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Severe Maternal Morbidity Can Adversely Affect Mental Health
TOPLINE:
Individuals with severe maternal morbidity (SMM) are at an increased risk for mental health condition–related hospitalization or emergency department (ED) visits up to 13 years after delivery.
METHODOLOGY:
- This retrospective cohort study compared mental health hospitalizations and ED visits in postpartum individuals with and without SMM over 13 years after delivery from April 2008 to March 2021.
- The study analyzed 1,579,392 individuals aged 18-55 years with a first recorded liveborn or stillborn delivery from a pregnancy lasting 20-43 weeks, of which 35,825 (2.3%) had exposure to SMM.
- The SMM exposure was analyzed for events occurring after 20 weeks’ gestation and up to 42 days after delivery hospital discharge in the first recorded birth; those without SMM were considered unexposed.
- The main outcome was a combination of mental health hospitalizations or ED visits occurring at least 43 days after the index birth hospitalization.
TAKEAWAY:
- Individuals with SMM had a 1.3-fold increased risk of mental health hospitalizations or ED visits.
- The hospital or ED visits per 10,000 person-years were 59.2 for mood and anxiety disorders, 17.1 for substance abuse and related disorders, 4.8 for suicidality or self-harm, and 4.1 for schizophrenia spectrum or other psychotic disorders.
- Following SMM, an elevated risk was observed for all mental health outcomes except one (schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders), with the highest risk seen for suicidality and self-harm (aHR, 1.54).
IN PRACTICE:
“Knowledge of the short- and long-term risks of serious mental health conditions after SMM and its subtypes could inform the need for enhanced postpartum supportive resources,” the authors wrote.
SOURCE:
This study was led by Asia Blackman, MSc, Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montreal, Québec, Canada. It was published online in JAMA Network Open.
LIMITATIONS:
The study is limited by its observational design, missing data, and misclassification bias.
DISCLOSURES:
This study was supported by funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. Three authors reported receiving personal fees or grants outside the submitted work. No other conflicts of interest were reported.
A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.
TOPLINE:
Individuals with severe maternal morbidity (SMM) are at an increased risk for mental health condition–related hospitalization or emergency department (ED) visits up to 13 years after delivery.
METHODOLOGY:
- This retrospective cohort study compared mental health hospitalizations and ED visits in postpartum individuals with and without SMM over 13 years after delivery from April 2008 to March 2021.
- The study analyzed 1,579,392 individuals aged 18-55 years with a first recorded liveborn or stillborn delivery from a pregnancy lasting 20-43 weeks, of which 35,825 (2.3%) had exposure to SMM.
- The SMM exposure was analyzed for events occurring after 20 weeks’ gestation and up to 42 days after delivery hospital discharge in the first recorded birth; those without SMM were considered unexposed.
- The main outcome was a combination of mental health hospitalizations or ED visits occurring at least 43 days after the index birth hospitalization.
TAKEAWAY:
- Individuals with SMM had a 1.3-fold increased risk of mental health hospitalizations or ED visits.
- The hospital or ED visits per 10,000 person-years were 59.2 for mood and anxiety disorders, 17.1 for substance abuse and related disorders, 4.8 for suicidality or self-harm, and 4.1 for schizophrenia spectrum or other psychotic disorders.
- Following SMM, an elevated risk was observed for all mental health outcomes except one (schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders), with the highest risk seen for suicidality and self-harm (aHR, 1.54).
IN PRACTICE:
“Knowledge of the short- and long-term risks of serious mental health conditions after SMM and its subtypes could inform the need for enhanced postpartum supportive resources,” the authors wrote.
SOURCE:
This study was led by Asia Blackman, MSc, Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montreal, Québec, Canada. It was published online in JAMA Network Open.
LIMITATIONS:
The study is limited by its observational design, missing data, and misclassification bias.
DISCLOSURES:
This study was supported by funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. Three authors reported receiving personal fees or grants outside the submitted work. No other conflicts of interest were reported.
A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.
TOPLINE:
Individuals with severe maternal morbidity (SMM) are at an increased risk for mental health condition–related hospitalization or emergency department (ED) visits up to 13 years after delivery.
METHODOLOGY:
- This retrospective cohort study compared mental health hospitalizations and ED visits in postpartum individuals with and without SMM over 13 years after delivery from April 2008 to March 2021.
- The study analyzed 1,579,392 individuals aged 18-55 years with a first recorded liveborn or stillborn delivery from a pregnancy lasting 20-43 weeks, of which 35,825 (2.3%) had exposure to SMM.
- The SMM exposure was analyzed for events occurring after 20 weeks’ gestation and up to 42 days after delivery hospital discharge in the first recorded birth; those without SMM were considered unexposed.
- The main outcome was a combination of mental health hospitalizations or ED visits occurring at least 43 days after the index birth hospitalization.
TAKEAWAY:
- Individuals with SMM had a 1.3-fold increased risk of mental health hospitalizations or ED visits.
