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Kao CM, Chen YM, Huang WN, Chen YH, Chen HH. Association between air pollutants and initiation of biological therapy in patients with ankylosing spondylitis: a nationwide, population-based, nested case-control study. Arthritis Res Ther 2023; 25:75. [PMID: 37147678 PMCID: PMC10161550 DOI: 10.1186/s13075-023-03060-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 04/29/2023] [Indexed: 05/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Outdoor air pollution has been found to trigger systemic inflammatory responses and aggravate the activity of certain rheumatic diseases. However, few studies have explored the influence of air pollution on the activity of ankylosing spondylitis (AS). As patients with active AS in Taiwan can be reimbursed through the National Health Insurance programme for biological therapy, we investigated the association between air pollutants and the initiation of reimbursed biologics for active AS. METHODS Since 2011, hourly concentrations of ambient air pollutants, including PM2.5, PM10, NO2, CO, SO2, and O3, have been estimated in Taiwan. Using Taiwanese National Health Insurance Research Database, we identified patients with newly diagnosed AS from 2003 to 2013. We selected 584 patients initiating biologics from 2012 to 2013 and 2336 gender-, age at biologic initiation-, year of AS diagnosis- and disease duration-matched controls. We examined the associations of biologics initiation with air pollutants exposure within 1 year prior to biologic use whilst adjusting for potential confounders, including disease duration, urbanisation level, monthly income, Charlson comorbidity index (CCI), uveitis, psoriasis and the use of medications for AS. Results are shown as adjusted odds ratio (aOR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS The initiation of biologics was associated with exposure to CO (per 1 ppm) (aOR, 8.57; 95% CI, 2.02-36.32) and NO2 (per 10 ppb) (aOR, 0.23; 95% CI, 0.11-0.50). Other independent predictors included disease duration (incremental year, aOR, 8.95), CCI (aOR, 1.31), psoriasis (aOR, 25.19), use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (aOR, 23.66), methotrexate use (aOR, 4.50; 95% CI, 2.93-7.00), sulfasalazine use (aOR, 12.16; 95% CI, 8.98-15.45) and prednisolone equivalent dosages (mg/day, aOR, 1.12). CONCLUSIONS This nationwide, population-based study revealed the initiation of reimbursed biologics was positively associated with CO levels, but negatively associated with NO2 levels. Major limitations included lack of information on individual smoking status and multicollinearity amongst air pollutants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chung-Mao Kao
- Division of Allergy, Immunology, and Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, No.1650, Sec.4, Taiwan Boulevard, Taichung, 40705, Taiwan
- Division of Translational Medicine, Department of Medical Research, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Ming Chen
- Division of Allergy, Immunology, and Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, No.1650, Sec.4, Taiwan Boulevard, Taichung, 40705, Taiwan
- Division of Translational Medicine, Department of Medical Research, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
- School of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Post-Baccalaureate Medicine, College of Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Institute of Biomedical Science and Rong Hsing Research Center for Translational Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Wen-Nan Huang
- Division of Allergy, Immunology, and Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, No.1650, Sec.4, Taiwan Boulevard, Taichung, 40705, Taiwan
- School of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Post-Baccalaureate Medicine, College of Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan
- Department of Business Administration, Ling-Tung University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Hsing Chen
- Division of Allergy, Immunology, and Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, No.1650, Sec.4, Taiwan Boulevard, Taichung, 40705, Taiwan
- School of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Post-Baccalaureate Medicine, College of Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Hsin-Hua Chen
- Division of Allergy, Immunology, and Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, No.1650, Sec.4, Taiwan Boulevard, Taichung, 40705, Taiwan.
- School of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan.
- Department of Post-Baccalaureate Medicine, College of Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan.
- Institute of Biomedical Science and Rong Hsing Research Center for Translational Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan.
- Department of Industrial Engineering and Enterprise Information, Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan.
- Institute of Public Health and Community Medicine Research Center, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan.
- Big Data Center, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan.
