Salivary Gland Tumors: A 20 Year Review From a Single Community Practice.

Objective: Salivary gland tumors are a heterogenous group of lesions with variable pathology and clinical outcomes. Most published data are derived from studies conducted at tertiary care centers. Our study analyzed the experience from a community setting to determine significant differences, if any, in pathological distribution and clinical outcomes compared to the existing literature. Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of all major salivary gland tumors that presented to a large community practice over a 20 year period. Retrospective chart analysis was performed for demographics, clinical presentation, imaging, cytology, histopathology, and clinical outcome data. Results: Of 806 patients, the parotid gland was the most common site in 683 patients (84.7%), followed by submandibular in 78 (9.7%) and sublingual in 45 (5.6%). A total of 203 patients were managed conservatively with observation without definitive diagnosis or lost to follow-up. A total of 495 patients underwent surgical intervention within the community practice. Twenty-six patients underwent surgical excision at an outside hospital. Eighty-two patients were determined to have a benign diagnosis based on ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration or excisional biopsy alone. Final histopathology was benign in 505 cases (83.7%), while 98 tumors (16.3%) received a diagnosis of primary or secondary malignancy. For the parotid gland, pleomorphic adenoma (155) and Warthin's tumor (155) were the most common benign diagnoses, while mucoepidermoid carcinoma (13), adenocarcinoma (8), and acinic cell carcinoma (8) were the most common primary malignancies. Conclusions: We found a higher rate of benign tumor pathology compared to the existing literature. While the outcome data on surgical treatment of benign tumors are comparable to the existing literature, the same conclusion cannot be drawn for malignant tumors, given relatively small numbers in our series and likely disparity in the complexity of the surgical cases in tertiary care centers.

Comparative utility of vestibular function tests in patients with peripheral and central vestibular dysfunction.

Background: Bithermal caloric irrigation, video head impulse test (vHIT), and rotational testing are commonly used to assess peripheral vestibular function, but the relative clinical utility of each test in differentiating patients with peripheral vestibulopathy is debated. Objectives: To determine whether (1) the combination of two or more vestibular tests enhances diagnostic utility over a single test; (2) abnormal test results on vestibular tests correlate with one another. Methods: Retrospective analysis of data collected from multidisciplinary vestibular clinics at two academic medical centers from 2016 to 2022. Results: 150 patients (54.10 ± 15.09 years, 88 females) were included. No individual test was significantly better at predicting the presence of peripheral vestibular damage (p > 0.05). vHIT test results improved significantly when combined with either the caloric test (p = 0.007) or rotary chair test (p = 0.039). Caloric and rotational testing had high sensitivity (74.65% and 76.06%, respectively) and specificity (83.54% and 78.48%, respectively). vHIT demonstrated excellent specificity (89.87%) but poor sensitivity (47.89%). Caloric, vHIT, and rotary chair tests results did not correlate with one another (p > 0.05). Conclusions: Vestibular function tests have comparable diagnostic utility, yet each offers unique advantages. Caloric and rotational testing may be best suited for screening peripheral damage and vHIT may function ideally as a confirmatory test.

Point-of-care ultrasound scan as the primary modality for evaluating parotid tumors.

Objectives: This study aimed to explore ultrasonography as a single imaging modality for the initial assessment of parotid lesions compared to computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was performed on 264 parotid gland lesions evaluated in a dedicated point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) clinic with concurrent fine needle biopsy (FNB). Two hundred and nine of these lesions also underwent CT or MRI imaging. Histopathology results, when available, were recorded and compared to imaging impressions. Results: Surgeon-performed POCUS classified parotid masses accurately when compared to final histopathology (90/96, 94%). Using predefined criteria, POCUS determined the nature of parotid lesions more definitively than the descriptive CT or MRI radiology reports (p <.001). Sub-analysis showed that ultrasonography was able to distinguish between benign pathologies with high degree of accuracy (Warthin tumor-82%, pleomorphic adenoma-64%). Conclusions: POCUS can accurately distinguish between benign and malignant parotid lesions. POCUS may suffice as the only imaging study for benign lesions, obviating the need for additional cross-sectional imaging. This can be combined with fine needle or core biopsy in the same visit, resulting in expedient diagnosis, low cost, and lack of radiation exposure. Level of Evidence: 2b, individual cross-sectional cohort study.

Description of Clinician-Diagnosed Regression at Time of Autism Spectrum Disorder Diagnosis in Toddlers.

