Closing the survivorship gap in children and adolescents with Hodgkin lymphoma

The treatment of Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) is one of early success. However, disease-free survival (DFS) does not reflect latent organ injury and its impact on health status and well-being beyond 5 years. In fact, we are at a crossroads, in terms of needing individualized approaches to maintain DFS, while minimizing late effects and preserving health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Premature morbidity and mortality translate to a high societal cost associated with the potential number of productive life years ahead in this population who are young at diagnosis. The discordance between short-term lymphoma-free survival and long-term health and HRQoL creates a “survivorship gap” which can be characterized for individuals and for subgroups of patients. The current review delineates contributors to compromised outcomes and health status in child and adolescent (paediatric) HL and frames the survivorship gap in terms of primary and secondary prevention. Primary prevention aims to titrate therapy. Secondary prevention entails strategies to intervene against late effects. Bridging the survivorship gap will be attained with enhanced knowledge of and attention to biology of the tumour and microenvironment, host genetic factors, HRQoL and sub-populations with disparate outcomes.     

CARMIL2-related immunodeficiency manifesting with photosensitivity

We report a case of a newly recognized primary immunodeficiency due to biallelic mutations in CARMIL2 manifesting as an actinic prurigo-like photodermatitis, allergic diathesis and recurrent infections in a child. We present this case to highlight a rare phenotype seen in this T-cell immunodeficiency and provide an overview of other dermatologic manifestations among published reports of this condition.     

Increased hand washing reduces influenza virus surface contamination in Bangkok households, 2009–2010

Within a hand‐washing clinical trial, we evaluated factors associated with fomite contamination in households with an influenza‐infected child. Influenza virus RNA contamination was higher in households with low absolute humidity and in control households, suggesting that hand washing reduces surface contamination.     

Results of intravitreal ranibizumab treatment for retinopathy of prematurity in infants

Purpose: To assess the results of intravitreal ranibizumab treatment for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in infants.

Methods: A single-institution, retrospective consecutive case series.

Results: Thirty-one patients who received ranibizumab treatment for ROP were evaluated in this study. The mean follow-up time was 14?±?1.37?months. Vascularization of the peripheral retina had completed with delay in the majority of cases and also avascular areas were present in the peripheral retinas of five infants at one year of age. Although recurrence of ROP developed in 14 infants after single-dose ranibizumab treatment, only four infants received additional treatment due to recurrence of ROP requiring treatment. No serious ocular complications were reported, but, two infants died in this series.

Conclusion: Even so ranibizumab treatment is an effective therapy for ROP in early period, close monitoring after injection is necessary due to the high incidence of recurrence. In addition, questions remain regarding the systemic safety of ranibizumab. Further studies are needed to study the systemic and ocular side effects of ranibizumab.     

Emotional dysregulation,internalizing symptoms,and self-injurious and suicidal behavior: Structural equation modeling analysis

This study used structural equation modeling to examine the relationships between emotion dysregulation, internalizing symptoms, nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI), and suicide. One hundred forty-eight undergraduates completed a brief structured interview and self-report measures of emotion dysregulation, internalizing symptoms, and NSSI and suicidal behaviors. Results indicated a significant indirect effect of emotion dysregulation on NSSI via internalizing symptoms and on suicide attempts via NSSI. Findings provide a more nuanced understanding of the indirect association between emotion dysregulation and NSSI and suicidal behaviors. Implications for the potential utility of targeting internalizing symptoms as well as emotion dysregulation in interventions addressing NSSI and suicidal behaviors are discussed.     

Prevalence of EBV infection in 1157 diseased cohorts in Nigeria: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundEpstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a member of the herpesvirus family that is known to ubiquitously infect people worldwide. However, the actual prevalence of EBV infection in diseased patients in Nigeria, remains unknown. This study was thus conducted to ascertain the true prevalence.MethodsA systematic review and meta-analysis of published data was conducted according to the guidelines of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA). Electronic databases including PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar were searched for studies reporting the occurrence of EBV infection among patients with established diseases. Studies were included if they assessed EBV infection in diseased patients in Nigeria. Data were extracted and subsequently analysed using R software. Funnel plot and Egger's regression test was used to assess publication bias, while JBI prevalence tool was used to assess study quality.ResultsA total of 13 studies covering 228 cases of EBV infection among 1157 diseased patients were included. Summary estimates were computed using random-effects model. The pooled prevalence of EBV infection was 20.3% (95% CI: 10.8–34.9, I² ?= ?92.26, p ?< ?0.001). When stratified according to the type of disease, higher estimates were obtained for patients suffering from Kaposi's sarcoma (98.7%, 95% CI: 82.2–99.9) and Nasopharyngeal malignancy (85.7%, 95% CI: 70.0–93.9). A prevalence of 13.4% (95% CI: 6.0–27.4) and 12.2% (95% CI: 4.8–27.8) was derived for the most reported patient populations, lymphoma and HIV, respectively.ConclusionThis first meta-analysis on the prevalence of EBV among Nigerian patients suffering from various diseases reveals a prevalence that emphasises the need to routinely monitor EBV infection in all EBV-associated diseases in Nigeria.