Point-of-care monitoring of oral anticoagulation therapy in children

2009 ◽  
Vol 102 (07) ◽  
pp. 159-165 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthea Greenway ◽  
Robyn Summerhayes ◽  
Fiona Newall ◽  
Janet Burgess ◽  
Lydia DeRosa ◽  
...  

SummaryPoint-of-care (POC) monitoring of oral anticoagulation has been widely adopted in both paediatric and adult patients. A new POC system, the CoaguChek XS® has recently been developed to measure the international normalised ratio (INR) and may offer significant advantages. The CoaguChek XS® utilises a new method of electrochemical clot detection based on thrombin generation. This system has not been previously evaluated in children with reference to the laboratory gold standard, the prothrombin time using reference thromboplastin. It was the objective to compare values obtained by the CoaguChek XS® system with both the venous INR and the gold standard for anticoagulant monitoring, prothrombin time with reference thromboplastin (rTF/95).To evaluate the impact of testing using the Coagu-Chek XS® on clinical anticoagulant dosing decisions. Fifty paired venous INR and capillary CoaguChek XS® results were obtained from 31 children (aged up to 16 years).The laboratory gold standard, a manual prothrombin time with reference thromboplastin (rTF/95) was additionally performed on 26 samples. Correlation between the CoaguChek XS® result and the venous INR was r= 0.810. Agreement between the CoaguChek XS result and the reference INR was shown to be higher (r=0.95), in the subset analysed by this method. Correlation between the venous INR and reference INR was r=0.90. Despite changes to the methodology of testing with the CoaguChek XS® POC monitoring system, the accuracy of this method when compared with both the venous INR and gold standard reference INR was satisfactory. This resulted in infrequent changes to clinical decision making regarding anticoagulation

VASA ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 83-88
Author(s):  
U. Mueller-Kolck

This review article summarizes clinical data on adjuvant long-term oral anticoagulation therapy (OAC) of peripheral arterial disease (PAD). It analyzes the underlying risk model of oral anticoagulation. Definitions of runoff patterns, of major and minor bleeding complications, of predictors of major bleedings as well as a classification of patient risk groups are described. The indication for OAC treatment of chronic limb ischemia remains still due to an individual decision. Clinical decision making is facilitated by the risk model. Improved oral anticoagulation control results in fewer bleeding complications. Studies on patient weekly self-testing and self-dosing which support this hypothesis are reviewed in the context of adjuvant OAC therapy.


2021 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. e213-e213
Author(s):  
Amna Al Harrasi ◽  
Laila Mohammed Al Mbeihsi ◽  
Abdulhakeem Al Rawahi ◽  
Mohammed Al Shafaee

Objectives: The use of mobile technologies and handheld computers by physicians has increased worldwide. However, there are limited studies globally regarding training physicians on the use of such devices in clinical practice. In addition, no studies have been conducted previously in Oman addressing this issue among postgraduate medical trainees and trainers. The present study explores the practice and perception of resident doctors and trainers towards the use of mobile technologies and handheld devices in healthcare settings in Oman. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted using a validated questionnaire disseminated via email to all residents and trainers in five major training programs of the Oman Medical Specialty Board (OMSB). The questionnaire explored three main areas; perception, usage, and perceived barriers of handheld devices. Results: Overall, 61.4% of the residents and 28.3% of the trainers responded to the questionnaire. Both types of participants agreed that the use of such devices positively affects clinical decision-making. In total, 98.8% of the participating residents and 86.7% of the trainers frequently used handheld devices. Both OMSB residents and trainers agreed that lack of time, training, and applications were the most common factors limiting the use of these devices. Participants emphasized the need for constructive training regarding the use of handheld devices as healthcare resources. Conclusions: Point-of-care devices are positively perceived and frequently used by OMSB trainees and trainers. However, constructive training on the effective usage of these devices in clinical decision-making is needed. Further future studies to evaluate the impact of using such devices in patient care should be conducted.


2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Alex K. Saltzman ◽  
Thuyvan H. Luu ◽  
Nicole Brunetti ◽  
James D. Beckman ◽  
Mary J. Hargett ◽  
...  

