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Untapped potential in Australian hospitals for organ donation after circulatory death

Sandeep S Rakhra, Helen I Opdam, Laura Gladkis, Byron Arcia, Michael A Fink, John Kanellis, Peter S Macdonald, Gregory I Snell and David V Pilcher
Med J Aust 2017; 207 (7): . || doi: 10.5694/mja16.01405
Published online: 25 September 2017

Abstract

Objective: To determine the potential for organ donation after circulatory death (DCD) in Australia by applying ideal and expanded organ suitability criteria, and to compare this potential with actual DCD rates.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting, methods: We analysed DonateLife audit data for patients aged 28 days to 80 years who died between July 2012 and December 2014 in an intensive care unit or emergency department, or who died within 24 hours of discharge from either, in the 75 Australian hospitals contributing data to DonateLife. Ideal and expanded organ donation criteria were derived from international and national guidelines, and from expert opinion. Potential DCD organ donors were identified by applying these criteria to patients who had been intubated and were neither confirmed as being brain-dead nor likely to have met brain death criteria at the official time of death.

Results: 8780 eligible patients were identified, of whom 202 were actual DCD donors. For 193 potential ideal (61%) and 313 potential expanded criteria DCD donors (72%), organ donation had not been discussed with their families; most were potential donors of kidneys (416 potential donors) or lungs (117 potential donors). Potential donors were typically older, dying of non-neurological causes, and more frequently had chronic organ disease than actual donors. Identifying all these potential donors, assuming a consent rate of 60%, would have increased Australia’s donation rate from 16.1 to 21.3 per million population in 2014.

Conclusions: The untapped potential for DCD in Australia, particularly of kidneys and lungs, is significant. Systematic review of all patients undergoing end-of-life care in critical care environments for donor suitability could result in significant increases in organ donation rates.

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  • 1 Alfred Health, Melbourne, VIC
  • 2 Austin Health, Melbourne, VIC
  • 3 Australian Organ and Tissue Authority, Canberra, ACT
  • 4 University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC
  • 5 Monash Health, Melbourne, VIC
  • 6 Centre for Inflammatory Diseases, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC
  • 7 St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, NSW
  • 8 Monash University, Melbourne, VIC


Correspondence: sandeeprakhra@gmail.com

Acknowledgements: 

We acknowledge and thank all data collectors and audit officers who contribute to the DonateLife Audit. The DonateLife organisation is funded by the Australian Government. This particular research project was not funded.

Competing interests:

No relevant disclosures.

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REM sleep behaviour disorder: not just a bad dream

Elie Matar and Simon JG Lewis
Med J Aust 2017; 207 (6): . || doi: 10.5694/mja17.00321
Published online: 18 September 2017

Summary

 

  • Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behaviour disorder (RBD) is a parasomnia characterised by the loss of the normal atonia during the REM stage of sleep, resulting in overt motor behaviours that usually represent the enactment of dreams. Patients will seek medical attention due to sleep-related injuries or unpleasant dream content.
  • Idiopathic RBD which occurs independently of any other disease occurs in up to 2% of the older population. Meanwhile, secondary RBD is very common in association with certain neurodegenerative conditions. RBD can also occur in the context of antidepressant use, obstructive sleep apnoea and narcolepsy.
  • RBD can be diagnosed with a simple screening question followed by confirmation with polysomnography to exclude potential mimics.
  • Treatment for RBD is effective and involves treatment of underlying causes, modification of the sleep environment, and pharmacotherapy with either clonazepam or melatonin.
  • An important finding in the past decade is the recognition that almost all patients with idiopathic RBD will ultimately go on to develop Parkinson disease or dementia with Lewy bodies. This suggests that idiopathic RBD represents a prodromal phase of these conditions.
  • Physicians should be aware of the risk of phenoconversion. They should educate idiopathic RBD patients to recognise the symptoms of these conditions and refer as appropriate for further testing and enrolment into research trials focused on neuroprotective measures.

 


  • 1 Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW
  • 2 Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, NSW


Correspondence: simon.lewis@sydney.edu.au

Acknowledgements: 

This work was conducted by the ForeFront project team and SJGL is supported by an NHMRC–ARC Dementia Research Development Fellowship (1110414). ForeFront is a large collaborative research group dedicated to the study of neurodegenerative diseases and is funded by grants from the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia (1037746), Dementia Research Team (1095127), NeuroSleep Centre of Research Excellence (1060992), Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Cognition and its Disorders Memory Program (CE110001021) and the Sydney Research Excellence Initiative 2020. We thank Dr Negar Memarian for providing the polysomnography recording data shown in Box 2.

