Screening for Financial Toxicity Among Patients with Cancer: A Systematic Review

OBJECTIVE

Despite the pervasiveness and adverse impacts of financial toxicity (FT) in cancer care, there are no definitive measures for FT screening that have been widely integrated into clinical practice. The aim of this review is to evaluate current methods of assessing FT among patients with cancer and confirm factors associated with higher risk of FT.

METHODS

A systematic review was performed according to PRISMA guidelines. We included peer-reviewed studies that cross-sectionally, longitudinally, or prospectively measured the self-reported financial impact of patients undergoing cancer care in the United States.

RESULTS

Out of 1085 identified studies, 51 met final inclusion criteria. Outcomes evaluated included FT measures/tools, time and setting of screening, FT prevalence, and sociodemographic or clinical patient-level associated factors. Our findings demonstrate that there is wide variability in FT screening practices including in the timing (diagnosis vs treatment vs survivorship), setting (clinic-based, online, telephone/mail), utilized tools (21 unique tools, 7 previously validated), and interpretations of screening results (varying FT score cutoffs defining high vs. low FT). Younger age, lower income, lower education, non-white race, employment status change, advanced cancer stage, and systemic/radiation therapy, were among factors associated with worse FT across the studies.

DISCUSSION

FT screening remains heterogenous within the United States. With the ever-escalating cost of cancer care, and the strong association between FT and poor patient outcomes, universal and routine FT screening is imperative in cancer care. Further research and multifaceted interventions identifying best practices for FT screening are needed.

Gender Differences Among Head and Neck Microvascular Reconstructive Surgeons

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether gender differences exist in the training history, practice patterns, and home lives of surgeons who perform microvascular reconstruction of the head and neck.

STUDY DESIGN

Cross-sectional survey.

SETTING

Medical facilities that employ surgeons who practice head and neck microvascular reconstruction in the United States.

METHODS

A survey was created using the Research Electronic Data Capture Framework and was distributed via email to microvascular reconstructive surgeons. Descriptive statistics were performed using Stata software.

RESULTS

No significant differences were found in training or current practice patterns between microvascular surgeons who identify as men versus those who identify as women. Women had fewer children (p = .020) and were more likely to be childless (p = .002). Whereas men were more likely to report a spouse/partner as primary caretaker, women were more likely to hire a professional caretaker or cite themselves as a primary caretaker (p < .001). Women were more likely to have finished residency (p = .015) and fellowship (p = .014) more recently and to practice in the Southeast (p = .006). Of the microvascular surgeons who reported practice setting switches, men more commonly changed positions for career advancement, whereas women were more likely to switch due to burnout (p = .002).

CONCLUSION

This study found no gender-based differences in training or practice patterns. However, significant differences were identified in childbearing, family structure, geographic practice location, and motives for switching practice.

Postoperative diplopia after medial-inferior orbital wall decompression in patients with thyroid eye disease

KEY POINTS

10% of patients undergoing MAI decompression for TED developed new-onset diplopia MAI decompression remains an excellent option for orbital decompression for TED.

Perioperative opioids and survival outcomes in resectable head and neck cancer: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Opioids are a mainstay in pain control for oncologic surgery. The objective of this systematic review is to evaluate the associations of perioperative opioid use with overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) in patients with resectable head and neck cancer (HNC).

METHODS

A systematic review of PubMed, SCOPUS, and CINAHL between 2000 and 2022 was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Studies investigating perioperative opioid use for patients with HNC undergoing surgical resection and its association with OS and DFS were included.

RESULTS

Three thousand three hundred seventy-eight studies met initial inclusion criteria, and three studies representing 562 patients (intraoperative opioids, n = 463; postoperative opioids, n = 99) met final exclusion criteria. One study identified that high intraoperative opioid requirement in oral cancer surgery was associated with decreased OS (HR = 1.77, 95% CI 0.995-3.149) but was not an independent predictor of decreased DFS. Another study found that increased intraoperative opioid requirements in treating laryngeal cancer was demonstrated to have a weak but statistically significant inverse relationship with DFS (HR = 1.001, p = 0.02) and OS (HR = 1.001, p = 0.02). The last study identified that patients with chronic opioid after resection of oral cavity cancer had decreased DFS (HR = 2.7, 95% CI 1.1-6.6) compared to those who were not chronically using opioids postoperatively.

