STI self-testing: ensuring representation and outreach to teens and adolescents in expanded approaches.

In our correspondence, we describe the results from a quality improvement survey in a sexual health clinic in North Carolina regarding attitudes and perceptions among adolescents and providers regarding specimen self-collection. We find that adolescents have high levels of acceptability for self-collection and confidence in their ability to self-collection; however, providers expressed hesitation regarding the ability of adolescents to self-collection. Our study shows that while self-collection may provide a way to expand testing access to difficult-to-reach populations, we must ensure that providers are confident in the corresponding results.

Self-sampling with oral rinse to detect oropharyngeal Neisseria gonorrhoeae among men who have sex with men: results from an exploratory study in Belgium (the SSONG Study).

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to assess whether a self-collected oral rinse was non-inferior to clinician-collected oropharyngeal swabs to detect Neisseria gonorrhoeae (Ng) using culture and nucleic acid amplification tests (NAAT) among men who have sex with men (MSM), and whether Ng may still be detected in oral rinses for a minimum of 5 days after collection. METHODS: MSM with a positive Ng result in an oropharyngeal or pooled sample (oropharynx, urethra and anorectum) were approached. Clinician-collected oropharyngeal swabs and oral rinses (15 mL sterile water) were taken. Ng culture and NAAT (Abbott 2000m RealTime System CT/NG assay and in-house PCR) were performed. Diagnostic accuracy was assessed using sensitivity and specificity, and agreement between both techniques using Cohen's kappa statistic. Aliquots of positive oral rinses were left at room temperature for a minimum of 5 days and reanalysed using NAAT. Lastly, participants filled in a questionnaire to explore perceptions of both methods. RESULTS: We included 100 participants between June 2022 and October 2023. 45 individuals (45 of 100) had a positive Ng result in either the oral rinses (42 of 45, 93%) or the swabs (36 of 45, 80%). Sensitivity was higher for oral rinses than swabs (sensitivity=0.93/0.80, specificity=1.0/1.0, respectively) and agreement between both techniques was good (kappa=0.75, p<0.001). Of the 42 positive oral rinses, 37 remained positive after a minimum of 5 days (88.1%). Using culture, 18 individuals had a positive Ng result in either the oral rinses (8 of 18, 44%) or the swabs (16 of 18, 88%). Most participants found the oral rinse easy or very easy to use and would be willing to use the oral rinse for home-based sampling. CONCLUSION: We detected more oropharyngeal Ng infections via NAAT using oral rinses than swab samples. However, swabs were better than oral rinses for culturing Ng. Oral rinses might allow for home-based self-sampling to detect oropharyngeal Ng.

Anorectal gonorrhoea and chlamydia among transgender women in Brazil: prevalence and assessment of performance and cost of anorectal infection detection and management approaches.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to determine the prevalence of anorectal Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) and Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) among transgender women in Brazil, and to assess the performance and costs of various approaches for the diagnosis and management of anorectal NG/CT. METHODS: TransOdara was a multicentric, cross-sectional STI prevalence study among 1317 transgender women conducted in five capital cities representing all Brazilian regions. Participants aged >18 years were recruited using respondent-driven sampling (RDS), completed an interviewer-led questionnaire, offered an optional physical examination and given choice between self-collected or provider-collected samples for NG/CT testing. Performance and cost indicators of predetermined management algorithms based on the WHO recommendations for anorectal symptoms were calculated. RESULTS: Screening uptake was high (94.3%) and the estimated prevalence of anorectal NG, CT and NG and/or CT was 9.1%, 8.9% and 15.2%, respectively. Most detected anorectal NG/CT infections were asymptomatic (NG: 87.6%, CT: 88.9%), with a limited number of participants reporting any anorectal symptoms (9.1%). Of those who permitted anal examination, few had clinical signs of infection (13.6%). Sensitivity of the tested algorithms ranged from 1.4% to 5.1% (highest for treatment based on the reported anorectal discharge or ulcer and receptive anal intercourse (RAI) in the past 6 months) and specificity from 98.0% to 99.3% (highest for treatment based on the reported anorectal discharge with clinical confirmation or report of RAI). The estimated cost-per-true case of anorectal NG/CT infection treated varied from lowest providing treatment for anorectal discharge syndrome based on the reported RAI ($2.70-4.28), with algorithms including clinical examinations decreasing cost-effectiveness. CONCLUSIONS: High prevalence of mostly asymptomatic anorectal NG and CT was observed among Brazilian transgender women. Multi-site NG/CT screening should be offered to transgender women. Where diagnostic testing capacity is limited, syndromic management for those presenting with anorectal symptoms is recommended.

