Successful Treatment Completion Research Articles

A cross-sectional study to correlate oral hygiene habit among orthodontic patients with their clinical findings and periodontal treatment need

BackgroundOrthodontic treatment requires good oral hygiene for successful completion of treatment. As protocol, patients are usually given instructions for oral hygiene and diet at the start of treatment, however, they are not fully followed. Different methods are employed in order to increase patient compliance including digital means, however, these are not possible in teaching hospitals with high burden of patient care and limited resources. The present study aims to correlate the patient reported behavior with their clinical findings and treatment need. This will enable us to identify potential sources of motivation which will be incorporated in daily practice and enable us to improve methods to enhance patient’s behavior.MethodA cross-sectional study was conducted in the orthodontic department of a semi-government teaching hospital from August to October 2023 using a modified questionnaire. The clinical examination was done using a Community Periodontal Index for Treatment Need-C (CPITN-C) probe. The diagnosis of presenting clinical conditions and treatment need was done using Community Periodontal Index for Treatment Need (CPITN) and Gingival Bleeding Index (BI). Data collected was analyzed for frequencies and correlation was done using Spearman Correlation Coefficient. P- value ≤ 0.05 was taken as statistically significant.ResultThe sample size consisted of 110 patients of which 60% were entitled to receive treatment. The predominant age group was 15–20 years (39.1%). Approximately 70% patients were in code 1 for CPITN and GI and in need of oral hygiene instructions. Overall patients’ showed good level of awareness, however, they were not compliant in behavior.ConclusionAlthough patients showed a good level of awareness towards oral hygiene practices, there was a lack of compliance in following them. Patients were more concerned for being affected by dental caries due to poor oral hygiene than its effect on overall treatment outcome.

Clinical Variables Associated with Successful Treatment of Depression or Anxiety in Collaborative Care.

Collaborative Care, an evidence-based model, has proven effective in treating depression and anxiety in healthcare settings. However, limited attention has been paid to exploring treatment outcome differences by clinical variables and diagnosis within this model. While previous research suggests that early and frequent contacts and swift treatment access lead to positive outcomes for depression and anxiety, these aspects have not been comprehensively examined in Collaborative Care. This study investigates the impact of clinical variables on treatment completion in patients primarily diagnosed with anxiety or depression who received collaborative care treatment as a treatment program. Analysis was completed as an observational study of patients (n =2018) with behavioral health diagnoses spanning from 2016 to 2023. Classification analysis offers insights into optimal practices for implementing Collaborative Care across diverse healthcare populations from pediatric to geriatric. Identifying clinical characteristics associated with successful treatment in Collaborative Care has far-reaching implications for model adoption and enhancing patient outcomes. Across all results, patients who received more clinical support and had shorter enrollment durations showed a strong association with successful treatment completion.

The role of psychiatric symptoms, sociodemographic factors, and baseline sleep variables on pediatric insomnia treatment outcomes in a clinically referred population.

The current study aimed to examine clinically relevant psychiatric and sociodemographic predictors of insomnia treatment outcomes in pediatric patients clinically referred for insomnia. Pediatric patients (N = 1428; ages 1.5 - 18 years), presenting for insomnia evaluation in a medical/sleep center-based behavioral sleep clinic were followed for treatment as clinically indicated. According to patient age, parent/patients completed validated measures of insomnia severity, psychiatric symptoms, and sociodemographic measures. Patients were also categorized by treatment outcome status (i.e., not recommended to follow-up after initial evaluation and treatment session, successful treatment completion, lost to follow-up after initial evaluation and treatment session, and early termination) according to the clinically indicated treatment recommended and dose of treatment received. Youth had elevated scores on psychiatric screening indexes with affective problems being highest for all age groups. Other co-morbid sleep disorders were present in nearly 25% of insomnia patients and use of sleep aids (melatonin; hypnotics) was commonplace. Baseline insomnia severity significantly predicted sleep treatment trajectories and post-treatment insomnia severity with large effects for all age groups. Other clinically relevant predictors of insomnia treatment outcomes included medication use and externalizing mental health concerns in younger patients and internalizing mental health concerns and chronological age in older patients. Lack of treatment follow-up and premature treatment termination was observed for patients with the worst insomnia symptoms at time of initial evaluation. Pediatric health providers delivering insomnia treatment should take a developmentally sensitive approach that is proactive with regards to managing treatment barriers that are likely influenced by severity of insomnia and co-morbid mental health concerns.

