Quick COVID-19 Healers Sustain Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Production.

Antibodies are key immune effectors that confer protection against pathogenic threats. The nature and longevity of the antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 infection are not well defined. We charted longitudinal antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2 in 92 subjects after symptomatic COVID-19. Antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2 are unimodally distributed over a broad range, with symptom severity correlating directly with virus-specific antibody magnitude. Seventy-six subjects followed longitudinally to ∼100 days demonstrated marked heterogeneity in antibody duration dynamics. Virus-specific IgG decayed substantially in most individuals, whereas a distinct subset had stable or increasing antibody levels in the same time frame despite similar initial antibody magnitudes. These individuals with increasing responses recovered rapidly from symptomatic COVID-19 disease, harbored increased somatic mutations in virus-specific memory B cell antibody genes, and had persistent higher frequencies of previously activated CD4+ T cells. These findings illuminate an efficient immune phenotype that connects symptom clearance speed to differential antibody durability dynamics.

Does preoperative symptom duration affect outcomes following per oral endoscopic myotomy (POEM)?

BACKGROUND: Per oral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) is a safe therapy for the treatment of achalasia. Long-term effects of untreated achalasia include worsening dysmotility and disruptions in esophageal anatomy, i.e., tortuosity and dilation. We hypothesize that long-standing achalasia prior to intervention will have worse outcomes following POEM than in patients with symptoms for shorter duration. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed achalasia patients who underwent POEM at our institution from 2011 to 2023, categorizing them into symptom duration cohorts (< 1 year, 1-3 years, 4-10 years, > 10 years). Inclusion criteria comprised patients with documented achalasia diagnosis who received POEM treatment at our facility. Exclusion criteria encompassed individuals lacking data pertaining to achalasia diagnosis, the time frame before intervention, or those missing pre and postoperative Eckardt scores. POEM failure was defined as symptom recurrence, necessity for repeat intervention, or high postoperative Eckardt score. We compared demographic, preoperative, and postoperative outcomes across these cohorts, and employed multivariable logistic regression to explore the link between symptom duration and POEM response. RESULTS: During the study period, in our increased cohort 234 patients met inclusion criteria. 75 patients had symptoms for < 1 year, 78 patients had symptoms from 1 to 3 years, 47 patients had symptoms from 4 to 10 years, and 34 patients had symptoms > 10 years. Patient demographics such as age, sex, BMI, Charleson-Deyo-Comorbidity-Index, and diabetes did not differ amongst cohorts. High-resolution manometry data, including achalasia type, Median IRP, LES residual pressure, and Basal LES pressure did not differ between groups. Preoperative Eckardt scores ranged from 4 to 5 across groups (p 0.24). Patients endorsed an average of three total preoperative symptoms across groups (p 0.13). Patients with symptoms greater than 4 years had significantly more endoscopic interventions prior to POEM (37% vs, 68% p .001). There was no significant difference in post-procedure mean Eckardt scores between cohorts. All cohorts experienced the same number of post-POEM symptoms. Post-POEM manometric measurements remained consistent across cohorts. Similarly, there were no significant differences in terms of symptom recurrence, requirement for repeat interventions, or repeat POEM among the cohorts. Multivariable logistic regression analysis determined achalasia symptoms greater than a decade did not result in increased odds of having a higher postoperative Eckardt score, worse dysphagia, regurgitation, or weight loss. CONCLUSIONS: In this increased cohort, this data once again suggests that longer symptom duration is not associated with increased rates of POEM failure.

Symptom Duration and Resolution With Early Outpatient Treatment of Convalescent Plasma for Coronavirus Disease 2019: A Randomized Trial.