Molecular detection of ceftriaxone resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae clinical specimens: a tool for public health control.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to validate and implement a rapid screening assay for molecular detection of the penA-60 allele that is associated with ceftriaxone resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae for use on both isolate lysates and clinical specimen DNA extracts. METHODS: A N. gonorrhoeae penA real-time (RT)-PCR was adapted to include a species-specific pap confirmation target and a commercially available internal control to monitor for PCR inhibition.The modified assay was validated using N. gonorrhoeae-positive (n=24) and N. gonorrhoeae-negative (n=42) clinical specimens and isolate lysates. The panel included seven samples with resistance conferred by penA alleles targeted by the assay and four samples with different penA alleles. The feasibility of using the penA RT-PCR for molecular surveillance was assessed using clinical specimens from 54 individuals attending a London sexual health clinic who also had a N. gonorrhoeae isolate included in the 2020 Gonococcal Resistance to Antimicrobials Surveillance Programme (GRASP). RESULTS: The assay correctly identified N. gonorrhoeae specimens (n=7) with penA-60/64 alleles targeted by the assay. No penA false negatives/positives were detected, giving the penA target of the assay a sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predicted values (PPV, NPV) of 100% (95% CIs; sensitivity; 56.1-100%, specificity; 93.6-100%, PPV; 56.1-100%, NPV; 93.6-100%).No cross-reactivity with other Neisseria species or other urogenital pathogens was detected. The N. gonorrhoeae target (pap) was detected in 73 out of 78 of the N. gonorrhoeae-positive specimens, resulting in 92.6% sensitivity (95% CI 83.0% to 97.3%), 100% specificity (95% CI 75.9% to 100%) and PPV, and a NPV of 89.4% (95% CI 52.5% to 90.9%). No penA-59/60/64 alleles were detected within the clinical specimens from the GRASP 2020 feasibility molecular surveillance study (n=54 individuals). CONCLUSION: The implementation of this PCR assay for patient management, public health and surveillance purposes enables the rapid detection of gonococcal ceftriaxone resistance conferred by the most widely circulating penA alleles.

Appropriateness of colonoscopies in a Tunisian endoscopy center: factors and EPAGE-I/II criteria comparison.

BACKGROUND: There is a growing demand for colonoscopy, worldwide, resulting in increased rate of inappropriate referrals. This "overuse" of colonoscopies has become a major burden for health care. OBJECTIVES: to assess the appropriateness of colonoscopies performed at the endoscopy unit of the university hospital of Sousse and to compare these results of appropriateness according to the European Panel of Appropriateness of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (EPAGE) I and EPAGE II criteria. PATIENTS AND METHODS: this cross-sectional study included all consecutive patients referred for a diagnostic colonoscopy, between January 2017 and December 2018. Patients referred for exclusively therapeutic indications, those with incomplete colonoscopies were not included. Patients with poor bowel preparation or missing data were also excluded. Indications were assessed using the EPAGE I and EPAGE II criteria. RESULTS: From 1972 consecutive patients, 1307 were included. Overall, 986 (75.4%) of all referrals were for out-patients. The majority of patients were referred by gastroenterologists (n = 1026 patients; 78.5%), followed by general surgeons (n = 85; 6.5%). The commonest indications were lower abdominal symptoms (275; 21%) followed by uncomplicated diarrhea (152; 11.6%). Relevant findings were present in 363 patients (27.7%). Neoplastic lesions were the dominant finding in 221 patients (16.9%). EPAGE I and EPAGE II criteria were applicable for 1237 (88.8%) and 1276 (97.7%) patients respectively. Hematochezia and abdominal pain recorded the highest inappropriate rates with both sets of criteria. Appropriate colonoscopies increased to 76.4% when EPAGE II criteria were applied; whereas uncertain and inappropriate procedures decreased to 10.3% and 10.9% respectively Appropriateness of indication was significantly higher in hospitalized patients. For the EPAGE II criteria, the specialty of the referring physician was also significantly associated to the appropriate use. The agreement between EPAGE I and EPAGE II criteria was slight using the weighted version of k (k = 0.153). CONCLUSIONS: The updated and improved EPAGE II guidelines are a simple and valid tool for assessing the appropriateness of colonoscopies. They decreased the inappropriate rate and the possibility of missing potentially severe diagnoses.