- The hospital or ED visits per 10,000 person-years were 59.2 for mood and anxiety disorders, 17.1 for substance abuse and related disorders, 4.8 for suicidality or self-harm, and 4.1 for schizophrenia spectrum or other psychotic disorders.
- Following SMM, an elevated risk was observed for all mental health outcomes except one (schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders), with the highest risk seen for suicidality and self-harm (aHR, 1.54).
IN PRACTICE:
“Knowledge of the short- and long-term risks of serious mental health conditions after SMM and its subtypes could inform the need for enhanced postpartum supportive resources,” the authors wrote.
SOURCE:
This study was led by Asia Blackman, MSc, Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montreal, Québec, Canada. It was published online in JAMA Network Open.
LIMITATIONS:
The study is limited by its observational design, missing data, and misclassification bias.
DISCLOSURES:
This study was supported by funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. Three authors reported receiving personal fees or grants outside the submitted work. No other conflicts of interest were reported.
A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.
Arthroscopy Doesn’t Delay Total Knee Replacement in Knee Osteoarthritis
TOPLINE:
Adding arthroscopic surgery to nonoperative management neither delays nor accelerates the timing of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA).
METHODOLOGY:
- Some case series show that arthroscopic surgery for knee OA may delay more invasive procedures, such as TKA or osteotomy, while longitudinal cohort studies often contradict this. Current OA guidelines are yet to address this issue.
- This secondary analysis of a randomized trial compared the long-term incidence of TKA in 178 patients (mean age, 59 years; 64.3% women) with knee OA who were referred for potential arthroscopic surgery at a tertiary care center in Canada.
- The patients received nonoperative care with or without additional arthroscopic surgery.
- Patients in the arthroscopic surgery group had specific knee procedures (resection of degenerative knee tissues) along with nonoperative management (physical therapy plus medications as required), while the control group received nonoperative management alone.
- The primary outcome was TKA on the knee being studied, and the secondary outcome was TKA or osteotomy on either knee.
TAKEAWAY:
- During a median follow-up of 13.8 years, 37.6% of patients underwent TKA, with comparable proportions of patients in the arthroscopic surgery and control groups undergoing TKA (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 0.85; 95% CI, 0.52-1.40).
- The rates of TKA or osteotomy on either knee were similar in both groups (aHR, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.59-1.41).
- A time-stratified analysis done for 0-5 years, 5-10 years, and beyond 10 years of follow-up also showed a consistent interpretation.
- When patients with crossover to arthroscopic surgery during the follow-up were included, the results remained similar for both the primary (HR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.53-1.44) and secondary (HR, 1.08; 95% CI, 0.69-1.68) outcomes.
IN PRACTICE:
“Our study findings do not support the use of arthroscopic surgery for OA of the knee.” “Arthroscopic surgery does not provide additional benefit to nonoperative management for improving pain, stiffness, and function and is likely not cost-effective at 2 years of follow-up,” the authors wrote.
SOURCE:
This study was led by Trevor B. Birmingham, PhD, Fowler Kennedy Sport Medicine Clinic, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada. It was published online in JAMA Network Open
LIMITATIONS:
The study was designed to assess differences in 2-year patient-reported outcomes rather than long-term TKA incidence. Factors influencing decisions to undergo TKA or osteotomy were not considered. Moreover, the effects observed in this study should be evaluated considering the estimated confidence intervals.
DISCLOSURES:
This study was supported by the ICES, which is funded by an annual grant from the Ontario Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Long-Term Care. Some authors declared consulting, performing contracted services, or receiving grant funding, royalties, and nonfinancial support from various sources.
A version of this article appeared on Medscape.com.
TOPLINE:
Adding arthroscopic surgery to nonoperative management neither delays nor accelerates the timing of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA).
METHODOLOGY:
- Some case series show that arthroscopic surgery for knee OA may delay more invasive procedures, such as TKA or osteotomy, while longitudinal cohort studies often contradict this. Current OA guidelines are yet to address this issue.
- This secondary analysis of a randomized trial compared the long-term incidence of TKA in 178 patients (mean age, 59 years; 64.3% women) with knee OA who were referred for potential arthroscopic surgery at a tertiary care center in Canada.
- The patients received nonoperative care with or without additional arthroscopic surgery.
- Patients in the arthroscopic surgery group had specific knee procedures (resection of degenerative knee tissues) along with nonoperative management (physical therapy plus medications as required), while the control group received nonoperative management alone.
- The primary outcome was TKA on the knee being studied, and the secondary outcome was TKA or osteotomy on either knee.
TAKEAWAY:
- During a median follow-up of 13.8 years, 37.6% of patients underwent TKA, with comparable proportions of patients in the arthroscopic surgery and control groups undergoing TKA (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 0.85; 95% CI, 0.52-1.40).
- The rates of TKA or osteotomy on either knee were similar in both groups (aHR, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.59-1.41).
- A time-stratified analysis done for 0-5 years, 5-10 years, and beyond 10 years of follow-up also showed a consistent interpretation.
- When patients with crossover to arthroscopic surgery during the follow-up were included, the results remained similar for both the primary (HR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.53-1.44) and secondary (HR, 1.08; 95% CI, 0.69-1.68) outcomes.
