Citations

AbstractBackgroundThe early phase of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic had a negative impact on the wellness of hospitalists and hospital medicine advanced practice providers (APPs). However, the burden of the pandemic has evolved and the change in hospitalist and hospital medicine APP wellness is unknown.ObjectiveTo evaluate the longitudinal trend in wellness of hospitalists and hospital medicine APPs during the COVID‐19 pandemic and guide wellness interventions.Design, Setting and ParticipantsBetween May 4, 2020, and June 6, 2021, we administered three surveys to Internal Medicine hospitalists (physicians) and hospital medicine APPs (nurse practitioners and physician assistants) at 16 Mayo Clinic hospitals in four U.S. states.MeasurementsWe evaluated the association of hospitalist and hospital medicine APP characteristics with PROMIS® measures of global wellbeing‐mental health, global wellbeing‐social activities and relationships, anxiety, social isolation, and emotional support, using logistic and linear regression models.ResultsThe response rates were 52.2% (n=154/295; May 2020), 37.1% (n=111/299; October 2020) and 35.5% (n=114/321; May 2021). In mixed models that included hospitalist and hospital medicine APP characteristics and survey period, APPs, compared with physicians, had lower odds of top global wellbeing‐social activities and relationships (adjusted odds ratio 0.42 [0.22–0.82]; p = .01), whereas survey period showed no association. The survey period showed an independent association with higher anxiety (May 2020 vs. others) and higher social isolation (October 2020 vs. others), whereas profession showed no association. Concern about contracting COVID‐19 at work was significantly associated with lower odds of top global wellbeing‐mental health and global wellbeing‐social activities and relationships, and with higher anxiety and social isolation. Hospitalist and hospital medicine APP characteristics showed no association with levels of emotional support.ConclusionsIn this longitudinal assessment of hospitalists and hospital medicine APPs, concern about contracting COVID‐19 at work remained a determinant of wellness. The trend for global wellbeing, anxiety, and social isolation may guide wellness interventions.

Abstract Introduction Continued cigarette smoking is a critical determinant of outcome in oncology patients, but how the separate events of cancer diagnosis, cancer treatment, and completion of treatment affect smoking behavior in cancer survivors is unknown. This study described such changes, hypothesizing that they would be more pronounced for smoking-related cancers. Methods The Cancer Patient Tobacco Use Questionnaire (CTUQ) was sent to every cancer patient ≥ 18 y old scheduled for outpatient visits at the Mayo Clinic Cancer Center with a current or former history of tobacco use. Results From September 2019 to September 2020, 33,831 patients received the CTUQ, and 20,818 (62%) responded. Of the 3007 current smokers analyzed, 34% quit at diagnosis; those with smoking-related cancers were more likely to quit (40% vs. 29%, respectively, p < .001). Among those who did not quit at diagnosis, 31% quit after starting cancer treatment, and those with smoking-related cancers were more likely to quit (35% and 28%, respectively, p = .002) Among those who had quit before the completion of treatment, 13% resumed smoking after treatment ended. In multivariable analysis, patients with smoking-related cancers were more likely to report 30-d point prevalence abstinence from pre-diagnosis to the completion of treatment (adjusted OR 1.98 [95% CI 1.65, 2.36], p < .001). Conclusions Both cancer diagnosis and treatment prompt smoking abstinence, with most maintaining abstinence after treatment is completed. Those with smoking-related cancers are more likely to quit. These results emphasize the need to provide access to tobacco treatment services that can further support cancer patients who smoke. Implications Approximately one-third of cancer patients who smoke quit smoking at the time of diagnosis, an additional one-third of patients who had not yet quit did so at the initiation of treatment, and most sustained this abstinence after treatment completion. Patients with smoking-related cancers are more likely to quit. Thus, there are multiple opportunities within the cancer care continuum to intervene and support quit attempts or continued abstinence.

