Short-term survival analysis of a risk-adjusted model for ovarian cancer care.

OBJECTIVE: To quantify the impact on short-term ovarian cancer survival associated with treatment at high-performing hospitals using the observed-to-expected ratio (O/E) for adherence to ovarian cancer treatment guidelines as a risk-adjusted measure of hospital quality care. METHODS: This was a retrospective population-based study of stage I-IV invasive epithelial ovarian cancer reported to California Cancer Registry 1996-2017. A fit logistic regression model, risk-adjusted for patient and disease characteristics, was used to calculate O/E for each hospital stratified by hospital annual case volume. Cox proportional hazards model was used for survival analyses at 3, 6, 12, 24 months and stratified according to sociodemographic characteristics. RESULTS: The study population included 35,725 subjects treated at 443 hospitals: Low-O/E - 26.4% of cases; Intermediate-O/E - 55.5% of cases; and High-O/E - 18.1% of cases. Overall median survival by hospital category was: High-O/E = 72.5 months (95% CI = 68.6-78.6 months), Intermediate-O/E = 68.6 months (95% CI = 65.9-71.6 months), Low-O/E = 47.0 months (95% CI = 44.2-49.2 months). Initial treatment at a High-O/E hospital (HR = 1.00) was a statistically significant and independent predictor of improved short-term survival compared to Low-O/E hospitals at 3 months (HR = 1.46, 95% CI = 1.29-1.65), 6 months (HR = 1.35, 95% CI = 1.22-1.50), 12 months (HR = 1.27, 95% CI = 1.17-1.38), and 24 months (HR = 1.19, 95% CI = 1.11-1.27). Significant and independent associations between improved sort-term survival and High/O/E care were observed for Whites, Hispanics, Asian/Pacific Islanders (A/PI), across SES strata, and among all payer categories. CONCLUSION: Ovarian cancer care at a High-O/E hospital is an independent predictor of improved outcome and the survival advantage is disproportionately weighted toward the short-term time horizon following diagnosis.

New insights in the pathogenic mechanism of multiple sclerosis: Is Epstein-Barr virus associated with optic nerve involvement?

INTRODUCTION: There are no reports in the literature studying the possible relationship between Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and optic nerve involvement in multiple sclerosis (MS). The aim of our study was to analyze the association between EBV antibodies titres and optical coherence tomography (OCT) and OCT angiography (OCTA) quantitative parameters. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study. The study included 98 eyes of 49 patients with MS. Years of MS duration, relapse count, history of optic neuritis (ON), and immunoglobulin (Ig) G antibodies to the EBV viral capsid antigen (VCA) were recorded from each patient. Also, OCT analysis (including retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) thickness and ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (GCIPL) thickness) and OCTA analysis (including perfusion density (PD) and flux index (FI) of the radial peripapillary capillary plexus) were performed in each participant. RESULTS: No significant associations were observed between anti-EBV antibody levels and OCT or OCTA parameters (p > 0,05). Correlation analysis between OCT and OCTA measurements showed a significant positive correlation between RNFL thickness and GCIPL thickness with peripapillary PD and FI (p < 0,035). Subgroup analysis revealed a significant diminution of RNFL thickness, GCIPL thickness and peripapillary PD and FI (p < 0,05) in the ON group. CONCLUSION: We were unable to demonstrate a significant association between anti-EBV VCA IgG antibody titres and OCT or OCTA parameters. Nonetheless, further longitudinal studies are needed to explore the possible association of EBV with optic nerve involvement in MS.

Optical coherence tomography angiography analysis in patients with intracranial hypertension.