Preliminary assessment of portable sleep monitoring for diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea in children.

OBJECTIVE: By observing the differences in sleep parameters between portable sleep monitoring (PM) and polysomnography (PSG) in children, we aimed to investigate the diagnostic value and feasibility of PM in children with suspected obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). STUDY DESIGN: This prospective study enrolled consecutive children (aged 3-14 years) with suspected OSA in Shenzhen Children's Hospital. They had PSG and PM in the sleep laboratory. Clinical parameters of the two sleep monitoring methods were compared. RESULTS: A total of 58 children participated. They were classified into two groups according to age: 28 children aged 3 to 5 years and 30 children aged 6 to 14 years. No significant differences were observed in apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), lowest oxygen saturation (LSaO2), and mean oxygen saturation (MSaO2) between PM and PSG, but the sleep efficiency with PM was significantly higher (3-5 years age: 92.2 ± 11.3% vs 85.2 ± 14.3%, 6-14 years age: 93.2 ± 14.5% vs 84.8 ± 16.3%, both P < 0.05) than the sleep efficiency with PSG. Pearson correlation analysis indicated a strong correlation between AHI, LSaO2, MSaO2, and sleep efficiency measured by PSG and PM. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis showed that PM was a reliable diagnostic tool for OSA. PM has high sensitivity (3-5 years age: 95.8%, 6-14 years age: 96.3%) and low specificity (3-5 years age: 25.0%, 6-14 years age: 33.3%) for OSA in children. Thus, there is a low rate of missed diagnoses, but there is some inaccuracy in excluding children who do not have OSA. CONCLUSION: The results showed that PM has a good correlation with the various parameters of PSG. PM may be a reliable tool for diagnosing moderate and severe OSA in children, especially those who cannot cooperate with PSG or who have limited access to PSG.

Mental disorders in adults from Ribeirão Preto, Brazil: a cross-sectional analysis of two birth cohorts.

BACKGROUND: In Brazil, the prevalence of mental disorders is heterogeneous, with most studies conducted in large cities with high population density. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of mental disorders and psychiatric comorbidities among young adults (22-23 years old) and adults (37-38 years old) from Ribeirão Preto, a city located in the Northeast of the São Paulo state, with approximately 700,000 inhabitants, and to explore associations with sociodemographic variables, suicide risk, and health service usage. Second, we aimed to evaluate the performance of the Self-Report Questionnaire (SRQ-20) as a screening tool for mental disorders to be applied to the local population. METHODS: Participants from the 1978/1979 and 1994 Ribeirão Preto birth cohorts were evaluated using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) and the SRQ-20 at mean ages of 22-23, and 37-38 years, respectively. RESULTS: Our sample comprised 1,769 individuals from the 1978/1979 cohort and 1,037 from the 1994 cohort. The prevalence of mental disorders ranged from 28.6% (1978/79) to 31% (1994), with frequent comorbid diagnoses (42.7% and 43.3%, respectively). Men and women had a similar prevalence of mental disorders in the younger cohort, while women had a higher prevalence in the older cohort. Low educational attainment was associated with higher rates of diagnosis. In both cohorts, alcohol and other psychoactive substance use was higher among those with a psychiatric diagnosis. Although those with a psychiatric diagnosis were less satisfied with their own health, only one-fifth had seen a mental health professional in the previous year. A psychiatric diagnosis increased the suicide risk by 5.6 to 9.1 times. Regarding the SRQ-20, the best cutoff points were 5/6 for men and 7/8 for women, with satisfactory performance. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence and comorbidity of mental disorders were high in both cohorts and comparable to those in larger Brazilian cities. However, few individuals with a diagnosis had sought specialized care. These data suggest that the mental health gap is still significant in Brazil.

