Acute versus non-acute targeted muscle reinnervation for pain control following major limb amputation: A comparative study.

BACKGROUND: Targeted muscle reinnervation (TMR) has been shown to reduce phantom limb pain (PLP) and residual limb pain (RLP) after major limb amputation. However, the effect of the timing of surgery on pain control and quality of life outcomes is controversial. We conducted a retrospective study to compare the outcomes of acute TMR for pain prevention with non-acute TMR for the treatment of established pain. METHODS: All patients treated with TMR in our institution between January 2018 and December 2021 were evaluated at 6, 12, 18 and 24 months post-operatively. Pain intensity and quality of life outcomes were assessed using the Brief Pain Inventory (Pain Severity and Pain Interference scales) and Pain Catastrophizing Scale. Outcomes were compared between acute and non-acute TMR using the Wilcoxon ranked-sum test or Fisher's exact test as appropriate. Multilevel mixed-effects linear regression was used to account for repeat measures and potential pain confounders. RESULTS: Thirty-two patients with 38 major limb amputations were included. Acute TMR patients reported significantly lower RLP and PLP scores, pain interference and pain catastrophisation at all time points (p < 0.05). Acute TMR was significantly associated with lower pain severity and pain interference in a linear mixed-effects model accounting for patient age, gender, amputation indication, amputation site, time post-TMR and repeated surveys (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the complication rate (p = 0.51). CONCLUSION: Acute TMR was associated with clinically and statistically significant pain outcomes that were better than that in non-acute TMR. This suggests that TMR should be performed with preventative intent, when possible, as part of a multidisciplinary approach to pain management, rather than deferred until the development of chronic pain.

Anti-Asian Hate and the Health of Older Asian Individuals.

This qualitative study assesses the association of anti-Asian hate with older Asian individuals' health and the clinician's role in addressing hate incidents.

"Hate has chipped away at my sense of security": A survey study of the impacts of anti-Asian hate on the health of older Asians.

BACKGROUND: Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, older Asians have experienced a rise in racism and discrimination based on their race and ethnicity. This study examines how anti-Asian hate impacts older Asians' mental, social, and physical health. METHODS: From March 18, 2022 to January 24, 2023, we conducted a cross-sectional survey study of community-dwelling Asian/Asian American adults aged ≥50 years from the San Francisco Bay Area. Measures included perceptions of anti-Asian hate; direct encounters with hate incidents; indirect experiences with hate incidents (e.g. knowing a friend who was a victim); reports of anxiety, depression, loneliness, and changes in daily activities; ways to address these issues; and discussions with clinicians about hate incidents. RESULTS: Of the 293 older Asians, 158 (54%) were Vietnamese and 97 (33%) Chinese. Eighty-five (29%) participants were direct victims of anti-Asian hate, 112 (38%) reported anxiety, 105 (36%) reported depression, 161 (55%) reported loneliness, and 142 (48%) reported decreased daily activities. Compared with those who were "not-at-all" to "moderately" worried about hate incidents, participants who were "very" to "extremely" worried experienced heightened anxiety (42% versus 16%), loneliness (30% versus 14%), and changes in daily activities (66% versus 31%), p < 0.01 for all. Most participants (72%) felt comfortable discussing hate incidents with clinicians; however, only 31 (11%) reported that a clinician had talked with them about these incidents. CONCLUSION: Both directly and indirectly, anti-Asian hate negatively impacts older Asians' mental, social, and physical health. Clinicians have a role in addressing the health impacts of anti-Asian hate.

External validation in an Australian population of the EORTC-DeCOG nomogram predicting recurrence, distant metastasis and overall mortality in melanoma patients with positive sentinel lymph nodes.

