Real-World Outcomes in Patients With Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Treated With First-Line Nivolumab Plus Ipilimumab in the United States.

Purpose: Nivolumab plus ipilimumab (NIVO + IPI) is a first-in-class combination immunotherapy for the treatment of intermediate- or poor (I/P)-risk advanced or metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). Currently, there are limited real-world data regarding clinical effectiveness beyond 12-24 months from treatment initiation. In this real-world study, treatment patterns and clinical outcomes were evaluated for NIVO + IPI in a community oncology setting.

Vaccine patterns among older adults with Guillain-Barré syndrome and matched comparators, 2006-2019.

Background: Some vaccines have a small risk of triggering Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), an autoimmune disorder where nerve damage leads to paralysis. There is a CDC precaution for patients whose GBS was associated with an influenza or tetanus toxoid-containing vaccine (GBS occurring within 42 days following vaccination).

Methods: We described vaccine patterns before and after a GBS diagnosis with a matched cohort design in a 20% random sample of fee-for-service Medicare enrollees.

Evaluating algorithms for identifying incident Guillain-Barré Syndrome in Medicare fee-for-service claims.

Objective: Claims data can be leveraged to study rare diseases such as Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS), a neurological autoimmune condition. It is difficult to accurately measure and distinguish true cases of disease with claims without a validated algorithm. Our objective was to identify the best-performing algorithm for identifying incident GBS cases in Medicare fee-for-service claims data using chart reviews as the gold standard.

Vaccine patterns among patients diagnosed with Guillain-Barré Syndrome and matched counterparts in a Medicare supplemental population, 2000-2020.

Some vaccines have a small risk of Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS), a rare autoimmune disorder characterized by paralysis if untreated. The CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) guidelines do not consider GBS a precaution for future vaccines unless GBS developed within six weeks after a tetanus-toxoid-containing vaccine or influenza vaccine. Our goal was to describe vaccine patterns before and after GBS diagnosis.

Cancer survivorship and its association with perioperative opioid use for minor non-cancer surgery.

Purpose: Reducing high-risk prescription opioid use after surgery has become a key strategy in mitigating the opioid crisis. Yet, despite their vulnerabilities, we know little about how cancer survivors use opioids for non-cancer perioperative pain compared to those with no history of cancer. The purpose was to examine the association of cancer survivorship with the likelihood of receiving perioperative opioid therapy for non-cancer minor surgery.

North Carolina Toxic Substance Incidents Program 2010-2015: Identifying Areas for Injury Prevention Efforts.

The National Toxic Substance Incidents Program (NTSIP) is a surveillance system designed to capture acute toxic substance releases, factors contributing to the release, and any associated injuries. North Carolina has participated since 2010, when NTSIP was established. This article will present a descriptive statistical summary from 2010 to 2015 focused on releases that resulted in injuries in order to identify areas for public health prevention efforts.

A Citizen-Science Study Documents Environmental Exposures and Asthma Prevalence in Two Communities.

A citizen-science study was conducted in two low-income, flood-prone communities in Atlanta, Georgia, in order to document environmental exposures and the prevalence of occupant asthma. Teams consisting of a public-health graduate student and a resident from one of the two communities administered a questionnaire, inspected residences for mold growth, and collected a dust sample for quantifying mold contamination. The dust samples were analyzed for the 36 molds that make up the Environmental Relative Moldiness Index (ERMI).