The impact of prepregnancy body mass index on pregnancy and neonatal outcomes.

CONTEXT: The obesity epidemic in the United States is continuing to worsen. Obesity is a known risk factor for pregnancy morbidity. However, many studies use the patient's body mass index (BMI) at the time of delivery, do not stratify by class of obesity, or utilize billing codes as the basis of their study, which are noted to be inaccurate. OBJECTIVES: This study aims to investigate the prepregnancy BMI class specific risks for pregnancy and neonatal complications based on a prepregnancy BMI class. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 40,256 pregnant women with 55,202 singleton births between October 16, 2007 and December 3, 2023. We assessed the risk of pregnancy and neonatal morbidity based on the maternal prepregnancy BMI category. The primary outcome was composite maternal morbidity, including hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (i.e., gestational hypertension [GHTN] and preeclampsia), and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), adjusted for pregestational diabetes mellitus and chronic hypertension (cHTN). Secondary maternal outcomes included preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM), preterm delivery (PTD<37 and <32 weeks), induction of labor (IOL), cesarean delivery (CD), and postpartum hemorrhage (PPH). Neonatal outcomes included a composite adverse outcome (including stillbirth, intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH), hypoglycemia, respiratory distress syndrome [RDS], APGAR [Appearance, Pulse, Grimace, Activity, and Respiration] <7 at 5 min, and neonatal intensive care unit [NICU] admission), birthweight, fetal growth restriction (FGR), and macrosomia. RESULTS: Composite maternal morbidity (odds ratio [OR] 4.40, confidence interval [CI] 3.70-5.22 for class III obesity [BMI≥40.0 kg/m2] compared with normal BMI), hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP), GDM, PTD, IOL, CD, PPH, neonatal composite morbidity, hypoglycemia, RDS, APGAR<7 at 5 min, NICU admission, and macrosomia showed a significant increasing test of trend among BMI classes. Increased BMI was protective for FGR. CONCLUSIONS: Our data provides BMI-class specific odds ratios (ORs) for adverse pregnancy outcomes. Increased BMI class significantly increases the risk of HDP, GDM, IOL, CD, composite adverse neonatal outcomes, and macrosomia, and decreases the risk of FGR. Attaining a healthier BMI category prior to conception may lower pregnancy morbidity.

A retrospective review of the association between maternal body mass index and the risk of congenital anomalies.

The objective of the study was to examine the association of congenital anomalies with the specific classes of pre-pregnancy BMI. An IRB-approved retrospective cohort study was performed using the data from the Natality Public Use File from the National Center for Health Statistics (2019). We included all singleton live births and excluded pregnancies with suspected or confirmed chromosomal abnormalities and people with pre-existing diabetes mellitus and missing pertinent data. The primary outcome was the incidence of any major congenital anomalies in liveborn infants. The incidence of anomaly was analyzed across all BMI classes, using individuals with BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 kg/m2 as the comparison group. A test of trend was also performed to determine if the risk increased as the BMI class increased. A total of 3 047 382 maternal-neonatal dyads were included in the analysis. A non-significant higher incidence of any major anomaly was noted among people who had underweight and class III BMI. The risk of open neural tube defects, omphalocele, and cleft lip/palate increased and the risk of gastroschisis decreased with an increase in maternal BMI class (p < 0.05). The incidence of congenital anomalies increases as the pre-pregnancy BMI increases. Individuals should be encouraged to optimize their weight prior to conception and if feasible, they should obtain screening for fetal anatomy assessment by a Maternal-Fetal Medicine specialist.

Retrospective application of algorithms to improve identification of pregnancy outcomes from the electronic health record.

OBJECTIVE: To improve upon the accuracy of ICD codes for identifying maternal and neonatal outcomes by developing algorithms that incorporate readily available EHR data. STUDY DESIGN: Algorithms were developed for gestational hypertension (GHTN), pre-eclampsia (PreE), gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and were compared to ICD codes and chart review. Accuracy and sensitivity analyses were calculated with their respective 95% confidence limits for each of the comparisons between algorithms, ICD codes alone, and chart review. RESULTS: Sensitivity of GHTN ICD codes was 8.1% vs. 83.8% for the algorithm when compared to chart review. In comparison to chart review, sensitivity of ICD codes for PreE was 7.5% vs. 71.4% for the algorithm. GDM had similar sensitivity rates for both ICD codes and the algorithm. CONCLUSION: Application of algorithms, validated by chart review, enhanced capture of several outcomes. Algorithms should be obligatory adjunct tools to the ICD codes for identification of outcomes of interest.

