The hindbrain and cortico-reticular pathway in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis

AIM

To characterise the corticoreticular pathway (CRP) in a case-control cohort of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) patients using high-resolution slice-accelerated readout-segmented echo-planar diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to enhance the discrimination of small brainstem nuclei in comparison to automated whole-brain volumetry and tractography and their clinical correlates.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Thirty-four participants (16 AIS patients, 18 healthy controls) underwent clinical and orthopaedic assessments and brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) on a 3 T MRI machine. Automated whole-brain volume-based morphometry, tract-based spatial statistics analysis, and manual CRP tractography by two independent raters were performed. Intra-rater and inter-rater agreement of DTI metrics from CRP tractography were assessed by intraclass correlation coefficient. Normalised structural brain volumes and DTI metrics were compared between groups using Student's t-tests. Linear correlation analysis between imaging parameters and clinical scores was also performed.

RESULTS

AIS patients demonstrated a significantly larger pons volume compared to controls (p=0.006). Significant inter-side CRP differences in mean (p=0.02) and axial diffusivity (p=0.01) were found in patients only. Asymmetry in CRP fractional anisotropy significantly correlated with the Cobb angle (p=0.03).

CONCLUSION

Relative pontine hypertrophy and asymmetry in CRP DTI metrics suggest central supranuclear inter-hemispheric imbalance in AIS, and support the role of the CRP in axial muscle tone. Longitudinal evaluation of CRP DTI metrics in the prediction of AIS progression may be clinically relevant.

Clinical genetics in breast cancer

As genetic testing becomes increasingly more accessible and more applicable with a broader range of clinical implications, it may also become more challenging for breast cancer providers to remain up-to-date. This review outlines some of the current clinical guidelines and recent literature surrounding germline genetic testing, as well as genomic testing, in the screening, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of breast cancer, while identifying potential areas of further research.

Medicaid Insurance Is Associated With More Complications and Emergency Department Visits but Equivalent 5-Year Secondary Surgery Rate After Primary Hip Arthroscopy

PURPOSE

To compare 90-day complications, 30-day emergency department (ED) visits, and 5-year rate of secondary surgeries for patients with Medicaid vs commercial insurance undergoing primary hip arthroscopy for femoroacetabular impingement syndrome (FAIS) and/or labral tears using a large national database.

METHODS

The PearlDiver Mariner151 database was used to identify patients with International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision diagnosis codes for FAIS and/or labral tear who underwent primary hip arthroscopy with femoroplasty, acetabuloplasty, and/or labral repair between 2015 and 2021. Patients with Medicaid were matched 1:4 to a control group of commercially insured patients based on age, sex, body mass index, and Elixhauser Comorbidity Index. Rates of 90-day complications and 30-day ED visits were compared using multivariate regression models. Five-year rates of secondary surgeries-revision arthroscopy or total hip arthroplasty-were compared between cohorts by Kaplan-Meier analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 2,033 Medicaid patients were matched with 8,056 commercially insured patients. Rates of adverse events were low; however, Medicaid patients were significantly more likely than commercially insured patients to experience any 90-day complication (2.12% vs 1.43%; odds ratio [OR], 1.2; P = .02). Medicaid patients also experienced more 30-day ED visits than commercially insured patients (8.61% vs 4.28%), and on multivariate logistic regression, insurance status was the strongest determinant of 30-day ED visits (relative to commercial, Medicaid OR, 2.02; P < .001). Despite these differences, 5-year rates of secondary surgeries were comparable between groups (6.1% vs 6.0%; P = .6).

CONCLUSIONS

In this large national database study, Medicaid patients undergoing primary hip arthroscopy showed significantly greater odds of experiencing 90-day postoperative complications and 30-day ED visits compared to commercially insured patients. Nevertheless, both groups had similar survivorship rates at 5-year follow-up, similar to prior estimates irrespective of insurance. These results document encouraging secondary surgery rates in Medicaid patients.

Glenohumeral Superior Translation and Subacromial Contract Pressure Are Both Improved With Superior Capsular Reconstruction: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Biomechanical Investigations

PURPOSE

To review cadaveric studies evaluating the biomechanical outcomes of superior capsular reconstruction (SCR) with different graft types for the treatment of irreparable rotator cuff (RTC) tears.

METHODS

PubMed, Cochrane, and Embase were queried in January 2022 to conduct this meta-analysis using the following key words: "superior capsule reconstruction," "superior capsular reconstruction," and "biomechanics." Articles were included if they reported glenohumeral superior translation or subacromial contact pressure following SCR in cadaveric RTC tears. The review adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses criteria. Number of shoulders, graft types, and biomechanical outcomes were recorded and analyzed with forest plots.

RESULTS

Twelve studies (95 shoulders) were included in the statistical analysis. There was a significant reduction in glenohumeral superior translation following SCR compared with RTC tear across 10 studies (79 shoulders) with standardized mean difference (SMD) -2.48 mm; confidence interval (CI) -3.28 mm, -1.69 mm. The SMD between fascia lata graft and RTC tear was -3.84 mm (CI -4.82 mm, -2.86 mm) and between dermal allograft and RTC tear was -2.05 mm (CI -3.10 mm, -1.00 mm). There was a significant reduction in subacromial contact pressure following SCR compared with RTC tear across 5 studies (55 shoulders) with SMD -3.49 MPa (CI -4.54 MPa, -2.44 MPa). The SMD between fascia lata graft and RTC tear was -3.21 MPa (CI -5.08 MPa, -1.34 MPa) and between dermal allograft and RTC tear was -3.89 MPa (CI -5.91 MPa, -1.87 MPa).

CONCLUSIONS

Independent of graft type, biomechanical studies suggest that SCR improves glenohumeral superior translation and subacromial contact pressure in comparison with RTC tear at time zero. There was no definitive evidence identified in this study to suggest a biomechanically superior SCR graft option.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Investigating the biomechanical outcomes of several graft types for superior capsular reconstruction will help surgeons better understand the efficacies of different graft types for use in superior capsule reconstruction surgery.

Female Patients Undergoing Latarjet Surgery Show Similar 2-Year Secondary Surgery Rates but Greater Risk of Emergency Department Visits Compared With a Matched Cohort of Male Patients

PURPOSE

To evaluate sex-based differences in 30-day postoperative emergency department (ED) visits, 90-day complication rates, and 2-year secondary surgery rates after the Latarjet procedure for the treatment of recurrent shoulder instability.

METHODS

A national administrative claims database was used to identify patients with International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) diagnosis codes for shoulder subluxation or dislocation on the day of first-time stabilization with the Latarjet technique between 2015 and 2021. Male patients were matched 4:1 to female patients based on age, Elixhauser Comorbidity Index (ECI) score, and body mass index class. Rates of 30-day ED visits and 90-day complications were compared between cohorts, and risk factors for ED visits were identified by multivariate regression. The incidence of secondary surgery within 2 years was compared by Kaplan-Meier analysis.

RESULTS

Prior to matching, 1,059 male and 360 female patients met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Subsequent 4:1 (male-to-female) matching controlling for age, ECI score, and body mass index yielded 694 male and 185 female patients who underwent the Latarjet procedure. The overall incidence of 30-day ED visits was 9.3%, with an incidence of 8.2% for male patients and 13.5% for female patients. On the basis of multivariate logistic regression, these 30-day ED visits were associated with female sex (odds ratio, 1.79; P = .029) and incrementally higher ECI scores; relative to an ECI score of 0, ECI scores of 1 to 2, 3 to 4, and 5 or greater were associated with odds ratios of 5.31 (P = .006), 8.12 (P < .001), and 12.84 (P < .001), respectively. Ninety-day complications occurred in 1.5% of the total cohort, and the incidence was not statistically different between sexes. Overall, 2-year secondary surgery rates were similar between male and female patients (5.1% and 6.7%, respectively; P = .4).

CONCLUSIONS

Female patients undergoing the Latarjet procedure for recurrent shoulder instability showed similar 90-day complication and 2-year secondary surgery rates to a matched cohort of male patients. Female sex, along with ECI score, however, was associated with a greater rate of 30-day ED visits.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level III, retrospective comparative case series.

Coronary intravascular lithotripsy for severe coronary artery calcification: The disrupt CAD I-IV trials

Coronary artery calcification (CAC) severity is associated with increased vessel inflammation, atherosclerosis, stent failure, and risk of percutaneous coronary intervention-related complications. Current modalities for CAC modification include atherectomy techniques (rotational, orbital, and laser) and balloon modification (cutting and scoring). However, these methods are limited by their risk of slow flow/no reflow, coronary dissection, perforation, and myocardial infarction. Intravascular lithotripsy (IVL) emits high-energy sonic waves that induce calcium fractures within a target lesion to improve vessel compliance for stent placement. Low rates of major cardiac adverse events (MACE) and high rates of procedural and angiographic success were observed with IVL in the Disrupt CAD I-IV trials. Optical coherence tomography sub-studies identified calcium fracture as the likely etiology of improved vessel compliance and increased luminal diameter post-IVL. Rates of MACE, procedural, and angiographic success were consistent across the Disrupt CAD trials, suggesting IVL is less operator-dependent compared to other calcium-modifying techniques. Coronary IVL offers interventional cardiologists a safe and effective method of severe CAC modification, while providing reproducible outcomes.

