Clinical Use of Home OCT Data to Manage Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

To investigate how home optical coherence tomography (OCT) influences the clinical decision-making of retina specialists for the management of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD). In this retrospective imaging review, 15 retina specialists each evaluated 10 home OCT data segments from 29 eyes being treated for nAMD. Based on OCT data, indications were identified for when eyes should be treated, which antivascular endothelial growth factor should be used, and the specific retinal fluid and time thresholds for notification.

A Retrospective Nationwide Comparison of Laparoscopic vs Open Inguinal Hernia Repair in Children.

Background: Utilization of the laparoscopic approach for inguinal hernia repair has increased significantly over the past decade. The purpose of this study is to compare rates of second hernia operation and same side recurrence following open and laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair in a large national cohort.

Methods: This retrospective analysis utilized the Pediatric Health Information System database to identify children <18 years-old who underwent laparoscopic or open primary inguinal hernia repair from 2017 to 2021.

Establishing pediatric age-adjusted shock index cut points in trauma patients younger than 1 year.

Purpose: Shock Index is used to predict injury severity and adverse outcomes in trauma patients, but pediatric age-adjusted shock index (SIPA) has superior performance in pediatric patients older than 1 year. Pediatric age-adjusted shock index scores younger than 1 year have not been well studied. This project aimed to establish and evaluate SIPA cut point data points for patients younger than 1 year.

Misplaced Evidence, Missed Opportunities: Protocols for Handling Ballistic Evidence in Pediatric Patients.

Background: Gun-related injury is now the number one cause of death in pediatric trauma patients. Many hospitals lack dedicated forensic nurses or updated protocols for handling ballistic evidence. Evidence not collected, handled improperly, or misplaced may deny a victim the basic human right to justice.

Hospital Procedural Volume and Clinical Outcomes Following Septal Reduction Therapy in Obstructive Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.

Background Prior national data showed a substantial in-hospital mortality in septal myectomy (SM) with an inverse volume-outcomes relationship. This study sought to assess the contemporary outcomes of septal reduction therapy and volume-outcome relationship in obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Methods and Results All septal reduction therapy admissions between 2010 to 2019 in the United States were analyzed using the National Readmission Databases.

Racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities in trajectories of morbidity accumulation among older Americans.

Introduction: Multimorbidity, the presence of multiple chronic health conditions, generally starts in middle and older age but there is considerable heterogeneity in the trajectory of morbidity accumulation. This study aimed to clarify the number of distinct trajectories and the potential associations between race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status and these trajectories.

Methods: Data from 13,699 respondents (age ≥51) in the Health and Retirement Study between 1998 and 2016 were analyzed with growth mixture models.

Depressive Multimorbidity and Trajectories of Functional Status among Older Americans: Differences by Racial/Ethnic Group.

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the impact of depressive multimorbidity (ie, including depressive symptoms) on the long-term development of activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) limitations according to racial/ethnic group in a representative sample of US older adults.

Design: Prospective, observational, population-based 16-year follow-up study of nationally representative sample.

Setting And Participants: Sample of older non-Hispanic Black, Hispanic, and nonHispanic White Americans from the Health and Retirement Study (2000‒2016, N = 16,364, community-dwelling adults ≥65 years of age).

Association of Ultra-Widefield Fluorescein Angiography-Identified Retinal Nonperfusion and the Risk of Diabetic Retinopathy Worsening Over Time.

Importance: Presence of predominantly peripheral diabetic retinopathy (DR) lesions on ultra-widefield fluorescein angiography (UWF-FA) was associated with greater risk of DR worsening or treatment over 4 years. Whether baseline retinal nonperfusion assessment is additionally predictive of DR disease worsening is unclear.

Objective: To assess whether the extent and location of retinal nonperfusion identified on UWF-FA are associated with worsening in Diabetic Retinopathy Severity Scale (DRSS) score or DR treatment over time.

Peer-based Retention Of people who Use Drugs in Rural Research (PROUD-R): a multisite, randomised, 12-month trial to compare efficacy of standard versus peer-based approaches to retain rural people who use drugs in research.

Introduction: Rural communities bear a disproportionate share of the opioid and methamphetamine use disorder epidemics. Yet, rural people who use drugs (PWUD) are rarely included in trials testing new drug use prevention and treatment strategies. Numerous barriers impede rural PWUD trial engagement and advancing research methods to better retain rural PWUD in clinical trials is needed.

Evaluation of a self-imaging SD-OCT system designed for remote home monitoring.

Purpose: To compare identification rates of retinal fluid of the Notal Vision Home Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) device (NVHO) when used by people with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) to those captured by a commercial OCT.

Methods: Prospective, cross-sectional study where patients underwent commercial OCT imaging followed by self-imaging with either the NVHO 2.5 or the NVHO 3 in clinic setting.

Analysis of the Long-term Visual Outcomes of ForeseeHome Remote Telemonitoring: The ALOFT Study.

Purpose: To evaluate long-term visual acuity (VA) and performance of a monitoring strategy with a self-operated artificial-intelligence-enabled home monitoring system in conjunction with standard care for early detection of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD).

Design: Retrospective review.

Subjects: Patients with dry-age-related macular degeneration from 5 referral clinics.

Routine ambulatory heart rhythm monitoring for detection of atrial arrhythmias in transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis.