IN PRACTICE:
“Our study findings do not support the use of arthroscopic surgery for OA of the knee.” “Arthroscopic surgery does not provide additional benefit to nonoperative management for improving pain, stiffness, and function and is likely not cost-effective at 2 years of follow-up,” the authors wrote.
SOURCE:
This study was led by Trevor B. Birmingham, PhD, Fowler Kennedy Sport Medicine Clinic, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada. It was published online in JAMA Network Open
LIMITATIONS:
The study was designed to assess differences in 2-year patient-reported outcomes rather than long-term TKA incidence. Factors influencing decisions to undergo TKA or osteotomy were not considered. Moreover, the effects observed in this study should be evaluated considering the estimated confidence intervals.
DISCLOSURES:
This study was supported by the ICES, which is funded by an annual grant from the Ontario Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Long-Term Care. Some authors declared consulting, performing contracted services, or receiving grant funding, royalties, and nonfinancial support from various sources.
A version of this article appeared on Medscape.com.
TOPLINE:
Adding arthroscopic surgery to nonoperative management neither delays nor accelerates the timing of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA).
METHODOLOGY:
- Some case series show that arthroscopic surgery for knee OA may delay more invasive procedures, such as TKA or osteotomy, while longitudinal cohort studies often contradict this. Current OA guidelines are yet to address this issue.
- This secondary analysis of a randomized trial compared the long-term incidence of TKA in 178 patients (mean age, 59 years; 64.3% women) with knee OA who were referred for potential arthroscopic surgery at a tertiary care center in Canada.
- The patients received nonoperative care with or without additional arthroscopic surgery.
- Patients in the arthroscopic surgery group had specific knee procedures (resection of degenerative knee tissues) along with nonoperative management (physical therapy plus medications as required), while the control group received nonoperative management alone.
- The primary outcome was TKA on the knee being studied, and the secondary outcome was TKA or osteotomy on either knee.
TAKEAWAY:
- During a median follow-up of 13.8 years, 37.6% of patients underwent TKA, with comparable proportions of patients in the arthroscopic surgery and control groups undergoing TKA (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 0.85; 95% CI, 0.52-1.40).
- The rates of TKA or osteotomy on either knee were similar in both groups (aHR, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.59-1.41).
- A time-stratified analysis done for 0-5 years, 5-10 years, and beyond 10 years of follow-up also showed a consistent interpretation.
- When patients with crossover to arthroscopic surgery during the follow-up were included, the results remained similar for both the primary (HR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.53-1.44) and secondary (HR, 1.08; 95% CI, 0.69-1.68) outcomes.
IN PRACTICE:
“Our study findings do not support the use of arthroscopic surgery for OA of the knee.” “Arthroscopic surgery does not provide additional benefit to nonoperative management for improving pain, stiffness, and function and is likely not cost-effective at 2 years of follow-up,” the authors wrote.
SOURCE:
This study was led by Trevor B. Birmingham, PhD, Fowler Kennedy Sport Medicine Clinic, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada. It was published online in JAMA Network Open
LIMITATIONS:
The study was designed to assess differences in 2-year patient-reported outcomes rather than long-term TKA incidence. Factors influencing decisions to undergo TKA or osteotomy were not considered. Moreover, the effects observed in this study should be evaluated considering the estimated confidence intervals.
DISCLOSURES:
This study was supported by the ICES, which is funded by an annual grant from the Ontario Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Long-Term Care. Some authors declared consulting, performing contracted services, or receiving grant funding, royalties, and nonfinancial support from various sources.
A version of this article appeared on Medscape.com.
Pancreatic Fat Is the Main Driver for Exocrine and Endocrine Pancreatic Diseases
TOPLINE:
Excessive intrapancreatic fat deposition (IPFD) leading to fatty change of the pancreas (FP) was prevalent in almost 18% of participants in a large population-based cohort, and both IPFD and FP were associated with an increased risk for diabetes, acute pancreatitis, and pancreatic cancer.
METHODOLOGY:
- This prospective cohort study conducted from July 2014 to January 2023 investigated the prevalence of FP and the link between IPFD and pancreatic diseases in 42,599 participants (median age, 65 years; 46.6% men) from the UK Biobank who underwent abdominal Dixon MRI.
- IPFD levels were measured using MRI and a deep learning-based framework called nnUNet.
- The outcomes assessed in this study were diseases of the exocrine pancreas and endocrine pancreas, including acute pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer, diabetes, and other pancreatic conditions.
TAKEAWAY:
- The prevalence of FP was 17.86%.
- Elevation in IPFD levels by one quintile increased the risk for the development of acute pancreatitis by 51.3% (P = .001), pancreatic cancer by 36.5% (P = .017), diabetes by 22.1% (P < .001), and all pancreatic diseases by 22.7% (P < .001).
- FP increased the risk for acute pancreatitis by 298.2% (P < .001), pancreatic cancer by 97.6% (P = .034), diabetes by 33.7% (P = .001), and all pancreatic diseases by 44.1% (P < .001).
