Tobacco counseling in the setting of thyroid eye disease / Aconselhamento sobre o uso de tabaco no contexto de doenças oculares associadas à tireoide

ABSTRACT Purpose: To collect data on the rate and efficacy of tobacco counseling sessions delivered by ophthalmologists under the setting of patients with thyroid eye disease. Methods: We analyzed the electronic medical records of a digital cohort of patients who visited ophthalmologists at the University of Pennsylvania Health System from 2012 to 2017 with reference to the International Classification of Disease (ICD) codes for Graves' disease, thyrotoxic exophthalmos, and/or thyroid eye disease. Tobacco histories were recorded at the first and last ophthalmology office visits or the most temporally proximal encounter in packs/day (ppd), and each ophthalmology visit note was analyzed to validate the occurrence of tobacco counseling. Results: A total of 435 patients met our study inclusion criteria, of which 72 (16.6%) were active smokers at the time of their first visit. Only 57 (79.2%) of these active smokers had recorded smoking burdens, 34 (59.6%) of which received at least one form of recorded tobacco counseling session. Nine (26.5%) of the subjects who received tobacco counseling and 1 (4.3%) of those who did not have a recorded counseling, quit smoking (risk difference of 22.1%; 95% CI, [1.7%, 39.1%]; p=0.04). In addition, 17 (50.0%) of the subjects who received counseling and 7 (30.4%) of those who did not have a recorded counseling, reduced their ppd consumption (risk difference of 19.6%; 95% CI [-6.3%, 41.3%]; p=0.18). Overall, 14 (25.5%) out of the 55 ophthalmologists who were active smokers had recorded evidence of tobacco counseling. Conclusions: Our cumulative results provide the consequence of both missed opportunities for tobacco counseling as well as its efficacy in the setting of thyroid eye disease.

RESUMO Objetivo: Fornecer informações sobre a ocorrência e a eficácia do aconselhamento sobre o uso de tabaco por oftalmologistas a pacientes com doenças oculares associadas à tireoide. Métodos: Analisamos os prontuários médicos eletrônicos de uma coorte digital de pacientes atendidos por oftalmologistas no Sistema de Saúde da Universidade da Pensilvânia entre o início de 2012 e o final de 2017 com os códigos da Classificação Internacional de Doenças (CID) para a doença de Graves, exoftalmia tireotóxica ou doença ocular associada à tireoide. Os históricos de uso de tabaco foram registrados na primeira e na última visita ao consultório de Oftalmologia, ou na visita mais próxima no tempo. A quantidade de maços/dia (mpd) e todas as anotações feitas nas visitas ao consultório de Oftalmologia foram analisadas para aconselhamento sobre o uso de tabaco. Resultados: Um total de 435 indivíduos preencheram os critérios de inclusão, dos quais 72 (16,6%) estavam fumando ativamente no momento do primeiro encontro. Apenas 57 (79,2%) desses indivíduos que fumam ativamente registraram queixas relacionadas ao tabagismo, sendo que 34 (59,6%) deles receberam alguma forma de aconselhamento sobre o uso de tabaco. Ao todo, 9 (26,5%) indivíduos dentre os que receberam aconselhamento sobre tabaco e 1 (4,3%) que não teve aconselhamento registrado pararam de fumar (diferença de risco de 22,1%; IC 95%, [1,7%, 39,1%]; p=0,04). Dentre aqueles que receberam aconselhamento, 17 (50,0%) reduziram seus mpd, além de 7 (30,4%) daqueles que não tiveram aconselhamento (diferença de risco de 19,6%; IC 95% [-6,3%, 41,3%]; p=0,18). No geral, 14 (25,5%) dos 55 oftalmologistas que tiveram um paciente fumante ativo registraram evidências de aconselhamento sobre o uso de tabaco. Conclusões: Os resultados deste estudo revelam tanto as oportunidades perdidas de aconselhamento sobre o uso do tabaco quanto a eficácia do aconselhamento no contexto de doenças oculares associadas à tireoide.

Tobacco counseling in the setting of thyroid eye disease.

