Single Tertiary Health Care Center Research Articles

Safety and Efficacy of Biopsy in Patients with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Gliomas

Diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas are aggressive tumors that carry a poor prognosis with a 2-year survival rate of <10%. The imaging appearance is often pathognomonic, and surgical biopsy is not mandatory to initiate treatment in children. Studies of biopsy samples provide insight into the disease's molecular pathobiology and open prospects for targeted therapy. This study was conducted to determine the diagnostic yield and safety of stereotactic biopsies. This is a prospective observational study from a single tertiary health care center. All patients with clinical and radiological features diagnostic of diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas (DIPGs) who underwent biopsy from July 2018 to June 2023 were included. Biopsies were performed using either stereotactic frame-based, frameless, or endoscopic techniques. A total of 165 patients with DIPGs were evaluated in the study period. The option of biopsy with its associated risks and benefits was offered to all patients. A total of 76 biopsies were performed in 74 patients (40 children and 34 adults, including 2 repeat biopsies). The median age was 15 years. Diffuse midline gliomas, H3K27M altered, was the most common histopathological diagnosis (85% pediatric and 55.9% adults). The diagnostic efficacy of the procedure was 94.7%. The complication rate was 10.8%, with no permanent neurological deficits due to surgery. There was no procedure-related mortality. Establishing the safety of the procedure could be an important step toward popularizing the concept, which might offer a better understanding of the disease. Brainstem eloquence and a lack of direct benefit to patients are the primary obstacles to brainstem biopsy.

Rhinocerebral mucormycosis (RCM): To study the clinical spectrum and outcome of 61 cases of RCM managed at a tertiary care center in India.

Mucormycosis is a life-threatening infection of the paranasal sinuses and nasal cavities that can easily spread to the orbit and the brain. It is caused by fungi of the family Mucoraceae. We present a case series of 61 patients diagnosed and treated for rhinocerebral mucormycosis (RCM) at a single tertiary health care center. After obtaining ethical clearance, all patient files with a final diagnosis of RCM were thoroughly analyzed in departmental records and a master chart was prepared. The study evaluated the etiology, clinical spectrum, diagnosis, management, complications, and outcome at 3 months of RCM cases. About 93.4% of the RCM cases were diabetic and an equal number had a past history of COVID infection. About 85.2% had received steroids for the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 infection. The most common presentation of RCM was temporal lobe abscess (25.7%) followed by frontal lobe abscess (16.6%). At 3 months post-diagnosis, mortality in our study was 42.6%. About 26.2 % of the RCM cases had no disease, 23% had a static disease, and 8.2% had progressive disease at the end of 3 months. We report the largest single-center case series of RCM, comprising 61 patients. This case series underscores the importance of the early diagnosis and prompt treatment for a better prognosis for this dreadful disease. The three pillars of treatment for RCM cases include reversal of the immunosuppressive state, administration of antifungal drugs, and extensive surgical debridement. In spite of all this, mortality remains high.

Growth of a cohort of very low birth weight and preterm infants born at a single tertiary health care center in South Africa.

Very low birth weight (VLBW) and extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants are known to be at high risk of growth failure and developmental delay later in life. The majority of those infants are born in low and middle income countries. Growth monitoring in a cohort of infants born with a VLBW up to 18 months corrected age was conducted in a low resource setting tertiary hospital. In this prospective cohort study, 173 infants with a birth weight below 1,501 g admitted within their first 24 h of life were recruited and the 115 surviving until discharged were asked to follow up at 1, 3, 6, 12 and 18 months. Weight, height and head circumferences were recorded and plotted on WHO Z-score growth charts. Of the 115 discharged infants 89 were followed up at any given follow-up point (1, 3, 6, 12 and/or 18 months). By 12 months of corrected age another 15 infants had demised (13.0%). The infants' trends in weight-for-age z-scores (WAZ) for corrected age was on average below the norm up to 12 months (average estimated z-score at 12 months = -0.44; 95% CI, -0.77 to -0.11), but had reached a normal range on average at 18 months = -0.24; 95% CI, -0.65 to 0.19) with no overall difference in WAZ scores weight between males and female' infants (p > 0.7). Similar results were seen for height at 12 months corrected age with height-for-age z-scores (HAZ) of the study subjects being within normal limits (-0.24; 95% CI, -0.63 to 0.14). The mean head circumference z-scores (HCZ) initially plotted below -1.5 standard deviations (S.D.), but after 6 months the z-scores were within normal limits (mean z-score at 7 months = -0.19; 95% CI, -0.45 to 0.06). Weight gain, length and head circumferences in infants with VLBW discharged showed a catch-up growth within the first 6-18 months of corrected age, with head circumference recovering best. This confirms findings in other studies on a global scale, which may be reassuring for health systems such as those in South Africa with a high burden of children born with low birth weights.

