Evaluating the intersection of climate vulnerability and cancer burden in North Carolina.

Climate-related extreme weather events disrupt healthcare systems and exacerbate health disparities, particularly affecting individuals diagnosed with cancer. This study explores the intersection of climate vulnerability and cancer burden in North Carolina (NC). Using county-level data from the US Climate Vulnerability Index (CVI) and the NC Department of Health and Human Services, we analyzed cancer incidence and mortality rates from 2017-2021.

Dose delay, dose reduction, and early treatment discontinuation in Black and White women receiving chemotherapy for nonmetastatic breast cancer.

Background: To describe reasons for deviations from planned chemotherapy treatments in women with nonmetastatic breast cancer that contribute to less-than-planned receipt of chemotherapy.

Methods: Electronic medical records for patients receiving chemotherapy were reviewed for adverse events and treatment modifications. Log-binomial regression models were used to estimate relative risks (RRs) with 95% CIs to examine associations between chemotherapy modifications, patient characteristics, and treatment modalities.

Quantifying Chemotherapy Delivery in Older and Younger Women With Early-Stage Breast Cancer Using Longitudinal Cumulative Dose.

Background: Delivery of cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy, requires a complex set of decisions that can change over time. Traditional measures of chemotherapy delivery, such as relative dose intensity, measure the amount of chemotherapy received by the end of treatment but mask the timing of dose reductions, delays, and discontinuation. These events may be important for delivering timely interventions to support adherence and lower the risk of recurrence.

Factors Associated With Performing IPAA After Total Colectomy for Ulcerative Colitis.

Background: IPAA is considered the procedure of choice for restorative surgery after total colectomy for ulcerative colitis. Previous studies have examined the rate of IPAA within individual states but not at the national level in the United States.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the rate of IPAA after total colectomy for ulcerative colitis in a national population and identify factors associated with IPAA.

Omission of Axillary Dissection in Node Positive Breast Cancer After Neoadjuvant Systemic Therapy.

Introduction: Guidelines recommend axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) for ypN + positive patients as patients receiving neoadjuvant systemic therapy (NST) were excluded from trials omitting ALND in pN + patients. We sought to characterize trends in omission of ALND in patients with ypN + disease.

Methods: Adult women with invasive breast carcinoma in the National Cancer Database between 2012 and 2019 who received NST (chemotherapy or endocrine) and had ypN + disease were included.

In-Person Instruction and Educational Outcomes of K-8 Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Objectives: Quantify the relationship between district policy permitting in-person instruction and educational outcomes during the 2020 to 2021 academic year for kindergarten through eighth grade students.

Methods: An ecological, repeated cross-sectional analysis of grade-level proficiency of students enrolled in public school districts in North Carolina (n = 115 school districts) was conducted. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to evaluate the association between the proportion of the school year a district spent in-person and 2020 to 2021 end-of-year student proficiency in the district.

The Cost of Mental Health Comorbid Conditions in Burn Patients: A Single-site Experience.

Many burn survivors suffer from psychiatric sequelae long after their physical injuries have healed. This may even be more pronounced in individuals who have a history of mental health disorders prior to admission. The aim of this study was to explore the clinical outcomes of patients with previously diagnosed mental health disorders who were admitted to our Burn Center.

Outcomes of COPD Patients with Flame Burn and Inhalation Injuries at a Single Institution.

The presence of any comorbid condition may lead to worse outcomes after burn injury. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a condition with significant morbidity and mortality. In 2018, about 16 million adults in the United States reported a diagnosis of COPD based on data from the American Lung Association.

A systematic review of whether COVID-19 randomized controlled trials reported on demographic and clinical characteristics.

Purpose: We aim to assess the reporting of key patient-level demographic and clinical characteristics among COVID-19 related randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

Methods: We queried English-language articles from PubMed, Web of Science, clinicaltrials.gov, and the CDC library of gray literature databases using keywords of "coronavirus," "covid," "clinical trial" and "randomized controlled trial" from January 2020 to June 2021.

Impact of Chronic Alcohol Use on Fluid Resuscitation in Burn Patients.

Acute alcohol intoxication in burn patients has been associated with increased mortality, renal dysfunction, and difficulty with adequate fluid resuscitation. It is less clear how chronic alcohol use, regardless of intoxication status on admission, impacts patient outcomes. In this study, we examine varying levels of alcohol use in burn patients and its impact on both short- and long-term outcomes.

Urban Classification, Not COVID-19 Community Rates, Was Associated With Modes of Learning in US K-12 Schools?

Objectives: To identify factors associated with the decision to provide in-person, hybrid, and remote learning in kindergarten through 12th grade school districts during the 2020-2021 school year.

Methods: We performed a retrospective study evaluating school district mode of learning and community coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) incidence and percentage positivity rates at 3 time points during the pandemic: (1) September 15, 2020 (the beginning of the school year, before Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance); (2) November 15, 2020 (midsemester after the release of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance and an increase of COVID-19 cases); and (3) January 15, 2021 (start of the second semester and peak COVID-19 rates). Five states were included in the analysis: Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, and Wisconsin.