Clinical outcomes of pediatric macular edema associated with non-infectious uveitis

Abstract Background Macular edema (ME) is the most frequent cause of irreversible visual impairment in patients with uveitis. To date, little data exists about the clinical course of ME in pediatric patients. A retrospective, observational study was performed to examine the visual and macular thickness outcomes of ME associated with chronic, noninfectious uveitis in pediatric patients. Methods Pediatric patients with noninfectious uveitis complicated by ME seen in the University of California San Francisco Health System from 2012 to 2018 were identified using ICD-9 and ICD-10 codes. Data were collected from medical records including demographics, diagnoses, ocular history, OCT imaging findings, complications, and treatments at first encounter and at 3, 6, 9, and 12-month follow-up visits. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to investigate the association between different classes of treatment (steroid drops, steroid injections, oral steroids and other immunosuppressive therapies) and resolution of macular edema. Results The cohort comprised of 21 children (26 eyes) with a mean age of 10.5 years (SD 3.3). Undifferentiated uveitis was the most common diagnosis, affecting 19 eyes (73.1%). The majority of observed macular edema was unilateral (16 patients, 76.2%) and 5 patients had bilateral macular edema. The mean duration of follow-up at UCSF was 35.3 months (SD 25.7). By 12 months, 18 eyes (69.2%) had achieved resolution of ME. The median time to resolution was 3 months (IQR 3–6 months). Median best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at baseline was 0.54 logMAR (Snellen 20/69, IQR 20/40 to 20/200). Median BCVA at 12 months was 0.1 logMAR (Snellen 20/25, IQR 20/20 to 20/50) Corticosteroid injections were associated with a 4.0-fold higher rate of macular edema resolution (95% CI 1.3–12.2, P = 0.01). Conclusions Although only 15% of the pediatric patients with uveitis in the study cohort had ME, it is clinically important to conduct OCTs to detect ME in this population. Treatment resulted in 69% of eyes achieving resolution of ME by 12 months, accompanied with improvement in visual acuity. Corticosteroid injections were significantly associated with resolution of macular edema.

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Clinical Outcomes of Pediatric Macular Edema Associated with Non-infectious Uveitis

10.21203/rs.3.rs-80695/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Anh Hong Nguyen ◽

Bethlehem Mekonnen ◽

Eric Kim ◽

Nisha R. Acharya

Keyword(s):

Visual Acuity ◽

Macular Edema ◽

San Francisco ◽

Pediatric Patients ◽

Proportional Hazards ◽

Cox Proportional Hazards ◽

Study Cohort ◽

Common Diagnosis ◽

Corticosteroid Injections

Abstract Background Macular edema (ME) is the most frequent cause of irreversible visual impairment in patients with uveitis. To date, little data exists about the clinical course of ME in pediatric patients. A retrospective, observational study was performed to examine the visual and macular thickness outcomes of ME associated with chronic, noninfectious uveitis in pediatric patients.Methods Pediatric patients with noninfectious uveitis complicated by ME seen in the University of California San Francisco Health System from 2012-2018 were identified using ICD-9 and ICD-10 codes. Data were collected from medical records including demographics, diagnoses, ocular history, OCT imaging findings, complications, and treatments at first encounter and at 3, 6, 9, and 12-month follow-up visits. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to investigate the association between different classes of treatment (steroid drops, steroid injections, oral steroids and other immunosuppressive therapies) and resolution of macular edema. Results The cohort comprised of 21 children (26 eyes) with a mean age of 10.5 years (SD 3.3). Undifferentiated uveitis was the most common diagnosis, affecting 19 eyes (73.1%). The majority of observed macular edema was unilateral (16 patients, 76.2%) and 5 patients had bilateral macular edema. The mean duration of follow-up at UCSF was 35.3 months (SD 25.7).By 12 months, 18 eyes (69.2%) had achieved resolution of ME. The median time to resolution was 3 months (IQR 3-6 months). Median best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at baseline was 0.54 logMAR (Snellen 20/69, IQR 20/40 to 20/200). Median BCVA at 12 months was 0.1 logMAR (Snellen 20/25, IQR 20/20 to 20/50) Corticosteroid injections were associated with a 4.0-fold higher rate of macular edema resolution (95% CI 1.3-12.2, P = 0.01).Conclusions Although only 15% of the pediatric patients with uveitis in the study cohort had ME, it is clinically important to conduct OCTs to detect ME in this population. Treatment resulted in 69% of eyes achieving resolution of ME by 12 months, accompanied with improvement in visual acuity. Corticosteroid injections were significantly associated with resolution of macular edema.

