Category: Nevin Manimala

Eur J Cancer Prev. 2021 Jul 8. doi: 10.1097/CEJ.0000000000000702. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

We estimated cancer mortality statistics for the current year in seven major Latin American countries, with a focus on colorectal cancer. We retrieved official death certification data and population figures from the World Health Organization and the Pan American Health Organization databases. We analysed mortality from all neoplasms combined and for selected cancer sites. We estimated numbers of deaths and age-standardized mortality rates for the year 2021 using a logarithmic Poisson count data joinpoint model. Total cancer mortality is predicted to decline in all countries considered for both sexes, with the exception of Argentinian women. The lowest total mortality rates were predicted in Mexico (65.4/100 000 men and 62.3 in women), the highest ones were in Cuba (133.3/100 000 men and 91.0 in women). Stomach cancer rates have been decreasing since 1970 in all countries; colorectal cancer started to decline over recent calendar periods. Rates for this cancer were unfavourable in the youngest age group. Lung cancer trends declined in males and remained comparatively low in all countries except Cuba. In Cuba, lung cancer rates in women overtook those for breast. Mortality from cancers of the breast, (cervix) uterus, ovary, prostate and bladder, as well as leukemia mostly showed favourable trends. A marked variability in rates across Latin American countries persists, and rates were relatively high for stomach, uterus, prostate and lung cancers, as compared to Europe and North America, suggesting the need to improve preventive strategies. Colorectal cancer mortality was relatively low in Latin America, except in Argentina, and short-term predictions remain moderately favourable.

PMID:34267112 | DOI:10.1097/CEJ.0000000000000702

Retina. 2021 Jul 10. doi: 10.1097/IAE.0000000000003260. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The aim of the study is to compare the efficacy, safety and globe akinesia between retrobulbar anesthesia, Sub-Tenon’s anesthesia and medial canthus episcleral anesthesia for 25-Gauge posterior vitrectomy.

METHODS: A total of 340 25-Gauge vitrectomy data sheets were retrospectively collected between November 2017 and June 2019. Ninety patients were included in the study. These patients were matched by sex and age to receive retrobulbar anesthesia (Group 1, n=30), Sub-Tenon’s anesthesia (Group 2, n=30) and medial canthus episcleral anesthesia (Group 3, n=30). Globe akinesia was recorded after the injection of anesthetic at 2, 5 and 10 minute time intervals. Patients were asked to rate the pain during administration of anesthesia, during surgery, and postoperatively using the visual analogue pain scale.

RESULTS: In terms of a perfect block, at 10 minutes retrobulbar outperformed both Sub-Tenon’s and medial cantus episcleral anesthesia which appeared quite similar. During administration, the three techniques did not show statistically different effects on pain. Regarding perioperative pain, retrobulbar outperformed medial cantus episcleral anesthesia.

CONCLUSIONS: All three techniques allowed for safe surgery. Retrobulbar obtained the best results, even though Sub-Tenon’s proved to be a valid alternative. Medial cantus episcleral anesthesia obtained mostly good and fair blocks and acceptable pain levels during surgery. Further studies should investigate whether optimal anesthetic efficacy can obtained with Sub-Tenon’s and medial cantus episcleral techniques when higher volumes are used.

PMID:34267116 | DOI:10.1097/IAE.0000000000003260

Eur J Cancer Prev. 2021 Jul 8. doi: 10.1097/CEJ.0000000000000704. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Cervical cancer is a common malignant tumor of the female reproductive system in the world, which is a serious threat to women’s life and health. According to the latest report, the incidence of cervical cancer is 11.42 per 100 000, and the mortality rate is 3.77 per 100 000 in Yunnan Province, which is still higher than the national average. Although there have been some relevant studies on the risk factors of cervical cancer in recent years, research on ethnic minorities is lacking in Yunnan Province.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze and explore the related risk factors of cervical cancer in women of ethnic minorities in Yunnan Province, to provide the scientific basis for the development of cervical cancer prevention and control strategies and measures in this region.

METHODS: In total 1119 cervical cancer patients diagnosed by histopathology at the Yunnan Cancer Center (Yunnan Cancer Hospital) from January 2010 to December 2019 were selected as the case group. According to the 1:1 matching principle of the case-control study, 1119 patients with nonmalignant tumors of the same nationality, the same hospital, age difference less than 3 years old, were selected as the control group. Univariate and multivariate conditional logistic regression were used for statistical analysis.