Competing interests:

No relevant disclosures.

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The value of inpatient rehabilitation after uncomplicated knee arthroplasty: a propensity score analysis

Justine Maree Naylor, Andrew Hart, Rajat Mittal, Ian Harris and Wei Xuan
Med J Aust 2017; 207 (6): . || doi: 10.5694/mja16.01362
Published online: 18 September 2017

Abstract

Objective: To compare the effectiveness of rehabilitation after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in models with or without an inpatient rehabilitation component.

Design, setting and participants: A propensity score-matched cohort of privately insured patients with osteoarthritis who underwent primary, unilateral TKA in one of 12 Australian hospitals between August 2013 and January 2015 were included. Those discharged to an inpatient facility because of poor progress or who experienced significant complications within 90 days of surgery were excluded.

Intervention: Discharge after surgery to an inpatient rehabilitation facility or home.

Main outcome measures: Patient-reported knee pain and function (Oxford Knee Score; at 90 and 365 days after surgery) and health rating (EuroQol “today” health scale; at 35, 90 and 365 days). Inpatient and community-based rehabilitation provider charges were also assessed.

Results: 258 patients (129 pairs) from a sample of 332 were matched according to their propensity scores for receiving inpatient rehabilitation; covariates used in the matching included age, sex, body mass index, and markers of health and impairment. The only significant difference in outcomes was that EuroQol health scores were better on Day 35 for patients not undergoing inpatient rehabilitation (median difference, 5; IQR, –10 to 19; P = 0.01). Median rehabilitation provider charges were significantly higher for those discharged to inpatient therapy (total costs: median difference, $9500; IQR, $7000–11 497; P < 0.001; community therapy costs: median difference, $749; IQR, $0–1980; P < 0.001).

Conclusions: Rehabilitation pathways incorporating inpatient rehabilitation did not achieve better joint-specific outcomes or health scores than alternatives not including inpatient rehabilitation. Given the substantial cost differences, better value alternatives should be considered for patients after uncomplicated TKA.

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  • 1 South Western Sydney Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW
  • 2 Ingham Institute of Applied Medical Research, Sydney, NSW
  • 3 South Western Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, NSW



Acknowledgements: 

This study was partially supported by a grant from the HCF Research Foundation to Justine Naylor, Ian Harris and Wei Xuan. We acknowledge the contribution made by Helen Badge, project manager of the larger investigation in which this study was nested.

Competing interests:

This study was partially funded by a grant awarded by the HCF Research Foundation, but the funder had no influence on the study design or the research plan.

