Thymectomy may not be associated with clinical improvement in MuSK myasthenia gravis.

INTRODUCTION: A randomized trial demonstrated benefit from thymectomy in nonthymomatous acetylcholine receptor (AChR)-antibody positive myasthenia gravis (MG). Uncontrolled observational and histologic studies suggest thymectomy may not be efficacious in anti-muscle-specific kinase (MuSK)-MG. METHODS: The therapeutic impact of thymectomy was evaluated from data collected for a multicenter, retrospective blinded review of rituximab in MuSK-MG. RESULTS: Baseline characteristics were similar between thymectomy (n = 26) and nonthymectomy (n = 29) groups, including treatment with rituximab (42% vs. 45%). At last visit, 35% of thymectomy subjects reached the primary endpoint, a Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America (MGFA) post-intervention status (PIS) score of minimal manifestations (MM) or better, compared with 55% of controls (P = 0.17). After controlling for age at onset of MG, rituximab, prednisone, and intravenous immunoglobulin/plasma exchange treatment, thymectomy was not associated with greater likelihood of favorable clinical outcome (odds ratio = 0.43, 95% confidence interval 0.12-1.53, P = 0.19). DISCUSSION: Thymectomy was not associated with additional clinical improvement in this multicenter cohort of MuSK-MG patients. Muscle Nerve 59:404-410, 2019.

Rituximab as treatment for anti-MuSK myasthenia gravis: Multicenter blinded prospective review.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of rituximab in treatment of anti-muscle-specific kinase (MuSK) myasthenia gravis (MG). METHODS: This was a multicenter, blinded, prospective review, comparing anti-MuSK-positive patients with MG treated with rituximab to those not treated with rituximab. The primary clinical endpoint was the Myasthenia Gravis Status and Treatment Intensity (MGSTI), a novel outcome that combines the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America (MGFA) postintervention status (PIS) and the number and dosages of other immunosuppressant therapies used. A priori, an MGSTI of level ≤2 was used to define a favorable outcome. Secondary outcomes included modified MGFA PIS of minimal manifestations or better, mean/median prednisone dose, and mean/median doses of other immunosuppressant drugs. RESULTS: Seventy-seven of 119 patients with anti-MuSK MG evaluated between January 1, 2005, and January 1, 2015, at 10 neuromuscular centers were selected for analysis after review of limited clinical data by a blinded expert panel. An additional 22 patients were excluded due to insufficient follow-up. Baseline characteristics were similar between the rituximab-treated patients (n = 24) and the controls (n = 31). Median follow-up duration was >3.5 years. At last visit, 58% (14/24) of rituximab-treated patients reached the primary outcome compared to 16% (5/31) of controls (p = 0.002). Number needed to treat for the primary outcome is 2.4. At last visit, 29% of rituximab-treated patients were taking prednisone (mean dose 4.5 mg/day) compared to 74% of controls (mean dose 13 mg/day) (p = 0.001 and p = 0.005). CLASSIFICATION OF EVIDENCE: This study provides Class IV evidence that for patients with anti-MuSK MG, rituximab increased the probability of a favorable outcome.

Calcification of a hydrophilic acrylic intraocular lens after Descemet-stripping endothelial keratoplasty: case report and laboratory analyses.

We describe the case of an 83-year-old woman who had uneventful phacoemulsification with implantation of a tripod hydrophilic acrylic intraocular lens (IOL). Because of postoperative corneal decompensation, 2 Descemet-stripping endothelial keratoplasty (DSEK) procedures were performed within 2 years. After the second procedure, the graft was not well attached, requiring an intracameral injection of air on day 3. Approximately 9 months later, opacification was observed on the anterior surface of the IOL, with a significant decrease in visual acuity. The IOL was explanted within the capsular bag. Laboratory analyses revealed granular deposits densely distributed in a round pattern within the margins of the capsulorhexis. Granules were located at the anterior surface/subsurface of the IOL and stained positive for calcium (alizarin red and von Kossa method). Scheimpflug photography revealed high levels of light scattering from the opacified area. Surgeons should be aware of possible localized calcification following DSEK procedures in pseudophakic patients with hydrophilic acrylic IOLs.

American Joint Committee on Cancer T category for eyelid sebaceous carcinoma correlates with nodal metastasis and survival.