INTRODUCTION: Evidence on peripapillary microvasculature in intracranial hypertension (IH) after the regression of papilledema is still scarce. The aim of this preliminary study was to determine the association between structural changes in the optic nerve and the retina and peripapillary microvasculature in patients with IIH. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study. The study included 39 eyes of 21 patients with IIH. Treatment for IIH and history of obesity were registered from each patient. Moreover, OCT analysis including retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness and ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (GCIPL) thickness, and OCTA analysis including perfusion density (PD) and flux index (FI) of the radial peripapillary capillary plexus were performed. RESULTS: Correlation analysis revealed a high correlation between GCIPL thickness and peripapillary PD and FI (p < 0,05, r > 0,7), whereas the degree of correlation between RNFL thickness and peripapillary microvascular parameters was low (p < 0,05, r < 0,7). Patients with regressed papilledema had significantly lower GCIPL thickness and peripapillary PD than control subjects (p < 0,05). CONCLUSION: Peripapillary microvascular measurements are highly correlated with GCIPL thickness in patients with IIH. Moreover, GCIPL thickness and peripapillary PD are significantly inferior in patients with regressed papilledema compared to control group. Thus, we suggested that peripapillary microvascular parameters may be an early indicator of optic nerve atrophy in patients with IIH.

Biochemical-molecular-genetic biomarkers in the tear film, aqueous humor, and blood of primary open-angle glaucoma patients.

Introduction: Glaucoma is a chronic neurodegenerative disease, which is the leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide. As a response to high intraocular pressure, the clinical and molecular glaucoma biomarkers indicate the biological state of the visual system. Classical and uncovering novel biomarkers of glaucoma development and progression, follow-up, and monitoring the response to treatment are key objectives to improve vision outcomes. While the glaucoma imaging field has successfully validated biomarkers of disease progression, there is still a considerable need for developing new biomarkers of early glaucoma, that is, at the preclinical and initial glaucoma stages. Outstanding clinical trials and animal-model study designs, innovative technology, and analytical approaches in bioinformatics are essential tools to successfully uncover novel glaucoma biomarkers with a high potential for translation into clinical practice. Methods: To better understand the clinical and biochemical-molecular-genetic glaucoma pathogenesis, we conducted an analytical, observational, and case-comparative/control study in 358 primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) patients and 226 comparative-control individuals (CG) to collect tears, aqueous humor, and blood samples to be processed for identifying POAG biomarkers by exploring several biological pathways, such as inflammation, neurotransmitter/neurotrophin alteration, oxidative stress, gene expression, miRNAs fingerprint and its biological targets, and vascular endothelial dysfunction, Statistics were done by using the IBM SPSS 25.0 program. Differences were considered statistically significant when p ≤ 0.05. Results: Mean age of the POAG patients was 70.03 ± 9.23 years, and 70.62 ± 7.89 years in the CG. Malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), interleuquin (IL)-6, endothelin-1 (ET-1), and 5 hydroxyindolacetic acid (5-HIAA), displayed significantly higher levels in the POAG patients vs. the CG (p < 0.001). Total antioxidant capacity (TAC), brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), 5-hydroxy tryptamine (5-HT), solute carrier family 23-nucleobase transporters-member 2 (SLC23A2) gene, and the glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) gene, showed significantly lower levelsin the POAG patients than in the CG (p < 0.001). The miRNAs that differentially expressed in tear samples of the POAG patients respect to the CG were the hsa miR-26b-5p (involved in cell proliferation and apoptosis), hsa miR-152-3p (regulator of cell proliferation, and extracellular matrix expression), hsa miR-30e-5p (regulator of autophagy and apoptosis), and hsa miR-151a-3p (regulator of myoblast proliferation). Discussion: We are incredibly enthusiastic gathering as much information as possible on POAG biomarkers to learn how the above information can be used to better steer the diagnosis and therapy of glaucoma to prevent blindness in the predictable future. In fact, we may suggest that the design and development of blended biomarkers is a more appropriate solution in ophthalmological practice for early diagnosis and to predict therapeutic response in the POAG patients.

Spatial-Temporal Trends in Ovarian Cancer Outcomes in California.

