Disparities by Race in Pregnancy Care and Clinical Outcomes in Women With Multiple Sclerosis: A Diverse Multicenter Cohort.

Background And Objectives: Racial disparities exist in both neurologic and obstetric populations, underscoring the importance of evaluating pregnancy outcomes in diverse women with multiple sclerosis (MS). The objective of this multicenter retrospective study was to compare pregnancy care and outcomes between Black and Hispanic (underrepresented) and White women with MS.

Methods: Demographic and clinical data were extracted from medical records of 9 US MS centers for women with MS/clinically isolated syndrome who delivered live births between 2010 and 2021.

Patient and Caregiver Outcomes After Onasemnogene Abeparvovec Treatment: Findings from the Cure SMA 2021 Membership Survey.

Introduction: Onasemnogene abeparvovec (OA) is the only gene replacement therapy currently approved for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) treatment. We sought to assess real-world patient and caregiver outcomes after OA treatment for SMA.

Methods: Patients who received OA were identified from the 2021 Cure SMA Membership Survey.

Well-being at midlife: Correlates of mental health in ambulatory menopausal women with multiple sclerosis.

Background: A majority of women with multiple sclerosis (MS) are diagnosed prior to menopause, yet their experiences during this transition are not well characterized.

Objectives: To explore associations between mental health, sleep, and other quality of life metrics, and vasomotor symptoms (VMSs) in ambulatory, menopausal women with MS.

Methods: A secondary analysis was performed of baseline data from two trials enrolling ambulatory peri/postmenopausal women with MS: NCT02710214 ( = 24, bothersome VMS) and NCT04002934 (ongoing, = 35, myelin repair).

Anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody therapy in postpartum women with neurological conditions.

Objective: Postpartum, patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) have increased risk for disease activity. Anti-CD20 IgG1 monoclonal antibodies (mAb) are increasingly used as disease-modifying therapies (DMTs). Patients may wish to both breastfeed and resume DMT postpartum.

Economic burden during remission and after relapse among older patients with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia without hematopoietic stem cell transplant: A retrospective study using the SEER-Medicare database.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is associated with a substantial clinical and economic burden. This study characterized the magnitude of this burden following initial treatment with standard or less intensive therapies (hypomethylating agents [HMAs]) and throughout different treatment phases post-remission. The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) cancer registry (2007-2016) linked with Medicare beneficiary claims (2007-2015) was analyzed.

Clinical course of multiple sclerosis and patient experiences during breast cancer treatment.

Background: Over one-third of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients are post-menopausal women, the primary demographic affected by breast cancer. After breast cancer diagnosis, there is little information about patients' clinical experiences with both diseases.

Objective: Utilize a case series of MS patients diagnosed with breast cancer to characterize oncologic and MS trajectories, and generate novel insights about clinical considerations using qualitative analysis.

Costs of pediatric liver transplantation among commercially insured and Medicaid-insured patients with cholestasis in the US.

Children with rare cholestatic liver diseases, such as Alagille syndrome, progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis, and biliary atresia typically require liver transplantation (LT). The objective of this analysis was to assess the economic burden of LT on these patients. Health care resource utilization and costs associated with pediatric LT were retrospectively assessed using insurance claims data from the US IBM MarketScan Commercial and Medicaid databases collected between October 2015 and December 2019.

The Economic Burden of Schizophrenia in the United States.

The economic burden of schizophrenia in the United States (US) was estimated at $155.7 billion in 2013. Since 2013, the US experienced significant health care reforms and treatment advances.

Health Care Resource Utilization by Patients with Alagille Syndrome.

Objective: To assess and characterize health care resource utilization (HRU) in children with the rare, genetic, multisystem disorder, Alagille syndrome.

Study Design: This retrospective analysis reviewed commercially insured and Medicaid-insured claims from October 1, 2015 to December 31, 2019 to assess HRU in patients with Alagille syndrome. As there is no specific International Classification ofDiseases-10 code for Alagille syndrome, patients were identified using the following algorithm: ≥1 claim with diagnosis code Q44.

Application of Nucleotide-Based Kinetic Modeling Approaches to Predict Antibiotic Resistance Gene Degradation during UV- and Chlorine-Based Wastewater Disinfection Processes: From Bench- to Full-Scale.