Incidence and Prevalence of Cough in a Rural Health System: A 20-Year Study.

OBJECTIVE: Understanding the cough population is critical to addressing clinical needs and gaps in best practice. We sought to characterize and stratify cough patients with the hypothesis that there are opportunities to improve access to care in our health system and characterize the population. METHODS: Following institutional review board exempt status, a retrospective electronic record review was performed on all patients coded with ICD-9 786.2 or ICD-10 is R05 from January 1, 2001 through December 31, 2020 at our health system. Inclusion criteria were one or more visits for cough. The subgroup with more than one visit in each of 2 years was classified as multiple encounters. Patients were characterized by sex, age at first cough encounter, number of cough encounters, smoking status, and insurance status. Results were stratified by year, calculating frequencies, and percentages. RESULTS: There were 302,284 unique patients diagnosed with cough, among 1,764,387 patients seen in our health system, representing an average incidence of 3.0% (2.7%-3.7%) and prevalence of 4.9% (3.1%-5.6%). New single encounter cough patients totaled 179,963, and new multiple encounter cough patients totaled 122,321. Of the 39,828,073 total encounters, there were 469,802 for new or existing cough (1.17%-1.73% annually). The age at initial presentation demonstrated 36.5% seen <10 years old, with an even distribution over the remaining decades of life. The majority were seen for cough once, but 23.8% of group two patients had two or more visits for cough in a year. CONCLUSION: We demonstrate a lower-than-expected incidence and prevalence of cough in our health population, suggesting challenges with access to care when compared to 10% prevalence and 3% of encounters previously documented in the literature. The study also provides a platform to explore the importance of pediatric cough, as well as population health and the longitudinal journey of cough patients in underserved areas. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3 Laryngoscope, 133:1191-1196, 2023.

Retrospective review of GCT cutoff value based on pre-pregnancy BMI class in patients with GDM.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the optimal glucose challenge test (GCT) cutoff value for the screening of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) based on pre-pregnancy BMI. METHODS: An-IRB approved retrospective cohort analysis of singleton pregnancies at a large tertiary healthcare center from January 2004 to December 2020 was performed. The first GCT value completed between 20 and 32 weeks was used. Using a receiver operator curve (ROC), we sought to determine the optimal GCT cutoff value for each BMI category that would predict the development of GDM. Youden Index was used to determine optimal cut-point of GCT values for each BMI class. RESULTS: A total of 23,550 patients with a GCT value were identified. Of those, 1,676 (7.1%) were diagnosed with GDM. 513 (30.6%) with normal BMI, 449 (26.8%) overweight, 347 (20.7%) class I obese, 210 (12.5%) class II obese, and 157 (9.4%) class III obese patients were diagnosed with GDM. Gestational diabetes was predicted at GCT cutoff value of 130 mg/dL with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.92 (BMI <25), 131 mg/dL with an AUC of 0.92 (overweight BMI), 131 mg/dL with an AUC of 0.89 (class I BMI), 133 mg/dL with an AUC of 0.88 (class II BMI), and 131 mg/dL with an AUC of 0.88 (class III BMI). CONCLUSIONS: AUC ranged from 0.88 to 0.92 with 93% or greater sensitivity for GCT cutoff value across each of the BMI categories. The findings support a GCT cutoff value of 130 mg/dL for GDM screening regardless of BMI.

Encouraging appropriate gestational weight gain in high-risk gravida: A randomized controlled trial.