Comparison of actigraphy with a sleep protocol maintained by professional caregivers and questionnaire-based parental judgment in children and adolescents with life-limiting conditions.

BACKGROUND: Actigraphy offers a promising way to objectively assess pediatric sleep. Aim of the study was investigating the extent to which actigraphy used in children and adolescents with life-limiting conditions is consistent with two other measures of sleep diagnostics. METHODS: In this monocentric prospective study N = 26 children and adolescents with life-limiting conditions treated on a pediatric palliative care unit were assessed. For three consecutive nights they wore an actigraph; the 24-hours sleep protocol documented by nurses and the Sleep Screening for Children and Adolescents with Complex Chronic Conditions (SCAC) answered by parents were analyzed. Patient characteristics and the parameters sleep onset, sleep offset, wake after sleep onset (WASO), number of wake phases, total sleep time (TST) and sleep efficiency (SE) were descriptively examined. Percentage bend correlations evaluated the three measures' concordance. RESULTS: Descriptively, and except for the number of waking episodes, the different measures' estimations were comparable. Significant correlations existed between actigraphy and the sleep protocol for sleep onset (r = 0.83, p = < 0.001) and sleep offset (r = 0.89, p = < 0.001), between actigraphy and SCAC for SE (r = 0.59, p = 0.02). CONCLUSION: Agreement of actigraphy with the focused sleep measures seems to be basically given but to varying degrees depending on the considered parameters.

Non-invasive tests for endometriosis are here; how reliable are they, and what should we do with the results?

A reliable non-invasive biomarker for endometriosis is highly likely in the coming years. In the lead-up to this, clinicians need to be aware of commercially available tests as they become accessible, be aware of the level of evidence to support them and be prepared to counsel and manage patients who present with the results of such tests. One such test gaining popularity in Europe was developed using a machine-based learning algorithm to analyse thousands of microRNAs based on a 200-patient cohort with suspected endometriosis in France. We explore the background science for this commercially available test; outline the questions that remain to be answered; and caution against its use outside of a research setting.

Predictive values of indirect ultrasound signs for low risk of acute appendicitis in paediatric patients without visualisation of the appendix on ultrasound.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The ability to rule appendicitis in or out using ultrasound is limited by studies where the appendix is not visualised. We determined whether the absence of indirect ultrasound signs can rule out appendicitis in children undergoing a radiology-performed ultrasound in which the appendix is not visualised METHODS: This was a single-centre retrospective observational study of patients aged 3-13 with a clinical suspicion of acute appendicitis evaluated in a Paediatric Emergency Department in Spain from 1 January 2013 to 31 December 2019. For those patients who had formal ultrasound, direct and indirect findings of ultrasound were abstracted from the ultrasound report. The surgical pathology report was established as the gold standard in patients who underwent an appendectomy. In those who did not, appendicitis was considered not to be present if there was no evidence in their charts that they had undergone an appendectomy or conservative therapy for appendicitis during the episode. The main outcome variable was the diagnosis of acute appendicitis. For patients undergoing ultrasound, the independent association of each indirect ultrasound sign with the diagnosis of appendicitis in patients without a visualised appendix was analysed using logistic regression. RESULTS: We included 1756 encounters from 1609 different episodes. Median age at the first visit of each episode was 10.1 years (IQR, 7.7-11.9) and 921 (57.2%) patients were men. There were 730 (41.6%) encounters with an Alvarado score ≤3, 695 (39.6%) with a score 4-6 and 331 (18.9%) with a score ≥7. Appendicitis was diagnosed in 293 (17.8%) episodes. Ultrasonography was performed in 1115 (61.6%) encounters, with a visualised appendix in 592 (53.1%).The ultrasound findings independently associated with appendicitis in patients without a visualised appendix were the presence of free intra-abdominal fluid in a small quantity (OR:5.0 (95% CI 1.7 to 14.6)) or in an abundant quantity (OR:30.9 (95% CI 3.8 to 252.7)) and inflammation of the peri-appendiceal fat (OR:7.2 (95% CI 1.4 to 38.0)). The absence of free fluid and inflammation of the peri-appendiceal fat ruled out acute appendicitis in patients with an Alvarado score <7 with a sensitivity of 84.6% (95% CI 57.8 to 95.7) and a negative predictive value of 99.4% (95% CI 97.8 to 99.8). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with an Alvarado score <7 and without a visualised appendix on ultrasound but who lack free fluid and inflammation of the peri-appendiceal fat are at very low risk of acute appendicitis.

