Episode 47 - Hearing Lung Carotid - a podcast by Rio Bravo Family Medicine Residency Program

Episode 47: Hearing Carotid Lung.  

Dr Civelli explains the updates on screening for lung cancer, hearing loss and carotid artery stenosis; Kafiya explains the use of bupropion and naltrexone in methamphetamine abuse, question of the month pneumonia.

Introduction: Methamphetamine use
By Kafiya Arte, MS4, and Ariana Lundquist, MD.

Today is April 12, 2021.

Bakersfield, California, has a methamphetamine (meth) epidemic currently ravaging this area. We as health care workers believe we can spot somebody addicted to meth from a mile away by their characteristic “older-than-stated-age” appearance and obvious “meth mouth”. However, the actual scope of the epidemic is much larger. It’s not just people who are experiencing homelessness that are addicted to, and dying from, meth.  I saw while volunteering at a needle exchange at Weill Park, people getting out of nice-looking cars wearing clean, pressed clothes with sharps containers full of used needles ready to exchange. One man even had a teacup poodle in tow. It’s clear that meth can affect anybody.  

Between May 10 and June 10, 2014, 31.8% of randomly selected patients in the ED of Kern Medical admitted to having used methamphetamine at least once in their life. It’s not just the individual who addicted to meth who is affected. 36.1% of children removed from their home by child protective services in Kern County during the month of May 2014 were cases that involved methamphetamine[1]. 

Meth accounted for nearly 75% of all drugs seized by the Bakersfield Police Department[2]. Statewide, meth kills more Californians than any single opioid alone[3]. Amphetamine overdose deaths have increased 212% from 777 in 2012 to 2,427 in 2018 in California. In 2020, Kern County had more than double the rate of deaths related to overdose of psychostimulants, of which meth was the dominant drug, compared to the state of California (20.48/100k residents versus 8.21/100k residents, respectively)[3]. This devastating problem, unfortunately, does not have a currently FDA-approved drug to treat it. 

A promising study called Accelerated Development of Additive Treatment for Methamphetamine Disorder (ADAPT-2), assessed the efficacy of combined bupropion and naltrexone for the treatment of meth use disorder. Bupropion decreases the dysphoria of meth withdrawal that drives continued use; while naltrexone decreases cravings, therefore preventing relapse, as it does with alcohol use disorder.  

A total of 403 participants with nearly daily meth use were included in the two-stage randomized, double blind trial conducted at 8 different sites from May 23, 2017 to July 25, 2019. The efficacy of extended-release injectable naltrexone (380 mg every 3 weeks) combined with once-daily oral extended-release bupropion (450 mg) was evaluated, as compared to placebo.  

The results of the study showed a 13.6% response rate in the naltrexone-bupropion group and only 2.5% response with placebo. A response was defined as at least three meth negative urine samples out of four samples obtained at the end of each of the two stages.  

The trial concluded that although the response rate among participants that received naltrexone and bupropion was low, it was higher than that among participants who received placebo. Although the ADAPT-2 trial did not provide any recommendations that can be adapted to clinical practice, it serves as a starting point for further research of the additive or synergistic effects of bupropion and naltrexone in the treatment of meth use disorder.  

Hopefully, it will also serve as a catalyst for more pioneering research regarding the legitimization of meth use disorder as a treatable disease with major medical, psychiatric, socioeconomic and legal consequences. Clinicians should stay up to date with research regarding meth use disorder such as ADAPT-2, as it is our duty to understand the health crises that affect our patients on a daily basis, and the tools we can use to treat them.

This is Rio Bravo qWeek, your weekly dose of knowledge brought to you by the Rio Bravo Family Medicine Residency Program from Bakersfield, California. Our program is affiliated with UCLA, and it’s sponsored by Clinica Sierra Vista, Let Us Be Your Healthcare Home. 