- An increasing trend in the prevalence of FP with advancing age was observed in both men and women.
IN PRACTICE:
“FP is a common pancreatic disorder. Fat in the pancreas is an independent risk factor for diseases of both the exocrine pancreas and endocrine pancreas,” the authors wrote.
SOURCE:
This study, led by Xiaowu Dong, MD, of the Pancreatic Center, Department of Gastroenterology, Yangzhou Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, Affiliated Hospital of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China, was published online in The American Journal of Gastroenterology.
LIMITATIONS:
The authors acknowledged that most of the enrolled participants were White and older than 45 years. A low response rate to recruitment invitations in the UK Biobank database may have introduced self-selection bias. The median follow-up duration of 4.61 years was short and may be insufficient to fully capture the impact of IPFD. Additionally, the use of the average fat fraction for the entire pancreas may have led to spatial variations being ignored.
DISCLOSURES:
This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, Cultivation Foundation of Yangzhou Municipal Key Laboratory, The Medical Research Project of Jiangsu Provincial Health Commission, Yangzhou key research and development plan, and Suzhou Innovation Platform Construction Projects-Municipal Key Laboratory Construction. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
A version of this article appeared on Medscape.com.
TOPLINE:
Excessive intrapancreatic fat deposition (IPFD) leading to fatty change of the pancreas (FP) was prevalent in almost 18% of participants in a large population-based cohort, and both IPFD and FP were associated with an increased risk for diabetes, acute pancreatitis, and pancreatic cancer.
METHODOLOGY:
- This prospective cohort study conducted from July 2014 to January 2023 investigated the prevalence of FP and the link between IPFD and pancreatic diseases in 42,599 participants (median age, 65 years; 46.6% men) from the UK Biobank who underwent abdominal Dixon MRI.
- IPFD levels were measured using MRI and a deep learning-based framework called nnUNet.
- The outcomes assessed in this study were diseases of the exocrine pancreas and endocrine pancreas, including acute pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer, diabetes, and other pancreatic conditions.
TAKEAWAY:
- The prevalence of FP was 17.86%.
- Elevation in IPFD levels by one quintile increased the risk for the development of acute pancreatitis by 51.3% (P = .001), pancreatic cancer by 36.5% (P = .017), diabetes by 22.1% (P < .001), and all pancreatic diseases by 22.7% (P < .001).
- FP increased the risk for acute pancreatitis by 298.2% (P < .001), pancreatic cancer by 97.6% (P = .034), diabetes by 33.7% (P = .001), and all pancreatic diseases by 44.1% (P < .001).
- An increasing trend in the prevalence of FP with advancing age was observed in both men and women.
IN PRACTICE:
“FP is a common pancreatic disorder. Fat in the pancreas is an independent risk factor for diseases of both the exocrine pancreas and endocrine pancreas,” the authors wrote.
SOURCE:
This study, led by Xiaowu Dong, MD, of the Pancreatic Center, Department of Gastroenterology, Yangzhou Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, Affiliated Hospital of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China, was published online in The American Journal of Gastroenterology.
LIMITATIONS:
The authors acknowledged that most of the enrolled participants were White and older than 45 years. A low response rate to recruitment invitations in the UK Biobank database may have introduced self-selection bias. The median follow-up duration of 4.61 years was short and may be insufficient to fully capture the impact of IPFD. Additionally, the use of the average fat fraction for the entire pancreas may have led to spatial variations being ignored.
DISCLOSURES:
This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, Cultivation Foundation of Yangzhou Municipal Key Laboratory, The Medical Research Project of Jiangsu Provincial Health Commission, Yangzhou key research and development plan, and Suzhou Innovation Platform Construction Projects-Municipal Key Laboratory Construction. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
A version of this article appeared on Medscape.com.
TOPLINE:
Excessive intrapancreatic fat deposition (IPFD) leading to fatty change of the pancreas (FP) was prevalent in almost 18% of participants in a large population-based cohort, and both IPFD and FP were associated with an increased risk for diabetes, acute pancreatitis, and pancreatic cancer.
METHODOLOGY:
- This prospective cohort study conducted from July 2014 to January 2023 investigated the prevalence of FP and the link between IPFD and pancreatic diseases in 42,599 participants (median age, 65 years; 46.6% men) from the UK Biobank who underwent abdominal Dixon MRI.
- IPFD levels were measured using MRI and a deep learning-based framework called nnUNet.
- The outcomes assessed in this study were diseases of the exocrine pancreas and endocrine pancreas, including acute pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer, diabetes, and other pancreatic conditions.
TAKEAWAY:
- The prevalence of FP was 17.86%.
- Elevation in IPFD levels by one quintile increased the risk for the development of acute pancreatitis by 51.3% (P = .001), pancreatic cancer by 36.5% (P = .017), diabetes by 22.1% (P < .001), and all pancreatic diseases by 22.7% (P < .001).
- FP increased the risk for acute pancreatitis by 298.2% (P < .001), pancreatic cancer by 97.6% (P = .034), diabetes by 33.7% (P = .001), and all pancreatic diseases by 44.1% (P < .001).