Dancers Show Significant Improvement in Outcomes and Favorable Return-to-Dance Rates After Primary Hip Arthroscopy With Femoral Head Cartilage Status Being a Predictor of Secondary Surgical Procedures at Mid-Term Follow-Up

PURPOSE

To report minimum 5-year follow-up patient-reported outcome measurement (PROM) scores and return-to-dance rates in dancers who underwent primary hip arthroscopy and to identify predictors of secondary surgical procedures.

METHODS

Prospectively collected data from patients who underwent hip arthroscopy between May 2010 and June 2016 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were included if they participated in dance at any level 1 year prior to surgery and had preoperative and minimum 5-year follow-up scores consisting of the modified Harris Hip Score, Nonarthritic Hip Score, Hip Outcome Score-Sports Specific Subscale, and visual analog scale pain score. The exclusion criteria were previous hip conditions, previous ipsilateral hip surgery, Tönnis grade greater than 1, or lateral center-edge angle less than 18°. The minimal clinically important difference (MCID) was reported. Dancers who discontinued dance for reasons other than pain in the operative hip were excluded from the return-to-dance analysis. A logistic regression model was used to identify predictors of secondary surgical procedures.

RESULTS

Fifty-one hips (48 female dancers) were included. The average age and average follow-up period were 29.8 ± 17.2 years and 79.1 ± 23.2 months, respectively. Improvement in all PROM scores (P < .001) was reported. Achievement rates of the MCID for the modified Harris Hip Score, Nonarthritic Hip Score, and visual analog scale pain score were 83.3%, 85.7%, and 85.7%, respectively. Revision hip arthroscopy was performed in 5 dancers (9.8%). Conversion to total hip arthroplasty was performed in 4 dancers (7.8%). The return-to-dance rate was 78.6%, with 57.6% returning to the preinjury performance level or a higher level. Higher femoral head Outerbridge grade was identified as a predictor of secondary surgical procedures (P = .045; odds ratio, 6.752 [95% confidence interval, 1.043-43.688]).

CONCLUSIONS

After primary hip arthroscopy, dancers experienced significant improvement in all PROM scores collected and achieved the MCID at a high rate at minimum 5-year follow-up. The return-to-dance rate in dancers who did not discontinue dance because of lifestyle transitions was 78.6%, with 57.6% returning to the preinjury performance level or a higher level. Higher femoral head Outerbridge grade was found to be a predictor of secondary surgical procedures.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level IV, case series.

Heparin Dosing During Percutaneous Coronary Intervention and Obesity

ABSTRACT

Unfractionated heparin is the most common anticoagulant used during percutaneous coronary intervention. Practice guidelines recommend an initial weight-based heparin bolus dose between 70 and 100 U/kg to achieve target activated clotting time (ACT) of 250-300 seconds. The impact of severe obesity on weight-based heparin dosing is not well studied. We performed a retrospective analysis of 424 patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention who received heparin for anticoagulation. We collected detailed data on cumulative heparin administration and measured ACT values in this cohort. We performed separate analyses to identify clinical predictors that may affect dose-response curves. There was significant variability in dosing with mean dose of 103.9 ± 32-U/kg heparin administered to achieve target ACT ≥ 250 seconds. Women received higher initial heparin doses when adjusted for weight than men (97.6 ± 31 vs. 89 ± 28 U/kg, P = 0.004), and only 49% of patients achieved ACT ≥ 250 s with the initial recommended heparin bolus dose (70-100 U/kg). Lower heparin dose (U/kg) was required in obese patients to achieve target ACT. In multivariate linear regression analysis with ACT as dependent variable, after inclusion of weight-based dosing for heparin, body mass index was the only significant covariate. In conclusion, there is significant variability in the therapeutic effect of heparin, with a lower weight-adjusted heparin dose required in obese patients.

Osteochondral Allograft or Autograft Transplantation of the Femoral Head Leads to Improvement in Outcomes but Variable Survivorship: A Systematic Review

PURPOSE

To review patient-reported outcomes (PROs) and survivorship in patients undergoing osteochondral autograft or allograft transplantation (OAT) of the femoral head.

METHODS

PubMed, Cochrane Center for Register of Controlled Trials, and Scopus databases were searched in November 2022 with an updated search extending to December 2023 using criteria from the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses and the following keywords: (hip OR femoral head) AND (mosaicplasty OR osteochondral allograft OR osteochondral autograft OR osteochondral lesion). Articles were included if they evaluated postoperative PROs in patients who underwent OAT of the femoral head and had a study size of 5 or more hips (n ≥ 5). Survivorship was defined as freedom from conversion to total hip arthroplasty. For PROs evaluated in 3 studies or more, forest plots were created and I2 was calculated.

RESULTS

Twelve studies were included in this review, with a total of 156 hips and a mean follow-up time ranging between 16.8 and 222 months. In total, 104 (66.7%) hips were male while 52 (33.3%) were female. Age of patients ranged from 17.0 to 35.4 years, while body mass index ranged from 23.3 to 28.1. Eight studies reported on osteochondral autograft transplantation and 4 studies on osteochondral allograft transplantation. Three studies reported significant improvement in at least 1 PRO. Survivorship ranged from 61.5% to 96% at minimum 2-year follow-up and from 57.1% to 91% at minimum 5-year follow-up. At a follow-up of less than 5 years, osteochondral allograft transplantation studies showed 70% to 87.5% survivorship, while autograft varied from 61.54% to 96%.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with osteochondral lesions of the femoral head who underwent osteochondral autograft or allograft transplantation demonstrated improved PROs but variable survivorship rates.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level IV, systematic review of Level IV studies.

Comprehensive Landscape of BRAF Variant Classes, Clonalities, and Co-Mutations in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Using ctDNA Profiling

Although V600E accounts for the majority of the BRAF mutations in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), non-V600 BRAF variants have been shown in recent years to represent a distinct molecular subtype. This study provides a comprehensive profile of BRAF variants in mCRC using a large genomic database of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) and analyzing clinical outcomes in a cohort of patients with atypical (non-V600) BRAF variants (aBRAF; class II, class III, unclassified). Overall, 1733 out of 14,742 mCRC patients in the ctDNA cohort had at least one BRAF variant. Patients with atypical BRAF variants tended to be younger and male. In contrast to BRAFV600E, BRAF class II and III variants and their co-occurrence with KRAS/NRAS mutations were increased at baseline and especially with those patients predicted to have prior anti-EGFR exposure. Our clinical cohort included 38 patients with atypical BRAF mCRC treated at a large academic referral center. While there were no survival differences between atypical BRAF classes, concurrent RAS mutations or liver involvement was associated with poorer prognosis. Notably, patients younger than 50 years of age had extremely poor survival. In these patients, the high-frequency KRAS/NRAS co-mutation and its correlation with poorer prognosis underlines the urgent need for novel therapeutic strategies. This study represents one of the most comprehensive characterizations to date of atypical BRAF variants, utilizing both ctDNA and clinical cohorts.

Impact of KRAS mutations and co-mutations on clinical outcomes in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

The relevance of KRAS mutation alleles to clinical outcome remains inconclusive in pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC). We conducted a retrospective study of 803 patients with PDAC (42% with metastatic disease) at MD Anderson Cancer Center. Overall survival (OS) analysis demonstrated that KRAS mutation status and subtypes were prognostic (p < 0.001). Relative to patients with KRAS wildtype tumors (median OS 38 months), patients with KRASG12R had a similar OS (median 34 months), while patients with KRASQ61 and KRASG12D mutated tumors had shorter OS (median 20 months [HR: 1.9, 95% CI 1.2-3.0, p = 0.006] and 22 months [HR: 1.7, 95% CI 1.3-2.3, p < 0.001], respectively). There was enrichment of KRASG12D mutation in metastatic tumors (34% vs 24%, OR: 1.7, 95% CI 1.2-2.4, p = 0.001) and enrichment of KRASG12R in well and moderately differentiated tumors (14% vs 9%, OR: 1.7, 95% CI 1.05-2.99, p = 0.04). Similar findings were observed in the external validation cohort (PanCAN's Know Your Tumor® dataset, n = 408).

Corticosteroid Injections Administered Within 4 Weeks Prior to Hip Arthroscopy Are Associated With Higher Rates of Postoperative Infection

PURPOSE

To evaluate the association between the timing of intra-articular hip corticosteroid injections and the risk of postoperative infection in patients undergoing hip arthroscopy.

