Laser interstitial thermal therapy followed by consolidation stereotactic radiosurgery (LITT-cSRS) in patients with newly diagnosed brain metastasis.

INTRODUCTION: The efficacy and safety of laser interstitial thermal therapy followed by consolidation radiosurgery (LITT-cSRS) was previously studied in brain metastasis that recurs locally after initial radiosurgery (BMRS). Here, we characterize the clinical outcome of LITT-cSRS in patients with newly diagnosed brain metastasis. METHODS: Between 2017 and 2023, ten consecutive cancer patients with newly diagnosed brain mass of unclear etiology who underwent stereotactic needle biopsy (SNB) and LITT in the same setting followed by consolidation SRS (cSRS) with > 6 months follow-up were identified retrospectively. Clinical and imaging outcomes were collected. RESULTS: The histology of the BM were: breast cancer (n = 3), melanoma (n = 3), non-cell cell lung cancer (n = 3), colon (n = 1). There were no wound or procedural complications. All patients were discharged home, with a median one-day hospital stay (range: 1-2 days). All patients were off corticosteroid therapy by the one-month follow-up. cSRS were carried out 12-27 days (median of 19 days) after SNB + LITT. There were no subsequent emergency room presentation, 30-day or 90-day re-admission. The Karnofsky Performance Score (KPS) remains stable or improved at the 3 months-follow-up. With a median follow-up of 416 days (13.8 mo; range: 199-1,096 days), there was one local recurrence at 384 days (12.8 mo) post-LITT-cSRS. With exception of this patient with local recurrence, all patients showed decreased FLAIR volume surrounding the LITT-cSRS treated BMRS by the six-month follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: To our awareness, this case series represent the first to describe LITT-cSRS in the setting of newly diagnosed BM. The results presented here provide pilot data to support the safety and efficacy of LITT-cSRS and lay the foundation for future studies.

GammaTile® (GT) as a brachytherapy platform for rapidly proliferating glioblastomas: from case series to clinical trials.

PURPOSE: Radiation plays a central role in glioblastoma treatment. Logistics related to coordinating clinic visits, radiation planning, and surgical recovery necessitate delay in radiation delivery from the time of diagnosis. Unimpeded tumor growth occurs during this period, and is associated with poor clinical outcome. Here we provide a pilot experience of GammaTile ® (GT), a collagen tile-embedded Cesium-131 (131Cs) brachytherapy platform for such aggressive tumors. METHODS: We prospectively followed seven consecutive patients (2019-2023) with newly diagnosed (n = 3) or recurrent (n = 4) isocitrate dehydrogenase wild-type glioblastoma that grew > 100% in volume during the 30 days between the time of initial diagnosis/surgery and the radiation planning MRI. These patients underwent re-resection followed by GT placement. RESULTS: There were no surgical complications. One patient developed right hemiparesis prior to re-resection/GT placement and was discharged to rehabilitation, all others were discharged home-with a median hospital stay of 2 days (range: 1-5 days). There was no 30-day mortality and one 30-day readmission (hydrocephalus, requiring ventriculoperitoneal shunting (14%)). With a median follow-up of 347 days (11.6 months), median progression free survival of ≥ 320 days (10.6 months) was achieved for both newly and recurrent glioblastoma patients. The median overall survival (mOS) was 304 and 347 days (10 and 11.5 mo) for recurrent and newly diagnosed glioblastoma patients, respectively. CONCLUSION: Our pilot experience suggests that GT offers favorable local control and safety profile for patients afflicted with rapidly proliferating glioblastomas and lay the foundation for future clinical trial design.

Dosimetric evaluation and treatment planning considerations for GammaTile permanent brain implants - a pilot, institutional experience.

