Changes in Treatment Patterns and Globe Salvage Rate of Advanced Retinoblastoma in Korea: Efficacy of Intra-Arterial Chemotherapy

(1) Background: To analyze changes in treatment patterns for advanced retinoblastoma over time and differences in globe salvage rates; (2) Methods: Retrospective, observational case-control study of 97 eyes of 91 patients with advanced retinoblastoma (Group D and E).; (3) Results: Patients were divided into two groups based on whether they were treated before or after intraarterial chemotherapy (IAC) was introduced in our center in 2010. Before 2010, primary treatment pattern was enucleation, which was performed in 57.6% of cases, whereas primary treatment pattern after 2010 was IAC combined with intravenous chemotherapy (IVC), which was performed in 78.1%. Intravitreal chemotherapy (IVitC) has been performed to treat vitreous and subretinal seeding since 2015. The 5-year globe salvage rate of IVC alone was 24.0% for Group D and 0% for Group E, whereas that of IVC–IAC was 50.4% for Group D and 49.7% for Group E. Whether IVitC was performed or not did not significantly contribute to globe salvage rate. There was one metastatic death in the IVC alone group.; (4) Conclusions: Primary treatment pattern changed from enucleation to IAC-based treatment, which can now save nearly half of eyes with advanced retinoblastoma with excellent safety profile and survival rate.

Pola Pengobatan, Pengetahuan, Dan Perilaku Swamedikasi Acne Vulgaris Di Kalangan Remaja Kabupaten Pekalongan Tahun 2021

In general, acne vulgaris begins at the age of 12-15 years with a peak severity at the age of 17-21 years. Acne vulgaris is the most common disease in adolescence. Acne vulgaris is mostly in adolescents aged 13-17 years in Pekalongan Regency. The purpose of this study was to determine the pattern of treatment, knowledge and behavior of acne vulgaris self-medication carried out by adolescents in Pekalongan Regency in 2021. This study was a cross sectional study with an instrument in the form of a questionnaire. The sample in this study were teenagers in Pekalongan Regency. The sampling technique was done by quota sampling, this survey was followed by 396 respondents with an age range of 12-19 years. Data analysis in this study using the Chi-square. The results of this study indicate that the pattern of treatment in adolescents in Pekalongan Regency is sufficient, namely 58.78%, the level of knowledge of the respondents is sufficient as much as 64.1% while the results in the behavioral category of respondents are 66.4%. The results of the correlation analysis test showed that there was a relationship between the level of knowledge on the acne vulgaris treatment pattern with a significance value of 0.000, there was a relationship between the treatment pattern on the acne vulgaris self-medication behavior with a significance value of 0.000 and there was a relationship between the level of knowledge on the acne vulgaris self-medication behavior with a significance value of 0.000.Keywords: acne vulgaris, adolescence, knowledge, behavior AbstrakPada umumnya acne vulgaris mulai pada usia 12-15 tahun dengan puncak tingkat keparahan pada umur 17-21 tahun. Acne vulgaris merupakan penyakit terbanyak pada masa remaja. Acne vulgaris terbanyak pada masa remaja berusia 13-17 tahun di Kabupaten Pekalongan. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui pola pengobatan, pengetahuan dan perilaku swamedikasi acne vulgaris yang dilakukan oleh kalangan remaja di Kabupaten Pekalongan tahun 2021. Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian cross sectional dengan instrumen berupa kuesioner. Sampel pada penelitian ini adalah kalangan remaja di Kabupaten Pekalongan. Teknik pengambilan sampel dilakukan secara kuota sampling, survei ini diikuti oleh 396 respoden dengan rentang usia 12-19 tahun. Analisis data pada penelitian ini menggunakan teknik pengujian Chi-square. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukan pola pengobatan pada remaja di Kabupaten Pekalongan ialah cukup yaitu sebanyak 58,78%, tingkat pengetahuan responden ialah cukup sebanyak 64,1% sedangkan hasil pada kategori perilaku responden ialah 66,4%. Hasil uji analisis korelasi terdapat hubungan antara tingkat pengetahuan terhadap pola pengobatan acne vulgaris dengan nilai signifikasi 0,000, terdapat hubungan antara pola pengobatan terhadap perilaku swamedikasi acne vulgaris dengan nilai signifikasi 0,000 dan terdapat hubungan antara tingkat pengetahuan terhadap perilaku swamedikasi acne vulgaris dengan nilai signifikasi 0,000. Kata kunci: acne vulgaris, remaja, pengetahuan, perilaku

