Optical coherence tomography angiography in the evaluation of vascular patterns of ocular surface squamous neoplasia during topical medical treatment

PurposeOptical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) was utilized to examine changes in ocular surface squamous neoplasia (OSSN) vascular patterns over time in individuals treated with topical medical therapy.MethodsTen individuals with OSSN diagnosed by clinical examination and high resolution (HR)-optical coherence tomography (OCT) were recruited. All individuals received topical immuno- or chemotherapy. OCTA images were obtained and analyzed at three points: presentation, mid-treatment and tumor resolution. Tumor metrics including tumor area (TA), tumor volume (TV), tumor depth (TD), and total tumor density (TTD) were calculated. Vessel area density (VAD) was also quantified within the OSSN, the subepithelium under and adjacent to the OSSN and the subepithelium of the uninvolved, contralateral eye. Vascular network changes were also subjectively evaluated.ResultsTA, TV, TD and TTD all significantly decreased with time (p < 0.001). The mean VAD within the OSSN significantly decreased (p < 0.001) between visits (presentation: 26.52 ± 6.8%, mid-treatment: 7.19 ± 5.88%, tumor resolution: 0.11 ± 0.34%). The mean subepithelial VAD under the OSSN also decreased with time (23.22 ± 11.03%, 20.99 ± 5.99% and 19.58 ± 7.08%), and after resolution the sub-tumor VAD (19.58 ± 7.08%) was comparable to the subepithelial VAD in the contralateral eye (15.47 ± 4.37%, p > 0.05). The mean VAD in the subepithelium adjacent to the OSSN increased with treatment, then decreased significantly between mid-treatment and resolution (23.26 ± 4.54, 28.30 ± 7.43% and 21.68 ± 6.10%, p = 0.009). Qualitatively, the tumor subepithelial vascular network was complex and dense but with tumor resolution appeared less tortuous and similar to the uninvolved eye.ConclusionOCTA provided insight into the pathophysiology of tumor angiogenesis, showing decreased vascular density and normalization of vascular networks associated with tumor resolution.     

The Risk of Alzheimer's Disease After Acute Appendicitis With or Without Appendectomy

ObjectivePrevious epidemiologic studies have suggested an association between appendectomy and Parkinson's disease. The aim of the current study was to examine the risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other types of dementia following appendicitis or appendectomy for appendicitis.DesignPopulation-based cohort study.Setting and participantsWe used claims data from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. Participants aged ≥45 years with acute appendicitis or who received appendectomy for appendicitis were enrolled and followed up for more than 15 years. Cases and controls underwent 1:1 matching by age, sex, index date, and dementia-related comorbidities.MethodsThe primary outcome was AD, and secondary outcomes included other dementia types. Adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) were calculated, and a competing risk regression model was created. The E value for causality of evidence was calculated.ResultsPatients developing appendicitis (0.6% vs 0.1%, P = .005) and those receiving appendectomy for appendicitis (0.4% vs 0.1%, P = .003) had higher incidences of AD than the controls during the follow-up period. A Cox regression analysis with adjustment for potential confounders showed that patients with appendicitis [aHR 6.68, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.84-24.48] and those receiving appendectomy for appendicitis (aHR 5.01, 95% CI 1.33-18.85) were more likely to develop AD than the controls. These 2 groups also had higher risks for unspecified dementia and all types of dementia but not for vascular dementia than the controls. The age at dementia diagnosis was 88.51 years in the controls; however, among people who developed dementia following appendicitis, the mean age at diagnosis was 70.18 years, and dementia occurred 5.84 years after appendicitis. The competing risk regression models and the E values support the study findings.Conclusions and implicationsAfter recovery from appendicitis, these patients should be followed up for signs of AD.     

The hidden aspect of carotid lesions in traffic accidents: A little-known phenomenon

Vascular injuries that occur during traffic accidents are a commonly neglected aspect that can add more detail to the framework of a case. In this study, we analysed a case series of 150 traffic accidents, 39 of which were marked by microscopically identifiable vascular lesions. The purpose was to identify the presence of carotid injuries in individuals who died due to traffic accidents and had nonpenetrating trauma of the neck. We focused on the discrepancies regarding the macroscopical aspect and the histology and demonstrated how histological analysis of the carotids in cases of trauma can reveal injuries that are attributable to the trauma itself. We conducted a histological analysis of the lesions to describe their distribution and type and investigate potential correlations. The study offers insight on how to examine road accidents that involve traumatic injury of the carotid arteries. Indeed the main task of the forensic pathologist in the case of death is to establish the existence of a causal relationship between the micro- or macroscopic alterations observed in the autopsy and the traumatic event that led to the death of the subject. Thus, further morphological elements were provided to the forensic practitioners that may reveal injuries attributable to the trauma itself and should be evaluated in cases of trauma in traffic accidents.     

