Annals of surgery
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Meta Analysis
Biomarkers for the Early Diagnosis of Sepsis in Burns: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of all biomarkers studied to date for the early diagnosis of sepsis in hospitalized patients with burns. ⋯ The most widely studied biomarkers are poorly predictive for sepsis in burns patients. Brain natriuretic peptide, stroke volume index, TNF-alpha, and cell-free DNA showed promise in single studies and should be further evaluated. A standardized approach to the evaluation of diagnostic markers (including time of sampling, cut-offs, and outcomes) would be useful.
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Review
Assessing Operative Skill in the Competency-Based Education Era: Lessons from the UK and Ireland.
Decisions regarding the operative competence of surgical residents in the United Kingdom and Ireland are informed by operative workplace-based assessments (WBAs) and operative number targets for index procedures. This review seeks to outline the validity evidence of these assessment methods. ⋯ Operative WBAs are reliable. Scores achieved correlate with both time spent in training and recorded operative experience. Trainers and residents have concerns regarding the subjectivity of these assessments and the opportunistic nature in which they are used. Operative number targets are not criterion-referenced, lack validity evidence, and may be set too low to ensure operative competence.