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1.
Am Surg ; : 31348241244651, 2024 Apr 08.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38587416

The use of endoscopic retrograde cholangiography (ERCP) for diagnostic and therapeutic interventions on the pancreaticobiliary system has steadily increased, but the standard approach through the oropharynx is prohibited after Roux-en-Y (RYGB) gastric bypass surgery. Laparoscopic access to the gastric remnant allows for the completion of ERCP using the standard side-viewing duodenoscope to facilitate the completion of standard and advanced endoscopic maneuvers. Here, we describe our experience with the technical aspects of safe and effective performance of laparoscopic-assisted ERCP.

2.
bioRxiv ; 2024 Feb 28.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38464029

OBJECTIVE: Intraductal Papillary Mucinous Neoplasms (IPMNs) are cystic lesions and bona fide precursors for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Recently, we showed that acinar to ductal metaplasia, an injury repair program, is characterized by a transcriptomic program similar to gastric spasmolytic polypeptide expressing metaplasia (SPEM), suggesting common mechanisms of reprogramming between the stomach and pancreas. The aims of this study were to assay IPMN for pyloric markers and to identify molecular drivers of this program. DESIGN: We analyzed RNA-seq studies of IPMN for pyloric markers, which were validated by immunostaining in patient samples. Cell lines expressing Kras G12D +/- GNAS R201C were manipulated to identify distinct and overlapping transcriptomic programs driven by each oncogene. A PyScenic-based regulon analysis was performed to identify molecular drivers in the pancreas. Expression of candidate drivers was evaluated by RNA-seq and immunostaining. RESULTS: Pyloric markers were identified in human IPMN. GNAS R201C drove expression of these markers in cell lines and siRNA targeting of GNAS R201C or Kras G12D demonstrates that GNAS R201C amplifies a mucinous, pyloric phenotype. Regulon analysis identified a role for transcription factors SPDEF, CREB3L1, and CREB3L4, which are expressed in patient samples. siRNA-targeting of Spdef inhibited mucin production. CONCLUSION: De novo expression of a SPEM phenotype has been identified in pancreatitis and a pyloric phenotype in Kras G12D -driven PanIN and Kras G12D ;GNAS R201C -driven IPMN, suggesting common mechanisms of reprogramming between these lesions and the stomach. A transition from a SPEM to pyloric phenotype may reflect disease progression and/or oncogenic mutation. IPMN-specific GNAS R201C amplifies a mucinous phenotype, in part, through SPDEF.

3.
Gastroenterology ; 166(5): 772-786.e14, 2024 05.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38272100

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Gastric carcinogenesis develops within a sequential carcinogenic cascade from precancerous metaplasia to dysplasia and adenocarcinoma, and oncogenic gene activation can drive the process. Metabolic reprogramming is considered a key mechanism for cancer cell growth and proliferation. However, how metabolic changes contribute to the progression of metaplasia to dysplasia remains unclear. We have examined metabolic dynamics during gastric carcinogenesis using a novel mouse model that induces Kras activation in zymogen-secreting chief cells. METHODS: We generated a Gif-rtTA;TetO-Cre;KrasG12D (GCK) mouse model that continuously induces active Kras expression in chief cells after doxycycline treatment. Histologic examination and imaging mass spectrometry were performed in the GCK mouse stomachs at 2 to 14 weeks after doxycycline treatment. Mouse and human gastric organoids were used for metabolic enzyme inhibitor treatment. The GCK mice were treated with a stearoyl- coenzyme A desaturase (SCD) inhibitor to inhibit the fatty acid desaturation. Tissue microarrays were used to assess the SCD expression in human gastrointestinal cancers. RESULTS: The GCK mice developed metaplasia and high-grade dysplasia within 4 months. Metabolic reprogramming from glycolysis to fatty acid metabolism occurred during metaplasia progression to dysplasia. Altered fatty acid desaturation through SCD produces a novel eicosenoic acid, which fuels dysplastic cell hyperproliferation and survival. The SCD inhibitor killed both mouse and human dysplastic organoids and selectively targeted dysplastic cells in vivo. SCD was up-regulated during carcinogenesis in human gastrointestinal cancers. CONCLUSIONS: Active Kras expression only in gastric chief cells drives the full spectrum of gastric carcinogenesis. Also, oncogenic metabolic rewiring is an essential adaptation for high-energy demand in dysplastic cells.


