Sociodemographic Patterns of Exclusive,Dual, and Polytobacco Use Among U.S. High School Students: A Comparison of Three Nationally Representative Surveys

PurposeThis study examines sociodemographic patterns of exclusive/dual/polytobacco use among U.S. high school students using multiple national surveys.MethodsUsing three national youth surveys (Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health [PATH] Wave 4 [2016–2017], 2017 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, and 2017 National Youth Tobacco Survey), we classified tobacco products into four groups: (1) electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), (2) conventional cigarettes (CCs), (3) other combustible tobacco products, and (4) smokeless tobacco products. We created 16 categories of non/exclusive/dual/polytobacco use within the past 30 days using the four product groups and calculated weighted population prevalence by sex and race/ethnicity (all surveys) and parental education and income (PATH), based on variable availability.ResultsThe results from 9,331, 12,407, and 9,699 high school students in PATH, Youth Risk Behavior Survey, and National Youth Tobacco Survey, respectively, largely agreed and pointed to similar conclusions. ENDS was the most prevalent exclusive use product (3.8%–5.2% across surveys), with CCs falling to second or third (1.2%–2.0% across surveys). By sex, exclusive, dual, and poly smokeless tobacco product use were more common for males, whereas exclusive CC use was more common for females. By race/ethnicity, non-Hispanic Whites had a higher prevalence of exclusive ENDS use and ENDS/CC dual use than non-Hispanic Blacks. As income and parental education levels increased from low to high, the prevalence of exclusive CC use decreased, whereas the prevalence of exclusive ENDS use increased.ConclusionUnderstanding sociodemographic patterns of tobacco use can help identify groups who may be at greater risk for tobacco-related health outcomes.     

A framework for considering the risk‐benefit trade‐off in designing noninferiority trials using composite outcome approaches

When a new treatment regimen is expected to have comparable or slightly worse efficacy to that of the control regimen but has benefits in other domains such as safety and tolerability, a noninferiority (NI) trial may be appropriate but is fraught with difficulty in justifying an acceptable NI margin that is based on both clinical and statistical input. To overcome this, we propose to utilize composite risk‐benefit outcomes that combine elements from domains of importance (eg, efficacy, safety, and tolerability). The composite outcome itself may be analyzed using a superiority framework, or it can be used as a tool at the design stage of a NI trial for selecting an NI margin for efficacy that balances changes in risks and benefits. In the latter case, the choice of NI margin may be based on a novel quantity called the maximum allowable decrease in efficacy (MADE), defined as the marginal difference in efficacy between arms that would yield a null treatment effect for the composite outcome given an assumed distribution for the composite outcome. We observe that MADE: (1) is larger when the safety improvement for the experimental arm is larger, (2) depends on the association between the efficacy and safety outcomes, and (3) depends on the control arm efficacy rate. We use a numerical example for power comparisons between a superiority test for the composite outcome vs a noninferiority test for efficacy using the MADE as the NI margin, and apply the methods to a TB treatment trial.     

GLI inhibitor GANT-61 diminishes embryonal and alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma growth by inhibiting Shh/AKT-mTOR axis

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) typically arises from skeletal muscle. Currently, RMS in patients with recurrent and metastatic disease have no successful treatment. The molecular pathogenesis of RMS varies based on cancer sub-types. Some embryonal RMS but not other sub-types are driven by sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling pathway. However, Shh pathway inhibitors particularly smoothened inhibitors are not highly effective in animals. Here, we show that Shh pathway effectors GLI1 and/or GLI2 are over-expressed in the majority of RMS cells and that GANT-61, a specific GLI1/2 inhibitor dampens the proliferation of both embryonal and alveolar RMS cells-derived xenograft tumors thereby blocking their growth. As compared to vehicle-treated control, about 50% tumor growth inhibition occurs in mice receiving GANT-61 treatment. The proliferation inhibition was associated with slowing of cell cycle progression which was mediated by the reduced expression of cyclins D1/2/3 & E and the concomitant induction of p21. GANT-61 not only reduced expression of GLI1/2 in these RMS but also significantly diminished AKT/mTOR signaling. The therapeutic action of GANT-61 was significantly augmented when combined with chemotherapeutic agents employed for RMS therapy such as temsirolimus or vincristine. Finally, reduced expression of proteins driving epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) characterized the residual tumors.     

Multimodality Imaging of Submitral Left Ventricular Aneurysm

Submitral left ventricular aneurysms are a rare nonischemic aneurysm thought to be developmental in origin. These aneurysms invariably occur at the site of posterior mitral annulus and lead to mitral valve incompetence. We hereby describe a case of a 30‐year‐old adult with a rare form of submitral left ventricular aneurysm involving whole of the posterior mitral annulus. Multimodality imaging with two‐dimensional echocardiography, three‐dimensional echocardiography, computed tomography and invasive left ventriculography helped the patient to undergo successful resection of the aneurysm along with mitral valve replacement.     

Single versus double burr hole drainage of chronic subdural hematomas. A study of 267 cases

A spectrum of surgical techniques has been used in the management of chronic subdural hematomas. Single burr hole and double burr hole drainage are among the commonest techniques. A retrospective analysis of 267 patients with chronic subdural hematomas treated surgically by either single or double burr holes was performed. Recurrence rates of subdural hematomas treated either with single or double burr holes were not significantly different (χ²; p > 0.05). Thus, the number of burr holes does not affect the post-operative recurrence rate of chronic subdural hematomas. Both techniques are equally effective treatments.     

Autoimmunity and interstitial lung disease

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The pathogenesis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis as well as that of several other interstitial lung diseases is poorly understood. The role of autoimmunity in interstitial lung diseases associated with connective tissue disorders such as systemic sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and rheumatoid arthritis as well as the vasculitides is well established. There is at least some evidence in the literature that supports the role of autoimmunity as one of the mechanisms of alveolar injury responsible for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. This review is an attempt to summarize the studies on this subject. RECENT FINDINGS: Repeated extraneous insults and exposures are considered to be responsible for recurrent alveolar injury, inflammation, dysregulated tissue repair, and fibroproliferation resulting in pulmonary fibrosis. The presence of autoantibodies in the sera of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis has been demonstrated in a few studies. Several autoantibodies, including anti-Sm antibodies, antibodies to U1 ribonucleoproteins, and antibodies to U3 ribonucleoproteins, have been demonstrated in connective tissue disorders, many of which are associated with interstitial lung involvement. Autoimmunity has been also suggested as a possible mechanism of rejection caused by bronchiolitis obliterans after lung transplantation. SUMMARY: It might seem that the role of autoimmunity in interstitial lung disease has been underestimated or even underinvestigated. The subject requires further investigation, especially with regard to the problems of lung allograft rejection due to bronchiolitis obliterans of nonalloimmunity origin and the failure of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis to respond to most forms of currently available therapy.     

Should Flexible Bronchoscopy be Routinely Performed in Aspiration Pneumonitis: Non Liquet

How to cite this article: Sehgal IS, Dhooria S, Agarwal R. Should Flexible Bronchoscopy be Routinely Performed in Aspiration Pneumonitis: Non Liquet. Indian J Crit Care Med 2021;25(2):113–114.