Assessing the Relationship between Socioeconomic Status, Race, and Psychological Distress in Cancer Survivors: A Population Based Study.

Psychological distress is more common in cancer survivors than the general population, and is associated with adverse outcomes. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES), race and psychological distress, using data from a nationally representative sample of cancer survivors in the United States. Outcomes of interest were mild, moderate, and severe psychological distress as assessed by the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4).

Modulation of Retinal Atrophy With Rituximab in Multiple Sclerosis.

Objective: To investigate the effects of rituximab on retinal atrophy in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), we performed serial optical coherence tomography (OCT) scans among a cohort of patients with RRMS on rituximab and compared rates of ganglion cell + inner plexiform layer (GCIPL) atrophy to those observed among age- and sex-matched glatiramer acetate (GA)-and natalizumab-treated patients with RRMS and healthy controls (HCs).

Methods: In this observational study, patients with RRMS treated with a single disease-modifying therapy and HCs were followed with serial OCT for a median duration of 2.8 years.

Multiple sclerosis management during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: People with multiple sclerosis (MS) may be at higher risk for complications from the 2019 coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic due to use of immunomodulatory disease modifying therapies (DMTs) and greater need for medical services.

Objectives: To evaluate risk factors for COVID-19 susceptibility and describe the pandemic's impact on healthcare delivery.

Methods: Surveys sent to MS patients at Cleveland Clinic, Johns Hopkins, and Vall d'Hebron-Centre d'Esclerosi Múltiple de Catalunya in April and May 2020 collected information about comorbidities, DMTs, exposures, COVID-19 testing/outcomes, health behaviors, and disruptions to MS care.

Association of body mass index with longitudinal rates of retinal atrophy in multiple sclerosis.

Background: Studies evaluating associations between body mass index (BMI) and optical coherence tomography (OCT) measures in multiple sclerosis (MS) are lacking.

Objective: To assess whether elevated BMI is associated with accelerated retinal atrophy.

Methods: In this observational study, 513 MS patients were followed with serial spectral-domain OCT for a median of 4.

Progressive Multiple Sclerosis Is Associated with Faster and Specific Retinal Layer Atrophy.

Objective: Therapeutic development in progressive multiple sclerosis (PMS) has been hampered by a lack of reliable biomarkers to monitor neurodegeneration. Optical coherence tomography (OCT)-derived retinal measures have been proposed as promising biomarkers to fulfill this role. However, it is unclear whether retinal atrophy persists in PMS, exceeds normal aging, or can be distinguished from relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS).

Aquaporin-4 IgG seropositivity is associated with worse visual outcomes after optic neuritis than MOG-IgG seropositivity and multiple sclerosis, independent of macular ganglion cell layer thinning.

Background: Comparative studies of characteristics of optic neuritis (ON) associated with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein-IgG (MOG-ON) and aquaporin-4-IgG (AQP4-ON) seropositivity are limited.

Objective: To compare visual and optical coherence tomography (OCT) measures following AQP4-ON, MOG-ON, and multiple sclerosis associated ON (MS-ON).

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 48 AQP4-ON, 16 MOG-ON, 40 MS-ON, and 31 healthy control participants underwent monocular letter-acuity assessment and spectral-domain OCT.

Alterations in the retinal vasculature occur in multiple sclerosis and exhibit novel correlations with disability and visual function measures.

Background: The retinal vasculature may be altered in multiple sclerosis (MS), potentially acting as a biomarker of disease processes.

Objective: To compare retinal vascular plexus densities in people with MS (PwMS) and healthy controls (HCs), and examine correlations with visual function and global disability.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 111 PwMS (201 eyes) and 50 HCs (97 eyes) underwent optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA).

Macular Ganglion Cell and Inner Plexiform Layer Thickness Is More Strongly Associated With Visual Function in Multiple Sclerosis Than Bruch Membrane Opening-Minimum Rim Width or Peripapillary Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Thicknesses.

Background: Optical coherence tomography (OCT) measurements of ganglion cell + inner plexiform layer (GCIPL) and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL) thicknesses are associated with visual function (VF) and disability in multiple sclerosis (MS). However, the value of measuring Bruch membrane opening-minimum rim width (BMO-MRW) thickness in MS remains unclear.

Methods: Sixty-eight patients with MS and 22 healthy controls (HCs) underwent spectral domain OCT, 100%-contrast visual acuity (VA), 2.

Effect of disease-modifying therapies on subcortical gray matter atrophy in multiple sclerosis.

Background: The effects of disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) on region-specific brain atrophy in multiple sclerosis (MS) are unclear.

Objective: To determine the effects of higher versus lower efficacy DMTs on rates of brain substructure atrophy in MS.

Methods: A non-randomized, observational cohort of people with MS followed with annual brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was evaluated retrospectively.

Microvascular blood flow velocities measured with a retinal function imager: inter-eye correlations in healthy controls and an exploration in multiple sclerosis.

Background: The retinal microcirculation has been studied in various diseases including multiple sclerosis (MS). However, inter-eye correlations and potential differences of the retinal blood flow velocity (BFV) remain largely unstudied but may be important in guiding eye selection as well as the design and interpretation of studies assessing or utilizing retinal BFV. The primary aim of this study was to determine inter-eye correlations in BFVs in healthy controls (HCs).

Brain and retinal atrophy in African-Americans versus Caucasian-Americans with multiple sclerosis: a longitudinal study.

On average, African Americans with multiple sclerosis demonstrate higher inflammatory disease activity, faster disability accumulation, greater visual dysfunction, more pronounced brain tissue damage and higher lesion volume loads compared to Caucasian Americans with multiple sclerosis. Neurodegeneration is an important component of multiple sclerosis, which in part accounts for the clinical heterogeneity of the disease. Brain atrophy appears to be widespread, although it is becoming increasingly recognized that regional substructure atrophy may be of greater clinical relevance.

Analysis of Agreement of Retinal-Layer Thickness Measures Derived from the Segmentation of Horizontal and Vertical Spectralis OCT Macular Scans.

Purpose: Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a reliable method used to quantify discrete layers of the retina. Spectralis OCT is a device used for this purpose. Spectralis OCT macular scan imaging acquisition can be obtained on either the horizontal or vertical plane.