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Using data from the US population-based, multisite Muscular Dystrophy Surveillance, Tracking, and Research Network (MD STARnet), we describe respiratory testing and insufficiency among people with facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) diagnosed during 2008-2016. We calculated frequencies and proportions for selected outpatient respiratory assessments (pulmonary function tests [PFTs], forced vital capacity (FVC), inspiratory/expiratory pressure, and polysomnograms) and abnormal test results. We examined frequencies by disease characteristics (FSHD type, ages of onset, non-ambulatory status, scoliosis, lordosis), obesity, and number of health encounters. Of 170 people with FSHD, 20.0% underwent PFTs during 2008-2016. Polysomnograms were infrequent (14.1%). FVC <80% predicted was recorded for 64.7% of people tested; additional respiratory outcomes were rare (<5%). Frequency of evaluations and respiratory insufficiency were higher among those with known risk factors and longer follow-up. We observed low proportions of respiratory testing among all confirmed cases of FSHD, but relatively high proportions of mild respiratory insufficiency among those tested. The higher proportions of testing among people with conditions that increase risk of respiratory complications suggest targeted monitoring. Broad implementation of the FSHD guidelines recommending all individuals receive baseline respiratory evaluation at diagnosis could identify respiratory insufficiency as a complication of FSHD., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest K.D.M. receives research funding from the Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Cooperative Research Center grant (NIH U54 NS053672), NeuroNext (NIH U24NS107181) and the Centers for Disease Control (U01 DD001248). She serves as an advisory board member for MDA and the FSH Society; is a board member for the Friedreich Ataxia Research Alliance (FARA); receives or has recently received clinical trial funding from PTC Therapeutics, Sarepta Therapeutics, Pfizer, Reata, Italfarmaco, Fibrogen, Italfarmaco, CSL Behring, AMO and Reata. RJB is receiving funding via contracts for research and clinical trials from Avexis, PTC Therapeutics, Sarepta Therapeutics, Pfizer, Biogen and Ionis Pharmaceuticals. He serves on scientific advisory boards for Sarepta Therapeutics, Biogen, Avexis and Pfizer. The remaining authors have no conflicts of interest (K.M.C., J.S., A.M., J.T.A, P.A.R.)., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Objective: The purpose of this study is to compare the prevalence of latent TB infection (LTBI) among patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) to healthy controls without T2DM. To achieve this objective, we conducted a case-control study in a large hospital in Atlanta from 2016 to 2019., Results: We enrolled 98 cases; 119 potential controls were screened, 84 of which had HbA1c  ≥  5.7% and one did not have QFT result, leaving 34 (28.6%) individuals enrolled as controls. LTBI prevalence was 9.2% among cases and 14.7% among controls (crude odds ratio 0.59, 95% CI 0.19-2.04). After adjusting for age and sex, the adjusted odds of LTBI among patients with T2DM was 0.45 (95% CI 0.13, 1.71) times the controls. We did not observe a statistically significant association between LTBI and T2DM. However, we reported a positive correlation between HbA1c level and nil count among individuals with LTBI (R 2   =  0.55, p  <  0.01). In addition, we reported a high prevalence of LTBI among adults with T2DM and family members without T2DM.

Objectives: This study examined the pattern of use and factors predicting prolonged prescription opioid medications among cancer patients following treatment with curative intent., Materials and Methods: Patients diagnosed with cancer over a 3-year period at a large urban safety-net hospital were included. Univariate and multivariate analyses was used to identify factors associated with continued opioid use., Results: Of the 199 patients included in the study, 38% continued to receive an opioid prescription well beyond the acute diagnosis and treatment phase. Mean age was 60.3 years, with a female preponderance (63%). Surgical resection only (31.6%) and the combination of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation (19.7%) were the commonest treatment modalities. Pain-related comorbidities predating cancer diagnosis were reported in 53.3% of the patients, and about 33% were also on pain-modifying medications (odds ratio [OR], 3.58; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.92-6.77; Fisher exact test P<0.001). Average number of prescriptions received per patient was 4.8 (range, 1 to 31), over an average of 9.5 months (range, 1.2 to 28.1 mo). Mean morphine milligram equivalents prescribed per prescription was 319 mg (range, 48 to 2475 mg). According to multivariate model, patients who received chemotherapy (OR, 7.25; 95% CI, 2.09-25.17; P=0.0018), or pain-modifying medications (OR, 4.61; 95% CI, 2.25-9.44; P<0.0001) were significantly more likely to continue to receive prescriptions for opioids., Discussion: Treatment with chemotherapy, pain-modifying medications, cancer stage, and interval between diagnosis and treatment are the best predictors for continuous opioid use. The current epidemic of opioid misuse and abuse makes examination current practices and identifification of areas of improvement imperative.