidemiological trends before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pediatric data of the usefulness of estimated average glucose (eAG) in glycemic control and cardiovascular risk reduction.

The Estimated Average Glucose (eAG) is assumed to provide patients a better understanding of their recent average blood sugar levels comparing to HbA1c, therefore better control their glycemic levels. However, since its inception, debates on its clinical utility have been over several years leading to an unpopular laboratory and clinical practice of adoption; and there is no evidence to support or against the usefulness of eAG in real world medical practice. Data set presented in this article is related to our research paper entitled "Usefulness of Estimated Average Glucose (eAG) in glycemic Control and Cardiovascular Risk Reduction", available in Clinical Biochemistry [1].

Interchangeability of Electrolyte and Metabolite Testing on Blood Gas and Core Laboratory Analyzers.

Background: Using blood gas (BG) analyzers as backups for core laboratory analyzers has the potential to greatly reduce turnaround times and costs.

Methods: One venous blood gas syringe, one plasma separator tube (PST), and one serum separator tube (SST) were drawn from 42 healthy individuals. All samples were run on the GEM4000 BG analyzer whereas the PST and SST samples were also run on the Roche Modular chemistry analyzer.

Usefulness of estimated average glucose (eAG) in glycemic control and cardiovascular risk reduction.

Objective: One of the 8 regional health authority (RHA) zones in New Brunswick, Canada has implemented eAG since 2010. We sought to evaluate the clinical outcomes of glycemic control and cardiovascular risk levels before and after the eAG implementation in this zone; and to compare the overall outcomes of this zone with other 7 zones of the province.

Methods: Data (838,407 HbA1c values and 612,314 LDL-c values) was extracted from all adult diabetic patients in the provincial Diabetes Registry from 2008 to 2014.