Article
Infectious Diseases
Stine Dyhl Sommer-Larsen, Sif Helene Arnold, Anne Holm, Julie Aamand Olesen, Gloria Cordoba
Summary: This study in general practice in the Capital Region of Denmark found that less than half of the patients diagnosed with suspected UTI actually had urinary tract symptoms, and most patients without urinary tract symptoms underwent a urine culture. Performing urine culture in the general practice was inversely associated with prescription of antibiotics on day one.
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Ana Mazur, Britta Tetzlaff, Tina Mallon, Berit Hesjedal-Streller, Vivien Weiss, Martin Scherer, Sascha Koepke, Katrin Balzer, Linda Steyer, Tim Friede, Sebastian Pfeiffer, Eva Hummers, Christiane Mueller
Summary: To improve collaboration between general practitioners and nurses in nursing homes, researchers developed an intervention package called interprof ACT. However, the implementation of this intervention did not have a significant impact on hospitalisation rates and other clinical parameters among nursing home residents.
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Claudia M. Groot Kormelinck, Charlotte F. van Teunenbroek, Sytse U. Zuidema, Martin Smalbrugge, Debby L. Gerritsen
Summary: The research conducted a process evaluation of an intervention to reduce inappropriate psychotropic drug use among nursing home residents with dementia. The intervention was generally viewed positively but was considered time-consuming and complex. Differences in the extent of performance between nursing homes may have impacted the effectiveness of the intervention in some cases.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Garrett P. New, Arif Nazir, Penny Logan, Christine E. Kistler
Summary: A pilot test was conducted to improve the diagnosis and management of suspected urinary tract infections (UTIs) in nursing home residents. The paper-based clinical algorithm and educational sessions increased healthcare providers' confidence in diagnosing and treating UTIs without negatively impacting their workload. Feedback from the pilot study will be used to further improve the algorithm and assess its impact on prescribing outcomes.
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Catherine C. Cohen, Kimberly Powell, Andrew W. Dick, Chelsea B. Deroche, Mansi Agarwal, Patricia W. Stone, Gregory L. Alexander
Summary: This study examines the trends in IT maturity and its association with antibiotic use in US NHs. The findings suggest that IT integration in administrative processes is positively associated with antibiotic use. Further evaluation is needed to determine the usefulness of IT in promoting antibiotic stewardship.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN MEDICAL DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION
(2022)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Joseph M. Mylotte
Summary: One approach for improving antibiotic prescribing in nursing homes is to evaluate the appropriateness of initiating antibiotic therapy. However, determining appropriateness has been challenging due to variations in criteria, methodology, and limitations. Infection surveillance criteria are highly specific but lack sensitivity, while criteria based on localizing signs may not be well-documented. Alternative methods require further evaluation. Suggestions for improvement include avoiding the use of surveillance definitions, developing and validating clinical infection definitions, standardizing evaluation methods, educating clinicians and nursing staff, and investigating influencing factors.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN MEDICAL DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION
(2023)
Review
Nursing
Jonas Czwikla, Kathrin Wandscher, Jasmin Helbach, Alexander M. Fassmer, Guido Schmiemann, Falk Hoffmann
Summary: This systematic review examines the prevalence of indwelling urinary catheters in nursing home residents. A total of 67 studies were included, and the results showed that the prevalence of catheterization varied among different studies and countries.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF NURSING STUDIES
(2023)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Katrien Latour, Jan De Lepeleire, Boudewijn Catry, Frank Buntinx
Summary: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are common in nursing homes (NHs), but diagnosing them solely based on clinical criteria can lead to high error rates. This study evaluated the diagnostic value of signs/symptoms and urine dipstick testing in UTI diagnosis and found that apart from acute dysuria and suprapubic pain, other clinical indicators and POCT CPR did not provide useful information. Urine dipstick testing was useful in ruling out UTIs, but there may be overuse of antimicrobials in the NH population.
Article
Gerontology
Catherine C. Cohen, Kimberly Powell, Andrew W. Dick, Patricia W. Stone, Gregory L. Alexander
Summary: This study explored the relationship between IT maturity and UTI prevalence among nursing home residents. The results showed that higher administrative IT maturity in nursing homes was associated with a decreased likelihood of UTI. Using IT to relieve administrative burden may decrease the occurrence of UTIs.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED GERONTOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Immunology
S. D. Kuil, S. Hidad, J. C. Fischer, J. Harting, C. M. P. M. Hertogh, J. M. Prins, M. D. de Jong, F. van Leth, C. Schneeberger
Summary: The study aimed to assess the sensitivity of blood CRP and PCT in diagnosing UTIs in nursing home residents, but found that they are not suitable for distinguishing UTI and ASB.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Kyungmi Woo, Victoria Adams, Paula Wilson, Li-Heng Fu, Kenrick Cato, Sarah Collins Rossetti, Margaret McDonald, Jingjing Shang, Maxim Topaz
Summary: This study developed a natural language processing algorithm to automatically identify UTI-related information in nursing notes. The frequency of UTI-related information documentation increased in advance of UTI-related hospitalization or ED admission, peaking within a few days before the event.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN MEDICAL DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION
(2021)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Anna Song Beeber, Christine E. Kistler, Sheryl Zimmerman, Cassandra Dictus, Kimberly Ward, Claire Farel, Keith Chrzan, Christopher J. Wretman, Marcella Boyton-Hansen, Michael Pignone, Philip D. Sloane
Summary: This study emphasized the importance of specific resident characteristics in nurse decision-making about suspected UTIs. Future antimicrobial stewardship efforts should not only aim to improve clinicians' previously studied overprescribing practices, but also to enhance nurses' assessment of signs and symptoms of potential infections and how they weigh resident information.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN MEDICAL DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION
(2021)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Natalie Nguyen, Regina Thalhammer, Gabriele Meyer, Lien Le, Ulrich Mansmann, Markus Vomhof, Stefanie Skudlik, Katrin Beutner, Martin Mueller
Summary: This study found that the individually tailored complex intervention did not improve the activities and participation of nursing home residents. The current nursing conditions in Germany may hinder the implementation of the intervention.
