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Oke I, Gaier ED, Mantagos IS, Shah AS. Periodic Trends in Internet Searches for Ocular Symptoms in the US. Ophthalmic Epidemiol 2023; 30:352-357. [PMID: 36103713 PMCID: PMC10474562 DOI: 10.1080/09286586.2022.2119260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2022] [Revised: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To identify periodic trends in internet searches for ocular symptoms and to determine the seasonal peaks and troughs. METHODS This cross-sectional study examined publicly available Google Trends data from the United States (01/01/2015 to 12/31/2019). A list of common ocular symptoms was compiled from the American Academy of Ophthalmology Eye Health website and Wills Eye Manual. Ocular symptoms were stratified into categories involving vision change, eye pain, or eye redness. The search volume over time for each term was modeled using periodic regression functions and the goodness-of-fit was reported. Fisher's exact tests were used to compare the characteristics of periodic vs. non-periodic query terms. RESULTS Seasonal trends were demonstrated by 45% (48/106) of the ocular symptoms included in this investigation. Search terms with best fit to the periodic model included stye (r2 = 0.89), pink eye (r2 = 0.82), dry eye (r2 = 0.76), blurry vision (r2 = 0.72), and swollen eye (r2 = 0.71). Periodic search terms were more likely to involve eye redness (21% vs. 11%, p = .014) and less likely to involve vision change (11% vs. 36%; p < .001). Periodic queries involving eye redness most often peaked in the spring and those involving eye pain peaked in the summer. CONCLUSION Ocular symptom queries directly reflect seasonal trends for allergic eye disease and ocular trauma. Search query analyses can serve as accurate epidemiological tools with research and real-world clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isdin Oke
- Department of Ophthalmology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Massachusetts Eye & Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Eric D. Gaier
- Department of Ophthalmology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Massachusetts Eye & Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
- Picower Institute of Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA
| | - Iason S. Mantagos
- Department of Ophthalmology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Massachusetts Eye & Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Ankoor S. Shah
- Department of Ophthalmology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Massachusetts Eye & Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
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2
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Pradeep T, Ravipati A, Melachuri S, Fu R. More than just a stye: identifying seasonal patterns using google trends, and a review of infodemiological literature in ophthalmology. Orbit 2023; 42:130-137. [PMID: 35240907 DOI: 10.1080/01676830.2022.2040542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE We aim to evaluate the utility of internet search query data in ophthalmology by: (1) Evaluating trends in searches for styes in the United States and worldwide, and (2) Performing a review of literature of infodemiological data in ophthalmology. METHODS Google Trends search data for "stye" was analyzed from January 2004 to January 2020 in the United States and worldwide. Spearman's correlation coefficient and sinusoidal modeling were performed to assess the significance and seasonality of trends. Review of literature included searches for "ophthalmology Google trends," "ophthalmology twitter trends," "ophthalmology infodemiology," "eye google trends," and "social media ophthalmology." RESULTS Searches for styes were cyclical in the United States and globally with a steady increase from 2004 to 2020 (sum-of-squares F-test for sinusoidal model: p < .0001, r2 = 0.96). Peak search volume index (SVI) months were 7.9 months in the United States and 6.8 months worldwide. U.S. temperature and SVI for stye were correlated in the United States at the state, divisional, and country-wide levels (p < .005; p < .005; p < .01 respectively). Seven articles met our literature review inclusion criteria. CONCLUSIONS We present a novel finding of seasonality with global and U.S. searches for stye, and association of searches with temperature in the United States. Within ophthalmology, infodemiological literature has been used to track trends and identify seasonal disease patterns, perform disease surveillance, improve resource optimization by identifying regional hotspots, tailor marketing, and monitor institutional reputation. Future research into this domain may help identify further trends, improve prevention efforts, and reduce medical costs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tejus Pradeep
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pennsylvania Scheie Eye Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Advaitaa Ravipati
- Department of Ophthalmology, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Samyuktha Melachuri
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Roxana Fu
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
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Correlation of internet search enquiries, incidence of ophthalmological diseases and corneal, cataract and refractive surgical procedures. Sci Rep 2022; 12:22212. [PMID: 36564516 PMCID: PMC9782281 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-26704-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Analysis of internet search queries (ISQ) could be useful to study public interest and medical need for corneal, cataract, and refractive surgery. To date, there are preliminary data on seasonal trends in ophthalmic conditions, but only few studies correlate these data with real data from healthcare systems. The aim of this study is to analyze ISQ and correlate it with real healthcare system data. Data were retrieved from the KBV registry of patients who underwent outpatient ophthalmic surgery in Germany from 2017 to 2019 and from Statista GmbH from 2010 to 2020 for corneal refractive surgery. Time Series analysis of ISQ was analyzed from 2004 to 2020 and correlated with healthcare system data using bivariate correlation analysis. ISQ correlated significantly with the incidence of ophthalmic procedures such as corneal transplantations (r = 0.69, p < 0.05), cataract- (r = 0.59, p < 0.05) and refractive laser surgery (r = 0.83, p < 0.05) in Germany. In addition, specific trends were observed with respect to individual surgical procedures. The correlation between search intensities and surgical procedures varied significantly. Thus, interests in surgical procedures can be tracked by observing changes in ISQ over time. These data correlate with real healthcare data and could be used in the future for now-casting or even forecasting.