- An increasing trend in the prevalence of FP with advancing age was observed in both men and women.
IN PRACTICE:
“FP is a common pancreatic disorder. Fat in the pancreas is an independent risk factor for diseases of both the exocrine pancreas and endocrine pancreas,” the authors wrote.
SOURCE:
This study, led by Xiaowu Dong, MD, of the Pancreatic Center, Department of Gastroenterology, Yangzhou Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, Affiliated Hospital of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China, was published online in The American Journal of Gastroenterology.
LIMITATIONS:
The authors acknowledged that most of the enrolled participants were White and older than 45 years. A low response rate to recruitment invitations in the UK Biobank database may have introduced self-selection bias. The median follow-up duration of 4.61 years was short and may be insufficient to fully capture the impact of IPFD. Additionally, the use of the average fat fraction for the entire pancreas may have led to spatial variations being ignored.
DISCLOSURES:
This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, Cultivation Foundation of Yangzhou Municipal Key Laboratory, The Medical Research Project of Jiangsu Provincial Health Commission, Yangzhou key research and development plan, and Suzhou Innovation Platform Construction Projects-Municipal Key Laboratory Construction. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
A version of this article appeared on Medscape.com.
Port-Wine Birthmarks: Shorter Interval Laser Treatments Show Promise in Infants
TOPLINE:
METHODOLOGY:
- Early intervention of PWB in infants can significantly improve outcomes, and some studies suggest shorter intervals between laser treatments may be more effective. While laser treatment with PDL is the gold standard, the optimal treatment interval has not been determined.
- Researchers evaluated the records of 10 infants with PWB who received weekly PDL treatments from 2022 to 2023 at a single center. Treatment was initiated when the infants were 6 months old or younger, with the median age at the first treatment being 4 weeks. Of the 10 infants, eight had Fitzpatrick skin types I-III and two had skin type IV.
- Two dermatologists assessed photographs taken before and after laser treatment, and the primary outcome was the percentage improvement of PWB.
TAKEAWAY:
- Of the 10 patients, six achieved near-total (76%-95%) clearance, and one achieved total (96%-100%) clearance of PWB at a mean of 2 months after the first treatment.
- Marked improvement (51%-75%) in PWB was observed in the remaining three patients, who achieved near-total clearance with additional treatments.
- The median duration of treatment was 2 months (range, 0.2-5.1), and a median of eight treatments (range, 2-20) were needed to achieve near total or total clearance.
- No adverse events were reported, including pigmentary changes, scarring, burns, erosions, or infections.
IN PRACTICE:
The outcomes in the case series, the authors concluded, “are compelling and warrant attention and further investigation into the possibility that this novel and decreased treatment interval of 1 week ... is associated with potential improvement in outcomes and shorter overall treatment duration.”
SOURCE:
This study was led by Shirin Bajaj, MD, of the Laser & Skin Surgery Center of New York, where the infants were treated, and was published online on April 17, 2024, in JAMA Dermatology.
LIMITATIONS:
A small sample size and the lack of a comparison arm limited the ability to draw any conclusions or make treatment recommendations based on the results.
DISCLOSURES:
The authors disclosed no conflicts of interest.
A version of this article appeared on Medscape.com.
TOPLINE:
METHODOLOGY:
- Early intervention of PWB in infants can significantly improve outcomes, and some studies suggest shorter intervals between laser treatments may be more effective. While laser treatment with PDL is the gold standard, the optimal treatment interval has not been determined.
- Researchers evaluated the records of 10 infants with PWB who received weekly PDL treatments from 2022 to 2023 at a single center. Treatment was initiated when the infants were 6 months old or younger, with the median age at the first treatment being 4 weeks. Of the 10 infants, eight had Fitzpatrick skin types I-III and two had skin type IV.
- Two dermatologists assessed photographs taken before and after laser treatment, and the primary outcome was the percentage improvement of PWB.
TAKEAWAY:
- Of the 10 patients, six achieved near-total (76%-95%) clearance, and one achieved total (96%-100%) clearance of PWB at a mean of 2 months after the first treatment.
- Marked improvement (51%-75%) in PWB was observed in the remaining three patients, who achieved near-total clearance with additional treatments.
- The median duration of treatment was 2 months (range, 0.2-5.1), and a median of eight treatments (range, 2-20) were needed to achieve near total or total clearance.
- No adverse events were reported, including pigmentary changes, scarring, burns, erosions, or infections.
IN PRACTICE:
The outcomes in the case series, the authors concluded, “are compelling and warrant attention and further investigation into the possibility that this novel and decreased treatment interval of 1 week ... is associated with potential improvement in outcomes and shorter overall treatment duration.”
SOURCE:
This study was led by Shirin Bajaj, MD, of the Laser & Skin Surgery Center of New York, where the infants were treated, and was published online on April 17, 2024, in JAMA Dermatology.
LIMITATIONS:
A small sample size and the lack of a comparison arm limited the ability to draw any conclusions or make treatment recommendations based on the results.