A Cross-Sectional Clinicomycological Study on Dermatophytosis: A Report From a Single Tertiary Healthcare Center in Eastern India.

Background Dermatophytosis is a public health concern in tropical countries. In India, a scalable number of dermatophytosis cases from multiple states are reported. In the eastern part of India, very few studies were publishedassessing the clinicomycological profiles ofpatients. Hence, we conducted this study to ascertain the clinicomycological profile of patients suffering from dermatophytosis with special reference to associated socio-environmental factors. Materials and methods This cross-sectional observational study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital situated in Bihar state of India from January 2021 to December 2021. We included a total of 330 patients of all age groups who were clinically diagnosed with superficial mycosis from the Department of Dermatology and sent for investigations to the Department of Microbiology. The collected specimens from the lesions were prepared with wet potassium hydroxide and examined under the microscope. Then, the specimens were inoculated and incubated at 25°C for up to four weeks. Fungal isolates were identified by gross appearance and microscopy if growth was observed. Results Among the 330 patients, 186 (56.4%) were males and 144 (43.6%) were females. The majority of the patients (54.5%) were from the low socioeconomic group and living in overcrowded places. Direct microscopy was positive in 198 (60%) patients, and culture was positive in 68 (20.61%) patients. The majority of the patients who were found positive in direct microscopy were from the age group of 21-30 years (39.9%), followed by 1-10 years (25.25%). A total of 92 (46.4%) cases were of tinea capitis, followed by 68 (34.3%) patients of tinea corporis.Trichophytonwas the predominant fungus isolated, andTrichophyton mentagrophyteswas the most common species (52.6%). Conclusion Tinea capitis was the most common provisionally diagnosed dermatophytosis in our tertiary care hospital in Bihar, an Indian state in its eastern zone. Low socioeconomic status and poor personal hygiene were the factors associated with the high prevalence of dermatophyte infections in this region of India. A detailed analysis of all these epidemiological factors is needed to limit the prevalence of dermatophytosis in tropical regions.

Prevalence, maternal characteristics, and birth outcomes of preeclampsia: A cross-sectional study in a single tertiary healthcare center in greater Kuala Lumpur Malaysia.

Preeclampsia is associated with an increased risk of adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes. This study aimed to assess preeclampsia prevalence in a Malaysian referral maternity hospital and the association between preeclampsia and maternal characteristics and outcomes. A cross-sectional study was conducted between January 2010 and December 2020 using secondary data from a single tertiary healthcare center in Greater Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. A total of 40,212 deliveries were included for analysis to investigate the association between conditions (maternal characteristics and adverse birth outcomes) and preeclampsia. Multivariable logistic regression was conducted to assess the association between multiple independent variables and the outcome variable (preeclampsia). The reported prevalence of preeclampsia was 1.6%. Pregnant women with preeclampsia had a higher risk of preterm delivery (67.7%), instrumental and cesarean delivery (74.7%), neonatal low birth weight (48.5%), neonatal 5-min Apgar score <7 (18.1%), and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission (19.8%). There were significantly higher odds of developing preeclampsia among nullipara [adjusted odd ratio (adjOR) 1.792, 95% CI: 1.518-2.115], women with a previous history of preeclampsia (adjOR 5.345, 95% CI: 2.670-10.698) and women with multiple pregnancies (adjOR 1.658, 95% CI: 1.071-2.566). However, there is a significant association between maternal characteristic variables. There was a significant association when a combination of variables for risk assessment: the presence of anemia and gestational hypertension effect on preeclampsia (OR 26.344, 95% CI: 9.775-70.993, p < 0.002) and gestational hypertension without anemia on preeclampsia (OR 3.084, 95% CI: 2.240-4.245, p < 0.001). Similarly, an association was seen between chronic hypertension and younger age (<35 years old) on preeclampsia (OR 14.490, 95% CI: 9.988-21.021, p < 0.001), and having chronic hypertension with advanced maternal age (≥35 years old) on preeclampsia (OR 5.174, 95% CI: 3.267-8.195, p < 0.001). Both conditions had increased odds of preeclampsia, in varying magnitudes. Overall, the significant interaction effects suggest that a history of chronic or gestational hypertension has a different relationship to the incidence of preeclampsia depending on the maternal age and anemia status. Pregnant women with preeclampsia had significantly higher odds for preterm delivery (adjOR 6.214, 95% CI: 5.244-7.364), instrumental and cesarean delivery (adjOR 4.320, 95% CI: 3.587-5.202), neonatal low birth weight (adjOR 7.873, 95% CI: 6.687-9.271), 5-min Apgar score <7 (adjOR 3.158, 95% CI: 2.130-4.683), and NICU admission (adjOR 8.778, 95% CI: 7.115-10.830). Nulliparity, previous history of preeclampsia, and multiple pregnancies were associated with an increased risk of preeclampsia. The presence of different underlying conditions, such as chronic hypertension, anemia, and extremes of maternal age played an important role in increasing preeclampsia risk in the considered study. Larger samples are needed to validate such findings.