CONCLUSION

An association may exist between perioperative opioid use and OS and DFS in patients with resectable HNC. Additional investigation is required to further delineate this relationship and promote appropriate stewardship of opioid use with adjunctive nonopioid analgesic regimens.

Comparison of CPAP and Expansion Sphincter Pharyngoplasty using the Mean Disease Alleviation Concept

OBJECTIVE

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) is the typical first treatment for Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA); however, patient adherence is often suboptimal. Expansion Sphincter Pharyngoplasty (ESP) is an alternative treatment option for patients with OSA who demonstrate signs of palatal and lateral pharyngeal collapse. The aim of this study is to compare therapeutic outcomes, using the mean disease alleviation concept, for patients who underwent ESP to patients undergoing CPAP therapy.

DATA SOURCES

Single-institution retrospective cohort study.

METHODS

All patients who underwent ESP from 2018 to 2021 or were prescribed CPAP from December to June 2021 at our institution were assessed for inclusion. ESP patients who had pre- and post-operative sleep studies available and CPAP patients who followed up at our institution's sleep clinic were included for analysis. Charts were reviewed for demographic information and sleep study results, and treatment outcomes were measured by calculating mean disease alleviation.

RESULTS

There were 77 patients in the ESP group and 107 patients in the CPAP group. AHI reduction was greater in the CPAP group (p = 0.016); however, mean disease alleviation was similar between groups (p = 0.076). One-way ANCOVA demonstrated similar MDA between groups when controlling for patient age, BMI, gender, and pre-operative AHI (F [1,177] = 2,931.6, p = 0.104).

CONCLUSION

CPAP therapy provided superior reduction in AHI compared to ESP; however, overall treatment efficacy as measured by mean disease alleviation was similar for both groups.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

3 Laryngoscope, 2023.

Feasibility and Cost of Telehealth Head and Neck Cancer Survivorship Care: A Systematic Review

OBJECTIVE

Evaluate the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of telehealth head and neck cancer (HNC) survivorship care.

DATA SOURCES

Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, CINAHL.

REVIEW METHODS

A systematic search for peer-reviewed feasibility studies on telehealth models for HNC survivorship care published between 2005 and 2021 was conducted using the terms "head and neck cancer" and "telehealth" and their synonyms. Inclusion criteria were studies on telehealth survivorship program interventions for HNC patients with quantitative feasibility outcome measures (eg, enrollment, retention, attrition/dropout rate, adherence/task completion rate, patient satisfaction, cost).

RESULTS

Thirty-eight studies out of 1557 identified met inclusion criteria and were included for analysis. Feasibility outcomes evaluated were enrollment and attrition rates, adherence/task completion rates, patient satisfaction, and user feedback surveys in different survivorship domains. Patient enrollment ranged from 20.8% to 85.7%, while attrition ranged from 7% to 47.7%. Overall, adherence was 30.2% higher in the intervention group than in the control group (46.8% vs 16.6%). Studies with cost analysis found telehealth models of care to be statistically significantly less expensive and more cost-efficient than the standard model of care, with a $642.30 saving per patient (n = 3). Telehealth models also substantially reduced work time saving per visit (on average, 7 days per visit).

CONCLUSION

While telehealth survivorship programs are feasible and cost-effective and are associated with improved patient outcomes, they might not be ideal for every patient. Further investigations are needed to understand the role of telehealth in survivorship care, given the variability in study design, reporting, measures, and methodological quality.

Multimodal Analgesia and Patient Education Reduce Postoperative Opioid Consumption in Otology

OBJECTIVE

This study sought to validate alternative pain management strategies that can reduce reliance on opioids for postoperative pain management in otology.

STUDY DESIGN

Prospective cohort study.

SETTING

Single tertiary-care facility.

METHODS

Adult patients who underwent outpatient otologic surgery from September 2021 to July 2022 were randomized into treatment cohorts. The opioid monotherapy cohort received a standard opioid prescription. The multimodal analgesia cohort received the same opioid prescription, prescriptions for acetaminophen and naproxen, and additional pain management education with a flyer on discharge. All patients completed a questionnaire 1 week after surgery to evaluate opioid usage and pain scores.