Background: Atrial fibrillation and flutter (AF/AFL) are common in transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis (ATTR-CM) which in turn is associated with higher risk of thromboembolism. Detecting AF/AFL may be especially important, but the role of routine ambulatory monitoring in ATTR-CM patients is unclear.

Objective: The objective is therefore to determine prevalence and outcomes of subclinical AF/AFL on routine ambulatory rhythm monitoring.

The importance of chronic conditions for potentially avoidable hospitalizations among non-Hispanic Black and non-Hispanic White older adults in the US: a cross-sectional observational study.

Background: Non-Hispanic (NH) Black older adults experience substantially higher rates of potentially avoidable hospitalization compared to NH White older adults. This study explores the top three chronic conditions preceding hospitalization and potentially avoidable hospitalization among NH White and NH Black Medicare beneficiaries in the United States.

Methods: Data on 4993 individuals (4,420 NH White and 573 NH Black individuals) aged ≥ 65 years from 2014 Medicare claims were linked with sociodemographic data from previous rounds of the Health and Retirement Study.

Prophylactic Ranibizumab to Prevent Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration in Vulnerable Fellow Eyes: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Purpose: To determine whether prophylactic ranibizumab prevents the development of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) in eyes with intermediate age-related macular degeneration (AMD) for patients with preexisting nAMD in their contralateral eye.

Design: Multicenter randomized clinical trial.

Participants: Adults aged 50 years and older with intermediate AMD (multiple intermediate drusen [≥63 μm and <125 μm] or ≥1 large drusen [≥125 μm] and pigmentary changes) in the study eye and nAMD in the contralateral eye.

A cross-sectional survey of potential factors, motivations, and barriers influencing research participation and retention among people who use drugs in the rural USA.

Background: Despite high morbidity and mortality among people who use drugs (PWUD) in rural America, most research is conducted within urban areas. Our objective was to describe influencing factors, motivations, and barriers to research participation and retention among rural PWUD.

Methods: We recruited 255 eligible participants from community outreach and community-based, epidemiologic research cohorts from April to July 2019 to participate in a cross-sectional survey.

Mode of death and outcomes of implantable cardioverter defibrillators in transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy.

Introduction: Transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis (ATTR-CM) may associate with sudden cardiac death. We report on the mode of death and outcomes with implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) in a cohort with ATTR-CM.

Methods: A single center observational cohort study of patients with ATTR-CM diagnosed between 2005 and 2019.

Perioperative Amiodarone to Prevent Atrial fibrillation after Septal Myectomy in obstrUctive hypeRtroPHic cardiomyopathy.

Aims: Amiodarone reduces the incidence of atrial fibrillation (AF) following coronary artery bypass surgery; however, the benefit of perioperative amiodarone in patients undergoing septal myectomy (SM) for obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (oHCM) has not been studied. We hypothesized that prophylactic amiodarone would reduce the incidence of postoperative AF (POAF) following SM for oHCM.

Methods And Results: A single-centre, pre-post intervention open-label study of oral amiodarone (200 mg twice daily starting 7 days preoperatively and 200 mg once daily continuing for 30 days postoperatively) in patients without prior AF undergoing SM for oHCM from 2014 to 2018.

Physical Activity as a Mediator Between Race/Ethnicity and Changes in Multimorbidity.

Objectives: Studies report racial/ethnic disparities in multimorbidity (≥2 chronic conditions) and their rate of accumulation over time as well as differences in physical activity. Our study aimed to investigate whether racial/ethnic differences in the accumulation of multimorbidity were mediated by physical activity among middle-aged and older adults.

Method: We assessed racial/ethnic differences in the accumulation of multimorbidity (of 9 conditions) over 12 years (2004-2016) in the Health and Retirement Study (N = 18,264, mean age = 64.

Postbariatric hypoglycemia: symptom patterns and associated risk factors in the Longitudinal Assessment of Bariatric Surgery study.

Background: Postbariatric hypoglycemia (PBH) can be a devastating complication for which current therapies are often incompletely effective. More information is needed regarding frequency, incidence, and risk factors for PBH.

Objectives: To examine hypoglycemia symptoms following Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) and laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) and baseline and in-study risk factors.

Visual Acuity, Vitreous Hemorrhage, and Other Ocular Outcomes After Vitrectomy vs Aflibercept for Vitreous Hemorrhage Due to Diabetic Retinopathy: A Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Although there were no differences in mean visual acuity (VA) over 24 weeks after vitrectomy with panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) vs aflibercept in a randomized clinical trial among eyes with vitreous hemorrhage due to proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), post hoc analyses may influence treatment choices.

Objective: To compare exploratory outcomes between treatment groups that may affect treatment choices for patients with vitreous hemorrhage due to PDR.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This post hoc analysis of a randomized clinical trial conducted at 39 DRCR Retina Network sites included adults with vision loss due to PDR-related vitreous hemorrhage for whom vitrectomy was considered.

Inflammatory seborrheic keratosis resolution after hyperbaric oxygen therapy: Case presentation and pathophysiology review.

Seborrheic keratosis (SK) is a common epidermal tumor, consisting of a benign proliferation of immature keratinocytes. The natural history of SK is a slow progression over time and complete remission is not expected. The article presents the first case of a complete resolution of a large (2.