METHODS

The 2010-2021 PearlDiver M157 administrative claims database was queried for patients who underwent hip arthroscopy. Patients who received intra-articular corticosteroid injections within 12 weeks prior to arthroscopy were matched 1:1 to patients who did not receive such injections based on age, sex, and Elixhauser Comorbidity Index, as well as the presence of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, obesity, and tobacco use. Those with injections prior to arthroscopy were subdivided based on having received injections within 12 weeks prior to surgery. To verify that the corticosteroid injections and surgical procedures were conducted in the hip joint, Current Procedural Terminology codes were used. By use of Current Procedural Terminology and International Classification of Diseases (ninth revision and tenth revision) coding, postoperative surgical-site infection after corticosteroid injection was evaluated. The impact of the timing of preoperative corticosteroid injections on the incidence of postoperative infection was evaluated using multivariable logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 12,390 hip arthroscopy cases were identified, including 3,579 patients who received corticosteroid injections 0 to 4 weeks prior to surgery; 4,759, within 4 to 8 weeks prior to surgery; and 4,052, within 8 to 12 weeks prior to surgery. Compared with controls, patients who received corticosteroid injections within 0 to 4 weeks preoperatively had a significantly higher rate of surgical-site infection (odds ratio, 2.43; P = .0001). No significant differences in infection rates were observed at the later time intervals (4-8 weeks or 8-12 weeks). Furthermore, in comparison to controls, patients who received corticosteroid injections had a significantly higher rate of wound dehiscence (odds ratio, 1.84; P = .0007).

CONCLUSIONS

Intra-articular corticosteroid injections within 4 weeks prior to hip arthroscopy were significantly associated with increased surgical-site infection rates after hip arthroscopy surgery.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level III, retrospective comparative study.

A multi-centre case series of patients with coexistent intracranial hypertension and malignant arterial hypertension

OBJECTIVE

To describe the clinical characteristics, outcomes, and management of a large cohort of patients with concomitant malignant arterial hypertension and intracranial hypertension.

METHODS

Design: Retrospective case series.

SUBJECTS

Patients aged ≥ 18 years with bilateral optic disc oedema (ODE), malignant arterial hypertension and intracranial hypertension at five academic institutions. Patient demographics, clinical characteristics, diagnostic studies, and management were collected.

RESULTS

Nineteen patients (58% female, 63% Black) were included. Median age was 35 years; body mass index (BMI) was 30 kg/m2. Fourteen (74%) patients had pre-existing hypertension. The most common presenting symptom was blurred vision (89%). Median blood pressure (BP) was 220 mmHg systolic (IQR 199-231.5 mmHg) and 130 mmHg diastolic (IQR 116-136 mmHg) mmHg), and median lumbar puncture opening pressure was 36.5 cmH2O. All patients received treatment for arterial hypertension. Seventeen (89%) patients received medical treatment for raised intracranial pressure, while six (30%) patients underwent a surgical intervention. There was significant improvement in ODE, peripapillary retinal nerve fibre layer thickness, and visual field in the worst eye (p < 0.05). Considering the worst eye, 9 (47%) presented with acuity ≥ 20/25, while 5 (26%) presented with ≤ 20/200. Overall, 7 patients maintained ≥ 20/25 acuity or better, 6 demonstrated improvement, and 5 demonstrated worsening.

CONCLUSIONS

Papilloedema and malignant arterial hypertension can occur simultaneously with potentially greater risk for severe visual loss. Clinicians should consider a workup for papilloedema among patients with significantly elevated blood pressure and bilateral optic disc oedema.

Establishing Optic Nerve Diameter Threshold Sensitive and Specific for Optic Atrophy Diagnosis

PURPOSE

To determine a potential threshold optic nerve diameter (OND) that could reliably differentiate healthy nerves from those affected by optic atrophy (OA) and to determine correlations of OND in OA with retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness, visual acuity (VA), and visual field mean deviation (VFMD).

METHODS

This was a retrospective case control study. Magnetic resonance (MR) images were reviewed from individuals with OA aged 18 years or older with vision loss for more than 6 months and an OA diagnosis established by a neuro-ophthalmologist. Individuals without OA who underwent MR imaging of the orbit for other purposes were also collected. OND was measured on coronal T2-weighted images in the midorbital section, 1cm posterior to the optic disc. Measurements of mean RNFL thickness, VA and VFMD were also collected.

RESULTS

In this study 47 OA subjects (63% women, 78 eyes) and 75 normal subjects (42.7% women, 127 eyes) were assessed. Healthy ONDs (mean 2.73 ± 0.24 mm) were significantly greater than OA nerve diameters (mean 1.94 ± 0.32 mm; P < 0.001). A threshold OND of ≤2.3 mm had a sensitivity of 0.92 and a specificity of 0.93 in predicting OA. Mean RNFL (r = 0.05, p = 0.68), VA (r = 0.17, p = 0.14), and VFMD (r = 0.18, p = 0.16) were not significantly associated with OND.

CONCLUSION

ONDs are significantly reduced in patients with OA compared with healthy nerves. A threshold OND of ≤2.3 mm is highly sensitive and specific for a diagnosis of OA. OND was not significantly correlated with RNFL thickness, VA, or VFMD.

Social Media and Digital Footprints in Orthopaedic Trauma: An Analysis of 1465 Orthopaedic Trauma Association Members

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to quantify social media usage among Orthopaedic Trauma Association (OTA) members.

METHODS

All active OTA members were searched for involvement among common social media platforms. Surgeons were then classified as "active" on any given social media site if they posted within the past 6 months. Surgeons were also identified by the region they practiced in, sex, and their practice setting (academic vs. private). Finally, a surgeon's score and number of reviews from common physician review websites were examined.

RESULTS

A total of 1465 OTA members were included in the analysis. Most surgeons were male (89.1% [n = 1305]) and practiced in a private setting (54.5% [n = 799]). A total of 590 surgeons (40.3%) had at least one form of social media account. Social media sites most used were LinkedIn with 48.7% (n = 713) and ResearchGate with 29.2% (n = 428). Academic surgeons were more likely to have a ResearchGate, LinkedIn, and Twitter account while private surgeons were more likely to have a personal website ( P < 0.05). Finally, there was no correlation between surgeons more active on social media and average scores on Vitals.com or Healthgrade.com ( P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Most orthopaedic trauma surgeons do not have professional social media accounts. Although social media may help spread scholarship, having a professional social media account does not correlate with better online physician reviews or increased online reviews among orthopaedic trauma surgeons.

Predictors of Ophthalmology Resident Performance From Medical Student Application Materials

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether elements in ophthalmology residency applications are predictors of future resident performance.

DESIGN

This multi-institutional, cross-sectional, observational study retrospectively reviewed the residency application materials of ophthalmology residents who graduated from residency from 2006 through 2018. Resident performance was scored by 2 faculty reviewers in 4 domains (clinical, surgical, academic, and global performance). Correlation between specific elements of the residency application and resident performance was assessed by Spearman correlation coefficients (univariate) and linear regression (multivariate) for continuous variables and logistic regression (multivariate) for categorical variables.

SETTING

Seven ophthalmology residency programs in the US.

PARTICIPANTS

Ophthalmology residents who graduated from their residency program.

RESULTS

High-performing residents were a diverse group, in terms of sex, ethnicity, visa status, and educational background. Residents with United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 1 scores higher than the national average for that year had significantly higher scores in all 4 performance domains than those who scored at or below the mean (all domains P < 0.05). Residents who had honors in at least 4 core clerkships and who were members of Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society also had higher scores in all 4 performance domains (all domains P ≤ 0.04). Step 1 score (ρ=0.26, P < 0.001) and the difference between Step 1 score and the national average for that year (ρ=0.19, P = 0.009) positively correlated with total resident performance scores. Residents who passed the American Board of Ophthalmology Written Qualifying Examination or Oral Examination on their first attempt had significantly higher Step 1/2 scores (P ≤ 0.005), Ophthalmology Knowledge Assessment Program scores (P = 0.001), and resident performance scores (P ≤ 0.004).

CONCLUSIONS

In this new landscape of increasing numbers of applicants to residency programs and changing of the Step 1 score to pass/fail, our findings may help guide selection committees as they holistically review applicants to select exceptional future residents in ophthalmology.

Patients Undergoing Revision Hip Arthroscopy With Labral Reconstruction or Augmentation Demonstrate Favorable Patient Reported Outcomes: A Systematic Review

PURPOSE

To review current literature evaluating patient-reported outcomes (PROs) and survivorship in patients undergoing revision hip arthroscopy with labral reconstruction or augmentation.

METHODS

A systematic review was performed with the following key words: (revision) AND (hip OR femoroacetabular impingement) AND (arthroscopy OR arthroscopic) AND (reconstruction OR augmentation OR irreparable). PubMed, Cochrane Trials, and Scopus were queried in October 2022 using the criteria established in the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses. Studies were included if they involved patients undergoing revision hip arthroscopy with labral reconstruction or augmentation and reported preoperative and postoperative PROs at minimum 2-year follow-up. Only original research articles were included. Survivorship was defined as a nonconversion to total hip arthroplasty. Outcomes present in 3 or more studies underwent further statistical analysis with forest plots. Heterogeneity of studies was evaluated using the I2 statistic.

