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Background Right ventricular (RV) maladaptation to elevated pulmonary afterload is the primary determinant of outcomes in pulmonary artery (PA) hypertension; however, the pathobiological mechanisms underlying RV decompensation remain poorly understood. Methods We performed global untargeted metabolomics on plasma from 55 patients who underwent gold‐standard RV‐PA coupling measurements using multibeat pressure volume loop assessment in a single‐center cohort and from 1027 patients with coupling surrogate measurements in a larger multicenter cohort, the PVDOMICS (Pulmonary Vascular Disease Phenomics) study. Age and sex‐adjusted linear regression was performed to identify associations between metabolites and coupling metrics. Additionally, we performed a metabolic flux analysis using gene expression data from RV tissue in an independent cohort of 32 patients. Partial least squares–discriminant analysis was used to identify metabolites and reactions characteristic of the decompensated RV. Results RV‐PA coupling was negatively associated with tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle intermediate levels. Specifically, plasma α‐ketoglutarate and fumarate were significantly associated with all coupling metrics in both cohorts. Metabolic flux analysis indicated that decompensated RVs exhibited aberrant TCA cycle activity, including reduced acetyl coenzyme A entry and increased lactate elimination, suggesting a shift from the TCA cycle toward glycolysis at the RV tissue level. Conclusions We identify an association between circulating TCA cycle intermediate levels and RV‐PA uncoupling in 2 independent cohorts, and dysregulated TCA cycle metabolism in decompensated PA hypertension RVs, suggesting that aberrant TCA cycle metabolism could represent a hallmark of RV maladaptation in PA hypertension. Further study of this pathway is warranted to develop novel biomarkers of RV function or RV‐targeted therapies.

Abstract Introduction The SleepImage is an HSAT device (sHSAT) that uses photoplethysmography and oxygen saturation data to generate an apnea hypopnea index (AHI). This sHSAT has been FDA cleared as a software-as-a-medical-device for use in children 2 years and older for diagnosing obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). To our knowledge this sHSAT has not been tested on children concurrent with the gold standard polysomnography (PSG). Methods This study evaluated 50 children 2-6 years of age with tonsillar hypertrophy and OSA symptoms with sHSAT during simultaneous in-lab PSG. Aims were to determine the technical feasibility of using sHSAT in this population and to compare sHSAT results to PSG. The primary endpoint was AHI by sHSAT compared to AHI by PSG and presence of OSA. Sensitivity analysis was performed for presence or absence of OSA diagnosis based on sHSAT versus PSG. Bland-Altman and concordance correlation calculations were used for comparisons. Results 50 patients, median age 4 (IQR 3-5), met criteria; 39 completed PSG and HSAT. The sensitivity with sHSAT for OSA prevalence based on proprietary categorization was 94.1%, specificity 22.7%, LR+ 1.22, and LR- 0.26, with PSG OSA prevalence of 43.6%. There was a 9% sHSAT total failure rate, and the device frequently fell off, resulting in TST difference of -226.9 ±182.8 min between sHSAT and PSG. PSG was trimmed to include only segments where HSAT was confirmed to be on before comparisons. Concordance correlation coefficient between sAHI and AHI-PSG was 0.52. The Bland-Altman analysis comparing sAHI and PSG AHI revealed a mean difference of 0.73 (95% confidence limits: -3.47 to 4.93). Considering only obstructive events, the Bland-Altman the sAHI vs the AHI-PSG shows a mean difference of 1.52 (95%CI -5.40 to 8.44). Conclusion This pilot study demonstrated challenges with feasibility in using the sHSAT in this age group given likelihood of technical difficulties leading to absent or truncated data. When compared with PSG, sHSAT demonstrated a high false-positive rate for diagnosis of OSA, particularly concerning if guiding surgical management. This topic is of considerable importance to the practice of pediatric sleep medicine; further investigation of technological advances in this area is imperative. Support (if any)

Atopic dermatitis affects 20% to 25% of children and has significant impact on quality of life of patients and families. Recent studies of the pathogenesis of AD highlight the interplay between a defective skin barrier, immune dysfunction, and the cutaneous microbiome. Standard of care for AD treatment includes topical corticosteroids for active disease and moisturization to repair the barrier defect. Emerging treatments include dupilumab and Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors. Reduction of triggers and proactive treatment with topical corticosteroids and/or topical calcineurin inhibitors can reduce flares. Treatment plans should be clear and as simple as possible to maximize adherence.

