RESUMO
PURPOSE: Hospice utilization metrics are essential for any serious effort to improve end-of-life care in oncology. However, oncologists do not routinely receive these personalized reports. We evaluated whether a behavioral science intervention, using peer comparisons coupled with social norms, was associated with improvements in hospice use. METHODS: Oncologists at two academic practices of Johns Hopkins Medicine were randomly assigned to receive a peer comparison report by e-mail displaying individual hospice utilization metrics compared with top-performing peers or to receive no report. The data accrued for the intervention represented hospice utilization for the previous calendar year. The intervention period was from June 1, 2020, to December 30, 2020, and included oncologists from both the solid and hematologic malignancies programs. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients between groups with short hospice length of stay (LOS; defined as ≤ 7 days) after 6 months. Secondary outcomes included hospice referral rate, enrollment rate, and median LOS. RESULTS: Forty-seven oncologists participated. The percent of patients with a short hospice stay in the intervention group was lower (17.4%) compared with patients treated by physicians in the usual care group (46.3%, difference = 21.8%; 95% CI, 16.0 to 41.6; P < .001). Receipt of peer comparisons was associated with a greater likelihood of enrolling in hospice (73.7% v 42.8%; difference = 31.1%; 95% CI, 20.4 to 41.7; P < .001) and a longer hospice LOS (37.2 v 18.3 days; difference = 17.2; 95% CI, 8.8 to 25.7 days; P < .001). CONCLUSION: Peer comparisons improved hospice utilization metrics among a group of academic oncologists. Behavioral science offers one pragmatic strategy to overcome suboptimal oncologist decision-making biases related to hospice use.
Assuntos
Ciências do Comportamento , Cuidados Paliativos na Terminalidade da Vida , Hospitais para Doentes Terminais , Oncologistas , Assistência Terminal , HumanosRESUMO
OBJECTIVES: At diagnosis, 30% of patients with pancreatic cancer are unresectable stage 3 locally advanced. The standard treatment for locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC) is not defined. The current study was conducted to assess the roles of chemotherapy and chemoradiation for LAPC treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between June 2006 and March 2011, 100 patients with LAPC were treated at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. Retrospective analysis was performed to compare cumulative incidence of progression (CIP) and overall survival (OS) among different subgroups. RESULTS: For the 100 patients, the median OS was 15.8 months and the median CIP was 8.4 months. The combination of chemotherapy and chemoradiation before disease progression was significantly associated with improved CIP (P=0.001) and improved OS when compared with chemoradiation alone (median OS: 16.4 vs. 11.1 mo, P=0.03). Among patients receiving combination treatment, patients who received chemotherapy first followed by chemoradiation had a trend toward lower CIP (P=0.09) and improved OS (median OS: 18.1 vs. 11.0 mo, P=0.09). Patients who received >2 cycles of chemotherapy before chemoradiation had a significantly decreased CIP (P=0.008) and a trend toward better OS (median OS: 19.4 vs. 15.7 mo, P=0.10). On multivariate analysis, receiving >2 cycles of chemotherapy before chemoradiation was associated with improved CIP. CONCLUSIONS: Although combination chemotherapy and chemoradiation is favored in the treatment of LAPC, longer induction chemotherapy may play a more important role in sensitization of tumors to subsequent chemoradiation. Our results support treating patients with induction chemotherapy for at least 3 cycles followed by consolidative chemoradiation. These results merit further validation by a prospective study.