RESULTS

Eighty-six patients completed the study. The opioid monotherapy cohort (n = 42) and multimodal analgesia cohort (n = 44) were prescribed an average of 42.1 ± 20.4 morphine milligram equivalents (MME) and 38.4 ± 5.7 MME, respectively (p = 0.373). Four patients (9.52%) in the opioid monotherapy cohort required opioid refills compared to 1 patient (2.27%) in the multimodal analgesia cohort (p = 0.156). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that the multimodal analgesia cohort consumed significantly fewer opioids on average than the opioid monotherapy cohort (11.9 ± 15.9 MME vs 22.8 ± 28.0 MME, respectively). There were no significant differences in postoperative rehospitalizations (p = 0.317) or Emergency Department visits (p = 0.150). Pain scores on the day of surgery, postoperative day (POD) 1, POD3, and POD7 were not significantly different between cohorts (p = 0.395, 0.896, 0.844, 0.765, respectively).

CONCLUSION

The addition of patient education, acetaminophen, and naproxen to postoperative opioid prescriptions significantly reduced opioid consumption without affecting pain scores, refill rates, or complication rates after otologic surgery.

The Body Mass Index Paradox in Head and Neck Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

The body mass index (BMI) paradox describes that among patients with certain cancers, higher pretreatment BMI may be associated with improved survival. We examine the impact of BMI on overall survival (OS) in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients. A literature search was performed, and articles using hazard ratios to describe the prognostic impact of BMI on OS in HNSCC were included. Random-effects DerSimonian and Laird methods were employed for meta-analysis. Meta-analysis of OS indicated a lower hazards of death in the overweight (BMI: 25 kg/m2-30 kg/m2) compared to the normal weight (BMI: 18.5 kg/m2-25 kg/m2). This protective relationship loses significance when BMI exceeds 30 kg/m². Underweight patients (BMI < 18.5 kg/m2) demonstrate higher hazards of death compared to normal weight patients. Compared to HNSCC patients with normal weight, being overweight up to a BMI of 30 kg/m² is a positive predictor of OS, while being underweight confers a prognostic disadvantage. Further studies are needed to determine the mechanisms by which increased body mass influences survival outcomes in HNSCC.

0792 Exploring Symptomatic Relief of Patients with Central Sleep Apnea when using CPAP or BiPAP Therapy

Introduction

About 0.9% of peoples over the age of 40 in the United States have Central Sleep Apnea (CSA). The key to treating CSA is to address any underlying health issues causing the condition as there are no clear, established treatment guidelines. For example, approaches will be made to mitigrate congestive heart failure. Often, patients may require the use of CPAP or BiPAP device to decrease cessations in respiration during sleep.

Methods

We investigated those patients diagnosed with CSA who use CPAP or BiPAP therapy and it's potential therapeutic effects through a retrospective chart review over a three-year period. We excluded those who were diagnosed with treatment emergent CSA and those using ASV. Data was collected from each patient's chart about patient demographics, modality of PAP therapy, and information pertaining to symptomatic relief.

Results

42 patients were identified who had a diagnosis of CSA. 25 of 42 (59.5%) were excluded as they were using alternative therapies. Of the 17 patients, 14 (82.4%) were male with an average age of 70.7 and 3 (17.6%) were females with an average age of 50. 15 of the 17 (88.2%) used CPAP therapy and the 2 (11.8%) patients used BiPAP.Prior to PAP therapy, the average Epworth Sleepiness Scale was 8.08 which improved to 3.79 post therapy. 9 out of the 17 (52.9%) patients reported improvement in nocturnal gasping while 2 (11.8%) did not report relief and 6 (35.3%) patients we were unable to determine through chart review. 9 out of 17 (52.9%) patients reported unrefreshed sleep and later 6 of the 9 (66.7%) patients reported refreshed sleep with initiation of PAP therapy while 1 patient reported no improvement and 2 (22%) we were unable to determine. 15 of the 17 (88.2%) patients complained of waking up multiple times throughout the night before PAP therapy. 5 (33.3%) patients had improvement of the frequency of nighttime awakenings while we were unable to determine the remaining 10 patients.