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Question of the Month
Written by Hector Arreaza, MD, read by Jennifer Thoene, MD

This is a 69-yo male patient, who has history of controlled hypertension. He comes to an urgent care clinic for acute onset of fever (102 F), cough, and shortness of breath which has progressively worsened over the last 3 days. He does NOT smoke, but uses recreational marijuana once a month, and drinks 1-2 beers a week. He goes to the doctor once a year for check-ups. He takes benazepril 10 mg daily for his hypertension. He does not believe in vaccines and his last shot was a tetanus shot 5 years ago. No surgical history. He retired as an accountant 5 years ago. Vital signs are normal except for tachycardia of 110 (his baseline is 85) and temperature of 101.5 F (38.6 C). He has bibasilar crackles on auscultation. You perform labs in clinic and he has a white count of 13.5, and a chest x-ray shows a right lower lobe consolidation. He has a negative rapid COVID-19 test. 

What are your top 3 differential diagnoses and what is the acute management of this patient’s condition?

Let’s repeat the question: What are your top 3 differential diagnoses and what is the acute management of a 69-year-old male, non-smoker, who has fever, cough, shortness of breath, tachycardia, bibasilar crackles, elevated WBCs, a right lower lobe consolidation, and a negative rapid COVID-19 test?

Send us your answer before May 7, 2021, to rbresidency@clinicasierravista.org and the best answer will win a prize!

 

 

 

 

 

Hearing Carotid Lung

By Valerie Civelli, MD, and Ariana Lundquist, MD

Screening for hearing loss in older adults

Hearing loss definition: To answer this, let’s first talk Hertz and Decibels. Many studies and guidelines define mild hearing loss as the inability to hear frequencies associated with speech processing under 25 dB and moderate hearing loss as the inability to hear those frequencies under 40 dB[5].  The most important range for speech processing is typically 500 to 4000 Hz. To check hearing, we often use pure-tone audiometry, which is the most standard quantitative measurement; however, this is not a perfect test. There is often discordance between objectively measured deficits and subjective perceptions of hearing problems. In one study, 1 in 5 persons who reported hearing loss had a normal hearing test result, while 6% of those with severe hearing loss detected on audiometry did not report feeling that they had hearing loss.[6]  

I wonder if their significant other would agree with the 6% who self-reported no hearing loss but failed the hearing test?  That would be a great study! 

Risk factors for hearing loss: The #1 risk factor for hearing loss is increasing age. Hearing loss increases with age after 50 attributable to normal degeneration of hair cells in the ear.  This leads to the most common cause of hearing loss in older adults: Presbycusis.  Presbycusis is your diagnosis for patients with gradual, worsening of perceived high-frequency tones. 

Insufficient evidence for screening: If the patient reports hearing loss, you should order a hearing test. However, on March 23, 2021, for asymptomatic adults 50 years or older, the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) published a statement that re-confirmed the 2012 recommendations. That is, current evidence is insufficient to assess the balance of benefits and harms of screening for hearing loss in older adults without symptoms. This statement aligns with the AAFP and is referenced in their practice guidelines. 

This recommendation applies to asymptomatic older adults (age >50 years) who have not noticed any issues with their hearing. It excludes adults with conductive hearing loss, congenital hearing loss, sudden hearing loss, or hearing loss caused by recent noise exposure, or those reporting signs and symptoms of hearing loss.

Screening for Carotid Artery Stenosis

Do not screen: For the general adult population without symptoms of carotid artery stenosis, do not screen. This is a Grade D recommendation for all adults without a history of stroke or neurologic signs or symptoms of a transient ischemic attack. 

This is a re-endorsement statement made in Feb of this year, 2021, recommitting to 2014 statements.  The evidence continues to show that the harms of screening for asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis outweigh the benefits. 

The USPSTF has made other recommendations related to stroke prevention and cardiovascular health. These include: 

Screening for high blood pressure in adults

Screening for abdominal aortic aneurysm

Interventions for tobacco smoking cessation in adults, including pregnant persons

Interventions to promote a healthy diet and physical activity for the prevention of cardiovascular disease:

In adults with cardiovascular risk factors

In adults without known cardiovascular risk factors

Aspirin use to prevent cardiovascular disease and colorectal cancer

Statin use for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease in adults

Lung Cancer Screening

 

Grade B recommendation: On March 9, 2021, there are updated Grade B recommendations by the USPSTF.  For patients 50-80 years old, with a 20 pack-year history of smoking and still smoke or quit within 15 years, annual screening with low dose CT is now recommended.