Energy Metabolism , Fatty Acids , Metaplasia , Organoids , Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras) , Stomach Neoplasms , Animals , Stomach Neoplasms/pathology , Stomach Neoplasms/metabolism , Stomach Neoplasms/genetics , Humans , Fatty Acids/metabolism , Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras)/genetics , Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras)/metabolism , Organoids/metabolism , Mice , Disease Models, Animal , Carcinogenesis/metabolism , Carcinogenesis/genetics , Carcinogenesis/pathology , Chief Cells, Gastric/metabolism , Chief Cells, Gastric/pathology , Cell Transformation, Neoplastic/metabolism , Cell Transformation, Neoplastic/pathology , Cell Transformation, Neoplastic/genetics , Mice, Transgenic , Glycolysis , Adenocarcinoma/pathology , Adenocarcinoma/metabolism , Adenocarcinoma/genetics , Disease Progression , Precancerous Conditions/pathology , Precancerous Conditions/metabolism , Precancerous Conditions/genetics
5.
JAMA Surg ; 158(7): 747-755, 2023 07 01.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37163249

Importance: Specialist palliative care benefits patients undergoing medical treatment of cancer; however, data are lacking on whether patients undergoing surgery for cancer similarly benefit from specialist palliative care. Objective: To determine the effect of a specialist palliative care intervention on patients undergoing surgery for cure or durable control of cancer. Design, Setting, and Participants: This was a single-center randomized clinical trial conducted from March 1, 2018, to October 28, 2021. Patients scheduled for specified intra-abdominal cancer operations were recruited from an academic urban referral center in the Southeastern US. Intervention: Preoperative consultation with palliative care specialists and postoperative inpatient and outpatient palliative care follow-up for 90 days. Main Outcomes and Measures: The prespecified primary end point was physical and functional quality of life (QoL) at postoperative day (POD) 90, measured by the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G) Trial Outcome Index (TOI), which is scored on a range of 0 to 56 with higher scores representing higher physical and functional QoL. Prespecified secondary end points included overall QoL at POD 90 measured by FACT-G, days alive at home until POD 90, and 1-year overall survival. Multivariable proportional odds logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to test the hypothesis that the intervention improved each of these end points relative to usual care in an intention-to-treat analysis. Results: A total of 235 eligible patients (median [IQR] age, 65.0 [56.8-71.1] years; 141 male [60.0%]) were randomly assigned to the intervention or usual care group in a 1:1 ratio. Specialist palliative care was received by 114 patients (97%) in the intervention group and 1 patient (1%) in the usual care group. Adjusted median scores on the FACT-G TOI measure of physical and functional QoL did not differ between groups (intervention score, 46.77; 95% CI, 44.18-49.04; usual care score, 46.23; 95% CI, 43.08-48.14; P = .46). Intervention vs usual care group odds ratio (OR) was 1.17 (95% CI, 0.77-1.80). Palliative care did not improve overall QoL measured by the FACT-G score (intervention vs usual care OR, 1.09; 95% CI, 0.75-1.58), days alive at home (OR, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.69-1.11), or 1-year overall survival (hazard ratio, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.50-1.88). Conclusions and Relevance: This randomized clinical trial showed no evidence that early specialist palliative care improves the QoL of patients undergoing nonpalliative cancer operations. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03436290.


