Search

Background The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) and adiposity measures are independently associated with the development of diabetes in African American adults. However, studies have not examined the combined interaction between RAAS and adiposity measures in relation to diabetes risk in African American adults. Objective We examined the longitudinal association of combined RAAS and adiposity measures with incident diabetes among African American adults in the Jackson Heart Study. Methods African American adults were assessed at baseline (2000-2004) and over 12 years of follow-up. RAAS, anthropometric (waist circumference [WC], body mass index), and adipokine (adiponectin, leptin, leptin to adiponectin ratio [LAR]) measures were collected at baseline. Aldosterone, WC, and LAR were chosen as the best predictor variables. The final model, adjusting for age, sex, education, occupation, systolic blood pressure, smoking, physical activity and RAAS-altering medications, incorporated these variables and their interactions (WC*aldosterone + LAR*aldosterone) to explore their impact on incident diabetes. Results Among 3219 participants without diabetes at baseline, there were 554 incident cases over a median follow-up period of 7.5 years. Aldosterone, WC, and LAR were positively associated with incident diabetes (all P <.05). A significant interaction was found between WC and aldosterone, with a greater association among individuals with lower WC. This interaction was significant in participants with prediabetes but not in those with normoglycemia. No significant interaction was found between log-LAR and aldosterone with risk of incident diabetes. Conclusion Higher aldosterone in participants is associated with greater risk of diabetes, particularly among individuals with prediabetes and lower WC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Fatigue and gait speed are established determinants of fall risk in patients with neurological disorders. However, data on adults with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is limited. The aim of this pilot study was to investigate falls and risk factors in adults with SMA. Methods: A retrospective chart review of ambulatory adults with genetically confirmed 5q-SMA included: age, sex, age of symptom onset, SMN2 copy number, BMI, and 6MWT distance and speed at minutes 1, 2, and 6. Results: Fourteen ambulatory patients were included in the analysis with an average follow-up of 36 months (range of 12–66 months). 10 patients were classified as fallers (Fall) and four as non-fallers (NFall). One faller received Risdiplam, while the remaining fallers and non-fallers received Nusinersen for the duration of the follow-up period. In the Fall cohort, the median speed at 1, 2, and 6 min were 0.92 m/s, 0.89 m/s, and 0.77 m/s, respectively, with a heterogeneous range including one faller at 1.25 m/s. In the NFall cohort, the slowest collected median recorded speeds were 1.18 m/s, 1.11 m/s, and 1.09 m/s respectively, with one non-faller at 0.56 m/s. There was no significant statistical difference between 6-min gait speeds and individuals experiencing falls. However, we found a three-fold greater decline in speed between the 6MWT first and last minute in the Fall (13.01%) compared to the NFall (5.16%). 7 of 10 patients had multiple falls (70%) with two individuals consequently losing ambulation (20%). Discussion: These findings underscore the need for larger studies on fatigability and the importance of considering factors beyond gait speed alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peptide receptor radionucleotide therapy (PRRT) with 177Lu-dotatate is widely used for the treatment of patients with neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). We analyzed data from 104 patients with NETs treated with 177Lu -dotatate at a US academic center between December 2017 and October 2020 to better understand patterns of long-term efficacy, safety, and toxicity in the real-world setting. 177Lu-dotatate (200 mCi) was administered every eight weeks for four doses. The most common sites of primary disease were small intestine NETs (n = 49, 47%), pancreatic NETs (n = 32, 31%), and lung NETs (n = 7, 7%). Twenty-seven percent had Ki-67 <3%, 49% had Ki-67 between 3–20%, and 13.5% had Ki-67 >20%. The cohort had been pretreated with a median of two prior lines of treatment. Forty percent had received prior liver-directed treatment. Seventy-four percent of patients completed all four doses of treatment. The objective response rate was 18%. The median time-to-treatment failure/death was significantly longer for small-bowel NETs when compared to pancreatic NETs (37.3 months vs. 13.2 months, p = 0.001). In a multivariate model, Ki-67, primary site, and liver tumor burden ≥50% were found to independently predict time-to-treatment failure/death. Around 40% of patients experienced adverse events of ≥grade 3 severity. Treatment-related adverse events leading to discontinuation of therapy happened in 10% of patients. Preexisting mesenteric/peritoneal disease was present in 33 patients; seven of these patients developed bowel-related toxicities including two grade 5 events. We also report two cases of delayed-onset minimal change nephrotic syndrome, which occurred 14 and 27 months after the last dose of PRRT. Lastly, we