BACKGROUND: Research suggests that geographic location may affect ovarian cancer (OC) outcomes. Insurance status often remains an important predictor of outcomes. The Affordable Care Act was enacted in 2010 to expand access to affordable health insurance. Our objective was to examine spatiotemporal trends in OC treatment nonadherence and disease-specific mortality in California (USA) among women diagnosed with OC. METHODS: Newly diagnosed epithelial OC cases between 1996 and 2017 were identified from the California Cancer Registry. Spatiotemporal trends in adherence to treatment guidelines were examined using generalized additive models and OC-specific mortality using Cox proportional hazards additive models. Prediction grids covering California were used to display the odds ratios (ORs) and hazard ratios of location using the median value for the study area as the referent value. Seven overlapping 5-year periods and 2 larger ones (pre- and post-2013) were assessed. Analyses were stratified according to stage (early vs advanced) and used P = .05 to determine statistical significance. RESULTS: Statistically significant spatial patterns in treatment nonadherence were observed for every time period examined (P < .001). Odds of treatment nonadherence associated with geographic location were highest among women with early-stage OC in southern Los Angeles County during 2014-2017 (OR max = 3.89, confidence interval = 1.04 to 7.61). For women with advanced-stage OC, residing in northern California was generally associated with lower odds ratios, whereas southern California was associated with higher odds ratios, with higher odds in the latter time period (OR range = 0.53-1.84 in 1996-2012 vs 0.49-2.37 in 2013-2017). Geographic location was not a statistically significant predictor of mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Residential location was statistically significantly associated with treatment received in California, with spatial patterns varying over time but not OC-specific mortality. Changes in insurance status over time were accompanied by shifts in population demographics and increased travel distances to receive care.

Impact of Systemic Comorbidities on Ocular Hypertension and Open-Angle Glaucoma, in a Population from Spain and Portugal.

Open-angle glaucoma (OAG), the most prevalent clinical type of glaucoma, is still the main cause of irreversible blindness worldwide. OAG is a neurodegenerative illness for which the most important risk factor is elevated intraocular pressure (IOP). Many questions remain unanswered about OAG, such as whether nutritional or toxic habits, other personal characteristics, and/or systemic diseases influence the course of glaucoma. As such, in this study, we performed a multicenter analytical, observational, case-control study of 412 participants of both sexes, aged 40-80 years, that were classified as having ocular hypertension (OHT) or OAG. Our primary endpoint was to investigate the relationship between specific lifestyle habits; anthropometric and endocrine-metabolic, cardiovascular, and respiratory events; and commonly used psychochemicals, with the presence of OHT or OAG in an ophthalmologic population from Spain and Portugal. Demographic, epidemiological, and ocular/systemic clinical data were recorded from all participants. Data were analyzed using the R Statistics v4.1.2 and RStudio v2021.09.1 programs. The mean age was 62 ± 15 years, with 67-80 years old comprising the largest subgroup sample of participants in both study groups. The central corneal thickness (ultrasound pachymetry)-adjusted IOP (Goldman tonometry) in each eye was 20.46 ± 2.35 and 20.1 ± 2.73 mmHg for the OHT individuals, and 15.8 ± 3.83 and 16.94 ± 3.86 mmHg for the OAG patients, with significant differences between groups (both p = 0.001). The highest prevalence of the surveyed characteristics in both groups was for overweight/obesity and daily coffee consumption, followed by psychochemical drug intake, migraine, and peripheral vasospasm. Our data show that overweight/obesity, migraine, asthma, and smoking are major risk factors for conversion from OHT to OAG in this Spanish and Portuguese population.

Case Report: Optic Nerve Atrophy Secondary to Sjögren Syndrome.

