Higher Frequency Of Symptoms Research Articles

Bothersome symptoms at midlife in relation to body fat percentage.

Increasing obesity has been associated with a higher frequency of symptoms at midlife. Bothersomeness represents an important measure of perceived symptom severity, but has received relatively little consideration, and relationships between symptom bothersomeness and obesity are not known. We evaluated the association between body fat percentage (%BF) and the bothersomeness of symptoms at midlife. This cross-sectional study included women aged 40-60 in Qatar (n = 841). Participants reported frequency and bothersomeness of midlife symptoms hypothesized to be related to body composition. Initially, we characterized the relationship between continuous %BF and presence (yes/no) and bothersomeness (yes/no) for each symptom using restricted cubic spline (RCS) models to test nonlinearity. Subsequently, we used multinomial logistic regressions to evaluate associations between %BF and multilevel symptom outcomes, where categories were: (a) no symptoms or bother, (b) symptoms without bothersomeness, and (c) symptoms with bothersomeness. The highest frequency of bothersomeness was reported for aches/stiffness in joints (51%), followed by trouble sleeping (34%), night sweats (21%), urinary incontinence (18%), hot flashes (16%), and shortness of breath (15%). In unadjusted multinomial logistic regressions, aches/stiffness in joints with and without bothersomeness had the same significant relationship with %BF. Bothersome night sweats, urinary incontinence, and hot flashes were significantly associated with %BF (p < .05), but those same symptoms without bothersomeness were not significantly associated with %BF. Our findings suggest that bothersomeness is an important variable that tracks with body fat and gives different information than report of the presence/absence of a symptom alone.

Autonomic neuropathic symptoms in patients with diabetes: practical tools for screening in daily routine

BackgroundDiabetic autonomic neuropathy (DAN) is a frequent complication in people with diabetes whose screening is often neglected. This study aimed to evaluate DAN through practical tools in people with diabetes in a referral center for diabetes treatment.MethodsDAN symptoms and severity were assessed using the Survey of Autonomic Symptoms (SAS) via digital application (app) in patients attended from June 1, 2021, to November 12, 2021. SAS scoring for DAN was performed using established validated cutoffs. The adhesive with cobalt salt color indicator (Neuropad™) was used as a measure of sudomotor dysfunction. Demographical and clinical data were also collected.ResultsData from 109 participants, 66.9% T2DM, 73.4% female, with a median age of 54.00 (± 20.00) years, were analyzed. Symptomatic DAN was present in 69.7% of participants and was associated with older age (p = 0.002), higher HbA1c (p = 0.043), higher abdominal circumference (p = 0.019), higher BMI (p = 0.013), more likely to have metabolic syndrome (MS) with a 10-fold increased risk, and more frequent association with diabetic peripheral neuropathy (p = 0.005). Sudomotor dysfunction was found in 65 participants with positive Neuropad™ detected in 63.1% of them.ConclusionThe use of SAS through an app proved to be a practical and easy-to-use instrument to document symptoms of DAN in busy clinical practice. The high frequency of symptoms draws attention to the importance of screening this underdiagnosed diabetes complication. The risk factors and comorbidities associated with symptomatic DAN highlight the patients’ phenotypes linked to MS that should be targeted for DAN evaluations in larger samples in the community.

Higher Symptom Frequency and Severity After the Long Interdialytic Interval in Patients on Maintenance Intermittent Hemodialysis

Patients on intermittent hemodialysis (HD) have a high symptom burden. Though studies report higher hospitalizations and mortality after the long interdialytic interval, whether symptoms vary based on the interdialytic interval is unclear. This is a prospective observational study of patients over the age of 18 who received in-center HD. Patients were surveyed on the presence and severity of 20 different symptoms at the end of 12 HD sessions. Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used for comparison of severity for each symptom by the interval. Multivariable generalized estimating equation with Poisson regression by repeated measure method was used to determine the association of interdialytic interval and symptom frequency while adjusting for potential confounders. From the 97 patients enrolled, the most common symptoms were fatigue (60.8%), cramping (58.8%), and dry skin (52.6%). There was large variability in the frequency of symptoms, ranging 0% to 8% of treatments. The most severe symptoms were bone pain (mean severity score 2.2±0.9) and diarrhea (mean severity score 2.2±0.7). Eight of the 20 symptoms were significantly more common after the long interdialytic interval including fatigue (22% vs. 15%, P< 0.001) and cramping (21% vs. 16%, P= 0.003). The long interval had a 37% higher incidence rate for symptoms compared to the short interval even after adjustment. Results were similar across genders. Symptoms are more common after the long interdialytic interval. Clinical assessment and research evaluating patient symptoms need to be cognizant of when patients are surveyed or include the length of interdialytic interval as a confounding variable.

