Evaluating physical urban features in several mental illnesses using electronic health record data.

Objectives: Understanding the potential impact of physical characteristics of the urban environment on clinical outcomes on several mental illnesses. Materials and Methods: Physical features of the urban environment were examined as predictors for affective and non-affective several mental illnesses (SMI), the number and length of psychiatric hospital admissions, and the number of short and long-acting injectable antipsychotic prescriptions. In addition, the urban features with the greatest weight in the predicted model were determined. The data included 28 urban features and 6 clinical variables obtained from 30,210 people with SMI receiving care from the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM) using the Clinical Record Interactive Search (CRIS) tool. Five machine learning regression models were evaluated for the highest prediction accuracy followed by the Self-Organising Map (SOM) to represent the results visually. Results: The prevalence of SMI, number and duration of psychiatric hospital admission, and antipsychotic prescribing were greater in urban areas. However, machine learning analysis was unable to accurately predict clinical outcomes using urban environmental data. Discussion: The urban environment is associated with an increased prevalence of SMI. However, urban features alone cannot explain the variation observed in psychotic disorder prevalence or clinical outcomes measured through psychiatric hospitalisation or exposure to antipsychotic treatments. Conclusion: Urban areas are associated with a greater prevalence of SMI but clinical outcomes are likely to depend on a combination of urban and individual patient-level factors. Future mental healthcare service planning should focus on providing appropriate resources to people with SMI in urban environments.

Concurrent Excision of Dorsal Nasal Scars and Reduction Rhinoplasty: A Retrospective Cross-sectional Study.

Skin lesions and traumas can affect the skin by leaving scars. The purpose of this study was evaluating the results of a new technique in reconstructive surgery of scars on the nose. In this technique, extra skin remaining from reduction rhinoplasty is applied to the defect remained from removing the scar. METHODS: This is a retrospective cross-sectional study performed on 33 patients who underwent reduction rhinoplasty from 2013 to 2018 due to scars on the dorsal nasal skin. Five sets of standards, criteria, and questionnaires were used to evaluate the cosmetic outcomes, scars, and nasal function. These included the Cakir concept, visual analogue scale, patient reported outcome measurement, Stony Brook scar evaluation scale, and sino-nasal outcome test-22. RESULTS: According to the surface polygon concept, or Cakir concept, the number of affected polygons due to scars decreased in all included patients (P < 0.05). In addition, constant improvement in patients' satisfaction, based on patient reported outcome measurement (P < 0.001) and visual analogue scale (P ≤ 0.05), as well as physicians' satisfaction, based on Stony Brook scar evaluation scale, were determined. Furthermore, evaluating the patients' breathing, based on sino-nasal outcome test-22 criteria (P < 0.09), indicated no adverse effects. CONCLUSION: Excision of scars from dorsal nasal skin and conducting rhinoplasty surgery from the same access can be considered an option for reconstructing nasal scars.

Short-Term Efficacy of Epidural Injection of Triamcinolone Through Translaminar Approach for the Treatment of Lumbar Canal Stenosis.

BACKGROUND: Epidural steroid injection is a non-operative minimally invasive procedure for pain relief in spinal canal stenosis. However, there is no significant consensus regarding its efficacy. OBJECTIVES: In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of translaminar injection of triamcinolone in lumbar canal stenosis. METHODS: In a retrospective study, we included 111 patients with MRI-confirmed spinal canal stenosis who were irresponsive to 12 weeks of conservative treatment and underwent epidural injection of triamcinolone through the translaminar approach. Outcome measures were routinely checked before the intervention and four weeks after the intervention, which included the Visual Analog scale (VAS) for low back pain, VAS for lower-limb pain, and Oswestry Disability index (ODI). RESULTS: The study population included 32 (28.8%) males and 79 (71.2%) females with the mean age of 61 ± 13.4 years. The mean ODI, VAS for low back pain, and VAS for lower-limb pain significantly improved at the final evaluation session (P < 0.001, P = 0.001, and P < 0.001, respectively). The levels of improvement in ODI, VAS for low back pain, and VAS for lower-limb pain were considerably more in patients with single-level involvement (P < 0.001, P = 0.04, and P < 0.001, respectively). Improvement of lower-limb VAS was negatively correlated with age (r = -0.400, P < 0.001) and BMI (r = -0.525, P < 0.001). The ODI improvement was also negatively correlated with BMI (r = -0.569, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Epidural injection of triamcinolone through the translaminar approach could be regarded as an efficacious method for the alleviation of pain and disability in patients with spinal canal stenosis.

The Role of Spinopelvic Parameters in Clinical Outcomes of Spinal Osteotomies in Patients with Sagittal Imbalance.