PURPOSE: GammaTile® (GT) is a brachytherapy platform that received Federal Drug Administration (FDA) approval as brain tumor therapy in late 2018. Here, we reviewed our institutional experience with GT as treatment for recurrent glioblastomas and characterized dosimetric parameter and associated clinical outcome. METHODS AND MATERIALS: A total of 20 consecutive patients with 21 (n = 21) diagnosis of recurrent glioblastoma underwent resection followed by intraoperative GT implant between 01/2019 and 12/2020. Data on gross tumor volume (GTV), number of GT units implanted, dose coverage for the high-risk clinical target volume (HR-CTV), measured by D90 or dose received by 90% of the HR-CTV, dose to organs at risk, and six months local control were collected. RESULTS: The median D90 to HR-CTV was 56.0 Gy (31.7-98.7 Gy). The brainstem, optic chiasm, ipsilateral optic nerve, and ipsilateral hippocampus median Dmax were 11.2, 5.4, 6.4, and 10.0 Gy, respectively. None of the patients in this study cohort suffered from radiation necrosis or adverse events attributable to the GT. Correlation was found between pre-op GTV, the volume of the resection cavity, and the number of GT units implanted. Of the resection cavities, 7/21 (33%) of the cavity experienced shrinkage, 3/21 (14%) remained stable, and 11/21 (52%) of the cavities expanded on the 3-months post-resection/GT implant MRIs. D90 to HR-CTV was found to be associated with local recurrence at 6-month post GT implant, suggesting a dose response relationship (p = 0.026). The median local recurrence-free survival was 366.5 days (64-1,098 days), and a trend towards improved local recurrence-free survival was seen in patients with D90 to HR-CTV ≥ 56 Gy (p = 0.048). CONCLUSIONS: Our pilot, institutional experience provides clinical outcome, dosimetric considerations, and offer technical guidance in the clinical implementation of GT brachytherapy.

Clinical characteristics and severity of diabetic ketoacidosis: A cross-sectional study from a tertiary hospital in Ghana.

OBJECTIVES: Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is a common, severe and often fatal complication of diabetes. This study aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics and precipitants of DKA, as well as factors associated with DKA severity in Ghanaian patients. METHODS: Cross-sectional study of the medical records of all 70 adult patients >18 years managed for DKA in the adult emergency room of Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Ghana from March 2019 to July 2019. DKA diagnosis was based on hyperglycaemia >11.0 mmol/L, ketonuria (more than 2+) plus acidaemia of (pH < 7.3) or bicarbonate (HCO3 - ) <15.0 mmol/L. However, when serum bicarbonate and pH were not available, clinical signs of acidosis, for example, Kussmaul breathing aided in the diagnosis. DKA severity was assessed based on the Joint British Diabetes Societies (JBDS) guidelines of factors suggestive of severe DKA. Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine the factors associated with DKA severity. Odds ratio and 95% confidence interval for factors associated with DKA severity were determined. RESULTS: The mean (±standard deviation) age, diabetes duration and blood sugar at admission were 44.06 (±16.23) years, 7.19 (±6.04) years and 26.37 (±6.70) mmol/L, respectively. Females comprised 51.4% of the study population. The most common presenting symptoms were generalised weakness (30.0%) and fever (14.3%). The major precipitants were infection (70.0%) and non-compliance (22.9%). Overall, 71.4% of participants had features suggestive of severe DKA. In a multivariable regression model, Type 2 diabetes was associated with over fourfold decreased odds of severe DKA (OR 0.23, 95% CI [0.07-0.76], p = 0.016). Patient education on prevention of DKA was documented for only 18.6% of patients before being discharged. CONCLUSION: In this study, more than 70% of the study participants had features suggestive of severe DKA, with infection being the most common precipitant of DKA. 51.4% of patients had Type 2 diabetes which was associated with a statistically lower risk of severe DKA. Female sex tended to be positively associated with DKA severity. In a setting where the venous/arterial pH and bicarbonate levels may be inaccessible and/or unaffordable, using clinical features as found in the JBDS guidelines may help categorise patients and escalate care when needed. Indeed it may be useful to validate the use of the JBDS criteria for use in such settings.

