Patient- and proxy-reported outcomes (PROs) are an important indicator of healthcare quality and can be used to inform treatment. Despite the widescale use of PROs in adult cardiology, they are underutilised in paediatric cardiac care. This study describes a six-center feasibility and pilot experience implementing PROs in the paediatric and young adult ventricular assist device population.

The Advanced Cardiac Therapies Improving Outcomes Network (ACTION) is a collaborative learning network comprised of 55 centres focused on improving clinical outcomes and the patient/family experience for children with heart failure and those supported by ventricular assist devices. The development of ACTION’s PRO programme via engagement with patient and parent stakeholders is described. Pilot feasibility, patient/parent and clinician feedback, and initial PRO findings of patients and families receiving paediatric ventricular assist support across six centres are detailed.

Thirty of the thirty-five eligible patients (85.7%) were enrolled in the PRO programme during the pilot study period. Clinicians and participating patients/parents reported positive experiences with the PRO pilot programme. The most common symptoms reported by patients/parents in the first month post-implant period included limitations in activities, dressing change distress, and post-operative pain. Poor sleep, dressing change distress, sadness, and fatigue were the most common symptoms endorsed >30 days post-implant. Parental sadness and worry were notable throughout the entirety of the post-implant experience.

This multi-center ACTION learning network-based PRO programme demonstrated initial success in this six-center pilot study experience and yields important next steps for larger-scale PRO collection, research, and clinical intervention.

Administration of antidepressant drugs – principally selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) - may induce clinically significant ‘apathy’ which can affect treatment outcomes adversely. We aimed to review all relevant previous reports.

We performed a PUBMED-search of English-language studies, combining terms concerning psychopathology (e.g. apathy) and classes of antidepressants (e.g. SSRI).

According to certain inclusion (e.g. use of DSM/ICD diagnostic criteria) and exclusion (e.g. presence of a clinical condition that may induce apathy) criteria, 50 articles were eligible for review. Together, they suggest that administration of antidepressants – usually SSRIs - can induce an apathy syndrome or emotional blunting, i.e. a decrease in emotional responsiveness to circumstances which would have triggered intense mood reactions prior to pharmacotherapy. The reported prevalence of antidepressant-induced apathy ranges between 5.8%-50%, and for SSRIs ranges between 20%-92%. Antidepressant-induced apathy emerges independently of diagnosis, age, and treatment outcome, and appears dose-dependent and reversible. The main treatment strategy is dose reduction, though some data suggest the usefulness of treatment with olanzapine, bupropion, agomelatine or amisulpride, or the methylphenidate-modafinil-olanzapine combination.

Antidepressant-induced apathy needs careful clinical attention. Further systematic research is needed to investigate the prevalence, course, etiology, and treatment of this important clinical condition.

Management of total anomalous pulmonary venous connections has been extensively studied to further improve outcomes. Our institution previously reported factors associated with mortality, recurrent obstruction, and reintervention. The study purpose was to revisit the cohort of patients and evaluate factors associated with reintervention, and mortality in early and late follow-up.

A retrospective review at our institution identified 81 patients undergoing total anomalous pulmonary venous connection repair from January 2002 to January 2018. Demographic and operative variables were evaluated. Anastomotic reintervention (interventional or surgical) and/or mortality were primary endpoints.

Eighty-one patients met the study criteria. Follow-up ranged from 0 to 6,291 days (17.2 years), a mean of 1263 days (3.5 years). Surgical mortality was 16.1% and reintervention rates were 19.8%. In re-interventions performed, 80% occurred within 1.2 years, while 94% of mortalities were within 4.1 months. Increasing cardiopulmonary bypass times (p = 0.0001) and the presence of obstruction at the time of surgery (p = 0.025) were predictors of mortality, while intracardiac total anomalous pulmonary venous connection type (p = 0.033) was protective. Risk of reintervention was higher with increasing cardiopulmonary bypass times (p = 0.015), single ventricle anatomy (p = 0.02), and a post-repair gradient >2 mmHg on transesophageal echocardiogram (p = 0.009).

Evaluation of a larger cohort with longer follow-up demonstrated the relationship of anatomic complexity and symptoms at presentation to increased mortality risk after total anomalous pulmonary venous connection repair. The presence of a single ventricle or a post-operative confluence gradient >2 mmHg were risk factors for reintervention. These findings support those found in our initial study.

The objective of this study was to determine antibiotic appropriateness based on Loeb minimum criteria (LMC) in patients with and without altered mental status (AMS).