Neoplasms , Palliative Care , Humans , Male , Aged , Quality of Life , Neoplasms/mortality , Abdomen , Outcome Assessment, Health Care
6.
Am Surg ; 89(8): 3668-3670, 2023 Aug.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37139955

The management and outcomes for patients with metastatic melanoma have been revolutionized by immunotherapy. This case report highlights the role of surgery as an adjuvant to systemic therapies when there is oligoprogressive disease. We describe a 74-year-old man with metastatic melanoma who initially had a complete radiographic response after dual agent immunotherapy but subsequently developed a large metastasis in the retroperitoneum. After multidisciplinary discussion, he underwent margin negative resection that required en bloc segmental resection of the infra-renal inferior vena cava. To our knowledge, this is the first reported resection of a melanoma metastasis in this location.


Melanoma , Retroperitoneal Neoplasms , Male , Humans , Aged , Vena Cava, Inferior/surgery , Vena Cava, Inferior/pathology , Retroperitoneal Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging , Retroperitoneal Neoplasms/surgery , Retroperitoneal Neoplasms/pathology , Kidney , Abdomen , Melanoma/diagnostic imaging , Melanoma/surgery , Melanoma/pathology
8.
Am Surg ; 89(7): 3328-3330, 2023 Jul.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36809082

A 27-year-old female presented at 13 weeks' gestation with epigastric pain and anemia requiring blood and iron transfusions but no family history of gastrointestinal malignancy. Upper endoscopy revealed a giant circumferential polyp and associated hyperplastic-appearing polyps in the proximal stomach. Biopsies revealed hyperplasia with lamina propria eosinophils. She was supported with intermittent transfusions until labor was induced at 34 weeks' gestation. Total gastrectomy was performed at seven weeks post-partum. Final pathology revealed multiple hamartomatous polyps without malignancy. Her anemia resolved postoperatively. Genetic testing revealed mutation of the SMAD4 gene and Juvenile Polyposis Syndrome. JPS is caused by germline mutations in the SMAD4 or BMPR1A genes and is characterized by hamartomatous polyps in the gastrointestinal tract. While most polyps are benign, malignant transformation can occur. One should have low threshold to send patients for genetic screening when multiple polyps are found in a young patient, even without family history.


Intestinal Polyposis , Humans , Female , Adult , Intestinal Polyposis/complications , Intestinal Polyposis/diagnosis , Intestinal Polyposis/genetics , Mutation , Germ-Line Mutation , Intestinal Polyps , Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage/etiology , Smad4 Protein/genetics
9.
Gastro Hep Adv ; 1(4): 682-697, 2022.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36277993

Background and Aims: Eicosanoids, oxidized fatty acids that serve as cell-signaling molecules, have been broadly implicated in tumorigenesis. Here, we aimed to identify eicosanoids associated with pancreatic tumorigenesis and the cell types responsible for their synthesis. Methods: We profiled normal pancreas and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) in mouse models and patient samples using mass spectrometry. We interrogated RNA sequencing datasets for eicosanoid synthase or receptor expression. Findings were confirmed by immunostaining. Results: In murine models, we identified elevated levels of PGD2, prostacyclin, and thromboxanes in neoplasia while PGE2, 12-HHTre, HETEs, and HDoHEs are elevated specifically in tumors. Analysis of scRNA-seq datasets suggests that PGE2 and prostacyclins are derived from fibroblasts, PGD2 and thromboxanes from myeloid cells, and PGD2 and 5-HETE from tuft cells. In patient samples, we identified a transition from PGD2 to PGE2-producing enzymes in the epithelium during the transition to PDAC, fibroblast/tumor expression of PTGIS, and myeloid/tumor cell expression of TBXAS1. Conclusions: Our analyses identify key changes in eicosanoid species during pancreatic tumorigenesis and the cell types that contribute to their synthesis. Thromboxane and prostacyclin expression is conserved between animal models and human disease and may represent new druggable targets.