Eye-related quality of life and activities of daily living in pediatric retinoblastoma patients: A single-center, non-controlled, cross-sectional analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Childhood retinoblastoma (RB) survivors are known to experience long-term morbidity; however, eye-related quality of life (QoL), which may significantly impact activities of daily living (ADL), has not been extensively studied in this population. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to assess QoL and ADL morbidity among school-age RB survivors. METHODS: The Pediatric Eye Questionnaire (PedEyeQ) and Roll Evaluation Activities of Life (REAL) were administered to childhood RB survivors between ages 5 and 17 followed at St. Louis Children's Hospital. Visual outcomes and demographic predictors of ADL and QoL were examined. RESULTS: Total 23 patients (mean age 9.6 years) consented for participation in this study. All children experienced at least one domain on the PedEyeQ ≤ 80%. Subjects and parents marked functional vision to be the most impacted domain with a median score of 82.5 and 83.4, respectively. Only 10.5% of participants scored above 75% on the ADL percentile rank. On multivariable analysis, decreased visual acuity (VA) was associated with worse "Child Functional" (odds ratio [OR] -59.2, p = .004) and "Parent Worry Function" (OR -66.5, p = .03) metrics. Decreased contrast sensitivity was associated with worse "Parent Impact" (OR 21.0, p = .02) and "Parent Worry Function" (OR 3.70, p = .04) metrics. Longer saccade horizontal latency was associated with a worse "Parent Worry Function" metric (OR 43.0, p = .009). On multivariable analysis, no variable was significantly associated with ADL. CONCLUSION: RB survivors have impaired QoL and ADL. Screening for such difficulties should strongly be considered for all RB patients. Additional studies may help predict morbidity based on visual metrics and demographic data.

The effect of governance structures on optimal control of two-patch epidemic models.

Infectious diseases continue to pose a significant threat to the health of humans globally. While the spread of pathogens transcends geographical boundaries, the management of infectious diseases typically occurs within distinct spatial units, determined by geopolitical boundaries. The allocation of management resources within and across regions (the "governance structure") can affect epidemiological outcomes considerably, and policy-makers are often confronted with a choice between applying control measures uniformly or differentially across regions. Here, we investigate the extent to which uniform and non-uniform governance structures affect the costs of an infectious disease outbreak in two-patch systems using an optimal control framework. A uniform policy implements control measures with the same time varying rate functions across both patches, while these measures are allowed to differ between the patches in a non-uniform policy. We compare results from two systems of differential equations representing transmission of cholera and Ebola, respectively, to understand the interplay between transmission mode, governance structure and the optimal control of outbreaks. In our case studies, the governance structure has a meaningful impact on the allocation of resources and burden of cases, although the difference in total costs is minimal. Understanding how governance structure affects both the optimal control functions and epidemiological outcomes is crucial for the effective management of infectious diseases going forward.

Stereotactic Laser Ablation (SLA) followed by consolidation stereotactic radiosurgery (cSRS) as treatment for brain metastasis that recurred locally after initial radiosurgery (BMRS): a multi-institutional experience.

