Allergic fungal rhinosinusitis (AFRS) is a subtype of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) that has previously been associated with younger age and Black patients. However, the role of demographic and socioeconomic factors in AFRS severity remains to be fully elucidated. The objective of this study was to determine whether demographic and socioeconomic factors are associated with incidence of AFRS, as well as with disease severity in Northern California. A retrospective cohort study was conducted of adult patients with AFRS and CRS from 2010 to 2019. AFRS was determined by the Bent and Kuhn criteria, and severity was assessed by radiographic evidence of cranioorbital invasion and other clinical parameters. Chi-square and t-test were used to assess demographic and socioeconomic differences between AFRS and CRS cohorts, and multivariable logistic regression was used to assess risk factors for severe AFRS. Black patients represented 26.2% (55/210 patients) of the AFRS group and 4.9% (842/17,300 patients) of the CRS group, with pairwise comparison of race/ethnicity categories showing that the AFRS group had significantly higher proportions of Black race/ethnicity compared with other race/ethnicities (p < 0.01). AFRS and CRS groups differed significantly by age, with mean ages of 48.7 and 51.0 years, respectively (p = 0.04). There were no significant differences in gender, Medicaid status, comorbidities, and socioeconomic status measures. Multivariate logistic regression showed that Black patients had higher odds of having severe AFRS (adjusted odds ratio = 2.29; 95% confidence interval: 1.18-4.45). AFRS has a unique predilection for Black patients, and severe disease is also more likely in this population.

Worsening heart failure (WHF) events occurring in non-inpatient settings are becoming increasingly recognized, with implications for prognostication. We evaluate the performance of a natural language processing (NLP)-based approach compared with traditional diagnostic coding for non-inpatient clinical encounters and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). We compared characteristics for encounters that did vs. did not meet WHF criteria, stratified by care setting [i.e. emergency department (ED) and observation stay]. Overall, 8407 (22%) encounters met NLP-based criteria for WHF (3909 ED visits and 4498 observation stays). The use of an NLP-derived definition adjudicated 3983 (12%) of non-primary HF diagnoses as meeting consensus definitions for WHF. The most common diagnosis indicated in these encounters was dyspnoea. Results were primarily driven by observation stays, in which 2205 (23%) encounters with a secondary HF diagnosis met the WHF definition by NLP. The use of standard claims-based adjudication for primary diagnosis in the non-inpatient setting may lead to misclassification of WHF events in the ED and overestimate observation stays. Primary diagnoses alone may underestimate the burden of WHF in non-hospitalized settings.

Objectives: To assess differences in demographics, incidence, and cause of nasal bone fractures (NBFs) between pre–coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and COVID-19 eras. Methods: The National Electronic Injury Surveillance System was queried for adult NBF. Two sample t tests and Wald χ2 tests were used to identify changes across the 2012 to 2019 period and 2020 to 2021 period (age, sex, race, location, disposition, and product). Results: There was a total of 523,259 (95% CI: 445,082–601,436) emergency department (ED)–treated adult NBFs in the United States. There was a greater incidence of NBF during COVID-19 (61,621 annual cases; 95% CI: 61,572–61,669) compared with pre–COVID-19 (50,773 annual cases; 95% CI: 50,195–51,351; P &lt; 0.01). Fewer patients with NBF were discharged after ED evaluation during COVID-19 (79.46%; 95% CI: 74.45%–83.70%) compared with before (84.41%; 95% CI: 82.36%–86.28%; P = 0.049, t test). During COVID-19, there was a decrease in sport-associated NBFs, such as basketball [2.36% (95% CI: 1.71%–3.27%) versus 5.21% (95% CI: 4.20%–6.45%), P &lt; 0.01] and baseball [1.18% (95% CI: 0.82%–1.69%) versus 2.22% (95% CI: 1.80%–2.74%), P&lt;0.01], but an increase in fall (66.34% versus 75.02%), alcohol (7.04% versus 12.89%), and drug-associated (0.47% versus 5.70%) NBFs (all P &lt; 0.001). Conclusion: A greater incidence of NBFs has been observed since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic without significant changes in sex or race. Nasal bone fractures during COVID-19 were less likely to be related to sports or discharged from the ED and more likely to be associated with drugs and alcohol. Changes in sociobehavioral patterns during these unprecedented times may account for post–COVID-19 NBF etiologic drift. Level of Evidence: Level II—retrospective cohort study.

Dietary isothiocyanate (ITC) exposure from cruciferous vegetable (CV) intake may improve non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) prognosis. This study aims to investigate whether genetic variations in key ITC-metabolizing/functioning genes modify the associations between dietary ITC exposure and NMIBC prognosis outcomes. In the Bladder Cancer Epidemiology, Wellness, and Lifestyle Study (Be-Well Study), a prospective cohort of 1472 incident NMIBC patients, dietary ITC exposure is assessed by self-reported CV intake and measured in plasma ITC-albumin adducts. Using Cox proportional hazards regression models, stratified by single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in nine key ITC-metabolizing/functioning genes, it is calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for recurrence and progression. The rs15561 in N-acetyltransferase 1 (NAT1) is alter the association between CV intake and progression risk. Multiple SNPs in nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (NRF2) and nuclear factor kappa B (NFκB) are modify the associations between plasma ITC-albumin adduct level and progression risk (pint < 0.05). No significant association is observed with recurrence risk. Overall, >80% study participants are present with at least one protective genotype per gene, showing an average 65% reduction in progression risk with high dietary ITC exposure. Despite that genetic variations in ITC-metabolizing/functioning genes may modify the effect of dietary ITCs on NMIBC prognosis, dietary recommendation of CV consumption may help improve NMIBC survivorship.