Trial Design: Excessive gestational weight gain (GWG) can increase pregnancy morbidity and is particularly problematic for women with pregestational obesity. A lifestyle modification intervention was introduced to gravida with obesity to decrease excessive GWG as compared to usual care (UC). Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted to improve healthy lifestyle behaviors to manage appropriate GWG. Consenting participants with prepregnancy obesity and singletons ≤17 weeks were randomized to (1) Usual Care (UC): usual written educational materials and counseling by obstetric provider or (2) Enhanced Care (EC): UC plus (a) personalized letter from physician detailing appropriate GWG; (b) access to individualized GWG chart; (c) ongoing counseling with registered dietitian/nutritionist (RDN). The primary outcome was proportion with GWG ≤9.1 kg, as this is upper limit recommended by Institute of Medicine (IOM). Total GWG and GWG as less than/within/greater than IOM recommendations (in aggregate and stratified by obesity class), and pregnancy/neonatal outcomes were evaluated as secondary outcomes. Results: Analyses included 105 participants in EC and 109 in UC arms. The groups had similar demographics: 46% with class I obesity, 26% class II, and 28% class III. There were no group differences for any GWG, pregnancy, or neonatal outcomes when analyzed in aggregate. As compared to those randomized to the EC arm, participants in UC arm with class I obesity gained 1.4 kg less and those with class II obesity were significantly more likely to gain within IOM guidelines (14.8% vs. 40.0%, adjusted p = 0.04). Participants with class III obesity randomized to EC arm were more likely to gain within IOM guidelines as compared to participants randomized to UC arm (29.0% vs. 6.7%, adjusted p = 0.02). Conclusion: There were no differences in GWG observed between groups when analyzing participants in aggregate. However, a physician's letter detailing appropriate GWG, patient portal access to a personalized GWG chart, and RDN consultation were helpful for encouraging GWG within IOM guidelines for women with prepregnancy class III obesity. Women with class I or II obesity had better GWG outcomes without these additional interventions.

Utility of routine cytology in detecting asymptomatic cervical cancer recurrence.

INTRODUCTION: The objective of this study was to examine the utility of routine cervical cytology after cervical cancer treatment. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective study from 2004 to 2020, which identified 581 cervical cancer patients. Of the 581 patients, 233 were included in the analysis. The remaining 348 were excluded because of failure to enter the surveillance period, loss to follow-up, or treatment at an outside facility. The continuous data were summarized using the median and interquartile range for non-normally distributed data. The categorical data were summarized using frequencies and proportions. Comparisons between the categorical data were performed using the Fisher exact test. RESULTS: Of the 233 included patients, 78 (33.5%) had had ≥1 abnormal Papanicolaou (Pap) test during surveillance. Of these 78 patients, 22 (28.2%) underwent biopsy, with all biopsies negative for malignancy. Local recurrence was identified in 15 patients. Of these 15 patients, 14 (93.3%) were symptomatic at diagnosis, 7 (46.7%) had had visible disease on the physical examination, and 6 (40.0%) had normal cytology findings throughout surveillance. Only 1 case of local, asymptomatic cervical cancer recurrence was detected by Pap test alone. A subset analysis was performed to compare the rate of abnormal Pap tests between the radiation therapy and non-radiation therapy groups. Of the 233 patients, 154 (66.1%) underwent primary radiation therapy, 64 (41.6%) of whom had abnormal cytology during surveillance. Of 82 patients who did not undergo radiation therapy, only 14 (17.1%) had had abnormal cytology (P < 0.01). None of the patients in either group had underlying recurrent disease at the time of abnormal cytology. CONCLUSIONS: The results of our study show that routine Pap tests have limited clinical utility in the surveillance of cervical cancer recurrence. Consideration should be given to removing routine cytology from the surveillance recommendations.

A retrospective review of pregnancy outcomes in women with uncomplicated mild to moderate chronic hypertension.

OBJECTIVE: To examine pregnancy complications in women with uncomplicated mild-moderate chronic hypertension (CHTN) treated with antihypertensives prior to 20 weeks compared to those not on antihypertensives. STUDY DESIGN: This retrospective cohort study examined singleton pregnancies of women with mild-moderate CHTN who delivered from 01/2014-3/2019. Pregnancies complicated by hypertension at ≥ 20 weeks, end organ damage, preexisting diabetes mellitus, early-onset gestational diabetes, multifetal gestation, and fetal anomalies were excluded. Adjusted logistic regression analyses were performed for each of the outcomes. Adjusted odds ratios (aOR) were reported along with associated 95% confidence intervals (CI) and p-values. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Primary outcome was superimposed preeclampsia with severe features. Additional maternal outcomes were superimposed preeclampsia without severe features, severe hypertension, indicated preterm delivery, placental abruption, and mode of delivery. Neonatal outcomes included composite perinatal outcomes (fetal growth restriction, intrauterine fetal demise, and small for gestational age neonate), low birth weight, very low birth weight, admission to the neonatal intensive care unit, and Apgar score <7 at 5-minutes. RESULTS: 345 women were identified: 232 (67.2%) were not taking antihypertensives and 113 (32.8%) were taking ≥1 antihypertensive. There was no significant difference in the primary outcome (p = 0.65; aOR = 0.88; 95% CI 0.51-1.52) among the group taking antihypertensive therapy as compared to those not taking antihypertensives. No statistically significant differences were seen for any of the other secondary maternal or neonatal outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Our data supports that the use of antihypertensive therapy in women with mild-moderate CHTN does not reduce the risk of developing superimposed preeclampsia.