Assuntos
Protocolos de Quimioterapia Combinada Antineoplásica/uso terapêutico , Quimioterapia de Indução/métodos , Neoplasias Pancreáticas/terapia , Adulto , Fatores Etários , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Capecitabina/administração & dosagem , Quimiorradioterapia , Estudos de Coortes , Desoxicitidina/administração & dosagem , Desoxicitidina/análogos & derivados , Intervalo Livre de Doença , Feminino , Fluoruracila/administração & dosagem , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Estadiamento de Neoplasias , Neoplasias Pancreáticas/mortalidade , Neoplasias Pancreáticas/patologia , Modelos de Riscos Proporcionais , Estudos Retrospectivos , Fatores Sexuais , Fatores de Tempo , Resultado do Tratamento , GencitabinaRESUMO
OBJECTIVE: GH replacement therapy (GHRT) in adult-onset GH deficiency (AOGHD) reduces carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and increases myocardial mass, with improvement of systolic and diastolic function. These observations have reinforced the use of GHRT on AOGHD. Conversely, we have previously reported that in adults with lifetime congenital and severe isolated GH deficiency (IGHD) due to a mutation in GHRH receptor gene (GHRHR), a 6-month treatment with depot GH increased carotid IMT, caused the development of atherosclerotic plaques, and an increase in left ventricular mass index (LVMI), posterior wall, and septal thickness and ejection fraction. Such effects persisted 12 months after treatment (12-month washout - 12 mo). METHODS: We have studied the cardiovascular status (by echocardiography and carotid ultrasonography) of these subjects 60 months after completion of therapy (60-month washout - 60 mo). RESULTS: Carotid IMT reduced significantly from 12 to 60 mo, returning to baseline (pre-therapy) value. The number of individuals with plaques was similar at 12 and 60 mo, remaining higher than pre-therapy. LVMI, relative posterior wall thickness, and septum thickness did not change between 12 and 60 mo, but absolute posterior wall increased from 12 to 60 mo. Systolic function, evaluated by ejection fraction and shortening fraction, was reduced at 60 mo in comparison with 12 mo returning to baseline levels. The E/A wave ratio (expression of diastolic function) decreased at 60 mo compared with both 12 mo and baseline. CONCLUSIONS: In adults with lifetime congenital IGHD, the increase in carotid IMT elicited by GHRT was transitory and returned to baseline 5 years after therapy discontinuation. Despite this, the number of subjects with plaques remained stable at 60 mo and higher than at baseline.
Assuntos
Aterosclerose/metabolismo , Aterosclerose/patologia , Pressão Sanguínea , Artérias Carótidas/patologia , Terapia de Reposição Hormonal , Hormônio do Crescimento Humano/administração & dosagem , Hormônio do Crescimento Humano/deficiência , Hipertrofia Ventricular Esquerda/patologia , Disfunção Ventricular Esquerda/fisiopatologia , Idoso , Artérias Carótidas/diagnóstico por imagem , Artérias Carótidas/metabolismo , Espessura Intima-Media Carotídea , Fatores de Confusão Epidemiológicos , Progressão da Doença , Ecocardiografia , Feminino , Humanos , Hipertrofia Ventricular Esquerda/diagnóstico por imagem , Hipertrofia Ventricular Esquerda/metabolismo , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Volume Sistólico , Fatores de Tempo , Ultrassonografia Doppler , Disfunção Ventricular Esquerda/diagnóstico por imagem , Disfunção Ventricular Esquerda/metabolismoRESUMO
Impaired quality of life (QoL) is commonly described as being associated with growth hormone (GH) deficiency (GHD), and beneficial effects of GH replacement therapy on QoL have been reported. However, most studies examined heterogeneous cohorts of patients GHD of varying etiologies, severities and age of onset. Most of these patients miss other pituitary hormones, whose replacement can also influence QoL. We studied the QoL of a homogeneous cohort of 20 adults with isolated GH deficiency (IGHD) due to the same mutation in the GH-releasing hormone receptor gene (IGHD, 10 men) using the Life Satisfaction Hypopituitarism Module (QLS-H), and compared them with 20 matched controls residing in the same community (CO, 10 men). Additionally, the IGHD group was evaluated after 6 months of treatment with bi-monthly depot GH, and after 12 months from its interruption. There was no difference in the total score of QoL (TSQoL) or in any of the nine categories that composes the questionnaire between IGHD and CO. Similar results were obtained when data were analyzed by sex. GH treatment only increased satisfaction with physical endurance, but did not cause an increase in the TSQoL. We conclude that in this unique population congenital, untreated, lifetime IGHD does not reduce QoL, and treatment with GH for 6 months only causes improvement in satisfaction with physical resistance.