RESULTS

Five studies were reviewed, including 359 revision hip arthroscopies (335 with complete follow-up) with a follow-up that ranged from 2.2 to 5.2 years. Four studies reported on outcomes after revision labral reconstruction and 1 study reported on labral augmentation. Two out of 5 included studies evaluated for statistical significance between preoperative and postoperative outcomes. Three out of 5 studies reported a rate of at least 70% for achieving minimal clinically important difference in at least 1 PRO. At minimum 2-year follow-up, survivorship ranged from 93.5% to 100%.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients that underwent revision hip arthroscopy with labral reconstruction or augmentation demonstrated improvement in PROs with mixed rates of achieving clinical benefit and rates of survivorship at minimum 2-year follow-up ranging from 93.5% to 100%.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level IV: systematic review of level III to IV studies.

Gene signatures derived from transcriptomic-causal networks stratified colorectal cancer patients for effective targeted therapy

Predictive and prognostic gene signatures derived from interconnectivity among genes can tailor clinical care to patients in cancer treatment. We identified gene interconnectivity as the transcriptomic-causal network by integrating germline genotyping and tumor RNA-seq data from 1,165 patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC). The patients were enrolled in a clinical trial with randomized treatment, either cetuximab or bevacizumab in combination with chemotherapy. We linked the network to overall survival (OS) and detected novel biomarkers by controlling for confounding genes. Our data-driven approach discerned sets of genes, each set collectively stratify patients based on OS. Two signatures under the cetuximab treatment were related to wound healing and macrophages. The signature under the bevacizumab treatment was related to cytotoxicity and we replicated its effect on OS using an external cohort. We also showed that the genes influencing OS within the signatures are downregulated in CRC tumor vs. normal tissue using another external cohort. Furthermore, the corresponding proteins encoded by the genes within the signatures interact each other and are functionally related. In conclusion, this study identified a group of genes that collectively stratified patients based on OS and uncovered promising novel prognostic biomarkers for personalized treatment of CRC using transcriptomic causal networks.

Sustained Disease Control in Immune Checkpoint Blockade Responders with Microsatellite Instability-high Colorectal Cancer after Treatment Termination

Immune checkpoint inhibitors improve survival in patients with mismatch repair deficiency/microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) colorectal cancer. The recurrence outcomes following discontinuation of immunotherapy after prolonged disease control have not been definitively reported in large series. Records from patients with advanced MSI-H colorectal cancer from The University of Texas - MD Anderson Cancer Center who received immunotherapy between 2014 and 2022 and stopped after prolonged clinical benefit were reviewed. Median progression-free and overall survival were estimated. Associations between the event of recurrence and coexisting mutations (KRAS/NRAS, BRAFV600E), metastatic organ involvement (lung, liver, lymph node, or peritoneum), metastatic timing (synchronous vs. metachronous), prior immunotherapy [anti-PD-(L)1 alone or in combination with anti-CTLA antibodies], etiology of MSI status (sporadic vs. hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer), and duration of immunotherapy were assessed. Sixty-four patients with MSI-H colorectal cancer without progression on immunotherapy were reviewed. Of these 48 and 16 received anti-PD(L)1 antibody alone or in combination with anti-CTLA-4 antibody, respectively. Median exposure to immunotherapy was 17.6 months (range, 1.3-51.9). After a median follow-up of 22.6 months (range, 0.3-71.7) after stopping immunotherapy, 56 of 64 patients (88%) remained without disease progression. Lung metastases were associated with recurrence/progression (OR, 6.1; P = 0.04), but coexisting mutation, primary tumor sidedness, and immunotherapy were not. These data provide a retrospective, single-institution analysis that showed that most patients with advanced MSI-H colorectal cancer do not recur after treatment cessation, regardless of the reason for stopping treatment or a variety of patient and disease features, supporting an optimistic prognosis of sustained disease control.

SIGNIFICANCE

Outcomes for patients with MSI-H colorectal cancer stopping immunotherapy after disease control remain unknown. Sixty-four patients with MSI-H colorectal cancer from our institution stopping treatment for sustained benefit or toxicity were retrospectively assessed. After median follow up of 22 months and median immunotherapy exposure of 18 months, 88% patients remained without progression. All patients who recurred or progressed and were rechallenged with immunotherapy have continued to experience disease control.

Over 50% of Studies Report Low-Back Pain Is Associated With Worse Outcomes After Hip Arthroscopy When Compared With a Control Group: A Systematic Review

PURPOSE

To review outcomes of patients with low-back pathology undergoing primary hip arthroscopy for the treatment of femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) syndrome.

METHODS

The PubMed, Cochrane Trials, and Scopus databases were queried in June 2022 to conduct this systematic review using the following terms: ("hip" OR "femoroacetabular impingement") AND ("arthroscopy" OR "arthroscopic") AND ("spine" OR "lumbar" OR "sacral" OR "hip-spine" OR "back") AND ("outcomes"). Articles were included if they reported on patient-reported outcomes (PROs) and/or clinical benefit of patients undergoing hip arthroscopy with concomitant low-back pathology. The review adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) criteria. Case reports, opinion articles, review articles, and technique articles were excluded from this study. Forest plots were created to analyze preoperative and postoperative outcomes among patients with low-back pathology.

RESULTS

Fourteen studies were included in the review. There were 750 hips with low-back pathology and FAI (hip-spine syndrome) and 1,800 hips with only FAI (no hip-spine syndrome). All 14 studies reported PROs. In 4 studies in the group with hip-spine syndrome and 8 studies in the group with FAI without low-back pathology, the respective cohorts were reported to achieve the minimal clinically important difference in at least 1 PRO at a rate of 80%. Eight studies reported that patients with low-back pathology were associated with inferior outcomes or clinical benefit compared with patients without low-back pathology.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients undergoing primary hip arthroscopy with concomitant low-back pathology can expect favorable outcomes, but outcomes are superior in patients undergoing hip arthroscopy for FAI alone compared with FAI with concomitant low-back pathology.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level IV, systematic review of Level II to Level IV studies.

MRI Signal Intensity Varies Along the Course of the Normal Optic Nerve

BACKGROUND

MRI can help distinguish various causes of optic neuropathy including optic neuritis. Importantly, neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) has a propensity to cause enhancement of the prechiasmatic optic nerves. To determine whether the prechiasmatic optic nerve (PC-ON) demonstrates a different intensity from the midorbital optic nerve (MO-ON) on MRI among patients without optic neuropathy.

METHODS

Data were retrospectively obtained from 75 patients who underwent brain MRI for an ocular motor nerve palsy between January 2005 and April 2021. Inclusion criteria were patients aged 18 years or older with visual acuities of at least 20/25 and no evidence of optic neuropathy on neuro-ophthalmic examination. A total of 67 right eyes and 68 left eyes were assessed. A neuroradiologist performed quantitative intensity measurements of the MO-ON and PC-ON on precontrast and postcontrast T1 axial images. Normal-appearing temporalis muscle intensity was also measured and used as a reference to calculate an intensity ratio to calibrate across images.

RESULTS

The mean PC-ON intensity ratio was significantly higher than the MO-ON intensity ratio on both precontrast (19.6%, P < 0.01) and postcontrast images (14.2%, P < 0.01). Age, gender, and laterality did not independently affect measurements.

CONCLUSIONS

The prechiasmatic optic nerve shows brighter intensity ratios on both precontrast and postcontrast T1 images than the midorbital optic nerve among normal optic nerves. Clinicians should recognize this subtle signal discrepancy when assessing patients with presumed optic neuropathy.

Adapting to Visual Noise Alleviates Visual Snow

Purpose

Visual snow syndrome-characterized by flickering specks throughout the visual field and accompanied by other symptoms-can disrupt daily life and affects roughly 2% of the population. However, its neural bases remain mysterious, and treatments are lacking. Here, we report the first intervention that can temporarily eliminate the visual snow symptom, allowing many observers to see the world without snow for the first time since symptom onset. Prolonged viewing of a visual stimulus strongly reduces the responsiveness of the visual pathways to subsequent stimuli, and we tested whether such adaptation could affect visual snow.

Methods

Participants with visual snow (total n = 27) viewed high-contrast dynamic noise patterns, resembling television static, and then judged the strength of the symptom.

Results

Visual snow was temporarily reduced in strength to the point that it was invisible at longer adaptation durations for most observers. The effect followed typical trends of adaptation for physical stimuli in normally sighted observers: Effect duration increased monotonically with duration of exposure to the adapter and was specific to dynamic noise.