Effectiveness and safety of modified fully oral 9-month treatment regimens for rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis: a prospective cohort study.

In 2020, WHO guidelines prioritised the use of a standard fully oral short treatment regimen (STR) consisting of bedaquiline, levofloxacin or moxifloxacin, ethionamide, ethambutol, high-dose isoniazid, pyrazinamide, and clofazimine for the management of rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis. A high prevalence of resistance to constituent drugs precluded its widespread use by countries in the WHO European region. We evaluated three 9-month fully oral modified STRs (mSTRs) in which ethionamide, ethambutol, isoniazid, and pyrazinamide were replaced by linezolid, cycloserine, or delamanid (or a combination). This multicountry, prospective, single-arm, cohort study examined the effectiveness and safety of mSTRs for fluoroquinolone-susceptible, rifampicin-resistant pulmonary tuberculosis in 13 countries in the WHO European region during 2020-23. We enrolled adults and children of all ages with bacteriologically confirmed rifampicin-resistant, fluoroquinolone-susceptible pulmonary tuberculosis, and children (aged 0-18 years) with clinically diagnosed disease and a confirmed contact with rifampicin-resistant, fluoroquinolone-susceptible tuberculosis. Participants aged 6 years or older received one of two regimens: bedaquiline, linezolid, levofloxacin, clofazimine, and cycloserine; or bedaquiline, linezolid, levofloxacin, clofazimine, and delamanid. Children younger than 6 years received delamanid, linezolid, levofloxacin, and clofazimine. Participants were followed up for 12 months after successful treatment completion to detect recurrence and death. The primary outcome was the cumulative probability of not having an unsuccessful study outcome (defined as treatment failure, on-treatment loss to follow-up, death, or recurrence) before 22 months of study follow-up. The primary safety outcome was the incidence of each adverse event of interest (peripheral neuropathy, optic neuritis, myelosuppression, hepatitis, prolonged QT interval, hypokalaemia, and acute kidney injury) of grade 3 or higher severity during the treatment course. Between Aug 28, 2020 and May 26, 2021, 7272 patients were screened and 2636 were included in the treatment cohort. 1966 (74·6%) were male, 670 (25·4%) were female, and median age was 43 years (IQR 33-53). Treatment success was recorded for 2181 (82·7%) participants. The cumulative probability of not having an unsuccessful study outcome 22 months after treatment initiation was 79% (95% CI 78-81). Increasing age (adjusted hazard ratio 2·61 [95% CI 1·70-4·04] for people aged >64 years vs 35-44 years), HIV-positive status (1·53 [1·16-2·01]), presence of bilateral cavities (1·68 [1·29-2·19]), smoking history (1·34 [1·05-1·71]), baseline anaemia (1·46 [1·15-1·86]), unemployment (1·37 [1·04-1·80]), elevated baseline liver enzymes (1·40 [1·13-1·73]), and excessive alcohol use (1·47 [1·14-1·89]) were positively associated with unsuccessful study outcomes. In the safety cohort of 2813 participants who received at least one dose, 301 adverse events of interest were recorded in 252 (9·0%) participants with the most frequent being myelosuppression (139 [4·9%] participants, 157 [52·2%] events). The high treatment success and good safety results indicate considerable potential for the use of mSTRs in programmatic conditions, especially for individuals not eligible for the current WHO-recommended 6-month regimen and in settings with a need for alternative options. The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria; United States Agency for International Development; Government of Germany; and WHO. For the Russian translation of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section.

Interpreter usage and associations with latent tuberculosis infection treatment acceptance and completion in the USA among non-U.S.-born persons, 2012-2017.

Latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) screening and treatment interventions that are tailored to optimize acceptance among the non-U.S.-born population are essential for U.S. tuberculosis elimination. We investigated the impact of medical interpreter use on LTBI treatment acceptance and completion among non-U.S.-born persons in a multisite study. The Tuberculosis Epidemiologic Studies Consortium was a prospective cohort study that enrolled participants at high risk for LTBI at ten U.S. sites with 18 affiliated clinics from 2012 to 2017. Non-U.S.-born participants with at least one positive tuberculosis infection test result were included in analyses. Characteristics associated with LTBI treatment offer, acceptance, and completion were evaluated using multivariable logistic regression with random intercepts to account for clustering by enrollment site. Our primary outcomes were whether use of an interpreter was associated with LTBI treatment acceptance and completion. We also evaluated whether interpreter usage was associated treatment offer and whether interpreter type was associated with treatment offer, acceptance, or completion. Among 8,761 non-U.S.-born participants, those who used an interpreter during the initial interview had a significantly greater odds of accepting LTBI treatment than those who did not use an interpreter. There was no association between use of an interpreter and a clinician's decision to offer treatment or treatment completion once accepted. Characteristics associated with lower odds of treatment being offered included experiencing homelessness and identifying as Pacific Islander persons. Lower treatment acceptance was observed in Black and Latino persons and lower treatment completion by participants experiencing homelessness. Successful treatment completion was associated with use of shorter rifamycin-based regimens. Interpreter type was not associated with LTBI treatment offer, acceptance, or completion. We found greater LTBI treatment acceptance was associated with interpreter use among non-U.S.-born individuals.

The orthodontic treatment and the periodontal status of patients.

Aim: To review and analyze modern professional literature on the impact of orthodontic treatment of maxillofacial anomalies on the periodontal status of patients, in particular, the subsiqent pathogenetic mechanisms of the development of periodontal diseases in this category of patients. Materials and Methods: Bibliometric and analytical methods were used data from international scientific sources in the field of studying the impact of orthodontic treatment on the state of periodontal tissues were used. Conclusions: Patients undergoing orthodontic treatment need the increased attention to the state of periodontal tissues and regular high-quality both professional and individual oral hygiene. A comprehensive approach to treatment and preventive measures for periodontal diseases, taking into account all pathogenetic links of their development in this category of patients, aims not only to keep the periodontium healthy, but also to ensure successful completion of orthodontic treatment. Taking into account consideration the periodontal status of patients allows individual correction of the treatment plan to increase its clinical effectiveness both in the early and in the long term.

Dural Arteriovenous Fistula Treated with Transvenous Embolization via the Upper Limb Cutaneous Vein.

In recent years, the transradial artery approach has gained prominence and is increasingly employed in neurovascular angiography and therapy due to its safety, reduced complications, and minimal invasiveness. While various venous approaches, including the conventional transfemoral vein approach, exist for procedures such as transvenous embolization, recent reports have highlighted methods involving upper extremity cutaneous veins. However, the practicality and efficacy of these approaches remain unclear. This study presents our experience with three cases of dural arteriovenous fistulas, where transvenous embolization was performed via upper limb cutaneous veins. In all instances, the arteriovenous approach was successfully executed using a single upper extremity, leading to the successful completion of treatment. This technique demonstrates significant advantages, not only in terms of its minimal invasiveness but also due to its simplicity and safety. Anticipating broader acceptance in the future, this approach offers a promising avenue for further exploration in neurovascular interventions.

Substance use disorder-associated infections' treatment with dalbavancin enabling outpatient transition (SUDDEN OUT) - an investigator-initiated single-arm unblinded prospective cohort study.

Severe gram-positive infections are frequent in people who inject drugs, and successful completion of treatment presents unique challenges in this population. We aimed to evaluate the feasibility of a long-acting antibiotic, dalbavancin, as an alternative to standard-of-care antibiotics for severe infections due to vancomycin-susceptible pathogens requiring ⩾2 weeks of therapy. We designed an investigator-initiated single-arm unblinded prospective cohort study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of an early switch to dalbavancin in two doses administered 1 week apart. We screened patients admitted with bloodstream infection, osteomyelitis, septic arthritis, infective endocarditis or deep abscesses, and comorbid substance use disorder (SUD) for eligibility. Consenting patients were switched to dalbavancin within 7 days from their index culture. They were monitored in the hospital for efficacy and safety of the treatment until the second dose of dalbavancin 7 days later and then discharged if stable. Study participants were evaluated with a decision support engine for a hypothetical appropriate level of care regarding their SUD after discharge. Their follow-up was planned for 12 months from the index culture, either in-person or via telehealth/telephone. The enrollment was terminated early due to significant loss-to-follow-up. In all, 11 patients were enrolled, 4 completed 12 months of follow-up, 2 completed 8 months of follow-up, and 1 was seen once after discharge. The remaining five patients were lost to follow-up immediately after discharge. All 11 patients continued to improve after switching to dalbavancin between the first and second doses. There were two per-protocol failures of treatment. Dalbavancin was well tolerated, though some adverse events were reported. Dalbavancin may be a safe and effective alternative for an early switch in treating severe gram-positive infections. The trial was registered as NCT04847921 with clinicaltrials.gov.