BACKGROUND: Calculating an accurate prognosis for melanoma patients who have a positive sentinel node (SN) biopsy is important both for them and for their treating doctors to guide decision-making, particularly when adjuvant systemic therapy is being considered. The recently published EORTC-DeCOG nomograms aim to provide this via an online portal that predicts 5-year rates for recurrence, distant metastasis and overall mortality. The present study provides external validation of these nomograms. METHODS/MATERIALS: De-identified data from patients with a positive SN biopsy between 2003 and 2015 were extracted from the prospectively maintained Melanoma Institute Australia (MIA) research database. ROC-curves with C-statistics, regression co-efficients and Decision Curve Net Benefit analyses were performed using the integrated private validation portal on the nomograms' hosting platform (Evidencio). RESULTS: Complete data were available for 352 patients. The respective C-statistics for recurrence, distant metastasis and overall mortality nomogram validations were 0.68, 0.69 and 0.66. CONCLUSION: The performance of the nomograms in predicting recurrence and distant metastasis was similar in the MIA and the development populations, suggesting that they are robust. However, the overall mortality nomogram performance was significantly poorer in the MIA population (C-statistic 0.66) than in the original EORTC-DeCOG derivation cohort (C-statistic 0.70) and may therefore be less reliable for clinical use.

Lack of association between anatomical sites of scalp melanomas and brain metastases does not support direct vascular spread.

Primary scalp melanomas are associated with a higher rate of brain metastasis than primary cutaneous melanomas occurring at other head and neck and body sites, but the reason is unclear. Spread to brain parenchyma via emissary veins draining from the scalp to dural sinuses has been suggested. We sought to examine the locations of metastases from primary scalp and nonscalp head and neck melanomas to determine whether there was anatomical evidence supporting direct venous spread to the brain. Data from patients who developed distant metastases from cutaneous head and neck melanomas (CHNMs) between 2000 and 2018 were analyzed. Anatomical sites of primary scalp melanomas and their respective intracranial metastases were compared. Times to first brain and nonbrain metastases were investigated for scalp and nonscalp primary CHNMs. Of 693 patients with CHNMs, 244 developed brain metastases: 109 (44.7%) had scalp primaries and 135 (55.3%) had nonscalp primaries. There was no significant association between anatomical sites of scalp primary melanomas and brain metastases (Cramer's V = 0.21; Chi-square P = 0.63). Compared with nonscalp CHNMs, scalp melanomas had no greater propensity for the brain as the first distant metastatic site ( P = 0.52) but had a shorter time to both brain metastasis (76.3 vs. 168.5 months; P < 0.001) and nonbrain metastasis (22.6 vs. 35.8 months; P < 0.001). No evidence was found to support a direct vascular pathway for metastatic spread of scalp melanomas to the brain. The increased incidence of brain metastases from scalp melanomas is probably driven by aggressive biological mechanisms.

Biomarkers for the Early Diagnosis of Sepsis in Burns: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of all biomarkers studied to date for the early diagnosis of sepsis in hospitalized patients with burns. BACKGROUND: Early clinical diagnosis of sepsis in burns patients is notoriously difficult due to the hypermetabolic nature of thermal injury. A considerable variety of biomarkers have been proposed as potentially useful adjuncts to assist with making a timely and accurate diagnosis. METHODS: We searched Medline, Embase, Cochrane CENTRAL, Biosis Previews, Web of Science, and Medline In-Process to February 2020. We included diagnostic studies involving burns patients that assessed biomarkers against a reference sepsis definition of positive blood cultures or a combination of microbiologically proven infection with systemic inflammation and/or organ dysfunction. Pooled measures of diagnostic accuracy were derived for each biomarker using bivariate random-effects meta-analysis. RESULTS: We included 28 studies evaluating 57 different biomarkers and incorporating 1517 participants. Procalcitonin was moderately sensitive (73%) and specific (75%) for sepsis in patients with burns. C-reactive protein was highly sensitive (86%) but poorly specific (54%). White blood cell count had poor sensitivity (47%) and moderate specificity (65%). All other biomarkers had insufficient studies to include in a meta-analysis, however brain natriuretic peptide, stroke volume index, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, and cell-free DNA (on day 14 post-injury) showed the most promise in single studies. There was moderate to significant heterogeneity reflecting different study populations, sepsis definitions and test thresholds. CONCLUSIONS: The most widely studied biomarkers are poorly predictive for sepsis in burns patients. Brain natriuretic peptide, stroke volume index, TNF-alpha, and cell-free DNA showed promise in single studies and should be further evaluated. A standardized approach to the evaluation of diagnostic markers (including time of sampling, cut-offs, and outcomes) would be useful.

Comparative outcome analysis of osseointegrated reconstruction and replantation for digital amputations.