10.
Front Physiol ; 13: 865452, 2022.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35574446

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a devastating disease with a 5-year survival rate of only 11%, due, in part, to late diagnosis, making the need to understand early events in tumorigenesis critical. Acinar-to-ductal metaplasia (ADM), when not resolved, is a PDAC precursor. Recently, we showed that ADM is constituted by a heterogenous population of cells, including hormone-producing enteroendocrine cells (EECs: gamma, delta, epsilon, and enterochromaffin cells). In this study, we employed histopathological techniques to identify and quantify the abundance of EEC subtypes throughout pancreatic tumorigenesis in mouse models and human disease. We found that EECs are most abundant in ADM and significantly decrease with lesion progression. Co-immunofluorescence identifies distinct lineages and bihormonal populations. Evaluation of EEC abundance in mice lacking Pou2f3 demonstrates that the tuft cell master regulator transcription factor is not required for EEC formation. We compared these data to human neoplasia and PDAC and observed similar trends. Lastly, we confirm that EECs are a normal cellular compartment within the murine and human pancreatic ductal trees. Altogether, these data identify EECs as a cellular compartment of the normal pancreas, which expands early in tumorigenesis and is largely lost with disease progression.

11.
Am Surg ; 88(9): 2230-2232, 2022 Sep.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35503030

Radiation-associated sarcomas (RASs) are rare entities that tend to have an aggressive course and poor prognosis. Criteria for diagnosis of radiation-associated sarcoma include therapeutic radiation preceding the development of sarcoma, sarcoma arising within or near the irradiated field, and tumor histology that is distinct from the primary tumor necessitating radiation. Despite their relatively uncommon occurrence, RASs are a well-established complication of radiation therapy. We present the complex, multidisciplinary surgical management of a patient with multi-compartmental radiation-associated sarcoma of the left retroperitoneum occurring nearly 25 years after undergoing whole trunk radiation for Hodgkin's lymphoma.


Hodgkin Disease , Retroperitoneal Neoplasms , Sarcoma , Soft Tissue Neoplasms , Humans , Retroperitoneal Neoplasms/complications , Retroperitoneal Neoplasms/radiotherapy , Retroperitoneal Neoplasms/surgery , Sarcoma/radiotherapy , Sarcoma/surgery , Soft Tissue Neoplasms/pathology
12.
Am Surg ; 88(8): 1904-1906, 2022 Aug.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35451332

We present a case report wherein a 55-year-old female presented to our clinic with chronic nausea, vomiting, and dehydration in the setting of a complex past surgical history, including laparoscopic incisional hernia repair in 2007 with intraperitoneal TiMeshTM. She then developed chronic nausea and vomiting and was hospitalized numerous times for dehydration. Due to her ongoing symptoms, she was taken to the operating room for exploration. A large, firm, mobile mass was identified within a loop of small bowel and was found to be a large bezoar firmly attached to a piece of intraluminal mesh. She progressed well postoperatively and, on outpatient follow-up, her pre-operative abdominal symptoms had completely resolved. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of gallstone-like bezoar formation around an intraluminal hernia mesh causing small bowel obstruction and chronic abdominal pain.


Bezoars , Hernia, Ventral , Intestinal Obstruction , Laparoscopy , Bezoars/complications , Bezoars/diagnostic imaging , Bezoars/surgery , Dehydration , Female , Hernia, Ventral/surgery , Herniorrhaphy/adverse effects , Humans , Intestinal Obstruction/etiology , Intestinal Obstruction/surgery , Laparoscopy/adverse effects , Middle Aged , Nausea , Surgical Mesh/adverse effects , Vomiting/complications
13.
Gastroenterology ; 162(2): 604-620.e20, 2022 02.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34695382

