Autonomous Artificial Intelligence Increases Access and Health Equity in Underserved Populations with Diabetes.

Diabetic eye disease (DED) is a leading cause of blindness in the world. Early detection and treatment of DED have been shown to be both sight-saving and cost-effective. As such, annual testing for DED is recommended for adults with diabetes and is a Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) measure. However, adherence to this guideline has historically been low, and access to this sight-saving intervention has particularly been limited for specific populations, such as Black or African American patients. In 2018, the US Food and Drug Agency (FDA) De Novo cleared autonomous artificial intelligence (AI) for diagnosing DED in a primary care setting. In 2020, Johns Hopkins Medicine (JHM), an integrated healthcare system with over 30 primary care sites, began deploying autonomous AI for DED testing in some of its primary care clinics. In this retrospective study, we aimed to determine whether autonomous AI implementation was associated with increased adherence to annual DED testing, and whether this was different for specific populations. JHM primary care sites were categorized as "non-AI" sites (sites with no autonomous AI deployment over the study period and where patients are referred to eyecare for DED testing) or "AI-switched" sites (sites that did not have autonomous AI testing in 2019 but did by 2021). We conducted a difference-in-difference analysis using a logistic regression model to compare change in adherence rates from 2019 to 2021 between non-AI and AI-switched sites. Our study included all adult patients with diabetes managed within our health system (17,674 patients for the 2019 cohort and 17,590 patients for the 2021 cohort) and has three major findings. First, after controlling for a wide range of potential confounders, our regression analysis demonstrated that the odds ratio of adherence at AI-switched sites was 36% higher than that of non-AI sites, suggesting that there was a higher increase in DED testing between 2019 and 2021 at AI-switched sites than at non-AI sites. Second, our data suggested autonomous AI improved access for historically disadvantaged populations. The adherence rate for Black/African Americans increased by 11.9% within AI-switched sites whereas it decreased by 1.2% within non-AI sites over the same time frame. Third, the data suggest that autonomous AI improved health equity by closing care gaps. For example, in 2019, a large adherence rate gap existed between Asian Americans and Black/African Americans (61.1% vs. 45.5%). This 15.6% gap shrank to 3.5% by 2021. In summary, our real-world deployment results in a large integrated healthcare system suggest that autonomous AI improves adherence to a HEDIS measure, patient access, and health equity for patients with diabetes - particularly in historically disadvantaged patient groups. While our findings are encouraging, they will need to be replicated and validated in a prospective manner across more diverse settings.

Factors Associated With Receipt of Crosslinking for Keratoconus.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to identify factors associated with receipt of standard fluence epithelium-off crosslinking (CXL) for keratoconus (KCN). METHODS: This retrospective, cross-sectional study reviewed electronic health records of treatment-naive patients with KCN seen at the Wilmer Eye Institute between January 2017 and September 2020. Tomographic data were derived from Pentacam (Oculus, Wetzlar, Germany) devices. Multivariable population-average model using generalized estimating equations adjusting for age, sex, race, national area deprivation index, vision correction method, and disease severity was used to identify factors associated with receipt of CXL. RESULTS: From 583 patients with KCN, 97 (16.6%) underwent CXL for KCN. Patients who received CXL in at least 1 eye were significantly younger (mean 24.0 ± 7.8 years) than patients who had never undergone CXL (33.4 ± 9.3 years) ( P < 0.001). In multivariable analysis, Black patients had 63% lower odds of receiving CXL for KCN (OR: 0.37, 95% CI, 0.18-0.79) versus White patients, and older age was protective against receipt of CXL (OR: 0.89 per 1-year increase, 95% CI, 0.86-0.93). Comparison of characteristics by race demonstrated that Black patients presented with significantly worse vision, higher keratometric indices (K1, K2, and Kmax), and thinner corneal pachymetry at baseline versus White or Asian patients. CONCLUSIONS: In this clinical cohort of patients with KCN from a tertiary referral center, Black patients were less likely to receive CXL presumably because of more advanced disease at presentation. Earlier active population screening may be indicated to identify and treat these patients before they become ineligible for treatment and develop irreversible vision loss. Such strategies may improve health equity in KCN management.