Conclusions

These results establish that spontaneous neural activity in the visual system is causally related to the visual snow percept. Because they perceive this activity, people with visual snow may provide a unique window into the generation and suppression of noise in the visual system. Adaptation allows reliable experimental control over visual snow, and so is a strong candidate for diagnostic testing and a promising tool for further understanding its neural origins, which could in turn aid the development of treatments.

Linezolid optic neuropathy

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

In this article, we reviewed 67 reported cases of linezolid optic neuropathy and describe the common characteristics and expectations for recovery with an emphasis on recent findings in the literature.

RECENT FINDINGS

Linezolid classically causes a reversible, duration-dependent optic neuropathy. However, in our review, we found only 66.7% of patients recovered complete visual function. Vision loss most commonly affected visual acuity followed by visual field and color vision. We also found patients taking higher doses of linezolid experienced full recovery less often, suggesting a dose-dependent component of linezolid optic neuropathy. Linezolid use has increased in frequency and duration, especially in the treatment of drug-resistant tuberculosis, and data indicate that these patients experience lower rates of complete vision recovery compared with patients taking linezolid for other indications.

SUMMARY

Linezolid is an effective medication for treating drug-resistant infections; however, it may result in optic neuropathy. It is reasonable for patients on linezolid to undergo screening examinations, especially those on higher doses or for prolonged duration of therapy.

Novel lipid antigens for NKT cells in cancer

Cancer immunotherapy aims to unleash the power of the immune system against tumors without the side effects of traditional chemotherapy. Immunotherapeutic methods vary widely, but all follow the same basic principle: overcome the barriers utilized by cancers to avoid immune destruction. These approaches often revolve around classical T cells, such as with CAR T cells and neoantigen vaccines; however, the utility of the innate-like iNKT cell in cancer immunotherapy has gained significant recognition. iNKT cells parallel classic T cell recognition of peptide antigens presented on MHC through their recognition of lipid antigens presented on the MHC I-like molecule CD1d. Altered metabolism and a lipogenic phenotype are essential properties of tumor cells, representing a unique feature that may be exploited by iNKT cells. In this review, we will cover properties of iNKT cells, CD1d, and lipid antigen presentation. Next, we will discuss the cancer lipidome and how it may be exploited by iNKT cells through a window of opportunity. Finally, we will review, in detail, novel lipid antigens for iNKT cells in cancer.

Toxic Optic Neuropathy Due to Mercury in Skin Lightening Products

Mercury has been described as been in daily household items such as soaps, skin-lightening creams (SLC), and topical disinfectants. Mercury exposure can reportedly cause damage to the optic nerve and retina. A 30-year-old Somali woman presented with decreased vision and was found to have bilateral optic atrophy. Neuroimaging and laboratory work-up for nutritional deficiencies, heavy metals, and syphilis were performed. Evaluation revealed normal neuroimaging and laboratory work-up except for elevated serum and urine mercury levels. Mercury levels at the initial blood test was 11.1 ug/L (normal limits < 10.0 ug/L) and was 15.7 ug/L on repeat testing. A 24-h urine test showed elevated mercury at 16 ug/24 h (normal limits < 2 ug/24 h). Evaluation of an unlabelled SLC that she was using showed the presence of mercury. It is worth testing for heavy metals in the work-up of bilateral optic atrophy. Clinicians should consider cosmetic products as a potential source of mercury exposure and recommend discontinuation if mercury is present.

The Emerging Role of Circulating Tumor DNA in Non-Colorectal Gastrointestinal Cancers

Assays to detect circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) have multiple clinically important applications in management of multiple types of gastrointestinal cancers. Different methodologies of ctDNA detection have varying sensitivities and potential applications in different contexts. For patients with localized cancers treated for curative intent, ctDNA detection is associated with prognosis in multiple cancer types, and persistent detection of ctDNA after surgical resection is highly concerning for minimal residual disease (MRD) and forebodes impending radiographic and clinical recurrence. CtDNA assays for comprehensive genomic profiling enable genotyping of cancers in the absence of tumor tissue data, and longitudinal testing can also characterize clonal evolution and emergence of putative resistance mechanisms upon treatment with targeted agents. These applications have proven instructive in patients with HER2-amplified gastric and esophageal cancers and in patients with FGFR2 fusion cholangiocarcinomas. In this review, we summarize data supporting the role of ctDNA as a novel predictive and prognostic biomarker and potential impacts on current management of patients with pancreatic, gastroesophageal, and hepatobiliary cancers.

Impact of KRAS Mutations and Co-mutations on Clinical Outcomes in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma

The relevance of KRAS mutation alleles to clinical outcome remains inconclusive in pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC). We conducted a retrospective study of 803 PDAC patients (42% with metastatic disease) at MD Anderson Cancer Center. Overall survival (OS) analysis demonstrated that KRAS mutation status and subtypes were prognostic (p<0.001). Relative to patients with KRAS wildtype tumors (median OS 38 months), patients with KRASG12R had a similar OS (median 34 months), while patients with KRASQ61 and KRASG12D mutated tumors had shorter OS (median 20 months [HR: 1.9, 95% CI 1.2-3.0, p=0.006] and 22 months [HR: 1.7, 95% CI 1.3-2.3, p<0.001], respectively). There was enrichment of KRASG12D mutation in metastatic tumors (34% vs 24%, OR: 1.7, 95% CI 1.2-2.4, p=0.001) and enrichment of KRASG12R in well and moderately differentiated tumors (14% vs 9%, OR: 1.7, 95% CI 1.05-2.99, p=0.04). Similar findings were observed in the external validation cohort (PanCAN's Know Your Tumor® dataset, n=408).

Ten-Year Survivorship, Outcomes, and Sports Participation in Athletes After Primary Hip Arthroscopy for Femoroacetabular Impingement Syndrome

BACKGROUND

Hip arthroscopy is an effective treatment tool for athletes with femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) syndrome. However, long-term data are scarce.

PURPOSE

To assess survivorship, minimum 10-year patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs), and sports participation after primary hip arthroscopy for FAI syndrome in athletes and to perform a propensity-matched comparison between patients undergoing labral debridement and labral repair.

STUDY DESIGN

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

METHODS

Athletes who underwent hip arthroscopy for FAI syndrome between February 2008 and December 2010 were eligible. Exclusion criteria were other ipsilateral hip condition, Tönnis grade ≥2, or no baseline PROMs. Survivorship was defined as no conversion to total hip arthroplasty. The Patient Acceptable Symptom State (PASS), minimal clinically important difference (MCID), maximum outcome improvement (MOI) satisfaction threshold, and sports participation were reported. A propensity-matched comparison between labral debridement and labral repair was performed. Two additional propensity-matched subanalyses were performed for capsular management and cartilage damage.

RESULTS

In total, 189 hips (177 patients) were included. The mean ± SD follow-up was 127.2 ± 6.0 months. Survivorship was 85.7%. Significant improvement in all PROMs was reported (P < .001). A total of 46 athletes with labral repair were propensity matched to 46 athletes with labral debridement. This subanalysis demonstrated significant and comparable improvement in all PROMs at minimum 10-year follow-up (P < .001). For the labral repair group, the PASS achievement rates were 88.9% for the modified Harris Hip Score (mHHS) and 80% for the Hip Outcome Score-Sport Specific Subscale (HOS-SSS); the MCID achievement rates were 80.6% for the mHHS and 84% for HOS-SSS; and for the MOI satisfaction threshold, rates were 77.8%, 80.6%, and 55.6% for the mHHS, Nonarthritic Hip Score, and visual analog scale, respectively. For the labral debridement group, the PASS achievement rates were 85.3% for the mHHS and 70.4% for the HOS-SSS; the MCID achievement rates were 81.8% for the mHHS and 74.1% for HOS-SSS; and for the MOI satisfaction threshold, rates were 72.7%, 81.8%, and 66.7% for the mHHS, Nonarthritic Hip Score, and visual analog scale. Total hip arthroplasty conversions occurred significantly sooner with labral debridement than labral repair (P = .048). Age was identified as a significant predictor of achieving the PASS.

CONCLUSION

Primary hip arthroscopy for FAI syndrome in athletes results in 85.7% survivorship and sustained PROM improvement at a minimum 10-year follow-up. A significant time delay to total hip arthroplasty conversion at 10-year follow-up was reported with labral repair over debridement, although this should be interpreted with caution, as the total number of conversions was small.

Low Rates of 5-Year Secondary Surgery and Postoperative Complications After Primary Hip Arthroscopy in More Than 30,000 Patients

PURPOSE

To evaluate 90-day complications, 5-year secondary surgery rates, and risk factors for secondary surgery following primary hip arthroscopy performed for femoroacetabular impingement and/or labral tears using a large national dataset.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis was conducted using the PearlDiver Mariner151 database. Patients with International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, diagnosis codes for femoroacetabular impingement and/or labral tear undergoing primary hip arthroscopy with femoroplasty, acetabuloplasty, and/or labral repair between 2015 and 2021 were identified. Those with concomitant International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, codes for infection, neoplasm, or fracture were excluded, as were patients with a history of previous hip arthroscopy or total hip arthroplasty, or age ≥70 years. Rates of complications within 90 days of surgery were assessed. Five-year rates of secondary surgery-revision hip arthroscopy or conversion to total hip arthroplasty-were determined by Kaplan-Meier analysis, and risk factors for secondary surgery were identified by multivariate logistic regression.

