scholarly journals Clinical Characteristics and Treatment Outcome of Pediatric Rhabdomyosarcoma; Retrospective Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zunaira Shaukat ◽  
Raheela Mansoor ◽  
Najma Shaheen ◽  
Saliha Sarfraz ◽  
Komal Seher

Introduction: Rhabdomyosarcoma is the most common soft tissue sarcoma in children. This paper aimed to assess the stage, site, and treatment outcome among rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) patients. Materials and Methods: A retrospective chart review was completed from January 2011 to December 2017 of patients that presented to the Department of Pediatric Oncology, Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan, for the management of RMS. Data collection included clinical characteristics, staging, grouping, risk stratification, treatment plan, radiotherapy doses, and treatment outcome. Results: Among 24 subjects, there were a total of 13 (54.2%) males and 11 (45.8%) females. The median age at the time of diagnosis was 2.5 years (range: 0.75 - 17 years). The majority of the subjects (91.7%) were less than 10 years of age. The median follow-up time was 0.6 years. According to the Children's Oncology Group Classification, 4 (16.7%) subjects were classified as low risk, 14 (58.3%) subjects were rated as intermediate risk, and 6 (0.25%) subjects were stratified as high risk. The most common primary tumor site were genitourinary (62.5%) and abdomen/retroperitoneal (20.8%) regions. At the time of analysis, nine (37.5%) subjects had died because of the disease, twelve (50%) were alive with no evidence of disease, and one subject had a recurrence of disease and was alive. One subject had abandoned the therapy, and another was lost to follow-up. Conclusion: Patients with Rhabdomyosarcoma presented at the late stages of the disease, and it most frequently affected genitourinary and abdomen or retroperitoneal areas. Overall, Rhabdomyosarcoma was found to have a poor outcome to therapy.

2019 ◽  
pp. 014556131987359 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan Woliansky ◽  
Paul Paddle ◽  
Debra Phyland

In recent years, it has become increasingly apparent that the laryngotracheal stenosis (LTS) cohort comprises distinct etiological subgroups; however, treatment of the disease remains heterogeneous with limited research to date assessing predictors of treatment outcome. We aim to assess clinical and surgical predictors of endoscopic treatment outcome for LTS, as well as to further characterize the disease population. A retrospective chart review of adult patients with LTS presenting over a 16-year period was conducted. Seventy-five patients were identified and subdivided into 4 etiologic subgroups: iatrogenic, idiopathic, autoimmune, and “other” groups. Statistical comparison of iatrogenic and idiopathic groups was performed. Subsequently, stepwise logistic regression was employed to examine the association between clinical/surgical factors and treatment outcome, as measured by tracheostomy incidence and dependence. We demonstrate that patients with iatrogenic LTS were significantly more morbid ( P < .001) and had worse disease, with significantly greater percentage stenosis ( P = .015) and increased incidence of tracheostomy ( P < .001). Analyzing the predictive effect of clinical and surgical variables on endoscopic treatment outcome, we have shown that when adjusted for age, sex, and iatrogenic etiology, patients with an American Society of Anesthesiologist score >2 were significantly more likely to undergo tracheostomy (adjusted odds ratio = 11.23, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.47-86.17). Similarly, when compared with their idiopathic counterparts, patients with iatrogenic LTS had higher odds of undergoing tracheostomy (17.33, 95% CI = 1.93-155.66) as were patients with Cotton-Myer grade 3-4 stenosis (9.84, 95% CI = 1.36-71.32). The odds of tracheostomy dependence at time of last follow-up were significantly higher in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (15.38, 95% CI = 1.36-174.43) and cerebrovascular accident (9.03, 95% CI = 1.01-81.08), even after adjustment. No surgical techniques were significantly associated with either outcome when adjusted. We present a heterogeneous LTS cohort comprised of homogeneous subgroups with distinct levels of morbidity, disease morphology, and treatment burden. Further our data suggest that the treatment outcome is more dependent on patient factors, rather than surgical technique used.