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  • 3. Briggs T. A national review of adult elective orthopaedic services in England: getting it right first time. London: British Orthopaedic Association, 2015. https://www.boa.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/GIRFT-National-Report-MarN.pdf (accessed Mar 2017).
  • 4. Peel TN, Cheng AC, Liew D, et al. Direct hospital cost determinants following hip and knee arthroplasty. Arthritis Care Res 2015; 67: 782-790.
  • 5. Health Insurance Consultants Australia. The growing cost of hip and knee replacements [media release]. 13 Feb 2014. http://www.hica.com.au/health-insurance-news/the-growing-cost-of-hip-and-knee-replacements (accessed Mar 2017).
  • 6. Health Insurance Consultants Australia. New prostheses list advisory committee could reduce private insurance costs [media release]. 12 Sept 2016. http://www.hica.com.au/health-insurance-news/new-prostheses-list-advisory-committee-could-reduce-private-insurance-costs (accessed Mar 2017).
  • 7. Buhagiar, MA, Naylor JM, Harris IA, et al. Hospital Inpatient versus HOme-based rehabilitation after knee arthroplasty (the HIHO study): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Trials 2013; 14: 432.
  • 8. Buhagiar, MA, Naylor JM, Harris IA, et al. Effect of inpatient rehabilitation vs a monitored home program on mobility in patients with total knee arthroplasty: the HIHO randomized clinical trial. JAMA 2017; 317: 1037-1046.
  • 9. Mahomed NN, Davis AM, Hawker G, et al. Inpatient compared with home-based rehabilitation following primary unilateral total hip or knee replacement: a randomized controlled trial. J Bone Joint Surg Am 2008; 90: 1673-1680.
  • 10. Rosenbaum PR, Rubin DB. The central role of the propensity score in observational studies for causal effects. Biometrika 1983; 70: 41-55.
  • 11. Austin PC. An introduction to propensity score methods for reducing the effects of confounding in observational studies. Multivariate Behav Res 2011; 46: 399-424.
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  • 13. Austin PC. Balance diagnostics for comparing the distribution of baseline covariates between treatment groups in propensity-score matched samples. Stat Med 2009; 28: 3083-3107.
  • 14. Naylor JM, Descallar J, Grootemaat M, et al. Is satisfaction with the acute-care experience higher amongst consumers treated in the private sector? A survey of public and private sector arthroplasty recipients. PLoS One 2016; 11: e0159799.
  • 15. Clavien PA, Barkun J, de Oliveira ML, et al. The Clavien-Dindo classification of surgical complications. Ann Surg 2009; 250; 187-196.
  • 16. Murray DW, Fitzpatrick R, Rogers K, et al. The use of the Oxford hip and knee scores. J Bone Joint Surg Br 2007; 89-B: 1010-1014.
  • 17. Chatterji R, Naylor JM, Harris IA, Descallar J. An equivalence study: are patient-completed and telephone interview equivalent modes of administration for the EuroQol survey? Health Qual Life Outcomes 2017; 15: 18.
  • 18. Australian Bureau of Statistics. 6401.0. Consumer price index inflation calculator 2015. http://www.abs.gov.au/websitedbs/d3310114.nsf/home/Consumer+Price+Index+Inflation+Calculator (accessed Mar 2017).
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  • 20. Ko V, Naylor J, Harris I, et al. One-to-one therapy is not superior to group or home-based therapy after total knee arthroplasty: a randomized, superiority trial. J Bone Joint Surg Am 2013; 95: 1942-1949.
  • 21. Christells N, Wallace S, Sage CE, et al. An enhanced recovery after surgery program for hip and knee arthroplasty. Med J Aust 2015; 202: 363-369. <MJA full text>
  • 22. Hofstede SN, Nouta KA, Jacobs W, et al. Mobile bearing vs fixed bearing prostheses for posterior cruciate retaining total knee arthroplasty for postoperative functional status in patients with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2015; (2): CD003130.
  • 23. Verra WC, van den Boom LGH, Jacobs W, et al. Retention versus sacrifice of the posterior cruciate ligament in total knee arthroplasty for treating osteoarthritis. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2013; (10): CD004803.

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Von Meyenburg complexes in a patient with obstructive jaundice

Vipin Gupta and Govind Makharia
Med J Aust 2017; 207 (6): . || doi: 10.5694/mja16.01344
Published online: 18 September 2017

Biliary hamartomas were an incidental finding in a 33-year-old man who was investigated for recurrent episodes of biliary colic. A T2-weighted coronal image showed multiple small hyperintense lesions of similar size scattered in both lobes of the liver (Figure). Biliary microhamartomas (von Meyenburg complexes) are rare and usually multiple. They occur because of ductal plate malformation and are composed of dilated intralobular and interlobular bile ducts.1 They generally remain asymptomatic and do not affect liver functions, and are most commonly detected incidentally.2 Differential diagnosis of this rare clinical entity includes multiple simple liver cysts, Caroli disease and, less commonly, metastatic liver disease (with necrosis).


  • All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, New Delhi, India


Correspondence: govindmakharia@gmail.com

Competing interests:

No relevant disclosures.

  • 1. Desmet VJ. Ludwig symposium on biliary disorders — part I. Pathogenesis of ductal plate abnormalities. Mayo Clin Proc 1998; 73: 80-89.
  • 2. Brancatelli G, Federle MP, Vilgrain V, et al. Fibropolycystic liver disease: CT and MR imaging findings. Radiographics 2005; 25: 659-670.