RESULTS

A total of 31,623 patients underwent primary hip arthroscopy from October 2015 to April 2021, with annual volumes ranging from 5,340 to 6,343 surgeries per year. Femoroplasty was the most frequent surgical procedure (performed in 81.1% of surgical encounters), followed by labral repair (72.6%) and acetabuloplasty (33.0%). Ninety-day postoperative complication rates were low, with 1.28% of patients experiencing any complication. The 5-year secondary surgery rate was 4.9% (N = 915 patients). Multivariate logistic regression identified age <20 years (odds ratio [OR] 1.50; P < .001), female sex (OR 1.33; P < .001), class I obesity (body mass index 30-34.9: OR 1.30; P = .04), and class II/III obesity (body mass index ≥35.0: OR 1.29; P = .02) as independent predictors of secondary surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study of primary hip arthroscopy, 90-day adverse events were low at 1.28%, and the 5-year secondary surgery rate was 4.9%. Age younger than 20 years, female sex, and obesity were risk factors for secondary surgery, suggesting the need for increased surveillance in these patient groups.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level IV, case series.

Arthroscopic Ankle Arthrodesis

Despite the increasing popularity of total ankle replacement, ankle arthrodesis remains the gold standard for the treatment of end-stage ankle arthritis. Historically, open techniques have been utilized for ankle arthrodesis. There have been many variations and techniques described, including transfibular, anterior, medial, and miniarthrotomy. Inherent disadvantages to these open techniques include postoperative pain, delayed or nonunion, wound complications, shortening, prolonged healing times, and prolonged hospital stays. Arthroscopic ankle arthrodesis provides the foot and ankle surgeon with an alternative to the traditional open techniques. Arthroscopic ankle arthrodesis has demonstrated faster union rates, decreased complications, reduced postoperative pain, and shorter hospital stays.

Statin therapy reduces dementia risk in atrial fibrillation patients receiving oral anticoagulants

AIMS

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is linked to an increased risk of dementia, even in stroke-free patients. The impact of statin therapy on dementia risk is unclear in AF patients receiving oral anticoagulant (OAC) (vitamin K antagonist and direct-acting oral anticoagulant). We sought to investigate the impact of statin therapy on dementia risk in AF patients receiving OAC.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Using the Korean National Health Insurance Service database, 91 018 non-valvular AF (NVAF) patients from January 2013 to December 2017 were included in the analysis. Of the total, 17 700 patients (19.4%) were in the statin therapy group, and 73 318 patients (80.6%) were in the non-statin therapy group. The primary endpoint was the occurrence of dementia. The median duration of follow-up was 2.1 years. Statin therapy was associated with a significantly lower dementia risk than non-statin therapy for CHA2DS2-VASc scores ≥ 2 (HR = 0.77, 95% CI 0.64-0.90, p = 0.026) in NVAF patients receiving OAC. The statin therapy group had a significantly lower dementia risk in a dose-dependent relationship compared with the non-statin therapy group (p for trend < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

In NVAF patients who received OAC, statin therapy lowered the dementia risk compared with no statin therapy. Furthermore, statin therapy is associated with a dose-dependent reduction in dementia risk.

Possible role of frankincense in the treatment of benign essential blepharospasm

Purpose

To report two cases of benign essential blepharospasm (BEB) symptom relief in the setting of regular topical frankincense usage.

Observations

The primary outcome measures for this report are (1) frequency of botulinum toxin (BT) injection appointments before and after the onset of regular frankincense usage and (2) patient report of symptoms. After starting frankincense, patient 1 decreased the frequency of her BT injection appointments from 5 to 8 months to 11+ months, eventually stopping BT injections altogether. Patient 2 decreased her BT appointments from every 3-4 months to approximately every 8 months after starting frankincense. Both patients had previously tried multiple additional treatments for their BEB symptoms which did not yield improvement; both patients reported significant improvement in their symptoms secondary to topical frankincense oil.

Conclusion and Importance

Frankincense is a natural product of Boswellia trees. It has been used primarily for its anti-inflammatory properties for many years in multiple countries. We report two cases of individuals with long-standing, debilitating benign essential blepharospasm achieving significant symptom relief after beginning regular usage of topical frankincense essential oil. This natural oil offers an organic and effective treatment option for this chronic, progressive condition.

Clinical Outcomes of Calcium-Channel Blocker vs Beta-Blocker: From the Korean Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry

Background

Although current guidelines recommend beta-blockers (BBs) after acute myocardial infarction (AMI), the role of calcium-channel blockers (CCBs) has not been well investigated, especially nondihydropyridine.

Objectives

This study aimed to compare the effects of CCBs on cardiovascular outcomes compared with BBs in AMI because patients from East Asia have a higher incidence of a vasospastic angina component compared with Western countries.

Methods

Among 15,628 patients enrolled in the KAMIR-V (Korean Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry-V), we evaluated 10,650 in-hospital survivors who were treated with either CCBs or BBs. We applied a propensity score for 1:4 pair matching of baseline covariates and Cox regression to compare CCBs and BBs. The primary endpoint was all-cause death at 1 year. The secondary endpoints were 1-year major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events, which was the composite of cardiac death, myocardial infarction, revascularization, and readmission due to heart failure and stroke.

Results

There was a significant interaction with the treatment arm with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (P for interaction = 0.011). CCB groups at discharge had higher 1-year cardiac death and major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events for patients with LVEF <50% (HR: 4.950; 95% CI: 1.329-18.435; P = 0.017; and HR: 1.810; 95% CI: 1.038-3.158; P = 0.037, respectively) but not for patients with LVEF ≥50% (HR: 0.699; 95% CI: 0.435-1.124; P = 0.140).

Conclusions

CCB therapy did not increase adverse cardiovascular events for patients after AMI with preserved LVEF. CCBs can be considered as an alternative for BBs in East Asian patients after AMI with preserved LVEF.

Knotless Implant for Arthroscopic Hip Capsule Closure

The hip joint capsule plays a significant role in maintaining hip stability, including translation and rotation. Hip capsular closure or plication has been shown to increase stability of the joint following capsulotomy in hip arthroscopy for the treatment of femoroacetabular impingement syndrome (FAIS) and/or associated labral tears. This technique article describes a knotless method of closing the hip capsule.

Microbial Colonization of Capsular Traction Sutures in Hip Arthroscopic Surgery

Background

A common practice in hip arthroscopic surgery is the utilization of capsular traction sutures that can be incorporated into the capsular repair site at the end of the procedure, potentially seeding the hip joint with colonized suture material.

Purpose

To investigate the rate of the microbial colonization of capsular traction sutures used during hip arthroscopic surgery and to identify patient-associated risk factors for this microbial colonization.

Study Design

Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods

A total of 50 consecutive patients who underwent hip arthroscopic surgery with a single surgeon were enrolled. There were 4 braided nonabsorbable sutures utilized for capsular traction during each hip arthroscopic procedure. These 4 traction sutures and 1 control suture were submitted for aerobic and nonaerobic cultures. Cultures were held for 21 days. Demographic information was collected, such as age, sex, and body mass index. All variables underwent bivariate analysis, and variables with a P value <.1 underwent further analysis in a multivariate logistic regression model.

Results

One of 200 experimental traction sutures and 1 of 50 control sutures had a positive culture. Proteus mirabilis and Citrobacter koseri were isolated in both these positive experimental and control cultures from the same patient. Age and traction time were not significantly associated with positive cultures. The rate of microbial colonization was 0.5%.

Conclusion

The rate of the microbial colonization of capsular traction sutures used in hip arthroscopic surgery was low, and no patient-associated risk factors were identified for microbial colonization. Capsular traction sutures used in hip arthroscopic surgery were not a significant potential source of microbial contamination. Based on these results, capsular traction sutures can be incorporated in capsular closure with a low risk of seeding the hip joint with microbial contaminants.

Neoadjuvant Pembrolizumab in Localized Microsatellite Instability High/Deficient Mismatch Repair Solid Tumors

PURPOSE

Pembrolizumab significantly improves clinical outcomes in advanced/metastatic microsatellite instability high (MSI-H)/deficient mismatch repair (dMMR) solid tumors but is not well studied in the neoadjuvant space.

METHODS

This is a phase II open-label, single-center trial of localized unresectable or high-risk resectable MSI-H/dMMR tumors. Treatment is pembrolizumab 200 mg once every 3 weeks for 6 months followed by surgical resection with an option to continue therapy for 1 year followed by observation. To continue on study, patients are required to have radiographic or clinical benefit. The coprimary end points are safety and pathologic complete response. Key secondary end points are response rate and organ-sparing at one year for patients who declined surgery. Exploratory analyses include interrogation of the tumor immune microenvironment using imaging mass cytometry.