INTRODUCTION: The optimal treatment paradigm for brain metastasis that recurs locally after initial radiosurgery remains an area of active investigation. Here, we report outcomes for patients with BMRS treated with stereotactic laser ablation (SLA, also known as laser interstitial thermal therapy, LITT) followed by consolidation radiosurgery. METHODS: Clinical outcomes of 20 patients with 21 histologically confirmed BMRS treated with SLA followed by consolidation SRS and > 6 months follow-up were collected retrospectively across three participating institutions. RESULTS: Consolidation SRS (5 Gy × 5 or 6 Gy × 5) was carried out 16-73 days (median of 26 days) post-SLA in patients with BMRS. There were no new neurological deficits after SLA/cSRS. While 3/21 (14.3%) patients suffered temporary Karnofsky Performance Score (KPS) decline after SLA, no KPS decline was observed after cSRS. There were no 30-day mortalities or wound complications. Two patients required re-admission within 30 days of cSRS (severe headache that resolved with steroid therapy (n = 1) and new onset seizure (n = 1)). With a median follow-up of 228 days (range: 178-1367 days), the local control rate at 6 and 12 months (LC6, LC12) was 100%. All showed diminished FLAIR volume surrounding the SLA/cSRS treated BMRS at the six-month follow-up; none of the patients required steroid for symptoms attributable to these BMRS. These results compare favorably to the available literature for repeat SRS or SLA-only treatment of BMRS. CONCLUSIONS: This multi-institutional experience supports further investigations of SLA/cSRS as a treatment strategy for BMRS.

Utilization of CBCT to improve the delivery accuracy of Gamma Knife radiosurgery with G-frame.

PURPOSE: To quantify the G-frame based stereotactic coordinate definition accuracy of Leksell coordinate G-frame-based Gamma Knife radiosurgery (GKRS) by the on-board cone-beam CT (CBCT) and establish remedial action rules to minimize the delivery errors. METHODS: We analyzed the data of 108 patients (a total of 201 tumors) treated by GKRS with G-frame for head fixation. After co-registering the CBCT images and plan reference images, the Leksell GammaPlan (LGP) treatment planning system provided the amount of geometric translation and rotation required to minimize the position difference between the plan and treatment. The software also calculated maximum displacement, which characterizes the position shift more clearly. We studied how much these predicted dosimetric quantities changed if the treatment was delivered without correcting the patient's position. RESULTS: The maximum displacement of the patient position obtained from the co-registration of CBCT and plan reference images was 0.81 ± 0.38 mm (0.24-2.03 mm). The target coverage decreased by 3.3 ± 7.0% on average (-48.5% to +35.7%). The decrease of the target coverage, however, became smaller as the target volume increased. In particular, if the volume was greater than 2 cm3 , the %change in target coverage was always less than -5%. CONCLUSIONS: The position differences reported by the registration module of LGP were within the accuracy limit of image registration for most clinical cases, but the errors could be larger in some cases. Therefore, we propose the following decision process. We do not advise position adjustment for G-frame based GKRS if the maximum displacement is less than 1 mm. When this limit is exceeded, however, another criterion should be applied to the decision making by considering the tumor size (or the treatment volume) together with the acceptable change of the tumor coverage.

OCULAR MANIFESTATIONS OF SYSTEMIC AMYLOIDOSIS.

PURPOSE: To describe ophthalmic manifestations of systemic amyloidosis, a group of devastating conditions. METHODS: A retrospective chart review including patients who had ocular examinations at Mayo Clinic between January 1, 1985, and April 1, 2014, and a diagnosis of light-chain (AL), secondary (AA), or nontransthyretin familial amyloidosis was undertaken. Sixty-eight patients with AL amyloidosis, eight patients with AA amyloidosis, and five patients with nontransthyretin familial amyloidosis were included. RESULTS: Of 68 patients, 8 patients (14 eyes) with AL amyloidosis had ocular involvement secondary to conjunctiva, temporal artery, extraocular muscle, trabecular meshwork, and cranial nerve deposition. One of the five patients with nontransthyretin familial amyloidosis had gelsolin-related corneal dystrophy. No patients with AA amyloidosis (n = 8) had ophthalmic manifestations. CONCLUSION: Systemic amyloidosis can lead to ocular morbidity. Patients with AL amyloidosis had involvement of the temporal artery, conjunctiva, extraocular muscles, trabecular meshwork, and cranial nerves. Those with gelsolin nontransthyretin familial amyloidosis were susceptible to corneal dystrophy. Patients with AA amyloidosis did not manifest ophthalmic involvement. Finally, if ocular amyloidosis is detected, patients should be referred for systemic workup.