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Ito T. Global monitoring of public interest in preventive measures against COVID-19 via analysis of Google Trends: an infodemiology and infoveillance study. BMJ Open 2022; 12:e060715. [PMID: 35953258 PMCID: PMC9378949 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-060715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The COVID-19 pandemic has influenced people's concerns regarding infectious diseases and their preventive measures. However, the magnitude of the impact and the difference between countries are unclear. This study aimed to assess the magnitude of the impact of COVID-19 on public interest and people's behaviours globally in preventing infectious diseases while comparing international trends and sustainability. DESIGN An infodemiology and infoveillance study. SETTING The study employed a web-based data collection to delineate public interest regarding COVID-19 preventive measures using Google Trends. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES A relative search volume was assigned to a keyword, standardising it from 0 to 100, with 100 representing the highest share of the term searches. The search terms "coronavirus", "wash hand", "social distancing", "hand sanitizer" and "mask" were investigated across 196 different countries and regions from July 2018 to October 2021 and weekly reports of the relative search volume were obtained. Persistence of interest was assessed by comparing the first 20 weeks with the last 20 weeks of the study period. RESULTS Although the relative search volume of "coronavirus" increased and was sustained at a significantly higher level (p<0.05) than before the pandemic declaration, globally, the trends and sustainability of the interest in preventable measures against COVID-19 varied between countries and regions. CONCLUSIONS Sustained interest in preventive measures differed globally, with regional differences noted among Asia, Europe, Africa and the Americas. The global differences should be considered for implementing effective interventions against COVID-19. The increased interest in preventive behaviours against COVID-19 may be related to overall infectious disease prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomoo Ito
- Bureau of International Health Cooperation, National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan
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Liu L, Wang P, Jiang SQ, Zhong ZR, Zhan TZ, Yang ZY, Zhang YN, Li C, Xu J, Xia CM. Seasonal variations and public search interests in Toxoplasma: a 16-year retrospective analysis of big data on Google Trends. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 2021; 115:878-885. [PMID: 33241272 DOI: 10.1093/trstmh/traa147] [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: 07/21/2020] [Revised: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 11/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND This study aims to understand whether there is a seasonal change in the internet search interest for Toxoplasma by using the data derived from Google Trends (GT). METHODS The present study searched for the relative search volume (RSV) for the search term 'Toxoplasma' in GT within six major English-speaking countries (Australia, New Zealand [Southern Hemisphere] and Canada, Ireland, the UK and the USA [Northern Hemisphere] from 1 January 2004 to 31 December 2019, utilizing the category of 'health'. Data regarding the RSV of Toxoplasma was obtained and further statistical analysis was performed in R software using the 'season' package. RESULTS There were significantly seasonal patterns for the RSV of the search term 'Toxoplasma' in five countries (all p<0.05), except for the UK. A peak in December-March and a trough in July-September (Canada, Ireland, the UK and the USA) were observed, while a peak in June/August and a trough in December/February (Australia, New Zealand) were also found. Moreover, the presence of seasonal patterns regarding RSV for 'Toxoplasma' between the Southern and Northern Hemispheres was also found (both p<0.05), with a reversed meteorological month. CONCLUSIONS Overall, our study revealed the seasonal variation for Toxoplasma in using internet search data from GT, providing additional evidence on seasonal patterns in Toxoplasma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Liu
- Department of Parasitology, Medical College of Soochow University, 199 Renai Road, Suzhou, 215123, Jiangsu, China
| | - Peng Wang
- Center for Genetic Epidemiology and Genomics, School of Public Health, Medical College of Soochow University, 199 Renai Road, Suzhou, 215123, Jiangsu, China
| | - Su-Qin Jiang
- Department of Parasitology, Medical College of Soochow University, 199 Renai Road, Suzhou, 215123, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zi-Rong Zhong
- Department of Parasitology, Medical College of Soochow University, 199 Renai Road, Suzhou, 215123, Jiangsu, China
| | - Ting-Zheng Zhan
- Department of Parasitology, Medical College of Soochow University, 199 Renai Road, Suzhou, 215123, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zi-Yin Yang