[The EAN-NeuPSIG guideline on the diagnosis of neuropathic pain-a summary]. / Die EAN-NeuPSIG-Leitlinie zur Diagnostik bei neuropathischen Schmerzen ­ eine Kurzfassung.

In this joint guideline of the scientific societies and working groups mentioned in the title, evidence-based recommendations for the use of screening questionnaires and diagnostic tests in patients with neuropathic pain were developed. The systematic literature search and meta-analysis yielded the following results: Of the screening questionnaires, Douleur Neuropathique en 4 Questions (DN4), I­DN4 (self-administered DN4), and Leeds Assessment of Neuropathic Symptoms and Signs (LANSS) received a strong recommendation, while S­LANSS (self-administered LANSS) and PainDETECT received weak recommendations for their use in the diagnostic workup of patients with possible neuropathic pain. There was a strong recommendation for the use of skin biopsy and a weak recommendation for quantitative sensory testing and nociceptive evoked potentials. The role of confocal corneal microscopy is still unclear. Functional imaging and peripheral nerve blocks are helpful in elucidating the pathophysiology, but current literature does not support their use in diagnosing neuropathic pain. In selected cases, genetic testing in specialized centers may be considered.

[Pitfalls in the diagnosis of house dust mite allergy]. / Tücken der Diagnostik der Hausstaubmilbenallergie.

House dust mite (HDM) is the most significant indoor allergen, responsible for not only many cases of rhinoconjunctivitis but also for many cases of bronchial asthma, rendering it of considerable socioeconomic relevance. Besides symptomatic treatment and avoidance measures, allergen immunotherapy (AIT) is crucial, as the only causal, disease-modifying therapeutic approach. However, high diagnostic certainty is essential for initiating AIT. The challenge in making a correct diagnosis lies in interpreting the demonstrated HDM sensitization regarding its clinical relevance (clinically silent sensitization vs. allergy). While the risk of allergy increases with the level of IgE titers against HDM extract, Der p 1, or Der p 2, as well as with the breadth of the molecular sensitization profile against HDM components (Der p 1, Der p 2, Der p 23), no threshold can be defined for the presence of allergy, nor can sensitization to a specific component be confidently considered allergy inducing. It should be noted that at least in Southern Bavaria, the prevalence of Der p 23 sensitization is too low to be considered a major allergen, and Der p 23 is not able to molecularly differentiate all HDM sensitizations when added to the two major allergens Der p 1 and Der p 2. Evidently, HDM possesses a diverse profile of allergens, with some relevant ones possibly yet to be described. Unfortunately, patient history does not provide a sufficient assessment of the clinical relevance of a demonstrated HDM sensitization, necessitating allergen provocation testing before initiating AIT with HDM, despite the relatively large effort involved.

Pathology requesting in a regional Australian Emergency Department; an observational study comparing current practice with college guidelines.

INTRODUCTION: In 2018, the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine (ACEM) and the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (RCPA) produced a guideline to encourage appropriate pathology requesting in the Emergency Department (ED). OBJECTIVE: To assess adherence to the ACEM/RCPA pathology testing guideline in a regional ED. METHODS, DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: This was a retrospective observational study conducted at a regional Australian ED over 7 days. Adults with a presenting complaint encompassed by the guideline were included. All blood tests were audited against the guideline recommendations and classified as indicated or non-indicated. Chi-squared analyses were performed to explore the association between presenting complaint and non-indicated testing. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The primary outcome was the number of non-indicated blood tests. RESULTS: Forty percent of tests ordered were not clinically indicated, with non-indicated testing occurring during 87% of encounters. The C-reactive protein (CRP) was the test most frequently ordered outside of guidelines (94% non-indicated). Patients presenting with lower abdominal pain accounted for nearly one-quarter of all non-indicated tests. CONCLUSIONS: Blood tests were commonly requested outside of the guideline recommendations and interventions to improve pathology stewardship are required.