AbstractBackgroundHospitalization in older age is associated with accelerated cognitive decline, typically preceded by neuropathologic changes. We assess the association between indication for hospitalization and brain neurodegeneration.MethodsIncluded were participants from the Mayo Clinic Study of Aging, a population-based longitudinal study, with ≥1 brain imaging available in those older than 60 years of age between 2004 and 2017. Primary analyses used linear mixed-effects models to assess association of hospitalization with changes in longitudinal trajectory of cortical thinning, amyloid accumulation, and white matter hyperintensities (WMH). Additional analyses were performed with imaging outcomes dichotomized (normal vs abnormal) using Cox proportional hazards regression.ResultsOf 2 480 participants, 1 966 had no hospitalization and 514 had ≥1 admission. Hospitalization was associated with accelerated cortical thinning (annual slope change −0.003 mm [95% confidence interval (CI) −0.005 to −0.001], p = .002), but not amyloid accumulation (0.003 [95% CI −0.001 to 0.006], p = .107), or WMH increase (0.011 cm3 [95% CI −0.001 to 0.023], p = .062). Interaction analyses assessing whether trajectory changes are dependent on admission type (medical vs surgical) found interactions for all outcomes. While surgical hospitalizations were not, medical hospitalizations were associated with accelerated cortical thinning (−0.004 mm [95% CI −0.008 to −0.001, p = .014); amyloid accumulation (0.010, [95% CI 0.002 to 0.017, p = .011), and WMH increase (0.035 cm3 [95% CI 0.012 to 0.058, p = .006). Hospitalization was not associated with developing abnormal cortical thinning (p = .407), amyloid accumulation (p = .596), or WMH/infarctions score (p = .565).ConclusionsMedical hospitalizations were associated with accelerated cortical thinning, amyloid accumulation, and WMH increases. These changes were modest and did not translate to increased risk for crossing the abnormality threshold.

Objective: To evaluate the performance of an Electronic Health Record (EHR) integrated risk score for COVID-19 positive outpatients to predict 30-day risk of hospitalization. Patients and Methods: A retrospective observational study of 67 470 patients with COVID-19 confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test between March 12, 2020 and February 8, 2021. Risk scores were calculated based on data in the chart at the time of the incident infection. Results: The Mayo Clinic COVID-19 risk score consisted of 13 components included age, sex, chronic lung disease, congenital heart disease, congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus, end stage liver disease, end stage renal disease, hypertension, immune compromised, nursing home resident, and pregnant. Univariate analysis showed all components, except pregnancy, have significant ( P < .001) association with admission. The Mayo Clinic COVID-19 risk score showed a Receiver Operating Characteristic Area Under Curve (AUC) of 0.837 for the prediction of admission for this large cohort of COVID-19 positive patients. Conclusion: The Mayo Clinic COVID-19 risk score is a simple score that is easily integrated into the EHR with excellent predictive performance for severe COVID-19. It can be leveraged to stratify risk for severe COVID-19 at initial contact, when considering therapeutics or in the allocation of vaccine supply.

Objectives: The purpose of the present study was to assess and describe the severity of symptoms reported by Covid-19 positive patients who vaped (smoked e-cigarettes) when compared to those who did not vape or smoke at the time of the diagnosis of Covid-19. Methods: Patients from this study are from a well-characterized patient cohort collected at Mayo Clinic between March 1, 2020 and February 28, 2021; with confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis defined as a positive result on reverse-transcriptase–polymerase-chain-reaction (RT-PCR) assays from nasopharyngeal swab specimens. Among the 1734 eligible patients, 289 patients reported current vaping. The cohort of vapers (N = 289) was age and gender matched to 1445 covid-19 positive patients who did not vape. The data analyzed included: date of birth, gender, ethnicity, race, marital status, as well as lifestyle history such as vaping and smoking and reported covid-19 symptoms experienced. Results: A logistic regression analysis was performed separately for each symptom using generalized estimating equations (GEE) with robust variance estimates in order to account for the 1:5 age, sex, and race matched set study design. Patients who vaped and developed Covid-19 infection were more likely to have chest pain or tightness (16% vs 10%, vapers vs non vapers, P = .005), chills (25% vs 19%, vapers vs non vapers, P = .0016), myalgia (39% vs 32%, vapers vs non vapers, P = .004), headaches (49% vs 41% vapers vs non vapers, P = .026), anosmia/dysgeusia (37% vs 30%, vapers vs non vapers, P = .009), nausea/vomiting/abdominal pain (16% vs 10%, vapers vs non vapers, P = .003), diarrhea (16% vs 10%, vapers vs non vapers, P = .004), and non-severe light-headedness (16% vs 9%, vapers vs non vapers, P < .001). Conclusion: Vapers experience higher frequency of covid-19 related symptoms when compared with age and gender matched non-vapers. Further work should examine the impact vaping has on post-covid symptom experience.