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) convalescent plasma (CCP) reduces hospitalizations among outpatients treated early after symptom onset. It is unknown whether CCP reduces time to symptom resolution among outpatients. METHODS: We evaluated symptom resolution at day 14 by trial arm using an adjusted subdistribution hazard model, with hospitalization as a competing risk. We also assessed the prevalence of symptom clusters at day 14 between treatments. Clusters were defined based on biologic clustering, impact on ability to work, and an algorithm. RESULTS: Among 1070 outpatients followed up after transfusion, 381 of 538 (70.8%) receiving CCP and 381 of 532 (71.6%) receiving control plasma were still symptomatic (P = .78) at day 14. Associations between CCP and symptom resolution by day 14 did not differ significantly from those in controls after adjustment for baseline characteristics (adjusted subdistribution hazard ratio, 0.99; P = .62). The most common cluster consisted of cough, fatigue, shortness of breath, and headache and was found in 308 (57.2%) and 325 (61.1%) of CCP and control plasma recipients, respectively (P = .16). CONCLUSIONS: In this trial of outpatients with early COVID-19, CCP was not associated with faster resolution of symptoms compared with control. Overall, there were no differences by treatment in the prevalence of each symptom or symptom clusters at day 14. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION: NCT04373460.

Impact of symptom duration and mechanical circulatory support on prognosis in cardiogenic shock complicating acute myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND: Mortality rates in patients with cardiogenic shock complicating acute myocardial infarction (AMICS) remain high despite advancements in AMI care. Our study aimed to investigate the impact of prehospital symptom duration on the prognosis of AMICS patients and those receiving mechanical circulatory support (MCS). METHODS AND RESULTS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study with data registered in the Netherlands Heart Registration. A total of 1,363 patients with AMICS who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention between 2017 and 2021 were included. Patients presenting after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest were excluded. Most patients were male (68%), with a median age of 69 years (IQR 61-77), predominantly presenting with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (86%). The overall 30-day mortality was 32%. Longer prehospital symptom duration was associated with a higher 30-day mortality with the following rates: < 3 h, 26%; 3-6 h, 29%; 6-24 h, 36%; ≥ 24 h, 46%; p < 0.001. In a subpopulation of AMICS patients with MCS (n = 332, 24%), symptom duration of > 24 h was associated with significantly higher mortality compared to symptom duration of < 24 h (59% vs 45%, p = 0.029). Multivariate analysis identified > 24 h symptom duration, age and in-hospital cardiac arrest as predictors of 30-day mortality in MCS patients. CONCLUSION: Prolonged prehospital symptom duration was associated with significantly increased 30-day mortality in patients presenting with AMICS. In AMICS patients treated with MCS, a symptom duration of > 24 h was an independent predictor of poor survival. These results emphasise the critical role of early recognition and intervention in the prognosis of AMICS patients.

Nasal and Plasma Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 RNA Levels Are Associated With Timing of Symptom Resolution in the ACTIV-2 Trial of Nonhospitalized Adults With Coronavirus Disease 2019.

Acute Coronavirus Disease 2019 symptoms limit daily activities, but little is known about its association with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 viral burden. In this exploratory analysis of placebo recipients in the ACTIV-2/A5401 platform trial, we showed that high anterior nasal RNA levels and detectable plasma RNA were associated with delayed symptom improvement. Clinical Trials Registration. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04518410.

The Effect of Macular Hole Duration on Surgical Outcomes: An Individual Participant Data Study of Randomized Controlled Trials.

TOPIC: To define the effect of symptom duration on outcomes in people undergoing surgery for idiopathic full-thickness macular holes (iFTMHs) by means of an individual participant data (IPD) study of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The outcomes assessed were primary iFTMH closure and postoperative best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA). CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Idiopathic full-thickness macular holes are visually disabling with a prevalence of up to 0.5%. Untreated BCVA is typically reduced to 20/200. Surgery can close holes and improve vision. Symptom duration is thought to affect outcomes with surgery, but the effect is unclear. METHODS: A systematic review identified eligible RCTs that included adults with iFTMH undergoing vitrectomy with gas tamponade in which symptom duration, primary iFTMH closure, and postoperative BCVA were recorded. Bibliographic databases were searched for articles published between 2000 and 2020. Individual participant data were requested from eligible studies. RESULTS: Twenty eligible RCTs were identified. Data were requested from all studies and obtained from 12, representing 940 eyes in total. Median symptom duration was 6 months (interquartile range, 3-10). Primary closure was achieved in 81.5% of eyes. There was a linear relationship between predicted probability of closure and symptom duration. Multilevel logistic regression showed each additional month of duration was associated with 0.965 times lower odds of closure (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.935-0.996, P = 0.026). Internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling, ILM flap use, better preoperative BCVA, face-down positioning, and smaller iFTMH size were associated with increased odds of primary closure. Median postoperative BCVA in eyes achieving primary closure was 0.48 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) (20/60). Multilevel logistic regression showed for eyes achieving primary iFTMH closure, each additional month of symptom duration was associated with worsening BCVA by 0.008 logMAR units (95% CI, 0.005-0.011, P < 0.001) (i.e., ∼1 Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study letter loss per 2 months). ILM flaps, intraocular tamponade using long-acting gas, better preoperative BCVA, smaller iFTMH size, and phakic status were also associated with improved postoperative BCVA. CONCLUSIONS: Symptom duration was independently associated with both anatomic and visual outcomes in persons undergoing surgery for iFTMH. Time to surgery should be minimized and care pathways designed to enable this.

