Nevin Manimala

Clin Oral Investig. 2021 Oct 28. doi: 10.1007/s00784-021-04172-4. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: Possible impact of obesity on stage and grade of periodontitis has never been investigated before. This study aimed to examine the association between body mass index (BMI) and stage/grade of periodontitis per the current classification of periodontal diseases.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 142 patients (82 males/60 females) were included in this study. “2017 World Workshop on the Classification of Periodontal and Peri-Implant Diseases and Conditions” was taken as basis to characterize the stage/grade of periodontitis. Age, gender, smoking status, and frequency of tooth brushing, and medical data of the patients including hypertension, hyperlipidemia, BMI, and diabetes mellitus were obtained from the patient’s hospital records. Obesity was assessed by BMI using the “World Health Organization” criteria. For estimating the association between BMI and periodontitis, logistic regression analysis was utilized.

RESULTS: BMI was statistically associated with clinical attachment loss (CAL), probing pocket depth (PPD), Plaque index (PI), stage and grade of periodontitis, and number of remaining teeth (p < 0.001, p < 0.05, p < 0.05, p < 0.05, p < 0.001, respectively). According to the multiple regression analysis results, those with BMI 25-29.9 were found to be at risk of being stage III-IV 3.977 times (95% CI: 1.831-8.640, p < 0.001) higher than those with BMI < 25, and similarly, those with BMI ≥ 30 were found to be at risk of being stage III-IV 4.062 times (95% CI: 1.315-12.549, p = 0.015) higher than those with BMI < 25. No relationship was found between obesity and grade of periodontitis according to multivariate analysis.

CONCLUSIONS: BMI increases the likelihood of stage III and stage IV periodontitis; however, it does not have an impact on the grade of periodontitis.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: It seems that obesity is related to the severity of periodontitis.

PMID:34709456 | DOI:10.1007/s00784-021-04172-4

Diabetologia. 2021 Oct 28. doi: 10.1007/s00125-021-05598-x. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: We aimed to assess whether general practices (GPs) using an electronic disease management program (DMP) with population overviews, including alerts when patients failed to receive guideline-recommended prescription medications, increased prescriptions of lipid-lowering drugs for patients with type 2 diabetes with no history of lipid-lowering treatment.

METHODS: This observational study included 165 GPs that reached a high level of use of the DMP in 2012 and a control group of 135 GPs who reached a high level of use in 2013 and, hence, who were less exposed to the DMP throughout 2012. A binary measure for having been prescribed and filled lipid-lowering drugs at any time within a 12-month exposure period was derived for all patients with type 2 diabetes who did not receive a prescription for lipid-lowering drugs in the baseline year prior to the study period (i.e. 2011). Results were derived using ORs from multivariate logistic regression analyses. Subgroup stratification based on age, sex, diabetes duration, deprivation status and Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) score was conducted and assessed. Placebo tests were carried out to assess bias from selection to treatment.

RESULTS: Patients who did not receive a prescription of lipid-lowering drugs in the year prior to being listed with GPs that used the DMP had statistically significant greater odds of receiving a prescription of lipid-lowering medications when compared with individuals who attended control GPs (OR 1.23 [95% CI 1.09, 1.38]). When the analysis period was shifted back by 2 years, no significant differences in lipid-lowering drug prescription between the two groups were found to occur, which indicates that these results were not driven by selection bias. Subgroup analyses showed that the increase in lipid-lowering drug prescriptions was primarily driven by changes among male participants (OR 1.32 [95% CI 1.12, 1.54]), patients aged 60-70 years (OR 1.40 [95% CI 1.13, 1.74]), patients with a diabetes duration of ≤5 years (OR 1.33 [95% CI 1.13, 1.56]), non-deprived patients (OR 1.25 [95% CI 1.08, 1.45]) and patients without comorbidities (CCI score = 0; OR 1.27 [95% CI 1.11, 1.45]).

CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: Access to population overviews using a DMP with alerts of clinical performance measures with regard to adhering to guideline-recommended prescription of medications can increase GP prescriptions of lipid-lowering drugs.

PMID:34709425 | DOI:10.1007/s00125-021-05598-x

JAMA Netw Open. 2021 Oct 1;4(10):e2131749. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.31749.

ABSTRACT

IMPORTANCE: Adults receiving dialysis treatment have a higher likelihood of death when infected with SARS-CoV-2 than adults not receiving dialysis treatment. To date, the immune response of people receiving dialysis after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination has not been systematically discussed.