DISCLOSURES:
The authors disclosed no conflicts of interest.
A version of this article appeared on Medscape.com.
TOPLINE:
METHODOLOGY:
- Early intervention of PWB in infants can significantly improve outcomes, and some studies suggest shorter intervals between laser treatments may be more effective. While laser treatment with PDL is the gold standard, the optimal treatment interval has not been determined.
- Researchers evaluated the records of 10 infants with PWB who received weekly PDL treatments from 2022 to 2023 at a single center. Treatment was initiated when the infants were 6 months old or younger, with the median age at the first treatment being 4 weeks. Of the 10 infants, eight had Fitzpatrick skin types I-III and two had skin type IV.
- Two dermatologists assessed photographs taken before and after laser treatment, and the primary outcome was the percentage improvement of PWB.
TAKEAWAY:
- Of the 10 patients, six achieved near-total (76%-95%) clearance, and one achieved total (96%-100%) clearance of PWB at a mean of 2 months after the first treatment.
- Marked improvement (51%-75%) in PWB was observed in the remaining three patients, who achieved near-total clearance with additional treatments.
- The median duration of treatment was 2 months (range, 0.2-5.1), and a median of eight treatments (range, 2-20) were needed to achieve near total or total clearance.
- No adverse events were reported, including pigmentary changes, scarring, burns, erosions, or infections.
IN PRACTICE:
The outcomes in the case series, the authors concluded, “are compelling and warrant attention and further investigation into the possibility that this novel and decreased treatment interval of 1 week ... is associated with potential improvement in outcomes and shorter overall treatment duration.”
SOURCE:
This study was led by Shirin Bajaj, MD, of the Laser & Skin Surgery Center of New York, where the infants were treated, and was published online on April 17, 2024, in JAMA Dermatology.
LIMITATIONS:
A small sample size and the lack of a comparison arm limited the ability to draw any conclusions or make treatment recommendations based on the results.
DISCLOSURES:
The authors disclosed no conflicts of interest.
A version of this article appeared on Medscape.com.
Recently Immunized Febrile Infants Have Low Infection Risk
TOPLINE:
METHODOLOGY:
- Researchers evaluated 508 infants aged 6-12 weeks who presented with a fever of 38 °C or greater at two US military academic emergency departments (EDs) over a span of 4 years.
- The infants were categorized as “recently immunized” if they had received immunizations within 72 hours before ED presentation and “not recently immunized” if they had not. Among the 508 infants, 114 were immunized recently.
- The primary outcome was the prevalence of a serious bacterial infection (SBI), categorized into IBI and non-IBI on the basis of culture and radiography findings.
TAKEAWAY:
- The prevalence of SBI was 3.5% in the recently immunized febrile infants and 13.7% in not recently immunized febrile infants.
- Among the recently immunized infants, the prevalence of SBI was lower in those immunized within the first 24 hours than those immunized more than 24 hours before ED presentation (2% vs 14.3%, respectively).
- Almost all identified SBI cases were of urinary tract infection (UTI), with the only non-UTI case being pneumonia in an infant who exhibited respiratory symptoms within 24 hours of receiving immunization.
IN PRACTICE:
Physicians should discuss the possibilities of a less invasive approach for evaluating recently immunized febrile infants. The study findings support the general recommendation to obtain a urinalysis for all recently immunized infants over 60 days presenting with fever, including those presenting less than 24 hours post immunization.
SOURCE:
This study, led by Kyla Casey, MD, Department of Emergency Medicine, Naval Medical Center San Diego, was published online in The American Journal of Emergency Medicine.
LIMITATIONS:
The small sample size and retrospective design might have resulted in an overestimation of outcomes like IBIs within 24 hours after immunization. As the study was conducted in a specific clinical setting with febrile infants from military medical centers, the findings may have limited generalizability. Moreover, the inclusion of premature infants without age correction for prematurity could have impacted the prevalence of IBIs. Factors like missing vaccination history, healthcare referral patterns, and immunization practices in the military system may have introduced bias.
DISCLOSURE:
This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not for profit sectors. The authors had no conflicts of interest to disclose.
A version of this article appeared on Medscape.com.
TOPLINE:
METHODOLOGY:
- Researchers evaluated 508 infants aged 6-12 weeks who presented with a fever of 38 °C or greater at two US military academic emergency departments (EDs) over a span of 4 years.
- The infants were categorized as “recently immunized” if they had received immunizations within 72 hours before ED presentation and “not recently immunized” if they had not. Among the 508 infants, 114 were immunized recently.
- The primary outcome was the prevalence of a serious bacterial infection (SBI), categorized into IBI and non-IBI on the basis of culture and radiography findings.
TAKEAWAY:
- The prevalence of SBI was 3.5% in the recently immunized febrile infants and 13.7% in not recently immunized febrile infants.
- Among the recently immunized infants, the prevalence of SBI was lower in those immunized within the first 24 hours than those immunized more than 24 hours before ED presentation (2% vs 14.3%, respectively).
- Almost all identified SBI cases were of urinary tract infection (UTI), with the only non-UTI case being pneumonia in an infant who exhibited respiratory symptoms within 24 hours of receiving immunization.