Objectives: Modifiable lifestyle factors are associated with morbidity and mortality in hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) survivors. The aims of the study were to examine: (a) receipt of provider advice to change behaviors, (b) health behavior change, and (c) how modifiable lifestyle factors might cluster together. Methods: Patients within a large HSCT program completed a survey (N =870) of lifestyle factors at pre-HSCT evaluation. The survey assessed self-reported adherence to American Cancer Society and HSCT guidelines for cancer survivorship in the year prior to a pre-HSCT evaluation. Lifestyle factors of interest were physical activity, fruit and vegetable consumption, tobacco use, alcohol use, and height/weight to calculate Body Mass Index (BMI). Results: Among patients not meeting all five guidelines (98%), 31% received provider advice to change. Between 10% and 42% reported healthy behavior change since diagnosis. Physical activity, fruit and vegetable consumption, and BMI were the most commonly clustered lifestyle behaviors. Conclusions: A considerable proportion of patients did not meet national guidelines for lifestyle factors. Results highlight an immediate opportunity to improve health care delivery and transplant outcomes via pre-HSCT lifestyle screening and implementation of effective health behavior change interventions.

Abstract This article presents an updated framework from the Society of Hospital Medicine for individual learning objectives related to key procedures in hospital medicine. Building upon the 2017 framework, these objectives have been revised to reflect evolving clinical evidence, advancements, and shifts in hospital medicine practice patterns. The methodology included a comprehensive literature review, expert consensus panels, and feedback from practicing hospitalists across diverse clinical settings. The updated learning objectives address procedural competencies for the most common interventions in hospital medicine, including arthrocentesis, emergency procedures, interpretation of chest radiographs and electrocardiograms, lumbar puncture, paracentesis, thoracentesis, and vascular access. These revised learning objectives provide a framework to guide curricular development, continuing medical education, and hospital medicine practitioners in developing and maintaining procedural competence essential for high‐quality inpatient care.

Abstract Rationale : Interprofessional providers (IPPs), such as nurses, pharmacists, and respiratory therapists, teaching physician trainees (“interprofessional teaching” [IPT]), may improve teamwork and quality of care in the intensive care unit (ICU). However, the role that IPPs play in physician trainee education in the ICU and their attitudes about IPT have not been well described. In this study, we explored the impact of IPPs on education for Pulmonary and Critical Care fellows and their perceptions regarding IPPs as teachers for medical trainees. Methods: Fellows from eight large academic medical centers with pulmonary and critical care fellowship programs located in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Midwest and West Coast were invited to participate. Eligible participants included Internal Medicine-trained Pulmonary and Critical Care or Critical Care Medicine fellows in the first, second, or third year of fellowship training. All focus groups were led by a single study team member who facilitated sessions in-person at four sites and virtually at four sites. Focus group transcripts were analyzed using a framework approach, and inter-rater reliability testing was performed prior to coding each manuscript in full (Cohen's kappa = 0.77). Results: Focus groups were held at eight sites between March and July 2023. A total of 50 fellows participated, including 13 first year, 21 second year, and 12 third year fellows, all of whom had completed at least 8 weeks of medical ICU rotations during fellowship. Several themes emerged. Fellows identified the relevance of IPP teaching content, fellow bandwidth to learn from IPPs, and the perceived benefit of relationship building with IPPs as factors that made them ideal learners for IPT among medical trainees. Fellows described distinct teaching content from each IPP group, with nurses revealing the “hidden curriculum,” pharmacists providing specific concrete learning points and incorporating primary literature, and respiratory therapists teaching at the bedside. Identified barriers to IPT included fellows’ competing roles as both teacher and learner in limited time, IPPs having difficulty identifying learner needs at varying levels, and fellows’ uncertainty about whether IPPs view themselves as educators. Conclusions: Fellows are uniquely situated to learn from IPPs in the ICU. Perceived benefits include expansion of their knowledge base and fostering relationships with the interprofessional team. The unique teaching profiles of each IPP group could be leveraged to enhance IPT in the ICU.