The long-term outcomes of osseointegration for digital amputations are not well established, and it is not known whether osseointegration can achieve similar function and patient satisfaction to conventional surgical options such as replantation and microsurgical toe transfer. We compared the long-term outcomes after digital osseointegration and replantation. Six patients treated by osseointegration and seven patients treated by replantation were included, with median follow-ups of 8 years and 4.6 years, respectively. Outcomes were assessed using the Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire, grip and pinch strength, range of motion, two-point discrimination, Semmes-Weinstein tests, Jebsen-Taylor Hand Function Test and clinical photography. Osseointegration was associated with poorer sensibility and range of motion than replantation; no other differences reached statistical significance. Long-term osseointegration is a safe and effective reconstructive option that can deliver excellent outcomes in appropriately selected patients.Level of evidence: IV.

Survival Outcomes of Salvage Metastasectomy After Failure of Modern-Era Systemic Therapy for Melanoma.

BACKGROUND: Metastasectomy for selected patients with melanoma was associated with improved survival in the era before effective systemic therapy. Emerging evidence shows that these benefits persist even in this era of BRAF-targeted therapy and immune checkpoint inhibitor immunotherapy. This study aimed to evaluate the outcomes of salvage metastasectomy after failure of systemic therapy. METHODS: Stage 3 or 4 melanoma patients with extracranial disease progression after at least 4 weeks of systemic treatment between 2009 and 2020 were identified and categorized as resected to no evidence of disease (NED), non-progressive residual disease (NPRD), or progressive residual disease (PRD). Systemic therapy was stratified into BRAF-targeted therapy, immune checkpoint inhibitor immunotherapy, or both. The end points of overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and locoregional disease control (LRC) were assessed using Kaplan-Meier curves. Uni- and multivariable Cox regression procedures were used to examine factors associated with OS, PFS and LRC. RESULTS: The study enrolled 190 patients. Among all the patients, the 5-year OS from metastatectomy was 52%, the 3-year PFS was 21%, and the 5-year LRC was 61%. After resection to NED, NPRD, and PRD, the 5-year OS values were 69%, 62% and 8%, respectively. Fewer lines of preoperative therapy, use of preoperative immunotherapy, and resection to NED were predictors of improved OS. After resection to NED, NPRD, and PRD, the 3-year PFS values were 23%, 24% and 10%, and the 5-year LRC values were 61%, 72% and 34%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Salvage metastasectomy was associated with durable survival and disease control, particularly after resection to NED, preoperative immunotherapy, and fewer lines of preoperative systemic therapy.

Community-Based Interventions and Individuals' Willingness to be a Deceased Organ Donor: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Widespread in-principle community support for organ donation does not necessarily translate to individuals becoming organ donors after death. Previous studies have identified factors that influence individuals' decisions to become organ donors, which may be effectively targeted by interventions. We aimed to describe and evaluate the effectiveness of community-based interventions to increase the willingness of individuals to be a deceased organ donor. METHODS: We systematically reviewed all randomized controlled trials (RCTs), non-RCTs (NRCTs), and before-after studies that assessed the impact of interventions on increasing the willingness to be a deceased organ donor (measured as commitment to donate and/or intention to donate). We searched MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, and CINAHL, without language restriction, to December 2013 and the reference lists of the included articles. We conducted a risk of bias assessment using the Cochrane risk of bias tools and assessed confidence in the evidence using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation framework. RESULTS: We identified 63 studies (11 RCTs, 8 cluster-RCTs, 4 NRCTs, 8 cluster-NRCTs, 27 before-after studies) with over 170,000 participants. Overall, the quality of the evidence was low. Participants who received a broad range of community-based interventions were more likely to commit as donors (7 cluster-RCTs; 6015 participants; relative risk, 1.70; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.22-2.36; I = 94%, P = 0.002), and had higher levels of willingness to donate (3 RCTs, 393 participants; standardized mean difference, 0.29; 95% CI, 0.01-0.56; I = 45%; P = 0.04) than those who did not receive the interventions, but not the intention to donate (315 participants; relative risk, 1.19; 95% CI, 0.94-1.51; P = 0.14). CONCLUSIONS: Community partnerships and active learning community-based interventions may be effective in increasing the commitment, but not intentions to donate. However, the overall risk of bias for was high, and this may have led to overestimation of the relative treatment effects of these interventions.