RESULTS: Basic medical insurance for rural residents (OR = 3.659; P = 0.003), human papilloma virus (HPV) infection (OR = 90.030; P < 0.001) and concurrent reproductive tract infections (OR = 1.992; P = 0.047) were risk factors for cervical cancer. Late first marriage(OR = 0.881; P = 0.032), the number of normal childbirths ≤2 (OR = 0.480, P = 0.033) and contraception (OR = 0.291; P = 0.002) were positive factors for cervical cancer.

CONCLUSION: The high incidence of cervical cancer in Yunnan minority women is the result of many factors: HPV infection is the highest risk factor for cervical cancer, women with reproductive tract infections and basic medical insurance for rural residents have a higher risk for cervical cancer; Late first marriage, the number of deliveries ≤2 and contraception are positive factors for cervical cancer.

PMID:34267110 | DOI:10.1097/CEJ.0000000000000704

Eur J Cancer Prev. 2021 Jul 8. doi: 10.1097/CEJ.0000000000000706. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: In Helicobacter pylori-driven gastric cancer, mucosal colonization induces chronic inflammation that may variably progress to cancer. Prospective studies of circulating inflammation-related proteins have suggested weak associations with gastric cancer risk. To assess potential utility as a screening tool in clinical settings, we examined circulating levels of a wide range of key inflammation molecules for associations with early-stage gastric cancer.

METHODS: We used pretreatment EDTA plasma from 239 individuals with early-stage noncardia gastric cancer (203 stage I and 36 stage II) and 256 age-frequency-matched H. pylori-seropositive cancer-free controls within the Hospital-based Epidemiologic Research Program at Aichi Cancer Center. Levels of 92 biomarkers were measured by proximity extension assays using Olink’s Proseek Immuno-oncology Panel. Odds ratios (ORs) for association with gastric cancer risk were calculated for quantiles (two to four categories) of each biomarker from unconditional logistic regression models, adjusted for age, sex, smoking and alcohol consumption. Two-sided P values <0.05 were considered as significant. The false discovery rate (FDR) was used to correct for multiple comparisons.

RESULTS: Of 83 evaluable biomarkers, lower levels of TNFRSF12A (per quartile OR, 0.82; nominal P-trend = 0.02) and ADGRG1 (per quartile OR, 0.84; nominal P-trend = 0.03) were associated with early-stage gastric cancer but were not statistically significant after FDR correction.

CONCLUSION: Our study did not identify any inflammation-related biomarkers that may be useful for early disease detection. To date, this is the first assessment of circulating inflammation-related proteins in early-stage gastric cancer. Given the complex inflammation processes preceding malignant transformation, further investigation of other biomarkers is warranted.

PMID:34267111 | DOI:10.1097/CEJ.0000000000000706

Blood Press Monit. 2021 Jul 15. doi: 10.1097/MBP.0000000000000563. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Many cardiovascular complications, including hypertension, are seen in pediatric liver transplantation. The purpose of this study was to analyze the frequency of arterial hypertension of pediatric liver transplant recipients and also to determine the related risk factors.

METHODS: Thirty-six pediatric liver transplant recipients aged 8-17 years were prospectively studied by manual and ambulatory blood pressure measurement (ABPM) technique.

RESULTS: The mean age of patients was 12.42 ± 2.74 years and the mean ABPM measurement time after transplantation was 2 years (3 months-5.9 years). Only one (2.7%) patient was detected as hypertensive by casual measurement, but 17 (47.2%) patients were found to be hypertensive when measured through ABPM. Of children that were found to be hypertensive as a result of ABPM, 64.7% were observed to have a nondipper pattern. Considering the time passed after the transplantation, patients were found to be more hypertensive in the first 2 years posttransplant although it was not found statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONS: In this study, it has been shown that it is possible to diagnose hypertension at an earlier period of transplantation using ABPM in pediatric liver transplant patients. ABPM is needed to detect masked hypertension that may develop following liver transplantation.

PMID:34267073 | DOI:10.1097/MBP.0000000000000563

Optom Vis Sci. 2021 Jul 13. doi: 10.1097/OPX.0000000000001736. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

SIGNIFICANCE: This report illustrates the potential uses of vision data in helping teams select players during the draft.

PURPOSE: Visual performance has gradually gained recognition in baseball as a tool that can optimize on-field performance. It also may be useful in player development programs that gradually move players toward the major league.