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Acinar to ductal metaplasia (ADM) occurs in the pancreas in response to tissue injury and is a potential precursor for adenocarcinoma. The goal of these studies was to define the populations arising from ADM, the associated transcriptional changes, and markers of disease progression. METHODS: Acinar cells were lineage-traced with enhanced yellow fluorescent protein (EYFP) to follow their fate post-injury. Transcripts of more than 13,000 EYFP+ cells were determined using single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq). Developmental trajectories were generated. Data were compared with gastric metaplasia, KrasG12D-induced neoplasia, and human pancreatitis. Results were confirmed by immunostaining and electron microscopy. KrasG12D was expressed in injury-induced ADM using several inducible Cre drivers. Surgical specimens of chronic pancreatitis from 15 patients were evaluated by immunostaining. RESULTS: scRNA-seq of ADM revealed emergence of a mucin/ductal population resembling gastric pyloric metaplasia. Lineage trajectories suggest that some pyloric metaplasia cells can generate tuft and enteroendocrine cells (EECs). Comparison with KrasG12D-induced ADM identifies populations associated with disease progression. Activation of KrasG12D expression in HNF1B+ or POU2F3+ ADM populations leads to neoplastic transformation and formation of MUC5AC+ gastric-pit-like cells. Human pancreatitis samples also harbor pyloric metaplasia with a similar transcriptional phenotype. CONCLUSIONS: Under conditions of chronic injury, acinar cells undergo a pyloric-type metaplasia to mucinous progenitor-like populations, which seed disparate tuft cell and EEC lineages. ADM-derived EEC subtypes are diverse. KrasG12D expression is sufficient to drive neoplasia when targeted to injury-induced ADM populations and offers an alternative origin for tumorigenesis. This program is conserved in human pancreatitis, providing insight into early events in pancreas diseases.


Acinar Cells/metabolism , Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal/genetics , Metaplasia/genetics , Pancreatic Ducts/metabolism , Pancreatic Neoplasms/genetics , Acinar Cells/cytology , Cell Plasticity/genetics , Enteroendocrine Cells/cytology , Enteroendocrine Cells/metabolism , Gene Expression Profiling , Humans , Metaplasia/metabolism , Mucin 5AC/genetics , Pancreas/cytology , Pancreas/metabolism , Pancreatic Ducts/cytology , Pancreatitis/genetics , Pancreatitis/metabolism , Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras)/genetics , Single-Cell Analysis
14.
J Gastrointest Surg ; 26(4): 782-790, 2022 04.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34647225

BACKGROUND: Metastatic disease is the leading cause of mortality in colorectal cancer. Resection of colorectal liver metastases, when possible, is associated with improved long-term survival and the possibility of cure. However, nationwide studies suggest that liver resection is under-utilized in the treatment of colorectal liver metastases. This study was undertaken to understand attitudes and practice patterns among medical oncologists in the Deep South. METHODS: A survey of medical oncologists in the states of Alabama, Mississippi, and the Florida panhandle was performed. Respondents were queried regarding perceptions of resectability and attitudes towards surgical referral. RESULTS: We received 63 responses (32% response rate). Fifty percent of respondents reported no liver surgeons in their practice area. Commonly perceived contraindications to liver resection included extrahepatic metastatic disease (72%), presence of > 4 metastases (72%), bilobar metastases (61%), and metastases > 5 cm (46%). Bilobar metastatic disease was perceived as a contraindication more frequently by non-academic medical oncologists (70% vs. 33%, p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Wide variations exist in perceptions of resectability and referral patterns for colorectal liver metastases among surveyed medical oncologists. There is a need for wider dissemination of resectability criteria and more liver surgeon involvement in the management of patients with colorectal liver metastases.