- Department of Parasitology, Medical College of Soochow University, 199 Renai Road, Suzhou, 215123, Jiangsu, China
| | - Ya-Nan Zhang
- Department of Parasitology, Medical College of Soochow University, 199 Renai Road, Suzhou, 215123, Jiangsu, China
| | - Chen Li
- Department of Parasitology, Medical College of Soochow University, 199 Renai Road, Suzhou, 215123, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jing Xu
- Department of Parasitology, Medical College of Soochow University, 199 Renai Road, Suzhou, 215123, Jiangsu, China
| | - Chao-Ming Xia
- Department of Parasitology, Medical College of Soochow University, 199 Renai Road, Suzhou, 215123, Jiangsu, China
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Gupta R, Pakhchanian H, Raiker R, Asahi M, Raparla N, Belyea D. Public Interest in Refractive Diseases and Treatments During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Google Trends Analysis. Cureus 2021; 13:e17207. [PMID: 34540434 PMCID: PMC8442795 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.17207] [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] [Accepted: 08/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose To assess national internet search trends/public interest in refractive diseases and treatments during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods A Google Trends search for refractive terms was performed during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Refractive terms were divided into disease and treatment terms. Relative search volume (RSV) indices were assessed in the United States from the initial lockdown period (March 1 - June 28), summer reopening period (July 5 - November 1), and winter case surge/vaccine rollout period (November 8 - February 28). A t-test of two independent samples assuming unequal variances was utilized in comparing the pandemic year to pooled data of overlapping weeks between 2016-2019. Results The majority of disease and treatment terms showed a significant decrease in RSV during the initial lockdown period (p<0.05). There was a significant increase in RSV for cataract, astigmatism, cataract surgery, and photorefractive keratotomy (PRK) (p<0.05), accompanied by a significant decrease in RSV for contact lens during the summer reopening period. There was a significant increase in RSV for cataract, astigmatism, glasses, and PRK, accompanied by a significant decrease in RSV for hyperopia, keratoconus, contact lens, and LASIK during the winter case surge/vaccine rollout period. Conclusion There was a significant decrease in the public interest in refractive diseases and treatments during the lockdown period, accompanied by an increase in interest later in the year. Decreased public interest can lead to delays in care, poorer health literacy, and potentially worse outcomes. Strategies to enhance public interest and care during the pandemic may prove to be beneficial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rishabh Gupta
- Ophthalmology, University of Missouri Kansas City School of Medicine, Kansas City, USA
| | - Haig Pakhchanian
- Ophthalmology, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington DC, USA
| | - Rahul Raiker
- Ophthalmology, West Virgina University School of Medicine, Morgantown, USA
| | - Masumi Asahi
- Ophthalmology, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington DC, USA
| | - Neha Raparla
- Ophthalmology, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington DC, USA
| | - David Belyea
- Ophthalmology, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington DC, USA
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Azzam DB, Nag N, Tran J, Chen L, Visnagra K, Marshall K, Wade M. A Novel Epidemiological Approach to Geographically Mapping Population Dry Eye Disease in the United States Through Google Trends. Cornea 2021; 40:282-291. [PMID: 33177410 DOI: 10.1097/ico.0000000000002579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2020] [Accepted: 09/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Our study fills the spatiotemporal gaps in dry eye disease (DED) epidemiology by using Google Trends as a novel epidemiological tool for geographically mapping DED in relation to environmental risk factors. METHODS We used Google Trends to extract DED-related queries estimating users' intent from 2004 to 2019 in the United States. We incorporated national climate data to generate heat maps comparing geographic, temporal, and environmental relationships of DED. Multivariable regression models were constructed to generate quadratic forecasts predicting DED and control searches. RESULTS Our results illustrated the upward trend, seasonal pattern, environmental influence, and spatial relationship of DED search volume across the US geography. Localized patches of DED interest were visualized in urban areas. There was no significant difference in DED queries across the US census regions (P = 0.3543). Regression model 1 predicted DED queries per state (R2 = 0.61), with the significant predictor being urban population [r = 0.56, adjusted (adj.) P < 0.001, n = 50]; model 2 predicted DED searches over time (R2 = 0.97), with significant predictors being control queries (r = 0.85, adj. P = 0.0169, n = 190), time (r = 0.96, adj. P < 0.001, n = 190), time2 (r = 0.97, adj. P < 0.001, n = 190), and seasonality (winter r = -0.04, adj. P = 0.0196, n = 190; spring r = 0.10, adj. P < 0.001, n = 190). CONCLUSIONS Our study used Google Trends as a novel epidemiologic approach to geographically mapping the US DED. Importantly, urban population and seasonality were stronger risk factors of DED searches than temperature, humidity, sunshine, pollution, or region. Our work paves the way for future exploration of geographic information systems for locating DED and other diseases through online population metrics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel B Azzam
- Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, Irvine School of Medicine, Irvine, CA
| | - Nitish Nag
- Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, Irvine School of Medicine, Irvine, CA
- Department of Computer Science, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA; and
| | - Julia Tran
- Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, Irvine School of Medicine, Irvine, CA
| | - Lauren Chen
- Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, Irvine School of Medicine, Irvine, CA
| | - Kaajal Visnagra
- Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, Irvine School of Medicine, Irvine, CA
| | - Kailey Marshall
- Department of Optometry, University of California, Irvine School of Medicine, Irvine, CA
| | - Matthew Wade
- Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, Irvine School of Medicine, Irvine, CA
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8
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Hom GL, Chen AX, Greenlee TE, Singh RP. Internet Search Engine Queries of Common Causes of Blindness and Low Vision in the United States. Am J Ophthalmol 2021; 222:373-381. [PMID: 33039374 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajo.2020.09.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2020] [Revised: 09/24/2020] [Accepted: 09/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To characterize Internet search engine patterns of American Internet users for common causes of blindness and low vision. DESIGN A retrospective cross-sectional study. METHODS Retrospective analysis with publicly available Google trends data from January 1, 2004, to January 1, 2020, using Google search engine. PATIENT POPULATION Random sample of US and worldwide Internet users who searched for information on the topics of cataract, macular degeneration, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and near-sightedness using the Google search engine. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Percentage of searches related to disease and treatment education for each condition. RESULTS Cataract searches most commonly pertain to treatment education (72.3%) and disease education (23.6%). Glaucoma, macular degeneration, and near-sightedness searches more commonly pertained to disease education (69.5%, 64.0%, 50.4% respectively) than treatment education (18.4%, 17.9%, 10.7% respectively). Diabetic retinopathy searches related to other diseases (41.5%), followed by disease education (33.5%) and treatment education (8.2%). Mean relative search frequency (RSF) values for queries were 66.7 ± 13.3, 58.6 ± 6.2, 33.3 ± 6.7, 29.2 ± 6.5, and 8.6 ± 1.4 for cataract, glaucoma, near-sightedness, diabetic retinopathy, and macular degeneration, respectively, with all pairwise comparisons yielding statistically significant values (P < .001). RSF was found to be fairly well correlated with North American blindness prevalence by condition (r2 = 0.5898). CONCLUSION The search results of American Internet search users yield information on disease basics or treatment education for the disease. The most commonly searched queries for each condition yield different types of information with cataract queries presenting more commonly with treatment information. These results may inform future patient education practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grant L Hom
- Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Andrew X Chen
- Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Center for Ophthalmic Bioinformatics, Cole Eye Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Tyler E Greenlee
- Center for Ophthalmic Bioinformatics, Cole Eye Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Rishi P Singh
- Center for Ophthalmic Bioinformatics, Cole Eye Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