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Thunderstorm asthma outbreak of November 2016: a natural disaster requiring planning

Steven J Lindstrom, Jeremy D Silver, Michael F Sutherland, Andrew BA Treloar, Ed Newbigin, Christine F McDonald and Jo A Douglass
Med J Aust 2017; 207 (6): . || doi: 10.5694/mja17.00285
Published online: 18 September 2017

Learning from a tragedy to increase public awareness and improve responses in future thunderstorm asthma events

Thunderstorm asthma is the occurrence of acute asthma either during or immediately after a thunderstorm and it is often characterised by a surge in emergency asthma presentations. The epidemic of thunderstorm asthma in Melbourne, Australia, on 21 November 2016 was the most extreme such event ever worldwide, with nine fatalities currently the subject of a coronial inquiry.1,2 Hospitals and ambulance services were placed under record pressure, and supplies of reliever medications were exhausted at some health services.1 Key tasks for the future are to predict the thunderstorms most likely to lead to asthma outbreaks and to define how best to respond. Further research to better anticipate these outbreaks is crucial and planning for the inevitable recurrence must occur at patient, institutional and state-wide levels.


  • 1 Austin Health, Melbourne, VIC
  • 2 University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC
  • 3 NSW Regional Office, Australian Bureau of Meteorology, Sydney, NSW
  • 4 Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, VIC



Acknowledgements: 

We thank Edwin Lampugnani (University of Melbourne) for kindly supplying the image in . Jeremy Silver's work was funded by the MacKenzie Postdoctoral Fellowship scheme at the University of Melbourne.

Competing interests:

In the past 5 years, Jo Douglass has received honoraria for educational presentations from AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKline, Stallergenes Greer, Novartis, Alphapharm, Shire, Mundipharma and Seqirus; has sat on advisory boards for Novartis, GlaxoSmithKline, Astra-Zeneca, Pieris, Stallergenes Greer and Seqirus; and has undertaken contracted and investigator-initiated research for GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis, AstraZeneca and Sanofi-Aventis. Jeremy Silver and Ed Newbigin are investigators on the National Medical and Health Research Council PBH grant 1116107, which partners with Stallergenes Greer. Christine McDonald has received honoraria for education presentations or advisory board participation from GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis and Pfizer.

  • 1. Inspector-General for Emergency Management. Review of response to the thunderstorm asthma event of 21–22 November 2016: final report. Melbourne: State of Victoria; 2017. http://www.igem.vic.gov.au/documents/CD/17/233820 (accessed June 2017).
  • 2. Victorian Department of Health and Human Services. The November 2016 Victorian epidemic thunderstorm asthma event: an assessment of the health impacts. The Chief Health Officer’s report, 27 April 2017. Melbourne: State of Victoria, 2017. https://www2.health.vic.gov.au/emergencies/thunderstorm-asthma-event/response (accessed June 2017).
  • 3. Queensland University of Technology. Final report: literature review on thunderstorm asthma and its implications for public health advice. https://www2.health.vic.gov.au/about/publications/researchandreports/thunderstorm-asthma-literature-review-may-2107 (accessed June 2017).
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  • 5. Girgis ST, Marks GB, Downs SH, et al. Thunderstorm-associated asthma in an inland town in south-eastern Australia. Who is at risk? Eur Respir J 2000; 16: 3-8.
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  • 12. Brożek JL, Bousquet J, Agache I, et al. Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma (ARIA) guidelines — 2016 revision. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2017; doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2017.03.050 [Epub ahead of print].
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Public reporting of clinician-level data

Rachel Canaway, Marie M Bismark, David Dunt and Margaret A Kelaher
Med J Aust 2017; 207 (6): . || doi: 10.5694/mja16.01402
Published online: 18 September 2017

There is much debate about public disclosure of individual doctors’ performance to increase hospital quality and safety, but research is lacking

In 2016, media coverage of a cluster of preventable deaths of babies born at a Victorian health service1 shone a spotlight in Australia on the role of public reporting of hospital performance data in assuring quality and safety. The subsequent Victorian government review2 suggested that the Victorian health system must develop a culture of candour with improved transparency at every level of the hospital system “through greater public reporting of outcomes data and support for a just culture in hospitals”.2 Other failures in hospital quality have similarly triggered inquiries and health system reform in Australia.3,4 For example, Queensland’s Bundaberg Hospital scandal in 2005 triggered changes to public reporting to further encourage cultures in hospitals to move away from the “name–shame–blame” approach.5


  • Centre for Health Policy, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC


Correspondence: mkelaher@unimelb.edu.au

Competing interests:

No relevant disclosures.