- Division of General Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
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Kleinert S, Schuch F, Rapp P, Ronneberger M, Wendler J, Sternad P, Popp F, Bartz-Bazzanella P, von der Decken C, Karberg K, Gauler G, Wurth P, Späthling-Mestekemper S, Kuhn C, Englbrecht M, Vorbrüggen W, Adler G, Welcker M. Impairment in cognitive function in patients with axial spondyloarthritis and psoriatic arthritis. Rheumatol Int 2023; 43:89-97. [PMID: 36441274 DOI: 10.1007/s00296-022-05248-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Spondyloarthritis may contribute to deficits in cognition. The objective of this study was to compare cognitive abilities in patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) or psoriatic arthritis (PsA) with matched reference groups. This investigator-initiated, cross-sectional, exploratory study of adults with axSpA or PsA was conducted at two German rheumatology centres (November 2018-September 2019). All data on patient and disease characteristics and cognitive abilities were collected at a single visit. Cognitive function was assessed by the previously validated Memory and Attention Test subscores of selective attention, episodic working memory, and episodic short-term memory and compared with subscores from healthy age-, sex-, and education-matched reference subjects. The mean patient age was 51.1 and 55.8 years in the axSpA (n = 101) and PsA (n = 117) groups, respectively, and mean symptom duration was 13.7 and 10.3 years. Compared with matched reference subjects, axSpA and PsA patients showed significant impairments in selective attention (mean difference of -6.5 and -4.5, respectively, on a 45-point scale; P < 0.001 for both) and no significant differences in episodic working memory. The PsA cohort, but not the axSpA cohort, had significantly better episodic short-term memory subscores compared with matched reference subjects (mean change of 2.0 on a 15-point scale; P < 0.001). Explorative subgroup analyses were unable to identify factors influencing cognitive changes, including disease activity, pain, and function, but may have been underpowered. We conclude that impairments in selective attention may impact the ability of axSpA and PsA patients to process information. These findings warrant additional studies, including longitudinal analyses, in patients with spondyloarthritis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Kleinert
- Praxisgemeinschaft Rheumatologie-Nephrologie (PGRN), Möhrendorferstr 1C, Erlangen, Germany.
- Universitätsklinik Würzburg, Med. Klinik 3, Rheumatologie/Klinische Immunologie, Würzburg, Germany.
| | - Florian Schuch
- Praxisgemeinschaft Rheumatologie-Nephrologie (PGRN), Möhrendorferstr 1C, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Praxedis Rapp
- Praxisgemeinschaft Rheumatologie-Nephrologie (PGRN), Möhrendorferstr 1C, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Monika Ronneberger
- Praxisgemeinschaft Rheumatologie-Nephrologie (PGRN), Möhrendorferstr 1C, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Joerg Wendler
- Praxisgemeinschaft Rheumatologie-Nephrologie (PGRN), Möhrendorferstr 1C, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Patrizia Sternad
- Medizinisches Versorgungszentrum für Rheumatologie Dr. M. Welcker GmbH, Planeg, Germany
| | - Florian Popp
- Medizinisches Versorgungszentrum für Rheumatologie Dr. M. Welcker GmbH, Planeg, Germany
| | | | | | - Kirsten Karberg
- Praxis Für Rheumatologie und Innere Medizin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Georg Gauler
- Rheumatologische Schwerpunktpraxis, Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Patrick Wurth
- Rheumatologische Schwerpunktpraxis, Osnabrück, Germany
| | | | | | | | | | - Georg Adler
- Institut für Studien zur Psychischen Gesundheit (ISPG), Mannheim, Germany
| | - Martin Welcker
- Medizinisches Versorgungszentrum für Rheumatologie Dr. M. Welcker GmbH, Planeg, Germany
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Tahami Monfared AA, Stern Y, Doogan S, Irizarry M, Zhang Q. Stakeholder Insights in Alzheimer's Disease: Natural Language Processing of Social Media Conversations. J Alzheimers Dis 2022; 89:695-708. [PMID: 35938254 DOI: 10.3233/jad-220422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Social media data may be especially effective for studying diseases associated with high stigma, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). OBJECTIVE We primarily aimed to identify issues/challenges experienced by patients with AD using natural language processing (NLP) of social media posts. METHODS We searched 130 public social media sources between January 1998 and December 2021 for AD stakeholder social media posts using NLP to identify issues/challenges experienced by patients with AD. Issues/challenges identified by ≥10% of any AD stakeholder type were described. Illustrative posts were selected