Multi-Component Care Bundle in Geriatric Fracture Hip for Reducing Post-Operative Delirium

Background: Delirium in elderly orthopaedic patients poses an enormous medical, social and financial burden to the healthcare system, and causes significant distress to patients and their caregivers. We examined whether a Multi-component Care Bundle (MCB) could reduce the incidence of post-operative delirium (POD) in fractured hip patients. Methods: An observational study was conducted, analyzing 154 patients (mean age ± SD, 85 ± 7.8, 68% women) admitted to Queen Mary Hospital with hip fracture. Half of the patients were cared for in the control group before MCB was introduced, which included installation of orientation aids, introduction of a Caregiver Empowerment Program, and incorporation of ultrasound-guided Fascia Iliaca Block (FIB) into the analgesia protocol. Results: There were fewer patients with POD in the MCB group, compared with the control group (18/76, 23.4% v 34/76, 44.2%, p = 0.006). Patients in MCB group consumed less opioid ( 4/77 v 13/77, p = 0.048), experienced less post-operative dizziness (2/77, 2.6% v 13/77, 16.9%, p = 0.003) and had a shorter median day to start walking post-operatively (day 1 [IQR 1-2] vs day 2 [IQR 2-3]; p = 0.001) than the control group. Length of stay was not affected. Conclusion: MCB effectively reduces POD, postoperative dizziness, opioid consumption, and days to start mobilization postoperatively.

P1198CATHETER-RELATED INFECTIONS DUE TO SERRATIA SPECIES IN PATIENTS RECEIVING PERITONEAL DIALYSIS

Background and Aims Serratia species can cause catheter-related infections in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients but data on this clinical entity remains limited. This study aims to investigate the clinical characteristics, antibiotics susceptibility/resistance profiles and treatment outcomes of Serratia catheter-related infections in PD patients. Method We retrospectively reviewed all PD patients who were followed up at Queen Mary Hospital and Tung Wah Hospital, Hong Kong between 2004 to 2017. Patients with Serratia exit site infection (ESI) or peritonitis were included for analysis. Results One hundred and seventy-three patients with Serratia catheter-related infections were included. 161 patients had ESI, of which 10 (6.2%) progressed to tunnel tract involvement and 11 (6.8%) developed PD peritonitis. Skin abnormalities surrounding the exit site were present in 58 patients (36%), and 40 patients (24.8%) were hospitalized within 1 month prior to Serratia ESI. 142 patients (88.2%) with ESI responded to medical therapy alone, and repeat ESI occurred in 56 patients (34.7%) at a median of 12 months. Twenty-two patients had Serratia peritonitis, which accounted for 1% of peritonitis during the study period. Concomitant intra-abdominal pathologies were detected in 12 patients (54.5%). Ten patients (45.5%) responded to medical treatment while the remaining 12 (54.5%) required catheter removal. Nine patients (36.4%) failed PD resumption and switched to chronic haemodialysis. Repeat peritonitis occurred in two patients at 2 months and 3 years after the initial episode respectively. While Serratia species in PD patients are generally susceptible to aminoglycosides, carboxy-/ureido-penicillins and carbapenems, they exhibit substantial rates of resistance to ampicillin, and 1st- and 2nd-generation cephalosporins. Conclusion Serratia ESI responds favourably to medical therapy and seldom progresses to tunnel tract infection or peritonitis. Serratia peritonitis is associated with considerable risk of catheter loss and peritoneal failure.