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Rebecca Haddad, Veerle Decalf, Thomas F. Monaghan, Erik Van Laecke, Wendy Bower, An-Sofie Goessaert, Mirko Petrovic, Karel Everaert
Summary: This study assessed the association between self-reported sleep quality and nocturia in nursing home residents. The findings revealed that nocturia severely impaired sleep quality in nursing home residents. Therefore, investigating nocturia in nursing home residents is necessary for optimizing sleep quality.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Susan L. Mitchell, Erika M. C. D'Agata, Laura C. Hanson, Andrea J. Loizeau, Daniel A. Habtemariam, Timothy Tsai, Ruth A. Anderson, Michele L. Shaffer
Summary: The study aimed to test the effectiveness of a multicomponent intervention in improving the management of suspected UTIs and LRIs in nursing home residents with advanced dementia. Despite high adherence to the training, the intervention did not significantly reduce antimicrobial use, particularly in cases of LRIs.
JAMA INTERNAL MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Hematology
Mathilde Egelund Christensen, Volkert Siersma, Margit Kriegbaum, Bent Struer Lind, Jan Samuelsson, Lene Sofie Granfeldt Ostgard, Kirsten Gronbaek, Christen Lykkegaard Andersen
Summary: Monocytosis is a common finding in primary care, but its predictive value for haematological malignancy is still unknown. Monocytosis is associated with an increased risk of all types of haematological malignancy, with the greatest relative risk increase observed in CMML.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF HAEMATOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Christina Sadolin Damhus, Volkert Siersma, Anna Rubach Birkmose, Henrik Stovring, Susanne Oksbjerg Dalton, John Brandt Brodersen
Summary: In Denmark, the Cancer Patient Pathway for Non-Specific Signs and Symptoms (NSSC-CPP) has been implemented with variations, either with general practitioners (GPs) or hospitals conducting the initial diagnostic work-up. This study compared the occurrence of colon cancer and risk of non-localised cancer stage between the GP and hospital paradigms.
Article
Psychology, Developmental
Elisabeth Sondergaard, Susanne Reventlow, Volkert Siersma, Dagny Ros Nicolaisdottir, Randi Jepsen, Knud Rasmussen, Anne Moller
Summary: Family conflicts have a detrimental effect on children's health. This study examines the association between household conflicts and the health of children aged 6-12 years and explores how this association may vary by socioeconomic status and multimorbidity in the household. The results show that conflicts are negatively associated with children's health, and this association varies depending on the level of multimorbidity and socioeconomic status.
CHILD CARE HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT
(2023)
Letter
Allergy
Sara Fransson, Jonas Bredtoft Boel, Anne Holm, Natasha Kahlhofen, Janni Hjortlund, Holger F. Mosbech, Lars K. Poulsen, Susanne Reventlow, Lene H. Garvey
CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL ALLERGY
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Christian Patrick Jauernik, Or Joseph Rahbek, Thomas Ploug, Volkert Siersma, John Brandt Brodersen
Summary: This study aimed to assess the effects of different categories of influences on the intention to participate in a screening programme and whether participants were aware of these influences. The results showed that some influences, such as misrepresentation of harms, fear appeals, and combined influences, significantly increased the intention to participate. However, most participants were not aware of these influences. Therefore, the use of influences should be carefully considered in interventions where an informed choice is desired.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH
(2023)
Article
Sport Sciences
Mette Korshoj, Karen Allesoe, Ole Steen Mortensen, Volkert Siersma, Jussi Kauhanen, Niklas Krause
Summary: Recent studies have found that higher levels of occupational physical activity (OPA) are associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, the evidence for women is inconsistent and studies are limited by the healthy worker survivor effect. This study aimed to investigate the effects of OPA on asymptomatic carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT) among women.
