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The effect of internal limiting membrane peeling on the inner retinal layers in patients without macular pathology

Retina. 2024 Jan 8. doi: 10.1097/IAE.0000000000004042. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: To examine the effect of internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling on the inner retinal layers in patients without macular pathology.

METHODS: A prospective nonrandomized trial of patients undergoing pars plana vitrectomy with ILM peeling for pathology outside of the macula was performed. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) including macular ganglion cell layer (GCL), inner plexiform layer (IPL) and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer imaging was performed prior to surgery, 1,3 and 6 months post-operatively and at the end of follow up (ranges between 4-17 months). Patients with any macular pathology on OCT prior to surgery were excluded. The main outcome measure was change in thickness of the GCL and IPL.

RESULTS: Ten patients who underwent pars plana vitrectomy with ILM peeling for macula-on retinal detachment were included in the analysis. The mean age was 55 years and the mean follow up was 10.8 months. All patients completed at least 2 post-operative follow up visits that included an OCT as per the protocol (range 2-6 months). There was an immediate reduction in the global (G), infero-temporal (IT), supero-temporal (ST) and superior (S) GCL thickness at the first follow up as compared to the pre-operative state (P=0.028, P=0.027, P=0.026 and P=0.027 respectively). From the first follow up visit onward until the final follow up the thinning persisted, though there was no further statistically significant thinning.

CONCLUSION: Peeling of the ILM causes significant GCL thinning in maculae without pathology prior to surgery. At up to 17 months of follow up, this effect seems to be immediate and non-progressive.

PMID:38194675 | DOI:10.1097/IAE.0000000000004042

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Mental Health Effects on the Minimal Clinically Important Difference in Total Joint Arthroplasty

J Am Acad Orthop Surg. 2024 Jan 9. doi: 10.5435/JAAOS-D-23-00538. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: The effect of mental health on patient-reported outcome measures is not fully understood in total joint arthroplasty (TJA). Thus, we investigated the relationship between mental health diagnoses (MHDs) and the Minimal Clinically Important Difference for Improvement (MCID-I) and Worsening (MCID-W) in primary TJA and revision TJA (rTJA).

METHODS: Retrospective data were collected using relevant Current Procedural Terminology and MHDs International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, codes with completed Hip Disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score-Physical Function Short Form, Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score-Physical Function Short Form, Patient-reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS)-Physical Function Short Form 10a, PROMIS Global-Mental, or PROMIS Global-Physical questionnaires. Logistic regressions and statistical analyses were used to determine the effect of a MHD on MCID-I/MCID-W rates.

RESULTS: Data included 4,562 patients (4,190 primary TJAs/372 rTJAs). In primary total hip arthroplasty (pTHA), MHD-affected outcomes for Hip Disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score-Physical Function Short Form (MCID-I: 81% versus 86%, P = 0.007; MCID-W: 6.0% versus 3.2%, P = 0.008), Physical Function Short Form 10a (MCID-I: 68% versus 77%, P < 0.001), PROMIS Global-Mental (MCID-I: 38% versus 44%, P = 0.009), and PROMIS Global-Physical (MCID-I: 61% versus 73%, P < 0.001; MCID-W: 14% versus 7.9%, P < 0.001) versus pTHA patients without MHD. A MHD led to lower rates of MCID-I for PROMIS Global-Physical (MCID-I: 56% versus 63%, P = 0.003) in primary total knee arthroplasty patients. No effects from a MHD were observed in rTJA patients.

DISCUSSION: The presence of a MHD had a prominent negative influence on pTHA patients. Patients who underwent rTJA had lower MCID-I rates, higher MCID-W rates, and lower patient-reported outcome measure scores despite less influence from a MHD.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, retrospective comparative study.

PMID:38194673 | DOI:10.5435/JAAOS-D-23-00538

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The role of Intravitreal Methotrexate as an Adjunct to Local or Systemic Corticosteroids in Vitrectomy for Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment and Choroidal Detachment: A Pilot Study

Retina. 2024 Jan 8. doi: 10.1097/IAE.0000000000004046. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To evaluate the role of repeated intravitreal Methotrexate (IMTX) as an adjunct to pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) in the management of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment with choroidal detachment (RRDCD).

METHOD: We compared anatomical and visual outcomes of RRDCD eyes that underwent PPV with (group B) or without repeated IMTX (group A).