Background and Objectives: Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) in the form of focused cardiac ultrasound (FOCUS) is a powerful clinical tool for anesthesiologists to supplement bedside evaluation and optimize cardiopulmonary resuscitation in the perioperative setting. However, few courses are available to train physicians. At Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS), from March of 2013 to May of 2016, nine basic Focused Assessed Transthoracic Echocardiography (FATE) training courses were held. A large percentage of the participants were practicing regional anesthesiologists or trainees in fellowship for regional anesthesia and acute pain. In this study, a survey was used to assess clinical utilization as well as potential barriers to use for regional anesthesiologists. Methods: Following IRB approval, 183 past participants of the basic FATE training course were contacted weekly from November 22nd, 2016, through January 3rd, 2017, via email and sent a maximum 40-item electronic survey hosted on REDCap. Responses were analyzed by a blinded statistician. Results: 92 participants responded (50%), and 65 of the 92 (70.7%) indicated they had regional anesthesiology training or practice regional anesthesia regularly. Of the total number of respondents, 50% (95% CI: 40.3%, 59.8%; P-value = 0.001) have used FOCUS to guide clinical decision making. Of the regional anesthesiologists, 27 (45.8%) have used FOCUS to guide clinical decision making with left ventricular function assessment (40.7%) and hypovolemia (39.0%) being the most common reasons. Regional anesthesiologists utilized FOCUS in the following settings: preoperatively (44.6%), intraoperatively (41.5%), postoperatively (41.5%), and in the Intensive Care Unit (40.0%). Limitations were due to lack of opportunities (52.3%), resources (36.9%), and comfort with performance (30.8%). 84.4% agreed that basic FOCUS training should be a required part of anesthesia residents or fellows’ curriculum. Conclusions: This study is the first formal evaluation of the impact of the implementation of a FOCUS training course on regional anesthesiologists’ current practice. Nearly 50% of regional anesthesiologists used FOCUS to guide clinical decision-making following formal training. The limitations to the use of FOCUS were a lack of relevant opportunities and resources. This evaluation of clinical use following training provides insight into how FOCUS is used by regional anesthesiologists and the limitations to implementation in the perioperative setting.


2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (6) ◽  
pp. 28
Author(s):  
Monique Sedgwick ◽  
Olu Awosoga ◽  
Lance Grigg

Healthcare environments require practitioners to competently and independently collect pertinent data, select appropriate key resources, prioritize information, solve problems, and make sound clinical decisions. The steady increase of health-related information implies a need for useful, practical Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools that easily provide nurses’ access to accurate evidence-based information. The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of using mobile technologies at the point of care on new graduates’ perceived clinical decision making ability and associated level of self-efficacy over time. A longitudinal quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test design was used. A trend in the findings of this small study suggests that over time, using mobile technologies at the point of care did not enhance the participants’ perceived clinical decision making ability or self-efficacy in clinical decision making. Notwithstanding, the use of mobile technologies in the practice setting is wide spread. It, however, may be that the transition from student to graduate nurse is a significant enough event that seriously limits the useful influence of mobile devices and their associated applications on clinical decision making ability and self-efficacy.


Author(s):  
Jeff Levin ◽  
Stephen G. Post

In Religion and Medicine, Dr. Jeff Levin, distinguished Baylor University epidemiologist, outlines the longstanding history of multifaceted interconnections between the institutions of religion and medicine. He traces the history of the encounter between these two institutions from antiquity through to the present day, highlighting a myriad of contemporary alliances between the faith-based and medical sectors. Religion and Medicine tells the story of: religious healers and religiously branded hospitals and healthcare institutions; pastoral professionals involved in medical missions, healthcare chaplaincy, and psychological counseling; congregational health promotion and disease prevention programs and global health initiatives; research studies on the impact of religious and spiritual beliefs and practices on physical and mental health, well-being, and healing; programs and centers for medical research and education within major universities and academic institutions; religiously informed bioethics and clinical decision-making; and faith-based health policy initiatives and advocacy for healthcare reform. Religion and Medicine is the first book to cover the full breadth of this subject. It documents religion-medicine alliances across religious traditions, throughout the world, and over the course of history. It summarizes a wide range of material of relevance to historians, medical professionals, pastors and theologians, bioethicists, scientists, public health educators, and policymakers. The product of decades of rigorous and focused research, Dr. Levin has produced the most comprehensive history of these developments and the finest introduction to this emerging field of scholarship.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carsten Vogt

AbstractThe uptake of the QbTest in clinical practice is increasing and has recently been supported by research evidence proposing its effectiveness in relation to clinical decision-making. However, the exact underlying process leading to this clinical benefit is currently not well established and requires further clarification. For the clinician, certain challenges arise when adding the QbTest as a novel method to standard clinical practice, such as having the skills required to interpret neuropsychological test information and assess for diagnostically relevant neurocognitive domains that are related to attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), or how neurocognitive domains express themselves within the behavioral classifications of ADHD and how the quantitative measurement of activity in a laboratory setting compares with real-life (ecological validity) situations as well as the impact of comorbidity on test results. This article aims to address these clinical conundrums in aid of developing a consistent approach and future guidelines in clinical practice.