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Abstract 2646: Aortic Arch Plaques and Risk of Vascular Events in Subjects Without Prior Stroke

Circulation ◽

10.1161/circ.118.suppl_18.s_760 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 118 (suppl_18) ◽

Author(s):

Cesare Russo ◽

Zhezhen Jin ◽

Ralph L Sacco ◽

Shunichi Homma ◽

Tatjana Rundek ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Atrial Fibrillation ◽

Ischemic Stroke ◽

Aortic Arch ◽

Proportional Hazards ◽

Cox Proportional Hazards ◽

Study Cohort ◽

Vascular Events ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Prior Stroke

BACKGROUND: Aortic arch plaques (AAP) are a risk factor for cardiovascular embolic events. However, the risk of vascular events associated with AAP in the general population is unclear. AIM: To assess whether AAP detected by transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) are associated with an increased risk of vascular events in a stroke-free cohort. METHODS: The study cohort consisted of stroke-free subjects over age 50 from the Aortic Plaques and Risk of Ischemic Stroke (APRIS) study. AAP were assessed by multiplane TEE, and considered large if ≥ 4 mm in thickness. Vascular events including myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke and vascular death were recorded during the follow-up. The association between AAP and outcomes was assessed by univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards models. RESULTS: A group of 209 subjects was studied (mean age 67±9 years; 45% women; 14% whites, 30% blacks, 56% Hispanics). AAP of any size were present in 130 subjects (62%); large AAP in 50 (24%). Subjects with AAP were older (69±8 vs. 63±7 years), had higher systolic BP (146±21 vs.139±20 mmHg), were more often white (19% vs. 8%), smokers (20% vs. 9%) and more frequently had a history of coronary artery disease (26% vs. 14%) than those without AAP (all p<0.05). Lipid parameters, prevalence of atrial fibrillation and diabetes mellitus were not significantly different between the two groups. During the follow up (94±29 months) 30 events occurred (13 myocardial infarctions, 11 ischemic strokes, 6 vascular deaths). After adjustment for other risk factors, AAP of any size were not associated with an increased risk of combined vascular events (HR 1.07, 95% CI 0.44 to 2.56). The same result was observed for large AAP (HR 0.94, CI 0.34 to 2.64). Age (HR 1.05, CI 1.01 to 1.10), body mass index (HR 1.08, CI 1.01 to 1.15) and atrial fibrillation (HR 3.52, CI 1.07 to 11.61) showed independent association with vascular events. In a sub-analysis with ischemic stroke as outcome, neither AAP of any size nor large AAP were associated with an increased risk. CONCLUSIONS: In this cohort without prior stroke, the incidental detection of AAP was not associated with an increased risk of future vascular events. Associated co-factors may affect the AAP-related risk of vascular events reported in previous studies.

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Intra-articular corticosteroid injections increase the risk of requiring knee arthroplasty

The Bone & Joint Journal ◽

10.1302/0301-620x.102b5.bjj-2019-1376.r1 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 102-B (5) ◽

pp. 586-592

Author(s):

Stan R. W. Wijn ◽

Maroeska M. Rovers ◽

Tony G. van Tienen ◽

Gerjon Hannink

Keyword(s):

At Risk ◽

Knee Arthroplasty ◽

Proportional Hazards ◽

Absolute Risk ◽

Cox Proportional Hazards ◽

Osteoarthritis Of The Knee ◽

Multiple Imputations ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Corticosteroid Injections