RESULTS: The study included 25 eyes of 25 patients, 16 eyes in group A and nine in Group B. Both groups had similar baseline characteristics. In Group A, successful retinal attachment was achieved in 50% as compared to 89% in Group B, however the difference was not statistically significant (p=0.08). Also, Group B had a significantly greater change in visual acuity from baseline to the last follow-up visit (1.6+1.5 logMAR units) compared to Group A (1.18+1logMAR units) (p=0.05). There were no significant safety concerns with the use of IMTX.

CONCLUSION: Repeated IMTX after vitrectomy for RRDCD improves outcomes without posing major safety concerns. Nonetheless, further investigation is necessary to establish the optimal IMTX dosage and duration to prevent recurrence effectively.

PMID:38194672 | DOI:10.1097/IAE.0000000000004046

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Are We Moving in the Right Direction? Demographic and Outcome Trends in Same-day Total Hip Arthroplasty From 2015 to 2020

J Am Acad Orthop Surg. 2024 Jan 9. doi: 10.5435/JAAOS-D-23-00762. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Understanding the trends among patients undergoing same-day discharge (SDD) total hip arthroplasty (THA) is imperative to highlight the progression of outpatient surgery and the criteria used for enrollment. The purpose of this study was to identify trends in demographic characteristics and outcomes among patients who participated in an academic hospital SDD THA program over 6 years.

METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed all patients who enrolled in our institution’s SDD THA program from January 2015 to October 2020. Patient demographics, failure-to-launch rate, as well as readmission and revision rates were evaluated. Trends for continuous variables were analyzed using analysis of variance, and categorical variables were analyzed using chi-square tests.

RESULTS: In total, 1,334 patients participated in our SDD THA program between 2015 and 2020. Age (54.82 to 57.94 years; P < 0.001) and mean Charlson Comorbidity Index (2.15 to 2.90; P < 0.001) significantly differed over the 6-year period. More African Americans (4.3 to 12.3%; P = 0.003) and American Society of Anesthesiology class III (3.2% to 5.8%; P < 0.001) patients enrolled in the program over time. Sex (P = 0.069), BMI (P = 0.081), marital status (P = 0.069), and smoking status (P = 0.186) did not statistically differ. Although the failure-to-launch rate (0.0% to 12.0%; P < 0.001) increased over time, the 90-day readmissions (P = 0.204) and 90-day revisions (P = 0.110) did not statistically differ.

CONCLUSION: More African Americans, older aged individuals, and patients with higher preexisting comorbidity burden enrolled in the program over this period. Our findings are a reflection of a more inclusive selection criterion for participation in the SDD THA program. These results highlight the potential increase in the number of patients and surgeons interested in SDD THA, which is paramount in the current incentivized and value-based healthcare environment.

LEVEL EVIDENCE: III, Retrospective Review.

PMID:38194641 | DOI:10.5435/JAAOS-D-23-00762

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Electrographic Seizure Characteristics and Electrographic Status Epilepticus Prediction

J Clin Neurophysiol. 2024 Jan 9. doi: 10.1097/WNP.0000000000001068. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: We aimed to characterize electrographic seizures (ES) and electrographic status epilepticus (ESE) and determine whether a model predicting ESE exclusively could effectively guide continuous EEG monitoring (CEEG) utilization in critically ill children.

METHODS: This was a prospective observational study of consecutive critically ill children with encephalopathy who underwent CEEG. We used descriptive statistics to characterize ES and ESE, and we developed a model for ESE prediction.

RESULTS: ES occurred in 25% of 1,399 subjects. Among subjects with ES, 23% had ESE, including 37% with continuous seizures lasting >30 minutes and 63% with recurrent seizures totaling 30 minutes within a 1-hour epoch. The median onset of ES and ESE occurred 1.8 and 0.18 hours after CEEG initiation, respectively. The optimal model for ESE prediction yielded an area under the receiver operating characteristic curves of 0.81. A cutoff selected to emphasize sensitivity (91%) yielded specificity of 56%. Given the 6% ESE incidence, positive predictive value was 11% and negative predictive value was 99%. If the model were applied to our cohort, then 53% of patients would not undergo CEEG and 8% of patients experiencing ESE would not be identified.

CONCLUSIONS: ESE was common, but most patients with ESE had recurrent brief seizures rather than long individual seizures. A model predicting ESE might only slightly improve CEEG utilization over models aiming to identify patients at risk for ES but would fail to identify some patients with ESE. Models identifying ES might be more advantageous for preventing ES from evolving into ESE.

PMID:38194638 | DOI:10.1097/WNP.0000000000001068

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Impact of Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Final Rule on Organ Procurement Organization Metrics and Procedural Trends in the Procurement of Pancreata for Research

Pancreas. 2024 Jan 4. doi: 10.1097/MPA.0000000000002284. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Pancreata recovered for research are included as a success (or positive) in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) donation and organ transplantation rate metrics for recertification of organ procurement organizations (OPOs).