Symptom duration is not associated with per oral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) failure.

INTRODUCTION: Per oral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) is a relatively novel technique to address achalasia; however, little is known about the efficacy of POEM for patients with long-standing achalasia. We hypothesize that patients with long-standing achalasia prior to intervention will be more recalcitrant to POEM than patients with symptoms for a short duration. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of patients with achalasia who received a POEM at a single institution from 2012 to 2022. Patients were grouped into cohorts based on the time of symptom duration: < 1 year, 1-3 years, 4-10 years, > 10 years. POEM failure was defined as need for repeat intervention, symptom recurrence, and a high postoperative Eckart score. Demographic and clinical data were compared between cohorts. Measures of failure multivariable logistic regression analyzed the association between symptom duration and response to POEM. RESULTS: During the study period, 132 patients met inclusion criteria. Patient age at surgery, sex, BMI, Charleston-Deyo Comorbidity Index, and patients with diabetes with and without end organ complications, connective tissue diseases, and patients with ulcer diseases did not differ among cohorts. Patients who have had symptoms for greater than 10 years had significantly more endoscopic interventions prior to their POEM (30% vs, 60% p = 0.002). Patients in all cohorts experienced the same number of symptoms post-POEM. Manometric measurements did not vary across cohorts after POEM. Symptom recurrence, need for repeat endoscopic intervention, repeat surgical intervention, or repeat POEM also did not vary across cohorts. Having symptoms of achalasia > 10 years did not increase the odds POEM failure on multivariable logistical regression. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that longer symptom duration is not associated with increased rates of POEM failure. This is promising as clinicians should not exclude patients for POEM eligibility based on duration of symptoms alone.

Clinical characteristics and illness course based on pathogen among children with respiratory illness presenting to an emergency department.

Upper respiratory illnesses due to viruses are the most common reason for pediatric emergency department (ED) visits in the United States. We explored the clinical characteristics, hospitalization risk, and symptom duration of children in an ED setting by respiratory pathogen including coinfections. A retrospective analysis was conducted from a randomized controlled trial evaluating a rapid molecular pathogen panel among 931 children 1 month to 18 years of age with acute respiratory illness. We assessed hospitalization risk by pathogen using multivariable Poisson regression with robust variance. Symptom duration was assessed using multivariable Cox proportional hazards models. Among 931 children, 702 (75%) were aged 0-5 years and 797 (85%) tested positive for a respiratory pathogen. Children with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), human metapneumovirus (hMPV), and human rhinovirus/enterovirus (HRV/EV) had higher hospitalization risk compared with influenza (adjusted risk ratio [aRR]: 2.95, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.17-7.45; 3.56, 95% CI: 1.05-12.02; aRR: 2.58, 95% CI: 1.05-6.35, respectively). Children with RSV, parainfluenza and atypical bacterial pathogens had longer illness duration compared with influenza (adjusted hazards ratio [aHR]: 2.16 95% CI: 1.41-3.29; aHR: 1.67, 95% CI:1.06-2.64; aHR: 2.60 95% CI: 1.30-5.19, respectively). Children with RSV, hMPV, and atypical bacterial pathogens had higher illness severity and duration compared with other respiratory pathogens. Coinfection was not associated with increased illness severity.

Symptom duration predicts inferior mid-term outcomes following hip arthroscopy.