Background Non-depolarizing neuromuscular blockade can be reversed with neostigmine/glycopyrrolate or sugammadex. We test the hypothesis that sugammadex is associated with earlier postoperative recovery of bowel function (first bowel movement, BM). Methods In adult patients undergoing craniotomy from 2016 to 2019, we identified time of first postoperative BM after receiving neostigmine/glycopyrrolate or sugammadex to reverse neuromuscular blockade. Logistic and proportional hazard regression, with and without inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW), were used to assess whether sugammadex is associated with earlier recovery of bowel function. Results Seven hundred and thirty-one patients underwent craniotomy, 323 (44.2%) received neostigmine/glycopyrrolate, and 408 (55.8%) sugammadex. From logistic regression analysis, the proportion of patients having a BM within the first 24 and 48 hours was higher in sugammadex group (unadjusted OR [95% CI]) 1.79 [1.16 to 2.77] P = .009; and 1.45 [1.08 to 1.94] P = .014; IPTW adjusted OR [95% CI]) 1.58 [.95, 2.61] P = .078; and 1.38 [.95 to 2.02] P = .095 for 24 and 48 h, respectively). From proportional hazards regression, sugammadex was associated with improved bowel function recovery (unadjusted hazard ratio (HR) [95% CI] 1.35 [1.08, 1.68], P = .008; IPTW adjusted HR 1.29 [.97 to 1.71], P = .076). Conclusion Patients undergoing craniotomy who had neuromuscular blockade reversed with sugammadex may have earlier recovered bowel function compared to patients reversed with neostigmine/glycopyrrolate.

Objective: The purpose of this report is to describe the elements of a Covid-19 Care Clinic (CCC), patient demographics, and outcomes. Methods: Descriptive statistics were used to describe demographics, clinical characteristics, and outcomes. This report is based on 4934 unique patients seen in the CCC who provided research authorization within a 10-month period of time (April 1, 2020-January 31, 2021). The CCC infection control processes consisted of a rooming process that mitigated SARS-COV-2 transmission, preparing examination rooms, using PPE by staff, in room lab drawing, and escorting services to minimize the time in clinic. Results: Of the 4934 unique patients seen (age range newborn-102 years), 76.8% were tested for COVID-19. Of those tested, 11.8% were positive for SARS-CoV-2. Ninety-two percent of the patients with the reason for the visit documented had COVID-19 type symptoms. Cough, shortness of breath, and chest pain were the most common presenting symptom in those with COVID-19. At the time of the visit in the CCC, 5.8% of the patients were actively contagious. Thirty days after being seen in the CCC, 9.1% of the patients were seen in the emergency department (ED) and 0.2% died. During the 10-month period there were no known occupationally related COVID-19 infections. Conclusion: The COVID-19 Care Clinic provided face-to-face access for all ages with COVID-19 type symptoms. A minority of patients had COVID-19 who were seen in the clinic. The clinic provided an additional venue of care outside of the ED. The infectious control measures employed were highly effective in protecting the staff. Lessons learned allow for decentralization of COVID-19 symptom care to the primary care practices employing the infection control measures.