Aims Recent studies have suggested that corticosteroid injections into the knee may harm the joint resulting in cartilage loss and possibly accelerating the progression of osteoarthritis (OA). The aim of this study was to assess whether patients with, or at risk of developing, symptomatic osteoarthritis of the knee who receive intra-articular corticosteroid injections have an increased risk of requiring arthroplasty. Methods We used data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative (OAI), a multicentre observational cohort study that followed 4,796 patients with, or at risk of developing, osteoarthritis of the knee on an annual basis with follow-up available up to nine years. Increased risk for symptomatic OA was defined as frequent knee symptoms (pain, aching, or stiffness) without radiological evidence of OA and two or more risk factors, while OA was defined by the presence of both femoral osteophytes and frequent symptoms in one or both knees. Missing data were imputed with multiple imputations using chained equations. Time-dependent propensity score matching was performed to match patients at the time of receving their first injection with controls. The effect of corticosteroid injections on the rate of subsequent (total and partial) knee arthroplasty was estimated using Cox proportional-hazards survival analyses. Results After removing patients lost to follow-up, 3,822 patients remained in the study. A total of 249 (31.3%) of the 796 patients who received corticosteroid injections, and 152 (5.0%) of the 3,026 who did not, had knee arthroplasty. In the matched cohort, Cox proportional-hazards regression resulted in a hazard ratio of 1.57 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.37 to 1.81; p < 0.001) and each injection increased the absolute risk of arthroplasty by 9.4% at nine years’ follow-up compared with those who did not receive injections. Conclusion Corticosteroid injections seem to be associated with an increased risk of knee arthroplasty in patients with, or at risk of developing, symptomatic OA of the knee. These findings suggest that a conservative approach regarding the treatment of these patients with corticosteroid injections should be recommended. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2020;102-B(5):586–592.

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Abstract 19066: Quantifying the Years of Life Gained From Myocardial Infarction Admission Process-of-Care Measures

Circulation ◽

10.1161/circ.130.suppl_2.19066 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 130 (suppl_2) ◽

Author(s):

Emily M Bucholz ◽

Neel M Butala ◽

Sharon-Lise T Normand ◽

Harlan M Krumholz

Keyword(s):

Myocardial Infarction ◽

Life Expectancy ◽

Proportional Hazards ◽

Beta Blockers ◽

Coronary Intervention ◽

Cox Proportional Hazards ◽

Study Cohort ◽

Process Of Care ◽

Considerable Uncertainty

Background: Studies evaluating process of care measures for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) have generally demonstrated improved 30-day survival for patients receiving these therapies; however, almost no studies have followed patients beyond 1 year. As a result, there is considerable uncertainty as to whether the early survival benefits persist over the long-term. Methods: We analyzed data from the Cooperative Cardiovascular Project, a study of Medicare beneficiaries hospitalized for AMI between 1994 and 1995, to examine the relationship between 5 AMI admission measures (aspirin, beta-blockers, acute reperfusion therapy, time to percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) ≤90 minutes, and time to fibrinolysis ≤30 min) and life expectancy after AMI. Patient eligibility for each measure was determined using AHA/ACC guidelines, and vital status over 17 years of follow-up was ascertained through the Medicare Denominator files. Cox proportional hazards regression with extrapolation using exponential models was used to calculate life expectancy after AMI. Results: Our study cohort consisted of 147,429 patients who were eligible for at least one measure. Survival curves for recipients and non-recipients of each core measure separated within the first year and remained distinct over the remainder of follow-up. This pattern was consistent across all five therapies and resulted in significantly longer life expectancies for patients receiving these therapies (Table 1). Differences in life expectancy between recipients and non-recipients decreased but remained significant after adjustment for patient and hospital characteristics. Conclusions: Receipt of 5 AMI admission therapies was associated with significant gains in life expectancy after AMI, lending further support for AMI process of care measures, which can be delivered rapidly at the time of hospitalization.