INTRODUCTION: Studies have demonstrated a negative relationship between the length of time with symptoms and patient-reported outcome measures in primary hip arthroscopy. Our aim was to expand the generalizability of this finding with a multi-center cohort. METHODS: A multi-center hip arthroscopy registry was queried for patients undergoing primary hip arthroscopy from 2014 to 2017. Patients were stratified according to whether pre-operative symptom duration exceeded two years or did not exceed two years. A Wilcoxon rank sum test was performed for differences in two year post-operative outcome scores. Logistic regression models analyzed the influence of symptom duration on achieving clinically meaningful thresholds (minimum clinically important difference, patient-acceptable symptom state, substantial clinical benefit) when controlling for baseline scores, age, BMI, and sex. RESULTS: Seven hundred forty-four patients met the inclusion criteria, from which 620 had complete outcomes information. The mean ± SD 2-year iHOT-12 scores of patients with symptom duration greater than two years (69 ± 26) were significantly lower than patients with symptom duration less than two years (77 ± 23) (Dunn test, p < 0.001). Chronic duration of pain was a negative predictor of achieving iHOT-12 MCID (0.47 [0.31-0.72]), PASS (0.53 [0.37-0.76]), and SCB (0.67 [0.47-0.94]). CONCLUSION: When controlling for differences in baseline demographic factors and pre-operative iHOT-12 scores, patients with chronic pain report poorer functional outcomes at mid-term follow-up. These results suggest that chronic pain predicts inferior outcomes from primary hip arthroscopy and that surgical intervention at earlier time points may be beneficial in achieving better outcomes.

Factors that may delay disappearance of trigeminal neuralgia after percutaneous balloon compression.

INTRODUCTION: We set out to explore the factors that may affect delayed disappearance (DD) of trigeminal neuralgia (TN) after percutaneous balloon compression (PBC). MATERIAL AND METHODS: PBC was undergone by 221 patients with TN (95 male, 126 female) aged 33-89 years (mean 65). Delayed disappearance after surgery occurred in 59 patients. Follow-up continued until pain disappeared. RESULTS: A total of 221 patients, with an overall effective rate of 98.19%, including 59 patients with DD (26.70%), 158 patients with non-DD (71.49%), and four patients without relief, were included in this study. The time of delayed disappearance ranged from two to 30 days after surgery, with an average of c.9 days. Factors related to delayed disappearance included symptom duration (≥ 8 years), history of radiofrequency thermocoagulation, diabetes mellitus, herpes zoster, pain involving V2, and non-pear-shaped balloon. These were independent influencing factors (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: PBC is a safe and effective surgical method for treating TN. Delayed disappearance is a common phenomenon after surgery, and is influenced by many factors.

Prevalence of skeletal-related events in hormone-naive prostate cancer in a low resource setting.

Background: Presentation with symptoms of advanced prostate cancer is prevalent in developing societies. The objective of this study was to determine the rate of and factors associated with skeletal-related events (SREs) at presentation with hormone-naïve prostate cancer. Methods: Records of 331 consecutive prostate cancer patients from January 2009 to April 2018 were reviewed. The prevalence of SRE at the presentation was determined. In addition, the relationships between SRE and age of patient, duration of clinical features, serum total prostate-specific antigen (tPSA) and biopsy Gleason score (GS) at presentation were evaluated. Analyses were done with IBM SPSS® version 25. Results: Mean age was 69.8 ± 8.0 years. While 43.8% of patients had lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) only, 51.4% had LUTS and other features of disease progression. Only 2.1% of the cases were confirmed from screen detection of elevated serum tPSA. SREs were observed in 11.8% at first presentations with hormone-naïve prostate cancer. Symptom duration (odds ratio [OR] 0.94; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.90-0.99; P = 0.02), anaemia that could not be attributed to gross haematuria or external blood loss (OR 9.6; 95% CI 3.12-29.52; P < 0.001) and transrectal biopsy GS (OR 1.61; 95% CI 1.17-2.22; P = 0.003 ) were significantly associated with SREs at presentation with hormone-naïve prostate cancer. Conclusions: Evidence exists that patients who present with SREs from more aggressive prostate cancers may have had more rapid symptom progression, but not a longer delay before presentation.

Symptom Profiles and Progression in Hospitalized and Nonhospitalized Patients with Coronavirus Disease, Colorado, USA, 2020.