RESULTS

A total of 35 patients were enrolled, including 27 patients with colorectal cancer and eight patients with noncolorectal cancer. Among 33 evaluable patients, best overall response rate was 82%. Among 17 (49%) patients who underwent surgery, the pathologic complete response rate was 65%. Ten patients elected to receive one year of pembrolizumab followed by surveillance without surgical resection (median follow-up of 23 weeks [range, 0-54 weeks]). An additional eight did not undergo surgical resection and received less than 1 year of pembrolizumab. During the study course of the trial and subsequent follow-up, progression events were seen in six patients (four of whom underwent salvage surgery). There were no new safety signals. Spatial immune profiling with imaging mass cytometry noted a significantly closer proximity between granulocytic cells and cytotoxic T cells in patients with progressive events compared with those without progression.

CONCLUSION

Neoadjuvant pembrolizumab in dMMR/MSI-H cancers is safe and resulted in high rates of pathologic, radiographic, and endoscopic response, which has implications for organ-sparing strategies.

Outcomes After Concomitant Hip Arthroscopy and Periacetabular Osteotomy: A Systematic Review

Background

Despite several studies' reports on outcomes of concomitant hip arthroscopy and periacetabular osteotomy (PAO), there is a paucity of aggregate data in the literature.

Purpose

To evaluate outcomes and survivorship after concomitant hip arthroscopy and PAO.

Study Design

Systematic review; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods

The PubMed, Cochrane, and Scopus databases were searched in April 2022 using the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. The following keywords were used: (hip OR femoroacetabular impingement) AND (arthroscopy OR arthroscopic) AND (periacetabular osteotomy or rotational osteotomy) AND (outcomes OR follow-up). Of 270 articles initially identified, 10 studies were ultimately included. The following information was recorded for each study if available: publication information; study design; study period; patient characteristics; follow-up time; indications for hip arthroscopy; patient-reported outcomes (PROs); rates of secondary hip preservation surgeries; and rates of conversion to total hip arthroplasty (THA). Survivorship was defined as nonconversion to THA.

Results

The study periods for the 10 included articles ranged from 2001 to 2018. Three studies were level 3 evidence, and 7 studies were level 4 evidence. This review included 553 hips with a mean follow-up of 1 to 12.8 years. All 10 studies listed dysplasia as an indication for surgery. Of 9 studies that reported PRO scores, 7 reported significant improvement after surgery. Studies with a <5-year follow-up reported conversion to THA rates of 0% to 3.4% and overall secondary surgery rates of 0% to 10.3%. Similarly, studies with >5-year follow-up reported conversion to THA rates of 0% to 3% and overall secondary surgery rates of 0% to 10%.

Conclusion

Patients who underwent concomitant hip arthroscopy and PAO reported favorable outcomes, with 7 of the 9 studies that provided PRO scores indicating significant preoperative to postoperative improvement.

Survivorship, Outcomes, and Risk Factors for Conversion to Total Hip Arthroplasty After Revision Hip Arthroscopic Surgery in Obese Patients: Results at a Minimum 5-Year Follow-up

Background

There is a paucity of literature reporting outcomes after revision hip arthroscopic surgery in obese patients.

Purpose

To report the minimum 5-year survivorship, patient-reported outcomes (PROs), clinical benefit, and risk factors for conversion to total hip arthroplasty (THA) in obese patients after revision hip arthroscopic surgery.

Study Design

Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods

Data were prospectively collected and retrospectively reviewed for patients who underwent revision hip arthroscopic surgery by a single surgeon between April 2010 and August 2016. Inclusion criteria were a body mass index ≥30 and baseline and minimum 5-year postoperative values for the modified Harris Hip Score (mHHS), Nonarthritic Hip Score (NAHS), Hip Outcome Score-Sport-Specific Subscale (HOS-SSS), and visual analog scale (VAS) for pain. Exclusion criteria were Tönnis grade >1 and hip dysplasia. Survivorship was defined as no conversion to THA. Clinical benefit was measured using the minimal clinically important difference (MCID). Survivors and nonsurvivors underwent further bivariate and regression analyses to determine the predictors of conversion to THA.

Results

Included were 24 hips in 24 patients. The mean patient age was 39.3 ± 12.7 years, and the mean follow-up was 83.9 ± 26.5 months. The survivorship rate was 75.0%, and patients demonstrated a significant improvement in all PROs (P < .01). At 5-year follow-up, the MCID for the mHHS, NAHS, HOS-SSS, and VAS was achieved by 70.6%, 94.1%, 92.9%, and 64.7%, respectively, of the patients. Older age, higher grade ligamentum teres tears, and acetabuloplasty were significant on bivariate analysis for conversion to THA, and increased age was identified as a significant variable for conversion to THA on regression analysis (odds ratio, 1.297 [95% CI, 1.045-1.609]; P = .018), with a 29.7% greater risk for every additional year of age at the time of revision.

Conclusion

In this study, 25.0% of obese patients who underwent revision hip arthroscopic surgery required conversion to THA. The study patients who did not need conversion to THA had a significant improvement in all PROs, with >90% achieving MCID for one or more outcome measures. Older age was identified as a significant predictor of conversion to THA.

Mid- and Long-Term Outcomes Are Favorable for Patients With Borderline Dysplasia Undergoing Primary Hip Arthroscopy: A Systematic Review

PURPOSE

To evaluate midterm outcomes, long-term outcomes, and survivorship in the borderline dysplastic population after primary hip arthroscopy.

METHODS

A systematic review of current literature was performed with the following key words: "hip, "arthroscopy," "borderline dysplasia," "borderline hip dysplasia," "developmental dysplasia," "ten-year," "survivorship," "10-year," "5-year," "five year," "mid-term," "long-term," "outcomes," "arthroscopic," and "femoroacetabular impingement" in PubMed, Cochrane, and Scopus in March 2022 using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses guidelines. The following information was recorded: title, author, publication date, study design, demographic, number of hips, follow-up time, study period, indications for hip arthroscopy, patient-reported outcomes (PROs), characteristics of patients converting to total hip arthroplasty (THA), and rates of secondary surgeries and conversion to THA were recorded. Survivorship was defined as not converting to THA. Kappa values for the title/abstract and full-text screening were calculated. Forest plots were created for PROs that were included in 3 or more studies.

RESULTS

Six articles comprising 413 hips were included in the study. Three studies were Level III evidence, and 3 studies were Level IV evidence. Average follow-up ranged from 5.7 to 12.2 years. One study defined borderline hip dysplasia as lateral center-edge angle 18-25° and 5 defined it as lateral center-edge angle 20-25°. All studies included PROs and reported significant improvement after surgery in at least one PRO. Three studies reported clinical benefit and across the studies at least 70% of patients achieved minimum clinically important difference in at least one PRO. Rates of undergoing revision hip arthroscopy and THA ranged from 2.1% to 7% and 0% to 24%, respectively. Tönnis grade 2, Tönnis angle >15, and Outerbridge Grade IV cartilage damage were identified as predictors of conversion to THA.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with borderline hip dysplasia undergoing primary hip arthroscopy demonstrated significant improvement in PROs at midterm and long-term follow-up. Survivorship at midterm follow-up was 98.2% (328/334 hips) and 76.3% (29/38 hips) at long-term follow-up.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level IV, systematic review of Level III and Level IV studies.

Examining the Distribution of Bone Bruise Patterns in Contact and Noncontact Acute Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries

BACKGROUND

Bone bruises are commonly seen on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in acute anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries and can provide insight into the underlying mechanism of injury. There are limited reports that have compared the bone bruise patterns between contact and noncontact mechanisms of ACL injury.

PURPOSE

To examine and compare the number and location of bone bruises in contact and noncontact ACL injuries.

STUDY DESIGN

Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3.

METHODS

Three hundred twenty patients who underwent ACL reconstruction surgery between 2015 and 2021 were identified. Inclusion criteria were clear documentation of the mechanism of injury and MRI within 30 days of the injury on a 3-T scanner. Patients with concomitant fractures, injuries to the posterolateral corner or posterior cruciate ligament, and/or previous ipsilateral knee injury were excluded. Patients were stratified into 2 cohorts based on a contact or noncontact mechanism. Preoperative MRI scans were retrospectively reviewed by 2 musculoskeletal radiologists for bone bruises. The number and location of the bone bruises were recorded in the coronal and sagittal planes using fat-suppressed T2-weighted images and a standardized mapping technique. Lateral and medial meniscal tears were recorded from the operative notes, while medial collateral ligament (MCL) injuries were graded on MRI.