OBJECTIVE: Previous studies have reported varying rates of regression in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We sought to (1) determine the rate of clinician-diagnosed regression for young children with ASD and (2) compare developmental functioning and ASD symptoms of children with versus without regression. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective chart review of toddlers (age 18-36 months) with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-5 ASD. We abstracted cognitive, language, adaptive, and motor functioning standard scores and ASD core symptoms. Regression was defined as "clinician-diagnosed regression accompanied by recommendation for a medical workup." We used propensity scores to match each participant with regression (n = 20) one-to-one with a participant without regression (n = 20). We compared the groups on developmental scores using independent sample t tests and on core ASD symptoms using Pearson's χ 2 test. RESULTS: Of the 500 children with ASD, n = 20 (4%) had regression (defined above). Children with regression had lower Bayley cognitive and language scores and lower Vineland adaptive scores compared with those without regression (cognitive: 78.0 vs 85.5, p < 0.05; language: 56.9 vs 68.2, p < 0.01; adaptive: 70.0 vs 80.3; p < 0.01). There was no difference in motor scores across groups. There were no significant differences in the frequency of exhibiting core ASD symptoms for those with versus without regression. CONCLUSION: In this clinical sample of children with ASD, regression was diagnosed in a small percentage (4%). Those with regression had lower cognitive, language, and adaptive skills compared with those without regression. Rates of clinician-diagnosed regression referred for medical workup are significantly lower than prior estimates based on parent report.

Peer recovery coaches in general medical settings: Changes in utilization, treatment engagement, and opioid use.

Recovery coaches, trained peers with a history of substance use disorder (SUD) who are formally embedded in the health care team, may be a cost-effective approach to support outpatient management of SUD treatment. Although recovery coach programs are scaling nationwide, limited data exist to support their impact on costs or clinical outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate the integration of peer recovery coaches in general medical settings. Staff hired and trained nine recovery coaches as a part of a health system-wide effort to redesign SUD care. We examined reductions in acute care utilization and increases in outpatient treatment utilization among patients connected to a recovery coach. Additionally, we examined buprenorphine treatment engagement and opioid abstinence among a subset of patients who initiated buprenorphine prior to or within 30 days of their first recovery coach contact. We hypothesized recovery coach contact would strengthen outpatient SUD treatment and be associated with reductions in SUD severity and preventable acute care utilization. We included patients with an initial recovery coach contact between January 2015 and September 2017 in the main analyses (N = 1171). We assessed utilization outcomes via medical records over one year, comparing the six months before and after first recovery coach contact. We used chart review to extract toxicology results and buprenorphine treatment engagement for the subset of patients initiated on buprenorphine (n = 135). In the six months following recovery coach contact, there was a 44% decrease in patients hospitalized and a 9% decrease in patients with an ED visit. There was a 66% increase in outpatient utilization across primary care, community health center visits, mental health, and laboratory visits. Among patients who initiated buprenorphine, current recovery coach contact was associated with significantly increased odds of buprenorphine treatment engagement (OR = 1.89; 95% CI: 1.49-2.39; p < 0.001) and opioid abstinence (OR = 1.32; 95% CI: 1.02-1.70; p < 0.001). Recovery coaches may be an impactful and potentially cost-effective addition to an SUD care team, but future research is needed that uses a matched comparison condition.

Questioning a Previous Autism Spectrum Disorder Diagnosis: Can You "Lose" the Diagnosis?

CASE: Heidi is an almost 6-year-old girl presenting to your primary care office to establish care because of a change in insurance status. You review her previous medical records before seeing her.She was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) when she was 25 months old. Her parents were initially concerned about language delay. Through a comprehensive evaluation by a developmental-behavioral pediatrician and a child psychologist, including administration of the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development and the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, she was diagnosed with ASD. Her cognitive skills were reported to be within the average range. Soon after the diagnosis, she began receiving 20 hours of applied behavioral analysis (ABA) per week, as well as music therapy, occupational therapy, and a toddler playgroup through early intervention. Four months after the initial diagnosis, her parents reported that she had started making small improvements in her behavior, used more eye contact, and seemed more socially engaged. Approximately 1 year after the diagnosis, she was receiving 6 hours of ABA per week in addition to starting preschool with an Individualized Education Program. She reportedly continued to show progress with social communication and pretend play skills.At the age of 3 years, 8 months, neuropsychological testing was completed at her parent's request, and her cognitive skills and adaptive skills were reported to be within the average range. She continued to meet the diagnostic criteria for ASD, given her challenges with social awareness, communication, delayed play skills, decreased flexibility, and tendency toward subtle self-direction. She continued to receive speech/language therapy and attended an integrated preschool program within the school district because of her social and communication challenges. She also received ABA 4 hours weekly at home.During your first visit with Heidi, her parents report that she has continued to make progress in all areas, including social skills. She can engage in imaginary play with her friends, ask strangers questions, and comprehend the perspective of others, and she is no longer "rigid." She is not receiving services outside of school and is only receiving once weekly speech/language therapy in school. Her parents no longer believe that she meets the criteria for ASD, and they are interested in further evaluation. Her parents ask if it is possible to "lose" the diagnosis of ASD. They also want to know if there are other things to be concerned about for her future. How do you respond?