Clinical, laboratory and radiological associations with extending of the intensive phase of treatment in patients with first diagnosed infiltrative pulmonary tuberculosis

Despite the availability of medical services, timely detection of pulmonary tuberculosis, before the appearance of destructive changes, is often difficult. The management of patients with an infiltrative form in a hospital setting does not always guarantee the same positive effect and sometimes requires prolongation of therapy. The effectiveness of therapy can be associated with various factors and is of interest to study. The aim of this work was to study the effectiveness of standard therapy in patients with first diagnosed infiltrative pulmonary tuberculosis, clinical laboratory and radiological associations with prolongation of the intensive phase of treatment. Materials and methods. The study involved 109 men from 18 to 53 years old with first diagnosed infiltrative pulmonary tuberculosis with preserved MBT sensitivity to 1-st line anti-tuberculosis drugs. Patients were examined before and after 60 doses of the intensive phase of treatment, after which two groups were formed. Group 1 included patients with pronounced positive clinical and radiological dynamics, who entered the continuation phase of therapy. Group 2 included patients with insufficient clinical and radiological dynamics, for whom the intensive phase of treatment was extended to 90 doses. Results. Weak dynamics in patients who needed prolongation of treatment was associated with the characteristics of the initial data of patients in this group compared with similar indicators in Group 1. These were a reliably higher frequency of symptoms of intoxication and coughing, a reliably greater number of patients excreting mycobacterium tuberculosis in large quantities in sputum, with reliably high blood concentrations of haptoglobin and ceruloplasmin levels. Conclusions. Patients requiring prolongation of the intensive phase of treatment are characterized by an initially higher prevalence of infiltrative changes in the lungs, a small number of lung lesions limited to 2 segments, the presence of destructive changes in 100 % of cases, and a significant increase in the factors of the systemic inflammatory response

Longitudinal analysis of safety and medication adherence of patients in the Fingolimod patient support program: a real-world observational study

The Fingolimod Patient Support Program (F-PSP) is an interprofessional specialty pharmacy service designed to ensure responsible use of fingolimod by promoting patient safety and medication adherence. This study aims to evaluate the safety and medication adherence of patients who joined the F-PSP between 2013 and 2016. Sociodemographic and medical characteristics, patient safety data (patient-reported symptoms, discontinuations due to adverse events (AEs), repeated first-dose monitoring), and medication adherence (implementation, persistence, reasons for discontinuation, influence of covariates, barriers and facilitators) were described. Sixty-seven patients joined the F-PSP. Patients reported a high frequency of symptoms. Due to AEs, 7 patients discontinued fingolimod, 3 took therapeutic breaks, and 1 reduced the regimen temporarily. Three patients repeated the first-dose monitoring. Patients had a high medication adherence over the 18-month analysis period: implementation decreased from 98.8 to 93.7%, and fingolimod persistence was 83.2% at 18 months. The patients’ level of education, professional situation, and living with child(ren) influenced implementation. Patients reported more facilitators of medication adherence than barriers. The F-PSP seems valuable for supporting individual patients (ensuring responsible use of fingolimod and inviting patients for shared-decision making) and public health (indirectly gathering real-world evidence).