IN PRACTICE:
Physicians should discuss the possibilities of a less invasive approach for evaluating recently immunized febrile infants. The study findings support the general recommendation to obtain a urinalysis for all recently immunized infants over 60 days presenting with fever, including those presenting less than 24 hours post immunization.
SOURCE:
This study, led by Kyla Casey, MD, Department of Emergency Medicine, Naval Medical Center San Diego, was published online in The American Journal of Emergency Medicine.
LIMITATIONS:
The small sample size and retrospective design might have resulted in an overestimation of outcomes like IBIs within 24 hours after immunization. As the study was conducted in a specific clinical setting with febrile infants from military medical centers, the findings may have limited generalizability. Moreover, the inclusion of premature infants without age correction for prematurity could have impacted the prevalence of IBIs. Factors like missing vaccination history, healthcare referral patterns, and immunization practices in the military system may have introduced bias.
DISCLOSURE:
This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not for profit sectors. The authors had no conflicts of interest to disclose.
A version of this article appeared on Medscape.com.
TOPLINE:
METHODOLOGY:
- Researchers evaluated 508 infants aged 6-12 weeks who presented with a fever of 38 °C or greater at two US military academic emergency departments (EDs) over a span of 4 years.
- The infants were categorized as “recently immunized” if they had received immunizations within 72 hours before ED presentation and “not recently immunized” if they had not. Among the 508 infants, 114 were immunized recently.
- The primary outcome was the prevalence of a serious bacterial infection (SBI), categorized into IBI and non-IBI on the basis of culture and radiography findings.
TAKEAWAY:
- The prevalence of SBI was 3.5% in the recently immunized febrile infants and 13.7% in not recently immunized febrile infants.
- Among the recently immunized infants, the prevalence of SBI was lower in those immunized within the first 24 hours than those immunized more than 24 hours before ED presentation (2% vs 14.3%, respectively).
- Almost all identified SBI cases were of urinary tract infection (UTI), with the only non-UTI case being pneumonia in an infant who exhibited respiratory symptoms within 24 hours of receiving immunization.
IN PRACTICE:
Physicians should discuss the possibilities of a less invasive approach for evaluating recently immunized febrile infants. The study findings support the general recommendation to obtain a urinalysis for all recently immunized infants over 60 days presenting with fever, including those presenting less than 24 hours post immunization.
SOURCE:
This study, led by Kyla Casey, MD, Department of Emergency Medicine, Naval Medical Center San Diego, was published online in The American Journal of Emergency Medicine.
LIMITATIONS:
The small sample size and retrospective design might have resulted in an overestimation of outcomes like IBIs within 24 hours after immunization. As the study was conducted in a specific clinical setting with febrile infants from military medical centers, the findings may have limited generalizability. Moreover, the inclusion of premature infants without age correction for prematurity could have impacted the prevalence of IBIs. Factors like missing vaccination history, healthcare referral patterns, and immunization practices in the military system may have introduced bias.
DISCLOSURE:
This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not for profit sectors. The authors had no conflicts of interest to disclose.
A version of this article appeared on Medscape.com.
High Infection Risk in Rheumatoid Arthritis–Associated Interstitial Lung Disease
TOPLINE:
METHODOLOGY:
- Patients with RA who have extra-articular manifestations such as ILD are highly susceptible to infections, but information on the types of infections, risk factors, and associations of infections with hospitalization and mortality is limited.
- This prospective multicenter cohort study evaluated infections in a cohort of 148 patients with RA-ILD (average age, 70 years; 57% women) recruited from 11 university hospitals in Spain between March 2015 and March 2023.
- Joint, lung, and any infection-related variables were evaluated using clinical and laboratory evaluations at baseline and selected time points till the end of the follow-up period (mean, 56.7 months).
- Researchers also investigated the common infectious sites, the etiology of the infection, vaccination status, variables associated with lung function, and clinical-therapeutic variables associated with RA.
TAKEAWAY:
- During the follow-up period, almost all (96%) patients had at least one infection, with the median time to first infection being 21.2 months and 65% of the deaths being directly related to infections.
- Respiratory infections were the most common first infections (74%) and led to death in 80% of the patients. Urinary tract (9.9%) and skin and soft tissue (9.1%) infections were the second and third most common first infections, respectively.
- Most infections were caused by SARS-CoV-2 (33.5%), Streptococcus pneumoniae (11.9%), Escherichia coli (11.9%), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (11.1%), with mortality at 25.8% for SARS-CoV-2, 12.9% for P aeruginosa (12.9%), and 9.6% for pneumococci (9.6%).
- Increased age, disease activity, and the use of corticosteroids were associated with an elevated risk for infection and mortality in patients with RA-ILD.
IN PRACTICE:
“Our results demonstrate a high occurrence of serious infections among these patients, occurring early, recurring frequently, and proving fatal in 65% of cases,” the authors wrote.
SOURCE:
This study was led by Natalia Mena-Vázquez, MD, PhD, from Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga-Plataforma Bionand, Málaga, Spain, and published online March 27 in Frontiers in Immunology.