PURPOSE: To collect data on the rate and efficacy of tobacco counseling sessions delivered by ophthalmologists under the setting of patients with thyroid eye disease. METHODS: We analyzed the electronic medical records of a digital cohort of patients who visited ophthalmologists at the University of Pennsylvania Health System from 2012 to 2017 with reference to the International Classification of Disease (ICD) codes for Graves' disease, thyrotoxic exophthalmos, and/or thyroid eye disease. Tobacco histories were recorded at the first and last ophthalmology office visits or the most temporally proximal encounter in packs/day (ppd), and each ophthalmology visit note was analyzed to validate the occurrence of tobacco counseling. RESULTS: A total of 435 patients met our study inclusion criteria, of which 72 (16.6%) were active smokers at the time of their first visit. Only 57 (79.2%) of these active smokers had recorded smoking burdens, 34 (59.6%) of which received at least one form of recorded tobacco counseling session. Nine (26.5%) of the subjects who received tobacco counseling and 1 (4.3%) of those who did not have a recorded counseling, quit smoking (risk difference of 22.1%; 95% CI, [1.7%, 39.1%]; p=0.04). In addition, 17 (50.0%) of the subjects who received counseling and 7 (30.4%) of those who did not have a recorded counseling, reduced their ppd consumption (risk difference of 19.6%; 95% CI [-6.3%, 41.3%]; p=0.18). Overall, 14 (25.5%) out of the 55 ophthalmologists who were active smokers had recorded evidence of tobacco counseling. CONCLUSIONS: Our cumulative results provide the consequence of both missed opportunities for tobacco counseling as well as its efficacy in the setting of thyroid eye disease.

A New Screening Questionnaire to Identify Patients With Dry Eye With a High Likelihood of Having Sjögren Syndrome.

PURPOSE: To develop a screening questionnaire to identify patients with dry eye with a high likelihood of having underlying Sjögren syndrome (SS). METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study of participants with dry eye complaints who were self-referred or referred by an ophthalmologist to the Sjögren's International Collaborative Clinical Alliance study. Symptoms and ocular surface examination findings were candidate predictors. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for the association of a symptom and/or ocular sign with SS. Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was used to summarize the predictive ability of different regression models and the derived likelihood score. RESULTS: Four questions were statistically significant in the final multivariable model: 1) Is your mouth dry when eating a meal? [Yes = OR 1.63 (1.18-2.26)]; 2) Can you eat a cracker without drinking a fluid or liquid? [No = OR 1.46 (1.06-2.01)]; 3) How often do you have excessive tearing? [None of the time = OR 4.06 (1.81-9.10)]; and 4) Are you able to produce tears? [No = OR 2.24 (1.62-3.09)]. The SS likelihood score had an AUC of 0.70 (95% CI, 0.66-0.73), and when including tear break-up time and conjunctival staining, it yielded an AUC of 0.79 (95% CI, 0.77-0.82). CONCLUSIONS: This questionnaire can be used to identify patients with dry eye with a high likelihood of having SS. With future refinement and validation, this screening tool could be used alone or in combination with examination findings to identify patients with SS earlier, thereby facilitating better clinical outcomes.

High- and Low-Contrast Letter Acuity Perception Matures With Age in Normally Sighted Children.

BACKGROUND: High-contrast visual acuity (HCVA) changes with age, yet little is known about pediatric-specific age- and sex-normative values for low-contrast letter acuity (LCLA). We define maturational changes in monocular and binocular HCVA and LCLA in childhood and adolescence. METHODS: Normally sighted youth (ages 5-20 years, without neurologic or ophthalmologic disease and best-corrected HCVA of 20/25 or better in each eye) were recruited. Mean monocular and binocular scores using Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (for HCVA) and 2.5% and 1.25% Sloan (for LCLA) charts and the magnitude of binocular summation were calculated using 2-year bins. Relationships between scores and age were explored using scatterplots with Locally Weighted Scatterplot Smoothing (LOWESS) and analysis of variance that accounts for intereye correlation, followed by test of linear trend for age effect. RESULTS: Among 101 (202 eyes) healthy participants (mean age 13 years, 42% males), monocular and binocular scores varied by age, with highest mean scores achieved in the 13 to 14-year age group for both HCVA and LCLA. Between the ages of 5 and 14.9 years, monocular scores increased linearly with age (0.76 letter/year for HCVA, 1.11 letters/year for 2.5% LCLA, and 0.97 letter/year for 1.25% LCLA; all P < 0.0001). Binocular HCVA scores also increased with age between 5 and 14.9 years (0.71 letters/year, P < 0.0001). The magnitude of binocular summation for HCVA or LCLA did not change with age. CONCLUSIONS: HCVA and LCLA abilities mature into adolescence, peak between 13 and 14.9 years of age, and then plateau into adulthood. Evaluation of patients with visual deficits should consider age-expected normal visual acuity.