Predicting length of stay after shoulder arthroplasty

Background/HypothesisThe annual volume of shoulder arthroplasty (SA) in the United States has increased more than 400% from 1993 to 2008 and is projected to increase an additional 300% from 2008 to 2030. The purpose of this study was to develop and internally validate a preoperative predictive nomogram for length of stay (LOS) after SA. We hypothesized that patient-specific covariates are responsible for increased LOS after SA. If sufficiently accurate, such a nomogram would be valuable for defining which patients would qualify for outpatient SA. MethodsA systematic review of the literature was performed to identify patient variables responsible for increased LOS defined as ≥ 2 days. Patient data were collected from 234 consecutive SA cases performed between 2010 and 2016 at a single tertiary healthcare center by six orthopedic surgeons. The cohort was separated into two groups: short LOS (≤1 day; n = 98) and extended LOS (≥2 days; n = 136). Logistic regression coefficients were used to construct an LOS nomogram that was internally validated by the bootstrapping method. A receiver operating characteristic curve plot determined the discriminative ability of the nomogram. Generalizability was assessed using external validation with a new data set of 193 records prospectively collected from 2016 to 2018. ResultsUnivariate analysis demonstrated that female sex, cancer history, anticoagulation and oral hypoglycemic agents, undergoing humeral head replacement for fracture, and discharge to a facility were significant predictors for an LOS ≥2 days. The following patient covariates were found to be significant in the development of the nomogram: age, female sex, procedure type, disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), renal dysfunction, and diabetes drugs. The prediction accuracy of this model was good (area under the curve of the receiver operating characteristic curve plot of 0.793). External validation of the model reported an area under the curve of 0.664. ConclusionPatients most suitable for expedited postoperative stay are healthy middle-aged males that are not on diabetic medications or DMARDs, have no renal disease, and undergo resurfacing, total SA, or reverse total SA. This nomogram may be an additional clinical decision-making tool for effectively preparing for postoperative care and decreasing LOS for an episode of care, subsequently reducing the total cost of care. Future work would focus on undertaking a prospective multicenter study involving institutions that perform a high annual volume of SAs. Level of evidenceLevel III; Retrospective Cohort Study

Oncologic Safety of Autologous Fat Grafting after Breast Cancer Surgical Treatment: A Matched Cohort Study.

