To describe the real-world clinical impact of a commercially available plasma cell-free DNA metagenomic next-generation sequencing assay, the Karius test (KT).

We retrospectively evaluated the clinical impact of KT by clinical panel adjudication. Descriptive statistics were used to study associations of diagnostic indications, host characteristics, and KT-generated microbiologic patterns with the clinical impact of KT. Multivariable logistic regression modeling was used to further characterize predictors of higher positive clinical impact.

We evaluated 1000 unique clinical cases of KT from 941 patients between January 1, 2017–August 31, 2023. The cohort included adult (70%) and pediatric (30%) patients. The overall clinical impact of KT was positive in 16%, negative in 2%, and no clinical impact in 82% of the cases. Among adult patients, multivariable logistic regression modeling showed that culture-negative endocarditis (OR 2.3; 95% CI, 1.11–4.53; P .022) and concern for fastidious/zoonotic/vector-borne pathogens (OR 2.1; 95% CI, 1.11–3.76; P .019) were associated with positive clinical impact of KT. Host immunocompromised status was not reliably associated with a positive clinical impact of KT (OR 1.03; 95% CI, 0.83–1.29; P .7806). No significant predictors of KT clinical impact were found in pediatric patients. Microbiologic result pattern was also a significant predictor of impact.

Our study highlights that despite the positive clinical impact of KT in select situations, most testing results had no clinical impact. We also confirm diagnostic indications where KT may have the highest yield, thereby generating tools for diagnostic stewardship.

Accurate diagnosis of bipolar disorder (BPD) is difficult in clinical practice, with an average delay between symptom onset and diagnosis of about 7 years. A depressive episode often precedes the first manic episode, making it difficult to distinguish BPD from unipolar major depressive disorder (MDD).

We use genome-wide association analyses (GWAS) to identify differential genetic factors and to develop predictors based on polygenic risk scores (PRS) that may aid early differential diagnosis.

Based on individual genotypes from case–control cohorts of BPD and MDD shared through the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium, we compile case–case–control cohorts, applying a careful quality control procedure. In a resulting cohort of 51 149 individuals (15 532 BPD patients, 12 920 MDD patients and 22 697 controls), we perform a variety of GWAS and PRS analyses.

Although our GWAS is not well powered to identify genome-wide significant loci, we find significant chip heritability and demonstrate the ability of the resulting PRS to distinguish BPD from MDD, including BPD cases with depressive onset (BPD-D). We replicate our PRS findings in an independent Danish cohort (iPSYCH 2015, N = 25 966). We observe strong genetic correlation between our case–case GWAS and that of case–control BPD.

We find that MDD and BPD, including BPD-D are genetically distinct. Our findings support that controls, MDD and BPD patients primarily lie on a continuum of genetic risk. Future studies with larger and richer samples will likely yield a better understanding of these findings and enable the development of better genetic predictors distinguishing BPD and, importantly, BPD-D from MDD.

The calcitonin gene-related peptide monoclonal antibodies (CGRP MABs) erenumab, fremanezumab, and galcanezumab are reimbursed in Ireland under the High Tech Arrangement, subject to a managed access protocol (MAP), for the prophylaxis of chronic migraine in adults in whom three or more prophylactic treatments have failed. This study provides an overview of submitted reimbursement applications and the utilization of CGRP MABs.

The MAP for CGRP MABs was introduced on 1 September 2021 and is operated by the Health Service Executive (HSE) Medicines Management Programme. Individual patient reimbursement applications for CGRP MABs submitted through an online reimbursement application system between 1 September 2021 and 30 April 2023 were reviewed. Utilization data from 1 September 2021 to 30 April 2023 were extracted from the HSE Primary Care Reimbursement Service national pharmacy reimbursement claims database for the High Tech Arrangement. Analysis was performed using SAS® 9.4 software.

A total of 1,517 reimbursement applications were submitted in the study period. Reimbursement was approved for 96.1 percent (n=1,458) of the applications. A total of 1,399 individual patients (mean age 45 years) were dispensed a CGRP MAB under the High Tech Arrangement between September 2021 and April 2023, the majority of whom were women (n=1,141). Almost 90 percent of patients were considered treatment adherent. In April 2023, the market share of the individual CGRP MABs on the High Tech Arrangement was 56 percent (n=599) for fremanezumab, 38.3 percent (n=409) for erenumab, and 5.7 percent (n=61) for galcanezumab.