Assuntos
Nanismo Hipofisário/psicologia , Qualidade de Vida , Adulto , Estudos de Casos e Controles , Preparações de Ação Retardada/administração & dosagem , Esquema de Medicação , Nanismo Hipofisário/congênito , Nanismo Hipofisário/tratamento farmacológico , Nanismo Hipofisário/fisiopatologia , Feminino , Seguimentos , Hormônio do Crescimento Humano/administração & dosagem , Humanos , Vida , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Satisfação do Paciente/estatística & dados numéricos , Resistência Física/efeitos dos fármacos , Inquéritos e Questionários , Suspensão de TratamentoRESUMO
This four-country study examined salivary cotinine as a marker for nicotine intake and addiction among smokers in relation to numbers and types of cigarettes smoked. Smoking characteristics of cigarette smokers in Brazil, China, Mexico, and Poland were identified using a standard questionnaire. Cotinine concentration was measured using a saliva sample from each participant; its relationship with numbers and types of cigarettes smoked was quantified by applying regression techniques. The main outcome measure was salivary cotinine level measured by gas chromatography. In all four countries, cotinine concentration increased linearly with cigarettes smoked up to 20 per day [11.3 ng/mL (95% confidence interval, 10.5-12.2)] and then stabilized as the number of cigarettes exceeded 20 [6.8 ng/mL per cigarette (95% confidence interval, 6.3-7.4) for up to 40 cigarettes]. On average, smokers of regular cigarettes consumed more cigarettes and had higher cotinine levels than light cigarette smokers. Cotinine concentration per cigarette smoked did not differ between regular and light cigarette smokers. Results suggest a saturation point for daily nicotine intake and minimal or no reduction in nicotine intake by smoking light cigarettes.
Assuntos
Cotinina/análise , Fumar/epidemiologia , Adolescente , Adulto , Idoso , Comportamento Aditivo , Biomarcadores/análise , Brasil/epidemiologia , China/epidemiologia , Cromatografia Gasosa , Feminino , Humanos , Modelos Lineares , Masculino , México/epidemiologia , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Nicotina/administração & dosagem , Nicotina/análise , Agonistas Nicotínicos/administração & dosagem , Agonistas Nicotínicos/análise , Polônia/epidemiologia , Saliva/química , Estudos de Amostragem , Fumar/metabolismo , Inquéritos e Questionários , Alcatrões/análiseRESUMO
The present study describes salivary cotinine levels and their relationship to cigarettes smoked per day in Mexican smokers. Using a sampling strategy based on the number of cigarettes per day, we recruited 1,222 smokers from Mexico City and the state of Morelos in Mexico during 1999. Smoking behaviors and other factors known to affect nicotine intake and cotinine level were identified in an interview using a standardized questionnaire. Salivary cotinine was measured by capillary gas chromatography with nitrogen-phosphorus detection. We used generalized additive models to describe the relationship between salivary cotinine levels and variables of interest. The mean age of the population was 39.7 years (SD=15.6 years), with a mean cotinine level of 194.7 ng/ml (SD=134.8; range=10.1-767). Participants smoked a mean of 15.5 cigarettes per day (SD=11.3). Salivary cotinine and cigarettes smoked per day were positively related, although the association was not linear, flattening above 20 cigarettes per day. After adjusting for cigarettes per day, we found that significant predictors of cotinine levels included age, body mass index, cigarette producer, and smoking behavior variables. These results may have implications for dosing with nicotine medications to aid smoking cessation in Mexican smokers and suggest that whether the cigarette is labeled light or regular has no relationship to nicotine dose from smoking cigarettes.