Autologous fat grafting has been an increasingly popular procedure for remodeling the breast of patients undergoing breast cancer surgery. This study's objective was to investigate whether autologous fat grafting is associated with a higher risk of disease recurrence in the context of late breast reconstruction for patients diagnosed with breast cancer who have undergone either breast-conserving surgery or mastectomy. A retrospective matched cohort study was performed in a single tertiary health care center. Data were collected from 42 patients formerly treated for breast cancer who underwent the first session of autologous fat grafting between August of 2007 and June of 2016. A total of 126 patients with similar features, who did not undergo autologous fat grafting, were individually matched at a 1:3 ratio with the autologous fat grafting group. The primary endpoint was locoregional recurrence. Secondary outcomes were rates of local and distant recurrences, disease-free survival, and overall survival. At a mean follow-up of 65 months after fat grafting, no significant differences were found between the lipofilling and control groups for locoregional recurrence (7.1 percent versus 6.3 percent; p = 0.856), local recurrence (7.1 percent versus 5.6 percent; p = 0.705), distant recurrence (14.3 percent versus 7.9 percent; p = 0.238), disease-free survival (21.4 percent versus 19.0 percent; p = 0.837), and overall survival (14.3 percent versus 7.1 percent; p = 0.181). No evidence of increased risk in any of the survival outcomes was identified. Lipofilling seems to be a safe procedure for breast reconstruction after surgical treatment of breast cancer. Therapeutic, III.

Prevalence and outcome of cholelithiasis in children with sickle cell disease at King Saud Medical City, Saudi Arabia

BACKGROUND: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is one of the common hereditary blood diseases in Saudi Arabia. The hepatobiliary system is one of the common organs to be affected either directly from the sickling process or indirectly as a result of chronic hemolysis and multiple blood transfusions. Cholelithiasis is one of the common complications of sickle cell anemia.OBJECTIVES: To assess the prevalence of cholelithiasis in children with SCD treated at King Saud Medical City (KSMC); Pediatric Hospital in Saudi Arabia and describe the outcome, management, and clinical profile of children with SCD and cholelithiasis.MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective descriptive study conducted at a single tertiary health care center, KSMC, Pediatric Hospital, Riyadh from 2012 to 2019 on 277 patients aged <14 years. Medical records of all pediatric patients with SCD included in the study were identified and reviewed.RESULTS: From total of 277 patients, 87 (31.4%) had cholelithiasis. Forty three (49.4%) of them were female and 44 (50.6%) were male. From 87 patients who developed cholelithiasis, 15 patients aged <5 years old, 50 aged (5–10 years), and 22 aged >10 years. According to the genotype of sickle cell (SS), the occurrence of cholelithiasis were (75.9% in SS, 23% in S/BETA 0 and 1.1% in S/BETA+). The majority were symptomatic (59.8%) compared to asymptomatic (40.2%) and 26 patients (29.9%) were complicated. In our study, we found that complications for the gallstones were acute calcular cholecystitis, chronic cholecystitis, direct hyperbilirubinemia, transaminitis, and acute pancreatitis.CONCLUSION: The prevalence of cholelithiasis in our study was significant. The large majority of patients were symptomatic. Cholecystectomy must be strongly recommended in symptomatic patients.

Adverse effects of using masks, sanitizer, and gloves among healthcare workers in a tertiary care center during the COVID-19 pandemic: A questionnaire-based study

Background and Objectives: The ongoing coronavirus pandemic was first identified in Wuhan, Hubei, China on December 2019. India reported its first case on January 30, 2020 in Kerala. As COVID-19 is mostly a droplet infection, it necessitates the use of masks, gloves, and sanitizers for containing its spread. This study aims to understand the potential adverse effects of constant use of masks, gloves, and sanitizers among healthcare workers (HCWs). Materials and Methods: This is a cross-sectional study conducted among 165 HCWs from a single tertiary healthcare center in Kerala using a validated questionnaire. Data were analyzed using Microsoft Excel and SPSS version 20. Results: Among 165 participants, the most common adverse effects due to mask usage were dermatological in nature (57%). With regard to sanitizers, majority experienced dryness of hands (53.3%). Gloves were well tolerated with 62% of the participants reporting no adverse effects. Conclusion: Prolonged use of mask, sanitizer, and gloves has caused adverse effects in majority of HCWs surveyed. As the pandemic still stands as a crisis, it is necessary to identify solutions to manage these adverse effects for the betterment of the health of our HCWs.

One-year postoperative mortality rate among the elderly with hip fractures at a single tertiary care center.