  • 1. Medew J. Hundreds more baby deaths revealed in Victorian hospitals. The Age 2017; 28 June. http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/hundreds-more-baby-deaths-revealed-in-victorian-hospitals-20160628-gpu0sh.html (accessed Aug 2017).
  • 2. Duckett S, Cuddihy M, Newnham H. Targeting zero: supporting the Victorian hospital system to eliminate avoidable harm and strengthen quality of care. Report of the Review of Hospital Safety and Quality Assurance in Victoria. Melbourne: Victorian Government, 2016.
  • 3. Scott IA, Ward M. Public reporting of hospital outcomes based on administrative data: risks and opportunities. Med J Aust 2006; 184: 571-575. <MJA full text>
  • 4. Marasco SF, Ibrahim JE, Oakley J. Public disclosure of surgeon-specific report cards: current status of the debate. ANZ J Surg 2005; 75: 1000-1004.
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  • 6. Shahian DM, Edwards FH, Jacobs JP, et al. Public reporting of cardiac surgery performance: Part 1-history, rationale, consequences. Ann Thorac Surg 2011; 92: S2-S11.
  • 7. Pearse J, Mazevska D. The impact of public disclosure of health performance data: a rapid review. Sydney: Sax Institute, 2012.
  • 8. Rechel B, McKee M, Haas M, et al. Public reporting on quality, waiting times and patient experience in 11 high-income countries. Health Policy 2016; 120: 377-383.
  • 9. Minami CA, Dahlke A, Bilimoria KY. Public reporting in surgery: an emerging opportunity to improve care and inform patients. Ann Surg 2015; 261: 241-242.
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  • 11. Hibbard JH, Stockard J, Tusler M. Hospital performance reports: impact on quality, market share, and reputation. Health Aff 2005; 24: 1150-1160.
  • 12. Oakley J. Surgeon report cards, clinical realities, and the quality of patient care. Monash Bioeth Rev 2009; 28: 21.1-21.6.
  • 13. Behrendt K, Groene O. Mechanisms and effects of public reporting of surgeon outcomes: A systematic review of the literature. Health Policy 2016; 120: 1151-1161.
  • 14. Faber M, Bosch M, Wollersheim H, et al. Public reporting in health care: how do consumers use quality-of-care information? A systematic review. Med Care 2009; 47: 1-8.
  • 15. Henderson A. Surgical report cards: the myth and the reality. Monash Bioeth Rev 2009; 28: 20.01-20.20.
  • 16. Mannion R, Braithwaite J. Unintended consequences of performance measurement in healthcare: 20 salutary lessons from the English National Health Service. Intern Med J 2012; 42: 569-574.
  • 17. Gallagher MP, Krumholz HM. Public reporting of hospital outcomes: a challenging road ahead. Med J Aust 2011; 194: 658-660. <MJA full text>
  • 18. Azzam DG, Neo CA, Itotoh FE, Aitken RJ. The Western Australian Audit of Surgical Mortality: outcomes from the first 10 years. Med J Aust 2013; 199: 539-542. <MJA full text>
  • 19. Ganai S. Disclosure of surgeon experience. World J Surg 2014; 38: 1622-1625.
  • 20. Sherman KL, Gordon EJ, Mahvi DM, et al. Surgeons’ perceptions of public reporting of hospital and individual surgeon quality. Med Care 2013; 51: 1069-1075.
  • 21. Shahian DM, Edwards FH, Jacobs JP, et al. Public reporting of cardiac surgery performance: Part 2 – implementation. Ann Thorac Surg 2011; 92: S12-S23.

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Road safety: serious injuries remain a major unsolved problem

Ben Beck, Peter A Cameron, Mark C Fitzgerald, Rodney T Judson, Warwick Teague, Ronan A Lyons and Belinda J Gabbe
Med J Aust 2017; 207 (6): . || doi: 10.5694/mja17.00015
Published online: 11 September 2017

Abstract

Objective: To investigate temporal trends in the incidence, mortality, disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), and costs of health loss caused by serious road traffic injury.

Design, setting and participants: A retrospective review of data from the population-based Victorian State Trauma Registry and the National Coronial Information System on road traffic-related deaths (pre- and in-hospital) and major trauma (Injury Severity Score > 12) during 2007–2015.

Main outcomes and measures: Temporal trends in the incidence of road traffic-related major trauma, mortality, DALYs, and costs of health loss, by road user type.