Relation of Antecedent Symptoms to the Likelihood of Detecting Subclinical Atrial Fibrillation With Inserted Cardiac Monitors

Atrial fibrillation (AF) comes to attention clinically during an evaluation of symptoms, an evaluation of its adverse outcomes, or because of incidental detection during a routine examination or electrocardiogram. However, a notable number of additional individuals have AF that has not yet been clinically apparent or suspect-subclinical AF (SCAF). SCAF has been recognized during interrogation of pacemakers and defibrillators. More recently, SCAF has been demonstrated in prospective studies with long-term monitors-both external and implanted. The REVEAL AF trial enrolled a demographically "enriched" population that underwent monitoring for up to 3 years with an insertable cardiac monitor. SCAF was noted in 40% by 30 months. None of these patients had AF known before the study; however, some had nonspecific symptoms common to patients with known AF. The current study assessed whether patients with versus without such symptoms were more likely to have SCAF detected. We found that only palpitations had an association with AF detection when controlling for other baseline symptoms (hazard ratio 1.61 (95% confidence interval 1.12 to 2.32; p = 0.011). No other prescreening symptoms evaluated were associated with an increased likelihood of SCAF detection although patients without detected SCAF had an even higher frequency of symptoms than those with detected SCAF. Thus, REVEAL AF demonstrated that the presence of palpitations is associated with an increased likelihood of SCAF whereas other common symptoms are not; and, symptoms, per se, may more likely be consequent to associated disorders than they are a direct consequence of SCAF.

A mixed-methods analysis of younger adults' perceptions of asthma, self-management, and preventive care: "This isn't helping me none".

BackgroundYoung adults (ages 18‐44) have increased emergency department use for asthma and poor adherence to medications. The objective of this mixed‐methods study was to understand experiences with and approaches to managing asthma, of which little is known in this age group.MethodsSurveys (Asthma Control Questionnaire, Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire) and 1:1 semi‐structured interviews were used to explore experiences with asthma, symptoms, self‐management behaviours, and relationship to asthma control and quality of life. Qualitative data were analysed using content analysis techniques. Descriptive statistics and bivariate correlations were used to examine distributive characteristics and associations between variables.ResultsForty urban adults participated (mean age 32.7 ± 6.2, 1σ). Coughing was reported nearly 46% more often than wheezing, with 42.5% (17/40) coughing until the point of vomiting most days. Most participants delayed using medication for symptoms due to misperceptions about inhalers. Higher symptom frequency and worse asthma control were associated with greater use of non‐pharmacologic symptom management strategies (r = 0.645, P < .001; r = 0.360, P = .022, respectively). Five themes were identified regarding young adults experiences with asthma: (1) having asthma means being limited and missing out on life; (2) health care for asthma is burdensome, and other things are more important; (3) there is not enough personal benefit in medical interactions to make preventive care worthwhile; (4) there are insufficient support and education about asthma for adults; and (5) people normalize chronic symptoms over time and find ways of coping that fit with their lifestyle.Conclusions and Clinical RelevanceYoung adults may tolerate symptoms without using quick‐relief medication or seeking preventive care. Increasing engagement with preventive services will require decreasing perceived burdens and increasing the personal benefits of care. Evaluating for non‐pharmacologic approaches to managing symptoms and asthma‐related coughing may identify uncontrolled asthma. Enhanced training for clinicians in patient‐centric asthma care may be needed.

TREATMENT OF PATIENT WITH IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME WITH DIET MODIFICATION – A CASE REPORT

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is characterized by chronic relapsing abdominal pain, bloating and changes in bowel habits. Despite very real symptoms, the gross and microscopy evaluation is normal in most IBS patients&#x0D; Due to difficulty in diagnosis, incidence is not clearly known. Prevalence in developed countries is between 5% and 10 percent. Throughout the world about 10-20 percent of adults and adolescents have symptoms consistent with IBS.IBS is a disorder that effect all ages although most patients have their first symptom before age 45.Older individuals have a lover reporting frequency. Women are diagnosed with IBS 2-3 times as often as men and makeup 80 percent of population with severe IBS.&#x0D; IBS is a bio-psychosocial disorder in which 3 major mechanicals interact: psychosocial factors, altered motility and heightened sensory function of intestine. Due to multifactorial etiology there is no single therapeutic option available with satisfactory efficiency.&#x0D; Therefore, patients with high frequency of symptoms express high levels of frustration with their frequent hospital visits, decreased work &amp; social life and food sensitivity. If treatment is carried out to improve symptoms, some people can control their symptoms by managing diet, lifestyle and stress. Others need medication and counselling.&#x0D; In our case the patient wasn’t satisfied with the pharmacotherapy alone. He used diet modification and lifestyle modification as a main treatment strategy. Satisfactory results were observed with such changes.&#x0D; Keywords: IBS, psychosocial, bio-psychosocial, lifestyle modification, diet modification, low FODMAP diet, high fiber diet, yoga, stress

