Limited data exist for management of hyperuricemia in non-oncologic patients, particularly in paediatric cardiac patients. Hyperuricemia is a risk factor for acute kidney injury and may prompt treatment in critically ill patients. The primary objective was to determine if rasburicase use was associated with greater probability normalisation of serum uric acid compared to allopurinol. Secondary outcomes included percent reduction in uric acid, changes in serum creatinine, and cost of therapy.

A single-centre retrospective chart review.

A 20-bed quaternary cardiovascular ICU in a university-based paediatric hospital in California.

Patients admitted to cardiovascular ICU who received rasburicase or intravenous allopurinol between 2015 and 2016.

None.

Data from a cohort of 14 patients receiving rasburicase were compared to 7 patients receiving IV allopurinol. Patients who were administered rasburicase for hyperuricemia were more likely to have a post-treatment uric acid level less than 8 mg/dl as compared to IV allopurinol (100 versus 43%; p = 0.0058). Patients who received rasburicase had a greater absolute reduction in post-treatment day 1 uric acid (−9 mg/dl versus −1.9 mg/dl; p = 0.002). There were no differences in post-treatment day 3 or day 7 serum creatinine or time to normalisation of serum creatinine. The cost of therapy normalised to a 20 kg patient was greater in the allopurinol group ($18,720 versus $1928; p = 0.001).

In a limited paediatric cardiac cohort, the use of rasburicase was associated with a greater reduction in uric acid levels and associated with a lower cost compared to IV allopurinol.

Recognizing the importance not only of the clinician’s opinion but also of the patient’s experience and perspective, Sequenced Treatment Alternatives to Relieve Depression (STAR*D) utilized both clinician-reported and patient-reported outcomes in a large-scale multi-step study on antidepressant effectiveness in real-world settings. Both approaches indicate that <17% of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) patients respond to novel oral treatments after two prior antidepressant failures. To address this low response rate and continue to investigate the use of patient-rated outcomes in clinical trials, an antidepressant with a new mechanism of action is being investigated for efficacy and safety utilizing both clinician-rated and patient-reported scales.

This is a post-hoc analysis of a Janssen R&D Phase 2a clinical trial (ESKETINTRD2003). Subjects aged 20-64 withMDD without psychotic features (DSM IV) and a history of inadequate response to ≥2 antidepressants were randomized [3:1:1:1] to 1 week of twice-weekly treatment with intranasal placebo (n=33), esketamine 28 mg (n=11), 56 mg (n=11), or 84 mg (n=12). Participants taking oral antidepressants at study entry continued treatment during the study. Changes in depression severitywere measured using the Clinical Global Impression Severity (CGI-S) and the Patient Global Impression Severity (PGI-S) scales.

At all esketamine doses (28 mg, 56 mg, 84 mg), subjects reported a one-point mean change in PGI-S from baseline to week one compared to no change on placebo (p-values 0.005, 0.001, 0.032 respectively). Similarly, mean CGI-S scores improved for subjects receiving esketamine at all doses (p-values 0.028, 0.004, 0.049 respectively) compared to no change inplacebo subjects. These data are consistent with previously reported data based on the Montgomery Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) and support positive correlation between patient-reported and clinician-reported outcomes.

Initial results from this Phase 2a study suggest clinically relevant improvement in depression symptoms in as early as one week when treated with twice-weekly intranasal esketamine as reported by both clinicians and patients. This work will help guide future investigations of esketamine in larger populations to provide better therapeutic options for treatment resistantMDD patients.

Janssen

Previous analyses of adolescent suicides in England and Wales have focused on short time periods.

To investigate trends in suicide and accidental deaths in adolescents between 1972 and 2011.

Time trend analysis of rates of suicides and deaths from accidental poisoning and hanging in 10- to 19-year-olds by age, gender and deprivation. Rate ratios were estimated for 1982–1991, 1992–2001 and 2002–2011 with 1972–1981 as comparator.

Suicide rates have remained stable in 10- to 14-year-olds, with strong evidence for a reduction in accidental deaths. In males aged 15–19, suicide rates peaked in 2001 before declining. Suicide by hanging is the most common method of suicide. Rates were higher in males and in 15- to 19-year-olds living in more deprived areas.

Suicide rates in adolescents are at their lowest since the early 1970s with no clear evidence that changes in coroners' practices underlie this trend.

The objective of this study was to determine the resource utilization of a tertiary care Japanese emergency department (ED) that was not immediately adjacent to the area of the 2011 Great East Japan earthquake and tsunami.

A retrospective chart review was performed at a tertiary care university-based urban ED located approximately 290 km from the primary site of destruction secondary to an earthquake measuring 9.0 on the Richter Scale and the resulting tsunami. All patients who presented for a period of twelve days before and twelve days after the disaster were included. Data were collected using preformed data collection sheets, and stored in an Excel file. Abstracted data included gender, time in the ED, intravenous fluid administration, blood transfusion, oxygen, laboratories, electrocardiograms (ECGs), radiographs, ultrasound, diagnoses, surgical and medical referrals, and prescriptions written. Ten percent of the charts were reviewed for accuracy, and an error rate reported. Data were analyzed using 2-tailed t-tests, Fisher's exact tests or rank sum tests. Bonferroni correction was used to adjust P values for multiple comparisons.

Charts for 1193 patients were evaluated. The error rate for the abstracted data was 3.2% (95% CI, 2.4%-4.1%). Six hundred fifty-seven patients (53% male) were evaluated in the ED after the earthquake, representing a 23% increase in patient volume. Mean patient time spent in the ED decreased from 61 minutes to 52 minutes (median decrease from 35 minutes to 32 minutes; P = .005). Laboratory utilization decreased from 51% to 43% (P = .006). The percentage of patients receiving prescriptions increased from 48% to 54% (P = .002). There was no change in the number of patients evaluated for surgical complaints, but there was an increase in the number treated for medical or psychiatric complaints.

There was a significant increase in the number of people utilizing the ED in Tokyo after the Great East Japan earthquake and tsunami. Time spent in the ED was decreased along with laboratory utilization, possibly reflecting decreased patient acuity. This information may help in the allocation of national resources when planning for disasters.

ShimadaM, TanabeA, GunshinM, RiffenburghRH, TanenDA. Resource Utilization in the Emergency Department of a Tertiary Care University-Based Hospital in Tokyo Before and After the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2012;27(6):1-4.

High-quality evidence on morale in the mental health workforce is lacking.

To describe staff well-being and satisfaction in a multicentre UK National Health Service (NHS) sample and explore associated factors.

A questionnaire-based survey (n = 2258) was conducted in 100 wards and 36 community teams in England. Measures included a set of frequently used indicators of staff morale, and measures of perceived job characteristics based on Karasek's demand–control–support model.

Staff well-being and job satisfaction were fairly good on most indicators, but emotional exhaustion was high among acute general ward and community mental health team (CMHT) staff and among social workers. Most morale indicators were moderately but significantly intercorrelated. Principal components analysis yielded two components, one appearing to reflect emotional strain, the other positive engagement with work. In multilevel regression analyses factors associated with greater emotional strain included working in a CMHT or psychiatric intensive care unit (PICU), high job demands, low autonomy, limited support from managers and colleagues, age under 45 years and junior grade. Greater positive engagement was associated with high job demands, autonomy and support from managers and colleagues, Black or Asian ethnic group, being a psychiatrist or service manager and shorter length of service.

Potential foci for interventions to increase morale include CMHTs, PICUs and general acute wards. The explanatory value of the demand–support–control model was confirmed, but job characteristics did not fully explain differences in morale indicators across service types and professions.