A New Full Digital Workflow for Fixed Prosthetic Rehabilitation of Full-Arch Edentulism Using the All-on-4 Concept.

(1) Background: Recent digital workflows are being developed for full-arch rehabilitations supported by implants with immediate function. The purpose of this case series is to describe a new digital workflow for the All-on-4 concept. (2) Methods: The patients were rehabilitated using the All-on-4 concept with a digital workflow including computerized tomography scanning, intra-oral scanning, and CAD-CAM production of the temporary prosthesis, with the 3D printing of stackable guides (base guide, implant guide, and prosthetic guide). The passive fit of the prostheses and the time to perform the rehabilitations were evaluated. (3) Results: The digital workflow allowed for predictable bone reduction, the insertion of implants with immediate function, and the connection of an implant-supported prosthesis with immediate loading. The time registered to perform the full-arch rehabilitations (implant insertion, abutment connection, prosthesis connection) was below 2 hours and 30 min. No passive fit issues were noted. (4) Conclusions: within the limitation of this case series, the digital workflow applied to the All-on-4 concept using stackable base-, implant-, and prosthetic guides constitutes a potential alternative with decreased time for the procedure without prejudice of the outcome.

Environmental contamination by Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae: is it time to change our infection control practices? Results of a regional study.

OBJECTIVES: Nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) are highly sensitive for the detection of Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) DNA/ribosomal RNA (rRNA). Previous studies have demonstrated contamination of surfaces in sexual health clinics (SHCs) with CT/NG. False positive results can occur if patient samples are contaminated by environmental DNA/rRNA. This can have a dramatic impact on patients' lives and relationships. Previous attempts to reduce contamination, through staff training alone, have been unsuccessful. We aimed to investigate environmental contamination levels in SHCs and to assess a two-armed intervention aimed at reducing surface contamination. METHODS: Questionnaires were sent to 10 SHCs. Six clinics, with differing characteristics, were selected to participate in sample collection. Each clinic followed standardised instructions to sample surfaces using a CT/NG NAAT swab. Clinics were invited to introduce the two-armed intervention. The first arm was cleaning with a chlorine-based cleaning solution once daily. The second arm involved introducing clinic-specific changes to reduce contamination. RESULTS: 7/10 (70%) clinics completed the questionnaire. Overall, 88/263 (33%) swabs were positive for CT/NG. Clinics 1, 3 and 4 had high levels of contamination, with 28/64 (44%), 17/33 (52%) and 30/52 (58%) swabs testing positive, respectively. Clinics 2 and 6 had lower levels of contamination, with 7/46 (15%) and 6/35 (17%), respectively. 0/33 (0%) of swabs were positive at clinic 5 and this was the only clinic already using a chlorine-based solution to clean all surfaces and delivering twice-yearly clinic-specific infection control training. Following both intervention arms at clinic 1, 2/50 (4%, p<0.0001) swabs tested positive for CT/NG. Clinic 4 introduced each arm separately. After the first intervention, 13/52 (25%, p=0.003) swabs tested positive and following the second arm 4/50 (8%, p<0.0001) swabs were positive. CONCLUSIONS: Environmental contamination is a concern in SHCs. We recommend that all SHCs monitor contamination levels and, if necessary, consider using chlorine-based cleaning products and introduce clinic-specific changes to address environmental contamination.

Circulating Tumor Cells as Diagnostic Markers of Early Gastric Cancer and Gastric Precancerous Lesions.

INTRODUCTION: Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) may be potential diagnostic biomarkers of various malignancies including gastric cancer. This study aimed to evaluate whether CTCs could be used to facilitate the diagnosis of early gastric cancer (EGC) or precancerous gastric lesions. METHODS: The diagnostic study included consecutive patients with EGC, gastric precancerous lesions, or fundic gland polyps admitted to the Gastroenterology Department, Beijing Friendship Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University (National Center for Digestive Diseases) between October 2016 and January 2018. RESULTS: A total of 92 patients were enrolled, including 57 patients with EGC, 14 patients with gastric precancerous lesions, and 21 patients with fundic gland polyps (control group). CTCs were detected in 47.89% (34/71) of patients with EGC/gastric precancerous lesions and 4.76% (1/21) of patients with fundic gland polyps (p < 0.001). CTC detection distinguished EGC/precancerous lesions from fundic gland polyps with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.740 (95% confidence interval, 0.640-0.840; p = 0.001), a sensitivity of 49.10%, a specificity of 95.00%, a positive predictive value of 97.00%, and a negative predictive value of 64.90%. CONCLUSIONS: Peripheral blood CTCs are more common in patients with EGC or gastric precancerous lesions than in patients with fundic gland polyps. Measurement of CTCs may be a useful tool to aid in the diagnosis of EGC and precancerous lesions.