for qualitative review. Secondarily, issues/challenges were organized into a conceptual AD identification framework (ADIF) and representation of ADIF categories within clinical instruments was assessed. RESULTS We analyzed 1,859,077 social media posts from 30,341 AD stakeholders (21,011 caregivers; 7,440 clinicians; 1,890 patients). The most common issues/challenges were Worry/anxiety (34.2%), Pain (33%), Malaise (28.7%), Confusional state (27.1%), and Falls (23.9%). Patients reported a markedly higher volume of issues/challenges than other stakeholders. Patient posts reflected the broader scope of patient burden, caregiver posts captured both patient and caregiver burden, and clinician posts tended to be targeted. Less than 5% of the high frequency issues/challenges were in the "function and independence" and "social and relational well-being" categories of the ADIF, suggesting these issues/challenges may be difficult to capture. No single clinical instrument covered all ADIF categories; "social and relational well-being" was least represented. CONCLUSION NLP of AD stakeholder social media data revealed a broad spectrum of real-world insights regarding patient burden.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amir Abbas Tahami Monfared
- Eisai, Inc., Nutley, NJ, USA.,McGill University, Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, Montreal (QC), Canada
| | - Yaakov Stern
- Cognitive Neuroscience Division, Department of Neurology, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
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de Toledo RA, Grizzo FMF, Fernandes V, Calheiros R, Russo RT, Rosal G, Marchese LRD, Tunala R, Watanabe R, Birck MG, Julian GS, Forestiero FJ. Maintained activity in ankylosing spondylitis patients treated with TNFi and/or NSAID for at least 12 weeks: a cross-sectional study in Brazil. Adv Rheumatol 2022; 62:38. [PMID: 36307836 PMCID: PMC9614733 DOI: 10.1186/s42358-022-00270-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2022] [Revised: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to evaluate disease activity among patients with axial spondyloarthritis (AS) treated with tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi) and/or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for at least 12 weeks in private outpatient settings in Brazil. METHODS This was a cross-sectional, real-world study conducted in 17 Brazilian private health care institutes. Patients were selected if diagnosed with AS or axial radiographic spondyloarthritis (AxSpA) and treated with NSAIDs or TNFi for at least 12 weeks within the last 26 weeks prior to enrollment. The data were collected from interviewed-based and self-administered questionnaires from patients and physicians. Disease activity was defined as active (≥ 4), low /suboptimal (≥ 2 and < 4) and inactive (< 4) by Bath AS Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) and/or very high (≥ 3.5), high (≥ 2.1 to < 3.5), low (≥ 1.3 to < 2.1), and inactive (< 1.3) by AS Disease Activity Score (ASDAS-CRP). Both patients and physicians' perceptions of disease control were assessed using a numeric rating scale (NRS; 0-inactive to 10-very active disease). RESULTS The cohort included 378 patients with a mean age of 46 years, and the median time since diagnosis until enrollment was 5.4 years (interquartile range 2.7-10.5). Most patients were treated with TNFi alone (74%), followed by TNFi in combination with NSAID (15%), and NSAID alone (11%). About half AS patients showed active disease and 24% of patients showed low activity/suboptimal disease control despite having been treated for at least 12 weeks. Although TNFi showed better disease control than NSAID, inactive disease was experienced by few patients. The NRS (mean [standard deviation]) score for disease perception was 4.24 (3.3) and 2.85 (2.6) for patients and physicians, respectively. CONCLUSION This real-world study showed that most AS patients on TNFi and/or NSAID had not achieved an adequate disease control, as almost 75% of them exhibited active disease or low activity/suboptimal disease control. There remains a need for improved disease management among patients with AS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Acayaba de Toledo
- grid.477354.60000 0004 0481 5979Fundação Faculdade Regional de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto, São José do Rio Preto, SP Brazil
| | | | | | - Renato Calheiros
- grid.418424.f0000 0004 0439 2056Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, East Hanover, NJ USA
| | - Ricardo T. Russo
- Novartis Biociências S.A, 90 São Paulo, 04636-000 São Paulo, SP Brazil
| | - Gustavo Rosal
- Novartis Biociências S.A, 90 São Paulo, 04636-000 São Paulo, SP Brazil
| | | | - Roberto Tunala
- Novartis Biociências S.A, 90 São Paulo, 04636-000 São Paulo, SP Brazil