BACKGROUND: Sagittal imbalance is known as the main radiographic driver of disability in adult spinal deformity (ASD). In this study, the association of radiological spinopelvic parameters and clinical outcomes was evaluated following the corrective surgery of sagittal imbalance, in order to explore the predictive ability of each parameter. METHODS: A total of 23 patients, who underwent corrective osteotomy for restoration of sagittal balance, were included in this study. The mean follow-up period of the patients was 15.5±2.1, ranging from 12 to 18 months. Pre- and postoperative radiological parameters including pelvic tilt (PT), sagittal vertical axis (SVA) and pelvic incidence minus lumbar lordosis (PI-LL) were assessed for each patient. Clinical outcomes were evaluated using Oswestry disability Index (ODI). RESULTS: The mean ODI improved 32% following the corrective osteotomy of sagittal imbalance. Postoperative ODI was significantly correlated with all preoperative radiological parameters (r=0.608, P=0.002 for PI-LL; r=0.483, P=0.01 for PT; and r=0.464, P=0.02 for SVA). ODI improvement was significantly correlated with PI-LL and SVA change (r=536, P=0.008 and r=416, P=0.04, respectively), but not with PT change (r=247, P=0.25). The outcome was better in pedicle subtraction osteotomy (PSO) compared to Smith-Petersen Osteotomy (SPO). CONCLUSION: Surgical correction of sagittal imbalance could limit the amount of disability caused by this misalignment. According to our results, while all the spinopelvic parameters could be used in the prediction of the outcomes of corrective surgery of sagittal imbalance, PI-LL was the most informative parameter and more attention should be devoted to this parameter.

A Survey of Vitamin D Status in Patients with Degenerative Diseases of the Spine.

STUDY DESIGN: Descriptive cross-sectional study. PURPOSE: To determine the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in patients with degenerative diseases of the spine about to undergo spinal surgery and the relations between such deficiency and potential risk factors. OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE: Vitamin D has a major role in musculoskeletal system health maintenance. Recently, studies on degenerative diseases of the spine have shown a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in patients undergoing spine surgery. METHODS: Serum levels of 25(OH)D were determined by an electrochemiluminescence detection assay. The other variables were determined through relevant questionnaires, and the data was analyzed through analysis of variance, t-test, chi-square and multivariate logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: A total of 110 patients were enrolled in the study. The mean serum level of 25(OH)D was 27.45±18.75 ng/mL, and 44.5% of patients showed vitamin D deficiency (25(OH)D<20 ng/mL), with an additional 17.3% of patients having a serum level of 25(OH)D that was insufficient (20≤25(OH)D<30 ng/mL). The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency was significantly higher in the younger age group compared to the older age group (p<0.001) and the ones without a history of taking vitamin D supplements (p=0.013). Compared to men, women showed significantly higher levels of vitamin D (p=0.029). CONCLUSIONS: A high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency is seen in patients with degenerative diseases of the spine. On the other hand, the conventional risk factors such as old age or female sex alone did not seem to be sufficient in determining the likelihood of deficiency. Thus, it is recommended that vitamin D deficiency prevention strategies comprise a broader spectrum of the population through which such degenerative diseases and their consequences may be prevented or delayed.

Evaluation of Patient Outcome and Satisfaction after Surgical Treatment of Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis Using Scoliosis Research Society-30.

BACKGROUND: Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) may lead to physical and mental problems. It also can adversely affect patient satisfaction and the quality of life. In this study, we assessed the outcomes and satisfaction rate after surgical treatment of AIS using scoliosis research society-30 questionnaire (SRS-30). METHODS: We enrolled 135 patients with AIS undergoing corrective surgery. Patients were followed for at least 2 years. We compared pre- and post-operative x-rays in terms of Cobb's angles and coronal balance. At the last visit, patients completed the SRS-30 questionnaire. We then assessed the correlation between radiographic measures, SRS-30 total score, and patient satisfaction. RESULTS: Cobb's angle and coronal balance improved significantly after surgery (P<0.001). The scores of functional activity, pain, self-image/cosmesis, mental health, and satisfaction were 27±4.3, 26±2.5, 33±5.2, 23±3.5, and 13±1.8, respectively. The total SRS-30 score was 127±13. Radiographic measures showed significant positive correlation with satisfaction and SRS-30 total scores. There was also a positive correlation between satisfaction and self-image/cosmesis domain scores. CONCLUSIONS: The greater the radiographic angles were corrected the higher the SRS-30 total score and patient satisfaction were. It is intuitive that the appearance and cosmesis is of most important factor associated with patient satisfaction.