Racial Variation in Visual Impairment of Patients With Keratoconus at Presentation.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate racial disparities in the severity of keratoconus (KCN) at presentation, their intersection with socioeconomic variables, and other factors associated with visual impairment. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study examined medical records of 1989 patients (3978 treatment-naive eyes) with a diagnosis of KCN seen at Wilmer Eye Institute between 2013 and 2020. A multivariable regression model adjusting for age, sex, race, insurance type, KCN family history, atopy, smoking status, and vision correction method examined factors associated with visual impairment, defined as a best available visual acuity of worse than 20/40 in the better eye. RESULTS: Demographically, Asian patients were the youngest (33.4 ± 14.0 years) ( P < 0.001), and Black patients had the highest median area deprivation index (ADI) of 37.0 [interquartile range (IQR): 21.0-60.5] ( P < 0.001). Multivariable analysis showed a higher risk of visual impairment for Black (OR 2.25, 95% CI, 1.71-2.95) versus White patients. Medicaid (OR 2.59, 95% CI, 1.75-3.83) and Medicare (OR 2.48, 95% CI, 1.51-4.07) were also associated with a higher odds of visual impairment compared with private insurance, and active smokers were more likely to have visual impairment than those with no prior smoking history (OR 2.17, 95% CI, 1.42-3.30). Eyes of Black patients had the highest maximum keratometry (Kmax) (56.0 ± 11.0D) ( P = 0.003) and the lowest thinnest pachymetry (463.2 ± 62.5 µm) ( P = 0.006) compared with eyes of other races. CONCLUSIONS: Black race, government-funded insurance, and active smoking were significantly associated with increased odds of visual impairment in adjusted analyses. Black race was also associated with higher Kmax and lower thinnest pachymetry, suggesting that Black patients have more severe disease at presentation.

Disparities in Eye Care Utilization by Self-Reported Vision Difficulty and Diabetes Status in the United States.

PURPOSE: To assess differences in eye care utilization by vision difficulty (VD), diabetes status, and sociodemographic characteristics for American adults. METHODS: The analysis pooled cross-sectional data from the National Health Interview Survey (2010-2018) from US adults ≥ 18 years. The outcome measure was eye care utilization in the past year. The primary independent variable included four groups: no VD or diabetes, only diabetes, only VD, and diabetes and VD. VD was defined as self-reported difficulty seeing even with glasses or contacts. Diabetic status was defined as ever receiving this diagnosis by a health professional. Multivariable logistic regression analyses examined associations between eye care utilization, VD, diabetic status, and sociodemographic characteristics. RESULTS: Of the 284,599 adults included in this study, the majority were female (55%), White (73%), and non-Hispanic (84%). In regression analysis, as compared to adults without diabetes or VD, adults with both diabetes and VD had the greatest utilization (OR = 2.49, 99% CI = 2.18-2.85). Females had higher utilization than men (OR = 1.45, 99% CI = 1.41-1.50). Higher levels of education was associated with greater utilization (OR = 1.82, 99% CI = 1.72-1.92). White and American Indian adults without diabetes had higher utilization compared to other races (OR = 1.17, 99% CI = 1.12-1.24, 0.98-1.39). CONCLUSION: While adults with VD and diabetes are better connected to eye care, significant eye care disparities persist for marginalized groups in the U.S. Identifying and understanding these disparities and eliminating barriers to care is critical to better support all patient populations.

National trends in surgical subspecialisation in ophthalmology in the USA.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To assess surgical patterns in ophthalmology by subspecialty in the USA. METHODS: Ophthalmic surgeons were categorised as comprehensive/subspecialist based on billed procedures in the 2017-2018 Medicare Provider Utilization and Payment Data. Poisson regression models assessed factors associated with physicians performing surgeries in the core domain (eg, cataract extractions) and subspecialty domain. Models were adjusted for provider gender, time since graduation, geographical region, practice setting and hospital affiliation. RESULTS: There were 10 346 ophthalmic surgeons, 74.7% comprehensive and 25.3% subspecialists. Cataract extractions were performed by 6.0%, 9.9%, 21.0%, 88.1% and 95.3% of specialists in surgical retina, neuro-ophthalmology/paediatrics, oculoplastics, glaucoma and cornea, respectively. Retina specialists were more likely to perform cataract surgery if they were 20-30 or>30 years in practice (relative risk: 2.20 (95% CI: 1.17 to 4.12) and 3.74 (95% CI: 1.80 to 7.76), respectively) or in a non-metropolitan setting (3.78 (95% CI: 1.71 to 8.38)). Among oculoplastics specialists, male surgeons (2.71 (95% CI: 1.36 to 5.42)), those in practice 10-20 years or 20-30 years (1.93 (95% CI: 1.15 to 3.26) and 1.91 (95% CI: 1.11 to 3.27), respectively) and in non-metropolitan settings (3.07 (95% CI: 1.88 to 5.02)) were more likely to perform cataract surgery. Only 26 of the 2620 subspecialists performed surgeries in two or more subspecialty domains. CONCLUSIONS: There is a trend towards surgical subspecialisation in ophthalmology in the USA whereby some surgeons focus their surgical practice on subspecialty procedures and rarely perform surgeries in the core domain.