Prevalence of Novel Candidate Sjögren Syndrome Autoantibodies in the Penn Sjögren's International Collaborative Clinical Alliance Cohort.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the prevalence of novel candidate autoantibodies associated with Sjögren syndrome (SS) and their ability to identify those with SS among participants with dry eye enrolled in the Sjögren's International Collaborative Clinical Alliance (SICCA) study at the University of Pennsylvania (Penn). METHODS: All participants previously underwent a full ocular and systemic evaluation for possible SS as part of the SICCA study. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect IgG, IgA, and IgM autoantibodies to salivary protein 1 (SP-1), parotid secretory protein (PSP), and carbonic anhydrase 6 from previously banked baseline serum samples from SICCA study participants enrolled at Penn. The prevalence rate of each autoantibody, calculated by considering the presence of any isotype as antibody positive, was compared between participants with dry eye with SS (n = 81) or without SS (n = 129) using the Fisher exact test. RESULTS: The prevalence of SP-1 IgM autoantibodies was higher in those with SS compared with those without SS (14% vs. 5%; P = 0.03). Similarly, the prevalence of PSP IgA autoantibodies was higher in those with SS compared with non-SS dry eye participants (21% vs. 11%; P = 0.048). There was no statistically significant difference in the prevalence of carbonic anhydrase 6 autoantibodies between those with or without SS (15% vs. 20%; P = 0.36). CONCLUSIONS: In the Penn SICCA cohort, SP-1 IgM and PSP IgA autoantibodies were more prevalent in the serum of SS-related dry eye participants compared with those without SS. Further longitudinal studies are needed to determine the clinical significance of these findings.

Prevalence of Novel Candidate Sjogren Syndrome Autoantibodies in the Dry Eye Assessment and Management (DREAM) Study.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the prevalence of novel candidate Sjogren syndrome (SS) autoantibodies [salivary protein-1 (SP-1), parotid secretory protein, carbonic anhydrase 6] in the DRy Eye Assessment and Management (DREAM) cohort, a study evaluating the effectiveness of omega-3 fatty acid supplements for the treatment of dry eye. METHODS: Participants underwent ocular surface examinations and serological testing for traditional and novel SS autoantibodies. Dry eye assessment and management participants were categorized into the following 3 groups: 1) no history of SS or other autoimmune diseases and negative traditional SS autoantibodies (n = 352); 2) no history of SS but a history of other autoimmune diseases (n = 66); and 3) those who met the 2012 American College of Rheumatology SS classification criteria (n = 52). RESULTS: Eleven percent had a history of SS, and 6% of those without a history of SS most likely had undiagnosed SS. The SS group had a higher prevalence of SP-1 autoantibodies than the group without SS or other autoimmune diseases (33% vs. 19%; P = 0.02) but had no difference in carbonic anhydrase 6 (P = 0.31) or parotid secretory protein autoantibodies (P = 0.33). Participants who were positive for the traditional autoantibodies alone or positive for both traditional and novel autoantibodies had the highest scores for corneal (P = 0.002) and conjunctival staining (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Data from this multicenter, prospective study demonstrated that one of the novel candidate autoantibodies, SP-1, is associated with underlying SS and that novel autoantibodies may be associated with worse ocular surface disease. Future longitudinal studies are needed to evaluate their utility in screening patients with dry eye for SS.

Baseline Predictors for Five-Year Visual Acuity Outcomes in the Comparison of AMD Treatment Trials.