OBJECTIVE: To assess immunogenicity rates in people with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) receiving SARS-CoV-2 vaccines, explore postvaccination potential risk factors for nonresponse, and assess whether receiving dialysis is associated with different antibody response rates compared with the nondialysis population.

DATA SOURCES: This systematic review and meta-analysis used articles from PubMed, Medline, and Embase published before July 30, 2021, as well as articles in the medRxiv preprint server.

STUDY SELECTION: Studies that evaluated the immunogenicity rate according to the postvaccine antibody response rate in patients with ESKD receiving dialysis were selected.

DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS: The meta-analysis was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guideline. A random-effects model was used. Two independent reviewers conducted the literature search and extracted the data.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The primary outcome was the pooled antibody postvaccine response rates in individuals with ESKD. The secondary outcomes were pooled response rates in individuals receiving and not receiving dialysis. Subgroup analysis and meta-regression were conducted to identify the sources of heterogeneity.

RESULTS: A total of 32 studies were included. The overall immunogenicity rate of the dialysis group was 86% (95% CI, 81%-89%). Meta-regression showed a significant difference was detected in the postvaccine response rate on the basis of prevalence of diabetes (regression coefficient, -0.06; 95% CI, -0.10 to -0.02; P = .004). Compared with nondialysis controls, patients in the dialysis group had a lower response rate after the first (relative risk [RR], 0.61; 95% CI, 0.47-0.79; I2 = 70.2%) and second (RR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.82-0.93; I2 = 72.2%) doses, with statistically significantly increased RR between first and second doses (P = .007).

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: These findings suggest that the immunogenicity rate among patients receiving dialysis was 41% after the first dose and 89% after the second dose. Diabetes might be a risk factor for nonresponse in the dialysis population. Patients receiving dialysis had a poorer antibody response rate than did individuals not receiving dialysis, particularly after the first dose.

PMID:34709385 | DOI:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.31749

Rev Assoc Med Bras (1992). 2021 Jun;67(6):873-877. doi: 10.1590/1806-9282.20210201.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Adnexal torsion is an important gynecological emergency due to nonfrequent but possible adverse reproductive outcomes. There is no specific laboratory marker to support the preoperative diagnosis or that can be used clinically. The aim of this study was to investigate the diagnostic values of platelet, neutrophil, lymphocyte, and red cell markers as an early indicator of ovarian torsion.

METHODS: This retrospective study included 28 female patients who were treated surgically for adnexal torsion between August 2010 and July 2020, and 29 control group women. The demographic data and routine hematological values of patients were compared for adnexal torsion prediction.

RESULTS: There were no differences between the groups in terms of the platelet count, platelet distribution width, red cell distribution width, and mean platelet volume values, and there were no differences in the demographic data. Statistical differences were found among white blood cell, hemoglobin, hematocrit, neutrophil and lymphocyte counts, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio, and platelet/lymphocyte ratio, and 81.5% sensitivity and 82.1% specificity were identified for neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio 2.45 (area under the curve AUC 0.892; 95%CI 0.808-0.975; p<0.001). Odds ratio for neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio was 2.62 (95%CI 0.861-7.940, p=0.029).

CONCLUSION: According to the regression analysis, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio was found to be the most beneficial among all blood count parameters for the pre-diagnosis of AT.

PMID:34709333 | DOI:10.1590/1806-9282.20210201

Rev Assoc Med Bras (1992). 2021 Jun;67(6):845-850. doi: 10.1590/1806-9282.20210114.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine the characteristics of patients admitted to our hospital with a diagnosis of breast cancer who reached pathological complete response after being operated following eight cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

METHODS: Between 2015-2020, patients with pathological complete response who were operated on after neoadjuvant chemotherapy and sent to our clinic for radiotherapy were evaluated.

RESULTS: The median age of the patients was 51 years. The most common histological type was invasive ductal cancer. The number of pathological complete response patients was 74 (28%), and the number of non-pathological complete response patients was 188 (72%). Patients with pathological complete response had a smaller tumor diameter than the non-pathological complete response group (p=0.001). For pathological complete response, T1 stage, N1 stage, NG 3, Ki-67 >20%, negative estrogen receptor, negative progesterone receptor, positive Cerb-B2, and adding trastuzumab to chemotherapy were statistically significant (p<0.05). Before neoadjuvant chemotherapy, stage T1-T2 (p=0.036), LN0-1 (p=0.026), Cerb-B2 positivity (p=0.025), and an initial nuclear grade of three (p=0.001) were found to be the factors affecting pathological complete response.