RESULTS

A total of 220 patients were included, with 142 (64.5%) noncontact injuries and 78 (35.5%) contact injuries. There was a significantly higher frequency of men in the contact cohort compared with the noncontact cohort (69.2% vs 54.2%, P = .030), while age and body mass index were comparable between the 2 cohorts. The bivariate analysis demonstrated a significantly higher rate of combined lateral tibiofemoral (lateral femoral condyle [LFC] + lateral tibial plateau [LTP]) bone bruises (82.1% vs 48.6%, P < .001) and a lower rate of combined medial tibiofemoral (medial femoral condyle [MFC] + medial tibial plateau [MTP]) bone bruises (39.7% vs 66.2%, P < .001) in knees with contact injuries. Similarly, noncontact injuries had a significantly higher rate of centrally located MFC bone bruises (80.3% vs 61.5%, P = .003) and posteriorly located MTP bruises (66.2% vs 52.6%, P = .047). When controlling for age and sex, the multivariate logistical regression model demonstrated that knees with contact injuries were more likely to have LTP bone bruises (OR, 4.721 [95% CI, 1.147-19.433], P = .032) and less likely to have combined medial tibiofemoral (MFC + MTP) bone bruises (OR, 0.331 [95% CI, 0.144-0.762], P = .009) compared with those with noncontact injuries.

CONCLUSION

Significantly different bone bruise patterns were observed on MRI based on ACL injury mechanism, with contact and noncontact injuries demonstrating characteristic findings in the lateral tibiofemoral and medial tibiofemoral compartments, respectively.

Genetic subgroups inform on pathobiology in adult and pediatric Burkitt lymphoma

Burkitt lymphoma (BL) accounts for most pediatric non-Hodgkin lymphomas, being less common but significantly more lethal when diagnosed in adults. Much of the knowledge of the genetics of BL thus far has originated from the study of pediatric BL (pBL), leaving its relationship to adult BL (aBL) and other adult lymphomas not fully explored. We sought to more thoroughly identify the somatic changes that underlie lymphomagenesis in aBL and any molecular features that associate with clinical disparities within and between pBL and aBL. Through comprehensive whole-genome sequencing of 230 BL and 295 diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) tumors, we identified additional significantly mutated genes, including more genetic features that associate with tumor Epstein-Barr virus status, and unraveled new distinct subgroupings within BL and DLBCL with 3 predominantly comprising BLs: DGG-BL (DDX3X, GNA13, and GNAI2), IC-BL (ID3 and CCND3), and Q53-BL (quiet TP53). Each BL subgroup is characterized by combinations of common driver and noncoding mutations caused by aberrant somatic hypermutation. The largest subgroups of BL cases, IC-BL and DGG-BL, are further characterized by distinct biological and gene expression differences. IC-BL and DGG-BL and their prototypical genetic features (ID3 and TP53) had significant associations with patient outcomes that were different among aBL and pBL cohorts. These findings highlight shared pathogenesis between aBL and pBL, and establish genetic subtypes within BL that serve to delineate tumors with distinct molecular features, providing a new framework for epidemiologic, diagnostic, and therapeutic strategies.

Survival improvement for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer over twenty years

Over the past two decades of successive clinical trials in metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC), the median overall survival of both control and experimental arms has steadily improved. However, the incremental change in survival for metastatic CRC patients not treated on trial has not yet been quantified. We performed a retrospective review of 1420 patients with de novo metastatic CRC who received their primary treatment at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center (UTMDACC) from 2004 through 2019. Median OS was roughly stable for patients diagnosed between 2004 and 2012 (22.6 months) but since has steadily improved for those diagnosed in 2013 to 2015 (28.8 months), and 2016 to 2019 (32.4 months). Likewise, 5-year survival rate has increased from 15.7% for patients diagnosed from 2004 to 2006 to 26% for those diagnosed from 2013 to 2015. Notably, survival improved for patients with BRAFV600E mutant as well as microsatellite unstable (MSI-H) tumors. Multivariate regression analysis identified surgical resection of liver metastasis (HR = 0.26, 95% CI, 0.19-0.37), use of immunotherapy (HR = 0.44, 95% CI, 0.29-0.67) and use of third line chemotherapy (regorafenib or trifluridine/tipiracil, HR = 0.74, 95% CI, 0.58-0.95), but not year of diagnosis (HR = 0.99, 95% CI, 0.98-1), as associated with better survival, suggesting that increased use of these therapies are the drivers of the observed improvement in survival.

High-Level Athletes With Borderline Hip Dysplasia Achieve Favorable Outcomes and Return to Sport Rates Following Primary Hip Arthroscopy: Minimum 5-Year Outcomes Comparison to a Propensity-Matched Control Group

PURPOSE

(1) To report minimum 5-year patient-reported outcomes (PROs) and return to sport (RTS) rates in high-level athletes with borderline hip dysplasia (BHD) following primary hip arthroscopy for labral pathology and femoroacetabular impingement syndrome and (2) to compare results to a propensity-matched control group of athletes with normal acetabular coverage.

METHODS

Data were reviewed for surgeries performed between February 2009 and February 2016. Patients were eligible if they underwent primary hip arthroscopy in the setting of BHD (lateral center-edge angle [LCEA] 18-25°) and competed in professional, collegiate, or high school sports. Inclusion criteria were preoperative and minimum 5-year follow-up scores for the modified Harris Hip Score (mHHS), Non-Arthritis Hip Score, Hip Outcome Score-Sport Specific Subscale (HOS-SSS), and visual analog scale for pain. Rates of achieving the minimal clinically importance difference (MCID), patient acceptable symptomatic state (PASS), and maximum outcome improvement satisfaction threshold (MOIST) were recorded in addition to RTS. BHD athletes were matched by age at the time of surgery, sex, body mass index, Tönnis grade, follow-up time, sport type, and competition level to a control group of 58 athletes with normal acetabular coverage (LCEA 25°-40°) for comparison.

RESULTS

A total of 34 BHD athletes were included with a mean follow-up of 73.6 ± 10.7 months. BHD athletes showed significant improvements in all PROs, demonstrated high RTS rates (90.0%), and achieved PASS/MCID/MOIST for mHHS (MCID: 80.0%, PASS: 93.3%, MOIST: 80.0%) and HOS-SSS (MCID: 76.7%, PASS: 73.3%) at high rates. When compared to a propensity-matched group with normal acetabular coverage, BHD athletes demonstrated similar postoperative PROs, rates of achieving psychometric thresholds, and RTS rates (P > .05). Additionally, by the latest follow-up, no athlete in either group required conversion to total hip arthroplasty.

CONCLUSIONS

High-level athletes with BHD undergoing primary hip arthroscopy for labral pathology and femoroacetabular impingement syndrome may expect favorable midterm outcomes and high RTS rates. These results were comparable to a control group of athletes with normal coverage.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level III, retrospective cohort study.

Short Symptom Duration Is Associated With Superior Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Primary Hip Arthroscopy: A Systematic Review

PURPOSE

To evaluate the effect of duration of preoperative hip pain symptoms on outcomes in patients undergoing primary hip arthroscopy for the treatment of femoroacetabular impingement syndrome.

METHODS

A systematic review of the literature was conducted with the following key words: "hip arthroscopy," "outcomes," "femoroacetabular impingement," "duration," "symptoms," "time," "delay," "earlier," and "timing" was performed in PubMed and Cochrane in May 2022. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses guidelines were used for this review. When available, article information including the author, study type, study period, and follow-up, demographics, preoperative duration of symptoms, surgical outcome tools, and secondary surgeries were recorded.

RESULTS

Six studies including 3,298 hips were included in this systematic review. Five studies had a minimum of 2 years' follow-up, and 1 study had a minimum of 5 years' follow-up. Femoroacetabular impingement (including subtypes cam and pincer impingement) was a surgical indication in all 6 studies and the most common indication for surgery. All 6 studies reported patient-reported outcome scores. All studies conducted statistical analyses comparing the duration of symptoms' effect on outcomes and found superior outcomes in patients with shorter duration of symptoms before hip arthroscopy. In 3 studies, modified Harris Hip Score, Hip Outcome Score - Activities of Daily Living, Hip Outcome Score - Sports-Specific Subscale, and visual analog scale for satisfaction ranged from 79.1-82.6, 86.3-88.4, 75-75.5. and 75.3-82.5, respectively, in cohorts with <2-year duration of symptoms, compared with 72-77.7, 79.6-84, 65.0-66.7, and 69.7-75.3 in >2-year cohort. Similarly, in one study, the <2-year duration group was reported to have a conversion to total hip arthroplasty rate of 0.6% and an overall secondary surgery rate of 0.9%, whereas the >2-year duration group had a conversion to total hip arthroplasty rate of 6.4% and an overall secondary surgery rate of 10.1%.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with hip pain symptoms of less than 2 years before arthroscopic treatment of femoroacetabular impingement syndrome have better outcomes than those patients who had a longer duration of symptoms. However, significant improvements can still be expected regardless of time between onset of symptoms and surgery.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level IV, systematic review of Level III and Level IV studies.