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Cognitive impairment and levodopa induced dyskinesia in Parkinson’s disease: a longitudinal study from the PACOS cohort

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-020-79110-7 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Antonina Luca ◽

Roberto Monastero ◽

Roberta Baschi ◽

Calogero Edoardo Cicero ◽

Giovanni Mostile ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Cognitive Impairment ◽

Proportional Hazards ◽

Cox Proportional Hazards ◽

Study Cohort ◽

Level Ii ◽

Neuropsychological Predictors ◽

Neuropsychological Evaluations

AbstractAim of the study was to evaluate possible associations between cognitive dysfunctions and development of Levodopa Induced Dyskinesia (LID). PD patients from the Parkinson’s disease Cognitive impairment Study cohort who underwent a baseline and follow-up neuropsychological evaluations were enrolled. Mild Cognitive Impairment (PD-MCI) was diagnosed according to MDS level II criteria. The following cognitive domains were evaluated: episodic memory, attention, executive function, visuo-spatial function and language. A domain was considered as impaired when the subject scored 2 standard deviation below normality cut-off values in at least one test for each domain. Levodopa equivalent dose, UPDRS-ME and LID were recorded at baseline and follow-up. To identify possible neuropsychological predictors associated with the probability of LID development at follow-up, Cox proportional-hazards regression model was used. Out of 139 PD patients enrolled (87 men, mean age 65.7 ± 9.4), 18 (12.9%) were dyskinetic at baseline. Out of 121 patients non-dyskinetic at baseline, 22 (18.1%) developed LID at follow-up. The impairment of the attention and executive domains strongly predicted the development of LID (HR 4.45;95%CI 1.49–13.23 and HR 3.46; 95%CI 1.26–9.48 respectively). Impairment of the attention and executive domains increased the risk of dyskinesia reflecting the alteration of common cortical network.

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Associations of Dietary Patterns with Incident Depression: The Maastricht Study

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu13031034 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (3) ◽

pp. 1034

Author(s):

Vincenza Gianfredi ◽

Annemarie Koster ◽

Anna Odone ◽

Andrea Amerio ◽

Carlo Signorelli ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Dietary Patterns ◽

Proportional Hazards ◽

A Priori ◽

Preventive Measure ◽

Population Based ◽

Cox Proportional Hazards ◽

Healthy Diet ◽

Patient Health

Our aim was to assess the association between a priori defined dietary patterns and incident depressive symptoms. We used data from The Maastricht Study, a population-based cohort study (n = 2646, mean (SD) age 59.9 (8.0) years, 49.5% women; 15,188 person-years of follow-up). Level of adherence to the Dutch Healthy Diet (DHD), Mediterranean Diet, and Dietary Approaches To Stop Hypertension (DASH) were derived from a validated Food Frequency Questionnaire. Depressive symptoms were assessed at baseline and annually over seven-year-follow-up (using the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire). We used Cox proportional hazards regression analyses to assess the association between dietary patterns and depressive symptoms. One standard deviation (SD) higher adherence in the DHD and DASH was associated with a lower hazard ratio (HR) of depressive symptoms with HRs (95%CI) of 0.78 (0.69–0.89) and 0.87 (0.77–0.98), respectively, after adjustment for sociodemographic and cardiovascular risk factors. After further adjustment for lifestyle factors, the HR per one SD higher DHD was 0.83 (0.73–0.96), whereas adherence to Mediterranean and DASH diets was not associated with incident depressive symptoms. Higher adherence to the DHD lowered risk of incident depressive symptoms. Adherence to healthy diet could be an effective non-pharmacological preventive measure to reduce the incidence of depression.