The Clinical Utility of the MOCA in iNPH Assessment.

Objectives: We sought to estimate reliable change thresholds for the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) for older adults with suspected Idiopathic Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (iNPH). Furthermore, we aimed to determine the likelihood that shunted patients will demonstrate significant improvement on the MoCA, and to identify possible predictors of this improvement. Methods: Patients (N = 224) presenting with symptoms of iNPH were given a MoCA assessment at their first clinic visit, and also before and after tap test (TT) or extended lumbar drainage (ELD). Patients who were determined to be good candidates for shunts (N = 71, 31.7%) took another MoCA assessment following shunt insertion. Reliable change thresholds for MoCA were derived using baseline visit to pre-TT/ELD assessment using nine different methodologies. Baseline characteristics of patients whose post-shunt MoCA did and did not exceed the reliable change threshold were compared. Results: All nine of reliable change methods indicated that a 5-point increase in MoCA would be reliable for patients with a baseline MoCA from 16 to 22 (38.4% of patients). Furthermore, a majority of reliable change methods indicated that a 5-point increase in MoCA would be reliable for patients with a baseline MoCA from 14 to 25. Reliable change thresholds varied across methods from 4 to 7 points for patients outside of this range. 10.1% had at least a 5-point increase from baseline to post-TT/ELD. Compared to patients who did not receive a shunt, patients who received a shunt did not have lower average MoCA at baseline (p = 0.88) or have better improvement in MoCA scores after the tap test (p = 0.17). Among shunted patients, 23.4% improved by at least 5 points on the MoCA from baseline to post-shunt. Time since onset of memory problems and post-TT/ELD gait function were the only clinical factors significantly associated with having a reliable change in MoCA after shunt insertion (p = 0.019; p = 0.03, respectively). Conclusions: In patients with iNPH, clinicians could consider using a threshold of 5 points for determining whether iNPH-symptomatic patients have experienced cognitive benefits from cerebrospinal fluid drainage at an individual level. However, a reliable change cannot be detected for patients with a baseline MoCA of 26 or greater, necessitating a different cognitive assessment tool for these patients.

Geographic variations in gender differences in cataract surgery volume among a national cohort of ophthalmologists.

PURPOSE: To assess factors associated with gender disparities in cataract surgery volume and evaluate how these differences have changed over time. SETTING: Cataract surgeons in the 2012 to 2018 Medicare database. DESIGN: Retrospective study. METHODS: The association of provider gender with the number of cataract surgeries per office visit billed was assessed with negative binomial regression models, controlling for calendar year, years in practice, hospital affiliation, geographic region, rurality, density of ophthalmologists, and the national percentile of Area Deprivation Index (ADI) score for the practice location. RESULTS: There were 8480 cataract surgeons, most of whom were male (78%). Male surgeons worked in more deprived areas with a higher ADI (median: 40 vs 33, P < .001). Female surgeons performed fewer cataracts per year (140 [95% CI, 126-154] vs 276 [95% CI, 263-288], P < .001) and billed fewer office visits (1038 [95% CI, 1008-1068] vs 1505 [95% CI, 1484-1526], P < .001). In multivariate analysis, the number of cataract surgeries per office visit was greater for males compared with females in all years in the South (average incidence rate ratio 1.80), Midwest (1.50), and West (1.53), but not in the Northeast (1.16). The relative rate of cataract surgeries between male and female surgeons in each region did not change significantly over time from 2012 to 2018 ( P > .05 in each region). CONCLUSIONS: Gender disparities in cataract volume among male and female surgeons have remained unchanged over time from 2012 to 2018. The higher cataract volume among male surgeons may be explained in part by provider practice location. Further studies are needed to better understand and address gender disparities.