Gamma Knife Stereotactic Radiosurgery for the Treatment of Primary and Metastatic Ocular Malignancies.

BACKGROUND: Gamma knife radiosurgery (GKR) can be used for precise targeting of malignant lesions of the CNS when brachytherapy is not an appropriate option. OBJECTIVES: This study reports treatment technique, efficacy, and radiation-induced adverse effects in patients with primary and metastatic ocular lesions treated with Leksell GKR. METHODS: A retrospective, single-institution review was conducted of 28 patients with primary or metastatic ocular disease, treated from 2000 to 2014. The dose to margin was 17-27 Gy (maximum dose 28-54 Gy). Primary outcomes included overall survival (OS), local control, progression-free survival (PFS), and enucleation. RESULTS: The median age at diagnosis was 70 years, and the median follow-up was 26.4 months. Of the 28 patients, 11 (39%) had metastatic ocular disease, and 17 (61%) were diagnosed with primary ocular melanoma (stage T2a-T4e). The average maximum dose and dose to margin were 41 and 21 Gy, respectively. The mean dose to the optic nerve was 12.6 Gy. The 5-year OS was 46% (95% CI: 23.6-68.4%) for the entire cohort; the 5-year PFS for M0 patients who presented with primary ocular melanoma lesions was 90% (95% CI: 71-100%). Only 1 patient required enucleation after radiation treatment. CONCLUSION: GKR is an effective option, with acceptable levels of toxicity, in the treatment of primary and metastatic ocular lesions.

The effect of a translating research into practice intervention to promote use of evidence-based fall prevention interventions in hospitalized adults: A prospective pre-post implementation study in the U.S.

BACKGROUND: Falls are a major public health problem internationally. Many hospitals have implemented fall risk assessment tools, but few have implemented interventions to mitigate patient-specific fall risks. Little research has been done to examine the effect of implementing evidence-based fall prevention interventions to mitigate patient-specific fall risk factors in hospitalized adults. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the impact of implementing, in 3 U.S. hospitals, evidence-based fall prevention interventions targeted to patient-specific fall risk factors (Targeted Risk Factor Fall Prevention Bundle). Fall rates, fall injury rates, types of fall injuries and adoption of the Targeted Risk Factor Fall Prevention Bundle were compared prior to and following implementation. DESIGN: A prospective pre-post implementation cohort design. SETTING: Thirteen adult medical-surgical units from three community hospitals in the Midwest region of the U.S. PARTICIPANTS: Nurses who were employed at least 20hours/week, provided direct patient care, and licensed as an RN (n=157 pre; 140 post); and medical records of patients 21years of age or older, who received care on the study unit for more than 24hours during the designated data collection period (n=390 pre and post). METHODS: A multi-faceted Translating Research Into Practice Intervention was used to implement the Targeted Risk Factor Fall Prevention Bundle composed of evidence-based fall prevention interventions designed to mitigate patient-specific fall risks. Dependent variables (fall rates, fall injury rates, fall injury type, use of Targeted Risk Factor Fall Prevention Bundle) were collected at baseline, and following completion of the 15month implementation phase. Nurse questionnaires included the Stage of Adoption Scale, and the Use of Research Findings in Practice Scale to measure adoption of evidence-based fall prevention practices. A Medical Record Abstract Form was used to abstract data about use of targeted risk-specific fall prevention interventions. Number of falls, and number and types of fall injuries were collected for each study unit for 3months pre- and post-implementation. Data were analyzed using multivariate analysis. RESULTS: Fall rates declined 22% (p=0.09). Types of fall injuries changed from major and moderate to minor injuries. Fall injury rates did not decline. Use of fall prevention interventions improved significantly (p<0.001) for mobility, toileting, cognition, and risk reduction for injury, but did not change for those targeting medications. CONCLUSIONS: Using the Translating Research Into Practice intervention promoted use of many evidence-based fall prevention interventions to mitigate patient-specific fall risk factors in hospitalized adults.