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Risk factors associated with major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events following percutaneous coronary intervention: a 10-year follow-up comparing random survival forest and Cox proportional-hazards model

BMC Cardiovascular Disorders ◽

10.1186/s12872-020-01834-1 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Maryam Farhadian ◽

Sahar Dehdar Karsidani ◽

Azadeh Mozayanimonfared ◽

Hossein Mahjub

Keyword(s):

Proportional Hazards ◽

Proportional Hazards Model ◽

Coronary Intervention ◽

Cox Proportional Hazards ◽

Cox Proportional Hazards Model ◽

Hazards Model ◽

Cerebrovascular Events ◽

Long Term Follow Up ◽

Stent Length

Abstract Background Due to the limited number of studies with long term follow-up of patients undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI), we investigated the occurrence of Major Adverse Cardiac and Cerebrovascular Events (MACCE) during 10 years of follow-up after coronary angioplasty using Random Survival Forest (RSF) and Cox proportional hazards models. Methods The current retrospective cohort study was performed on 220 patients (69 women and 151 men) undergoing coronary angioplasty from March 2009 to March 2012 in Farchshian Medical Center in Hamadan city, Iran. Survival time (month) as the response variable was considered from the date of angioplasty to the main endpoint or the end of the follow-up period (September 2019). To identify the factors influencing the occurrence of MACCE, the performance of Cox and RSF models were investigated in terms of C index, Integrated Brier Score (IBS) and prediction error criteria. Results Ninety-six patients (43.7%) experienced MACCE by the end of the follow-up period, and the median survival time was estimated to be 98 months. Survival decreased from 99% during the first year to 39% at 10 years' follow-up. By applying the Cox model, the predictors were identified as follows: age (HR = 1.03, 95% CI 1.01–1.05), diabetes (HR = 2.17, 95% CI 1.29–3.66), smoking (HR = 2.41, 95% CI 1.46–3.98), and stent length (HR = 1.74, 95% CI 1.11–2.75). The predictive performance was slightly better by the RSF model (IBS of 0.124 vs. 0.135, C index of 0.648 vs. 0.626 and out-of-bag error rate of 0.352 vs. 0.374 for RSF). In addition to age, diabetes, smoking, and stent length, RSF also included coronary artery disease (acute or chronic) and hyperlipidemia as the most important variables. Conclusion Machine-learning prediction models such as RSF showed better performance than the Cox proportional hazards model for the prediction of MACCE during long-term follow-up after PCI.

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Elevated plasma growth and differentiation factor 15 predicts incident anemia in older adults aged 60 years and older

The Journals of Gerontology Series A ◽

10.1093/gerona/glaa324 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Yuko Yamaguchi ◽

Marta Zampino ◽

Toshiko Tanaka ◽

Stefania Bandinelli ◽

Yusuke Osawa ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Proportional Hazards ◽

Proportional Hazards Model ◽

Cox Proportional Hazards ◽

Cox Proportional Hazards Model ◽

Differentiation Factor ◽

Hazards Model ◽

Increased Risk ◽

The Relationship

Abstract Background Anemia is common in older adults and associated with greater morbidity and mortality. The causes of anemia in older adults have not been completely characterized. Although elevated circulating growth and differentiation factor 15 (GDF-15) has been associated with anemia in older adults, it is not known whether elevated GDF-15 predicts the development of anemia. Methods We examined the relationship between plasma GDF-15 concentrations at baseline in 708 non-anemic adults, aged 60 years and older, with incident anemia during 15 years of follow-up among participants in the Invecchiare in Chianti (InCHIANTI) Study. Results During follow-up, 179 (25.3%) participants developed anemia. The proportion of participants who developed anemia from the lowest to highest quartile of plasma GDF-15 was 12.9%, 20.1%, 21.2%, and 45.8%, respectively. Adults in the highest quartile of plasma GDF-15 had an increased risk of developing anemia (Hazards Ratio 1.15, 95% Confidence Interval 1.09, 1.21, P<.0001) compared to those in the lower three quartiles in a multivariable Cox proportional hazards model adjusting for age, sex, serum iron, soluble transferrin receptor, ferritin, vitamin B12, congestive heart failure, diabetes mellitus, and cancer. Conclusions Circulating GDF-15 is an independent predictor for the development of anemia in older adults.