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Marchitto MC, Chien AL. Rosacea and Associated Comorbidities: A Google Search Trends Analysis. THE JOURNAL OF CLINICAL AND AESTHETIC DERMATOLOGY 2020; 13:36-40. [PMID: 32983335 PMCID: PMC7492017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND: There is recent evidence linking rosacea to systemic disease. OBJECTIVE: We sought to identify correlations in Google searches (Google LLC, Mountain View, California) for rosacea and comorbid conditions to assess whether the public is seeking information regarding these trends. METHODS: Google search data from January 1, 2004, to February 28, 2018, for rosacea and search terms representing common comorbid conditions were investigated. This analysis included searches occurring in the United States (US), Canada, the United Kingdom (UK), and Australia. Search volume index (SVI) data were plotted over time and Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated from search data to assess for correlations between search terms. RESULTS: The level of interest in rosacea was highest in the spring and lowest in the winter in the US, Canada, and UK. Seasonal search trends in Australia were the inverse of those in northern hemisphere nations. Significant correlations were found between depression and rosacea SVI in the US (R=0.481; p<0.001), dementia and rosacea SVI in the UK (R=0.774; p=0.011), and hypothyroidism and rosacea SVI (R=0.752; p<0.001) in the UK. Additionally, search trends for irritable bowel syndrome (R=0.399; p<0.001) and ulcerative colitis (R=0.514; p=0.032) correlated significantly with rosacea in Canada and the UK, respectively. In Australia, search trends for osteoporosis significantly correlated with rosacea (R=0.394; p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate growing interest among the general public regarding rosacea and comorbid diseases, which behooves clinicians to adopt a more comprehensive approach in managing rosacea patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark C Marchitto
- Drs. Marchitto and Chien are with the Department of Dermatology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Anna L Chien
- Drs. Marchitto and Chien are with the Department of Dermatology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland
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Ahijado-Guzmán R, Sánchez-Arribas N, Martínez-Negro M, González-Rubio G, Santiago-Varela M, Pardo M, Piñeiro A, López-Montero I, Junquera E, Guerrero-Martínez A. Intercellular Trafficking of Gold Nanostars in Uveal Melanoma Cells for Plasmonic Photothermal Therapy. NANOMATERIALS 2020; 10:nano10030590. [PMID: 32213846 PMCID: PMC7153714 DOI: 10.3390/nano10030590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2020] [Revised: 03/04/2020] [Accepted: 03/11/2020] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Efficient plasmonic photothermal therapies (PPTTs) using non-harmful pulse laser irradiation at the near-infrared (NIR) are a highly sought goal in nanomedicine. These therapies rely on the use of plasmonic nanostructures to kill cancer cells while minimizing the applied laser power density. Cancer cells have an unsettled capacity to uptake, retain, release, and re-uptake gold nanoparticles, thus offering enormous versatility for research. In this work, we have studied such cell capabilities for nanoparticle trafficking and its impact on the effect of photothermal treatments. As our model system, we chose uveal (eye) melanoma cells, since laser-assisted eye surgery is routinely used to treat glaucoma and cataracts, or vision correction in refractive surgery. As nanostructure, we selected gold nanostars (Au NSs) due to their high photothermal efficiency at the near-infrared (NIR) region of the electromagnetic spectrum. We first investigated the photothermal effect on the basis of the dilution of Au NSs induced by cell division. Using this approach, we obtained high PPTT efficiency after several cell division cycles at an initial low Au NS concentration (pM regime). Subsequently, we evaluated the photothermal effect on account of cell division upon mixing Au NS-loaded and non-loaded cells. Upon such mixing, we observed trafficking of Au NSs between loaded and non-loaded cells, thus achieving effective PPTT after several division cycles under low irradiation conditions (below the maximum permissible exposure threshold of skin). Our study reveals the ability of uveal melanoma cells to release and re-uptake Au NSs that maintain their plasmonic photothermal properties throughout several cell division cycles and re-uptake. This approach may be readily extrapolated to real tissue and even to treat in situ the eye tumor itself. We believe that our method can potentially be used as co-therapy to disperse plasmonic gold nanostructures across affected tissues, thus increasing the effectiveness of classic PPTT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rubén Ahijado-Guzmán
- Departamento de Química Física, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Avenida Complutense s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (N.S.-A.); (M.M.-N.); (G.G.-R.); (I.L.-M.); (E.J.)
- Correspondence: (R.A.-G.); (A.G.-M.); Tel.: +34-934-4274 (A.G.-M.)
| | - Natalia Sánchez-Arribas
- Departamento de Química Física, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Avenida Complutense s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (N.S.-A.); (M.M.-N.); (G.G.-R.); (I.L.-M.); (E.J.)
| | - María Martínez-Negro
- Departamento de Química Física, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Avenida Complutense s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (N.S.-A.); (M.M.-N.); (G.G.-R.); (I.L.-M.); (E.J.)
| | - Guillermo González-Rubio
- Departamento de Química Física, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Avenida Complutense s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (N.S.-A.); (M.M.-N.); (G.G.-R.); (I.L.-M.); (E.J.)