ABSTRACTBACKGROUND: Hip fractures are one of the leading causes of disability and dependency among the elderly. The rate of hip fractures has been progressively increasing due to the continuing increase in average life expectancy. Surgical intervention is the mainstay of treatment, but with an increasing prevalence of comorbid conditions and decreased functional capacity in elderly patients, more patients are prone to postoperative complications.OBJECTIVES: Assess the value of surgical intervention for hip fractures among the elderly by quantifying the 1-year mortality rate and assessing factors associated with mortality.DESIGN: Medical record review.SETTING: Tertiary care center.PATIENTS AND METHODS: All patients 60 years of age or older who sustained a hip fracture between the period of 2008 to 2018 in a single tertiary healthcare center. Data was obtained from case files, using both electronic and paper files.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The 1-year mortality rate for hip fracture, postoperative complications and factors associated with mortality.SAMPLE SIZE: 802 patients.RESULTS: The majority of patients underwent surgical intervention (93%). Intra- and postoperative complications were 3% and 16%, respectively. Four percent of the sample died within 30 days, and 11% died within one year. In a multivariate analysis, an increased risk of 1-year mortality was associated with neck of femur fractures and postoperative complications (P=.034, <.001, respectively)CONCLUSION: The 1-year mortality risk in our study reinforces the importance of aggressive surgical intervention for hip fractures.LIMITATION: Single-centered study.CONFLICT OF INTEREST: None.

Changing rates of the modes of delivery over the decades (1976, 1986, 1996, 2006, and 2016) based on the Robson-10 group classification system in a single tertiary health care center

Aim To identify the underlying factors that may affect the changing rates of modes of delivery over the decades based on Robson-10 group classification system (TGCS) in a single tertiary health care center. Materials and methods This study included data from 10,458 deliveries in 1976, 1986, 1996, 2006, and 2016 with fetuses more than or equal to 500 g at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Hacettepe University Hospital. Patient characteristics and the mode of delivery were evaluated according to the TGCS. Results The cesarean section (CS) rates were 11.4% (304/2668), 19.2% (459/2393), 44.7% (783/1751), 69.3% (1213/1751), and 77.9% (1477/1895) in 1976, 1986, 1996, 2006, and 2016, respectively. CS has become the preferred method of delivery for multiple pregnancies and breech presentations over the years. TGCS Group 5 was the greatest contributor to increased CS ratios. Relative contributions of TGCS Groups 1 and 3 were decreased and relative contributions of Groups 2 and 4 were increased. Operative vaginal deliveries decreased over the years. Conclusion In conclusion, effective management of labor induction, choosing vaginal delivery for appropriate breech presentations and multifetal pregnancies, proper education of obstetricians for operative vaginal delivery and objective evaluation of labor dystocia might be key points in CS rate debates.

Intracranial tumors in children: a 10-year review from a single tertiary health-care center.

Brain tumors are the second most common pediatric malignancy and the most common cause of cancer-related mortality and morbidities. Major advances in terms of surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy have led to better outcomes in developed countries. Delayed diagnosis, advanced disease at presentation, late referrals, nosocomial infections, delays to radiotherapy, and poor support services are the major reasons for poorer outcomes in developing countries. Little is known about the profile of brain tumors in Pakistan. This study aims to evaluate the epidemiology, management, and clinical outcomes of children with brain tumors in Pakistan in a single tertiary care center. All children (0-16years) with primary CNS tumors from 2004 to 2014 at Aga Khan University Hospital were reviewed retrospectively for clinical data, demographics, radiological findings, management, and outcome. One hundred seventy-five children were included in the study. Male to female ratio was 1.4:1. Most of the patients were in 5-10years age group (38.9%). Most common presenting complains were headache 115 (65.7%) and vomiting 100 (57.1%). Predominant site was infratentorial 93 (53%). Glial tumors were 105 (60%) followed by embryonal 40(22.9%), craniopharyngiomas 25 (14.3%), and germ cell 1 (0.6%). Astrocytomas (25.7%) were the most common glial tumors while medulloblastoma (15.4%) was the most common embryonal tumor. Majority of the patients underwent surgical resection (78.8%). Radiation was given to 47 (26.8%) patients. A half of the patients, 89 (50%), were lost to follow-up. Forty-two (24%) patients expired, 20 (11.4%) are alive with residual disease while 15 patients (8.5%) were cured with no evidence of recurrence and regular follow-ups. This is the only study from Pakistan showing demographics of the childhood brain tumors. Significant improvement needs to be made for timely diagnosis, early referrals, and collaborated team efforts with multidisciplinary tumor board to improve outcome.

Phyllodes tumors of the breast treated in a tertiary health care center: case series and literature review.