SIGNIFICANCE: Optic neuropathy associated with Sjögren syndrome is rare and usually has an acute onset. PURPOSE: This study aimed to report a case of asymmetric optic nerve atrophy attributed to Sjögren syndrome. CASE REPORT: A 37-year-old woman was referred to neuro-ophthalmology service because of right optic nerve atrophy of unknown etiology. The patient was asymptomatic. Best-corrected visual acuity was 20/200 Snellen equivalent in the right eye and 20/20 Snellen equivalent in the left eye. The right eye had a relative afferent pupillary defect. Visual field demonstrated dense temporal loss, superior arcuate involvement, and an inferior paracentral defect in the right eye. Slit-lamp examination showed mild fluorescein staining of the cornea, moderate lissamine green staining of the conjunctiva, and abnormal tear breakup time in both eyes. Fundus examination revealed diffuse pallor of the right optic disc and a normal left optic disc. Optical coherence tomography showed inferior and superior retinal nerve fiber layer atrophy in the right eye and inferior retinal nerve fiber layer atrophy in the left eye. A diagnosis of right optic nerve atrophy was made. Immunologic studies were significant for positive anti-Ro and anti-La antibodies. MRI of the brain and orbit ruled out any intracranial or white-matter pathology. A diagnosis of optic nerve atrophy secondary to Sjögren syndrome was suspected, so corticosteroid treatment was started. CONCLUSIONS: Optic nerve atrophy may be the initial manifestation of Sjögren syndrome. Therefore, optic neuropathy associated with Sjögren syndrome remains a diagnostic challenge. In these cases, specific antibodies such as anti-Ro and anti-La facilitate early diagnosis and can prevent vision-threatening complications.

Undiagnosed sleep disorder breathing as a risk factor for critical COVID-19 and pulmonary consequences at the midterm follow-up.

INTRODUCTION: Patients with severe COVID-19 develops an acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), requiring admission to the intensive care unit. COVID-19 also reports an increased prevalence of comorbidities, similar to patients with Sleep disorder breathing (SDB). OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the association between undiagnosed SDB and the risk of ARDS and pulmonary abnormalities in a cohort of patients' survivors of COVID-19 between 3 and 6 months after diagnosis. METHODS: Prospective cohort study of patients who developed ARDS during hospitalization due to COVID-19 compared with a control group of patients who had COVID-19 with mild to moderate symptoms. All patients were evaluated between the 12th and 24th week after SARS-CoV-2 infection. The evaluation includes persistent symptoms, lung diffusing capacity of carbon monoxide (DLCO), chest CT scan and home sleep apnea test. SDB was diagnosed by the respiratory disturbance index ≥5 ev/h. The association between SDB and ARDS, the hazards of lung impairment and the hazard ratios (HR) were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 60 patients were included (ARDS: 34 patients, Control: 26 patients). The mean follow-up was 16 weeks (range 12-24). ARDS reported a high prevalence of SDB (79% vs. 38% in control group). A total of 35% reported DLCO impairment, and 67.6% abnormal chest CT. SDB was independently associated to ARDS, OR 6.72 (CI, 1.56-28.93), p < 0.01, and abnormal Chest CT, HR 17.2 (CI, 1.68-177.4, p = 0.01). Besides, ARDS, days in mechanical ventilation, male gender were also associated with an increased risk of abnormal chest CT. CONCLUSION: Undiagnosed SDB is prevalent and independently associated with ARDS. In addition, undiagnosed SDB increased the hazard of abnormal Chest CT in the midterm. STUDY REGISTER: ISRCTN16865246.

Palliative care for case managers: Building capacity to extend community-based palliative care to underserved older adults.

Palliative care has demonstrated effectiveness in alleviating the biological, emotional, social, and spiritual symptoms that accompany serious illness, and improving quality of life for seriously ill individuals and their family members. Despite increasing availability, there are significant disparities in access to and utilization of palliative care, particularly among diverse, low-income, and community-dwelling older adults with chronic illness. Training frontline service providers is a novel approach to expanding access to palliative care among underserved elders. This article presents a process and outcome evaluation of a palliative care curriculum that was developed and piloted for geriatric case managers in a large urban area. We describe the background, planning, design, implementation, and preliminary outcomes associated with a pilot implementation of the curriculum. We conclude with implications for replicating efforts to enhance frontline providers' knowledge, skills, and self-efficacy in extending palliative care to communities that lack access to critical supports for their burdensome symptoms.

Ambient air pollution and ovarian cancer survival in California.