Association of Electronic Health Record Use Above Meaningful Use Thresholds With Hospital Quality and Safety Outcomes.

Importance: By 2018, Medicare spent more than $30 billion to incentivize the adoption of electronic health records (EHRs), based partially on the belief that EHRs would improve health care quality and safety. In a time when most hospitals are well past minimum meaningful use (MU) requirements, examining whether EHR implementation beyond the minimum threshold is associated with increased quality and safety may guide the future focus of EHR development and incentive structures. Objective: To determine whether EHR implementation above MU performance thresholds is associated with changes in hospital patient satisfaction, efficiency, and safety. Design, Setting, and Participants: This quantile regression analysis of cross-sectional data used publicly available data sets from 2362 acute care hospitals in the United States participating in both the MU and Hospital Value-Based Purchasing (HVBP) programs from January 1 to December 31, 2016. Data were analyzed from August 1, 2019, to May 22, 2020. Exposures: Seven MU program performance measures, including medication and laboratory orders placed through the EHR, online health information availability and access rates, medication reconciliation through the EHR, patient-specific educational resources, and electronic health information exchange. Main Outcomes and Measures: The HVBP outcomes included patient satisfaction survey dimensions, Medicare spending per beneficiary, and 5 types of hospital-acquired infections. Results: Among the 2362 participating hospitals, mixed associations were found between MU measures and HVBP outcomes, all varying by outcome quantile and in some cases by interaction with EHR vendor. Computerized provider order entry (CPOE) for laboratory orders was associated with decreased ratings of every patient satisfaction outcome at middle quantiles (communication with nurses: ß = -0.33 [P = .04]; communication with physicians: ß = -0.50 [P < .001]; responsiveness of hospital staff: ß = -0.57 [P = .03]; care transition performance: ß = -0.66 [P < .001]; communication about medicines: ß = -0.52 [P = .002]; cleanliness and quietness: ß = -0.58 [P = .007]; discharge information: ß = -0.48 [P < .001]; and overall rating: ß = -0.95 [P < .001]). However, at middle quantiles, CPOE for medication orders was associated with increased ratings for communication with physicians (τ = 0.5; ß = 0.54; P = .009), care transition (τ = 0.5; ß = 1.24; P < .001), discharge information (τ = 0.5; ß = 0.41; P = .01), and overall hospital ratings (τ = 0.5; ß = 0.97; P = .02). At high quantiles, electronic health information exchange was associated with improved ratings of communication with nurses (τ = 0.9; ß = 0.23; P = .03). Medication reconciliation had positive associations with increased communication with nursing at low quantiles (τ = 0.1; ß = 0.60; P < .001), increased discharge information at middle quantiles (τ = 0.5; ß = 0.28; P = .03), and responsiveness of hospital staff at middle (τ = 0.5; ß = 0.77; P = .001) and high (τ = 0.9; ß = 0.84; P = .001) quantiles. Patients accessing their health information online was not associated with any outcomes. Increased use of patient-specific educational resources identified through the EHR was associated with increased ratings of communication with physicians at high quantiles (τ = 0.9; ß = 0.20; P = .02) and with decreased spending at low-spending hospitals (τ = 0.1; ß = -0.40; P = .008). Conclusions and Relevance: Increasing EHR implementation, as measured by MU criteria, was not straightforwardly associated with increased HVBP measures of patient satisfaction, spending, and safety in this study. These results call for a critical evaluation of the criteria by which EHR implementation is measured and increased attention to how different EHR products may lead to differential outcomes.

