Immunolab: Combining targeted real-world data with advanced analytics to generate evidence at scale in immunology.

Real-world evidence (RWE) has traditionally been used by regulatory or payer authorities to inform disease burden, background risk, or conduct post-launch pharmacovigilance, but in recent years RWE has been increasingly used to inform regulatory decision-making. However, RWE data sources remain fragmented, and datasets are disparate and often collected inconsistently. To this end, we have constructed an RWE-generation platform, Immunolab, to facilitate data-driven insights, hypothesis generation and research in immunological diseases driven by type 2 inflammation.

Marijuana Use Among Patients With Glaucoma in a City With Legalized Medical Marijuana Use.

Importance: Previous research has shown several limitations associated with the use of marijuana as a treatment for glaucoma. However, little is known regarding patients' perceptions toward using marijuana for glaucoma and their intentions to use this therapeutic alternative.

Objective: To identify factors among patients with glaucoma that could lead to intentions to use marijuana for treatment.

Utility of Heidelberg retinal tomography as a screening tool for analyzing retinal nerve fiber layer defects.

Context: Although Heidelberg retinal tomography (HRT)-generated topographic images have been studied extensively for the detection of retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) defects, little is known about the role of HRT-generated surface reflectivity images in the detection of RNFL defects in either patients with glaucoma or glaucoma suspects.

Aims: To evaluate the effectiveness of HRT version II (HRT II) optic nerve reflectivity images in uncovering RNFL defects in an outpatient population evaluated for glaucoma.

Study Design/materials And Methods: In 102 consecutive eyes from 60 patients evaluated for glaucoma in an academic-based practice, HRT II optic nerve images were prospectively imaged and compared with clinical optic nerve exam techniques to see if HRT II was able to detect RNFL defects overlooked in clinical practice.

Telerobotic contact transscleral cyclophotocoagulation of the ciliary body with the diode laser.

To assess the feasibility of using the Robotic Slave Micromanipulator Unit (RSMU) to remotely photocoagulate the ciliary body for the treatment of glaucoma with the diode laser. In fresh unoperated enucleated human eyes, the ciliary body was destroyed either with a standard contact transscleral cyclophotocoagulation 'by hand' diode laser technique, or remotely using the RSMU. The treated sections were fixed in formalin, paraffin-embedded, and stained with hematoxylin and eosin.

Utilizing information technology to mitigate the handoff risks caused by resident work hour restrictions.

Resident duty hours have been restricted to 80 per week, a limitation thought to increase patient safety by allowing adequate sleep. Yet decreasing work hours increases the number of patient exchanges (so-called "handoff") at the end of shifts. WHERE ARE WE NOW?: A greater frequency of handoff leads to an increased risk of physician error.

National survey of patients' bill of rights statutes.

Background: Despite vigorous national debate between 1999-2001 the federal patients' bill of rights (PBOR) was not enacted. However, states have enacted legislation and the Joint Commission defined an accreditation standard to present patients with their rights. Because such initiatives can be undermined by overly complex language, we surveyed the readability of hospital PBOR documents as well as texts mandated by state law.

Notices of Privacy Practices: a survey of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 documents presented to patients at US hospitals.

Background: Federal regulation requires hospitals to present patients with a Notice of Privacy Practices (NPP) that contains all stipulated content items, is readable by patients, and posted on institutional web sites.

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine whether the NPP texts contain the required content, if readability is influenced by local literacy rates, and if readability or the presentation of NPP texts in other languages is influenced by local rates of English proficiency.

Research Design: The authors conducted a cross-sectional study of the web sites of 115 hospitals selected from the US News and World Report list: Best Hospitals in America.

Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 in the aqueous humor of patients with and without glaucoma.

Objective: To determine the levels of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) and total protein in the aqueous humor of patients with glaucoma vs those without glaucoma.

Methods: A total of 125 aqueous humor samples (50-150 microL each) were collected at 3 institutions from patients with glaucoma and a control group of patients with cataract. Fifteen samples were excluded, and the levels of PAI-1 antigen were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 110 samples (36 glaucoma and 74 control).

Enzymatic sclerostomy: pilot human study.

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility and safety of enzymatic sclerostomy as a new modality to lower intraocular pressure in patients with open-angle glaucoma.

Methods: This single-center, prospective, noncomparative, interventional case series included 15 blind symptomatic eyes of 15 patients with primary open-angle glaucoma. Enzymatic sclerostomy was performed with the patient under topical or peribulbar anesthesia.