2003 ◽  
Vol 82 (5) ◽  
pp. 367-370 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria M. LoTempio ◽  
Marilene B. Wang ◽  
Ahmad Sadeghi

We conducted a retrospective chart review of treatment outcomes in 17 adults who had been selected to undergo concomitant chemotherapy and radiation (chemo/XRT) for late-stage oropharyngeal cancers. All patients had been treated at the West Los Angeles VA Medical Center between March 1, 1998, and Sept. 30, 2000. Nine patients had a primary tumor at the base of the tongue, five had a primary tumor in the tonsillar area, and three had a tumor that affected both sites. Of this group, 15 patients completed one to three cycles of chemo/XRT, and the remaining two died during therapy. At the most recent follow-up, 9 of the 17 patients (52.9%) were documented to still be alive; seven patients had earlier died as a result of their primary tumor or a distant metastasis, and one patient had been lost to follow-up after completing treatment. At study's end, the duration of post-treatment survival ranged from 2 to 36 months (mean: 12.5). Based on the results of our small series, we conclude that chemo/XRT is a valid alternative to surgery with postoperative radiation and to radiation alone. Chemo/XRT yields acceptable rates of local control and allows for organ preservation with tolerable side effects.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. A479-A480
Author(s):  
Leopoldo M Cobos Salinas ◽  
Fernando Reyes San Martin ◽  
Merri Pendergrass ◽  
Dinkar Rupakula

Abstract Background: The achievement of the A1C goals in the US did not improve in 2017 compared to 2014. Guidelines for which patients with T2DM to refer to an endocrinologist are not well defined. Furthermore, there is no consensus about how long patients should be followed by an endocrinologist. Experts have recommended referral to an endocrinologist for new diagnosis, acute hyperglycemia, A1C &gt; 7.0, &gt; 8.0 for 6 months, or A1C 1.4 times the upper limit of normal. However, with the current number of board-certified endocrinologists in the US, it would be impossible for patients with those criteria to be seen even once. To determine which patients should be followed by an endocrinologist, it would help to know which patients are most likely to achieve ongoing benefit. To focus on patients that have a higher chance of improvement, it is important to know the average time it would take to reach an individualized A1C goal and focus on patients more likely to improve. Objective: We performed this quality improvement assessment to 1) determine the percentage of patients with T2DM who achieved their individualized A1C goals (Age 18–55: 7.0% +/- .5%, 55–75: 7.5% +/- .5%, &gt;75: 9.0% +/- .5%) at 12 months after their initial endocrinologist visit and 2) compare characteristics of patients who achieved A1C goals by 12 months versus those who did not achieve goals. Material and Methods: We performed a retrospective chart review of patients with T2DM who had an initial visit at an academic endocrinology clinic between 10/1/2017 and 05/31/2018 (N= 48, 52% female, baseline 9.6%, 48% male, baseline [BL] HbA1c 9.9%). Data for 12 months following the initial visit were collected. Results: Following their initial visit, 21/48 (44%, BL A1c 10.3%) were lost to follow-up. Of those with at least one additional visit, 12/27 (44%, BL A1c 11.3%, P&lt;0.05) achieved A1C goal by the 12-month period. Of those, 6/12 (50%, BL A1c 10.3%), 1/12 (8%, BL A1c 9.9%), 4/12 (25%, BL A1c 9.0%), 1/12 (8%, BL A1c 8.8%) achieved goals by 3, 6, 9, and 12 months respectively. Those who did achieve their goals were slightly older (52 +/- 25yrs) than those who did not (50 +/- 12yrs), p&lt; 0.05. No significant differences between those who were lost to follow-up, achieved goals, or who did not achieve goals with respect to gender, insurance coverage, or regimen. However, those who did continued care had a worse A1c of 11.3%. Conclusion: Of patients with T2DM and uncontrolled hyperglycemia presenting to an academic endocrine clinic, nearly half are lost to follow-up after the initial visit. Future efforts should be made to better understand and potentially improve this. Of additional concern, only about half of patients with at least one additional visit achieved their A1C goal after 12 months, and 91% of those achieved their goals by 9 months. Further study will be needed to determine whether patients who are uncontrolled after 9–12 months will have any further benefit from endocrine follow-up.


2021 ◽  
pp. 175045892110310
Author(s):  
Jessica Evans ◽  
James Chan ◽  
Delvina H Saraqini ◽  
Ranjeeta Mallick

The potential benefit of referring select high-risk surgical patients who are seen during a preoperative medical consultation for postoperative inpatient medical follow-up is uncertain. Over a seven-year period, our internal medicine perioperative clinic referred 5% of 4642 preoperative consults for postoperative follow-up. A retrospective chart review found that although reasons for referral were heterogeneous, those assessed by the medical consult team postoperatively were more comorbid, had more adverse medical complications and had longer hospital admissions compared to those not referred. Physicians were best able to predict adverse cardiac and diabetes-related complications. Half of the patients who were referred for postoperative assessment were lost to follow-up, and there was a trend towards increased hospital readmissions in this group. Further research is required to identify the subset of patients who might benefit from postoperative inpatient medical assessment.