TREATMENT PATTERN OF COVID-19 PATIENTS IN A TERTIARY CARE TEACHING HOSPITAL OF NORTHERN INDIA

Objective: The objective of present study was to assess the treatment pattern in the COVID-19 patients. Methods: The present study was a hospital-based prospective observational conducted in Government Medical College Kathua (UT Jammu and Kashmir) on COVID-19 positive confirmed cases from December 2020 to January 2021. Consent was taken from patients who were willing to participate in the study. The details of presenting complaints and treatment received by them and outcome of management was recorded and evaluated from their treatment files. Results: A total 56 patients of COVID-19 were enrolled for the study. Majority of them were males (60.71%) and maximum of the patients between 18 and 60 years constituted 69.6%. COPD (28.5%), severe anemia (21.42%), and diabetes mellitus and hypertension (19.64% each) were common comorbidities. Sore throat, dry cough, and breathlessness were common presenting symptoms. Pattern of antibiotics and antivirals revealed that azithromycin was frequently prescribed (87.5%) followed by hydroxychloroquine (44.64%), linzolid (21.42%), ceftriaxone (19.64%), and remdesivir (14.28%). Majority of patients (>50%) were treated with steroids, while all patients received multivitamins and Vitamin C (100%) and nearly 40% were administered zinc therapy. Conclusions: Azithromycin, hydroxyquinine, remdesivir, and steroids were frequently prescribed in patients of COVID-19. Steroids were administered in oral, inhaler or in injection forms. Multivitamins including Vitamin C were given to all patients. Most of patients had comorbidities including COPD, diabetes mellitus type 2 and severe anemia.

The Treatment Pattern and Economic Burden of Homozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia in China: A Study based on a Patient-Survey

Objective: The study aimed to investigate the treatment pattern and economic burden of homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH) in China, and to evaluate the incidence rate of catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) of HoFH patients and their families.Methods: Patients with HoFH diagnosed and treated in Beijing An’Zhen Hospital was included. A questionnaire was developed to investigate and capture the relevant variables of the participants.Results: A total of 120 HoFH patients were investigated, and the number of children (age under 18) was 1.2 times more than adults (age above 18). There were 113 patients with basic medical insurance (including 61 patients with new rural cooperative medical insurance), 4 patients with commercial insurance and 3 patients without any insurance. There were 35 patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), including 29 adults and 6 children. Only 6 pediatric patients achieved their low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) treatment targets, and all 54 adult patients did not achieve it. The most commonly used treatment method was diet control with lipid-lowering drugs (16.67%), followed by diet control and lipid-lowering drugs using separately (16.67%). The proportion of patients whose annual personal income reached GDP per capita in 2019 was only 2.5%. The total economic burden of disease was 5,529,100 CNY / year, including direct medical costs of 3,427,200 CNY / year, direct non-medical costs of 1,504,500 CNY / year and indirect costs of 611,300 CNY / year; the per capita economic burden of disease was 46,100 CNY / year, including direct medical costs of 28,600 CNY / year, direct non-medical costs of 12,500 CNY / year and indirect costs of 5,100 CNY / year. There were 32 families with CHE due to the disease, accounting for 26.67%.Conclusion: Patients with HoFH in China are generally at young age, and the economic burden of disease for the family is heavy. The existing treatment is not effective, and it is easy to cause premature death due to ASCVD.