Results: There were 8066 hospitalised road traffic major trauma cases and 2588 road traffic fatalities in Victoria over the 9-year study period. There was no change in the incidence of hospitalised major trauma for motor vehicle occupants (incidence rate ratio [IRR] per year, 1.00; 95% CI, 0.99–1.01; P = 0.70), motorcyclists (IRR, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.97–1.01; P = 0.45) or pedestrians (IRR, 1.00; 95% CI, 0.97–1.02; P = 0.73), but the incidence for pedal cyclists increased 8% per year (IRR, 1.08; 95% CI; 1.05–1.10; P < 0.001). While DALYs declined for motor vehicle occupants (by 13% between 2007 and 2015), motorcyclists (32%), and pedestrians (5%), there was a 56% increase in DALYs for pedal cyclists. The estimated costs of health loss associated with road traffic injuries exceeded $14 billion during 2007–2015, although the cost per patient declined for all road user groups.

Conclusions: As serious injury rates have not declined, current road safety targets will be difficult to meet. Greater attention to preventing serious injury is needed, as is further investment in road safety, particularly for pedal cyclists.

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  • 1 Monash University, Melbourne, VIC
  • 2 Emergency and Trauma Centre, The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, VIC
  • 3 National Trauma Research Institute, Melbourne, VIC
  • 4 Private Medical Centre, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, VIC
  • 5 Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne
  • 6 Farr Institute, Swansea University, Swansea, Wales, United Kingdom


Correspondence: ben.beck@monash.edu

Acknowledgements: 

The Victorian State Trauma Registry (VSTR) is funded by the Department of Health and Human Services, the State Government of Victoria, and the Transport Accident Commission. Ben Beck received salary support from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHRMC) Australian Resuscitation Outcomes Consortium (Aus-ROC) Centre of Research Excellence (1029983). Peter Cameron was supported by an NHMRC Practitioner Fellowship (545926) and Belinda Gabbe by an NHMRC Career Development Fellowship (GNT1048731). Warwick Teague’s role as director of trauma services at the Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne, is supported by a grant from the Royal Children’s Hospital Foundation. We thank the Victorian State Trauma Outcome Registry and Monitoring (VSTORM) group for providing VSTR data. We also thank Sue McLellan for her assistance with the data, Pam Simpson for her statistical support, and David Attwood from the Transport Accident Commission for his suggestions and advice.

Competing interests:

No relevant disclosures.

  • 1. Haagsma JA, Graetz N, Bolliger I, et al. The global burden of injury: incidence, mortality, disability-adjusted life years and time trends from the Global Burden of Disease study 2013. Inj Prev 2016; 22: 3-18.
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Radiation therapy and early breast cancer: current controversies

John Boyages
Med J Aust 2017; 207 (5): . || doi: 10.5694/mja16.01020
Published online: 4 September 2017

Summary

 

  • Radiation therapy (RT) is an important component of breast cancer treatment.
  • RT reduces local recurrence and breast cancer mortality after breast conservation for all patients and for node-positive patients after a mastectomy.
  • Short courses of RT over 3–4 weeks are generally as effective as longer courses.
  • A patient subgroup where RT can be avoided after conservative surgery has not been consistently identified.
  • A radiation boost reduces the risk of a recurrence in the breast but may be omitted for older patients with good prognosis tumours with clear margins.
  • Axillary recurrences can take a long time to appear, with 35% occurring after 5 years.
  • Leaving disease untreated in regional nodes is associated with reduced survival.
  • Not all patients require radiation after neoadjuvant chemotherapy and a subsequent mastectomy.
  • Modern RT equipment and techniques will further improve survival rates.

 


  • Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW


Correspondence: john.boyages@mq.edu.au

Acknowledgements: 

I thank Ellen Tailby for research assistance, Philippa Sutton for editing and managing earlier versions of the manuscript, and Sergio Duque and Lesley Baker for the volumetric modulated arc therapy plan of the patient shown in Box 5.

Competing interests:

No relevant disclosures.

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Non-coeliac gluten or wheat sensitivity: emerging disease or misdiagnosis?