To improve recognition of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and inform clinical and public health guidance, we randomly selected 600 COVID-19 case-patients in Colorado. A telephone questionnaire captured symptoms experienced, when symptoms occurred, and how long each lasted. Among 128 hospitalized patients, commonly reported symptoms included fever (84%), fatigue (83%), cough (73%), and dyspnea (72%). Among 236 nonhospitalized patients, commonly reported symptoms included fatigue (90%), fever (83%), cough (83%), and myalgia (74%). The most commonly reported initial symptoms were cough (21%-25%) and fever (20%-25%). In multivariable analysis, vomiting, dyspnea, altered mental status, dehydration, and wheezing were significantly associated with hospitalization, whereas rhinorrhea, headache, sore throat, and anosmia or ageusia were significantly associated with nonhospitalization. General symptoms and upper respiratory symptoms occurred earlier in disease, and anosmia, ageusia, lower respiratory symptoms, and gastrointestinal symptoms occurred later. Symptoms should be considered alongside other epidemiologic factors in clinical and public health decisions regarding potential COVID-19 cases.

Clinical and epidemiological data of COVID-19 from Regensburg, Germany: a retrospective analysis of 1084 consecutive cases.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 is a syndrome caused by the recently emerged SARS-CoV-2. We collected clinical and epidemiologic data in an almost complete cohort of SARS-CoV-2 positive individuals from Regensburg, Germany, from March 2020 to May 2020. METHODS: Analysis of a retrospectively documented cohort of consecutive COVID-19 cases recorded between March 7, 2020 and May 24, 2020 as part of an infection control investigation program, with prospective follow-up interviews gathering information on type and duration of symptoms and COVID-19 risk factors until June 26, 2020. RESULTS: Of 1089 total cases, 1084 (99.5%) cases were included. The incidence during the time period was 315.4/100,000, lower than in the superordinate government district Oberpfalz (468.5/100,000) and the overall state of Bavaria (359.7/100,000). The case fatality ratio (CFR) was 2.1%. Among fatal cases, the mean age was 74.4 years and 87% presented with known risk factors, most commonly chronic heart disease, chronic lung disease, kidney disease, and diabetes mellitus. 897 cases (82.7%) showed at least one symptom, most frequently cough (45%) and fever (41%). Further, 18% of cases suffered from odour/taste disorder. 17% of total cases reported no symptoms. The median duration of general illness was 10 days. During follow-up, 8.9% of 419 interviewed cases reported at least one symptom lasting at least 6 weeks, and fatigue was the most frequent persistent symptom. DISCUSSION: We report data on type and duration of symptoms, and clinical severity of nearly all (99.5%) patients with SARS-CoV-2 recorded from March 2020 to May 2020 in Regensburg. A broad range of symptoms and symptom duration was seen, some of them lasting several weeks in a considerable number of cases. The case-fatality ratio was 2.1%. Asymptomatic cases may be underrepresented due to the nature of the study.

Trapeziometacarpal Joint Arthritis: Is Duration of Symptoms a Predictor of Surgical Outcomes?

PURPOSE: Great effort has been placed on determining the optimal surgical treatment for trapeziometacarpal joint arthritis (TMA). However, a paucity of literature exists concerning the optimal timing of surgical intervention. We hypothesized that an increased duration of TMA symptoms before operative intervention would negatively affect surgical outcomes. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review on 109 adult patients with 121 joints with symptomatic TMA treated with trapeziectomy and ligament reconstruction with tendon interposition (LRTI) from 2006 to 2017. Outcome measures included Quick-Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (QuickDASH) score, complication rates, and surgical revision rates. RESULTS: Among 109 patients, average QuickDASH score at initial presentation was 41.1 ± 17.9. Patients had symptoms of TMA for an average of 3.2 years (median, 2.1 years) before undergoing operative intervention. Patients were divided into 2 groups: those with symptoms less than 2 years and those with symptoms greater than 2 years. Patients who underwent LRTI after less than 2 years of symptoms achieved a significantly greater degree of improvement in the QuickDASH score compared with patients with symptoms greater than 2 years (26.2 vs 5.3). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with less than 2 years of symptomatic TMA before LRTI can expect the greatest improvement in patient-reported disability impairment compared with those with more than 2 years of symptoms. This can be used to counsel patients regarding the optimal timing of surgery if nonsurgical treatment has failed to provide durable symptomatic relief. TYPE OF STUDY/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic IV.