CONCLUSIONS: With neoadjuvant chemotherapy, the size of locally advanced tumors decreases, allowing breast conserving surgery. The neoadjuvant chemotherapy response can be used as an early indicator of the prognosis of patients with breast cancer. Today, neoadjuvant chemotherapy is also used for patients with early-stage, operable breast cancer because it has been shown in many studies that reaching pathological complete response is associated with positive long-term results. If we can identify patients who have reached pathological complete response before neoadjuvant chemotherapy, we think we can also determine a patient-specific treatment plan at the beginning of treatment.

PMID:34709328 | DOI:10.1590/1806-9282.20210114

Rev Assoc Med Bras (1992). 2021 Jun;67(6):828-832. doi: 10.1590/1806-9282.20210021.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between hyperuricemia and systemic arterial hypertension.

METHODS: This was a case-control study where individuals aged >18 years were included, who were divided into hypertensive and non-hypertensive groups, excluding those with incomplete information in medical records or with the chronic kidney disease epidemiology collaboration <60 mL/min/1.73 m³. Systemic arterial hypertension was categorized as a dependent variable, while the independent variables were hyperuricemia (i.e., primary variable), sex, education, the practice of physical activity, alcoholism, smoking, diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, a family history of systemic arterial hypertension, age, isolated hyperlipidemia, and mixed hyperlipidemia. Statistical analysis included the univariate and multivariate data analysis, performed by adjusting the logistic regression models using the software R (R Core Team [2018]).

RESULTS: Out of 103 patients evaluated, 75 patients were included in this study. In hypertensive patients, hyperuricemia was more frequent (p=0.029), being present in 18.9% individuals. In the univariate analysis, a statistically significant association was found between hyperuricemia and systemic arterial hypertension (OR 10.9; 95%CI 1.29-1420.0; p=0.023); however, in the multivariate analysis, when adjustment was made for age, the only control variable that persisted in the model, this association ceased to be significant (OR 8.5; 95%CI 0.87-1157.0; p=0.070).

CONCLUSIONS: There was no independent association between hyperuricemia and systemic arterial hypertension. The latter was associated with diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, and age.

PMID:34709325 | DOI:10.1590/1806-9282.20210021

Rev Assoc Med Bras (1992). 2021 Jun;67(6):806-810. doi: 10.1590/1806-9282.20201015.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate the association between the immunohistochemical expression of matrix metalloproteinase-2 and matrix metalloproteinase-9 and plasma zinc in women with fibroadenoma.

METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 37 premenopausal women with fibroadenoma. Waist circumference and body mass index of the participants were measured. Plasma zinc concentrations were determined using atomic flame absorption spectrophotometry. Fragments of breast tissue were fixed and incubated with primary mouse monoclonal antibodies (monoclonal antibodies matrix metalloproteinase -2 -507 and monoclonal antibodies matrix metalloproteinase -9-439). Semi-quantitative analysis of matrix metalloproteinase-2 and matrix metalloproteinase-9 immunoreactivity was performed. Spearman’s test and Friedman’s test were used for statistical analyses. The p<0.05 were considered statistically significant.

RESULTS: The average age of the participants was 32.81±9.51 years. The body mass index and waist circumference values were within the normal range. The mean plasma zinc concentration was 42.73±13.84 µg/dL, with 94.6% inadequacy. A statistically significant difference was found between the positive expression of matrix metalloproteinase-2 and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (p=0.0184). There was no significant correlation between the matrix metalloproteinase expression and the plasma zinc levels.

CONCLUSIONS: Women with fibroadenoma had hypozincemia and positive expression of metalloproteinases.

PMID:34709321 | DOI:10.1590/1806-9282.20201015

Eur J Endocrinol. 2021 Oct 1:EJE-21-0510.R2. doi: 10.1530/EJE-21-0510. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) has an aggressive but variable clinical course. Prognostic stratification based on ENSAT tumour stage and Ki67 index is limited. We aimed to demonstrate the prognostic role of a points-based score (S-GRAS) in a large cohort of patients with ACC.

DESIGN: Multicentre retrospective study on ACC patients who underwent adrenalectomy.

METHODS: The S-GRAS score was calculated as a sum of the following points: tumour Stage (1-2=0; 3=1; 4=2), Grade (Ki67 index 0-9%=0; 10-19%=1; ≥20%=2 points), Resection (R)-status (R0=0; RX=1; R1=2; R2=3), Age (<50yr=0; ≥50yr=1), Symptoms (no=0; yes=1), and categorised, generating four groups (0-1, 2-3, 4-5, and 6-9). Endpoints were progression-free survival (PFS) and disease-specific survival (DSS). The discriminative performance of S-GRAS and its components was tested by Harrell’s C-index and Royston-Sauerbrei’s R2D statistic.