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Hur JW, Ko KM, Park KS, Hong SJ, Kim HS, Lee MS. Real-world experiences of the diagnosis process in Korean patients with ankylosing spondylitis based on a self-report questionnaire. J Int Med Res 2021; 49:3000605211004201. [PMID: 33823632 PMCID: PMC8033485 DOI: 10.1177/03000605211004201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives The diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is often delayed, which affects
various clinical outcomes. This study examined the real-world situation of
patients with AS during diagnosis and treatment. Methods Data were obtained from 26 tertiary care hospitals in Korea using a
self-report questionnaire. The questionnaire assessed symptoms, pain,
extra-articular manifestations, the initial pattern of pain before
diagnosis, factors leading to delayed referral to rheumatology, time until
receiving an AS diagnosis, comorbid diseases, treatment status, and disease
education needs. Results Between September and October 2019, 1012 patients with AS completed the
survey. Of these, 75.8% were men and 51.8% were in their 30s or 40s. Median
disease duration was 76 months. The median time to diagnosis with AS was 12
months. When pain occurred, the medical departments most frequently visited
first were orthopedic (61.5%) and rheumatology (18.7%) departments. The
likelihood of the first visit being to the orthopedic department and the
frequency of biologics use increased with the disease duration. The rates of
uveitis, depressed mood, and comorbid diseases were higher in the group with
delayed diagnosis. Conclusions Physicians should be aware of subtypes of AS that take longer to diagnose and
comorbid diseases in the real-world clinical setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin-Wuk Hur
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Nowon
Eulji University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyung Min Ko
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine,
International St. Mary's Hospital, Catholic Kwandong University, Incheon,
Republic of Korea
| | - Kyung-Su Park
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, St.
Vincent’s Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, Suwon,
Republic of Korea
| | - Seung-Jae Hong
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kyung
Hee University Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun-Sook Kim
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine,
Soonchunhyang University Seoul Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Hyun-Sook Kim, Division of Rheumatology,
Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Soonchunhyang Univ.
Seoul Hospital, 59 Daesagwan-ro, Yongsan-gu. Seoul 04401, Republic of Korea.
| | - Myeung-Su Lee
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine,
Wonkwang University Hospital, Iksan, Republic of Korea
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Allen JA, Butler L, Levine T, Haudrich A. A Global Survey of Disease Burden in Patients Who Carry a Diagnosis of Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy. Adv Ther 2021; 38:316-328. [PMID: 33113101 PMCID: PMC7854453 DOI: 10.1007/s12325-020-01540-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2020] [Accepted: 10/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Introduction The extent to which work productivity, emotional well-being, social interactions, and family life are impacted in patients who self-identify as having chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) is not well characterized. Methods Data from an online survey of 595 individuals with self-reported CIDP, recruited by the Guillain–Barré syndrome (GBS)/CIDP Foundation, were used to assess disease and treatment burden. A total of 37% of patients were classified as “likely”, 34% as “somewhat likely”, and 28% as “unlikely” CIDP. Results Of ten symptoms that patients with CIDP may experience, each symptom was experienced by 77–94% of “likely”, 79–96% of “somewhat likely”, and 66–91% of “unlikely” patients. In “likely” CIDP patients 44% stopped working because of their symptoms and 24% moved to a new home. The most common treatments were intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) infusion and corticosteroids. IVIg was associated with venous access issues and work/school absenteeism. Conclusions CIDP diagnostic confirmation was not performed in any of the survey respondents. Our results do not add any knowledge on the diagnosis or treatment of CIDP. Our findings do provide insight into the symptoms that patients that think they have CIDP or have been told they have CIDP experience, explores how patients that are labeled as having CIDP view treatment expectations, and highlights how these symptoms affect home and work life. We hope that the findings are constructively used to get patients the services they need to improve quality of life, maintain employment, and ensure a safe home environment regardless of diagnostic accuracy.