METHODS: Recently, over the past 5 years, vision data from six different major league teams were used by the authors to assess prospective players before the annual Major League Baseball (MLB) draft. One thousand three hundred forty-three vision forms were evaluated representing 759 different players. Their vision data were retrospectively analyzed using a novel grading method to advise teams on the visual readiness of prospects for success in MLB.

RESULTS: On a one (best)-to-six (worst) vision scale, the average vision score was 2.080 ± 1.171. Sixty-eight percent (320/473) of the players with good vision scores were drafted, 66% (185/281) of the players with moderate vision scores were drafted, and only 1 player with a poor vision score was drafted. There was a statistically significant difference in the amount of signing bonus received by draftees with better vision scores compared with those with lower vision scores (P < .003 to P < .001). Draftees with the highest vision scores also received the highest signing bonuses as they entered MLB.

CONCLUSIONS: For both potential draftees and teams, the vision score seems to be a valuable tool in selecting players for the MLB draft. Adding the pre-draft visual assessment score to a team’s projection model could help reduce the uncertainty surrounding the player draft and future service to the team.

PMID:34267081 | DOI:10.1097/OPX.0000000000001736

Otol Neurotol. 2021 Jul 9. doi: 10.1097/MAO.0000000000003291. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the potential significance of social distancing and quarantine precautions for COVID-19 on speech outcomes, missed appointments, wear time, and exposure to various sound environments in the first 6 months following activation for elderly cochlear implant (CI) recipients.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort.

SETTING: Tertiary private practice.

PATIENTS: Fifty cochlear implant recipients ≥65 years were evaluated. A Control Group consisted of 26 patients implanted between November 2, 2018 and February 18, 2019 while the Pandemic Group included 24 patients implanted between November 1, 2019 and February 17, 2020.

INTERVENTION: Rehabilitative.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Preoperative and 6-month postoperative AzBio sentence scores in quiet were compared between groups along with the number of missed appointments as well as datalogged information regarding average CI wear time and average hours in various sound environments such as quiet, speech, and speech-in-noise.

RESULTS: The Control Group averaged 36.5% improvement for AzBio in quiet scores while the Pandemic Group averaged only 17.2% improvement, a difference that was both statistically and clinically significant (p = 0.04; g = 0.64). Patients in the Pandemic Group were nearly twice as likely to miss CI programming appointments than the Control Group. The Pandemic Group wore their CI 1.2 less hours per day on average, and while the Pandemic Group spent similar times in quiet and speech environments to the Control Group, the Pandemic Group spent less time in speech with presence of background noise.

CONCLUSIONS: While social distancing and quarantine measures are crucial to limiting spread of COVID-19, these precautions may have negatively impacted early speech performance for elderly cochlear implant recipients. Missed CI programming appointments, decreased sound processor wear time, and reduced exposure to complex listening environments such as speech in the presence of background noise were more common in the Pandemic Group than in the Control Group operated the year prior.

PMID:34267095 | DOI:10.1097/MAO.0000000000003291

Cornea. 2021 Jul 15. doi: 10.1097/ICO.0000000000002812. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify trends in the primary indication for keratoplasty in New Zealand/Aotearoa (NZ) after significant population growth, increase in the number of cataract surgeries per population, widespread adoption of endothelial keratoplasty, and introduction of corneal cross-linking for keratoconus.

METHODS: Statistical analysis of the New Zealand National Eye Bank’s prospective database of all keratoplasties was performed between January 1991 and January 2020. Indications for keratoplasty were isolated for the primary diagnosis.

RESULTS: In total, 6840 corneas were transplanted with mean 236 ± 57.5 transplants/year, increasing from 2.55 to 6.06 per 100,000 NZ population/year. Over the past decade, the number of transplant recipients aged 60 years or older has increased and recipients aged 20 to 39 years have plateaued. In 2019, for the first time, regraft became the most common indication (30.9%), followed by keratoconus (27.9%) and corneal dystrophy (18.8%), with a steady decline in bullous keratopathy. Proportions of the keratoplasty technique changed dramatically: penetrating keratoplasty fell from 91.4% in 2006 to 55.0% in 2019, Descemet’s stripping endothelial keratoplasty increased from 0% to 29.5%, anterior lamellar keratoplasty increased from 2.5% to 5.7%, and Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty increased from 0% to 9.1%.