Pulmonary function outcomes after tuberculosis treatment in children: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundDespite tuberculosis (TB) being a curable disease, current guidelines fail to account for the long-term outcomes of post-tuberculosis lung disease—a cause of global morbidity despite successful completion of effective treatment....

A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Impact of Cancer and Its Treatment Protocol on the Success of Orthodontic Treatment.

There are several significant gaps in current studies of the relationship between anti-cancer medications and orthodontic care that call for more investigation. As a result, the main goals of this systematic review and meta-analysis were to summarise and assess the information that was available regarding the effect of radiotherapy and anti-cancer medications on the overall successful completion of an orthodontic treatment plan. A standardised data extraction form was devised in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis, with specific criteria implemented for selecting studies with low to moderate risk of bias. Five studies involving different methodologies were selected at the conclusion of the search strategy. The statistical analysis revealed an estimated odds ratio (OR) of 0.31 and relative risk (RR) of 0.48, indicating a statistically significant association between the use of radiotherapy and anti-neoplastic drugs and a noticeable reduction in the successful completion of orthodontic treatment. The heterogeneity analysis showed significant heterogeneity among the studies. This review emphasises that, although orthodontic therapies can still be beneficial for children receiving chemotherapy, the effectiveness of the therapy may be diminished in older populations. The findings further highlight how crucial it is to take cancer therapies into account when planning and managing orthodontic treatment in order to optimise results and reduce problems.

A qualitative exploration of challenges in childhood TB patients identification and diagnosis in Bangladesh

BackgroundAs childhood tuberculosis is difficult to identify and diagnose, the experiences of the caregivers and healthcare providers of childhood tuberculosis patients remain a potential area of study. This study aims to illustrate the challenges caregivers and healthcare providers encounter in identifying and diagnosing childhood tuberculosis in two sub-districts of Bangladesh. MethodsWe conducted semi-structured in-depth interviews with eight caregivers of childhood tuberculosis patients and key informant interviews with 36 healthcare providers from September 2020 to December 2020 from different levels of the tuberculosis control program in Keraniganj (with high childhood tuberculosis cases notification), Faridpur Sadar (with low childhood tuberculosis cases notification), and Dhaka city. ResultsThere is a dearth of understanding among caregivers about childhood tuberculosis. Passive case finding process and focus on cough during community mobilisation contribute to the delay in childhood tuberculosis identification. The stigmatisation that caregivers anticipate and experience has an impact on their mental health and implies that there are misunderstandings about tuberculosis in the community. Furthermore, diagnostic dilemma among healthcare providers accounts for diagnosis delays. Some, but not all, institutions in different geographical locations provide free diagnostic tests and have GeneXpert devices. ConclusionsVarious factors, including caregivers' knowledge and experience, the process of case finding and community mobilization, healthcare providers' way of service provision and diagnosis, and the unavailability of required logistics at facilities challenge the identification and diagnosis of childhood tuberculosis that need to be minimized for childhood tuberculosis's early identification, diagnosis, treatment initiation, and successful completion of treatment. Awareness should also be raised in the community of childhood tuberculosis.