Capacitance-Based Dosimetry of Co-60 Radiation using Fully-Depleted Silicon-on-Insulator Devices.

The capacitance based sensing of fully-depleted silicon-on-insulator (FDSOI) variable capacitors for Co-60 gamma radiation is investigated. Linear response of the capacitance is observed for radiation dose up to 64 Gy, while the percent capacitance change per unit dose is as high as 0.24 %/Gy. An analytical model is developed to study the operational principles of the varactors and the maximum sensitivity as a function of frequency is determined. The results show that FDSOI varactor dosimeters have potential for extremely-high sensitivity as well as the potential for high frequency operation in applications such as wireless radiation sensing.

Dose calculation and treatment plan optimization including imaging dose from kilovoltage cone beam computed tomography.

BACKGROUND: With the increasing use of cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) for patient position verification and radiotherapy treatment adaptation, there is an increasing need to develop techniques that can take into account concomitant dose using a personalized approach. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 20 patients (10 pelvis and 10 head and neck) who had undergone radiation therapy using intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) were selected and the dose from kV CBCT was retrospectively calculated using a treatment planning system previously commissioned for this purpose. The imaging dose was added to the CT images used for treatment planning and the difference in its addition prior to and after the planning was assessed. RESULTS: The additional isocenter dose as a result of daily CBCT is in the order of 3-4 cGy for 35-fraction head and neck and 23-47 cGy for 25-fraction pelvis cases using the standard head and neck and pelvis image acquisition protocols. The pelvic dose is especially dependent on patient size and body mass index (BMI), being higher for patients with lower BMI. Due to the low energy of the kV CBCT beam, the maximum energy deposition is at or near the surface with the highest dose being on the patient's left side for the head and neck (∼7 cGy) and on the posterior for the pelvic cases (∼80 cGy). Addition of imaging dose prior to plan optimization resulted in an average reduction of 4% in the plan monitor units and 5% in the number of control points. CONCLUSION: Dose from daily kV CBCT has been added to patient treatment plans using previously commissioned kV CBCT beams in a treatment planning system. Addition of imaging dose can be included in IMRT treatment plan optimization and would facilitate customization of imaging protocol based on patient anatomy and location of isocenter.

Apparent Diffusion Coefficient (ADC) Differentiates Retinoblastoma from Coats Disease on MRI.

PURPOSE: Coats' disease can be difficult to differentiate from retinoblastoma. While MR imaging of retinoblastoma and Coats' disease have been examined for differentiating features such as eye size, vitreous seeding, and shape of retinal detachment, there is a lack of data on apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC). ADC is a measure of the diffusion (of water molecules) within tissue, and is commonly clinically calculated using MRI. DESIGN: Retrospective cross-sectional study. METHODS: Patient or study population: Children < 18 diagnosed with Coats disease or Retinoblastoma between January 1, 2018 and January 8, 2022 who had MRI imaging that was reviewable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of the intraocular lesion. Retrospective brain MRIs were obtained from records of 5 eyes of 5 Coats' patients and 29 eyes of 23 patients with retinoblastoma. All MRIs were obtained prior to treatment. The eyedropper tool in Epic's default viewer (Ambra DICOM) was used to measure the ADC of five to eight randomly sampled points within the eye lesions seen on MRI. Average ADC was calculated for each affected eye. Internal reliability was confirmed by re-measuring mean ADC for a random sample of patients masked to their diagnosis and prior measurements. T-test was used to determine if ADC values differ between groups. RESULTS: The mean ADC for retinoblastoma patients (442 +/- 210 mm2/s) differed significantly from the mean for Coats' patients (1364 +/- 309 mm2/s), (P < .001). T-test between baseline and repeat measurements was not significantly different. Since ADC values can differ between different scanners and DW MRI pulse sequences, an ADC threshold may be difficult to generalize across institutes, in our data set a threshold of 900 mm2/s was useful in separating the two diagnoses with a high degree of accuracy. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical features of retinoblastoma and Coats' disease often resemble each other and can lead to misdiagnosis. Since ADCs are derived from diffusion-weighted MRI as an objective parameter, it has the potential to aid in establishing or confirming the diagnosis when retinoblastoma and/or Coats' disease are suspected.