Colorectal Neoplasms , Liver Neoplasms , Attitude , Colorectal Neoplasms/pathology , Colorectal Neoplasms/surgery , Hepatectomy , Humans , Liver Neoplasms/secondary , Liver Neoplasms/surgery , Referral and Consultation
15.
Ann Surg Oncol ; 27(9): 3147-3153, 2020 Sep.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32219725

BACKGROUND: Insurance status predicts access to medical care in the USA. Previous studies have shown uninsured patients with some malignancies have worse outcomes than insured patients. The impact of insurance status on patients with gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (GEP-NETs) is unclear. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective cohort study of adult patients with resected GEP-NETs was performed using the US Neuroendocrine Tumor Study Group (USNETSG) database (2000-2016). Demographic and clinical factors were compared by insurance status. Patients ≥ 65 years were excluded, as these patients are almost universally covered by Medicare. Kaplan-Meier and log-rank analyses were used for survival analysis. Logistic regression was used to assess factors associated with overall survival (OS). RESULTS: The USNETSG database included 2022 patients. Of those, 1425 were aged 18-64 years at index operation and were included in our analysis. Uninsured patients were more likely to have an emergent operation (7.9% versus 2.5%, p = 0.01) and less likely to receive postoperative somatostatin analog therapy (1.6% versus 9.9%, p = 0.03). OS at 1, 5, and 10 years was significantly higher for insured patients (96.3%, 88.2%, and 73.8%, respectively) than uninsured patients (87.7%, 71.9%, and 44.0%, respectively) (p < 0.01). On Cox multivariate regression analysis controlling for T/M stage, tumor grade, ASA class, and income level, being uninsured was independently associated with worse OS [hazard ratio (HR) 2.69, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.32-5.48, p = 0.006]. CONCLUSIONS: Insurance status is an independent predictor of survival in patients with GEP-NETs. Our study highlights the importance of access to medical care, disparities related to insurance status, and the need to mitigate these disparities.


Insurance Coverage , Neuroendocrine Tumors , Adolescent , Adult , Health Services Accessibility/economics , Health Services Accessibility/statistics & numerical data , Humans , Insurance Coverage/statistics & numerical data , Medically Uninsured/statistics & numerical data , Middle Aged , Neuroendocrine Tumors/economics , Neuroendocrine Tumors/mortality , Neuroendocrine Tumors/pathology , Neuroendocrine Tumors/surgery , Retrospective Studies , United States/epidemiology , Young Adult
16.
Int J Surg Oncol ; 2020: 8374790, 2020.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33489372

INTRODUCTION: Inadvertent excision of a soft tissue sarcoma during hernia surgery is a preventable clinical scenario that leads to unnecessary patient morbidity. Prior series are few, which only include male patients with little focus on prevention. The purpose of this study is to report the presenting features and outcomes of both male and female patients who underwent inadvertent inguinal sarcoma excision during hernia surgery. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of a single sarcoma referral center identified 33 patients who were referred for definitive treatment. Patients were divided into three clinically relevant groups based on intraoperative diagnosis, sex, and location of the mass relative to the inguinal ligament. T-tests and Fisher's exact tests were performed to compare continuous and categorical variables, respectively. Kaplan-Meier modeling was performed to assess sarcoma-specific survival. RESULTS: Females were younger (47 years vs. 61 years, p=0.003) and had smaller sarcomas (6.7 cm vs. 11 cm, p=0.012) compared to males. Only two sarcomas (2/33, 6%) were <4 cm in size. The majority of sarcomas in females were above the inguinal ligament (12/14, 86%). Twenty-nine (88%) underwent definitive R0 excision. The mean number of surgeries per patient was three (range 1-13), with nineteen (58%) patients requiring flap reconstruction and six (18%) requiring vascular bypass. Five patients locally recurred (15%) at a mean of 38 months after definitive excision (range 5-128 months). Overall sarcoma-specific disease-free survival was 64%, with no difference between males (80 ± 11%) and females (59 ± 17%) (p=0.885). Mean follow-up was 75 months (range 5-212). CONCLUSION: This is the second largest study regarding inadvertent inguinal sarcoma excision and the first to include females. When a suspected hernia is >4 cm, irreducible, firm, and is growing, especially in females, consider obtaining preoperative advanced three-dimensional imaging (CT or MRI) that can differentiate a neoplasm from a hernia.


