The findings of this study advocate for the use of music in cancer care. Treatment benefits may depend on patient characteristics such as outlook on life and readiness to explore emotions related to the cancer experience.

Introduction The Consortium for Clinical Characterization of COVID-19 by EHR (4CE) is an international collaboration addressing COVID-19 with federated analyses of electronic health record (EHR) data. Objective We sought to develop and validate a computable phenotype for COVID-19 severity. Methods Twelve 4CE sites participated. First we developed an EHR-based severity phenotype consisting of six code classes, and we validated it on patient hospitalization data from the 12 4CE clinical sites against the outcomes of ICU admission and/or death. We also piloted an alternative machine-learning approach and compared selected predictors of severity to the 4CE phenotype at one site. Results The full 4CE severity phenotype had pooled sensitivity of 0.73 and specificity 0.83 for the combined outcome of ICU admission and/or death. The sensitivity of individual code categories for acuity had high variability - up to 0.65 across sites. At one pilot site, the expert-derived phenotype had mean AUC 0.903 (95% CI: 0.886, 0.921), compared to AUC 0.956 (95% CI: 0.952, 0.959) for the machine-learning approach. Billing codes were poor proxies of ICU admission, with as low as 49% precision and recall compared to chart review. Discussion We developed a severity phenotype using 6 code classes that proved resilient to coding variability across international institutions. In contrast, machine-learning approaches may overfit hospital-specific orders. Manual chart review revealed discrepancies even in the gold-standard outcomes, possibly due to heterogeneous pandemic conditions. Conclusion We developed an EHR-based severity phenotype for COVID-19 in hospitalized patients and validated it at 12 international sites.

Background Biomarkers can facilitate safe antibiotic discontinuation in critically ill patients without bacterial infection. Methods We tested the ability of a biomarker-based algorithm to reduce excess antibiotic administration in patients with systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) without bacterial infections (uninfected) in our pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). The algorithm suggested that PICU clinicians stop antibiotics if (1) C-reactive protein <4 mg/dL and procalcitonin <1 ng/mL at SIRS onset and (2) no evidence of bacterial infection by exam/testing by 48 hours. We evaluated excess broad-spectrum antibiotic use, defined as administration on days 3–9 after SIRS onset in uninfected children. Incidence rate ratios (IRRs) compared unadjusted excess length of therapy (LOT) in the 34 months before (Period 1) and 12 months after (Period 2) implementation of this algorithm, stratified by biomarker values. Segmented linear regression evaluated excess LOT among all uninfected episodes over time and between the periods. Results We identified 457 eligible SIRS episodes without bacterial infection, 333 in Period 1 and 124 in Period 2. When both biomarkers were below the algorithm’s cut-points (n = 48 Period 1, n = 31 Period 2), unadjusted excess LOT was lower in Period 2 (IRR, 0.53; 95% confidence interval, 0.30–0.93). Among all 457 uninfected episodes, there were no significant differences in LOT (coefficient 0.9, P = .99) between the periods on segmented regression. Conclusions Implementation of a biomarker-based algorithm did not decrease overall antibiotic exposure among all uninfected patients in our PICU, although exposures were reduced in the subset of SIRS episodes where biomarkers were low.

The majority of septic arthritis infections at our institution were culture negative. Among patients with culture-negative infection, empiric antibiotics failed for 9% and necessitated a change in therapy. More sensitive diagnostic testing should be implemented to elucidate the causes of culture-negative septic arthritis in children.

Background:Implementing antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) can be challenging due to prescriber resistance. Although barriers to implementing new ASPs have been identified, little is known about how prescribers perceive established programs. This information is critical to promoting the sustainability of ASPs.Objective:To identify how prescribers perceive an established pediatric inpatient ASP that primarily utilizes prior authorization.Methods:We conducted a cross-sectional survey administered from February through June 2017 in a large children’s hospital. The survey contained closed- and open-ended questions. Descriptive statistics and thematic content analysis approaches were used to analyze responses.Results:Of 394 prescribers invited, 160 (41%) responded. Prescribers had an overall favorable impression of the ASP, believing that it improves the quality of care (92.4% agree) and takes their judgment seriously (73.8%). The most common criticism of the ASP was that it threatened efficiency (26.0% agreed). In addition, 68.7% of respondents reported occasionally engaging in workarounds. Analysis of 133 free-text responses revealed that prescribers perceived that interacting with the ASP involved too many phone calls, caused communication breakdowns with the dispensing pharmacy, and led to gaps between approval and dispensing of antibiotics. Reasons given for workarounds included not wanting to change therapy that appears to be working, consultant disagreement with ASP recommendations, and the desire to do everything possible for patients.Conclusions:Prescribers had a generally favorable opinion of an established ASP but found aspects to be inefficient. They reported engaging in workarounds occasionally for social and emotional reasons. Established ASPs should elicit feedback from frontline prescribers to optimize program impact.