describe six patients who developed rapid tumor progression in the liver leading to terminal liver failure within 7.3 months from the start of PRRT, and identify potential risk factors associated with this occurrence, which will need further study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To identify factors influencing volume change in non-osseous oral free flap reconstruction using postoperative cross-sectional imaging and 3-dimensional segmentation of the free flap's muscular and adipose tissue content. Methods: Oral tongue free flap reconstruction cases (2014-2019) were reviewed with inclusion of patients with 3 postoperative, cross-sectional imaging studies with 1 within 6 months, 1 within 1 year, and 1 that spanned 2 years post-reconstruction. Exclusion criteria included recurrence, significant dental artifact, bony reconstruction, and flap failure. Demographics, risk factors, and surgical/clinical treatments were identified. Flap volumes were measured using Materialise MIMICS. Results: Twenty-two patients met strict inclusion criteria. Four flaps were anterolateral thighs and 18 radial forearms. Median percent volume loss greater than 2 years post-reconstruction was 53.2% overall, 58.1% for radial forearms, and 45.4% for ALTs (21.4% for adipose tissue and 57.4% for muscular tissue). Univariate analysis revealed glossectomy amount was associated with percent volume loss (P =.0417). Each successive postoperative month, the flap decreased by 1.54% (P <.0001). Checking for the interaction effect, the percent of flap loss across time was different for glossectomy amount (P =.0093), obesity status (P =.0431), and base of tongue involvement (P =.0472). Conclusion: Glossectomy type, and thus flap size, is a positive predictor for flap atrophy. Obesity and base of tongue involvement are negative predictors for flap atrophy. The amount of tissue loss may differ from classical teachings with median atrophy 53.2% greater than 2 years post-reconstruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To define the role of hypothyroidism and other risk factors for unplanned readmissions after surgery for head and neck cancer. Study Design: Retrospective cohort study. Methods: The Nationwide Readmission Database (NRD) was used to identify patients who underwent surgery for mucosal head and neck cancer (oral cavity, oropharynx, larynx, and hypopharynx) between 2010 and 2017. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were performed to determine patient, tumor, and hospital related risk factors for 30‐day readmission. Readmitted patients were stratified by preoperative diagnosis of hypothyroidism to compare readmission characteristics. Results: For the 131,013 patients who met inclusion criteria, the readmission rate was 15.9%. Overall, 11.91% of patients had a preoperative diagnosis of hypothyroidism. After controlling for other variables, patients with a preoperative diagnosis of hypothyroidism had 12.2% higher odds of readmission compared to those without hypothyroidism (OR: 1.12, 1.03–1.22, p = 0.008). Patients with hypothyroidism had different reasons for readmission, including higher rates of wound dehiscence, fistula, infection, and electrolyte imbalance. Among readmitted patients, the length of stay for index admission (mean 10.5 days vs. 9.2 days, p < 0.001), readmission (mean 7.0 vs. 6.6 days, p = 0.05), and total hospital charge were higher for hypothyroid patients ($137,742 vs. $119,831, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Hypothyroidism is an independent risk factor for 30‐day readmission following head and neck cancer resection. Furthermore, hypothyroid patients are more likely to be readmitted for wound complications, infection, and electrolyte imbalance. Targeted interventions should be considered for hypothyroid patients to decrease readmission rates and associated patient morbidity, potentially leading to earlier initiation of adjuvant treatment. Level of Evidence: 3 Laryngoscope, 133:2988–2998, 2023 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The increase in incidence of thyroid cancer correlates with strict increases in body mass index (BMI) and obesity in the United States. Thyroid hormone dysregulation has been shown to precipitate circulatory volume, peripheral resistance, cardiac rhythm, and even cardiac muscle health. Theoretically, thyroid surgery could precipitate injury to the cardiopulmonary system. Methods: The American College of Surgery National Quality Improvement Program database was queried for thyroidectomy cases in the 2007–2020 Participant User files. Continuous and categorical associations between BMI and cardiopulmonary complications were investigated as reported in the database. Results: The query resulted 186,095 cases of thyroidectomy procedures in which the mean age was 51.3 years and sample was 79.3% female. No correlation was evident in univariate and multivariate analyses between BMI and the incidence of postoperative stroke or myocardial infarction. The incidence of complications was extremely low. However, risk of deep venous thrombosis correlated with BMI in the categorical, univariate, and multivariate (OR 1.036, CI 1.014–1.057, p < 0.01) regression analysis. Additionally, increased BMI was associated with increased risk of pulmonary embolism (PE) (OR 1.050 (1.030, 1.069), p < 0.01), re‐intubation (OR 1.012 (1.002, 1.023), p = 0.02), and prolonged intubation (OR 1.031 (1.017, 1.045), p < 0.01). Conclusion: Despite the rarity of cardiopulmonary complications during thyroid surgery, patients with very high BMI carry a significant risk of deep venous thrombosis, PE, and prolonged intubation. Level of Evidence: 3 Laryngoscope, 133:2823–2830, 2023 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are associated with a unique set of immune-related adverse events (irAEs). Few studies have evaluated the risk factors and outcomes of patients who develop ICI-induced hepatitis (ICIH). Methods: We utilized an institutional database of patients with advanced cancers treated with ICI to identify patients with ICIH. irAEs were graded using the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events v4. Overall survival (OS) was calculated from the date of ICI to death from any cause or the date of the last follow-up. OS with 95% confidence intervals were estimated using the Kaplan–Meier method and stratified by the occurrence of ICIH. Results: We identified 1096 patients treated with ICI. The most common ICIs were PD1/L1 (n = 774) and CTLA-4 inhibitors (n = 195). ICIH occurred among 64 (6%) patients: severity was < grade 3 in 30 and ≥ grade 3 in 24 patients (3.1% overall). Median time to ICIH was 63 days. ICIH was more frequent in women (p = 0.038), in patients treated with combination ICIs (p < 0.001), and when given as first-line therapy (p = 0.018). Occurrence of ICIH was associated with significantly longer OS, median 37.0 months (95% CI 21.4, NR) compared to 11.3 months (95% CI 10, 13, p < 0.001); there was no difference in OS between patients with ≥ grade 3 ICIH vs grade 1–2. Conclusions: Female sex, combination immunotherapy, and the first line of immunotherapy were associated with ICIH. Patients with ICIH had improved clinical survival compared to those that did not develop ICIH. There is a need for prospective further studies to confirm our findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Non-medical health-related social needs (social needs) are major contributors to worse health outcomes and may have an adverse impact on cardiovascular risk factors and cardiovascular disease. The present study evaluated the effect of a closed-loop community-based pathway in reducing social needs among Black men in a lifestyle change program. Methods: Black men (n = 70) from a large Midwestern city participated in Black Impact, a 24-week community-based team lifestyle change single-arm pilot trial adapted from the Diabetes Prevention Program and American Heart Association's (AHA) Check, Change, Control Blood Pressure Self-Management Program, which incorporates AHA's Life's Simple 7 (LS7) framework. Participants were screened using the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Accountable Health Communities Health-Related Social Needs Screening Tool. Participants with affirmative responses were referred to a community hub pathway to address social needs. The primary outcome for this analysis is change in social needs based on the CMS social needs survey at 12 and 24 weeks using mixed effect logistic regressions with random intercepts for each participant. Change in a LS7 score (range 0–14) from baseline to 12 and 24 weeks was evaluated using a linear mixed-effects model stratified by baseline social needs. Results: Among 70 participants, the mean age of participants was 52 ±10.5 years. The men were sociodemographically diverse, with annual income ranging from <$20,000 (6%) to ≥$75,000 (23%). Forty-three percent had a college degree or higher level of education, 73% had private insurance, and 84% were employed. At baseline 57% of participants had at least one social need. Over 12 and 24 weeks, this was reduced to 37% (OR 0.33, 95%CI: 0.13, 0.85) and 44% (OR 0.50, 95%CI: 0.21, 1.16), respectively. There was no association of baseline social needs status with baseline LS7 score, and LS7 score improved over 12 and 24 weeks among men with and without social needs, with no evidence of a differential effect. Conclusions: The Black Impact lifestyle change single-arm pilot program showed that a referral to a closed-loop community-based hub reduced social needs in Black men. We found no association of social needs with baseline or change in LS7 scores. Further evaluation of community-based strategies to advance the attainment of LS7 and address social needs among Black men in larger trials is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Social determinants of health have a significant impact on health outcomes. However, the complexity and interaction of multiple factors influencing glycemic control remain understudied.Purpose: This study examined associations of socioeconomic position (income, education, and occupation), environmental (physical activity facilities, neighborhood social cohesion, neighborhood problem, and violence), behavioral (physical activity, nutrition, and smoking), and psychological factors (depressive symptoms, stress, and discrimination) with glycemic control (hemoglobin A1c [A1c]) using the World Health Organization Social Determinants of Health framework in African American adults with type 2 diabetes.Methods: A secondary data analysis was conducted using a longitudinal cohort of 1,240 African American adults with type 2 diabetes who participated