Tobacco use following liver transplantation for alcoholic liver disease: an underestimated problem.

Alcohol and tobacco use commonly co-occur, with at least 90% of those with an alcohol problem also using tobacco. Thus, 3 years ago when we discovered higher rate of late deaths due to lung and oropharyngeal cancer in patients who had received a transplant for alcoholic liver disease (ALD), we hypothesized that these patients were continuing to expose themselves to tobacco after liver transplantation (post-LTX) and that this behavior was increasing their risk for cancer. We subsequently began a prospective investigation of post-LTX tobacco use in patients having undergone LTX for ALD (n = 172). For 33 recipients we had data starting from our first assessment at 3 months post-LTX and for this subgroup we report on the details of the timing of tobacco use resumption and the redevelopment of nicotine addiction. We found that on average more than 40% are smoking across all time periods. ALD recipients resume smoking early post-LTX, increase their consumption over time, and quickly become tobacco dependent. These data highlight an underrecognized serious health risk for these patients and demonstrate our need for more stringent clinical monitoring and intervention for tobacco use in the pre- and post-LTX periods.     

Data sources for measuring colorectal endoscopy use among Medicare enrollees.

BACKGROUND: Estimates of colorectal cancer test use vary widely by data source. Medicare claims offer one source for monitoring test use, but their utility has not been validated. We compared ascertainment of sigmoidoscopy and colonoscopy between three data sources: self reports, Medicare claims, and medical records. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study population included Medicare enrollees residing in North Carolina (n = 561) who had participated in a telephone survey on colorectal cancer tests. Medicare claims were obtained for the 5 years preceding the survey (January 1, 1998 to December 31, 2002). Information about sigmoidoscopy and colonoscopy procedures conducted in physician offices were abstracted from medical records. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, agreement, and kappa statistics were calculated using the medical record as the gold standard. Agreement on specific procedure type and purpose was also assessed. RESULTS: Agreement between claim and medical record regarding whether an endoscopic procedure had been done was high (over 90%). Agreement between self report and medical record and between self report and claim was good (79% and 74%, respectively). All three data sources adequately distinguished the type of procedure done. None of the data sources showed reliable levels of agreement regarding procedure purpose (screening or diagnostic). CONCLUSION: Medicare claims can provide accurate information on whether a patient has undergone colorectal endoscopy and may be more complete than physician medical records. Medicare claims cannot be used to distinguish screening from diagnostic tests. Recognizing this limitation, researchers who use Medicare claims to assess rates of colorectal testing should include both screening and diagnostic endoscopy procedures in their analyses.     

Mitigation of hearing loss from semi-circular canal transection in pseudomonas otitis media with ciprofloxacin-dexamethasone irrigation.

HYPOTHESIS: Irrigation of the mastoid with a quinolone antibiotic-steroid solution may mitigate hearing loss caused by iatrogenic semicircular canal injury in the presence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) otitis media (OM). BACKGROUND: Studies have shown the cochlea to be more vulnerable to semicircular canal transection (SCT)-related hearing loss in the presence of PA OM. Prophylactic systemic antibiotics and steroids may decrease this hearing loss, but SCT is usually not planned. The aim of this study was to determine if irrigation with ciprofloxacin-dexamethasone (cipro-dex) could improve hearing outcomes following SCT in PA OM. METHODS: PA OM was induced in 28 animals. After three to five days, unilateral SCT was performed in each animal, with sham SCT on the contralateral ear. At surgery, half of the animals (n = 14) underwent irrigation of the both mastoid bullae with cipro-dex; the second group of animals (n = 14) underwent irrigation of the bullae with sterile saline. Auditory thresholds were obtained immediately prior to SCT and 7-10 days after SCT. RESULTS: SCT ears treated with cipro-dex showed a mean click threshold improvement of 4.6 dB from pre-transection to 7-10 days post-transection, whereas thresholds in the SCT ears treated with saline worsened by 7.5 dB (p = 0.15). CONCLUSION: Irrigation of the guinea pig bulla with cipro-dex following SCT in the setting of PA OM appears safe and may yield beneficial effects on hearing.