2021 ◽  
Vol 24 (6) ◽  
pp. E821-E828

BACKGROUND: The American Society of Regional Anesthesia currently recommends ceasing antithrombotic medications for all spinal epidural steroid injections, however there is a paucity of data on the true risk of spinal epidurals via various approaches versus the risk of cessation of an agent as it relates to the underlying medical condition. OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the complication rate of caudal epidural steroid injections in patients who remain on antithrombotic medications. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective chart review. SETTING: Physiatric Spine Clinic in Orthopedic Specialty Office and Surgical Center. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed identifying patients (n = 335) who received a caudal epidural steroid injection (n = 673) from June 2015 through April 2020. Patients were included if they had received the injection while taking an antithrombotic medication. Patients were excluded if they were not taking an antithrombotic. The patient’s age, indication for the injection including magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography findings, antithrombotic medication, the medical condition requiring an antithrombotic, and any complications following the injection were collected via chart review. RESULTS: Of the 443 injections included in the study, 51 encounters were lost to follow-up. Of the other 392 injections, there were no reported complications, regardless of the patient’s imaging findings, age, the antithrombotic medication used, or the underlying medical condition for which an antithrombotic medication was indicated. LIMITATIONS: This is a retrospective study. Therefore, a prospective study may have yielded fewer encounters lost to follow-up. Patients were not contacted directly after the procedure and chart reviews were utilized to evaluate for complications, which was limited to a patient’s reporting of perceived complications without any imaging. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that caudal epidural steroid injections can be performed safely in patients while taking antithrombotic medications. Catastrophic events have been observed in patients who have discontinued antithrombotic agents preceding procedures. Thus, discontinuing antithrombotic medications may pose a greater risk than benefit for patients on an antithrombotic medication who have painful lumbar radiculopathy. KEY WORDS: Epidural injection, caudal, antithrombotic, safety, steroids, anticoagulant, antiplatelet, epidural hematoma


2003 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 477-483 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cameron Lindsey ◽  
Maqual Graham ◽  
Julie McMurphy

The objective of this paper was (1) to assess compliance with the National Veterans Affairs Guidelines for the use of troglitazone and rosiglitazone and (2) to develop and implement a conversion protocol that allows effective management of patients receiving troglitazone. A retrospective chart review was conducted to assess adherence to guidelines for all patients receiving troglitazone and rosiglitazone at the medical center. Appropriateness of therapy through indication evaluation, safety through alanine aminotransferase (ALT) monitoring compliance, and efficacy through hemoglobin A1c(HbA1c) changes were used to assess adherence. According to National Veterans Affairs (VA) Guidelines, 68% of troglitazone and 63% of rosiglitazone patients had an appropriate indication for the use of these agents. Baseline ALT levels were obtained in 40% of troglitazone and 71% of rosiglitazone patients. Full compliance with continual ALT monitoring was seen in 6 and 54% of patients, respectively. Goal HbA1cwas achieved in 57 and 29% of patients, respectively. Of the 33 patients receiving troglitazone, 19 were converted to rosiglitazone therapy; 11 were maintained on current regimens without troglitazone, and 3 were lost to follow up. Adherence to guidelines needs to be reinforced, in particular, compliance with ALT monitoring. However, there were no reported cases of hepatotoxicity in the patients reviewed. Many patients did not achieve a HbA1c