Patient reported symptoms, coping and quality of life during somatostatin analogue treatment for metastatic small- intestinal neuroendocrine tumours

BackgroundPatients with metastatic small-intestinal neuroendocrine tumours (NET) have been shown to have a reduced quality of life compared to the general population and many have disabling symptoms during somatostatin analogue (SSA) treatment. The aim of this prospective study was to document the patient-reported symptoms, coping and quality of life during SSA treatment and to measure patients’ fat-soluble vitamin levels.MethodsPatients with metastatic small-intestinal NET on treatment with long-acting SSA were included. Data on patient characteristics, blood samples, questionnaires (EORTC-QLQ-C30 and GI.NET-21) and structured patient interviews were collected at inclusion and after 1 year.ResultsEighty-eight patients were included, 77 (88%) attended 1 year follow-up. Approximately 50% of patients reported symptoms, the most common symptoms at baseline and after 1 year follow-up were diarrhoea, flatulence, fatigue, abdominal discomfort and sore injection lumps. Diarrhoea and fatigue were reported as their main complaint, 23% had > 5 daily episodes of diarrhoea and 59% reported fatigue. However, patients reported a high perceived quality of life, high daily activity, coped with their symptoms and managed their daily life well. Deficiency of vitamin D (27%) and A (13%) were observed.ConclusionsPatients with metastatic small-intestinal NET on SSA treatment reported a high frequency of symptoms. Minor improvements were seen after 1-year of follow-up, illustrating that many symptoms might be difficult to improve, or may not be recognised by the health service. Patients, however, generally reported a high quality of life. Care for NET patients on SSA treatment should include a regular systematic symptom registration and vitamin measurements.

Health Consequences for E-Waste Workers and Bystanders-A Comparative Cross-Sectional Study.

Informal e-waste recycling is associated with several health hazards. Thus far, the main focus of research in the e-waste sector has been to assess the exposure site, such as the burden of heavy metals or organic pollutants. The aim of this study was to comprehensively assess the health consequences associated with informal e-waste recycling. A questionnaire-based assessment regarding occupational information, medical history, and current symptoms and complaints was carried out with a group of n = 84 e-waste workers and compared to a control cohort of n = 94 bystanders at the e-waste recycling site Agbogbloshie. E-waste workers suffered significantly more from work-related injuries, back pain, and red itchy eyes in comparison to the control group. In addition, regular drug use was more common in e-waste workers (25% vs. 6.4%). Both groups showed a noticeable high use of pain killers (all workers 79%). The higher frequency of symptoms in the e-waste group can be explained by the specific recycling tasks, such as burning or dismantling. However, the report also indicates that adverse health effects apply frequently to the control group. Occupational safety trainings and the provision of personal protection equipment are needed for all workers.

Assessment of subclinical hypothyroidism for a clinical score and thyroid peroxidase antibody: a comparison with euthyroidism grouped by different thyroid-stimulating hormone levels