ObjectiveThis study was performed to determine the subtypes of phyllodes tumor (PT) in patients at a single tertiary healthcare center in Lebanon and to describe their characteristics along with a review of the literature.MethodsThis single-institution retrospective cohort study included all cases of PT of the breast treated at the American University of Beirut Medical Center from 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2014. The patients’ demographic data, tumor characteristics, treatment data, and pathology reports were analyzed.ResultsThirty patients were enrolled. Their median age was 42 years. In total, 66.7% had benign disease and 22.3% had malignant disease. Twenty-seven patients underwent surgery, four received radiotherapy, and one received systemic chemotherapy after PT progression. Twenty-seven patients had no recurrence at the last follow-up, two had local recurrence, and one had metastatic disease. All three patients with recurrence had an adequate negative surgical margin at the first excision.ConclusionThis is the first cohort of patients with PT described in Lebanon and one of few in the Middle East. Our findings provide insight into the epidemiology, treatment modalities, and prognosis of PT in this geographical region.

Comparison of Incidence and Severity of Chronic Postsurgical Pain Following Ear Surgery.

Literature review shows a limited number of studies investigating chronic pain following ear surgeries. The effect of mastoidectomy on chronic postsurgical pain, however, has never been investigated. The present study investigates not only the incidence and severity of chronic pain following ear surgeries with and without mastoidectomy, but also predisposing diseases for pain. The study was performed in a total of 150 patients who underwent tympanoplasty or tympanomastoidectomy through a retroauricular incision in a single tertiary health care center. During the routine postoperative 3rd-month examination, the patients were questioned for the presence and severity of chronic pain, as well as the diseases that might predispose the pain. The difference between the visual analog scale scores of the groups was not statistically significant. Comparison of pain character revealed that neuropathic pain is more prevalent in both the groups. Evaluating the relationship between concomitant diseases and chronic pain, it was observed that migraine, cervical pathology, and acute postsurgical pain were closely associated with chronic pain. It was demonstrated that mastoidectomy does not pose an additional risk for chronic postsurgical pain. However, patients with migraine, cervical pathology, and acute postsurgical pain are at risk for chronic postsurgical pain.

Demographic and histopathologic profile of pediatric brain tumors: A hospital-based study.

Background:Very few hospital-based or population-based studies are published in the context to the epidemiologic profile of pediatric brain tumors (PBTs) in India and Indian subcontinent.Aim:To study the demographic and histopathologic profile of PBTs according to World Health Organization 2007 classification in a single tertiary health care center in India.Materials and Methods:Data regarding age, gender, topography, and histopathology of 76 pediatric patients (0–19 years) with brain tumors operated over a period of 24 months (January-2012 to December-2013) was collected retrospectively and analyzed using EpiInfo 7. Chi-square test and test of proportions (Z-test) were used wherever necessary.Results:PBTs were more common in males (55.3%) as compared to females (44.7%) with male to female ratio of 1.23:1. Mean age was 10.69 years. Frequency of tumors was higher in childhood age group (65.8%) when compared to adolescent age group (34.2%). The most common anatomical site was cerebellum (39.5%), followed by hemispheres (22.4%). Supratentorial tumors (52.6%) were predominant than infratentorial tumors (47.4%). Astrocytomas (40.8%) and embryonal tumors (29.0%) were the most common histological types almost contributing more than 2/3rd of all tumors. Craniopharyngiomas (11.8%) and ependymomas (6.6%) were the third and fourth most common tumors, respectively.Conclusion:Astrocytomas and medulloblastomas are the most common tumors among children and adolescents in our region, which needs special attention from the neurosurgical department of our institute. Demographic and histopathologic profile of cohort in the present study do not differ substantially from that found in other hospital-based and population-based studies except for slight higher frequency of craniopharyngiomas.

Host, vehicular and environmental factors responsible for road traffic crashes in a Nigerian city: identifiable issues for road traffic injury control.