Conclusion

When central sleep apnea persists despite adequate treatment of the primary cause, CPAP or BiPAP may be used for symptomatic relief.

Support (If Any)

 

0559 Prevalence of Cannabis Use in Patients with Restless Leg Syndrome for Symptomatic Relief

Introduction

Restless leg syndrome (RLS) can be debilitating and have a significant negative impact on sleep. Most patients respond well to dopamine agonists, alpha 2 delta ligands, iron supplementation, and opioids. Some patients report persistent symptoms despite using recommended therapies.

Methods

We investigated the prevalence of cannabis use and its potential therapeutic effects in patients with RLS through a retrospective chart review over a three-year period. All patients with diagnosis of RLS and cannabis/marijuana use listed in the electronic health record were included. Data was collected from each patient's chart pertaining to the prevalence of cannabis use including method of use and frequency, patient demographics, use of certain medications, and whether they found symptom relief when using cannabis.

Results

41 patients were identified who has a diagnosis of RLS and cannabis use. 25 of 41 (61%) were using medical marijuana and 8 of 41 (20%) were using marijuana recreationally. 12 of 41 (29.3%) patients found overall relief in their sleep while 4 (9.7%) patients did not and 25 (61%) patients we were unable to determine through chart review.Among the patients who were using medial marijuana, 5 patients were using it for pain and insomnia, 4 patients were using it for RLS, and 4 patients were using it for anxiety. 3 out of 4 (75%) patients who were using medical marijuana for RLS reported regular use. 3 of the patients inhaled cannabis while the remaining patient used an ointment containing cannabis. 2 of the 4 (50%) found symptom relief of RLS when using medical marijuana. 1 patient did not find relief with marjiuana but found relief when using Methadone instead. The remaining 3 patients also used Gabapentin and 2 of the 3 (67%) patients found symptom relief with the addition of a dopamine agonist.

Conclusion

Patients with RLS may use Cannabis for symptomatic relief. We believe this association should be recognized by sleep physicians and documented when conducting their patient's history.

Support (If Any)

 

0721 Correlation between Oxygen Desaturation Index and Apnea Hypopnea Index for Diagnosis of Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Introduction

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is diagnosed through polysomnography (PSG) which can be done in lab or outpatient. PSG is conventionally not approved by insurance companies’ in-patient which can result in delay in diagnosis and treatment of OSA. High resolution pulse oximetry (HRPO) done inpatient is easy to perform and calculates oxygen desaturation index (ODI) to asses’ nocturnal desaturations which solely, is insufficient for diagnoses of OSA according to current treatment guidelines. We hypothesize that there may be a correlation between ODI and apnea hypopnea index (AHI) which can facilitate in earlier diagnosis of OSA.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective chart review to compare patients who underwent HRPO resulting in a sleep medicine consult inpatient followed by polysomnography outpatient over a 2-year period at a tertiary care academic center. Demographic data, ODI, AHI and oxygen nadir levels were collected.

Results

Sixty-five patients (47 males, 18 females; mean age of 59.1 years) with suspected OSA underwent inpatient HRPO during their hospital stay, followed by a PSG in the outpatient setting. The strength of association between ODI and AHI was determined using a Pearson’s analysis after adjusting to a logarithmic scale. There was a statistically significant weakly positive association between ODI and AHI (Pearson correlation=0.33, p=0.008). Linear regression analysis demonstrated a predictive value of 0.419 (p=0.008) between AHI and ODI. However, there was no statistically significant predictive value between ODI and AHI when adjusted for age, sex, body mass index (BMI) and ethnicity (beta =0.169; p=0.330). This may be limited by small sample size. HRPO nadir oxygen saturation (NOS) also correlated with polysomnography NOS with a Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.353 (p=0.006). Linear regression analysis showed a predictive value beta of 0.149 (p=0.006). When adjusted for age, sex, BMI and race, beta was equal to 0.156 (p=0.007).

Conclusion

ODI calculated through HRPO may be correlated with AHI. NOS determined through HRPO is weakly positively predictive of NOS calculated through PSG. To initiate treatment of OSA sooner, HRPO may be considered for screening or diagnostic purposes. The correlation between ODI and AHI needs to establish further in randomized controlled setting.

Support (If Any)