Blood ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 122 (21) ◽  
pp. 5090-5090 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tushar Kulkarni ◽  
Steven Peter Treon ◽  
Robert Manning ◽  
Lian Xu ◽  
Mikael Rinne ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Waldenstrom’s Macroglobulinaemia (WM) is an IgM secreting lymphoplasmocytic lymphoma characterized by involvement mainly in the bone marrow, and occasionally in the lymph nodes and spleen. Central nervous system involvement of WM, known as Bing-Neel syndrome (BNS), is very uncommon and as such the clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes remain to be clarified. Methods We evaluated the incidence, clinical characteristics, and treatment outcome of BNS among patients with WM who were diagnosed at our Institution. Results We identified 13 patients with BNS from our database of 1,523 patients diagnosed with WM from 1999 -2013. The median age at diagnosis of BNS was 60 (range 51-75 years). The median time to development of BNS after WM diagnosis was 6.3 (range 0.3-11.9 years). Patients presented with a variety of neurological signs and symptoms including seizures, hearing loss, cognitive impairment, gait instability and lower extremity weakness. The diagnosis of BNS was confirmed by MRI in 11, and by examination of the CSF in 12 patients. CSF cytopathologic analysis demonstrated definitive evidence of malignant lymphoplasmacytic cells in 6 patients, and was suspicious for malignant cells in 2 patients. CSF flow cytometry was positive in 8, and a clonal immunoglobulin heavy chain gene rearrangement was identified in 6 patients. MYD88 L265P was identified in CSF sample of two patients in whom this examination was undertaken, and who demonstrated malignant disease by flow cytometry and cytological examination. Seven patients were treated with high-dose methotrexate (HD-MTX), 2 with intrathecal liposomal cytarabine, 1 with rituximab and intrathecal methotrexate, and 1 with rituximab and bendamustine. One patient was recommended treatment with HD-MTX and was lost to follow-up, 1 has been initiated on HD-MTX. Of 11 patients, 5 had a response in CSF and/or MRI, 4 had stable disease and 1 progressed following therapy. Of the responders, 2 patients had received HD-MTX, 2 intrathecal liposomal cytarabine and 1 rituximab-bendamustine. Four patients with stable disease had received HD-MTX. One patient who received intrathecal MTX developed treatment related “chemical meningitis”, and was subsequently treated with HD-MTX to which she had a CSF response. The median overall survival was not reached. Eleven patients are alive, 1 died and 1 was lost to follow-up. Conclusions BNS is an uncommon late complication of WM. MYD88 L265P may help in the diagnosis of BNS, and may represent a novel approach for targeted therapy of WM. HD-MTX is active in the treatment of BNS, though prospective studies are required to standardize treatment and improve outcomes. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


2020 ◽  
pp. 112067212097604
Author(s):  
Reem R Al Huthail ◽  
Yasser H Al-Faky

Objective: To evaluate the effect of chronicity on the size of the ostium after external dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) with intubation. Methods: Design: A retrospective chart review of patients who underwent external DCR with intubation over 10 years from January 2003 at a tertiary hospital. All patients were recruited and examined with rigid nasal endoscope. Results: A total number of 66 (85 eyes) patients were included. The mean age at the time of evaluation was 53.1 years with gender distribution of 54 females (81.8 %). The mean duration ±SD between the date of surgery and the date of evaluation was 33.2 ± 33.6 (6–118 months). Our study showed an overall anatomical and functional success of 98.8% and 95.3%, respectively. The mean size of the ostium (±SD) was 23.0 (±15.7) mm2 (ranging from 1 to 80.4 mm2). The size of the ostium was not a significant factor for failure ( p = 0.907). No statistically significant correlation was found between the long-term duration after surgery and the size of the ostium ( R: 0.025, p = 0.157). Conclusions: Nasal endoscopy after DCR is valuable in evaluating the ostium with no observed potential correlation between the long-term follow-up after surgery and the size of the ostium.


2019 ◽  
Vol 85 (2) ◽  
pp. 219-222 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joshua Gazzetta ◽  
Betty Fan ◽  
Paul Bonner ◽  
John Galante

Patients with classic biliary colic symptoms and documented gallbladder ejection fractions on the higher end of the spectrum on hepatobiliary iminoacetic acid scans with cholecystokinin stimulation are presently understudied and the benefits of cholecystectomy are unclear. To determine whether patients with biliary-type pain and biliary hyperkinesia (defined as a gallbladder ejection fractions of 80% or greater) benefit from laparoscopic cholecystectomy, a retrospective chart review encompassing five community hospitals was performed. Patients 16 years and older with diagnosed biliary hyperkinesia who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy between January 1, 2010 and May 31, 2015 were included. Pathology reports were reviewed for histologic changes indicating cholecystitis. Resolution of biliary colic symptoms was reviewed one to three weeks after surgery in their postoperative follow-up documentation. Within our study cohort, we found 97 patients who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy for biliary hyperkinesia. Within this population, 84.5 per cent of patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy for biliary hyper-kinesia had positive findings for gallbladder disease on final pathology. Of the 77 patients with data available from their first postoperative visit, 70 (90.9%) reported improvement or resolution of symptoms. Our findings suggest that symptomatic biliary hyperkinesia may be treated successfully with surgery.


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