MAPs are part of the health technology management approach to drug reimbursement in the Irish healthcare setting, ensuring that reimbursement is in line with approved subgroups of the licensed indication. Used in conjunction with health technology assessment, MAPs enable access to high-cost drug treatments for patients with the greatest unmet need, while providing budgetary oversight and certainty for the payer.

Increasingly in Ireland, there are specific criteria attached to reimbursement approval for new medicines. Health technology assessment (HTA) identifies where uncertainty is greatest in relation to clinical and cost-effectiveness evidence and budget impact estimates; our health technology management (HTM) approach uses these outputs from HTA to design protocols to manage these uncertainties in the post-reimbursement phase.

A bespoke managed access protocol (MAP) is developed for each medicine reimbursed under this approach, informed by uncertainties highlighted in the HTA, directions from the decision-maker, and relevant particulars arising from commercial negotiations. Individual patient reimbursement applications are submitted via an online application system linked directly to the national pharmacy claims system. Pharmacists review the applications and approve reimbursement support where the patient meets the reimbursement criteria. The process is adaptive, allowing expansion of the criteria to include previously excluded patient cohorts, and the addition of new indications. It can also work across differing reimbursement arrangements (hospital/primary care).

The MAP for liraglutide for weight management confines reimbursement to patients with a body mass index greater than or equal to 35 kg/m², prediabetes, and high risk for cardiovascular disease. Phase I reimbursement support lasts for six months; patients not attaining greater than or equal to five percent weight loss are deemed non-responders as per the HTA, and reimbursement support is discontinued. The MAP for dupilumab confined reimbursement support to adults with refractory moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis, where cost-effectiveness was plausible in the HTA. The MAP for calcitonin-gene-related-peptides monoclonal antibodies confines reimbursement support to patients with chronic migraine, refractory to at least three prophylactic treatments, where cost-effectiveness was plausible in the HTA.

Across these MAPs, over 3,000 patients accessed novel treatments for chronic illnesses in September 2023. HTM provides an effective mechanism to facilitate access to high-cost medicines for targeted patient groups, while providing increased oversight and budgetary certainty. Key to acceptance is utilization of HTA outputs to implement evidence-based HTM measures targeting specific uncertainties as highlighted in the HTA report.

Despite the global expansion of electronic medical record (EMR) systems and their increased integration with artificial intelligence (AI), their utilization in disaster settings remains limited, and few studies have evaluated their implementation. We aimed to evaluate Fast Electronic Medical Record (fEMR), a novel, mobile EMR designed for resource-limited settings, based on user feedback.

We examined usage data through October 2022 to categorize the nature of its use for disaster response and determine the number of patients served. We conducted interviews with stakeholders and gathered input from clinicians who had experience using fEMR.

Over eight years, fEMR was employed 60 times in 11 countries across four continents by 14 organizations (universities, non-profits, and disaster response teams). This involved 37,500+ patient encounters in diverse settings including migrant camps at the US-Mexico and Poland-Ukraine borders, mobile health clinics in Kenya and Guatemala, and post-earthquake relief in Haiti. User feedback highlighted adaptability, but suggested hardware and workflow improvements.

EMR systems have the potential to enhance healthcare delivery in humanitarian responses, offer valuable data for planning and preparedness, and support measurement of effectiveness. As a simple, versatile EMR system, fEMR has been deployed to numerous disaster response and low-income settings.

To compare rates of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) recurrence following initial occurrence treated with tapered enteral vancomycin compared to standard vancomycin.

Retrospective cohort study.

Community health system.

Adults ≥18 years of age hospitalized with positive C. difficile polymerase chain reaction or toxin enzyme immunoassay who were prescribed either standard 10–14 days of enteral vancomycin four times daily or a 12-week tapered vancomycin regimen.

Retrospective propensity score pair matched cohort study. Groups were matched based on age < or ≥ 65 years and receipt of non-C. difficile antibiotics during hospitalization or within 6 months post-discharge. Recurrence rates were analyzed via logistic regression conditioned on matched pairs and reported as conditional odds ratios. The primary outcome was recurrence rates compared between standard vancomycin versus tapered vancomycin for treatment of initial CDI.

The CDI recurrence rate at 6 months was 5.3% (4/75) in the taper cohort versus 28% (21/75) in the standard vancomycin cohort. The median time to CDI recurrence was 115 days versus 20 days in the taper and standard vancomycin cohorts, respectively. When adjusted for matching, patients in the taper arm were less likely to experience CDI recurrence at 6 months when compared to standard vancomycin (cOR = 0.19, 95% CI 0.07–0.56, p < 0.002).