PURPOSE: To determine whether T category of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) TNM staging system for eyelid carcinoma, 7th edition, correlates with lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis, and survival in patients with sebaceous carcinoma of the eyelid. DESIGN: Retrospective, cohort study. PARTICIPANTS: Fifty consecutive patients treated by 1 author (BE) for eyelid sebaceous carcinoma between May 1999 and August 2010. METHODS: Each tumor was staged according to the AJCC 7th edition TNM criteria. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to determine associations between disease-specific survival and (1) T category at presentation, (2) lymph node metastasis, and (3) distant metastasis. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: T category at presentation, nodal metastasis, survival. RESULTS: The study included 37 women and 13 men (median age, 68.5 years; range, 44-86 years). Forty-four patients were white, 5 were Hispanic, and 1 was Asian. TNM designations were TXN0M0, 7 patients; T1N0M0, 4 patients; T2aN0M0, 12 patients; T2bN0M0, 11 patients; T2bN1M0, 2 patients; T2bN1M1, 1 patient; T3aN0M0, 2 patients; T3aN1M0, 5 patients; T3bN0M0, 1 patient; T3bN1M0, 1 patient; T3bN0M1, 2 patients; T4N0M0, 1 patient; and T4N0M1, 1 patient. T category at presentation was significantly associated with lymph node metastasis (P = 0.0079). No tumors with T category better than T2b or smaller than 9 mm in greatest dimension were associated with nodal metastasis. Five patients (10%) died of disease during follow-up. Their TNM designations were T2bN1M1, 1 patient; T3bN0M1, 2 patients; T4N0M0, 1 patient; and T4N0M1, 1 patient. No tumors smaller than 12 mm in greatest dimension were associated with distant metastasis or death. T category was significantly associated with disease-specific survival (P = 0.0009). Disease-specific survival was poorer among patients with T category of T3a or worse (P = 0.035). CONCLUSIONS: T category in the 7th edition of the AJCC TNM staging system for eyelid carcinoma correlates with outcomes in patients with sebaceous carcinoma of eyelid. On the basis of the present findings, it seems reasonable to recommend sentinel lymph node biopsy or at least strict regional lymph node surveillance for patients with eyelid sebaceous carcinoma with tumors of T category T2b or worse or 10 mm or more in greatest dimension.

Histologic features of conjunctival melanoma predictive of metastasis and death (an American Ophthalmological thesis).

PURPOSE: In conjunctival melanoma, tumor thickness and nonlimbal location are associated with poor prognosis. However, other established high-risk features for cutaneous melanoma, including ulceration, mitotic figures, epithelioid cell type, and lymphovascular invasion, have not previously been studied extensively for their prognostic value in conjunctival melanoma. We examined the hypothesis that these features also predict regional nodal metastasis and death in conjunctival melanoma. METHODS: The medical records of 44 of 46 consecutive conjunctival melanoma patients treated between June 2003 and December 2009 were retrospectively reviewed; tumor tissue was not available for the two excluded patients. Demographic and clinicopathologic features, including tumor location, tumor thickness, ulceration, mitotic rate, histology, lymphovascular invasion, and microsatellitosis, were reviewed. Outcome measures included regional nodal metastasis, distant metastasis, and death. RESULTS: Twenty-six women and 18 men had a median age of 62 years. Regional nodal metastasis occurred in 7 patients (16%) and distant metastasis in 9 (20%). Median follow-up was 40 months. At last follow-up, 10 patients (23%) had died of disease. Tumor thickness>2.0 mm, ulceration, and mitotic figure>1/mm2 predicted regional nodal metastasis and death from disease. In addition to these three histologic features, vascular invasion, epithelioid cell type, and microsatellitosis significantly predicted death from disease. Tumor location (bulbar vs nonbulbar) was not correlated with regional nodal metastasis or death. CONCLUSIONS: In conjunctival melanoma, as in cutaneous melanoma, thicker tumor, ulceration, and higher mitotic rate are correlated with regional nodal metastasis. In addition, lymphovascular invasion, epithelioid cell type, and microsatellitosis are correlated with melanoma-related death.

Barbershops as hypertension detection, referral, and follow-up centers for black men.

Barbershops constitute potential sites for community health promotion programs targeting hypertension (HTN) in black men, but such programs have not been evaluated previously. Here we conducted 2 nonrandomized feasibility studies to determine whether an enhanced intervention program of continuous blood pressure (BP) monitoring and peer-based health messaging in a barbershop lowers BP more than standard screening and health education (study 1) and can be implemented by barbers rather than research personnel (study 2). In study 1, we measured changes in HTN treatment and BP in regular barbershop customers with poorly controlled HTN assigned for 8 months to either an enhanced intervention group (n=36) or a contemporaneous comparison group (n=27). Groups were similar at baseline. BP fell by 16+/-3/9+/-2 mm Hg in the enhanced intervention group but was unchanged in the comparison group (P<0.0001, adjusted for age and body mass index). HTN treatment and control increased from 47% to 92% (P<0.001) and 19% to 58% (P<0.001), respectively, in the enhanced intervention group, whereas both remained unchanged in the comparison group. In study 2, barbers were trained to administer the enhanced intervention continuously for 14 months to the entire adult black male clientele (n=321) in 1 shop. Six barbers recorded 8953 BP checks during 11 066 haircuts, thus demonstrating a high degree of intervention fidelity. Furthermore, among 107 regular customers with HTN, treatment and control increased progressively with increasing intervention exposure (P<0.01). Taken together, these data suggest that black-owned barbershops can be transformed into effective HTN detection, referral, and follow-up centers. Further research is warranted.