Risk factors for near-miss events and safety incidents in pediatric radiation therapy.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Factors contributing to safety- or quality-related incidents (e.g. variances) in children are unknown. We identified clinical and RT treatment variables associated with risk for variances in a pediatric cohort. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using our institution's incident learning system, 81 patients age ≤21 years old who experienced variances were compared to 191 pediatric patients without variances. Clinical and RT treatment variables were evaluated as potential predictors for variances using univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: Variances were primarily documentation errors (n = 46, 57%) and were most commonly detected during treatment planning (n = 14, 21%). Treatment planning errors constituted the majority (n = 16 out of 29, 55%) of near-misses and safety incidents (NMSI), which excludes workflow incidents. Therapists reported the majority of variances (n = 50, 62%). Physician cross-coverage (OR = 2.1, 95% CI = 1.04-4.38) and 3D conformal RT (OR = 2.3, 95% CI = 1.11-4.69) increased variance risk. Conversely, age >14 years (OR = 0.5, 95% CI = 0.28-0.88) and diagnosis of abdominal tumor (OR = 0.2, 95% CI = 0.04-0.59) decreased variance risk. CONCLUSIONS: Variances in children occurred in early treatment phases, but were detected at later workflow stages. Quality measures should be implemented during early treatment phases with a focus on younger children and those cared for by cross-covering physicians.

Senior services in US hospitals and readmission risk in the Medicare population.

BACKGROUND: There is a little understanding of the association between hospital organizational characteristics and hospital readmissions. We previously developed a Senior Care Services Scale (SCSS) that describes hospital availability of services relevant to the care of older adults. OBJECTIVE: Determine whether hospitals' SCSS scores were associated with risk of readmission among Medicare beneficiaries. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort analysis. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Medicare beneficiaries ≥65 years of age (n = 3 553 367), admitted to 5568 US acute-care hospitals in 2006, discharged alive. Medicare data were linked to the American Hospital Association database of hospital characteristics. MEASUREMENTS: All-cause non-elective hospital readmission, or death without readmission, within 30 days of hospital discharge. RESULTS: We examined the association between high and low scores of each of two hospital SCSS service groups: inpatient specialty care (IP) and post-acute (PA) community care. There was no association between high IP scores and readmission (RR 1.00, 95% CI 0.98-1.02). Older adults admitted to hospitals with high PA scores had lower risk of experiencing hospital readmission when compared to older adults admitted to hospitals with low PA scores (RR 0.97, 95% CI 0.95-0.98). High PA scores were associated with increased mortality (RR 1.09, 95% CI 1.06-1.13). In sensitivity analyses exploring relationships at 90 days, both the IP and PA subcomponents were associated with older adults' reduced risk of hospital readmission (IP: RR 0.97, 95% CI 0.95-0.99; PA: RR 0.97, 95% CI 0.95-0.99). CONCLUSION: Senior services at the hospital-level represents a modifiable risk factor with important impact. Employing organization-level characteristics in readmission risk prediction tools should be expanded.

Evidence-based Criteria for Assessment of Visual Field Reliability.

PURPOSE: Assess the impact of false-positives (FP), false-negatives (FN), fixation losses (FL), and test duration (TD) on visual field (VF) reliability at different stages of glaucoma severity. DESIGN: Retrospective. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 10 262 VFs from 1538 eyes of 909 subjects with suspect or manifest glaucoma and ≥5 VF examinations. METHODS: Predicted mean deviation (MD) was calculated with multilevel modeling of longitudinal data. Differences between predicted and observed MD (ΔMD) were calculated as a reliability measure. The impact of FP, FN, FL, and TD on ΔMD was assessed using multilevel modeling. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: ΔMD associated with a 10% increment in FP, FN, and FL, or a 1-minute increase in TD. RESULTS: FL had little impact on ΔMD (<0.2 decibels [dB] per 10% abnormal catch trials), and no level of FL produced ≥1 dB of ΔMD at any disease stage. FP yielded greater than expected MD, with a 10% increment in abnormal catch trials associated with a ΔMD = 0.42, 0.73, and 0.66 dB in mild (MD >-6 dB), moderate (-6 ≤MD <-12 dB), and severe (-12 ≤MD ≤-20 dB) disease, respectively, up to 20% abnormal catch trials, and a ΔMD = 1.57, 2.06, and 3.53 dB beyond 20% abnormal catch trials. FNs generally produced observed MDs below expected MDs. FN were minimally impactful up to 20% abnormal catch trials (ΔMD per 10% increment >-0.14 dB at all levels of severity). Beyond 20% abnormal catch trials, each 10% increment in abnormal catch trials was associated with a ΔMD = -1.27, -0.53, and -0.51 dB in mild, moderate, and severe disease, respectively. |ΔMD| ≥1 dB occurred with 22% FP and 26% FN in early, 14% FP and 34% FN in moderate, and 16% FP and 51% FN in severe disease. A 1-minute increment in TD produced ΔMDs between -0.35 and -0.40 dB. CONCLUSIONS: FL have little impact on reliability in patients with established glaucoma. FP, and to a lesser extent FNs and TD, significantly affect reliability. The impact of FP and FN varies with disease severity and over the range of abnormal catch trials. On the basis of our findings, we present evidence-based, severity-specific standards for classifying VF reliability for clinical or research applications.