RESULTS: We included 942 ACC patients. The S-GRAS score showed superior prognostic performance for both PFS and DSS, with best discrimination obtained using the individual scores (0-9) (C-index=0.73, R2D=0.30, and C-index=0.79, R2D=0.45, respectively, all P<0.01 vs each component). The superiority of S-GRAS score remained when comparing patients treated or not with adjuvant mitotane (n=481 vs 314). In particular, the risk of recurrence was significantly reduced as a result of adjuvant mitotane only in patients with S-GRAS 4-5.

CONCLUSION: The prognostic performance of S-GRAS is superior to tumour stage and Ki67 in operated ACC patients, independently from adjuvant mitotane. S-GRAS score provides a new important guide for personalised management of ACC (i.e. radiological surveillance and adjuvant treatment).

PMID:34709200 | DOI:10.1530/EJE-21-0510

Eur J Endocrinol. 2021 Oct 1:EJE-21-1080. doi: 10.1530/EJE-21-1080. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To examine factors associated with the reported incidence of pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma across studies.

METHODS: The annual incidence of pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma was examined according to geographic altitude and year of detection.

RESULTS: Although higher altitude and later year of detection were associated with a higher incidence of disease, these variables only accounted for a small degree of the between-study differences observed. There were large amounts of residual statistical heterogeneity after meta-regression. Other factors such as variable disease detection methods, data sources, and study quality were likely more important sources of statistical heterogeneity.

CONCLUSION: Variations in the incidence of pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma between studies were only partially explained by elevation and time of detection. Other factors, such as differences in study quality and the presence of clinical heterogeneity, likely impacted estimates of incidence.

PMID:34709199 | DOI:10.1530/EJE-21-1080

J Med Internet Res. 2021 Oct 28;23(10):e28924. doi: 10.2196/28924.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Comprehensive multi-institutional patient portals that provide patients with web-based access to their data from across the health system have been shown to improve the provision of patient-centered and integrated care. However, several factors hinder the implementation of these portals. Although barriers and facilitators to patient portal adoption are well documented, there is a dearth of evidence examining how to effectively implement multi-institutional patient portals that transcend traditional boundaries and disparate systems.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to explore how the implementation approach of a multi-institutional patient portal impacted the adoption and use of the technology and to identify the lessons learned to guide the implementation of similar patient portal models.

METHODS: This multimethod study included an analysis of quantitative and qualitative data collected during an evaluation of the multi-institutional MyChart patient portal that was deployed in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. Descriptive statistics were performed to understand the use patterns during the first 15 months of implementation (between August 2018 and October 2019). In addition, 42 qualitative semistructured interviews were conducted with 18 administrative stakeholders, 16 patients, 7 health care providers, and 1 informal caregiver to understand how the implementation approach influenced user experiences and to identify strategies for improvement. Qualitative data were analyzed using an inductive thematic analysis approach.

RESULTS: Between August 2018 and October 2019, 15,271 registration emails were sent, with 67.01% (10,233/15,271) registered for an account across 38 health care sites. The median number of patients registered per site was 19, with considerable variation (range 1-2114). Of the total number of sites, 55% (21/38) had ≤30 registered patients, whereas only 2 sites had over 1000 registered patients. Interview participants perceived that the patient experience of the portal would have been improved by enhancing the data comprehensiveness of the technology. They also attributed the lack of enrollment to the absence of a broad rollout and marketing strategy across sites. Participants emphasized that provider engagement, change management support, and senior leadership endorsement were central to fostering uptake. Finally, many stated that regional alignment and policy support should have been sought to streamline implementation efforts across participating sites.

CONCLUSIONS: Without proper management and planning, multi-institutional portals can suffer from minimal adoption. Data comprehensiveness is the foundational component of these portals and requires aligned policies and a key base of technology infrastructure across all participating sites. It is important to look beyond the category of the technology (ie, patient portal) and consider its functionality (eg, data aggregation, appointment scheduling, messaging) to ensure that it aligns with the underlying strategic priorities of the deployment. It is also critical to establish a clear vision and ensure buy-ins from organizational leadership and health care providers to support a cultural shift that will enable a meaningful and widespread engagement.

PMID:34709195 | DOI:10.2196/28924