in the community-based Jackson Heart Study. Socioeconomic position, environmental, behavioral, and psychological factors were measured using validated instruments in the Jackson Heart Study. Longitudinal structural equation modeling was used with glycemic control (A1c) collected over time (Exams 1-3) as the study outcome.Results: Our study presents the complex interplay of socioeconomic determinants of health and glycemic control over time. Higher socioeconomic position (higher income, higher level of education, and professional occupation) was directly associated with improvement in glycemic control over time. An association of socioeconomic position on glycemic control mediated through health behavior factors was also observed.Conclusions: In this analysis, socioeconomic position components were determinants of glycemic control in African American adults with type 2 diabetes. Future studies aimed at reducing health disparities and achieving equality of outcomes in this population will benefit from embedding socioeconomic position components into their design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives/Hypothesis: We investigate the clinicopathologic and treatment factors associated with the use of postoperative radiation therapy (PORT) and its effect on overall survival (OS) for patients with oral cavity verrucous carcinoma (VC). Study Design: Retrospective cohort study. Methods: A retrospective cohort study of the National Cancer Database (NCDB) from 2006 to 2015 was performed. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify independent predictive factors associated with the use of PORT. Cox Regression survival and propensity score analyses were used to evaluate the effect of PORT on mortality. Results: A total of 356 adult patients with primary oral cavity VC who underwent definitive surgical resection were identified. A total of 10.7% of patients underwent definitive surgical resection followed by PORT. Variables associated with PORT included distance to the hospital per 10 miles (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.81 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.70–0.95]) and stage III–IV disease (aOR, 12.13 and 23.92, respectively). Multivariable Cox regression survival analysis indicated no evidence of survival benefit in patients undergoing PORT compared to surgery alone (adjusted hazard ratio 1.50 [0.74–3.05], P =.23). Propensity score analysis also showed no OS benefit with the use of PORT (P =.41). Conclusions: Variables associated with the use of PORT on multivariable analysis included closer distance to hospital and stage III–IV disease. No clear survival benefit with PORT was identified on either multivariable survival analysis or propensity score analysis. These results suggest that surgery alone with negative margins may be the optimal treatment for patients with oral cavity VC. Level of Evidence: 4 Laryngoscope, 132:1953–1961, 2022 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives/Hypothesis: About 260,000 septoplasties are performed annually in the US to address nasal septal deviation (NSD). Yet, we do not consistently understand what aspects of NSD result in symptoms. Study Design: Blinded cohort study. Methods: Two fellowship‐trained surgeons blindly reviewed computerized tomography (CTs) of 10 confirmed NSD patients mixed with 36 healthy controls. All patients were correctly identified, however, 24/36 controls were falsely identified by both surgeons as patients (33.3% specificity), which were grouped as asymptomatic NSD (aNSD), while the remaining controls as non‐NSD (healthy). Acoustic rhinometry, rhinomanometry, individual CT‐based computational fluid dynamics and nasal sensory testing were applied to address the puzzling questions of why these aNSD had no symptoms and, more fundamentally, what caused symptoms in sNSD patients. Results: aNSD reported no nasal symptoms – Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation score (sNSD: 60.50 ± 13.00; aNSD: 5.20 ± 5.41; non‐NSD: 6.66 ± 7.17, P <.05); 22‐item Sino‐Nasal Outcome Test score (sNSD: 32.60 ± 14.13; aNSD: 10.04 ± 10.10; non‐NSD: 9.08 ± 12.42, P <.001). No significant differences in measured nasal resistance, minimum cross‐sectional area (MCA), degree of septal deviation, and nasal airflow distributions were found between sNSD and aNSD groups. Only three variables differentiate sNSD versus aNSD: anterior averaged heat flux on deviated side, inferior turbinate peak heat flux on non‐deviated side, and nasal cool sensitivity measured by menthol lateralization threshold, with no significant differences among these variables found between the two healthy groups (aNSD vs. non‐NSD). These variables by themselves or combined can differentiate sNSD from controls with higher specificity than the physicians (ROC area under the curve = 0.84 with 70% sensitivity and 91.6% specificity). Conclusions: This study sheds light on the potential mechanisms of NSD symptomatology: distorted nasal cooling due to NSD exacerbated by poorer nasal mucosal sensitivity. It further supports our previous hypothesis that nasal obstruction complaints do not result directly from obstruction, rather from the capacity of our nose to subjectively sense airflow cooling. Level of Evidence: 3 Laryngoscope, 132:509–517, 2022 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]