Introduction. The Consortium for Clinical Characterization of COVID-19 by EHR (4CE) includes hundreds of hospitals internationally using a federated computational approach to COVID-19 research using the EHR. Objective. We sought to develop and validate a standard definition of COVID-19 severity from readily accessible EHR data across the Consortium. Methods. We developed an EHR-based severity algorithm and validated it on patient hospitalization data from 12 4CE clinical sites against the outcomes of ICU admission and/or death. We also used a machine learning approach to compare selected predictors of severity to the 4CE algorithm at one site. Results. The 4CE severity algorithm performed with pooled sensitivity of 0.73 and specificity 0.83 for the combined outcome of ICU admission and/or death. The sensitivity of single code categories for acuity were unacceptably inaccurate - varying by up to 0.65 across sites. A multivariate machine learning approach identified codes resulting in mean AUC 0.956 (95% CI: 0.952, 0.959) compared to 0.903 (95% CI: 0.886, 0.921) using expert-derived codes. Billing codes were poor proxies of ICU admission, with 49% precision and recall compared against chart review at one partner institution. Discussion. We developed a proxy measure of severity that proved resilient to coding variability internationally by using a set of 6 code classes. In contrast, machine-learning approaches may tend to overfit hospital-specific orders. Manual chart review revealed discrepancies even in the gold standard outcomes, possibly due to pandemic conditions. Conclusion. We developed an EHR-based algorithm for COVID-19 severity and validated it at 12 international sites.

Prenatal metabolism exerts profound effects on development. The first stool of the newborn, meconium, provides a window into the prenatal metabolic environment. The objective of this study was to examine the feasibility of meconium as a novel matrix to quantify prenatal steroid levels. We quantified parameters of analytical interest regarding the use of meconium, including sample stability. We hypothesized that meconium steroid content would differ by sex, prompting analysis of meconium to test effects of prenatal steroid metabolism. Meconium from 193 newborns enrolled in the Early Autism Risk Longitudinal Investigation (EARLI) study, including 107 males, and 86 females, were analyzed by isotope dilution-liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (ID-LC-HRMS) while blinded to identity for testosterone (T), androstenedione (AD), and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). Steroids levels were compared by sex, and investigations of potential trends resulting from sample storage or processing was conducted. The unconjugated steroid content of meconium in ng/g (mean, standard deviation) was for males: T (2.67, 8.99), AD (20.01, 28.12), DHEA (13.96, 23.57) and for females: T (0.82, 1.63), AD (22.32, 24.38), DHEA (21.06, 43.49). T was higher in meconium from males (p = 0.0333), and DHEA was higher in meconium from females (p = 0.0202). 6 female and 3 male T values were below the limit of detection. No extreme variability in hydration or trend in steroid levels by storage time was detected. Sexually dimorphic levels of hormones may reflect gestational differentiation, and future studies should consider meconium analysis.

IntroductionPre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is an effective tool to reduce HIV transmission. The primary objective of this study was to assess awareness of PrEP by individuals living with HIV (HIV+) and acceptance of its use for their HIV negative (HIV-) partners.MethodsA cross sectional survey was conducted among individuals living with HIV who received care at an urban HIV clinic between January 2013 and June 2013. The survey examined knowledge, attitudes, and acceptability of PrEP, and perception of transmission risk of HIV. Chi-Square test and Fisher's Exact test were used to compare proportions.ResultsAmong 206 subjects living with HIV, 15.3% (32) had heard of PrEP. Men who have sex with men (MSM) were more likely to be aware of PrEP than all others (p = 0.003). Once educated about PrEP those who believed PrEP would reduce their partner’s risk for HIV were more likely to recommend PrEP to their partner (p<0.001). 92% of all respondents said they would be “extremely likely/likely” to discuss PrEP use with their provider. Of 159 subjects whose main partner was HIV-, MSM (p = 0.007), male participants (p = 0.044), and those who were consistently taking meds (p = 0.049) were more likely to be aware of PrEP. Those who perceived they were at risk of transmitting HIV (p<0.001) and those who were consistently taking meds (0.049) were more likely to agree that PrEP could reduce the risk of HIV to their partners.ConclusionThis study illustrates a low awareness of PrEP but once educated the willingness of a cohort of individuals living with HIV to recommend PrEP to their partners. Our findings demonstrate the importance of providers informing their patients living with HIV about PrEP, as these persons are an underutilized link to support the uptake of PrEP by their HIV- partners.