Diagnostic performance of computed tomography features in detecting oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma extranodal extension.

OBJECTIVES: Accurate pre-treatment imaging determination of extranodal extension (ENE) could facilitate the selection of appropriate initial therapy for HPV-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (HPV + OPSCC). Small studies have associated 7 CT features with ENE with varied results and agreement. This article seeks to determine the replicable diagnostic performance of these CT features for ENE. METHODS: Five expert academic head/neck neuroradiologists from 5 institutions evaluate a single academic cancer center cohort of 75 consecutive HPV + OPSCC patients. In a web-based virtual laboratory for imaging research and education, the experts performed training on 7 published CT features associated with ENE and then independently identified the "single most (if any) suspicious" lymph node and presence/absence of each of the features. Inter-rater agreement was assessed using percentage agreement, Gwet's AC1, and Fleiss' kappa. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values were calculated for each CT feature based on histologic ENE. RESULTS: All 5 raters identified the same node in 52 cases (69%). In 15 cases (20%), at least one rater selected a node and at least one rater did not. In 8 cases (11%), all raters selected a node, but at least one rater selected a different node. Percentage agreement and Gwet's AC1 coefficients were > 0.80 for lesion identification, matted/conglomerated nodes, and central necrosis. Fleiss' kappa was always < 0.6. CT sensitivity for histologically confirmed ENE ranged 0.18-0.94, specificity 0.41-0.88, PPV 0.26-0.36, and NPV 0.78-0.96. CONCLUSIONS: Previously described CT features appear to have poor reproducibility among expert head/neck neuroradiologists and poor predictive value for histologic ENE. KEY POINTS: • Previously described CT imaging features appear to have poor reproducibility among expert head and neck subspecialized neuroradiologists as well as poor predictive value for histologic ENE. • Although it may still be appropriate to comment on the presence or absence of these CT features in imaging reports, the evidence indicates that caution is warranted when incorporating these features into clinical decision-making regarding the likelihood of ENE.

Diagnostic performance of endoscopy for subsquamous extension of superficial adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction.

OBJECTIVES: Extension of adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction under the squamous epithelium may lead to errors when determining lateral margins. However, the characteristics of subsquamous extension are unclear. Herein, we evaluated the prevalence and characteristics of subsquamous extension of adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction and the diagnostic performance of endoscopy for this condition. METHODS: Eighty-nine consecutive patients with superficial adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction who underwent endoscopic or surgical resection at a tertiary cancer center between January 2010 and December 2017 were retrospectively evaluated. Endoscopic subsquamous extension was defined as a submucosal tumor-like elevation covered by squamous epithelium and/or a brownish area with abnormal microvessels on the squamous epithelium observed using narrow-band imaging. The diagnostic performance of endoscopy for subsquamous extension was evaluated using histological subsquamous extension as gold standard. RESULTS: Thirty-nine patients (44%) had histological subsquamous extension. Proton pump inhibitor use was significantly associated with histological subsquamous extension [odds ratio: 4.65; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.77-12.2]. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy of endoscopic subsquamous extension were 56% (95% CI: 40-72%), 96% (86-99%), 92% (73-99%), 74% (62-84%) and 79% (69-87%), respectively. The median length difference between histological and endoscopic subsquamous extension was 2 mm (range: -6 to 9 mm). CONCLUSIONS: The sensitivity of endoscopic diagnosis of subsquamous extension was unsatisfactory. The endoscopic length of subsquamous extension tended to be underestimated. An oral safety margin of one centimeter is reasonable during endoscopic resection of adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction.IMPACT STATEMENT This study will contribute significantly to the literature because this is the first study to determine the difference between the lengths of subsquamous extension detected endoscopically and histologically. This study determines the prevalence of subsquamous extension and identifies characteristics associated with subsquamous extension. An understanding of the risk of subsquamous extension is important when choosing a treatment strategy and planning the resection margins in patients with adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction. This study provides patients with subsquamous extension characteristics and suggests a method for accurately diagnosing this condition.