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether exposure to ambient ozone, particulate matter with diameter less than 2.5 µm (PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and distance to major roadways (DTR) impact ovarian cancer-specific survival, while considering differences by stage, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. METHODS: Women diagnosed with epithelial ovarian cancer from 1996 to 2014 were identified through the California Cancer Registry and followed through 2016. Women's geocoded addresses were linked to pollutant exposure data and averaged over the follow-up period. Pollutants were considered independently and in multi-pollutant models. Cox proportional hazards models assessed hazards of disease-specific death due to environmental exposures, controlling for important covariates, with additional models stratified by stage at diagnosis, race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status. RESULTS: PM2.5 and NO2, but not ozone or DTR, were significantly associated with survival in univariate models. In a multi-pollutant model for PM2.5, ozone, and DTR, an interquartile range increase in PM2.5 (Hazard Ratio [HR], 1.45; 95% Confidence Interval [CI], 1.41-1.49) was associated with worse prognosis. Similarly, in the multi-pollutant model with NO2, ozone, and DTR, women with higher NO2 exposures (HR for 20.0-30.0 ppb, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.25-1.36 and HR for >30.0 ppb, 2.48; 95% CI, 2.32-2.66) had greater mortality compared to the lowest exposed (<20.0 ppb). Stratified results show the effects of the pollutants differed by race/ethnicity and were magnified among women diagnosed in early stages. CONCLUSIONS: Our analyses suggest that greater exposure to NO2 and PM2.5 may adversely impact ovarian cancer-specific survival, independent of sociodemographic and treatment factors. These findings warrant further study.

Incidental idiopathic intracranial hypertension.

Objective: Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) is a neuro-ophthalmological syndrome of unknown cause that can be vision-threatening, so an early diagnosis is crucial. Case report: We reported a case of a 68-year-old asymptomatic male referred with a cataract in his right eye (OD). Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 70 letters (20/ 40) in the OD and 85 letters (20/ 20) in the left eye (OS). Ophthalmological examination revealed a significant nuclear cataract in the OD that explained the visual acuity. Fundus imaging showed a faint nasal margin elevation of the optic disc of both eyes (OU). Optical coherence tomography (OCT) revealed a sectorial retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) atrophy in the inferior quadrant in the OS. Nevertheless, visual field (VF) did not demonstrate defects. Neuroimaging was normal and examination of CSF revealed an opening pressure of 500 mmH2O. A diagnosis of IIH was confirmed and acetazolamide 250 mg twice daily was recommended. After 12 months of follow-up, RNFL thickness remained stable and VF did not confirm defects. Conclusion: A routine eye examination was the onset of IIH in our case. Thus, the ophthalmologist played a crucial role in the early diagnosis of this syndrome. Papilledema is usually a key criterion for IIH, so after its detection, exclusion diagnosis and treatment should be initiated in order to avoid permanent visual loss.

Ovarian cancer in California: Guideline adherence, survival, and the impact of geographic location, 1996-2014.

BACKGROUND: Evidence suggests that geographic location may independently contribute to ovarian cancer survival. We aimed to investigate how the association between residential location and ovarian cancer-specific survival in California varies by race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status. METHODS: Additive Cox proportional hazard models were used to predict hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the association between geographic location throughout California and survival among 29,844 women diagnosed with epithelial ovarian cancer between 1996 and 2014. We conducted permutation tests to determine a global P-value for significance of location. Adjusted analyses considered distance traveled for care, distance to closest high-quality-of-care hospital, and receipt of National Comprehensive Cancer Network guideline care. Models were also stratified by stage, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. RESULTS: Location was significant in unadjusted models (P = 0.009 among all stages) but not in adjusted models (P = 0.20). HRs ranged from 0.81 (95% CI: 0.70, 0.93) in Southern Central Valley to 1.41 (95% CI: 1.15, 1.73) in Northern California but were attenuated after adjustment (maximum HR = 1.17, 95% CI: 1.08, 1.27). Better survival was generally observed for patients traveling longer distances for care. Associations between survival and proximity to closest high-quality-of-care hospitals were null except for women of lowest socioeconomic status living furthest away (HR = 1.22, 95% CI: 1.03, 1.43). CONCLUSIONS: Overall, geographic variations observed in ovarian cancer-specific survival were due to important predictors such as receiving guideline-adherent care. Improving access to expert care and ensuring receipt of guideline-adherent treatment should be priorities in optimizing ovarian cancer survival.