Retinopathy of prematurity screening: prevalence and risk factors of ophthalmic complications in non-treated preterm infants.

INTRODUCTION: Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a vision-threatening disease of premature infants. Practice guidelines recommend that all infants screened for ROP receive follow-up eye examinations to screen for ophthalmic complications.1 The purpose of this study was to identify risk factors for the development of strabismus, amblyopia, high refractive error, and cataracts among ROP-screened, non-treated infants. METHODS: Retrospective single-centre study of ROP-screened, non-treated premature infants with ophthalmic follow-up. Clinical variables were screened for association with ocular findings at follow-up. Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine the risk factors associated with ocular findings. RESULTS: 309 patients were seen for follow-up at 0.97 (0.69) [mean (SD)] years after neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) discharge. Strabismus was predicted by occipitofrontal circumference (OFC) z-score at NICU discharge (OR 0.61; 95% CI [0.42, 0.88]; p = 0.008), intraventricular haemorrhage (IVH) grade III or IV (OR 3.18; 95% CI [1.18, 8.54]; p = 0.02), and exclusive formula feeding at NICU discharge (OR 2.20; 95% CI [1.07, 4.53]; p = 0.03). Significant predictors of amblyopia were OFC z-score at discharge (OR 0.55; 95% CI [0.31, 0.96]; p = 0.03) and necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) (OR 6.94; 95% CI [1.38, 35.00]; p = 0.02). NEC was a significant risk factor for high refractive error (OR 7.27; 95% CI [1.39, 37.94]; p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Among premature infants screened but not treated for ROP, severe IVH, NEC, low OFC z-score, and exclusive formula feeding at NICU discharge were risk factors for ocular morbidity. These findings affirm the value of ophthalmic follow-up for all ROP-screened infants, particularly those with the identified risk factors.

A national audit of facilities, human and material resources for the comprehensive management of diabetes in Ghana-A 2023 update.

INTRODUCTION: The human and material resources as well as the systems for managing diabetes in Africa are inadequate. This study or needs assessment, aimed at updating the human and material resources, identifying the gaps and unmet needs for comprehensive diabetes care in Ghana. METHODS: We conducted a national audit of 122 facilities in all 16 administrative regions of Ghana. Information obtained covered areas on personnel and multidisciplinary teams, access to medications, access to laboratory services, financing, screening services, management of diabetes complications, and availability/use of diabetes guidelines or protocols. Data was analysed using STATA version 16.1. P-values <0.05 were set as significant. RESULTS: Only 85(69.7%) out of the 122 surveyed facilities had a dedicated centre or service for diabetes care. Twenty-eight (23%) had trained diabetes doctors/specialists; and whilst most centres had ophthalmic nurses and dieticians, majority of them did not have trained diabetes educators (nurses), psychologists, ophthalmologists, podiatrists, and foot/vascular surgeons. Also, 13.9% had monofilaments, none could perform urine dipstick for microalbumin; 5 (4.1%) and just over 50% could perform laboratory microalbumin estimation and glycated haemoglobin, respectively. Access to and supply of human insulins was better than analogue insulin in most centres. Nearly 100% of the institutions surveyed had access to metformin and sulphonylurea with good to excellent supply in most cases, whilst access to Sodium Glucose Transporter-2 inhibitors and Glucagon-like peptide-1 analogues were low, and moderate for Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors and thiazolidinediones. Majority of the health facilities (95.1%) offered NHIS as payment mechanism for clients, whilst 68.0% and 30.3% of the patients paid for services using out-of-pocket and private insurance respectively. Fifteen facilities (12.3%) had Diabetes Support Groups in their locality and catchment areas. CONCLUSION: An urgent multisectoral collaboration, including prioritisation of resources at the facility level, to promote and achieve acceptable comprehensive diabetes care is required.