You get used to it, or do you: symptom length predicts less fibromyalgia physical impairment, but only for those with above-average self-efficacy.

To determine whether the effects of symptom duration on fibromyalgia physical impairment are moderated by symptom self-efficacy, data from 572 female participants, who were members of a large health maintenance organization and had a diagnosis of fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) were assessed. Age, symptom duration, history of physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, fibromyalgia-specific self-efficacy (Arthritis Self-Efficacy Scale adapted for FMS [ASES]), depression (Centers for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale [CES-D]), fibromyalgia physical impairment (Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire [FIQ]), and pain (McGill Present Pain Index [PPI]) were measured five times across 18 months. Linear regressions were performed to predict baseline FIQ and PPI cross-sectionally. Of primary interest was a hypothesized interaction between ASES and symptom duration, which was significant in relation to FIQ but not PPI. Multilevel mixed models were performed to determine whether the same pattern existed longitudinally controlling for baseline symptom duration as an effect of time and ASES. The interaction was significant in the models for both FIQ and PPI. These results suggest that the effects of age and symptom duration on FMS are unique, and that self-efficacy plays a crucial role in moderating disease course (measured by symptom duration or time) in FMS.

[Self-assessment of treatment urgency on presentation to a neurological emergency department : Results of a patient survey]. / Selbsteinschätzung der Behandlungsdringlichkeit bei Vorstellung in einer neurologischen Notfallambulanz : Ergebnisse einer Patientenbefragung.

BACKGROUND: The proportion of patients with neurological disorders as well as the absolute number of patients in German emergency departments is rising. OBJECTIVE: This article presents the results of a survey among patients with self-referral to a dedicated neurological emergency department (ED). We sought to find out if the individual evaluation of urgency for treatment was comparable for patients and physicians. METHODS: During a prospective trial to validate a new and specific neurological triage system over a time period of three months (October 2015 to January 2016), patients who presented themselves to the ED were handed a questionnaire and asked to provide information on the symptoms, including duration and the subjective urgency for evaluation by a physician (priority 1-4, 1 = emergency, 4 = elective). The results were descriptively evaluated and the subjective assessment of urgency was compared to the physicians' evaluation. RESULTS: From a total of 836 questionnaires, handed out to each patient with self-referral to the neurological ED, 528 (63%) were returned and analyzed. The most common symptoms were headaches, vertigo, paralysis and sensory deficits. In 24% of the patients the symptoms had lasted less than 24 h, while in 35% the symptoms had persisted for over 1 week. Over half of the patients (55%) indicated that the symptoms needed an emergency evaluation by a physician, while only 3% actually required immediate medical attention according to the retrospective assessment by physicians. This discrepancy was similar even after classification into symptoms and symptom duration. Only 2.6% of the patients stated that the reason for presenting to the ED was the inability to obtain an outpatient appointment. DISCUSSION: Patients regarded their symptoms as being a medical emergency much more often than physicians did. This was independent of the symptoms and their duration. An objective triage for patients in an ED is necessary.

Outer nuclear layer thickness at the central fovea relation with symptom duration in central serous chorioretinopathy.

PURPOSE: To evaluate a relation between the outer nuclear layer (ONL) thickness and symptom duration in patients with central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) using spectraldomain optical coherence tomography (SDOCT) and to compare with healthy subjects. METHODS: This retrospective study included 67 CSC patients and 20 healthy subjects. The ONL thickness was measured between internal limiting membrane and external limiting membrane at central fovea using SD-OCT (Topcon 3D OCT-2000, Japan). The patients were divided into six groups based on symptom duration: group (1) contained 14 patients (symptom duration between 1 and 30 days) , group (2) contained 11 patients (symptom duration between 31 and 60 days), group (3) contained 12 patients (symptom duration between 61 and 90 days) , group (4) contained 11 (symptom duration between 91 and 120 days), group (5) contained 7 patients (symptom duration between 121 and 150 days) and group (6) contained 12 (symptom duration between 151 days and more). RESULTS: The average ONL thickness was 76.1 ± 16.8 µm in CSC in all patients and 122.4 ± 2.8 µm in healthy subjects. The major differences were between group (3) and (4) (p < 0.001). The ONL thickness was negatively correlated with symptom duration (rs = - 0.918; p< 0.001). In addition, the ONL thickness was positively correlated with BCVA (rs = 0.619; p< 0.001). CONCLUSION: Photoreceptor loss could begin within the first 3 months in CSC.