Psychosocial stress and methamphetamine use: A mixed-methods study of intersectional stigma and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander methamphetamine use

BackgroundRegular methamphetamine use can cause a range of physical, psychological and social harms. Stigma is one factor that impacts engagement and successful completion of treatment. In Australia, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who regularly use methamphetamine experience multiple stigmas, which further compounds access to treatment and quality of life. This paper explores the cumulative and compounding effects of participating in a stigmatised activity such as illicit drug use in relation to the stigma experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as a population marginalised through colonisation. MethodsTen sites nationally participated in a cross-sectional survey measuring a range of factors including psychosocial stress in methamphetamine users. The survey sample size was 734, with 59% identifying as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (n = 433). In addition, a total of 147 mainly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who use methamphetamine, community and family members, and service providers took part in a total of 19 focus groups and 7 interviews. ResultsAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participants experienced multiple psychosocial stressors at significantly higher rates than non-Indigenous participants. These stressors include diminished access to health care (33%), experiences of racism (34%), grief and sorrow (39%), worry for family (46%), and child welfare experiences (46%). The qualitative findings highlight the cumulative impact of historical, political and social stressors on an already stigmatised population. ConclusionsThe findings of this unique analysis demonstrate the disruptive impact of methamphetamine use on the lives of those who use methamphetamines and their family members. They also illustrate challenges, such as stigma, that may confront those seeking assistance for drug-related issues. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community involvement is necessary to provide support and education for the individual, the family, and the community as a whole. Stigma reduction is therefore a worthy target for intervention.

Immediate and Postponed Results of Short-Course Chemotherapy Regimens Containing Bedaquiline in Tuberculosis Patients with Multiple Drug Resistance

The objective: to evaluate immediate and postponed efficacy of MDR TB patients' treatment with short-course chemotherapy regimens.Subjects and Methods. Efficacy and safety of treatment with short-course chemotherapy were evaluated in 42 MDR TB patients.Results. 36 (85,7%) patients completed treatment successfully, 1 (2,4%) patient died of non-tuberculosis, and 5 (11,9%) patients defaulted from treatment. There were no such outcomes as treatment failure and died of TB. Over the 4-year follow-up period after successful treatment completion, tuberculosis relapse was detected in 1 (1,8%) patient. No adverse events that required chemotherapy discontinuation were reported, amendment of chemotherapy regimen was required in 7 (16,7%) patients.

Mechanisms of lung damage in tuberculosis: implications for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Pulmonary tuberculosis is increasingly recognized as a risk factor for COPD. Severe lung function impairment has been reported in post-TB patients. Despite increasing evidence to support the association between TB and COPD, only a few studies describe the immunological basis of COPD among TB patients following successful treatment completion. In this review, we draw on well-elaborated Mycobacterium tuberculosis-induced immune mechanisms in the lungs to highlight shared mechanisms for COPD pathogenesis in the setting of tuberculosis disease. We further examine how such mechanisms could be exploited to guide COPD therapeutics.

Dynamic Risk Scales Degrade Over Time: Evidence for Reassessments.

Risk tools containing dynamic (potentially changeable) factors are routinely used to evaluate the recidivism risk of justice-involved individuals. Although frequent reassessments are recommended, there is little research on how the predictive accuracy of dynamic risk assessments changes over time. This study examined the extent to which predictive accuracy decreases over time for the ACUTE-2007 and the STABLE-2007 sexual recidivism risk tools. We used two independent samples of men on community supervision (NStudy 1 = 795; NStudy 2 = 4,221). For all outcomes (sexual, violent, and any recidivism [including technical violations]), reassessments improved predictive accuracy, with the largest effects found for the most recent assessment (i.e., those closest in time prior to the recidivism event). Based on these results, we recommend that ACUTE-2007 assessments occur at least every 30 days and that the STABLE-2007 assessments occur every 6 months or after significant life changes (e.g., successful completion of treatment).

Adding mitomycin (MM) to bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) as adjuvant intravesical therapy for high-risk, non–muscle-invasive urothelial bladder cancer (NMIBC): BCGMM; ANZUP 1301.

