PSA, an outdated biomarker for prostate cancer: In search of a more specific biomarker, citrate takes the spotlight.

The prevailing biomarker employed for prostate cancer (PCa) screening and diagnosis is the prostate-specific antigen (PSA). Despite excellent sensitivity, PSA lacks specificity, leading to false positives, unnecessary biopsies and overdiagnosis. Consequently, PSA is increasingly less used by clinicians, thus underscoring the imperative for the identification of new biomarkers.

The black box of the relationship between breast cancer patients and accompanying patients: the accompanied patients' point of view.

Background: The PAROLE-Onco program was introduced in the province of Quebec, Canada in 2019. It integrates accompanying patients (APs), i.e.

Through the big top: An exploratory study of circus-based artistic knowledge translation in rural healthcare services, Québec, Canada.

Background: The conventional methods and strategies used for knowledge translation (KT) in academic research often fall short in effectively reaching stakeholders, such as citizens, practitioners, and decision makers, especially concerning complex healthcare issues. In response, a growing number of scholars have been embracing arts-based knowledge translation (ABKT) to target a more diverse audience with varying backgrounds and expectations. Despite the increased interest, utilization, and literature on arts-based knowledge translation over the past three decades, no studies have directly compared traditional knowledge translation with arts-based knowledge translation methods.

Integrating accompanying patients into clinical oncology teams: limiting and facilitating factors.

Objectives: Since 2018, four establishments in Quebec have been instrumental in implementing the PAROLE-Onco program, which introduced accompanying patients (APs) into healthcare teams to improve cancer patients' experience. APs are patient advisors who have acquired specific experiential knowledge related to living with cancer, using services, and interacting with healthcare professionals. They are therefore in a unique and reliable position to be able to provide emotional, informational, cognitive and navigational support to patients who are dealing with cancer.

The Signature Biobank: A longitudinal biopsychosocial repository of psychiatric emergency patients.

The Signature Biobank is a longitudinal repository of biospecimen, psychological, sociodemographic, and diagnostic data that was created in 2012. The Signature Consortium represents a group of approximately one hundred Quebec-based transdisciplinary clinicians and research scientists with various expertise in the field of psychiatry. The objective of the Signature Biobank is to investigate the multi-faceted underpinnings of psychiatric disorders among patients in crisis.

Implementation of the Acute Care for Elders Strategy to Improve the Quality of Care Transitions in Quebec and Ontario: a Retrospective Multiple Case Study.

Background: In 2016, two Canadian hospitals participated in a quality improvement (QI) program, the International Acute Care for Elders (ACE) Collaborative, and sought to adapt and implement a transition coach intervention (TCI). Both hospitals were challenged to provide optimal continuity of care for an increasing number of older adults. The two hospitals received initial funding, coaching, educational materials, and tools to adapt the TCI to their local contexts, but the QI project teams achieved different results.

Lack of association between four biomarkers and persistent post-concussion symptoms after a mild traumatic brain injury.

Approximately 15 % of individuals who sustained a mild Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) develop persistent post-concussion symptoms (PPCS). We hypothesized that blood biomarkers drawn in the Emergency Department (ED) could help predict PPCS. The main objective of this project was to measure the association between four biomarkers and PPCS at 90 days post mild TBI.

Identifying Quality Indicators for the Care of Hospitalized Injured Older Adults: A Scoping Review of the Literature.

Objectives: Older adults represent more than 50% of trauma admissions in many high-income countries. Furthermore, they are at increased risk for complications, resulting in worse health outcomes than younger adults and a significant health care utilization burden. Quality indicators (QIs) are used to assess the quality of care in trauma systems, but few QIs reflect responses to older patients' specific needs.

An exploratory cross-sectional study of the effects of ongoing relationships with accompanying patients on cancer care experience, self-efficacy, and psychological distress.

Background: Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal in Canada introduced accompanying patients (APs) into the breast cancer care trajectory. APs are patients who have been treated for breast cancer and have been integrated into the clinical team to expand the services offered to people affected by cancer. This study describes the profiles of the people who received the support and explores whether one-offs vs ongoing encounters with APs influence their experience of care, on self-efficacy in coping with cancer, and on their level of psychological distress.

Physical and cognitive impairments in people suffering from long COVID: protocol for a longitudinal population-based cohort study.

Introduction: Approximately 33% of people who contracted COVID-19 still experience symptoms 12 weeks after infection onset. This persistence of symptoms is now considered a syndrome itself called 'long COVID'. Evidence regarding long COVID and its cognitive and physical impacts is growing, but the literature is currently lacking objectively measured data to guide towards adapted healthcare trajectories.

Evaluation of the implementation of single points of access for unattached patients in primary care and their effects: a study protocol.

Introduction: Attachment to a primary care provider is an important component of primary care as it facilitates access. In Québec, Canada, attachment to a family physician is a concern. To address unattached patients' barriers to accessing primary care, the Ministry of Health and Social Services mandated Québec's 18 administrative regions to implement single points of access for unattached patients ( (GAPs)) that aim to better orient patients towards the most appropriate services to meet their needs.

Comparative effectiveness in multiple sclerosis: A methodological comparison.

Background: In the absence of evidence from randomised controlled trials, observational data can be used to emulate clinical trials and guide clinical decisions. Observational studies are, however, susceptible to confounding and bias. Among the used techniques to reduce indication bias are propensity score matching and marginal structural models.

Accompanying patients in clinical oncology teams: Reported activities and perceived effects.

Introduction: Since 2018, four establishments in Quebec, Canada, have decided to implement the PAROLE-Onco programme, which introduced accompanying patients (APs) in healthcare teams to improve the experience of cancer patients. APs are patient advisors who have had a cancer treatment experience and who conduct consultations to complement the service offered by providing emotional, informational and educational support to patients undergoing treatments (e.g.

Strategies to improve the quality of nurse triage in emergency departments: A realist review protocol.

Aim: The purpose of this realist review was to assess what works, for whom and in what context, regarding strategies that influence nurses' behaviour to improve triage quality in emergency departments (ED).

Design: Realist review protocol.

Methods: This protocol follows the PRISMA-P statement and will include any type of study on strategies to improve the triage process in the ED (using recognized and validated triage scales).

Impact of methodological choices in comparative effectiveness studies: application in natalizumab versus fingolimod comparison among patients with multiple sclerosis.

Background: Natalizumab and fingolimod are used as high-efficacy treatments in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. Several observational studies comparing these two drugs have shown variable results, using different methods to control treatment indication bias and manage censoring. The objective of this empirical study was to elucidate the impact of methods of causal inference on the results of comparative effectiveness studies.

The Management of Agitated Toxidromes.

Taking care of patients with agitated toxidromes can be challenging. While many will be able to be discharged from the emergency department or transferred to psychiatry following brief and simple interventions others will have life-threatening toxicity. Health care providers must develop an organized approach to the assessment and management of these patients that includes foremost the protection of the patient and staff from physical harm, prompt pharmacologic control to allow rapid assessment for life-threatening abnormalities such as hypoglycemia and hyperthermia and optimal cooling of patients with extreme temperature elevations.