Assessment of Central Retinal Sensitivity Employing Two Types of Microperimetry Devices.

PURPOSE: To compare the retinal sensitivity measurements obtained with two microperimeters, the Micro-Perimeter 1 (MP-1) and the Optos optical coherence tomography (OCT)/scanning laser ophthalmoscope (SLO) in subjects with and without maculopathies. METHODS: Forty-five eyes with no known ocular disease and 47 eyes with maculopathies were examined using both microperimeters. A contrast-adjusted scale was applied to resolve the different stimuli and background luminance existing between the two devices. RESULTS: There was a strong ceiling effect with the MP-1 in the healthy group, with 90.1% (1136 of 1260) test points clustered at 20 dB. The mean sensitivity for the corresponding points in the OCT/SLO was 25.8 ± 1.9 dB. A floor effect was also observed with the OCT/SLO in the maculopathy group with 9.7% (128 of 1316) points clustered at 9-dB values. The corresponding mean sensitivity in the MP-1 was 1.7 ± 3.9 dB. A regression equation between the two microperimeters was established in the common 10 to19 dB intervals as: OCT/SLO = 15.6 + 0.564 × MP-1 - 0.009 × MP-12 + k (k is an individual point constant; MP-1 coefficient P < 0.001; MP-12 coefficient P = 0.006). CONCLUSION: The OCT/SLO and the MP-1 provide two different ranges of contrasts for microperimetry examination. Broadening the dynamic range may minimize the constraint of the ceiling and floor effect. There is a significant mathematical relationship in the common interval of the contrast scale. TRANSLATIONAL RELEVANCE: Applying a unified and broadened dynamic range in different types of microperimeters will help to generate consistent clinical reference for measurements.

Impact of hospital volume and specialization on the cost of orbital trauma care.

PURPOSE: To examine the impact of hospital volume and specialization on the cost of orbital trauma care. DESIGN: Comparative case series and database study. PARTICIPANTS: Four hundred ninety-nine patients who underwent orbital reconstruction at either a high-volume regional eye trauma center, its academic parent institution, or all other hospitals in Maryland between 2004 and 2009. METHODS: We used a publicly available database of hospital discharge data to identify the study population's clinical and cost characteristics. Multivariate models were developed to determine the impact of care setting on hospital costs while controlling for patient demographic and clinical variables. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Mean hospital costs accrued during hospital admission for orbital reconstruction in 3 separate care settings. RESULTS: Almost half (n = 248) of all patients received surgical care at the regional eye trauma center and had significantly lower adjusted mean hospital costs ($6194; 95% confidence interval [CI], $5709-$6719) compared with its parent institution ($8642; 95% CI, $7850-$9514) and all other hospitals ($12,692; 95% CI, $11,467-$14,047). A subpopulation analysis selecting patients with low comorbidity scores also was performed. The eye trauma center continued to have lower adjusted costs ($4277; 95% CI, $4112-$4449) relative to its parent institution ($6595; 95% CI, $5838-$7451) and other hospitals ($7150; 95% CI, $5969-$8565). CONCLUSIONS: Higher volume and specialization seen at a regional eye trauma center are associated with lower costs in the surgical management of orbital trauma.

Seidel and India ink tests assessment of different clear cornea side-port incision configurations.