| | - María Santiago-Varela
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Santiago (IDIS), Xerencia de Xestión Integrada de Santiago (XXIS/SERGAS), Hospital Clínico Universitario de Santiago, Travesía da Choupana s/n, 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain; (M.S.-V.); (M.P.); (A.P.)
| | - María Pardo
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Santiago (IDIS), Xerencia de Xestión Integrada de Santiago (XXIS/SERGAS), Hospital Clínico Universitario de Santiago, Travesía da Choupana s/n, 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain; (M.S.-V.); (M.P.); (A.P.)
| | - Antonio Piñeiro
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Santiago (IDIS), Xerencia de Xestión Integrada de Santiago (XXIS/SERGAS), Hospital Clínico Universitario de Santiago, Travesía da Choupana s/n, 15706 Santiago de Compostela, Spain; (M.S.-V.); (M.P.); (A.P.)
| | - Iván López-Montero
- Departamento de Química Física, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Avenida Complutense s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (N.S.-A.); (M.M.-N.); (G.G.-R.); (I.L.-M.); (E.J.)
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital 12 de Octubre (imas12), Avda. Córdoba s/n, 28041 Madrid, Spain
| | - Elena Junquera
- Departamento de Química Física, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Avenida Complutense s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (N.S.-A.); (M.M.-N.); (G.G.-R.); (I.L.-M.); (E.J.)
| | - Andrés Guerrero-Martínez
- Departamento de Química Física, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Avenida Complutense s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (N.S.-A.); (M.M.-N.); (G.G.-R.); (I.L.-M.); (E.J.)
- Correspondence: (R.A.-G.); (A.G.-M.); Tel.: +34-934-4274 (A.G.-M.)
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11
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Mavragani A, Ochoa G, Tsagarakis KP. Assessing the Methods, Tools, and Statistical Approaches in Google Trends Research: Systematic Review. J Med Internet Res 2018; 20:e270. [PMID: 30401664 PMCID: PMC6246971 DOI: 10.2196/jmir.9366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 136] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2017] [Revised: 05/07/2018] [Accepted: 06/21/2018] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Background In the era of information overload, are big data analytics the answer to access and better manage available knowledge? Over the last decade, the use of Web-based data in public health issues, that is, infodemiology, has been proven useful in assessing various aspects of human behavior. Google Trends is the most popular tool to gather such information, and it has been used in several topics up to this point, with health and medicine being the most focused subject. Web-based behavior is monitored and analyzed in order to examine actual human behavior so as to predict, better assess, and even prevent health-related issues that constantly arise in everyday life. Objective This systematic review aimed at reporting and further presenting and analyzing the methods, tools, and statistical approaches for Google Trends (infodemiology) studies in health-related topics from 2006 to 2016 to provide an overview of the usefulness of said tool and be a point of reference for future research on the subject. Methods Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines for selecting studies, we searched for the term “Google Trends” in the Scopus and PubMed databases from 2006 to 2016, applying specific criteria for types of publications and topics. A total of 109 published papers were extracted, excluding duplicates and those that did not fall inside the topics of health and medicine or the selected article types. We then further categorized the published papers according to their methodological approach, namely, visualization, seasonality, correlations, forecasting, and modeling. Results All the examined papers comprised, by definition, time series analysis, and all but two included data visualization. A total of 23.1% (24/104) studies used Google Trends data for examining seasonality, while 39.4% (41/104) and 32.7% (34/104) of the studies used correlations and modeling, respectively. Only 8.7% (9/104) of the studies used Google Trends data for predictions and forecasting in health-related topics; therefore, it is evident that a gap exists in forecasting using Google Trends data. Conclusions The monitoring of online queries can provide insight into human behavior, as this field is significantly and continuously growing and will be proven more than valuable in the future for assessing behavioral changes and providing ground for research using data that could not have been accessed otherwise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amaryllis Mavragani
- Department of Computing Science and Mathematics, University of Stirling, Stirling, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Gabriela Ochoa
- Department of Computing Science and Mathematics, University of Stirling, Stirling, Scotland, United Kingdom
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Callaghan DJ. Use of Google Trends to Examine Interest in Mohs Micrographic Surgery: 2004 to 2016. Dermatol Surg 2018; 44:186-192. [PMID: 28930787 DOI: 10.1097/dss.0000000000001270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) is the gold standard for treatment of high-risk skin cancers. There has been an upward trend in the use of this procedure as demonstrated by data from Medicare and the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey. OBJECTIVE To assess interest in MMS among members of the general public as measured by number of online searches, and how that interest has changed over time. MATERIALS AND METHODS Google Trends was used to plot interest in search terms including "Mohs surgery," "basal cell carcinoma," "squamous cell carcinoma," "melanoma," and "skin cancer" from January 1, 2004, to November 30, 2016. RESULTS Search interest for the term "Mohs surgery" has steadily increased since 2004 and correlates closely with increased interest for "basal cell carcinoma" (r = 0.82) and "squamous cell carcinoma" (r = 0.85). Search interest in MMS did not correlate well with searches for melanoma (r = -0.15) or skin cancer (r = -0.29). CONCLUSION Public interest in MMS has continued to steadily increase in the United States, which may be a reflection of the increasing volume of MMS that is performed.
