Health-related quality of life in Hodgkin lymphoma: a systematic review.

PURPOSE: Hodgkin Lymphoma (HL) is highly curable with well-established treatment regimens; however, the impact on patient's health-related quality of life (HRQL) from diagnosis through survivorship is unclear. This systematic review aimed to describe the available literature on HRQL in HL, assess the quality of these studies, identify gaps in the literature and recommend further areas of research. METHODS: Following PRISMA guidelines, we performed a systematic review to include studies assessing the HRQL in HL patients. Articles identified through database searches were screened and data extracted. Quality was evaluated using a 6-point scale, adapted from published HRQL systematic reviews. RESULTS: Sixty five articles published between 1986 and 2015 met inclusion criteria. These included 53 (82 %) cross-sectional studies; 12 (18 %) longitudinal studies, including three embedded in randomized trials; and three additional longitudinal studies that began assessment at diagnosis. Study sample sizes of HL patients varied considerably with only five (42 %) longitudinal studies including more than 50 patients. Multidimensional HRQL was assessed in 45 studies, single HRQL domains in 22 studies, and symptoms, including fatigue, in 28 studies. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of studies employed a cross-sectional design, enrolling HL survivors at least 10 years after the completion of therapy. Emphasis on HRQL following therapy may inform initial treatment decisions and long-term survivorship goals. We recommend that future research include prospective, longitudinal randomized designs across both treatment and time.

Does ipsilateral knee pain improve after hip arthroplasty?

BACKGROUND: Intraarticular hip disease is commonly acknowledged as a cause of ipsilateral knee pain. However, this is based primarily on observational rather than high-quality evidence-based studies, and it is unclear whether ipsilateral knee pain improves when hip disease has been treated. QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: We asked whether (1) hip disease was associated with preoperative ipsilateral knee pain and (2) ipsilateral knee pain would improve after hip arthroplasty. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively assessed knee pain in 255 patients who underwent hip arthroplasties between 2006 and 2008. The WOMAC pain score of each joint was the primary outcome measure, which was obtained prospectively before surgery and at 3 months and 1 year postoperatively. Of the 255 patients, 245 (96%) had followup data obtained at 3 months or 1 year. RESULTS: Preoperatively, ipsilateral knee pain was observed more frequently than contralateral knee pain (55% versus 18%). Preoperative ipsilateral knee pain scores were worse than contralateral knee pain scores (mean, 80 versus 95). Ipsilateral knee pain improved at 3 months and 1 year. When compared with the scores for contralateral knee pain at 3 months (95) and 1 year (96), there were no differences between knees. CONCLUSIONS: Our observations suggest hip disease is associated with ipsilateral knee pain and that it improves after hip arthroplasty. This should be considered during preoperative evaluation for patients with hip and knee pain. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, diagnostic study. See Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Predicting need for allogeneic transfusion after total knee arthroplasty.

Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) can lead to substantial blood loss. To avoid the high costs of autologous blood predonation programs and efficiently allocate limited blood resources, we sought to identify preoperative and intraoperative factors associated with allogeneic blood transfusion (AllTx) after primary TKA and, subsequently, develop a model to predict patients who will require AllTx. We analyzed 31 independent variables in 644 primary unilateral TKAs without autologous blood predonation for requirement of AllTx. Seventy-one procedures (11.0%) required AllTx. Age, comorbid anemia, preoperative hemoglobin concentration, and surgical time were significant predictors for requiring AllTx. When applied to an independent cohort, our model for predicting the need for AllTx after TKA was 90% sensitive and 52.5% specific.

The accuracy and reliability of preoperative templating for metal-on-metal hip resurfacing.

The purposes of this study were to evaluate the accuracy and reliability of preoperative templating on conventional radiographs (CRs) for metal-on-metal hip resurfacing and to determine the factors affecting the accuracy. Four observers templated 80 CRs on 2 separate occasions in a blinded fashion. Eight independent variables were evaluated to investigate their effect on the accuracy of templating. The overall accuracy of templating within one size of the actual component was 80.6% for the femoral component and 98.5% for the acetabular component. Overall, the intraobserver and interobserver reliability was fair to substantial (κ = 0.22-0.61). Using multiple regression analysis, surgical time was the only factor that affected the accuracy of predicting the size of the acetabular component (P = .019). We conclude that CR templating for metal-on-metal hip resurfacing is a useful method for preoperative planning of the sizes of the respective implants and that surgeon experience does play a significant role in the accuracy of predicting component size during templating.

Early adverse results with bicompartmental knee arthroplasty: a prospective cohort comparison to total knee arthroplasty.

This prospective cohort study compares functional outcomes of bicompartmental knee arthroplasty (BKA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in patients with osteoarthritis (OA) of the patellofemoral and medial compartments. Eligibility criteria included bicompartmental OA with less than grade 2 OA in the lateral compartment and intact cruciate ligaments. Fifty-six patients met eligibility criteria (21 BKA, 33 TKA). Enrolled participants completed Short-Form 12 and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index assessments at baseline and postoperatively at 3 months, 1 year, and 2 years. In the early postoperative period, the BKA cohort had significantly less pain (P = .020) and better physical function (P = .015). These trends did not continue past 3 months. When adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, and preoperative status, only 3-month Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index stiffness scores significantly differed between cohorts (P = .048). Despite less early stiffness in the BKA cohort, a significantly higher BKA complication rate (P = .045) has led us to recommend TKA for patients with this pattern of OA.

Sensitivity and Specificity of 2 Autism Screeners Among Referred Children Between 16 and 48 Months of Age.

OBJECTIVE: Autism screening is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at ages 18 and 24 months. Popular screening tests have been validated for the age range of 16 to 30 months. However, only a minority of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are identified by age 3 years, and many are not identified until after they enter school. Thus, we aimed to measure the sensitivity and specificity of 2 available screening tests for ASDs in children older than 30 months. METHODS: We assessed the sensitivity and specificity of 2 ASD screening tools administered to parents of children who were referred to a developmental clinic between the ages of 16 and 48 months: the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT) and the Parent's Observations of Social Interactions (POSI), which is a component of a comprehensive screening instrument called, the Survey of Well-being of Young Children. RESULTS: Both the M-CHAT and the POSI had acceptable sensitivity (≥75%) among children across the age range studied. Their specificity was limited by the fact that the study was conducted in a developmental referral clinic. CONCLUSION: Two readily available screening tools, the POSI and the M-CHAT, have acceptable sensitivity in evaluating risk for autism in children at least to age 48 months. Further research should investigate their sensitivity and specificity when used in primary care settings.

Hip resurfacing is less painful at 24 hours than hip replacement.

This article quantifies pain differences in the immediate postoperative period between patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty (THA) and metal-on-metal hip resurfacing (MoMHR). Patients less than 65 years old indicated for either a primary MoMHR or THA were screened for consent. A total of 51 patients completed the study. Controlling for confounding factors, patients having MoMHR experienced significantly less pain at 24 hours than patients having THA. The MoMHR cohort experienced a significantly shorter length of stay than the THA cohort. MoMHR shows a significantly lower pain level at 24 hours than THA and a significantly earlier discharge.