Rhinitis Disease Burden and the Impact of Social Determinants of Health.

Social determinants of health (SDHs) have a substantial impact on patient care and outcomes globally, both in low- to middle-income countries and in high-income countries. In the clinic, lack of availability of diagnostic tools, inequities in access to care, and challenges obtaining and adhering to prescribed treatment plans may further compound these issues. This article addresses a case of rhinitis in the context of SDHs and inequities in care that may affect various communities and populations around the world.

Health disparities in allergic diseases.

Purpose Of Review: Healthcare disparities impact prevalence, diagnosis, and management of allergic disease. The purpose of this review is to highlight the most recent evidence of healthcare disparities in allergic conditions to provide healthcare providers with better understanding of the factors contributing to disparities and to provide potential management approaches to address them. This review comes at a time in medicine where it is well documented that disparities exist, but we seek to answer the Why , How and What to do next?

Recent Findings: The literature highlights the socioeconomic factors at play including race/ ethnicity, neighborhood, insurance status and income.

Establishing Amoxicillin Allergy in Children Through Direct Graded Oral Challenge (GOC): Evaluating Risk Factors for Positive Challenges, Safety, and Risk of Cross-Reactivity to Cephalosporines.

Background: Data on the diagnostic properties of direct oral challenges without the use of skin tests in children with suspected amoxicillin allergy are sparse.

Objective: Assess the use of direct oral challenges.

Methods: A cohort study was conducted between March 2013 and March 2020, in Montreal and Winnipeg.

Differentiating Between β-Lactam-Induced Serum Sickness-Like Reactions and Viral Exanthem in Children Using a Graded Oral Challenge.

Background: Serum sickness-like reactions (SSLRs) are defined by the presence of rash (primarily urticaria) and joint complaints (arthralgia/arthritis) that are believed to occur due to a non-IgE-mediated response to medications. However, similar reactions can occur due to viral infections, and it can be difficult to distinguish between the two. This may lead to unnecessary avoidance of the culprit antibiotic.

Simultaneous resection of a gastric submucosal lipoma in the setting of bariatric surgery: A case report and review of current literature.

Introduction: Gastric submucosal lipoma is an uncommon finding in the stomach. A benign fatty tumor that is asymptomatic majority of the time. However, symptomatic and bigger tumors can be difficult to manage surgically and require detailed surgical planning prior to proceeding with bariatric surgery.

Single Fluid-Filled Intragastric Balloon Safe and Effective for Inducing Weight Loss in a Real-World Population.

Background & Aims: The Orbera intragastric balloon (OIB) is a single fluid-filled intragastric balloon approved for the induction of weight loss and treatment of obesity. However, little is known about the effectiveness and safety of the OIB outside clinical trials, and since approval, the Food and Drug Administration has issued warnings to health care providers about risk of balloon hyperinflation requiring early removal, pancreatitis, and death. We analyzed data on patients who have received the OIB since its approval to determine its safety, effectiveness, and tolerance in real-world clinical settings.

Citrullinated α-enolase is an effective target for anti-cancer immunity.

Targeting post-translationally modified epitopes may provide a new strategy for generating tumor specific immune responses. Citrullination is the post-translational modification of arginine to citrulline catalyzed by peptidylarginine deaminase (PAD) enzymes. Presentation of citrullinated peptides on MHC-II has been associated with autophagy.

Reduced risk of peanut sensitization following exposure through breast-feeding and early peanut introduction.

Background: Recent trials have shown that avoiding peanuts during infancy increases the risk of peanut allergy; however, these studies did not address maternal peanut consumption.

Objective: We sought to investigate the relationship between maternal peanut consumption while breast-feeding, timing of direct peanut introduction, and peanut sensitization at age 7 years.

Methods: Secondary analysis of a nested cohort within the 1995 Canadian Asthma Primary Prevention Study intervention study was performed.

Obesity does not adversely affect outcomes after laparoscopic splenectomy.

Background: Obesity is still considered a relative contraindication to laparoscopic splenectomy (LS).

Methods: All patients undergoing LS at our institution were classified as obese or nonobese (group A, body mass index [BMI] >30; group B, BMI <30). Primary end points included conversion rate, operative complications, length of stay, operative time, and estimated blood loss (EBL).

Assessment of epicutaneous testing of a monovalent Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 vaccine in egg allergic patients.

Background: H1N1 is responsible for the first influenza pandemic in 41 years. In the fall of 2009, an H1N1 vaccine became available in Canada with the hopes of reducing the overall effect of the pandemic. The purpose of this study was to assess the safety of administering 2 different doses of a monovalent split virus 2009 H1N1 vaccine in egg allergic patients.

Laparoscopic radiofrequency ablation of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma: long-term follow-up.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has seen a dramatic rise in the USA over the last 30 years. Unresectable disease is present in 80-90% of patients, for which radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is an option. The aim of this study is to report the long-term survival after laparoscopic RFA.

Object categorisation, object naming, and viewpoint independence in visual remembering: evidence from young children's drawings of a novel object.

A simple object-drawing task confirms a three-way association between object categorisation, viewpoint independence, and longer-term visual remembering. Young children (5- to 7-year-olds) drew a familiar object or a novel object, immediately after it had been hidden from view or on the following day. Both objects were shown from a full range of viewpoints or from just two viewpoints, from neither of which would either object normally be drawn after unrestricted viewing.

Efficacy of laparoscopic mesenteric/retroperitoneal lymph node biopsy.

Background: Lymphadenopathy-identified incidentally during computed tomography (CT) mandates a tissue diagnosis. When percutaneous techniques are not possible, surgical tissue diagnosis becomes necessary. Laparotomy is the current gold standard; however a laparoscopic approach offers many potential benefits.

Diagnostic laparoscopy for chronic abdominal pain after gastric bypass.

Background: To evaluate, in an observational study, the utility of diagnostic laparoscopy as a tool to evaluate patients with abdominal pain of unknown etiology after gastric bypass surgery.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed of data from patients who had undergone laparoscopy for diagnosis or treatment of abdominal pain. This study included 13 patients with negative preoperative radiographic and/or endoscopic findings.

Influence of obesity and surgical weight loss on thyroid hormone levels.

Background: The pathophysiologic relationship between morbid obesity and thyroid hormones is not well understood. The goal of this study was to evaluate the influence of obesity and weight reduction after bariatric surgery on thyroid hormone levels.

Methods: Patients who underwent gastric bypass or adjustable gastric banding at our institution, had no previous diagnosis of thyroid disorder, were not taking medication that could affect the thyroid function evaluation, and who were nonsmokers were included in this retrospective evaluation.

Asthma hospitalization patterns in young children relating to admission age, infection presence, sex, and race.

Background: Although childhood hospitalizations for asthma are common, there are few detailed temporal and demographic descriptions of these hospitalizations.

Objective: To relate temporal patterns of asthma hospitalization in young children to admission age, sex, comorbid infection, and race.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of 151,391 New York State hospitalizations with a principal diagnosis of asthma between January 1, 1990, and December 31, 2004, in children younger than 5 years.