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Given these metrics directly incentivize recovery of pancreata for research, this study tracks trends in recovery of pancreata for research across the implementation of the CMS metrics.

RESULTS: In the 26 months before the December 2, 2020, publication of the CMS metrics, research pancreata as a percent of organs transplanted, including research pancreata, was 1.7% nationally, including as much as 10.8% of organs transplanted within any OPO. In the 26 months after the CMS metrics were published, research pancreata increased to 5.1% of organs counted as transplants nationally, including as much as 20.3% within any OPO. If research pancreata were excluded from the CMS metrics, 6 OPOs would change their CMS evaluation status for recertification purposes: 2 would move up a tier and 4 would move down a tier.

CONCLUSIONS: Procurement of research pancreata has increased since the publication of the CMS performance metrics, OPOs vary in their recovery of pancreata for research, and recovery of pancreata for research can affect recertification of OPOs.

PMID:38194634 | DOI:10.1097/MPA.0000000000002284

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Adjuvant Abemaciclib Plus Endocrine Therapy for Hormone Receptor-Positive, Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2-Negative, High-Risk Early Breast Cancer: Results From a Preplanned monarchE Overall Survival Interim Analysis, Including 5-Year Efficacy Outcomes

J Clin Oncol. 2024 Jan 9:JCO2301994. doi: 10.1200/JCO.23.01994. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Clinical trials frequently include multiple end points that mature at different times. The initial report, typically based on the primary end point, may be published when key planned co-primary or secondary analyses are not yet available. Clinical trial updates provide an opportunity to disseminate additional results from studies, published in JCO or elsewhere, for which the primary end point has already been reported.Two years of adjuvant abemaciclib combined with endocrine therapy (ET) resulted in a significant improvement in invasive disease-free survival (IDFS) and distant relapse-free survival (DRFS) that persisted beyond the 2-year treatment period in patients with hormone receptor-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative, node-positive, high-risk early breast cancer (EBC). Here, we report 5-year efficacy results from a prespecified overall survival (OS) interim analysis. In the intent-to-treat population, with a median follow-up of 54 months, the benefit of abemaciclib was sustained with hazard ratios of 0.680 (95% CI, 0.599 to 0.772) for IDFS and 0.675 (95% CI, 0.588 to 0.774) for DRFS. This persistence of abemaciclib benefit translated to continuous separation of the curves with a deepening in 5-year absolute improvement in IDFS and DRFS rates of 7.6% and 6.7%, respectively, compared with rates of 6% and 5.3% at 4 years and 4.8% and 4.1% at 3 years. With fewer deaths in the abemaciclib plus ET arm compared with the ET-alone arm (208 v 234), statistical significance was not reached for OS. No new safety signals were observed. In conclusion, abemaciclib plus ET continued to reduce the risk of developing invasive and distant disease recurrence beyond the completion of treatment. The increasing absolute improvement at 5 years is consistent with a carryover effect and further supports the use of abemaciclib in patients with high-risk EBC.

PMID:38194616 | DOI:10.1200/JCO.23.01994

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The efficacy of purified pollen extract for reducing vasomotor symptoms in women: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Menopause. 2024 Jan 9. doi: 10.1097/GME.0000000000002301. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

IMPORTANCE: Menopause impacts the quality of life for women, with symptoms varying from hot flashes to night disturbances. When menopausal hormonal therapy is contraindicated or women refuse menopausal hormonal therapy, many consider alternatives such as pollen extract for treating vasomotor symptoms.

OBJECTIVE: This meta-analysis focuses on the impact of using purified pollen extract as a treatment option to reduce vasomotor symptoms in women, specifically focusing on symptoms such as hot flashes, night disturbances, myalgias, and depression.

EVIDENCE REVIEW: A comprehensive literature search was conducted using the following Boolean search string “women OR females” AND “purified pollen OR pollen extract OR cytoplasmic pollen OR Bonafide OR Femal OR Estroven OR Serelys” AND “menopausal symptoms OR vasomotor symptoms OR hot flashes OR night sweats OR sleep disturbance.” Publications in English from 2003 to the present were included. To assess the risk of bias, authors used the Cochrane Risk-of-Bias 2 for a randomized controlled trial and Risk-of-Bias in Non-Randomized Studies of Interventions (ROBINS-I) for observational studies. Using ReviewManager, a Der Simonian-Laird random-effects model meta-analysis was conducted to determine the standardized mean differences (SMDs) in the outcomes for each study.