Case Report: Nutritional and Toxic Optic Neuropathy: A Diagnostic Dilemma.

SIGNIFICANCE: Nutritional and toxic optic neuropathies are rare disorders characterized by visual impairment due to optic nerve damage by a toxin, usually with coexisting nutritional deficiencies. Its pathophysiology is still unclear, and multiple mechanisms implicated act synergistically to bring about this condition. The decline in its incidence and its confusing clinical appearance make diagnosing nutritional and toxic optic neuropathies challenging. PURPOSE: This is an observational clinical case report of an atypical clinical case of a nutritional and toxic optic neuropathy with a subacute presentation and papilledema at the time of diagnosis. The patient provided written informed consent for medical information and images to be published. CASE REPORT: A 47-year-old man presented with progressive, painless bilateral decrease in central vision over 15 days. The patient had a long-standing history of alcohol abuse and was a heavy smoker. The examination revealed dyschromatopsia, 20/400 visual acuity on both eyes, and no relative afferent pupillary defect. Funduscopy revealed bilateral papilledema. A visual field test showed generalized depression with centrocecal involvement in the left eye. Laboratory studies evidenced decreased vitamin B12/B1 and red blood cell folate levels, increased acute phase reactants, hypertransaminasemia, and macrocytic anemia. Serologies and methanol in urine were negative. After the discontinuation of tobacco use and alcohol accompanied by vitamin supplementation, our patient's visual field, visual acuity, and papilledema improved remarkably. After 5 months, visual acuity and funduscopy were normal. CONCLUSIONS: Although some hallmark signs were visible in this case, its subacute presentation and the presence of papilledema at diagnosis caused some diagnostic uncertainty. Nutritional and toxic optic neuropathy is a rare and challenging diagnosis because of a lack of biomarkers. Eye care clinicians should consider nutritional and toxic optic neuropathies to prevent severe and irreversible visual damage resulting from underdiagnosis and mismanagement.

A Risk-Adjusted Model for Ovarian Cancer Care and Disparities in Access to High-Performing Hospitals.

OBJECTIVE: To validate the observed/expected ratio for adherence to ovarian cancer treatment guidelines as a risk-adjusted measure of hospital quality care, and to identify patient characteristics associated with disparities in access to high-performing hospitals. METHODS: This was a retrospective population-based study of stage I-IV invasive epithelial ovarian cancer reported to the California Cancer Registry between 1996 and 2014. A fit logistic regression model, which was risk-adjusted for patient and disease characteristics, was used to calculate the observed/expected ratio for each hospital, stratified by hospital annual case volume. A Cox proportional hazards model was used for survival analyses, and a multivariable logistic regression model was used to identify independent predictors of access to high-performing hospitals. RESULTS: The study population included 30,051 patients who were treated at 426 hospitals: low observed/expected ratio (n=304) 23.5% of cases; intermediate observed/expected ratio (n=92) 57.8% of cases; and high observed/expected ratio (n=30) 18.7% of cases. Hospitals with high observed/expected ratios were significantly more likely to deliver guideline-adherent care (53.3%), compared with hospitals with intermediate (37.8%) and low (27.5%) observed/expected ratios (P<.001). Median disease-specific survival time ranged from 73.0 months for hospitals with high observed/expected ratios to 48.1 months for hospitals with low observed/expected ratios (P<.001). Treatment at a hospital with a high observed/expected ratio was an independent predictor of superior survival compared with hospitals with intermediate (hazard ratio [HR] 1.06, 95% CI 1.01-1.11, P<.05) and low (HR 1.10, 95% CI 1.04-1.16, P<.001) observed/expected ratios. Being of Hispanic ethnicity (odds ratio [OR] 0.85, 95% CI 0.78-0.93, P<.001, compared with white), having Medicare insurance (OR 0.74, 95% CI 0.68-0.81 P<.001, compared with managed care), having a Charlson Comorbidity Index score of 2 or greater (OR 0.91, 95% CI 0.83-0.99, P<.05), and being of lower socioeconomic status (lowest quintile OR 0.41, 95% CI 0.36-0.46, P<.001, compared with highest quintile) were independent negative predictors of access to a hospital with a high observed/expected ratio. CONCLUSION: Ovarian cancer care at a hospital with a high observed/expected ratio is an independent predictor of improved survival. Barriers to high-performing hospitals disproportionately affect patients according to sociodemographic characteristics. Triage of patients with suspected ovarian cancer according to a performance-based observed/expected ratio hospital classification is a potential mechanism for expanded access to expert care.