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Shang W, Chen H, Livoti C. Adverse drug reaction early warning using user search data. ONLINE INFORMATION REVIEW 2017. [DOI: 10.1108/oir-10-2015-0341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to propose a framework to detect adverse drug reactions (ADRs) using internet user search data, so that ADR events can be identified early. Empirical investigation of Avandia, a type II diabetes treatment, is conducted to illustrate how to implement the proposed framework.
Design/methodology/approach
Typical ADR identification measures and time series processing techniques are used in the proposed framework. Google Trends Data are employed to represent user searches. The baseline model is a disproportionality analysis using official drug reaction reporting data from the US Food and Drug Administration’s Adverse Event Reporting System.
Findings
Results show that Google Trends series of Avandia side effects search reveal a significant early warning signal for the side effect emergence of Avandia. The proposed approach of using user search data to detect ADRs is proved to have a longer leading time than traditional drug reaction discovery methods. Three more drugs with known adverse reactions are investigated using the selected approach, and two are successfully identified.
Research limitations/implications
Validation of Google Trends data’s representativeness of user search is yet to be explored. In future research, user search in other search engines and in healthcare web forums can be incorporated to obtain a more comprehensive ADR early warning mechanism.
Practical implications
Using internet data in drug safety management with a proper early warning mechanism may serve as an earlier signal than traditional drug adverse reaction. This has great potential in public health emergency management.
Originality/value
The research work proposes a novel framework of using user search data in ADR identification. User search is a voluntary drug adverse reaction exploration behavior. Furthermore, user search data series are more concise and accurate than text mining in forums. The proposed methods as well as the empirical results will shed some light on incorporating user search data as a new source in pharmacovigilance.
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Abstract
PURPOSE The field of refractive surgery is changing quickly in the areas of screening, treatment, and postoperative management. The objective of this study was to review advances in the field of refractive surgery as reported in the peer-reviewed literature during the previous year. DESIGN This was a literature review. METHODS In this article, we highlight the progression in the field from May 2013 to the end of June 2014. This article is organized as preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative considerations. RESULTS The growing use of newer modalities of treatment, such as small-incision lenticule extraction (SmILE) and phakic intraocular lenses, and their safety and efficacy add to the armamentarium in treating refractive error. This past year has seen many studies, which show these procedures to be safe and effective. Also, structurally, SmILE may result in a more biomechanically stable cornea, so that we may be able to safely treat higher refractive errors. CONCLUSIONS While laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis is the predominant surgical procedure, photorefractive keratectomy is still an appropriate choice in certain scenarios (higher risk for ectasia postrefractive surgery and patient choice) with safe, predictable results, and patient satisfaction. Many of the new developments in laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis have focused on flap creation with femtosecond lasers. Histopathology and in vivo optical coherence tomography studies have shown that the stromal bed is smoother, the side cuts are vertical, and the flap has predictable thickness. New surgical modalities, such as femtosecond lenticule extraction and SmILE, are increasingly being used.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naveen Mysore
- From the Department of Refractive Surgery, Cleveland Clinic, OH
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Nuti SV, Wayda B, Ranasinghe I, Wang S, Dreyer RP, Chen SI, Murugiah K. The use of google trends in health care research: a systematic review. PLoS One 2014; 9:e109583. [PMID: 25337815 PMCID: PMC4215636 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0109583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 522] [Impact Index Per Article: 52.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2014] [Accepted: 09/03/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Google Trends is a novel, freely accessible tool that allows users to interact with Internet search data, which may provide deep insights into population behavior and health-related phenomena. However, there is limited knowledge about its potential uses and limitations. We therefore systematically reviewed health care literature using Google Trends to classify articles by topic and study aim; evaluate the methodology and validation of the tool; and address limitations for its use in research. METHODS AND FINDINGS PRISMA guidelines were followed. Two independent reviewers systematically identified studies utilizing Google Trends for health care research from MEDLINE and PubMed. Seventy studies met our inclusion criteria. Google Trends publications increased seven-fold from 2009 to 2013. Studies were classified into four topic domains: infectious disease (27% of articles), mental health and substance use (24%), other non-communicable diseases (16%), and general population behavior (33%). By use, 27% of articles utilized Google Trends for casual inference, 39% for description, and 34% for surveillance. Among