LIMITATIONS:
The findings of this study have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The lack of a control group also limited the ability of this study to establish any causal relationships between ILD and the clinical outcomes analyzed.
DISCLOSURE:
This study was supported by Redes de Investigación Cooperativa Orientadas a Resultados en Salud and Fundación Andaluza de Reumatología. The authors declared having no conflicts of interest.
A version of this article appeared on Medscape.com.
TOPLINE:
METHODOLOGY:
- Patients with RA who have extra-articular manifestations such as ILD are highly susceptible to infections, but information on the types of infections, risk factors, and associations of infections with hospitalization and mortality is limited.
- This prospective multicenter cohort study evaluated infections in a cohort of 148 patients with RA-ILD (average age, 70 years; 57% women) recruited from 11 university hospitals in Spain between March 2015 and March 2023.
- Joint, lung, and any infection-related variables were evaluated using clinical and laboratory evaluations at baseline and selected time points till the end of the follow-up period (mean, 56.7 months).
- Researchers also investigated the common infectious sites, the etiology of the infection, vaccination status, variables associated with lung function, and clinical-therapeutic variables associated with RA.
TAKEAWAY:
- During the follow-up period, almost all (96%) patients had at least one infection, with the median time to first infection being 21.2 months and 65% of the deaths being directly related to infections.
- Respiratory infections were the most common first infections (74%) and led to death in 80% of the patients. Urinary tract (9.9%) and skin and soft tissue (9.1%) infections were the second and third most common first infections, respectively.
- Most infections were caused by SARS-CoV-2 (33.5%), Streptococcus pneumoniae (11.9%), Escherichia coli (11.9%), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (11.1%), with mortality at 25.8% for SARS-CoV-2, 12.9% for P aeruginosa (12.9%), and 9.6% for pneumococci (9.6%).
- Increased age, disease activity, and the use of corticosteroids were associated with an elevated risk for infection and mortality in patients with RA-ILD.
IN PRACTICE:
“Our results demonstrate a high occurrence of serious infections among these patients, occurring early, recurring frequently, and proving fatal in 65% of cases,” the authors wrote.
SOURCE:
This study was led by Natalia Mena-Vázquez, MD, PhD, from Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga-Plataforma Bionand, Málaga, Spain, and published online March 27 in Frontiers in Immunology.
LIMITATIONS:
The findings of this study have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The lack of a control group also limited the ability of this study to establish any causal relationships between ILD and the clinical outcomes analyzed.
DISCLOSURE:
This study was supported by Redes de Investigación Cooperativa Orientadas a Resultados en Salud and Fundación Andaluza de Reumatología. The authors declared having no conflicts of interest.
A version of this article appeared on Medscape.com.
TOPLINE:
METHODOLOGY:
- Patients with RA who have extra-articular manifestations such as ILD are highly susceptible to infections, but information on the types of infections, risk factors, and associations of infections with hospitalization and mortality is limited.
- This prospective multicenter cohort study evaluated infections in a cohort of 148 patients with RA-ILD (average age, 70 years; 57% women) recruited from 11 university hospitals in Spain between March 2015 and March 2023.
- Joint, lung, and any infection-related variables were evaluated using clinical and laboratory evaluations at baseline and selected time points till the end of the follow-up period (mean, 56.7 months).
- Researchers also investigated the common infectious sites, the etiology of the infection, vaccination status, variables associated with lung function, and clinical-therapeutic variables associated with RA.
TAKEAWAY:
- During the follow-up period, almost all (96%) patients had at least one infection, with the median time to first infection being 21.2 months and 65% of the deaths being directly related to infections.
- Respiratory infections were the most common first infections (74%) and led to death in 80% of the patients. Urinary tract (9.9%) and skin and soft tissue (9.1%) infections were the second and third most common first infections, respectively.
- Most infections were caused by SARS-CoV-2 (33.5%), Streptococcus pneumoniae (11.9%), Escherichia coli (11.9%), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (11.1%), with mortality at 25.8% for SARS-CoV-2, 12.9% for P aeruginosa (12.9%), and 9.6% for pneumococci (9.6%).
- Increased age, disease activity, and the use of corticosteroids were associated with an elevated risk for infection and mortality in patients with RA-ILD.
IN PRACTICE:
“Our results demonstrate a high occurrence of serious infections among these patients, occurring early, recurring frequently, and proving fatal in 65% of cases,” the authors wrote.
SOURCE:
This study was led by Natalia Mena-Vázquez, MD, PhD, from Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga-Plataforma Bionand, Málaga, Spain, and published online March 27 in Frontiers in Immunology.
LIMITATIONS:
The findings of this study have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The lack of a control group also limited the ability of this study to establish any causal relationships between ILD and the clinical outcomes analyzed.
DISCLOSURE:
This study was supported by Redes de Investigación Cooperativa Orientadas a Resultados en Salud and Fundación Andaluza de Reumatología. The authors declared having no conflicts of interest.
A version of this article appeared on Medscape.com.