Changes in Mortality and Cerebral Palsy in Extremely Low-Birth-Weight Infants in a Tertiary Center in Hong Kong

Introduction. We retrospectively reviewed a cohort of extremely low-birth-weight (ELBW) babies born at Queen Mary Hospital and explored if there is any time trend in survival and short-term neurodevelopmental outcomes. Methods. We included ELBW infants born at Queen Mary Hospital between 2008 and 2015. The relationships between multiple risk factors with survival and neurodevelopmental outcomes were analyzed by either Cox regression or univariate logistic regression analysis. We also compared this birth-year period with our previous study from 1993 to 2002. Results. Two hundred seventeen ELBW infants were delivered during the study period. There was significantly higher overall survival rate (81.1%) in 2008 to 2015 compared with 71.4% in 1993 to 2002. One hundred forty-three out of 176 (81%) survivors were assessed at a corrected mean age of 18.1 months. A total of 4.2% had cerebral palsy. There were significantly lower rates of cerebral palsy in 2008 to 2015 (4.2%) compared with 1993 to 2002 (13.5%). Conclusions. We showed a temporal improvement in survival and short-term neurodevelopmental outcomes.

Reliability and validity of the Chinese (Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong version) of the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand on patients with upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders in Hong Kong

Objective This study aimed to translate, culturally adopt and validate a Chinese version of the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) for use in patients with upper extremity musculoskeletal diseases in Hong Kong. Methods We followed a standard five-stage process: forward translation, synthesis, backward translation, expert panel review and field-testing to achieve linguistic and conceptual equivalence. The version was officially known as Chinese (Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong version) DASH. (Chinese QMH,HK version DASH) ( http://www.dash.iwh.on.ca/sites/dash/public/translations/DASH_Chinese_HK_2013.pdf ). Results Its internal consistency was then evaluated with 138 participants suffering from upper extremity musculoskeletal conditions. The results were high in DASH-Disability/Symptom module (DASH-DS) (Cronbach alpha 0.97), DASH-Work module (DASH-W) (Cronbach alpha 0.97) and DASH-Sports / Performing Arts module (DASH-SM) (Cronbach alpha 0.99). The test-retest reliability was evaluated with a subgroup of participants who had completed the Chinese (QMH,HK version) DASH on two occasions, with a median interval of 6.5 days. The results were excellent among DASH-DS Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) = 0.98 and DASH-W (ICC = 0.90). Good test-retest reliability was found in DASH-SM (ICC = 0.89). Construct validity of DASH-DS showed good correlation with the sub-domains of physical functioning (r = −.564) and social functioning (r = −.544) of the Short Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36). Similarly, construct validity of DASH-W also showed good correlation with the sub-domains of physical functioning (r = −.510) and bodily pain (r = −.503) of SF-36. Conclusion The Chinese (Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong version) Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand is considered as a reliable and valid instrument that can provide a standardised measure of patient-centred outcomes for patients with upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders in Hong Kong.

Triage accuracy of online symptom checkers for Accident and Emergency Department patients

Background: Overutilisation of the Accident and Emergency Department is an increasingly serious healthcare challenge. Online symptom checkers could help alleviate this challenge by allowing patients to self-triage before visiting the Accident and Emergency Department. Objectives: This study aimed to assess the triage accuracy of online symptom checkers, which would help determine the potential roles of symptom checkers in an Accident and Emergency Department setting. Methods: A total of 100 random Accident and Emergency Department records were sampled from the Queen Mary Hospital in Hong Kong. The inclusion criteria were patients over the age of 18 attending the Queen Mary Hospital Accident and Emergency Department in 2016. Symptom checkers by Drugs.com and FamilyDoctor were selected as representative tools. One triage recommendation was generated by each symptom checker for each case record. Each symptom checker’s triage accuracy was then evaluated using a few outcome measures: overall sensitivity, sensitivity for emergency cases and specificity for non-emergency cases, when compared with the triage categories assigned by the triage nurses. Results: The results showed that Drugs.com had a higher overall triage accuracy than FamilyDoctor (74% and 50%, respectively), but both checkers are inadequately sensitive to emergency cases (70% and 45%, respectively) with low negative predictive values (43% and 24%, respectively). Conclusion: In their current states, symptom checkers are not yet suitable as alternatives to Accident and Emergency Department triage protocols due to their low overall sensitivities and negative predictive values. However, symptom checkers might serve as useful Accident and Emergency Department adjuncts in other ways, such as to provide more information prior to a patient’s arrival to streamline the triage and preparation process at the Accident and Emergency Department.