Hernia, Inguinal/diagnosis , Neoplasm Recurrence, Local , Sarcoma/diagnosis , Sarcoma/surgery , Soft Tissue Neoplasms/diagnosis , Soft Tissue Neoplasms/surgery , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Diagnostic Errors , Disease-Free Survival , Female , Hernia, Inguinal/surgery , Humans , Incidental Findings , Kaplan-Meier Estimate , Male , Middle Aged , Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/pathology , Reoperation , Retrospective Studies , Sarcoma/pathology , Soft Tissue Neoplasms/pathology , Survival Rate , Tumor Burden , Young Adult
17.
Sci Rep ; 9(1): 6612, 2019 04 29.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31036869

This study was designed to evaluate if primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) and its severity are associated with the shape of the lamina cribrosa (LC) as measured by a global shape index (LC-GSI), or other indices of LC curvature or depth. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) scans of the optic nerve head (OHN) were obtained from subjects with POAG (n = 99) and non-glaucomatous controls (n = 76). ONH structures were delineated, the anterior LC morphology reconstructed in 3D, and the LC-GSI calculated (more negative values denote greater posterior concavity). Anterior LC depth and 2D-curvature were also measured. Severity of glaucoma was defined by the extent of visual field loss, based on the Hodapp-Parrish-Anderson grading. Linear regression analyses compared LC characteristics between controls, mild-moderate, and advanced POAG groups. After adjusting for age, gender, ethnicity, intraocular pressure, axial length and corneal curvature, the LC-GSI was most negative in the advanced POAG group (mean [standard error] = -0.34 [0.05]), followed by the mild-moderate POAG group (-0.31 [0.02]) and then controls (-0.23 [0.02], PTrend = 0.01). There was also a significant trend of increasing LC depth and greater LC horizontal curvature with increasing severity of glaucoma (PTrend = 0.04 and 0.02, respectively). Therefore, with more severe glaucoma, the LC-GSI was increasingly more negative, and the anterior LC depth and curvature greater. These observations collectively correspond to greater cupping of the ONH at the level of the LC. As the LC-GSI describes the 3D anterior LC morphology, its potential usage may be complementary to existing ONH parameters measured on OCT.


Glaucoma/pathology , Aged , Cross-Sectional Studies , Female , Glaucoma/diagnostic imaging , Glaucoma/physiopathology , Glaucoma, Open-Angle/diagnostic imaging , Glaucoma, Open-Angle/pathology , Glaucoma, Open-Angle/physiopathology , Humans , Intraocular Pressure/physiology , Linear Models , Male , Middle Aged , Optic Disk/diagnostic imaging , Optic Disk/pathology , Optic Disk/physiopathology , Retinal Ganglion Cells/physiology , Tomography, Optical Coherence
18.
Am J Ophthalmol ; 199: 133-139, 2019 03.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30502338

PURPOSE: To evaluate the diagnostic performance of swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT, CASIA SS-1000; Tomey Corporation, Nagoya, Japan) for angle closure detection, in comparison with gonioscopy, in a community setting. DESIGN: Reliability analysis. METHODS: A total of 2027 phakic subjects aged ≥50 years, with no previous history of glaucoma, laser (including peripheral iridotomy), intraocular surgery, or ocular trauma, were consecutively recruited from a community polyclinic in Singapore. Gonioscopy was performed by a single trained ophthalmologist. SS-OCT angle scans, which obtain radial scans for the entire circumference of the angle, were analyzed by a single examiner, masked to the subject's clinical details. On SS-OCT images, angle closure was defined as contact between the iris and any part of the angle wall anterior to the scleral spur. Different cutoff values of the degree of circumferential angle closure (≥35%, ≥50%, and ≥75%) were taken for analysis to assess SS-OCT performance in detecting angle closure. RESULTS: A total of 1857 subjects (91.6%) were included in the final analysis after excluding poor-quality SS-OCT scans. Almost 90% of the subjects were Chinese, with a mean age of 61.8 ± 6.7 years, and more than half were women (63.5%). The overall AUC of SS-OCT manual grading against gonioscopy was 0.84 (95% confidence interval, 0.81-0.88). The prevalence of angle closure on SS-OCT was 26.1% for the ≥35% definition, with an area under the curve of 0.80 (0.77-0.84), sensitivity of 82.5% (75.3%-88.4%), and specificity of 78.5% (76.5%-80.4%). The first-order agreement coefficient statistics for the 2-quadrant gonioscopic definition of angle-closure with corresponding ≥35%, ≥50%, and ≥75% angle closure definitions for SS-OCT were good at 0.89 (0.83-0.93), 0.88 (0.842-0.93), and 0.88 (0.831-0.99), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In this large community-based study, SS-OCT exhibited moderate performance for angle closure detection compared to gonioscopy as the reference standard.