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Sex-Specific Associations between Blood Pressure and Risk of Atrial Fibrillation Subtypes in the Tromsø Study

Journal of Clinical Medicine ◽

10.3390/jcm10071514 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (7) ◽

pp. 1514

Author(s):

Hilde Espnes ◽

Jocasta Ball ◽

Maja-Lisa Løchen ◽

Tom Wilsgaard ◽

Inger Njølstad ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Atrial Fibrillation ◽

Blood Pressure ◽

Proportional Hazards ◽

Cox Proportional Hazards ◽

Pressure Management ◽

Reference Models ◽

Proportional Hazards Regression ◽

Hazard Ratios ◽

Increased Risk

The aim of this study was to explore sex-specific associations between systolic blood pressure (SBP), hypertension, and the risk of incident atrial fibrillation (AF) subtypes, including paroxysmal, persistent, and permanent AF, in a general population. A total of 13,137 women and 11,667 men who participated in the fourth survey of the Tromsø Study (1994–1995) were followed up for incident AF until the end of 2016. Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was conducted using fractional polynomials for SBP to provide sex- and AF-subtype-specific hazard ratios (HRs) for SBP. An SBP of 120 mmHg was used as the reference. Models were adjusted for other cardiovascular risk factors. Over a mean follow-up of 17.6 ± 6.6 years, incident AF occurred in 914 (7.0%) women (501 with paroxysmal/persistent AF and 413 with permanent AF) and 1104 (9.5%) men (606 with paroxysmal/persistent AF and 498 with permanent AF). In women, an SBP of 180 mmHg was associated with an HR of 2.10 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.60–2.76) for paroxysmal/persistent AF and an HR of 1.80 (95% CI 1.33–2.44) for permanent AF. In men, an SBP of 180 mmHg was associated with an HR of 1.90 (95% CI 1.46–2.46) for paroxysmal/persistent AF, while there was no association with the risk of permanent AF. In conclusion, increasing SBP was associated with an increased risk of both paroxysmal/persistent AF and permanent AF in women, but only paroxysmal/persistent AF in men. Our findings highlight the importance of sex-specific risk stratification and optimizing blood pressure management for the prevention of AF subtypes in clinical practice.

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Influence of Smoking Habits on the Prevalence of Dental Caries: A Register-Based Cohort Study

European Journal of Dentistry ◽

10.1055/s-0041-1729458 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Miguel A. de Araújo Nobre ◽

Ana M. Sezinando ◽

Inês C. Fernandes ◽

Andreia C. Araújo

Keyword(s):

Dental Caries ◽

Proportional Hazards ◽

Smoking Habit ◽

Cox Proportional Hazards ◽

Radiographic Examination ◽

Rank Test ◽

Significance Level ◽

Cumulative Survival ◽

Caries Lesions

Abstract Objective The study aimed to evaluate the influence of smoking habit on the prevalence of dental caries lesions in a follow-up study. Materials and Methods A total of 3,675 patients (2,186 females and 1,489 males) with an average age of 51.4 years were included. Outcome measures were the incidence of dental caries defined as incipient noncavitated, microcavitated, or cavitated lesions which had been diagnosed through clinical observation with mouth mirror and probe examination evaluating change of texture, translucency, and color; radiographic examination through bitewing radiographs; or secondary caries through placement of a new restoration during the follow-up of the study. Statistical Analysis Cumulative survival (time elapsed with absence of dental caries) was estimated through the Kaplan–Meier product limit estimator with comparison of survival curves (log-rank test). A multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to evaluate the effect of smoking on the incidence of dental caries lesions when controlled to age, gender, systemic status, frequency of dental hygiene appointments, and socioeconomic status. The significance level was set at 5%. Results Eight hundred sixty-three patients developed caries (23.5% incidence rate). The cumulative survival estimation was 81.8% and 48% survival rate for nonsmokers and smokers, respectively (p < 0.001), with an average of 13.5 months between the healthy and diseased state diagnosis. Smokers registered a hazard ratio for dental caries lesions of 1.32 (p = 0.001) when controlled for the other variables of interest. Conclusion Within the limitations of this study, it was concluded that smoking habit might be a predictor for dental caries.

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