Clinicians' perceptions and practices of diagnostic assessment in psychiatric services.

BACKGROUND: Diagnostic assessment in psychiatric services typically involves applying clinical judgment to information collected from patients using multiple sources, including anamnesis and structured diagnostic interviews. Research shows that clinicians' perceptions of diagnostic assessment are associated with their diagnostic practices, and that perceptions and practices may vary according to clinician characteristics. Examining clinicians' perceptions and practices of diagnostic assessment is important for quality improvement in psychiatric services, including implementation of evidence-based practice procedures. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate clinicians' perceptions and practices of diagnostic assessment in psychiatric services and examine whether these perceptions and practices varied according to profession and age, with the aim of providing a basis for quality improvement. METHODS: A total of 183 (53.2%) clinicians in community-based adult psychiatric services in Stockholm, Sweden participated in an online survey. Differences between professions were analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis tests and effect sizes were calculated. Associations of clinicians' perceptions with their age were examined using Spearman correlations. RESULTS: Overall, clinicians had positive attitudes toward diagnostic assessment, and they considered themselves as competent. Differences were as most pronounced between nurses and other professions. Nursed had conducted fewer assessments, perceived themselves as less competent, and reported to a smaller extent to be able to determine which diagnosis should be the target for treatment in patients with multiple diagnoses. There were no associations of clinicians' perceptions with their age. Some potential areas of improvement were identified, including clinician qualifications, education in diagnostic assessment, and contents of diagnostic assessment. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study may provide a basis for quality improvement in psychiatric services. For example, it may be important to pay attention to potential differences in perceptions and practices between professions in efforts to improve quality of assessment and care.

Strategy for Accurate Diagnosis by Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound of Focal Liver Lesions in Patients Not at High Risk for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Preliminary Study.

OBJECTIVE: To develop an effective strategy for accurate diagnosis of focal liver lesions (FLLs) in patients with non-high risk for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: From January 2012 to December 2015, consecutive patients with non-high risk for HCC who underwent contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) were included in this retrospective double-reader study. All patients were stratified into 2 different risks (intermediate, low-risk) groups according to criteria based on clinical characteristics, known as clinical risk stratification criteria. For the intermediate-risk group, the CEUS criteria for identifying benign lesions and HCCs were constructed based on selected CEUS features. The diagnostic performance of the clinical risk stratification criteria, and CEUS criteria for identifying benign lesions and HCCs was evaluated. RESULTS: This study included 348 FLLs in 348 patients. The sensitivity and specificity of the clinical risk stratification criteria for malignancy was 97.8 and 69.8%. Patients were classified as intermediate risk if they were male, or older than 40 years of age, or HBcAb positive, or having positive tumor markers. Otherwise, patients were classified as low risk. Among the 348 patients, 327 were in the intermediate-risk group and 21 were in the low-risk group. In the intermediate-risk group, the CEUS criteria for identifying benign lesions were any of the following features: 1) hyper/isoenhancement in the arterial phase without washout, 2) nonenhancement in all phases, 3) peripheral discontinuous globular enhancement in the arterial phase, 4) centrifugal enhancement or peripheral enhancement followed by no central enhancement, or 5) enhanced septa. The accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of the CEUS criteria for identifying benign lesions were 94.5, 83.0, and 99.6%, respectively. Arterial phase hyperenhancement followed by mild and late washout (>60 seconds) was more common in HCC patients than in non-HCC patients (P < .001). Using arterial phase hyperenhancement followed by mild and late washout as the CEUS criteria for identifying HCCs, the sensitivity and specificity were 52.6 and 95.3%, but unfortunately, the positive predictive value was only 82.0%. For the low-risk group, no further analysis was performed due to the small sample size. CONCLUSIONS: Initial clinical risk stratification followed by assessment of certain CEUS features appears to be a promising strategy for the accurate diagnosis of FLLs in patients not at high risk for HCC.