surveillance studies, 92% were validated against a reference standard data source, and 80% of studies using correlation had a correlation statistic ≥0.70. Overall, 67% of articles provided a rationale for their search input. However, only 7% of articles were reproducible based on complete documentation of search strategy. We present a checklist to facilitate appropriate methodological documentation for future studies. A limitation of the study is the challenge of classifying heterogeneous studies utilizing a novel data source. CONCLUSION Google Trends is being used to study health phenomena in a variety of topic domains in myriad ways. However, poor documentation of methods precludes the reproducibility of the findings. Such documentation would enable other researchers to determine the consistency of results provided by Google Trends for a well-specified query over time. Furthermore, greater transparency can improve its reliability as a research tool.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sudhakar V. Nuti
- Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Yale-New Haven Hospital, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Brian Wayda
- Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Isuru Ranasinghe
- Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Yale-New Haven Hospital, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Sisi Wang
- Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Rachel P. Dreyer
- Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Yale-New Haven Hospital, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Serene I. Chen
- Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Karthik Murugiah
- Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation, Yale-New Haven Hospital, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
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Know Your Market: Use of Online Query Tools to Quantify Trends in Patient Information-seeking Behavior for Varicose Vein Treatment. J Vasc Interv Radiol 2014; 25:53-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jvir.2013.09.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2013] [Revised: 09/12/2013] [Accepted: 09/13/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
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Haney NM, Kinsella SD, Morey JM. United States medical school graduate interest in radiology residency programs as depicted by online search tools. J Am Coll Radiol 2013; 11:193-7. [PMID: 24120904 DOI: 10.1016/j.jacr.2013.06.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2013] [Accepted: 06/27/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Recent media publications have indicated a tough job market in medical specialty positions for medical school graduates, specifically in the field of radiology. Internet search tools, such as Google Trends, have proved useful in the prediction of certain diseases on the basis of the search volume index for a specific term. The authors hypothesized that online search tools might be useful in the prediction of US medical school graduates' interest in residency positions in radiology. Google Trends indicated an increase over time in searches for "radiology salary" and a decrease over time in searches for "radiology residency." National Resident Matching Program results for diagnostic radiology showed an increase from 2004 to 2009 in the percentage of US graduates entering radiology but a dramatic drop from 2010 to 2013. This occurred even while the total number of US graduates active in the National Resident Matching Program increased. This finding might have been foretold on the basis of online query result trends. Online search data may be a useful insight into the interests of US medical school graduates and may be predictive of unfilled radiology residency positions and eventual increased shortages of community radiologists coming from US medical schools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nora M Haney
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
| | - Stuart D Kinsella
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - José M Morey
- Department of Radiology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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Wang L, Moss H, Ventura BV, Padilha H, Hester C, Koch DD. Advances in Refractive Surgery. Asia Pac J Ophthalmol (Phila) 2013; 2:317-27. [PMID: 26107036 DOI: 10.1097/apo.0b013e3182a90647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE The objective of this study was to review advances in the field of refractive surgery as reported in the peer-reviewed literature over the previous year. DESIGN This was a literature review. METHODS We conducted a PubMed search for terms related to refractive surgery and reviewed prominent international ophthalmic journals published from May 2012 through April 2013. All pertinent articles were reviewed, and selected articles with the greatest relevance were included. RESULTS Many studies over the previous year have highlighted progress in the field of refractive surgery; topics included keratoconus screening, photorefractive keratectomy and laser in situ keratomileusis, corneal cross-linking, small-incision lenticule extraction, phakic intraocular lenses, corneal inlays, presbyopic corneal treatments, and femtosecond laser-assisted astigmatic keratotomy. CONCLUSIONS The field of refractive surgery continues to provide exciting developments. Improvements in established procedures and promising new surgical options make the current climate an appealing one for refractive surgeons and patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Wang
- From the *Cullen Eye Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX; and †Altino Ventura Foundation, Recife; and ‡Hospital de Olhos do Paraná, Curitiba, Brazil
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