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Rosenbaum JT, Pisenti L, Park Y, Howard RA. Insight into the Quality of Life of Patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis: Real-World Data from a US-Based Life Impact Survey. Rheumatol Ther 2019; 6:353-367. [PMID: 31111433 PMCID: PMC6702589 DOI: 10.1007/s40744-019-0160-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION We aim to assess the real-world, US patient-reported impact of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) on quality of life (QOL) across physical, discomfort, social, and emotional domains. METHODS Demographic and QOL data were collected from a random sample of patients associated with the Spondylitis Association of America (SAA) from July to December 2017. QOL measures were based on the Evaluation of Ankylosing Spondylitis Quality of Life (EASi-QoL) questionnaire. The survey evaluated AS impact on the physical domain on the day of survey participation and impact on the discomfort, social, and emotional domains within the week before participation. A 3:1 (male to female) weighting was performed to reflect the reported prevalence of AS in US adults. RESULTS Of 820 respondents who completed the survey, 716 self-reported receiving an AS diagnosis from their doctor and were included in this analysis (mean age, 55.5 years; 46.9% male). The mean total EASi-QoL score was 28.9 (weighted); overall, 33.7%, 31.7%, and 34.7% of respondents, respectively, reported a low (EASi-QoL score 0-17), a medium (18-35), and a high (≥ 36) impact of AS on QOL. The physical domain was most impacted; 41.9% of respondents had an EASi-QoL score ≥ 10 (weighted). Women were significantly more likely than men to report a high impact of AS on all QOL domains. Biologic users reported an impact on QOL comparable with the impact on QOL of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug use. AS also impacted lifestyle characteristics, including career choice and sports participation. CONCLUSION AS negatively impacted all QOL domains analyzed. The incorporation of subjective measures of disease into disease evaluation should be considered. FUNDING Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation and UCB, Inc. Plain language summary available for this article.
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Affiliation(s)
- James T Rosenbaum
- Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA.
- Legacy Devers Eye Institute, Portland, OR, USA.
| | | | - Yujin Park
- Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, East Hanover, NJ, USA
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A systematic review of natural language processing and text mining of symptoms from electronic patient-authored text data. Int J Med Inform 2019; 125:37-46. [PMID: 30914179 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2019.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2018] [Revised: 01/13/2019] [Accepted: 02/19/2019] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE In this systematic review, we aim to synthesize the literature on the use of natural language processing (NLP) and text mining as they apply to symptom extraction and processing in electronic patient-authored text (ePAT). MATERIALS AND METHODS A comprehensive literature search of 1964 articles from PubMed and EMBASE was narrowed to 21 eligible articles. Data related to purpose, text source, number of users and/or posts, evaluation metrics, and quality indicators were recorded. RESULTS Pain (n = 18) and fatigue and sleep disturbance (n = 18) were the most frequently evaluated symptom clinical content categories. Studies accessed ePAT from sources such as Twitter and online community forums or patient portals focused on diseases, including diabetes, cancer, and depression. Fifteen studies used NLP as a primary methodology. Studies reported evaluation metrics including the precision, recall, and F-measure for symptom-specific research questions. DISCUSSION NLP and text mining have been used to extract and analyze patient-authored symptom data in a wide variety of online communities. Though there are computational challenges with accessing ePAT, the depth of information provided directly from patients offers new horizons for precision medicine, characterization of sub-clinical symptoms, and the creation of personal health libraries as outlined by the National Library of Medicine. CONCLUSION Future research should consider the needs of patients expressed through ePAT and its relevance to symptom science. Understanding the role that ePAT plays in health communication and real-time assessment of symptoms, through the use of NLP and text mining, is critical to a patient-centered health system.
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