Larger prospective trials are needed to elucidate the clinical utility of tapered oral vancomycin as a treatment option to achieve sustained clinical cure in first occurrences of CDI.

The field of healthcare epidemiology is increasingly focused on identifying, characterizing, and addressing social determinants of health (SDOH) to address inequities in healthcare quality. To identify evidence gaps, we examined recent systematic reviews examining the association of race, ethnicity, and SDOH with inpatient quality measures.

We searched Medline via OVID for English language systematic reviews from 2010 to 2022 addressing race, ethnicity, or SDOH domains and inpatient quality measures in adults using specific topic questions. We imported all citations to Covidence (www.covidence.org, Veritas Health Innovation) and removed duplicates. Two blinded reviewers assessed all articles for inclusion in 2 phases: title/abstract, then full-text review. Discrepancies were resolved by a third reviewer.

Of 472 systematic reviews identified, 39 were included. Of these, 23 examined all-cause mortality; 6 examined 30-day readmission rates; 4 examined length of stay, 4 examined falls, 2 examined surgical site infections (SSIs) and one review examined risk of venous thromboembolism. The most evaluated SDOH measures were sex (n = 9), income and/or employment status (n = 9), age (n = 6), race and ethnicity (n = 6), and education (n = 5). No systematic reviews assessed medication use errors or healthcare-associated infections. We found very limited assessment of other SDOH measures such as economic stability, neighborhood, and health system access.

A limited number of systematic reviews have examined the association of race, ethnicity and SDOH measures with inpatient quality measures, and existing reviews highlight wide variability in reporting. Future systematic evaluations of SDOH measures are needed to better understand the relationships with inpatient quality measures.

To evaluate the comparative epidemiology of hospital-onset bloodstream infection (HOBSI) and central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI)

Retrospective observational study of HOBSI and CLABSI across a three-hospital healthcare system from 01/01/2017 to 12/31/2021

HOBSIs were identified as any non-commensal positive blood culture event on or after hospital day 3. CLABSIs were identified based on National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) criteria. We performed a time-series analysis to assess comparative temporal trends among HOBSI and CLABSI incidence. Using univariable and multivariable regression analyses, we compared demographics, risk factors, and outcomes between non-CLABSI HOBSI and CLABSI, as HOBSI and CLABSI are not exclusive entities.

HOBSI incidence increased over the study period (IRR 1.006 HOBSI/1,000 patient days; 95% CI 1.001–1.012; P = .03), while no change in CLABSI incidence was observed (IRR .997 CLABSIs/1,000 central line days, 95% CI .992–1.002, P = .22). Differing demographic, microbiologic, and risk factor profiles were observed between CLABSIs and non-CLABSI HOBSIs. Multivariable analysis found lower odds of mortality among patients with CLABSIs when adjusted for covariates that approximate severity of illness (OR .27; 95% CI .11–.64; P < .01).

HOBSI incidence increased over the study period without a concurrent increase in CLABSI in our study population. Furthermore, risk factor and outcome profiles varied between CLABSI and non-CLABSI HOBSI, which suggest that these metrics differ in important ways worth considering if HOBSI is adopted as a quality metric.

Tuberculosis (TB) infection prevention and control (IPC) in healthcare facilities is key to reducing transmission risk. A framework for systematically improving TB IPC through training and mentorship was implemented in 9 healthcare facilities in China from 2017 to 2019.

Facilities conducted standardized TB IPC assessments at baseline and quarterly thereafter for 18 months. Facility-based performance was assessed using quantifiable indicators for IPC core components and administrative, environmental, and respiratory protection controls, and as a composite of all control types We calculated the percentage changes in scores over time and differences by IPC control type and facility characteristics.

Scores for IPC core components increased by 72% during follow-up when averaged across facilities. The percentage changes for administrative, environmental, and respiratory protection controls were 39%, 46%, and 30%, respectively. Composite scores were 45% higher after the intervention. Overall, scores increased most during the first 6 months. There was no association between IPC implementation and provincial economic development or volume of TB services.

TB IPC policies and practices showed most improvement early during implementation and did not differ consistently by facility characteristics. The training component of the project helped increase the capacity of healthcare professionals to manage TB transmission risks. Lessons learned here will inform national TB IPC guidance.