Abstract Background Subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) might have many symptoms of hypothyroidism. The controversy appears to lower the level of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and group subjects with TSH of more than 3 or even 2.5 mIU/L as SCH subjects. Objectives To assess SCH subjects both clinically using Zulewski clinical score and biochemically and to evaluate whether the euthyroid subjects with high-normal TSH (HNT) have any clinical symptom or subnormal biochemical finding. Methods A prospective cross-sectional study of 233 subjects, 67 with SCH and 166 euthyroidism, was conducted. Euthyroid subjects were divided according to the level of TSH as HNT (&gt;2.5 mIU/L) and low-normal TSH (0.5–2.5 mIU/L). The subjects were examined for clinical feature including Zulewski clinical score and biochemical evaluations including thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPO-Ab) titer. The comparisons between groups were assessed using independent sample t test, and correlations between variables were evaluated using Pearson correlation. Results A significantly higher clinical score and higher frequencies of symptoms were found in the SCH group compared to the euthyroid group. The most frequent symptom was fatigue. Euthyroid subjects with HNT were found to have higher TPO-Ab titers than those with low-normal TSH, P &lt; 0.05. The Zulewski clinical score was positively correlated with TSH and TPO-Ab titer but negatively correlated with the FT4 level, P &lt; 0.05. Conclusions Zulewski clinical score is higher in SCH subjects compared to euthyroid subjects and can aid in assessing SCH subjects. A significant correlation exists between Zulewski clinical score and each of the TSH, FT4, and TPO-Ab titer levels. The frequency of TPO-Ab positivity is high in SCH. Additionally, euthyroid with higher TSH levels has higher level of TPO-Ab titer but not higher clinical score.

The COPD multi-dimensional phenotype: A new classification from the STORICO Italian observational study.

BackgroundThis paper is aimed to (i) develop an innovative classification of COPD, multi-dimensional phenotype, based on a multidimensional assessment; (ii) describe the identified multi-dimensional phenotypes.MethodsAn exploratory factor analysis to identify the main classificatory variables and, then, a cluster analysis based on these variables were run to classify the COPD-diagnosed 514 patients enrolled in the STORICO (trial registration number: NCT03105999) study into multi-dimensional phenotypes.ResultsThe circadian rhythm of symptoms and health-related quality of life, but neither comorbidity nor respiratory function, qualified as primary classificatory variables. Five multidimensional phenotypes were identified: the MILD COPD characterized by no night-time symptoms and the best health status in terms of quality of life, quality of sleep, level of depression and anxiety, the MILD EMPHYSEMATOUS with prevalent dyspnea in the early-morning and day-time, the SEVERE BRONCHITIC with nocturnal and diurnal cough and phlegm, the SEVERE EMPHYSEMATOUS with nocturnal and diurnal dyspnea and the SEVERE MIXED COPD distinguished by higher frequency of symptoms during 24h and worst quality of life, of sleep and highest levels of depression and anxiety.ConclusionsOur results showed that properly collected respiratory symptoms play a primary classificatory role of COPD patients. The longitudinal observation will disclose the discriminative and prognostic potential of the proposed multidimensional phenotype.Trial registrationTrial registration number: NCT03105999, date of registration: 10th April 2017.

Correlates of life-support treatment preferences among low-income home-based cancer management recipients.

To examine the correlates of life-support treatment (LST) preferences from attitudes toward advance directives (ADs), perceived susceptibility, symptom frequency, symptom burden, and global health among low-income community-dwelling cancer management recipients, controlling for age, sex, education, and duration after cancer diagnosis. A cross-sectional, correlational study design was used to assess LST preferences and correlates. Data were collected from low-income cancer survivors during nurses' home visits. Survivors who had mostly solid cancer participated (N = 107, mean age = 67.39 ± 11.57 years, 32.7% males). Hospice care was the most desired (66.4%), while aggressive treatments were less preferred: cardiopulmonary resuscitation (15.9%), ventilation support (15.0%), hemodialysis (18.7%), or chemotherapy (12.1%). Higher symptom frequency was associated with a greater likelihood of preferring all aggressive treatments (odds ratios = 1.44-1.75). In addition, longer cancer duration was associated with a greater likelihood of preferring ventilation support; females had a lesser likelihood of preferring hemodialysis and chemotherapy. Higher education was associated with a lesser likelihood of preferring chemotherapy. More positive attitudes (B = 0.15, p = .001) were associated with a greater likelihood of preferring hospice care, and greater symptom burden of pain (B = -0.03, p = .047) was associated with a lesser likelihood. Results support the feasibility of incorporating ADs into cancer management among community-dwelling cancer survivors, with consideration of AD attitudes and symptom monitoring. An integration of AD discussion into the home visiting service could be a liaison for the quality and continuity of cancer survivorship care that guides and manages patients' survivorship issues.