Abstract Background We describe the clinical course of medical and surgical patients who received naloxone on general hospital wards for suspected opioid-induced respiratory depression (OIRD). Methods From May 2018 through October 2020, patients who received naloxone on hospital wards were identified and their records reviewed for incidence and clinical course. Results There were 86,030 medical and 106,807 surgical admissions. Naloxone was administered to 99 (incidence 11.5 [95% confidence interval 9.4–14.0] per 10,000 admissions) medical and 63 (5.9 [95% confidence interval 4.5–7.5]) surgical patients (P &lt; 0.001). Median oral morphine equivalents administered within 24 hours before naloxone were 32 [15, 64] and 60 [32, 88] mg for medical and surgical patients, respectively (P = 0.002). The rapid response team was activated in 69 (69.7%) vs 42 (66.7%) and critical care transfers in 51 (51.5%) vs 30 (47.6%) medical and surgical patients respectively. The number of in-hospital deaths was 21 (21.2%) vs two (3.2%) and the number of discharges to hospice 12 (12.1%) vs one (1.6%) for medical and surgical patients, respectively (P = 0.001). Naloxone did not reverse OIRD in 38 (23%) patients, and these patients had more transfers to the intensive care unit and a higher 30-day mortality rate. Conclusion Medical inpatients are more likely to suffer OIRD than are surgical inpatients despite lower opioid doses. Definitive OIRD was confirmed in 77% of patients because of immediate naloxone response, whereas 23% of patients did not respond, and this subset was more likely to need a higher level of care and had a higher 30-day mortality rate. Careful monitoring of mental and respiratory variables is necessary when opiates are used in hospital.

AbstractObjectiveObesity is stigmatized and people with obesity report experiencing stigmatizing situations when seeking health care. The implications of these experiences are not well understood. This study tests an indirect effects model of negative care experiences as an intermediate variable between obesity and care avoidance/utilization and switching primary care doctors.MethodsA survey was completed by 2380 primary care patients in the Learning Health Systems Network (LHSNet) Clinical Data Research Network with a BMI >25 kg/m2. Measures included scales assessing stigmatizing situations, perceived patient‐centered communication, perceived respect, having delayed needed care, and having looked for a new primary doctor in the past 12 months. Sequential and serial indirect effects of care experiences and respect in the association between BMI and care utilization outcomes was modeled.ResultsThe hypothesized model was supported by findings. The associations between BMI and delaying needed care (OR = 1.06, p < 0.001) and attempting to switch primary doctors (OR = 1.02, p = 0.04) was mediated by both stigmatizing situations experienced in a health care context and lower patient‐centered communication. Lower perceived respect mediated the association between care experiences and utilization outcomes.ConclusionsPeople with higher BMIs may avoid care or switch doctors as a result of stigmatizing experiences and poor communication with doctors. These outcomes may contribute to morbidity in people with obesity if they delay or avoid care for health concerns when symptoms first present.

Abstract Introduction Mindfulness is a promising intervention for female sexual dysfunction (FSD); however, of the mindfulness interventions studied, few treat the woman and her partner. Aim We developed a brief online mindfulness, resilience, and psychoeducation intervention, Stress Management and Resiliency Training for Sexuality (Sex SMART), for women with sexual health concerns and their partners. Methods Women with female sexual interest/arousal disorder and their partners were recruited between February 24, 2015, and October 6, 2016, and randomized to treatment or control groups (received educational pamphlets). The treatment intervention comprised of an online SMART and sexual health psychoeducation module. Main Outcome Measures The Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), Female Sexual Distress Scale-Revised (FSDS-R), Sexual Desire Inventory-2 (SDI-2), Revised Dyadic Adjustment Scale (RDAS), International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF), and other subjective measures were used to assess sexual function and sexual distress at baseline and 12 weeks. Results The study included 60 women and their partners (30 couples in each group). In both groups, sexual function by total FSFI scores and sexual distress scores significantly improved at 12 weeks compared with baseline, with no significant between-group differences (FSFI effect estimate for Sex SMART vs control = +1.4 (90% CI [–0.6 to +3.4]; P=.13). Both participants and partners randomized to the intervention reported significantly improved attitude and feelings, comfort as a sexual person, and subjective sexual functioning at 12 weeks. The findings provide preliminary evidence for efficacy of an online intervention for couples with sexual health problems. Conclusions A brief online mindfulness, resilience, and psychoeducation–based intervention showed no significant improvement in many outcomes (FSFI, FSDS-R, SDI-2, RDAS) of sexual health versus controls. Although this is the first online randomized controlled trial to evaluate a mindfulness-based therapy intervention, it was limited by its lack of population diversity and high attrition rate. Significant improvements in subjective sexual health and partner sexual function by the International Index of Erectile Function were reported only in the intervention group.