Outcomes of robotic surgery in morbidly obese patients with endometrial cancer: a retrospective study.

With advances in minimal invasive surgery, robotic surgery has become the widespread approach for surgical staging of endometrial cancer in the obese population. This study aimed to evaluate safety and surgical outcomes of robotic surgery in the morbidly obese and extremely morbidly obese patients with endometrial cancer. Retrospective cohort study. A total of 391 obese women undergoing robotic-assisted surgical staging were identified and included in the study. Surgical outcomes for obese patients (BMI > 30 kg/m2) who underwent surgical staging between 2011 and 2019 were retrospectively collected. Preoperative characteristics, perioperative outcomes and postoperative complications were analyzed among the categories of obesity (BMI ≥ 30-34.9 kg/m2, ≥ 35-39.9 kg/m2, ≥ 40-49.9 kg/m2) including the extremely morbid obese (BMI > 50 kg/m2). Comparative analysis revealed a higher percentage of postoperative complications with increasing BMI, although the results were not statistically significant. Postoperative complications are observed at higher rates among women with increasing BMI.

Perioperative Continuous Noninvasive Arterial Pressure Monitoring for Neuroendovascular Interventions: Prospective Study for Evaluation of the Vascular Unloading Technique.

BACKGROUND: Blood pressure monitoring is crucial during neuroendovascular procedures. Intraoperative hemodynamic instability is associated with complications, which underscores the importance of continuous monitoring. Although direct measurement with an intra-arterial catheter is the gold standard for determining arterial pressure, it is costly, time-consuming, and associated with complications. The novel ClearSight system offers a noninvasive technique for monitoring arterial pressure via a finger cuff. This study compared noninvasive arterial pressure measurements with the gold standard method. METHODS: Simultaneous recording of noninvasive and invasive arterial pressure was performed in patients undergoing neuroendovascular interventions. Both techniques were compared employing linear regression, Lin's correlation coefficient, Bland-Altman, and error grid analysis. RESULTS: The study enrolled 24 consecutive patients. The concordance correlation coefficient between both methods was 0.3526 (95% confidence interval [0.3134, 0.3906]) for mean arterial pressure and 0.4680 (95% confidence interval [0.4353, 0.4995]) and for systolic arterial pressure. The mean (SD) of the differences was 0.81 (17.86) mm Hg (95% limits of agreement [-52.52, 54.14]) for mean arterial pressure and 5.38 (14.64) mm Hg (95% limits of agreement [-45.12, 56.08]) for systolic arterial pressure. Error grid analysis demonstrated that the majority of measurements lie in regions with no or low risk for patients (mean arterial pressure, 71.0% and 24.4%; systolic arterial pressure, 59.2% and 25.8%). CONCLUSIONS: The ClearSight system provided accurate measurements of arterial blood pressure compared with invasive methods and within safe clinical parameters. This method may serve as a safe and reliable alternative for invasive blood pressure monitoring during neuroendovascular procedures.

Geriatric conditions and treatment burden following diagnosis of non-muscle- invasive bladder cancer in older adults: A population-based analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Treatment burden is emerging as an important patient-centered outcome for older adults with cancer who concurrently manage geriatric conditions. Our objective was to evaluate the contribution of geriatric conditions to treatment burden in older adults with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). METHODS: We identified 73,395 Medicare beneficiaries age 66+ diagnosed with NMIBC (Stage

Technology, Social Media, and Telemedicine Utilization for Rural Hand and Upper-Extremity Patients.