Author(s):  
Antonio Buño ◽  
Paloma Oliver

Abstract Point-of-care-testing (POCT) facilitates rapid availability of results that allows prompt clinical decision making. These results must be reliable and the whole process must not compromise its quality. Blood gas analyzers are one of the most used methods for POCT tests in Emergency Departments (ED) and in critical patients. Whole blood is the preferred sample, and we must be aware that hemolysis can occur. These devices cannot detect the presence of hemolysis in the sample, and because of the characteristics of the sample, we cannot visually detect it either. Hemolysis can alter the result of different parameters, including potassium with abnormal high results or masking low levels (hypokalemia) when reporting normal concentrations. Severe hyperkalemia is associated with the risk of potentially fatal cardiac arrhythmia and demands emergency clinical intervention. Hemolysis can be considered the most frequent cause of pseudohyperkalemia (spurious hyperkalemia) or pseudonormokalemia and can be accompanied by a wrong diagnosis and an ensuing inappropriate clinical decision making. A complete review of the potential causes of falsely elevated potassium concentrations in blood is presented in this article. POCT programs properly led and organized by the clinical laboratory can help to prevent errors and their impact on patient care.


2012 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 148-159 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aimee Dietz ◽  
Wendy Quach ◽  
Shelley K. Lund ◽  
Miechelle McKelvey

2013 ◽  
Vol 137 (11) ◽  
pp. 1599-1602 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Lankshear ◽  
John Srigley ◽  
Thomas McGowan ◽  
Marta Yurcan ◽  
Carol Sawka

Context.—Cancer Care Ontario implemented synoptic pathology reporting across Ontario, impacting the practice of pathologists, surgeons, and medical and radiation oncologists. The benefits of standardized synoptic pathology reporting include enhanced completeness and improved consistency in comparison with narrative reports, with reported challenges including increased workload and report turnaround time. Objective.—To determine the impact of synoptic pathology reporting on physician satisfaction specific to practice and process. Design.—A descriptive, cross-sectional design was utilized involving 970 clinicians across 27 hospitals. An 11-item survey was developed to obtain information regarding timeliness, completeness, clarity, and usability. Open-ended questions were also employed to obtain qualitative comments. Results.—A 51% response rate was obtained, with descriptive statistics reporting that physicians perceive synoptic reports as significantly better than narrative reports. Correlation analysis revealed a moderately strong, positive relationship between respondents' perceptions of overall satisfaction with the level of information provided and perceptions of completeness for clinical decision making (r = 0.750, P < .001) and ease of finding information for clinical decision making (r = 0.663, P < .001). Dependent t tests showed a statistically significant difference in the satisfaction scores of pathologists and oncologists (t169 = 3.044, P = .003). Qualitative comments revealed technology-related issues as the most frequently cited factor impacting timeliness of report completion. Conclusion.—This study provides evidence of strong physician satisfaction with synoptic cancer pathology reporting as a clinical decision support tool in the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of cancer patients.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Carlisle ◽  
H. A. Watson ◽  
J. Carter ◽  
K. Kuhrt ◽  
P. T. Seed ◽  
...  

Abstract Background As the vast majority of women who present in threatened preterm labour (TPTL) will not deliver early, clinicians need to balance the risks of over-medicalising the majority of women, against the potential risk of preterm delivery for those discharged home. The QUiPP app is a free, validated app which can support clinical decision-making as it produces individualised risks of delivery within relevant timeframes. Recent evidence has highlighted that clinicians would welcome a decision-support tool that accurately predicts preterm birth. Methods Qualitative interviews were undertaken as part of the EQUIPTT study (The Evaluation of the QUiPP app for Triage and Transfer) (REC: 17/LO/1802) which aimed to evaluate the impact of the QUiPP app on management of TPTL. Individual semi-structured telephone interviews were used to explore clinicians’ (obstetricians’ and midwives’) experiences of using the QUiPP app and how it was implemented at their hospital sites. Thematic analysis was chosen to explore the meaning of the data, through a framework approach. Results Nineteen participants from 10 hospital sites in England took part. Data analysis revealed three overarching themes which were: ‘experience of using the app’, ‘how QUiPP risk changes practice’ and ‘successfully adopting QUiPP: context is everything’. With these final themes we appeared to have achieved our aim of exploring the clinicians’ experiences of using and implementing the QUiPP app. Conclusion This study explored different clinician’s experiences of implementing the app. The organizational and cultural context at different sites appeared to have a large impact on how well the QUiPP app was implemented. Future work needs to be undertaken to understand how best to embed the intervention within different settings. This will inform scale up of QUiPP app use across the UK and ensure that clinicians have access to this free, easy-to-use tool which can positively aid clinical decision making when caring for women in TPTL. Clinical trial registry and registration number ISRCTN 17846337, registered 08th January 2018, https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN17846337.


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