CONCLUSIONS: Keratoplasty trends in Aotearoa/NZ have changed considerably because of the evolution of phacoemulsification and keratoplasty techniques. Unlike proportions observed overseas, NZ still performs penetrating keratoplasties in over half of all transplants. Corneal cross-linking may be having an early effect of reducing keratoplasty rates for keratoconus.

PMID:34267061 | DOI:10.1097/ICO.0000000000002812

Clin J Sport Med. 2021 Jul 7. doi: 10.1097/JSM.0000000000000930. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To compare the outcomes for patients with chronic plantar fasciitis after extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) or autologous blood injection (ABI).

DESIGN: Cohort study-retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data.

SETTING: Hospital-based Sports Medicine Outpatient Clinic.

PATIENTS: One hundred two consecutive patients with chronic plantar fasciitis, treated with either radial-ESWT (rESWT) (n = 54) or ABI (n = 48), with minimum 3-month follow-up and 96% (98/102) having 6-month follow-up. Mean age 49.5 years and mean duration of symptoms 37.5 months before treatment.

INTERVENTIONS: Patients received either 3 sessions of radial ESWT (one session per week for 3 weeks), or a single ultrasound-guided dry needling and ABI (3 mL whole autologous blood). All patients received standardized after-care, including progressive structured home exercise program of flexibility, strengthening, and proprioception exercises.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: 0 to 10 numerical rating scale (NRS) for self-reported “average pain” and “average stiffness” values. Secondary outcome measures included assessments of local foot function [including Manchester-Oxford Foot Questionnaire (MOXFQ), revised-Foot Function Index] as well as markers of mental health functioning (HAD), global health (EQ-5D-5L), and physical activity (International Physical Activity Questionnaire).

RESULTS: This study demonstrated statistically significant improvements in self-reported measures of pain and local foot function after either procedure at 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months, but no statistically significant differences were seen between groups at any time-period studied. At 6 months, the average pain using a 0 to 10 NRS was improved from 6.8 ± 1.8 to 4.0 ± 2.7 (P < 0.001) after ESWT and from 7.1 ± 1.6 to 3.8 ± 2.7 (P < 0.001) after ABI. At 6 months, significant improvements were seen following either group using a number of different validated patient-rated outcome measures assessing local foot pain and function, eg, the total score for MOXFQ improved from 56.1 ± 12.8 to 42.5 ± 16.6 (P < 0.001) after ESWT and from 58.8 ± 13.2 to 44.2 ± 19.2 (P < 0.001) after ABI. However, measures of physical activity or wider aspects of patient functioning did not consistently improve from baseline values to follow-up periods.

CONCLUSIONS: Patients with chronic plantar fasciitis improved to statistically significant extent after either rESWT or ABI procedures, with no significant differences seen between groups. The lack of randomization in this pragmatic study is noted, which may have influenced the outcome seen. Potentially larger and more robust studies are required to investigate this treatment comparison further.

PMID:34267064 | DOI:10.1097/JSM.0000000000000930

J Contemp Dent Pract. 2021 Apr 1;22(4):353-356.

ABSTRACT

AIM AND OBJECTIVE: To compare between mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) mixed with water and water-based gel regarding shear bond strength with resin-modified glass ionomer cement (RMGIC) and composite.

METHODS AND MATERIALS: In this study, 40 blocks of cylindrical shape were prepared with acrylic. These blocks were divided into four groups with each group consisting of 10 blocks: group-1A: MTA + distilled water + composite, group-1B: MTA + distilled water + RMGIC, group-2A: MTA + polymer + composite, and group-2B: RMGIC + MTA + polymer. After that, a universal testing machine was used for the measurement of shear bond strength. The acrylic blocks were placed under this machine. A blade with a knife-edge was used to provide a crosshead speed of 1 mm/minute. This was continued till bond of MTA in both forms (distilled water/gel) and restorative material failed.

RESULTS: It was observed that a statistically significant difference was found between MTAw + composite and MTAg + composite resin but no statistically significant difference between MTAw + RMGIC and MTAg + RMGIC with p ≥ 0.05. It was found that a statistically significant difference was present between the RMGIC and composite groups within the same MTA type with p ≤ 0.05.

CONCLUSION: It was concluded from the present study that MTA with a water-based gel has a better shear bond strength than composite resin and RMGIC materials.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: It has been found that MTA has different properties when it is mixed with polymer and water. Very few studies have been conducted in the past to compare MTA mixed with water and water-based gel regarding the shear bond strength with RMGIC and composite.

PMID:34267002