Atypical papillitis: An isolated manifestation of Lyme disease.

Lyme disease is a rare condition caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi. Despite typical symptoms including fever, headache, fatigue, and a characteristic skin rash, sometimes we cannot find those due to the lack of physician consultation in those early stages. If this disease is left untreated, infection could spread to the nervous system causing neuroborreliosis, an atypical and complicated manifestation of this disease. We present the case of an atypical papillitis, probably caused by this bacterium. We suspected this because of the results on the indirect test bloods and the improvement of the symptoms after treatment. This entity should be considered as a possible diagnosis of atypical optical neuropathies, particularly if it occurs in an endemic area.

Assessing the palliative care needs and service use of diverse older adults in an urban medically-underserved community.

Although palliative care (PC) has become increasingly familiar, considerable gaps persist in access to and use of services. Community-based programs remain rare, and low-income, minority communities significantly under-utilize hospice and palliative services. We used community-based participatory research (CBPR) methods to conduct a mixed-methods community needs assessment of seriously-ill older adults (n=100) and providers from community-based programs and churches (n=41) in an urban medically-underserved community in the U.S. to explore: (I) the prevalence and severity of illness-related symptoms and psychosocial-spiritual concerns; (II) the scope and quality of community supports helping older adults manage their symptoms; and (III) the perceptions and utilization of palliative and supportive care services among older adults and community-based service providers. Participants reported high rates of chronic illness-related symptoms (i.e., pain, fatigue, sleeping difficulties, depression, and anxiety), and many described unmet needs around symptom management. Few had ever utilized PC or pain management services, and most relied primarily on family, friends, and faith communities to help them manage burdensome symptoms. Barriers included lack of familiarity with PC, limited access and financial concerns. Older adults were largely unfamiliar with PC, and many described unmet needs and desire for help with symptom burden. Findings support the need to further explore community-level and cultural barriers to PC among diverse, underserved older adults. Development of innovative community partnerships may help raise awareness of PC and address the physical and psychosocial-spiritual challenges facing chronically-ill minority older adults and their families.

Functional and structural changes in the visual pathway in multiple sclerosis.

INTRODUCTION: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a heterogeneous disease with an unpredictable course. Visual pathway is a target of the disease and may reflect mechanisms that lead to disability. Structural and functional changes in the visual pathway may be studied by noninvasive techniques such as optical coherence tomography (OCT), visual evoked potentials (VEP), or B-mode transorbital sonography (TOS). OBJECTIVES: The aim is to assess changes in the visual pathway in eyes of MS patients with and without a history of optic neuritis over a 3-year period and to explore their relationship with disability. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In total, 112 eyes from 56 patients with relapsing MS were recruited: 29 with, and 83 without a history of ON (hON and nhON, respectively). Several parameters were measured by OCT, VEP, and TOS. Baseline measurements were also compared to 29 healthy controls. At 36 months, measurements were repeated in all eyes. RESULTS: At baseline, all tests showed significant differences in optic nerve structure and function in both patient cohorts in all the parameters studied, suggestive of more impairment of the visual pathway among the hON cohort. OCT showed significant differences between healthy controls and the nhON cohort. At 36 months, the nhON cohort showed significant changes by OCT, VEP, and TOS suggestive of further visual pathway impairment. OCT measurements also correlated with baseline EDSS among the nhON cohort. CONCLUSIONS: OCT is the most suitable technique and outperforms VEP and TOS to detect subclinical damage in the visual pathway. It discriminated MS patients from healthy controls and showed a progressive decline in optic nerve thickness over time among these patients.