Patient-reported adverse effects after facial skin cancer surgery: Long-term data to inform counseling and expectations

Patient-reported adverse effects after facial skin cancer surgery: Long-term data to inform counseling and expectations

The impact of the Paris terrorist attacks on the mental health of resident physicians

BackgroundOn November 13, 2015, terrorist attacks took place in Paris. One hundred and twenty-nine people were immediately killed and 302 needed emergency care. Many resident physicians were on the front line of the medical response. Our aim was to report the frequency of symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety and depression among resident physicians after the Paris terrorist attacks.MethodsAnonymous questionnaires, including the Impact of Event Scale- Revised (IES-R) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), were emailed two months after the attacks to 2413 Parisian resident physicians. Exposure to the attacks was defined as having direct clinical contact with one of the victims up to one week after the attacks, being one of the victims, or having one among close relatives.ResultsThe questionnaire was completed by 680 (28.2%) residents. Eighty-four (12.4%) reported symptoms of PTSD (IES-R ≥ 33), 76 (11.2%) reported symptoms of anxiety (HADS anxiety score > 10) and 16 (2.4%) reported symptoms of depression (HADS depression score > 10). Exposed residents had higher IES-R scores than non-exposed residents (18.8 ± 16.6 versus 14.2 ± 12.0, p = 0.001), and 40 (18.5%) of them reported symptoms of PTSD, compared to 44 (9.5%) of the non-exposed residents (p = 0.001).ConclusionsThere was a high frequency of symptoms of mental distress among our respondents. Dedicated screening and care strategies must be considered in the event of new attacks.

Características e impacto de la menstruación en la mujer española: el porqué del interés de la posibilidad de supresión de la menstruación

IntroductionTo provide appropriate menstrual management requires knowing how women live and how it affects and imposes limitations on them, factors that are influenced by the sociocultural environment. Information on these issues as regards Spanish women is scarce. Materials and methodsInternet survey with a sample of female volunteers aged 18-49. Details were collected on sociodemographic characteristics, contraceptive use, menstrual characteristics, the extent to which normal activity is limited, prevalence of symptoms, vital spheres affected, acceptance of menstrual suppression, and reasons for it. An analysis was made on the influence of age, use of hormonal contraception (HC) vs. non-hormonal/no method, and/or blood flows. ResultsThe study included 1003 women aged 35.3±8.3 years, of whom 98.7% menstruated, with 11.9% using HC to relieve menstrual discomfort. Menstrual frequency (28.9±7.2 days) and duration (4.8±1.3 days) decreased with age and with HC. Heavy menstrual bleeding was experienced by 23.8%, and was more common in older women and less common in those on HC. Almost all (93.4%) had menstrual symptoms (mean: 4.1±2.5). The most common (>50%) were physical. Women who used HC or had less bleeding had fewer symptoms. The sexual sphere was considered to be the one most affected, with over half (56.2%) of the women expressed that they were quite/very willing to suppress menstruation, especially “for convenience/to stop worrying” (56.1%), and “to avoid experiencing symptoms” (52.3%). Acceptance was higher among women who considered that menstruation limited them to some degree. DiscussionMenstruation has a major impact on women's lives and seems to be more related to the high frequency of symptoms than to the amount of bleeding. The sexual sphere is the one most affected. More than half of the women would be quite/very willing to suppress menstruation.

Self-reported work-related musculoskeletal disorders among health professionals at a hospital in Portugal.

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) are responsible for morbidity among many health professionals. To establish the prevalence of self-reported WMSDs among health professionals. Descriptive and exploratory study with health professionals at a hospital in northern Portugal. Data were collected in December 2017 by means of an electronic questionnaire applied to the total target population (n=435). We applied instruments for sociodemographic characterization, perception of knowledge on ergonomics and manual mobilization of loads, the Patient Handling Burden Scale (PHBS) and the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ) for self-reporting musculoskeletal symptoms. The sample comprised 105 professionals, mainly nurses and nursing assistants, who exhibited high frequency of symptoms in several body areas, mainly the spine. WMSDs involving health professionals should be considered a problem for health institutions which do not implement interventions beyond traditional training programs, especially multifactorial programs of systemic nature.