This study investigated antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) degradation kinetics in wastewaters during bench- and full-scale treatment with UV light and chlorine─with the latter maintained as free available chlorine (FAC) in low-ammonia wastewater and converted into monochloramine (NHCl) in high-ammonia wastewater. Twenty-three 142-1509 bp segments (i.e.

Maralixibat Treatment Response in Alagille Syndrome is Associated with Improved Health-Related Quality of Life.

Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the impact of treatment response to the ileal bile acid transporter inhibitor maralixibat on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in children with Alagille syndrome.

Study Design: This analysis used data from the ICONIC trial, a phase 2 study with a 4-week double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized drug withdrawal period in children with Alagille syndrome with moderate-to-severe pruritus. Clinically meaningful treatment response to maralixibat was defined a priori as a ≥1-point reduction in the Itch-Reported Outcome (Observer) score, from baseline to week 48.

Peripartum disease activity in moderately and severely disabled women with multiple sclerosis.

Background: The effects of pregnancy on multiple sclerosis (MS) inflammatory activity are not well described in women with moderate to severe disabilities.

Objective: To quantify the peripartum annualized relapse rate (ARR) in women with MS with an Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) ≥ 3.

Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study of 85 pregnancies in 74 subjects with preconception EDSS ≥ 3.

A hormonal therapy for menopausal women with MS: A phase Ib/IIa randomized controlled trial.

Introduction: Most women develop MS before menopause. Menopausal hot flashes can worsen MS symptoms, and could be relieved with hormone therapy. Our objective was to evaluate feasibility, tolerability and symptom response of Duavee® (bazedoxifene + conjugated estrogen) in a Phase Ib/IIa double-blind randomized controlled clinical trial.

Risk factors for peripartum depression in women with multiple sclerosis.

Background: Peripartum depression (PPD) is underexplored in multiple sclerosis (MS).

Objective: To evaluate prevalence of and risk factors for PPD in women with MS.

Methods: Retrospective single-center analysis of women with MS with a live birth.

Experiences of sexual and gender minority people living with multiple sclerosis in Northern California: An exploratory study.

Background: Sexual and gender minority (SGM) individuals may face unique challenges in accessing quality medical care due to structural disparities, social discrimination, and lack of culturally competent healthcare. Multiple sclerosis (MS) requires complex care. Little research has been carried out at the intersection between SGM identity and MS care.

Clinical and Radiologic Disease Activity in Pregnancy and Postpartum in MS.

Objective: To evaluate radiologic and clinical inflammatory activity in women with MS during pregnancy and postpartum.

Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected clinical and MRI reports for women who became pregnant while followed at the University of California, San Francisco MS Center between 2005 and 2018. Proportion of brain MRIs with new T2-hyperintense or gadolinium enhancing (Gd+) lesions (primary outcome) and annualized relapse rate (ARR; secondary) were compared before and after pregnancy.

Correction: Application of an Adaptive, Digital, Game-Based Approach for Cognitive Assessment in Multiple Sclerosis: Observational Study.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.2196/24356.].

Application of an Adaptive, Digital, Game-Based Approach for Cognitive Assessment in Multiple Sclerosis: Observational Study.

Background: Cognitive impairment is one of the most debilitating manifestations of multiple sclerosis. Currently, the assessment of cognition relies on a time-consuming and extensive neuropsychological examination, which is only available in some centers.

Objective: To enable simpler, more accessible cognitive screening, we sought to determine the feasibility and potential assessment sensitivity of an unsupervised, adaptive, video game-based digital therapeutic to assess cognition in multiple sclerosis.

Underutilization of physical therapy for symptomatic women with MS during and following pregnancy.

Background: Many patients with MS continue to have symptoms of their disease even when inflammatory activity is reduced by DMTs. Although disease activity tends to be reduced during pregnancy - especially in the third trimester - women with MS can experience ongoing symptoms during pregnancy, or new ones in the immediate postpartum period, that degrade quality of life. While many MS-related and postpartum symptoms can be improved with physical therapy (PT), there are currently no guidelines on pregnancy-related rehabilitation in MS.

Neuroimaging and radiation exposure in pregnancy.

Physiologic changes occurring in pregnancy and postpartum can have secondary effects on the maternal nervous system. While most alterations to neurologic function during pregnancy are transient, there is an elevated risk for more serious complication in the peripartum period, such as cerebrovascular events or exacerbation of preexisting neurologic conditions. Due to the morbidity and mortality associated with these neurologic manifestations in some cases, timely diagnostic evaluation is essential.