TPS4617 Background: Adjuvant intravesical BCG decreases disease recurrence and progression in high-risk, NMIBC, however recurrence occurs in 30% of those affected, despite optimal therapy. Meta-analyses evaluating addition of intravesical MM to BCG showed lower rates of recurrence and cancer-specific mortality in people with NMIBC who received combination regimens. Phase 3 randomized trials to definitively test this combination are lacking. The BCGMM trial (NCT02948543) will determine the effects of adding MM to the standard BCG after resection of high-risk NMBIC. This is the largest study evaluating this approach in high-risk NMIBC, is of particular relevance given the current BCG shortage, and has the potential to change global practice. Methods: This open-label phase 3 trial is randomizing 500 participants stratified by stage, site of disease, and presence of carcinoma in-situ, in a 1:1 ratio to Arm A (BCG induction weekly x6 then monthly x10) or Arm B (BCG weeks 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8; months 4, 5, 7, 8 + MM weeks 3, 6, 9; months 3, 6, 9, see figure below). This provides 85% power to detect an absolute improvement of 10% in 2-year disease free survival (DFS) at 2p = 0.05. Stage 1 (n = 130) was to determine rates of treatment completion, activity reflected by cystoscopic findings at 3 months, adverse events, resource use, and health related quality of life, established feasibility. Stage 2, including an additional 370 participants, will provide information on DFS, time to recurrence and progression, overall survival, and identification of potential predictive biomarkers, is estimated to complete accrual by Q2 2023. Progress As of Jan 2023, 484 of 500 planned participants have been recruited from 16 Australian and 1 UK site. In stage 1, successful treatment completion, defined as 75% or more of planned treatment doses, was achieved by 76% in the experimental group (BCGMM) versus 60% in the control group (BCG alone). Clinical trial information: NCT02948543 .

Analysis of pathological complete response (PCR) and impact of modifiable risk factors on the premature discontinuation of pertuzumab use in early stage HER-2 breast cancer: A retrospective single-institutional study.

e12627 Background: In patients with HER-2 positive breast cancer, Pertuzumab in combination with Trastuzumab forms a potent Anti HER-2 regimen. Randomized clinical trials have concluded that addition of Pertuzumab to Trastuzumab and Chemotherapy leads to improved rates of Pathological Complete Response and also improved Invasive-disease-free survival rates in early stage HER-2 positive breast cancer. Pertuzumab is frequently associated with treatment limiting diarrhea and other adverse effects. In this study, we report our experience with the use of Pertuzumab in early stage HER-2 breast cancer. We analyzed the adverse events, PCR rates for those patients who had premature discontinuation of treatment versus those who had successful treatment completion, and modifiable risk factors that may have affected completion of treatment. Methods: We conducted an IRB approved, retrospective study, analyzing the use of Pertuzumab at our institution for early stage (Stage I-III), HER-2 positive female and male breast cancer patients seen from June 2018 to June 2022. Data were obtained from our Institutional Cancer Registry. Results: One hundred and eighteen (118) patient charts were reviewed. Sixty Five (55.08%) patients received Pertuzumab. Of the patients who received Pertuzumab, 61 (93.85%) received it in the Neoadjuvant setting. Thirty Eight (58.46%) patients completed the treatment and 27 (41.5%) patients had premature treatment discontinuation due to adverse effects. The rate of PCR in patient who completed the prescribed treatment course was 55.56%, and 51.85% for those who did not (p value 0.77). Among the patients in whom treatment was discontinued, diarrhea (51%), followed by rash (11.11%) were the main adverse effects. Almost 66% of non-smokers completed treatment as compared to 48% of smokers (p value 0.15). Patients with a normal BMI had a treatment completion rate of 76% compared to obese or overweight patients who had a rate of 52% (p value 0.08). Conclusions: Our retrospective study showed that there was a high premature discontinuation rate of the use of Pertuzumab. This is due to adverse effects, diarrhea being the most notable. However, the PCR rate difference was not statistically significant (55.56 vs 51.85, P value 0.77) in patients who completed treatment versus those who did not. There was a positive trend observed that non-smokers and non-obese patients were more likely to complete treatment with Pertuzumab. Although it was observed that premature discontinuation of Pertuzumab did not significantly impact PCR, further studies are required to validate this observation.

Roles of the dynamic gut microbiota and their associated immunoregulatory effects for successful oral immunotherapy treatment