Abstract Rationale: Effective communication is crucial in healthcare, especially in acute care settings, so that patients/family members can understand treatment options, and share preferences and goals of care. For those with a non-English language preference (NELP), or who have difficulty communicating in English, professional interpreters are recognized as the gold standard in supporting bidirectional communication. However, interpreters are not always readily available for all languages or clinical settings prompting the exploration of other options for translation and interpretation. The recent developments in artificial intelligence (AI), specifically machine translation have enabled more accurate and emotional machine interpretation and translation. Methods: We conducted a systematic review to explore the usability and usefulness of AI-assisted interpretation and translation tools for improving communication between patients and clinicians including verbal and written communication. A comprehensive search of several databases including Ovid MEDLINE(R), Ovid Embase, APA PsycInfo, Ovid Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Ovid Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and Scopus via Elsevier was performed, resulting in 2629 studies. We included studies evaluating tools for direct patient-clinician communication. For verbal communication, we included articles assessing speech interpretation, and for written communication, we focused on discharge instruction translation. Results: A total of 18 studies were included in the final analysis. Among these, 5 assessed the use of speech interpretation and 13 examined text translation of discharge materials. 14 (78%) studies found these novel AI tools beneficial for patient care, whereas 11 (62%) studies highlighted the risks, indicating that these tools can lead to serious mistakes with potential clinical harm. 5 (28%) studies reported participant satisfaction with the use of these tools in their care. Translation and interpretation accuracy varied notably across languages, with lower accuracy scores observed in languages with limited digital resources, such as Haitian Creole and Vietnamese. Conclusion: AI-assisted interpretation and translation in healthcare has several advantages including broader language accessibility than usual resources and potential cost savings for institutions and demonstrates evidence of patient satisfaction. However, these novel tools operate using multiple phases and each stage is prone to errors which may negatively impact patient care and outcomes.. AI-based interpretation and translation show promising potential, however, it is not yet ready for widespread clinical use, so professional language interpreters should be used whenever possible. Future studies should focus on evaluating accuracy as well as how best to integrate these technologies in real-time clinical settings without compromising patient safety and quality of care.

Objectives: Systemic beta-blockers are highly effective for the management of infantile hemangiomas (IH), but little is known about infants who do not adequately respond. We aimed to describe the characteristics and outcomes of suboptimal responders to standard-dose systemic beta-blockers in infants with IH. Methods: This is a multicenter retrospective cohort study to evaluate demographics, IH lesion characteristics, and treatment specifics of infants with IH with suboptimal response to baseline standard-dose propranolol treatment. Clinical response was used to assess the outcome after a therapeutic change. Results: Twenty-five infants were included in this study. Seven (28%) had segmental IH, 16 (64%) focal, and 2 (8%) indeterminate. The IHs were located on the head and neck in 21 (84%) infants, with 24 (96%) having a deep or combined component. Therapy changes after standard-dose propranolol treatment failure, most commonly by escalating propranolol dose to ≥2.5 mg/kg/d (59%) or surgical interventions (29%), were associated with good therapeutic effects. Conclusion: Among suboptimal responders to standard-dose systemic propranolol, IHs with a deep or combined component and located on the head and neck were the most common. This retrospective study was largely descriptive in nature with additional exploratory analyses. However, it is still encouraging that for patients with a suboptimal clinical response, higher propranolol doses of ≥2.5–3 mg/kg/d or second-line treatments with surgical interventions or systemic steroids can be considered as potentially safe and effective alternatives. Level of evidence: Level 4 (case series).

Bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) and thoracic aortic aneurysms and dissections (TAAD) are recognized in syndromic connective tissue diseases (CTD), but most cases occur sporadically. The extent to which non-syndromic BAV or TAAD predisposes to additional arteriopathies, particularly in younger individuals, remains unclear. We retrospectively analyzed 1438 patients (mean age = 48.0, 67.7% female), excluding those with CTDs. Participants were ≤60 years old and categorized by the presence of BAV and/or TAAD. We examined co-existing arterial pathologies, including fibromuscular dysplasia, spontaneous coronary artery dissection, abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA), mesenteric, peripheral extremity, and carotid/cerebral arteriopathies. Overall, 44.6% had either BAV or TAAD, and 27.2% had multiple arteriopathies. While vascular diseases were frequently noted, odds ratios demonstrated no significantly increased risk of extra-aortic arteriopathies in the BAV or TAAD cohorts. AAA exhibited a non-significant trend toward higher prevalence in TAAD patients. These findings support current guidelines recommending targeted imaging (transthoracic echocardiography of the aortic root and ascending aorta) over comprehensive “head-to-pelvis” screening for non-syndromic BAV or TAAD patients without additional risk factors. Ongoing genetic analyses may elucidate whether particular variants predispose to multi-site aneurysms or dissections. Consequently, targeted surveillance remains appropriate, with broader imaging reserved for patients with genetic or clinical indicators of higher risk.

Abstract The National Institute on Aging-funded Geroscience Education and Training Network held the “Building an Interdisciplinary Workforce in Geroscience: Aligning Perspectives and Educational Goals” preconference workshop at the 2023 Gerontological Society of America’s Annual Meeting. Parties involved in geroscience education and interested stakeholders addressed the development of didactic educational materials, training, and career development opportunities to equip learners with the skills to meet the demands of the emerging field of geroscience, from research to clinic and industry. Recent successes were presented, existing opportunities, gaps, and challenges identified and discussed, and solutions and future directions described.