Outcomes of a patient support programme for subcutaneous immunoglobulin therapy in patients with primary or secondary immunodeficiencies or chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy.

Background: Subcutaneous immunoglobulin (SCIg) therapy is important in the treatment of primary (PID) and secondary immunodeficiencies (SID) and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP). Patient support programmes (PSPs) help patients self-administer medication regimens and play a more active role in the self-management of their medical conditions.

Aim: To describe the effectiveness of the CSL Behring CARES PSP in optimising the quality use of SCIg in a hospital-free environment.

Comparing Skin and Serum Testing to Direct Challenge Outcomes in Children With β-Lactam Allergies.

Background: There is a scarcity of prospective studies investigating the relative roles of skin prick and intradermal testing, serum specific IgE, and extended oral challenges in diagnosing children with reported β-lactam allergies.

Objective: To determine the sensitivity and specificity of skin testing and serum specific IgE in children with β-lactam allergies, with immediate and nonimmediate historic reactions.

Methods: Four hundred children with parent-reported β-lactam allergies were recruited into an open-label prospective study.

Asciminib monotherapy as frontline treatment of chronic-phase chronic myeloid leukemia: results from the ASCEND study.

Asciminib is a myristoyl site BCR::ABL1 inhibitor approved for patients with chronic-phase chronic myeloid leukemia (CP-CML) failing ≥2 prior lines of therapy. The Australasian Leukaemia and Lymphoma Group conducted the Asciminib Evaluation in Newly Diagnosed CML study to assess efficacy of asciminib for newly diagnosed CP-CML. Patients commenced asciminib 40 mg twice daily.

A randomised controlled trial of Standard Of Care versus RadioAblaTion in Early Stage HepatoCellular Carcinoma (SOCRATES HCC).

Background: Therapeutic options for early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in individual patients can be limited by tumor and location, liver dysfunction and comorbidities. Many patients with early-stage HCC do not receive curative-intent therapies. Stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy (SABR) has emerged as an effective, non-invasive HCC treatment option, however, randomized evidence for SABR in the first line setting is lacking.

Preconceived Impressions Regarding Holmium:YAG Laser Safety in the Urology Operating Theatre.

Background: Since its introduction over two decades ago, the surgical laser has served in the lithotripsy of urinary calculi, resection of bladder tumours, bladder neck incisions, and prostate enucleation. Concerns regarding the safe use of holmium lasers have resulted in potentially excessive and overly precautious theatre regulations. We aimed to evaluate the preconceived impressions and practice patterns at a single site surrounding laser use in endourology.

Uncertainty estimation using a 3D probabilistic U-Net for segmentation with small radiotherapy clinical trial datasets.

Background And Objectives: Bio-medical image segmentation models typically attempt to predict one segmentation that resembles a ground-truth structure as closely as possible. However, as medical images are not perfect representations of anatomy, obtaining this ground truth is not possible. A surrogate commonly used is to have multiple expert observers define the same structure for a dataset.

A randomized multicenter trial of a chronic disease management intervention for decompensated cirrhosis. The A ustra l ian L iver F a i lur e (ALFIE) trial.

Background And Aims: Improving the care of decompensated cirrhosis is a significant clinical challenge. The primary aim of this trial was to assess the efficacy of a chronic disease management (CDM) model to reduce liver-related emergency admissions (LREA). The secondary aims were to assess model effects on quality-of-care and patient-reported outcomes.

Physicochemical compatibility of caffeine citrate and caffeine base injections with parenteral medications used in neonatal intensive care settings.

Purpose: To investigate the physicochemical compatibility of caffeine citrate and caffeine base injections with 43 secondary intravenous (IV) drugs used in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) settings.

Methods: Caffeine citrate (20 mg/mL or 10 mg/mL) or caffeine base injection (10 mg/mL) were mixed in a volume ratio of 1:1 with the secondary drug solution to simulate Y-site co-administration procedures in NICUs. Physical compatibility was evaluated based on visual observation for 2 h, against a black and white background and under polarised light, for changes in colour, precipitation, haze and evolution of gas.

Genome-wide SNP-sex interaction analysis of susceptibility to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Background: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic lung condition that is more prevalent in males than females. The reasons for this are not fully understood, with differing environmental exposures due to historically sex-biased occupations, or diagnostic bias, being possible explanations. To date, over 20 independent genetic variants have been identified to be associated with IPF susceptibility, but these have been discovered when combining males and females.

Probing Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry Response Dynamics and Nonlinear Effects for Response Level Defined Calibration Strategies with Simple Methods To Expand Linear Dynamic Ranges.

The response characteristics of liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) serve as the basis for selecting calibration methods in quantitative analysis. LC-MS/MS inherently exhibits nonlinear detection behavior, primarily attributed to the disproportionate growth observed between peak area and peak height at elevated response levels, potentially leading to signal saturation. This disproportionate peak growth results in reduced unit response (UR), which quantifies the instrument's detection sensitivity.

The Use of Prophylactic Ureteric Stents in Major Abdomino-Pelvic Sarcoma Surgery: Risks, Benefits, and Potential Complications.

Here we present two cases of post-operative obstructive renal failure following major abdomino-pelvic sarcoma surgery. In both cases, prophylactic ureteric stents were inserted to aid the identification and protection of the ureters during resection of these complex retroperitoneal masses. In case one, obstructive renal failure occurred following ureteric stent removal on day 0 post-operatively.