BACKGROUND: Post-cataract endophthalmitis has increased after introduction of clear cornea incisions (CCI). Laboratory models suggested that these incisions might not be competent at certain changes in intraocular pressure (IOP). Considering that side-port incisions (SPI) might behave similarly, the purpose of the present study was to determine the most stable side-port incision configuration. METHODS: Using four cadaveric human eyes, four different side-port incisions (SPI) were created in each cornea: 1.5 mm and 2.5 mm squared tunnel, 1.5 mm and 2.5 mm stab tunnel. Fluorescein was placed on the eye, and the IOP varied from 10 to 80 mmHg. IOP at which each SPI started leaking was recorded. In the second part of the study, India ink was applied to the corneal surface at normal IOP, and then rinsed with balanced salt solution (BSS). The ink influx was recorded by planimetry. IOP was elevated to 80 mmHg, ink was reapplied, and IOP was dropped to 0 mmHg. Ink influx was measured again. Histological examination was used to visualize ink inflow into each incision. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference in the IOP levels at which the different incisions leaked (p = 0.52). A significant increase in the length of India ink ingress in all incision types was measured after IOP variation (p < 0.05). The 2.5 mm squared incision showed the least increase in ink inflow in this test. CONCLUSION: All incision types of SPIs tested exhibited similar resistance to leakage after IOP variation. Good resistance to wound leakage may not predict adequate resistance to the inflow of bacterial-sized particles into the wound.

Contraception counseling, pregnancy intention and contraception use in women with medical problems: an analysis of data from the Maryland Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS).

BACKGROUND: Data from the Maryland Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) were used to evaluate whether women with selected medical comorbidities are less likely than healthier women to report receiving contraceptive counseling during pregnancy and to report using contraception postpartum. METHODS: We analyzed de-identified data from the 2004-2007 Maryland PRAMS using logistic regression to evaluate these outcomes: undesired pregnancy, self-reported antepartum contraceptive counseling and postpartum contraceptive use for women with and without hypertension, diabetes or heart disease. Survey data were used to estimate response frequency within the Maryland birth population. RESULTS: Patient self-report of contraceptive use increased overall during the postpartum period as compared to the antepartum period, from 44.3%-90.1% (p<.001). Almost one fourth (23%) of 6361 respondents reported receiving no contraceptive counseling. There was no difference in reported contraceptive counseling in women with selected medical comorbidities as compared to those without, and only women with preconception diabetes mellitus were significantly less likely than healthier women to report postpartum contraceptive use. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, there was no difference in the report of receiving contraceptive counseling in women with selected medical comorbidities as compared to than those without. In addition, they were not more likely to report receiving contraceptive counseling either despite higher risk of pregnancy complications. These results indicate lost opportunities for effective counseling that could improve health outcomes.

Cystic fibrosis and sinusitis in children: outcomes and socioeconomic status.

OBJECTIVES: Although chronic sinusitis is prevalent in children with cystic fibrosis (CF), little is known regarding pulmonary outcomes following endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS). Furthermore, lower socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with increased morbidity in children with CF. The investigators evaluated the impact of surgery and SES on pulmonary function tests (PFTs) in children with CF and rhinosinusitis. STUDY DESIGN: Longitudinal, retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Urban tertiary CF center. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Children with CF ages 0 to 21 evaluated for sinusitis between 1998 and 2008 were analyzed. Children were grouped according to surgery status (ESS or no ESS). Medicaid (MA) insurance was used as a proxy for lower SES. PFTs (percent predicted forced vital capacity [FVC%predicted] and percent predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 second [FEV1%predicted]) were recorded over years. Multivariate linear regression models and interaction terms (ESS and MA) were used to analyze PFTs. RESULTS: Of 62 patients evaluated, 21 (34%) underwent ESS, and 16 (26%) had MA. Polyps were more common in the ESS group (86% vs 32%, P < .001). FEV1%predicted and FVC%predicted were lower at all times for children with MA (P < .001). After adjustment for MA, mean FEV1%predicted was higher for the ESS group at all time points (P < .02), and mean FVC%predicted was higher at 1 and 2 years (P = .02, P = .01). Compared with the nonsurgical group, children without MA undergoing ESS had higher mean FEV1%predicted at all 3 follow-up visits (P ≤ .05).Children with MA who underwent ESS had higher mean FVC%predicted at 1 year (P = .04) and higher mean FEV1%predicted preoperatively and at 1 year (P ≤ .01). CONCLUSIONS: Children with CF and sinusitis who undergo ESS experience some increase in PFTs over time, although this change is not uniform. Children with CF and sinusitis who are from lower socioeconomic backgrounds have lower PFTs over time regardless of surgical intervention.