Trachoma, the world's leading infectious cause of blindness: The remaining gap in care and access to basic handwashing facilities.

PURPOSE: Trachoma, the world's leading infectious cause of blindness, has been targeted by the WHO for elimination through the SAFE strategy: surgery, antibiotics, facial cleanliness, and environmental improvement. Although significant progress has been made, there remains a gap in care. This project studied the association of geographical distribution of the remaining need for trachoma intervention and its association with access to basic handwashing facilities at home, as an indicator of water/sanitation infrastructure. We hypothesized that poor water sanitation would correspond to areas where trachoma intervention is still required. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis using the WHO Global Health Observatory. Spatial, correlation, and simple and multivariable regression analyses were used. METHODS: Using data from the WHO Global Health Observatory, a total of 194 countries were analyzed. Two choropleth maps were created, with inset maps focused on the South Pacific region, where the top 5 countries with the greatest population proportion requiring trachoma intervention are located. RESULTS: Correlations and the simple regression model of total population with access to handwashing facilities as the only risk factor were insignificant. However, the multivariable regression models with access to handwashing facilities (total, urban, and rural) and population density as risk factors for trachoma intervention were significant. CONCLUSION: Poor water/sanitation infrastructure correlates with trachoma burden. Therefore, water/sanitation infrastructure improvement is a worthwhile target in the efforts toward trachoma elimination, but further research on the association between these important public health indicators is warranted.

Visual Autism.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a lifelong neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by deficits in social communication and restricted, repetitive behaviors. It affects approximately 2.2% of children. Both genetic and environmental risk factors have been identified for ASD. Visual comorbidities are relatively common among children with ASD. Between 20 and 44% of ASD children have visually significant refractive error, on-third have strabismus, and one-fifth have amblyopia. In addition, ASD is 30 times more common in children with congenital blindness. It is unknown whether the association of ASD with visual morbidity is causal, comorbid, or contributing. Structural and functional abnormalities have been identified in MRIs of ASD children, and ASD children have been noted to have aberrant eye tracking. ASD children with visually significant refractive errors and poor spectacle compliance (present in 30% of ASD children) offer the opportunity for investigation into how improved visual acuity influences ASD behaviors. In this review, we focus on what is known of the visual system, refractive surgery, and ASD.

Epidemiology of Uveitis in Olmsted County, Minnesota: A Population-Based Follow-Up Study.

PURPOSE: To update the incidence of uveitis in a Midwestern U.S. county population. METHODS: Retrospective population-based cohort study. All Olmsted County, Minnesota residents diagnosed with uveitis from January 1, 2006 to December 31, 2015 were identified via the Rochester Epidemiology Project. Diagnoses were confirmed by a uveitis specialist. RESULTS: There were 371 incident uveitis cases, yielding an overall age- and sex-adjusted incidence rate of 26.9 per 100,000 per year (95% CI: 24.1-29.7). Females accounted for 202 (54.4%) cases, 306 (82.5%) were White, and 299 (80.6%) were anterior uveitis. Highest incidence was observed in patients ≥65 years old. No difference in incidence existed between sexes (p = .17). Incidence rates increased with age for uveitis overall (all anatomic subtypes) (p < .001), anterior uveitis (p < .001), and posterior uveitis (p < .001). Idiopathic uveitis accounted for 168 (45.3%) cases, more frequently diagnosed in females (50.0%) than males (39.6%) (p = .05). CONCLUSION: Uveitis incidence increased 1.6-fold over a 50-year span in this predominately White U.S. Midwestern county population.