IntroductionRoad traffic injury (RTI) has assumed major public health importance world-wide and the burden is heavier on the health-care infrastructure of countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. In Nigeria, RTI is the leading cause of trauma related morbidity and mortality. While there are some published epidemiological reports on RTI in the region, studies on the mechanism of causation of road traffic crashes (RTC) are not available.MethodsOver a 9-month period, we prospectively captured the 571 victims of RTC presenting to a single tertiary health care center in Nigeria. Data collected include demographic data, Mechanism of causation of RTC, Injuries sustained and outcomes.ResultsOver three-quarters of the victims are young people and half were either traders (27.5%) or students (20%). Pedestrians, motorcycle riders and open truck occupants (people sitting at the rear loading compartment of trucks) often had fatal injuries. Analysis of collision patterns showed that lone crashes were the most frequent though car-to-motorcycle crashes caused a quarter of the deaths. Host factors (over-speeding driver, driver misjudgment, sleeping driver etc.) were responsible for four-fifths of the crashes while vehicular and environmental factors accounted for the remaining. On binary regression analysis, head injured victims had higher odds of dying than the non-head injured (Odds ratio = 6.5).ConclusionThis paper elucidates the mechanisms of causation of and types of injuries sustained following RTC in Nigeria and thus provide opportunities for prevention and control of this unacceptable situation.

A Single-Institution Evaluation of Factors Important in Fallopian Tube Carcinoma Recurrence and Survival

The aim of this study was to identify prognostic factors and markers that influence clinical outcomes in patients with primary fallopian tube carcinoma at a single tertiary health care center. These prognostic factors may be of clinical importance and can subsequently be included in future clinical trials. A retrospective review of our Tumor Registry and Gynecologic Oncology database was conducted to include any patients with a diagnosis of fallopian tube carcinoma between the years 1994 and 2005. We identified clinicopathological data to evaluate factors important in recurrence, disease-specific and overall survival. Kaplan-Meier curves were generated, and log-rank tests were used to evaluate survival differences. Thirty-six patients had a diagnosis with primary fallopian tube carcinoma at a median age of 69 years. Patients most frequently presented with abdominal pain (19%) and a palpable mass (14%). The most common histological subtype was papillary serous adenocarcinoma in 56% of cases. Stage III disease (39%) and poorly differentiated tumors (81%) were most common. The median follow-up was 39.6 months. The 5-year cancer-specific survival was 42%, and the overall survival rate was 34%. Factors important in disease-free survival were International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage, tumor laterality, and serum CA-125, whereas International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage, serum CA-125, and residual disease were prognostic factors for overall survival. The most common locations of recurrence were pelvis and abdomen (63%) as opposed to distant sites. Factors associated with recurrence were stage, tumor laterality, and serum CA-125. Fallopian tube malignancies are rare. We have identified factors associated with recurrence, disease specific survival, and overall survival that could be further examined and included in larger clinical trials involving this uncommon malignancy.

Natural Language Processing Using Online Analytic Processing for Assessing Recommendations in Radiology Reports

The study purpose was to describe the use of natural language processing (NLP) and online analytic processing (OLAP) for assessing patterns in recommendations in unstructured radiology reports on the basis of patient and imaging characteristics, such as age, gender, referring physicians, radiology subspecialty, modality, indications, diseases, and patient status (inpatient vs outpatient). A database of 4,279,179 radiology reports from a single tertiary health care center during a 10-year period (1995-2004) was created. The database includes reports of computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, fluoroscopy, nuclear medicine, ultrasound, radiography, mammography, angiography, special procedures, and unclassified imaging tests with patient demographics. A clinical data mining and analysis NLP program (Leximer, Nuance Inc, Burlington, Massachusetts) in conjunction with OLAP was used for classifying reports into those with recommendations (I(REC)) and without recommendations (N(REC)) for imaging and determining I(REC) rates for different patient age groups, gender, imaging modalities, indications, diseases, subspecialties, and referring physicians. In addition, temporal trends for I(REC) were also determined. There was a significant difference in the I(REC) rates in different age groups, varying between 4.8% (10-19 years) and 9.5% (>70 years) (P <.0001). Significant variations in I(REC) rates were observed for different imaging modalities, with the highest rates for computed tomography (17.3%, 100,493/581,032). The I(REC) rates varied significantly for different subspecialties and among radiologists within a subspecialty (P < .0001). For most modalities, outpatients had a higher rate of recommendations when compared with inpatients. The radiology reports database analyzed with NLP in conjunction with OLAP revealed considerable differences between recommendation trends for different imaging modalities and other patient and imaging characteristics.