Implementation of Nurse-Led Cognitive Screening During Medicare Annual Wellness Visits

Dementia is a serious and costly illness. Early identification of cognitive impairment provides opportunity for earlier intervention, and there is growing evidence suggesting that early intervention may help delay the onset of dementia. There is limited concensus and standardized recommendations for when and how cognitive screening should occur. This quality improvement project implemented a standardized nurse-led cognitive screening workflow during the Medicare annual wellness visit. Statistically significant differences were found between the baseline and implementation groups for Mini-Cog screening rates and referral for follow-up for further neurocognitive evaluation. A structured nurse-led workflow improved the cognitive screening process, providing opportunity for further evaluation and intervention.     

Comparison study of patient demographics and patient-related risk factors for peri-prosthetic joint infections following primary total shoulder arthroplasty

BackgroundWhile studies have demonstrated favorable outcomes in utilization of primary total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) for the treatment of glenohumeral osteoarthritis (OA), adverse events such as infections can still occur. Periprosthetic joint infections (PJIs) are associated with worse outcomes and patient morbidity. The purpose of this study was to: (1) compare patient demographics amongst TSA patients with and without PJIs following primary TSA; and (2) identify patient-related risk factors for PJIs following primary TSA.MethodsPatients undergoing primary TSA for the treatment of glenohumeral OA were identified using the Mariner administrative claims database by CPT code 23,472. Laterality modifiers were utilized to ensure PJIs were developing in the correct laterality as those patients undergoing primary TSA. Inclusion for the study group consisted of patients who developed PJIs within 2-years after the index procedure, whereas patients who did not develop PJIs served as the comparison cohort. Primary outcomes analyzed included patient demographics and patient-related risk factors for PJIs following primary TSA. A stepwise backwards elimination multivariate binomial logistic regression analyses was performed to determine the odds (OR) of PJIs in patients undergoing primary TSA. A P value less than .05 was considered statistically significant.ResultsThe query yielded 15,396 patients who underwent primary TSA for glenohumeral OA, of which 191 patients developed PJIs and 15,205 did not develop PJIs. The study found statistically significant differences amongst patients who did and did not develop PJIs following primary TSA with respect to age, sex, and presence of comorbid conditions. Risk factors associated with developing PJIs following primary TSA included: pathologic weight loss (OR: 2.06, P < .0001), obesity (OR: 1.56, P = .0001), male sex (OR: 1.52, P = .007), and peripheral vascular disease (OR: 1.46, P = .022).ConclusionAs the number of primary TSAs for the treatment of glenohumeral OA increase worldwide, identifying modifiable risk-factors to reduce the incidence of infection is critical. The study found various modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors associated with developing PJIs following primary TSA. This study is valuable to orthopedists in order to identify and risk-stratify patients with regard to PJI in the setting of primary TSA for OA.Level of EvidenceLevel III; Case-Control Study     

近端胃切除人工三角瓣成形抗反流术的力学机理仿真分析

目的:对食管胃结合部腺癌近端胃切除术（PG）人工三角瓣成形后残胃食糜进行流体动力学数值模拟，并计算不同性质胃内食糜的流动特征。方法:构建常规PG和人工三角瓣成形术术后胃仿真模型，运用Fluent软件对不同粘度胃内食糜反流问题进行数值模拟。结果:站立位姿态时，相对常规PG方案，人工三角瓣成形手术方案表现出较好的抗反流作用；卧位姿态时，当胃内食糜粘度大于0.145 2 Pa[?s，且胃内食糜不超过人工三角瓣情况下，人工三角瓣成形抗反流手术表现出较好的抗反流效果；人工三角瓣抗反流成形手术方案数值模拟结果与临床上患者表现一致。结论:本研究仿真分析为人工三角瓣成形抗反流手术方案的有效性机理分析、临床患者术后饮食及手术方案的进一步改进提供理论及数值依据。 【关键词】食管胃结合部腺癌；抗反流；人工三角瓣；计算流体力学     

主动脉出口血压对左心室血流特性的影响

采用Mimics对心脏进行三维重构，用3-matic进行模型优化以及模型误差分析，对左心室室壁运动做速度分布假设，基于UDF宏文件对左心室室壁运动编写程序，将血液视为非牛顿流体，采用动网格技术研究不同血压对左心室血液流动的影响。模拟发现当左心室收缩时，压力梯度明显，内部压力减小。当左心室舒张时，内部压力逐渐增高。二尖瓣口处的速率先增大后减小。血压升高，左心室内剪切应力持续增大，极易破坏红细胞结构，产生溶血现象，导致心脏功能紊乱。