PURPOSE: To determine baseline predictors of visual acuity (VA) outcomes at 5 years after initiating treatment with ranibizumab or bevacizumab for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD). DESIGN: Secondary analysis of data from a cohort study. PARTICIPANTS: Patients enrolled in the Comparison of AMD Treatments Trials (CATT) who completed a 5-year follow-up visit. METHODS: Participants were randomly assigned to ranibizumab or bevacizumab and to 1 of 3 dosing regimens. After two years, patients were released from the clinical trial protocol, and were recalled for examination at 5 years. Trained readers evaluated baseline lesion features, fluid and thickness. Baseline predictors were determined using univariate and multivariate regression analysis. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: VA score and change from baseline, ≥3-line gain, and VA 20/200 or worse at 5 years. RESULTS: Among 647 patients with VA measured at 5 years, mean VA score in the study eye was 58.9 letters (≈20/63), mean decrease from baseline was 3.3 letters, 17.6% eyes gained ≥3 lines, and 19.9% had VA of 20/200 or worse. In multivariate analysis, worse baseline VA was associated with worse VA, more VA gain, higher percentage with ≥3-line gain, and higher percentage with 20/200 or worse at 5 years (all p<0.001). Larger baseline CNV lesion area was associated with worse VA, greater VA loss, and higher percentage with 20/200 or worse at 5 years (all p<0.05). Absence of baseline subretinal fluid was associated with worse VA (p=0.03) and more VA loss (p=0.03). Female gender, bevacizumab treatment in the first 2 years, and absence of RPE elevation were associated with higher percentage with ≥3-line gain. Cigarette smoking was associated with a higher percentage with 20/200 or worse. None of the 21 SNPs evaluated were associated with VA outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Five years after initiating treatment with ranibizumab or bevacizumab in CATT participants, worse baseline VA, larger baseline CNV lesion area, and presence of baseline RPE elevation remained independently associated with worse VA at 5 years. In addition, male gender, cigarette smoking, absence of subretinal fluid and treatment with ranibizumab in the first 2 years were independently associated with worse vision outcomes at 5 years.

Use of Crossed Polarizers to Enhance Images of the Eyelids.

PURPOSE: To describe imaging of the external eye with Crossed Polarizers to enhance clinically important features in digital photographs of the eyelids. METHODS: External photographs with and without crossed polarizing filters were taken of patients with blepharitis and controls with no clinical eye pathology. RESULTS: Photographing eyelid skin through Crossed Polarizers decreased reflections on the skin surface and improved visualization of eyelid telangiectasias and blood vessels in patients with a broad range of skin pigmentation and ethnicities. CONCLUSIONS: The use of Crossed Polarizers in imaging the external eye reduces reflections and glare from the eyelid skin and margins, thereby allowing for a more detailed evaluation of underlying structures and analysis of images. These findings suggest that including Crossed Polarizers in clinical photography has informative applications for assessing eyelid disease.

Assessment of signs of anterior blepharitis using standardized color photographs.

PURPOSE: To describe a standardized technique for acquiring and viewing photographic images of eyelids, assess the reproducibility and validity of a grading protocol for signs of anterior blepharitis, and to explore whether the signs depend on the eyelid or the area of the eyelid assessed. METHODS: Subjects with anterior blepharitis ranging from none to severe were examined by ophthalmologists at clinical sites. Digital images of the eyelids of subjects were acquired using a protocol that allowed for the calibration of color and luminance. Three ophthalmologists at a centralized reading center applied a novel protocol for grading features of anterior blepharitis from the digital images viewed on color-calibrated monitors. The agreement among graders was assessed using percent agreement and weighted kappa statistics (Kw), and the correlation of photographic and clinical gradings was assessed using Spearman correlation coefficients. RESULTS: Agreement among graders was excellent (Kw > 0.80) on the number of eyelid margin vessels and was substantial (Kw between 0.61 and 0.80) for erythema, collarettes, number of engorged vessels, and number of lashes. Grading of the photographic images and the clinical assessments of erythema and lid debris were moderately correlated (r = 0.27-0.45). The grades for different features depended on whether the upper or lower eyelid, eyelid skin or lid margin, and central or lateral lid were assessed. CONCLUSIONS: The application of a protocol to obtain and display calibrated digital images of eyelids supports the standardized assessment of anterior blepharitis in clinical care and research studies.