PURPOSE: To define technology and social media use among rural upper-extremity patients. In addition, we aimed to assess how patients use social media in relation to health care and their willingness to participate in telemedicine programs. METHODS: An anonymous multiple-choice written survey was administered to 550 upper-extremity patients at 4 rural outreach clinics. Demographic information was obtained, as was social media use, habits and interests. We compared both users and nonusers of social media to define demographic differences between these groups. RESULTS: A total of 412 patients completed surveys and were included in our analysis (75%); 225 reported using social media (55%). Of the respondents, 67% had a high school education or less and 60% reported an income of less than $50,000/y with an unemployment rate of 58%. In addition, 28% reported not owning a smartphone and 20% lacked home Internet access. Multivariable regression demonstrated that age, female sex, and home Internet access were all independently associated with increased social media use. Facebook was the most frequently used social media platform. Moreover, 42% were interested in telemedicine and social media users were significantly more likely to be interested in telemedicine programs compared with non-social media users. CONCLUSIONS: Within a population of rural and economically disadvantaged upper-extremity patients, 55% currently use social media; 32% used these platforms to research health conditions. Whereas younger female patients with home Internet access were more likely to use social media, older patients were more likely to use these platforms to research health conditions. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: As more health information moves on-line and as telemedicine programs continue to evolve, some rural upper-extremity patients may still have technological barriers in the form of smartphone and computer ownership as well as a lack of home Internet access.

Geographic Distribution of Foot and Ankle Orthopedic Surgeons Throughout the United States.

BACKGROUND: At present, the geographic distribution of orthopedic foot and ankle (OFA) surgeons in the United States is poorly defined. The purpose of this investigation is to determine the geographic distribution of OFA surgeons in the United States. We hypothesize that there will be differences in OFA surgeon density throughout the United States and that economic factors may play a role in access to subspecialty OFA care. METHODS: A current membership list was obtained from the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS). Active members were categorized relative to states and US congressional districts, using publicly available census data. The relationship between income and surgeon density was determined using a Pearson correlation. RESULTS: We identified a list of 1103 active AOFAS members. There was an average of 0.38 and 0.40 OFA surgeons per 100 000 people in each state and congressional district, respectively. We found a weak negative relationship demonstrating that regions with higher levels of poverty had fewer OFA surgeons, with a Pearson correlation coefficient of -0.14 (95% CI: -0.24, -0.04), P = .008. CONCLUSION: There is wide geographic variation of OFA surgeon density throughout the United States. Regions with higher levels of poverty were weakly associated with decreased population density of OFA surgeons compared to regions with lower poverty levels. Understanding these trends may aid in developing both recruitment and referral strategies for complex foot and ankle care in underserved regions. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level V.

Let Their Voices Be Seen.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: The mutual distrust, in part caused by misunderstanding and bias, between sickle cell disease (SCD) patients and their emergency department (ED) providers has been widely documented in the SCD literature. This study seeks to illustrate the perceptions and experiences of adult sickle cell patients who have had at least 1 ED experience in the last 2 years. METHODS: Qsource, a nonprofit health care consultancy based in Tennessee, used photovoice, a qualitative research method, to facilitate the representation of patients' experiences in living with SCD. Photovoice has participants document their experiences through photography and then, as a group, discuss and analyze the emotional state behind the photographs. Eight participants with SCD took 25 photographs during 4 weeks. Then, in a 2-hour critical dialogue, participants identified recurring themes through consensus. RESULTS: Participants identified 6 themes that emerged from their discussion: unpredictability of SCD, fickleness of time, coping with pain, proximity to death, avoidance of the ED, and need for improved communication. They expressed their wish to be active participants in their care, and many described a fear of death, which is exacerbated by a lack of control in the ED setting. CONCLUSION: Factors such as poor patient experience and misunderstanding may contribute to delays in seeking care for SCD patients. This may, in turn, escalate pain crises and increase the likelihood of hospital admission. We believe that photovoice may be a new means to educate ED providers on SCD patient perceptions, ultimately resulting in better ED care.

Infant acid suppression use is associated with the development of eosinophilic esophagitis.

Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is an esophageal allergic inflammatory disorder often presenting with infant/toddler gastroesophageal reflux symptoms refractory to treatment, including acid suppression trials with histamine H2 antagonists and proton pump inhibitors. We propose to evaluate the impact of infant acid suppressant exposure in EoE. Geisinger's pediatric EoE cases were matched to controls (1:5 EoE case control ratio) using age, race, sex, and ages at other diagnoses of asthma, eczema, and environmental allergies, totaling 526 EoE cases and 2,630 controls. Comparisons between EoE cases and matched controls were tested with regard to rates of acid suppression use with H2 antagonists and PPIs during infancy. Our analyses found the use of acid suppression in infancy was positively associated with EoE: PPI (5.7% EoE cases vs. 1.6% controls; P < 0.0001), H2 antagonists (8.8% EoE cases vs. 4.5% controls; P < 0.0001). Additionally, analysis of EoE cases using acid suppression during infancy indicated a likelihood for the diagnosis with EoE at an earlier age. Early acid suppression use in infants is significantly associated with the diagnosis of EoE in childhood in this well-matched retrospective cohort study. The potential link warrants additional investigation. Our study further reinforces the evidence-based stewardship of acid suppressant use, especially in our most vulnerable populations.

Association between metabolic syndrome and recurrence of nonmuscle-invasive bladder cancer in older adults.

BACKGROUND: Nonmuscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) disproportionately affects older adults who often have coexisting chronic conditions such as metabolic syndrome (MetS). Although prior research suggests that MetS is a risk factor for NMIBC, limited data exists on whether MetS is associated with NMIBC recurrence. Our objective was to evaluate the association between MetS and recurrence in older adults treated for NMIBC. METHODS: We identified 1,485 older (age ≥60 years) NMIBC patients (American Joint Committee on Cancer Stage ≤1) from 2community-based health systems. Using data from the health systems' electronic medical record, MetS was defined as the presence of three of the following: diagnosis codes indicating hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, or body mass index >30. Follow up time was determined by date of the last follow up in the tumor registry and censored at 10 years. Cox proportional hazards regression of time to recurrence that accounts for the competing risk of death included adjustment for age, sex, smoking status, health system, NMIBC stage/grade, tumor size, and number of specimens with cancer. RESULTS: Overall, 341 patients (23%) met MetS criteria. Median follow up was 5.9 years and 582 patients (39.2%) died. Patients with MetS were more frequently male (84.2%), and mostly current/former smokers (82.6%). By 10 years, 34.1% of the cohort had experienced a recurrence. After accounting for the competing risk of death, there was no association between MetS and time to recurrence (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.88, 95% confidence interval 0.70-1.11, P = 0.28). Patients without MetS had more 0a/low grade recurrences (49.1% vs. 41.4%), though differences were not significant. CONCLUSION: We found no association between MetS and risk of NMIBC recurrence in this large, multisite cohort of older adults with NMIBC. In order to design personalized care for older NMIBC patients, future research is needed to evaluate associations between common chronic conditions and a variety of oncologic outcomes.

Canine Pruritus Visual Analog Scale: how does it capture owners' perception of their pet's itching level?

BACKGROUND: Accurate measurement of pruritus severity is difficult in veterinary medicine. OBJECTIVES: To determine how the changes in Pruritus Visual Analog Scale (PVAS) scores at follow-up visits agree with the owners' perceptions of improvement of their pet's pruritus. ANIMALS: One hundred and ninety two pruritic dogs were included in the prospective study and 196 in the retrospective study. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Owners were randomly assigned into five groups and PVAS scores were recorded during two consecutive visits. Group A: previous scores were shown before completing the PVAS; Group B: PVAS was completed then owners were shown previous scores and asked to repeat the PVAS; Group C: PVAS was completed as reported previously; Group D: PVAS and a 0-10 verbal scale (VS) were completed. Retrospectively, PVAS scores were analysed during at least three consecutive visits. The average percentage and kappa agreements were calculated for all groups. In addition, PVAS and VS scores were compared in Group D. RESULTS: The average percentage and kappa agreements were higher in groups A (96%; 0.81), B [before (80%; 0.54), after (82%; 0.59) previous score] and D (85%; 0.47). Group C (79%; 0.37) had the lowest agreement. PVAS and VS scores were not significantly different (P = 0.56) in Group D. The average percentage and kappa agreements for the retrospective study were 50.8% and 0.25. The highest values (63%; 0.355) were noted at 30-60 day visit intervals. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Showing owners previous scores could improve how PVAS captures the owner's perception of their dog's itching level.