Michael DE Potter, Marjorie M Walker and Nicholas J Talley
Med J Aust 2017; 207 (5): . || doi: 10.5694/mja17.00332
Published online: 4 September 2017

Summary

 

  • Non-coeliac gluten or wheat sensitivity (NCG/WS) is a condition characterised by adverse gastrointestinal and/or extra-intestinal symptoms associated with the ingestion of gluten- or wheat-containing foods, in the absence of coeliac disease or wheat allergy.
  • Up to one in 100 people in Australia may have coeliac disease but many more report adverse gastrointestinal and/or extra-intestinal symptoms after eating wheat products.
  • In the absence of validated biomarkers, a diagnosis of NCG/WS can only be made by a double-blind, placebo-controlled, dietary crossover challenge with gluten, which is difficult to apply in clinical practice.
  • Of people self-reporting gluten or wheat sensitivity, only a small proportion (16%) will have reproducible symptoms after a blinded gluten challenge of gluten versus placebo in a crossover dietary trial and fulfil the current consensus criteria for a diagnosis of NCG/WS.
  • A wide range of symptoms are associated with NCG/WS, including gastrointestinal, neurological, psychiatric, rheumatological and dermatological complaints.
  • The pathogenesis of NCG/WS is not well understood, but the innate immune system has been implicated, and there is overlap with coeliac disease and the functional gastrointestinal disorders (irritable bowel syndrome and functional dyspepsia).
  • Identification of NCG/WS is important as gluten-free diets carry risks, are socially restricting and are costlier than regular diets.

 

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  • 1 University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW
  • 2 Medical Journal of Australia, Sydney, NSW



Competing interests:

Nicholas Talley is Editor-in-Chief of the Medical Journal of Australia.

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Testing for type 2 diabetes in Indigenous Australians: guideline recommendations and current practice

Christine L Paul, Paul Ishiguchi, Catherine A D'Este, Jonathan E Shaw, Rob W Sanson-Fisher, Kristy Forshaw, Alessandra Bisquera, Jennifer Robinson, Claudia Koller and Sandra J Eades
Med J Aust 2017; 207 (5): . || doi: 10.5694/mja16.00769
Published online: 4 September 2017

Abstract

Objectives: To determine the proportion of Aboriginal Controlled Community Health Service (ACCHS) patients tested according to three national diabetes testing guidelines; to investigate whether specific patient characteristics were associated with being tested.

Design, setting and participants: Cross-sectional study of 20 978 adult Indigenous Australians not diagnosed with diabetes attending 18 ACCHSs across Australia. De-identified electronic whole service data for July 2010 – June 2013 were analysed.

Main outcomes measures: Proportions of patients appropriately screened for diabetes according to three national guidelines for Indigenous Australians: National Health and Medical Research Council (at least once every 3 years for those aged 35 years or more); Royal Australian College of General Practitioners and Diabetes Australia (at least once every 3 years for those aged 18 years or more); National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (annual testing of those aged 18 years or more at high risk of diabetes).

Results: 74% (95% CI, 74–75%) of Indigenous adults and 77% (95% CI, 76–78%) of 10 760 patients aged 35 or more had been tested for diabetes at least once in the past 3 years. The proportions of patients tested varied between services (range: all adults, 16–90%; people aged 35 years or more, 23–92%). 18% (95% CI, 18–19%) of patients aged 18 or more were tested for diabetes annually (range, 0.1–43%). Patients were less likely to be tested if they were under 50 years of age, were transient rather than current patients of the ACCHS, or attended the service less frequently.

Conclusions: Some services achieved high rates of 3-yearly testing of Indigenous Australians for diabetes, but recommended rates of annual testing were rarely attained. ACCHSs may need assistance to achieve desirable levels of testing.

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  • 1 University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW
  • 2 Priority Research Centre for Health Behaviour, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW
  • 3 Hunter Medical Research Institute, Newcastle, NSW
  • 4 Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, VIC
  • 5 National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT


Correspondence: chris.paul@newcastle.edu.au

Acknowledgements: 

The authors gratefully acknowledge the generous support of the staff and patients from the following Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (in alphabetical order): Anyinginyi Health Aboriginal Corporation, Bega Garnbirringu Aboriginal Health Service, Danila Dilba Biluru Butji Binnilutum Health Service, Derbarl Yerrigan Health Service, Dhauwurd-Wurrung Elderly and Community Health Service, Kirrae Aboriginal Health Service, Mawarnkarra Health Service, Mildura Aboriginal Corporation, Mitwatj Health Aboriginal Corporation, Pika Wiya Health Service, Riverina Medical and Dental Aboriginal Corporation, South West Aboriginal Medical Service, Sunrise Health Service Aboriginal Corporation, Umoona Tjutagku Health Service, Winnunga Nimmityajah Aboriginal Health Service, Ampilatwatja Health Centre Aboriginal Corporation, Pius X Aboriginal Corporation, and Victorian Aboriginal Health Service.

Competing interests:

No relevant disclosures.

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