Contribution of Geographic Location to Disparities in Ovarian Cancer Treatment.

BACKGROUND: More than 14,000 women in the United States die of ovarian cancer (OC) every year. Disparities in survival have been observed by race and socioeconomic status (SES), and vary spatially even after adjusting for treatment received. This study aimed to determine the impact of geographic location on receiving treatment adherent to the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines) for OC, independent of other predictors. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Women diagnosed with all stages of epithelial OC (1996-2014) were identified through the California Cancer Registry. Generalized additive models, smoothing for residential location, were used to calculate adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% CIs for receiving nonadherent care throughout California. We assessed the impact of distance traveled for care, distance to closest high-quality hospital, race/ethnicity, and SES on receipt of quality care, adjusting for demographic and cancer characteristics and stratifying by disease stage. RESULTS: Of 29,844 patients with OC, 11,419 (38.3%) received guideline-adherent care. ORs for nonadherent care were lower in northern California and higher in Kern and Los Angeles counties. Magnitudes of associations with location varied by stage (OR range, 0.45-2.19). Living farther from a high-quality hospital increased the odds of receiving nonadherent care (OR, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.07-1.29), but travel >32 km to receive care was associated with decreased odds (OR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.70-0.84). American Indian/other women were more likely to travel greater distances to receive care. Women in the highest SES quintile, those with Medicare insurance, and women of non-Hispanic black race were less likely to travel far. Patients who were Asian/Pacific Islander lived the closest to a high-quality hospital. CONCLUSIONS: Among California women diagnosed with OC, living closer to a high-quality center was associated with receiving adherent care. Non-Hispanic black women were less likely to receive adherent care, and women with lower SES lived farthest from high-quality hospitals. Geographic location in California is an independent predictor of adherence to NCCN Guidelines for OC.

Impact of community disadvantage and air pollution burden on geographic disparities of ovarian cancer survival in California.

Ovarian cancer survival varies geographically throughout California. The objective of this study is to determine the impact of living in disadvantaged communities on spatial patterns of survival disparities. Including a bivariate spatial smooth of geographic location within the Cox proportional hazard models is an effective approach for spatial analyses of cancer survival. Women diagnosed with advanced Stage IIIC/IV epithelial ovarian cancer (1996-2006) were identified from the California Cancer Registry. The impact of living in disadvantaged communities, as measured by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment cumulative CalEnviroScreen 2.0 score, on geographic disparities in survival was assessed while controlling for age, tumor characteristics, quality of care, and race. Community-level air quality indicators and socioeconomic status (SES) were also independently examined in secondary analyses. The Cox proportional hazard spatial methods are available in the MapGAM package implemented in R. An increase in the community disadvantage from the 5th (less disadvantage) to the 95th percentile (more disadvantage) was significantly associated with poorer ovarian cancer survival (hazard ratio [HR], 1.16; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.07-1.26). Ozone levels and SES were the most influential indicators on geographic disparities that warrant further investigation. The use of a bivariate smoother of location within the survival model allows for more advanced spatial analyses for exploring potential air quality-related predictors of geographic disparities.

Community-based participatory research: understanding a promising approach to addressing knowledge gaps in palliative care.

Concern over the need for effective and accessible healthcare for individuals with advanced chronic illness has drawn attention to the significant gaps in our knowledge of palliative medicine. To advance our understanding of this field, community-based participatory research (CBPR) is proposed as a tool for future research initiatives. This paper offers a rationale for how CBPR may be employed to address specific gaps in palliative care research. Several examples where this approach has been used previously are described, and potential obstacles to implementing this research method are delineated. Despite challenges to incorporating CBPR to palliative care research, this approach holds substantial potential to advance our current understanding of the field and promote sensitivity for future programs, practices and policies.