Glaucoma, Angle-Closure/diagnostic imaging , Tomography, Optical Coherence/methods , Trabecular Meshwork/diagnostic imaging , Aged , Community Health Services , Female , Gonioscopy , Humans , Intraocular Pressure/physiology , Male , Middle Aged , Reproducibility of Results , Tonometry, Ocular
19.
BMC Public Health ; 18(1): 441, 2018 04 03.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29615031

BACKGROUND: Rates of melanoma have dramatically increased among adolescents and young adults in recent years, particularly among young women. Exposure to ultraviolet radiation from intentional tanning practices is likely a major contributor to this epidemic. Southern and coastal regions have higher melanoma mortality rates among non-Hispanic whites in other parts of the U.S., yet little is known about tanning practices of adolescents and young adults in these regions. This study determines the prevalence and methods of intentional tanning utilized by an undergraduate population located on the United States' Gulf Coast. METHODS: Undergraduate students enrolled at a university on the Gulf Coast completed an online survey from March-April 2016, self-reporting their engagement, knowledge, and attitudes regarding outdoor tanning (OT), indoor tanning (IT) and spray tanning (ST). Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify factors associated with tanning behaviors. RESULTS: 2668 undergraduates completed the survey. Of these, 64.9% reported OT tanning, 50.7% reported ever IT, and 21.2% reported ever ST. CONCLUSIONS: In the largest study to date of intentional tanning behaviors of adolescents and young adults from coastal regions, we found high rates of intentional tanning behaviors. There was also significant engagement in spray tanning by this population, not previously reported for adolescents and young adults in a sample of this size. We also identified a high association between different tanning methods, indicating this population engages in multiple tanning behaviors, a phenomenon whose health consequences are not yet known.


Intention , Students/psychology , Sunbathing/psychology , Adolescent , Female , Humans , Male , Melanoma/epidemiology , Risk-Taking , Skin Neoplasms/epidemiology , Students/statistics & numerical data , Surveys and Questionnaires , Ultraviolet Rays/adverse effects , United States/epidemiology , Universities , Young Adult
20.
J Community Health ; 43(4): 656-659, 2018 08.
Article En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29290066

Adolescent and young adult men are a potentially overlooked population with respect to risky tanning behaviors. This study sought to determine the prevalence of various modes of tanning and associated variables among young men in a university setting in the southeastern United States. Undergraduate students at a public institution in Mobile, Alabama were surveyed electronically in March 2016. Of the 818 undergraduate men surveyed, over 90% reported tanning behaviors, with 37% reporting engaging in indoor tanning. Additionally, over 25% reported engaging in two or more types of tanning concurrently. These findings indicate that early intervention efforts targeting young men are needed to reduce risky tanning behaviors and associated negative health outcomes.


Men's Health , Students/statistics & numerical data , Sunbathing/statistics & numerical data , Adolescent , Alabama , Humans , Male , Prevalence , Risk-Taking , United States , Universities , Young Adult
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