SCANDINAVIAN JOURNAL OF MEDICINE & SCIENCE IN SPORTS
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Emma Grundtvig Gram, Volkert Siersma, John Brandt Brodersen
Summary: This study compares the long-term psychosocial consequences of mammography screening among women with breast cancer, normal results, and false-positive results. Through a 12-14 year follow-up of 1170 women who participated in the Danish mammography screening program from 2004-2005, it was found that women with false-positive results reported higher psychosocial consequences compared to women with normal findings. The findings also indicate that women diagnosed with breast cancer experienced a greater impact than those with false-positive results.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Oliver Van Hecke, Lars Bjerrum, Ivan Gentile, Rogier Hopstaken, Hasse Melbye, Andreas Plate, Jan Y. Verbakel, Carl Llor, Annamaria Staiano
Summary: The threat of increasing antimicrobial resistance necessitates swift action to improve the rational use of antibiotics and increase stewardship to protect this key resource in healthcare. This paper discusses the role of CRP point-of-care testing in improving antibiotic stewardship in primary care for the diagnosis and treatment of adult patients with lower respiratory tract infections. It recommends promoting CRP POCT to identify adults who may benefit from antibiotics, and suggests enhanced communication and delayed prescribing as complementary strategies to reduce inappropriate antibiotic use.
FRONTIERS IN MEDICINE
(2023)
Correction
Infectious Diseases
Maria L. V. Jensen, Volkert Siersma, Lillian M. Soes, Dagny Nicolaisdottir, Lars Bjerrum, Barbara J. Holzknecht
Article
Primary Health Care
Carl Llor, Yannick Hoyos Mallecot, Ana Moragas, Amelia Troncoso-Marino, Lars Bjerrum, Heidi C. Villmones
Summary: Over the past few years, the susceptibility activity of common microorganisms causing community-acquired infections in Spain has undergone significant changes. Based on susceptibility rates collected in 2021 from outpatients aged 15 or older with respiratory or urinary tract infection symptoms in Catalonia, penicillin V should be the first choice for most respiratory tract infections, amoxicillin and clavulanate for exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and a single dose of fosfomycin or a short-course nitrofurantoin should be the first-line treatments for uncomplicated urinary tract infections. Updated information on antimicrobial resistance is crucial for general practitioners to ensure appropriate empirical management of common infections and promote more rational antibiotic use.
Review
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Isabella Skaarup Kindt, Frederik Handberg Juul Martiny, Emma Grundtvig Gram, Anne Katrine Lykke Bie, Christian Patrick Jauernik, Or Joseph Rahbek, Sigrid Brisson Nielsen, Volkert Siersma, Christine Winther Bang, John Brandt Brodersen
Summary: Physical harm from Colorectal Cancer Screening tends to be inadequately measured and reported in clinical trials, leading to underestimation of harm. Improvements in reporting and measurement in future studies are needed to provide more accurate estimates of perforation and bleeding risks.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Kevin L. L. Schwartz, Alice X. T. Xu, Sarah Alderson, Lars Bjerrum, Jamie Brehaut, Benjamin C. C. Brown, Heiner C. C. Bucher, An De Sutter, Nick Francis, Jeremy Grimshaw, Ronny Gunnarsson, Sigurd Hoye, Noah Ivers, Donna M. M. Lecky, Morten Lindbaek, Jeffrey A. A. Linder, Paul Little, Benedikte Olsen Michalsen, Denise O'Connor, Celine Pulcini, Par-Daniel Sundvall, Pia Touboul Lundgren, Jan Y. Y. Verbakel, Theo J. J. Verheij
Summary: We have developed 13 best practice guidelines for designing and evaluating peer comparison audit and feedback on antibiotic prescribing in primary care. These guidelines can optimize the impact of quality improvement interventions and improve antibiotic prescribing in primary care.
ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE AND INFECTION CONTROL
(2023)
Article
Pediatrics
Annamaria Staiano, Lars Bjerrum, Carl Llor, Hasse Melbye, Rogier Hopstaken, Ivan Gentile, Andreas Plate, Oliver van Hecke, Jan Y. Verbakel
Summary: This paper discusses the application of C-reactive protein point-of-care testing in primary care for children with acute respiratory tract infections, as well as the role of enhanced communication skills training and delayed prescribing in improving antibiotic stewardship. The study found that CRP POCT can aid clinical assessment and decision-making, but clinical assessment should still be the primary factor in treatment or referral decisions.
FRONTIERS IN PEDIATRICS
(2023)
Article
Primary Health Care
Emil Ronn Sorensen, Ida Scheel Rasmussen, Gritt Overbeck, Volkert Siersma, Clara Lundmark Appel, Philip Wilson
Summary: This study assesses the uptake and use of a web-based psychoeducational intervention in primary care. The results show that higher parity and the absence of a nurse or midwife in the practice are important factors associated with decreased use of the intervention. On the other hand, being a student or living outside the capital city are important factors associated with increased use of the intervention.
Article
Primary Health Care
Shangavi Balasundram, Anne Holm, Kirstine Skov Benthien, Frans Boch Waldorff, Susanne Reventlow, Gritt Overbeck
Summary: Through a systematic review of the qualitative literature, we found that General Practitioners (GPs) can increase the chance of patients dying at home by providing palliative care. GPs should adopt a holistic, patient-centred, and proactive approach, and receive sufficient education and training. Furthermore, they should pay attention to various elements in the palliative care consultation and elements surrounding the consultation.