Abstract Background: We previously demonstrated that patients with IgE-mediated food allergy (FA) have a unique gut microbial signature. Objectives: To characterize the changes to the gut microbiome populations and putative immunoregulatory effects, associated with successful OIT. Methods: Stool samples were collected at inception of treatment from 252 patients undergoing OIT, and from 58 non-allergic controls. Additional samples were collected at successful completion of treatment (n=66). Bacterial 16S rRNA gene sequences from extracted sample DNA were amplified by PCR, with microbial communities analyzed by QIIME2. Stool extracts were evaluated for allergen-specific IgA 2,and for their induction capability of immunoregulatory genes in a colonic epithelial line (Caco-2). Results: For all FA types, patients with higher initial allergen eliciting doses (ED) had microbiota populations significantly closer to that of controls, compared to more sensitive patients with lower ED (p<0.0001). The relative abundance of Prevotellaand Bacteroides/Firmicutesratio significantly varied during OIT progression, increasing towards controls. Post-OIT stool eluents induced mRNA expression of APRIL and ZO-1 in Caco-2 cells and allergen-specific IgA 2was significantly increased in post- vs pre-OIT eluents (p<0.01). In Transwell assays, heat killed Bacteroides fragilisdecreased FITC-dextran4 leakage across the epithelial layer. Conclusions: Gut microbiome populations are dynamic during OIT, possibly reflecting a recovery from a FA to a nonallergic state. Immunoregulatory changes and positive effects on epithelial cell integrity suggest causative roles for the gut microbiome in maintaining the desensitized state. Supported by a grant from the Israeli Science Foundation (1527/21)

Correlates and consequences of anxiety and depressive symptom trajectories during early treatment for alcohol use.

We investigated whether latent trajectories of anxiety and depressive symptoms were associated with clinically relevant variables including treatment attrition among individuals seeking treatment for alcohol use. Participants were drawn from 78 addiction treatment centers and included individuals in treatment for alcohol use, had in-treatment data, and screened positive for anxiety (n=6147) or depressive symptoms (n=6197) at intake. Anxiety and depressive symptoms were measured weekly during the first month of treatment. Three trajectories of anxiety symptoms (i.e., Persistent Moderate Anxiety Symptoms, Remitting Moderate Anxiety Symptoms, and Remitting Mild Anxiety Symptoms) and depressive symptoms (i.e., Increasing Moderate Depressive Symptoms, Persistent Moderate Depressive Symptoms, and Remitting Mild Depressive Symptoms) were identified. Women, younger individuals, and individuals who endorsed greater past month benzodiazepine use and depressive symptoms at intake were more likely to be in the Persistent Moderate Anxiety Symptoms trajectory relative to the Remitting Mild Anxiety Symptoms subgroup. Women, individuals who screened positive for anxiety at intake, and individuals reporting past month heroin use were more likely to be in the Increasing Moderate Depressive Symptoms trajectory relative to the Remitting Mild Depressive Symptom trajectory. Trajectories characterized by persistent moderate anxiety and depressive symptoms during the first month of treatment were more likely to drop out of treatment compared to individuals who reported low symptom levels. Findings indicate heterogeneity in the clinical course of anxiety and depressive symptoms among individuals in treatment for alcohol use and highlight that persistently high anxiety and depressive symptoms may pose an impediment to successful treatment completion. Results also demonstrate the importance of considering demographic and clinical characteristics at treatment intake as they may have significant implications for the unfolding of anxiety and depressive symptoms during treatment and subsequent outcomes.

Coping up mechanism and financial aid scheme for cancer treatment at a tertiary care hospital in Lucknow

Background: Cancer treatment has one of most expensive disease treatment due to its chronicity and expertise. In a region where per capita income of persons/ annual income of household is low, they have to depend on some coping up mechanism or financial aid schemes for successful completion of treatment. But awareness and proportion of utilization of the financial benefit for cancer patient is doubtful. The present study aims to study coping up mechanism and financial benefits availed by cancer patients at a tertiary care hospital in Lucknow. Methods: The study was done in a tertiary care hospital in Lucknow. 120 cancer patients who had undergone treatment and come for follow-up were taken from surgical oncology OPD. Data was collected using an interview-based pre-tested, self-administered questionnaire and analyzed using MS excel 2017 and SPSS v 23. Results: About 64 % of participants borrowed money from social net, 3% took loans, 10% mortgage assets, and 20% sold their assets to cope up with high expenditure on cancer treatment. Financial benefit of schemes was availed by about 1/3rd of participants and 20% availed concessions in rail/road travel fare and 16% availed concessions in income tax. Conclusions: Large number of people had to use some of the coping up mechanism for treatment of cancer this further pushes them into viscous cycle of poverty And at same time they are unable to avail benefits of financial aid schemes by government and others for cancer patients. Thus, an increase in utilization and coverage of government financial aids or insurance is needed.