Retrospective, quasi-experimental study assessing pooled data from 3 periods pertaining to the implementation of a UTI management guideline.

Academic medical center in Lexington, Kentucky.

Adult patients aged ≥18 years with a collected urinalysis receiving antimicrobial therapy for a UTI indication.

Appropriateness of UTI management was assessed in patients prior to an institutional UTI guideline, after guideline introduction and education, and after implementation of a prospective audit-and-feedback stewardship intervention from September to November 2017–2019. Patient data were pooled and compared between patients noted to have AMS versus those with classic UTI symptoms. Loeb minimum criteria were used to determine whether UTI diagnosis and treatment was warranted.

In total, 600 patients were included in the study. AMS was one of the most common indications for testing across the 3 periods (19%–30.5%). Among those with AMS, 25 patients (16.7%) met LMC, significantly less than the 151 points (33.6%) without AMS (P < .001).

Patients with AMS are prescribed antibiotic therapy without symptoms indicative of UTI at a higher rate than those without AMS, according to LMC. Further antimicrobial stewardship efforts should focus on prescriber education and development of clearly defined criteria for patients with and without AMS.

To determine the reliability of teleneuropsychological (TNP) compared to in-person assessments (IPA) in people with HIV (PWH) and without HIV (HIV−).

Participants included 80 PWH (Mage = 58.7, SDage = 11.0) and 23 HIV− (Mage = 61.9, SDage = 16.7). Participants completed two comprehensive neuropsychological IPA before one TNP during the COVID-19 pandemic (March–December 2020). The neuropsychological tests included: Hopkins Verbal Learning Test-Revised (HVLT-R Total and Delayed Recall), Controlled Oral Word Association Test (COWAT; FAS-English or PMR-Spanish), Animal Fluency, Action (Verb) Fluency, Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale 3rd Edition (WAIS-III) Symbol Search and Letter Number Sequencing, Stroop Color and Word Test, Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test (Channel 1), and Boston Naming Test. Total raw scores and sub-scores were used in analyses. In the total sample and by HIV status, test-retest reliability and performance-level differences were evaluated between the two consecutive IPA (i.e., IPA1 and IPA2), and mean in-person scores (IPA-M), and TNP.

There were statistically significant test-retest correlations between IPA1 and IPA2 (r or ρ = .603–.883, ps < .001), and between IPA-M and TNP (r or ρ = .622–.958, ps < .001). In the total sample, significantly lower test-retest scores were found between IPA-M and TNP on the COWAT (PMR), Stroop Color and Word Test, WAIS-III Letter Number Sequencing, and HVLT-R Total Recall (ps < .05). Results were similar in PWH only.

This study demonstrates reliability of TNP in PWH and HIV−. TNP assessments are a promising way to improve access to traditional neuropsychological services and maintain ongoing clinical research studies during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The transition from residency to paediatric cardiology fellowship is challenging due to the new knowledge and technical skills required. Online learning can be an effective didactic modality that can be widely accessed by trainees. We sought to evaluate the effectiveness of a paediatric cardiology Fellowship Online Preparatory Course prior to the start of fellowship.

The Online Preparatory Course contained 18 online learning modules covering basic concepts in anatomy, auscultation, echocardiography, catheterisation, cardiovascular intensive care, electrophysiology, pulmonary hypertension, heart failure, and cardiac surgery. Each online learning module included an instructional video with pre-and post-video tests. Participants completed pre- and post-Online Preparatory Course knowledge-based exams and surveys. Pre- and post-Online Preparatory Course survey and knowledge-based examination results were compared via Wilcoxon sign and paired t-tests.

151 incoming paediatric cardiology fellows from programmes across the USA participated in the 3 months prior to starting fellowship training between 2017 and 2019. There was significant improvement between pre- and post-video test scores for all 18 online learning modules. There was also significant improvement between pre- and post-Online Preparatory Course exam scores (PRE 43.6 ± 11% versus POST 60.3 ± 10%, p < 0.001). Comparing pre- and post-Online Preparatory Course surveys, there was a statistically significant improvement in the participants’ comfort level in 35 of 36 (97%) assessment areas. Nearly all participants (98%) agreed or strongly agreed that the Online Preparatory Course was a valuable learning experience and helped alleviate some anxieties (77% agreed or strongly agreed) related to starting fellowship.

An Online Preparatory Course prior to starting fellowship can provide a foundation of knowledge, decrease anxiety, and serve as an effective educational springboard for paediatric cardiology fellows.