Association between perinatal and early life exposures and lung function in Australian Indigenous young adults: The Aboriginal Birth Cohort study.

Background And Objective: Despite the high burden of respiratory disease amongst Indigenous populations, prevalence data on spirometric deficits and its determinants are limited. We estimated the prevalence of abnormal spirometry in young Indigenous adults and determined its relationship with perinatal and early life factors.

Methods: We used prospectively collected data from the Australian Aboriginal Birth Cohort, a birth cohort of 686 Indigenous Australian singletons.

Nocardia species distribution and antimicrobial susceptibility within Australia.

Background: Nocardia is a ubiquitous saprophyte capable of causing human disease. Disease is primarily respiratory or cutaneous, usually acquired via inhalation or inoculation. Under the influence of environmental and host factors, Nocardia incidence and species distribution demonstrate geographical variation.

Continuous electroencephalography in the intensive care unit: A critical review and position statement from an Australian and New Zealand perspective.

Objectives: This article aims to critically review the literature on continuous electroencephalography (cEEG) monitoring in the intensive care unit (ICU) from an Australian and New Zealand perspective and provide recommendations for clinicians.

Design And Review Methods: A taskforce of adult and paediatric neurologists, selected by the Epilepsy Society of Australia, reviewed the literature on cEEG for seizure detection in critically ill neonates, children, and adults in the ICU. The literature on routine EEG and cEEG for other indications was not reviewed.

Spontaneous retroperitoneal haemorrhage following re-perfusion of an ischaemic kidney leading to emergency trauma nephrectomy.

Here we present a rare case of life-threatening spontaneous renal haemorrhage following elective vascular surgery. A 73-year-old gentleman presents to the ED with acute onset right sided flank pain, 24 hours post bilateral renal artery stent insertion for renal artery stenosis. Subsequent angiography demonstrated bilateral renal artery stent occlusion with near complete bilateral kidney infarction.

Long-term exposure to low concentrations of air pollution and decline in lung function in people with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: Evidence from Australia.

Background And Objective: Little is known about the association between ambient air pollution and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) in areas with lower levels of exposure. We aimed to investigate the impact of air pollution on lung function and rapid progression of IPF in Australia.

Methods: Participants were recruited from the Australian IPF Registry (n = 570).

Prescribing electroconvulsive therapy for depression: Not as simple as it used to be.

In the last century, prescribing electroconvulsive therapy usually involved considering the relative merits of unilateral versus bilateral electroconvulsive therapy, with most other parameters fixed. However, research over the last 30 years has discovered that several parameters of the electroconvulsive therapy stimulus can have a significant impact on efficacy and cognitive side effects. The stimulus dose relative to seizure threshold was shown to significantly affect efficacy, especially for right unilateral electroconvulsive therapy, where suprathreshold doses in the vicinity of 5-6 times seizure threshold were far more efficacious than doses closer to threshold.

Surgery at specialised sarcoma centres improves patient outcomes - A systematic review by the Australia and New Zealand sarcoma association clinical practice guidelines working party.

Background: Optimal management of sarcoma requires multidisciplinary team input throughout the process of diagnosis, treatment and follow up. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the impact of surgery performed at specialised sarcoma centres on outcomes.

Methods: A systematic review was conducted using the population, intervention, comparison and outcome (PICO) model.

Timing of Kidney Replacement Therapy among Children and Young Adults.

Background: No randomized trials exist to guide the timing of the initiation of KRT in children. We sought to define trends and predictors of the eGFR at initiation of KRT, center-related clinical practice variation, and any association with patient survival.

Methods: Children and young adults (1-25 years) commencing KRT (dialysis or kidney transplantation) between 1995 and 2018 were included using data from the Australia and New Zealand Dialysis and Transplant Registry.

Consensus Guidelines for Perioperative Care for Emergency Laparotomy Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) Society Recommendations Part 2-Emergency Laparotomy: Intra- and Postoperative Care.

Background: This is Part 2 of the first consensus guidelines for optimal care of patients undergoing emergency laparotomy (EL) using an Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) approach. This paper addresses intra- and postoperative aspects of care.

Methods: Experts in aspects of management of high-risk and emergency general surgical patients were invited to contribute by the International ERAS Society.

Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS®) Society Consensus Guidelines for Emergency Laparotomy Part 3: Organizational Aspects and General Considerations for Management of the Emergency Laparotomy Patient.

Background: This is Part 3 of the first consensus guidelines for optimal care of patients undergoing emergency laparotomy using an enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) approach. This paper addresses organizational aspects of care.

Methods: Experts in management of the high-risk and emergency general surgical patient were invited to contribute by the International ERAS® Society.

Correction factors for commissioning and patient specific quality assurance of stereotactic fields in a Monte Carlo based treatment planning system : TPS correction factors.

Validation of small field dosimetry is crucial for stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) and stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT). Accurate and considered measurement of linear accelerator dose must be compared to precise and accurate calculation by the treatment planning system (TPS). Monte Carlo calculated distributions contain statistical noise, reducing the reliance that should be given to single voxel doses.

Staff perceptions of the effectiveness of managerial communication during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study.

Aims: This work aims to explore staff perceptions of (1) the effectiveness of organizational communication during the COVID-19 pandemic and (2) the impact of organizational communication on staff well-being and ability to progress their work and patient care.

Background: Effective coordination and communication are essential in a pandemic management response. However, the effectiveness of communication strategies used during the COVID-19 pandemic is not well understood.