FINDINGS: Five articles were retained: one randomized controlled trial and four observational studies (N = 420). An overall decrease in scores from the baseline of studies compared with a 3-month follow-up after purified cytoplasm of pollen (PCP) treatment was recognized when compiling the data. Overall, there was significant improvement across all outcomes at 3 months: hot flashes demonstrated an overall improvement in SMD of -1.66 (P < 0.00001), night disturbance scores were improved with an SMD of -1.10 (P < 0.0001), depression scores were improved with an SMD of -1.31 (P < 0.0001), and myalgia had an improvement in SMD of -0.40 (P < 0.00001). When controlled studies were pooled for meta-analysis, outcomes, however, were no longer statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Evaluating the risk-to-benefit ratio of alternative therapies, such as PCP extract, is important to care for women who cannot take traditional vasomotor symptom therapies. Pooled data from controlled studies evaluating PCP extract suggest that vasomotor symptom improvements seen in noncontrolled studies may have been due to the placebo effect; however, its use was not associated with significant adverse effects.

PMID:38194609 | DOI:10.1097/GME.0000000000002301

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Poor oral health and the risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in Malawi

Int J Cancer. 2024 Jan 9. doi: 10.1002/ijc.34829. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is the second most common cancer in Malawi. Risk factors for this cancer in Malawi are poorly understood. Poor oral health has previously been linked to increased ESCC risk in other high-incidence regions, including parts of Eastern and Southern Africa. We assessed the relationship between oral health and ESCC risk in a sex, age and location frequency-matched case-control study based at two hospitals in Lilongwe, Malawi from 2017 to 2020. Trained interviewers used a structured questionnaire and direct observation to collect data on demographics; behaviors; oral hygiene habits; the sum of decayed, missing or filled teeth (DMFT score); oral mucosa status; lip depigmentation and dental fluorosis via a visual scale. Logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI), adjusted for known and suspected ESCC risk factors. During the study period, 300 cases and 300 controls were enrolled. Subjects in the highest tertile of DMFT score (≥7) had an increased risk of ESCC with an adjusted OR of 1.96 (95% CI: 1.16-3.36) compared to those with a DMFT score of 0. Severe dental fluorosis was associated with a statistically nonsignificant increased risk of ESCC (adjusted OR = 2.24, 95% CI: 0.97-5.49) compared to individuals with no fluorosis. Associations with oral mucosa status, lip depigmentation and toothbrushing method and frequency were mostly null or uncertain. Poor oral health, indicated by a higher DMFT score, was associated with increased ESCC risk in Malawi. Dental fluorosis is another possible risk factor in this population, but further evaluation is necessary to clarify any effects of fluorosis on ESCC risk.

PMID:38194606 | DOI:10.1002/ijc.34829

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Gender Trends in Authorship in 6 Major Orthopaedic Journals

J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2024 Jan 9. doi: 10.2106/JBJS.23.00995. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Historically, orthopaedic surgery has had low female representation, with <6% of practicing surgeons identifying as female. Although prior literature has illustrated gender disparities in first and last authorship as well as changes in gender representation over time, less attention has been paid to middle authorship. We hypothesized that trends in female authorship would reflect increasing female participation in orthopaedic surgery and orthopaedic subspecialties coinciding with an overall increase in female authorship.

METHODS: Bibliometric information from articles published between 2011 and 2021 in 6 orthopaedic journals was extracted with use of the Web of Science. Collected data included author order, author names, affiliation, and corresponding author address. A gender was assigned with the use of Genderize.io, which is validated software, on the basis of author first name. Statistical analysis was performed with use of an analysis of variance for each journal, and linear regression was performed to determine trends, controlling for year.

RESULTS: Among all included orthopaedic journals, female middle authorship increased by 5 percentage points, female first authorship increased by 4 percentage points, and female last authorship increased by 1 percentage point. Over the study period, the highest rate of female middle authorship (28%) was seen in the Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics, whereas the lowest rate (16%) was seen in The Journal of Arthroplasty. We found that the 5 highest-producing female last authors were, on average, cited significantly less per publication than their male counterparts in all but 2 journals.

CONCLUSIONS: Gender gaps exist within orthopaedic surgery as well as within its body of literature. Although this study highlights areas of growth, it also promotes further inquiry into research productivity and the availability of opportunity within orthopaedic surgery as a whole. The increase in female middle authorship overall and in each journal demonstrates momentum for future growth for women in the field of orthopaedic surgery.

PMID:38194590 | DOI:10.2106/JBJS.23.00995