BackgroundDifferences in demographics, risk factors, and clinical characteristics may contribute to variations in men and women in terms of the prevalence, clinical setting, and outcomes associated with worsening heart failure (WHF) events. We sought to describe sex-based differences in the epidemiology, clinical characteristics, and outcomes associated with WHF events across clinical settings. Methods and ResultsWe examined adults diagnosed with HF from 2010 to 2019 within a large, integrated health care delivery system. Electronic health record data were accessed for hospitalizations, emergency department (ED) visits and observation stays, and outpatient encounters. WHF was identified using validated natural language processing algorithms and defined as ≥1 symptom, ≥2 objective findings (including ≥1 sign), and ≥1 change in HF-related therapy. Incidence rates and associated outcomes for WHF were compared across care setting by sex. We identified 1,122,368 unique clinical encounters with a diagnosis code for HF, with 124,479 meeting WHF criteria. These WHF encounters existed among 102,116 patients, of whom 48,543 (47.5%) were women and 53,573 (52.5%) were men. Women experiencing WHF were older and more likely to have HF with preserved ejection fraction compared with men. The clinical settings of WHF were similar among women and men: hospitalizations (36.8% vs 37.7%), ED visits or observation stays (11.8% vs 13.4%), and outpatient encounters (4.4% vs 4.9%). Women had lower odds of 30-day mortality after an index hospitalization (adjusted odds ratio 0.88, 95% confidence interval 0.83–0.93) or ED visit or observation stay (adjusted odds ratio 0.86, 95% confidence interval 0.75–0.98) for WHF. ConclusionsWomen and men contribute similarly to WHF events across diverse clinical settings despite marked differences in age and left ventricular ejection fraction.

IntroductionThe American Heart Association (AHA) “Life's Simple 7” schema can be used to categorize patients’ cardiovascular health (CVH) status as Poor, Intermediate or Ideal based on smoking, body mass index (BMI), physical activity, dietary patterns, blood pressure, cholesterol, and fasting blood sugar. This study examined the association between CVH status and subsequent healthcare utilization. MethodsThis was an observational cohort study of adults from an integrated health care delivery system – Kaiser Permanente Northern California – that had outpatient care between 2013-2014. Patients were categorized by AHA CVH status: Poor, Intermediate or Ideal. Individual-level health care utilization and costs in 2015 were accumulated for each patient and compared across the 3 CVH categories and stratified by age groups. Results991,698 patients were included in the study. 194,003 (19.6%) were age 18-39, 554,129 (55.9%) age 40-64, and 243,566 (24.6%) age ≥65 years. 259,931 (26.2%) had Ideal CVH, 521,580 (52.6%) had Intermediate CVH, and 210,187 (21.2%) had Poor CVH. Healthcare utilization measured by average relative cost per patient increased monotonically across age categories (p<0.001). In addition, CVH category was inversely associated with lower cost in each age group (p<0.001). ConclusionAdults who were younger and had more ideal CVH had relatively lower health care costs across age groups. Interventions to promote better CVH may improve patient outcomes and reduce overall healthcare expenditures.

Rationale: There is a theoretical concern, unconfirmed by population-based challenge data, that clinically-significant immunologically-mediated hypersensitivity occurs between beta-lactams sharing side chains. The population-based “allergy” incidence associated with the use of beta-lactams sharing exact R1 side chains, [ampicillin, cephalexin, and cefaclor (ACC)], with or without a current ACC or sulfonamide antibiotic “allergy” has not been reported. Methods: All courses of ACC and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, used by any Kaiser Permanente California members in 2017 and 2018, with follow-up through January 2019, were identified along with their preexisting antibiotic “allergy” status and all new antibiotic-specific “allergies” reported within 30 days of course initiation. Results: There were 1,167,713 courses of ACC administered to individuals with no sulfonamide antibiotic or ACC “allergy” and 4,771 (0.41%) new ACC “allergies” were reported. There were 130,032 courses of ACC administered to individuals with a sulfonamide antibiotic “allergy” and no ACC “allergy” and 904 (0.70%) new ACC “allergies” were reported. There were 5,958 courses of ACC administered to individuals with an ACC “allergy”, 2,341 who also had sulfonamide antibiotic “allergy”, and 52 (0.87%) new ACC “allergies” were reported. Conclusions: The incidence of new ampicillin, cephalexin, or cefaclor “allergy” reports is minimally and non-specifically increased when a preexisting ACC or sulfonamide antibiotic “allergy” exists over the baseline incidence in the population. This argues against clinically-significant immunologically-mediated cross-reactivity between beta-lactams sharing exact side chains in individuals with pre-existing, but unconfirmed, beta-lactam “allergy”. Any previously reported, even unrelated, antibiotic “allergy” appears to be a risk factor for reporting a new antibiotic “allergy”.

Mpox is a viral zoonotic infection endemic to countries in Central and West Africa. The outbreak that began in May 2022 is novel for its global spread and transmission through sexual encounters. Research of this outbreak shows a high rate of concurrent sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in patients with mpox, highlighting the need to consider STIs in mpox management, and to raise awareness of historically high levels of STIs caused by inadequacies in sexual health care. It is critical to prioritize sexual health and address health disparities to control current transmission of infections and prevent future outbreaks.