THE CLINICAL EFFICACY OF SUBLINGUAL ALLERGEN-SPECIFIC IMMUNOTHERAPY IN CHILDREN AGED 3-5 YEARS

The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of sublingual allergen–specific immunotherapy (SLIT) in Ukrainian children younger than 5 years old with allergic rhinitis and bronchial asthma sensitized to house dust mite allergens. Material and methods: Four hundred and fifty children aged 28 months up to 5 years with rhinitis or asthma were examined. One hundred and twenty five children sensitized to house dust mites Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and/or Dermatophagoides farina were included. In vivo and in vitro tests were made with a standard inhalant allergens panel. Results: The high information value of molecular diagnostics methods applied prior to prescription of the given therapy in children is analyzed. It has been found that in children under 5 sensitized to allergens of house dust mites Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and/or Dermatophagoides farinae the application of sublingual allergen–specific immunotherapy therapy allows gaining control over the symptoms of the disease during the first 6 months. Conclusion: The high safety of SLIT in children has been proven. Comparative analysis in the group of patients not receiving SLIT shows a high frequency of symptoms of the disease after “free-of-symptoms interval” against full or partial baseline therapy denial.

Predictors of Prolonged TB Treatment in a Dutch Outpatient Setting.

IntroductionStandard treatment duration for drug-susceptible tuberculosis (TB) treatment is 6 months. Treatment duration is often extended—and for various different reasons. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and to assess risk factors associated with extended TB treatment.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted. Data including demographic, clinical, radiological and microbiological information from the Netherlands TB Register (NTR) of 90 patients with smear and culture positive pulmonary TB of the region Haaglanden, The Netherlands, was eligible for analysis.ResultsTreatment was extended to ≥ 200 days by 46 (51%) patients. Extended TB treatment was associated with a higher frequency of symptoms, presumed to be due to adverse drug reactions (ADR; OR 2.39 95% CI: 1.01–5.69), drug-induced liver injury (DILI) (OR: 13.51; 95% CI: 1.66–109.82) and longer than 2 month smear and culture conversion rate (OR: 11.00; 95% CI: 1.24–97.96 and OR: 8.56; 95% CI: 1.53–47.96). In the multivariable logistic analysis, development of DILI emerged as the single statistically strong risk factor necessitating extension of TB treatment.ConclusionThis finding will need further confirmation in a prospective study, exploring the possible mutual role of pharmacokinetic and pharmacogenetic determinants of DILI among TB patients.

Estimating the Prevalence of Ovarian Cancer Symptoms in Women Aged 50 Years or Older: Problems and Possibilities.

Diagnostic testing is recommended in women with "ovarian cancer symptoms." However, these symptoms are nonspecific. The ongoing Diagnosing Ovarian Cancer Early (DOVE) Study in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, provides diagnostic testing to women aged 50 years or older with symptoms lasting for more than 2 weeks and less than 1 year. The prevalence of ovarian cancer in DOVE is 10 times that of large screening trials, prompting us to estimate the prevalence of these symptoms in this population. We sent a questionnaire to 3,000 randomly sampled women in 2014-2015. Overall, 833 women responded; 81.5% reported at least 1 symptom, and 59.7% reported at least 1 symptom within the duration window specified in DOVE. We explored whether such high prevalence resulted from low survey response by applying inverse probability weighting to correct the estimates. Older women and those from deprived areas were less likely to respond, but only age was associated with symptom reporting. Prevalence was similar in early and late responders. Inverse probability weighting had a minimal impact on estimates, suggesting little evidence of nonresponse bias. This is the first study investigating symptoms that have proven to identify a subset of women with a high prevalence of ovarian cancer. However, the high frequency of symptoms warrants further refinements before symptom-triggered diagnostic testing can be implemented.