The impact of duration on the recurrence of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment: optimal cutoff value.

PURPOSE: To assess the impact of symptom duration on the recurrence of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) and to determine the threshold symptom duration for recurrence. PATIENT AND METHODS: In this non-comparative, observational case series, a retrospective evaluation was made of the records of patients with RRD at baseline and during the postoperative follow-up period, in respect of postoperative anatomic outcome, prognostic factors for recurrent retinal detachment and the cutoff value of symptom duration. RESULTS: Recurrent retinal detachment was detected in 33 (17.8%) of 185 patients following primary retinal detachment surgery. The surgery type in phakic patients and preoperative symptom duration had a significantly high odds ratio for evidence of surgical failure. According to the ROC analysis, the threshold preoperative symptom duration was 20.5 days. CONCLUSION: Our results showed that early reattachment surgery is necessary to lower the risk of retinal redetachment. The threshold at which RRD recurrence significantly increases is 20.5 days.

Concussion clinic presentation and symptom duration for pediatric sports-related concussions following Ohio concussion law.

In 2013, Ohio enacted a law to mitigate consequences of pediatric sports-related concussions. This study aimed to describe changes in clinic visits and symptom duration for pediatric sports-related concussions before and after this law. 3,133 new visits by 2,861 unique patients (10-18 years) presenting between April 2012 and April 2015 for sports-related concussions within 30 days of injury were included. There were 937 (29.9%), 1,132 (36.1%) and 1,064 (34.0%) concussion visits for pre-law, immediate-post law, and post-law periods, respectively. A greater proportion of concussion visits was observed among females from pre-law to post-law (P < 0.0001). No differences were observed across the three periods in symptom scores at injury (P = 0.5028) or at first clinic visit (P = 0.5686). However, patients presented to concussion clinics significantly earlier (17.6 vs. 22.8 days, P < 0.0001) and had quicker recovery (26.5 vs. 40.6 days, P < 0.0001) post-law than pre-law.

Controlled, cross-sectional, multi-center study of physical capacity and associated factors in women with fibromyalgia.

BACKGROUND: Health and physical capacity are commonly associated with disease, age, and socioeconomic factors. The primary objective of this study was to investigate the degree to which physical capacity, defined as muscle strength and walking ability, is decreased in women with fibromyalgia (FM), as compared to healthy women, who are matched for age and level of education. The secondary aim was to investigate whether muscle strength and walking ability are associated with age, symptom duration, activity limitations and, Body Mass Index (BMI) in women with FM and control subjects. METHODS: This controlled, cross-sectional, multi-center study comprised 118 women with FM and 93 age- and education-level-matched healthy women. The outcome measures were isometric knee-extension force, isometric elbow-flexion force, isometric hand-grip force, and walking ability. Differences between the groups were calculated, and for the women with FM analyses of correlations between the measures of physical capacity and variables were performed. RESULTS: The women with FM showed 20% (p < 0.001) lower isometric knee-extension force, 36% (p < 0.001) lower isometric elbow-flexion force, 34% (p < 0.001) lower isometric hand-grip force, and 16% lower walking ability (p < 0.001), as compared to the healthy controls. All measures of muscle strength in women with FM showed significant weak to moderate relationship to symptom duration (rs = - 0.23-0.32) and walking ability (rs = 0.25-0.36). Isometric knee-extension force correlated with activity limitations, as measured using the SF-36 Physical function subscale (rs=0.23, p = 0.011). CONCLUSIONS: Physical capacity was considerably decreased in the women with FM, as compared to the age- and education-level-matched control group. All measures of physical capacity showed a significant association with symptom duration. Knee-extension force and walking ability were significantly associated with activity limitations, age, and BMI. It seems important to address this problem and to target interventions to prevent decline in muscle strength. Assessments of muscle strength and walking ability are easy to administer and should be routinely carried out in the clinical setting for women with FM. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identification number: NCT01226784 , Oct 21, 2010.