Stop screening when a person has not smoked for 15 year, or has a condition that substantially limits life expectancy or limits their ability to undergo curative lung surgery

The USPSTF modified guidelines so we are screening earlier and with lower pack years.  It used to be recommended to do low dose Chest CT at age 55-80, but it’s now at 50-80.  Also, pack-years was 30 but it’s now at 20 pack-years that we should screen for lung cancer.  So, screen sooner at 50, and at lower threshold of 20. Screen for lung cancer in male and female patients.

Conclusion: Now we conclude our episode number 47 “Hearing Carotid Lung”. Dr Civelli gave us an update on USPSTF screening in asymptomatic adults. For hearing loss, there is insufficient evidence to give a recommendation. For carotid artery stenosis, there is a grade D, meaning do not screen. And for lung cancer screening, it is a grade B recommendations, meaning screen your patients. Don’t forget to order a low dose CT of chest in patients of ANY sex, OLDER than 50 years, WITH a 20 pack/year smoking history, and currently smoking or quit less than 15 years ago. That’s a mouthful, but once you start following the guideline, it gets easier to recall.

Remember, even without trying, every night you go to bed being a little wiser. Thanks for listening to Rio Bravo qWeek. If you have any feedback about this podcast, contact us by email RBresidency@clinicasierravista.org, or visit our website riobravofmrp.org/qweek. This podcast was created with educational purposes only. Visit your primary care physician for additional medical advice. This week we thank Hector Arreaza, Jennifer Thoene, Valerie Civelli, Kafiya Arte, Arianna Lundquist, Jacqueline Uy, and voluntarily unidentified medical assistants. Audio edition: Suraj Amrutia. See you next week! 

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References:

The Impact of Methamphetamine in Kern County: 2014, Update September 2014, Kern County Mental Health Department, https://transforminglocalcommunities.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/tlc-the-impact-of-meth-in-kern-county-2014-update.pdf

 

Klein, Kerry, To Bakersfield Cops, Concern For Opioids Grows - But Meth Is Still King. Valley Public Radio News, NPR for Central California. May 1, 2019, https://www.kvpr.org/post/bakersfield-cops-concern-opioids-grows-meth-still-king#stream/0

 

California Opioid Overdose Surveillance Dashboard, California Department of Public Heallh, https://skylab.cdph.ca.gov/ODdash/, accessed on March 27, 2021.

 

Klein, Kerry, Meth Is Making A Comeback In California – And It’s Hitting The San Joaquin Valley Hard. Valley Public Radio News, NPR for Central California. June 28, 2019, https://www.kvpr.org/post/meth-making-comeback-california-and-it-s-hitting-san-joaquin-valley-hard#stream/0

 

Feltner C, Wallace IF, Kistler CE, et al. Screening for Hearing Loss in Older Adults: An Evidence Review for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force [Internet]. Rockville (MD): Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (US); 2021 Mar. (Evidence Synthesis, No. 200.) Chapter 1, Introduction. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK569275/  

 

US Preventive Services Task Force. Screening for Hearing Loss in Older Adults: US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement. JAMA. 2021;325(12):1196–1201. doi:10.1001/jama.2021.2566. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2777723.   

 

Screening for Hearing Loss in Older Adults, March 23, 2021, US Preventive Services Task Force, https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation/hearing-loss-in-older-adults-screening#fullrecommendationstart

 

Screening for Asymptomatic Carotid Artery Stenosis, February 02, 2021, US Preventive Services Task Force, https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation/carotid-artery-stenosis-screening.

 

Lung Cancer: Screening, March 09, 2021, US Preventive Services Task Force, https://uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation/lung-cancer-screening. 

 

 

 

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