Factors Associated With Physical Inactivity of Recipients of a Kidney Transplant: Results From the ADHERE BRAZIL Multicenter Study

OBJECTIVE

Physical activity is recommended for recipients of a kidney transplant. However, ADHERE BRAZIL study found a high prevalence (69%) of physical inactivity in Brazilian recipients of a kidney transplant. To tackle this behavior, a broad analysis of barriers is needed. This study aimed to identify factors (patient and transplant center levels) associated with physical inactivity among recipients of a kidney transplant.

METHODS

This was a subproject of the ADHERE BRAZIL study, a cross-sectional, multicenter study of 1105 recipients of a kidney transplant from 20 kidney transplant centers. Using a multistage sampling method, patients were proportionally and randomly selected. Applying the Brief Physical Activity Assessment questionnaire, patients were classified as physically active (≥150 min/wk) or physically inactive (<150 min/wk). On the basis of an ecological model, 34 factors associated with physical inactivity were analyzed by sequential logistic regression.

RESULTS

At the patient level, physical inactivity was associated with smoking (odds ratio = 2.43; 95% CI = 0.97-6.06), obesity (odds ratio = 1.79; 95% CI = 1.26-2.55), peripheral vascular disease (odds ratio = 3.18; 95% CI = 1.20-8.42), >3 posttransplant hospitalizations (odds ratio = 1.58; 95% CI = 1.17-2.13), family income of >1 reference salary ($248.28 per month; odds ratio = 0.66; 95% CI = 0.48-0.90), and student status (odds ratio = 0.58; 95% CI = 0.37-0.92). At the center level, the correlates were having exercise physiologists in the clinical team (odds ratio = 0.54; 95% CI = 0.46-0.64) and being monitored in a teaching hospital (undergraduate students) (odds ratio = 1.47; 95% CI = 1.01-2.13).

CONCLUSIONS

This study identified factors associated with physical inactivity after kidney transplantation that may guide future multilevel behavioral change interventions for physical activity.

IMPACT

In a multicenter sample of recipients of a kidney transplant with a prevalence of physical inactivity of 69%, we found associations between this behavior and patient- and center-level factors. At the patient level, the chance of physical inactivity was positively associated with smoking, obesity, and patient morbidity (peripheral vascular disease and hospitalization events after kidney transplantation). Conversely, a high family income and a student status negatively correlated with physical inactivity. At the center level, the presence of a dedicated professional to motivate physical activity resulted in a reduced chance of physical inactivity. A broad knowledge of barriers associated with physical inactivity can allow us to identify patients at a high risk of not adhering to the recommended levels of physical activity.

Omission of Breast Surgery in Predicted Pathologic Complete Response after Neoadjuvant Systemic Therapy: A Multicenter, Single-Arm, Non-inferiority Trial

PURPOSE

Advances in chemotherapeutic and targeted agents have increased pathologic complete response (pCR) rates after neoadjuvant systemic therapy (NST). Vacuum-assisted biopsy (VAB) has been suggested to accurately evaluate pCR. This study aims to confirm the non-inferiority of the 5-year disease-free survival of patients who omitted breast surgery when predicted to have a pCR based on breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and VAB after NST, compared with patients with a pCR who had undergone breast surgery in previous studies.

METHODS

The Omission of breast surgery for PredicTed pCR patients wIth MRI and vacuum-assisted bIopsy in breaST cancer after neoadjuvant systemic therapy (OPTIMIST) trial is a prospective, multicenter, single-arm, non-inferiority study enrolling in 17 tertiary care hospitals in the Republic of Korea. Eligible patients must have a clip marker placed in the tumor and meet the MRI criteria suggesting complete clinical response (post-NST MRI size ≤ 1 cm and lesion-to-background signal enhancement ratio ≤ 1.6) after NST. Patients will undergo VAB, and breast surgery will be omitted for those with no residual tumor. Axillary surgery can also be omitted if the patient was clinically node-negative before and after NST and met the stringent criteria of MRI size ≤ 0.5 cm. Survival and efficacy outcomes are evaluated over five years.

DISCUSSION

This study seeks to establish evidence for the safe omission of breast surgery in exceptional responders to NST while minimizing patient burden. The trial will address concerns about potential undertreatment due to false-negative results and recurrence as well as improved patient-reported quality of life issues from the omission of surgery. Successful completion of this trial may reshape clinical practice for certain breast cancer subtypes and lead to a safe and less invasive approach for selected patients.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05505357. Registered on August 17, 2022. Clinical Research Information Service Identifier: KCT0007638. Registered on July 25, 2022.

Sociodemographic and clinical characterization of cases of 1,103 non-syndromic and 66 syndromic odontogenic keratocyst: a Brazilian multicenter study

OBJECTIVES

This multicenter study aimed to evaluate cases of non-syndrome and syndromic odontogenic keratocyst, as well as cases of recurrence within these two groups.

METHODS

This descriptive, analytical, retrospective cross-sectional study evaluated the sex, age and presence of multiple lesions in 1,169 individuals seen at 10 Brazilian oral and maxillofacial pathology centers. Of these, 1,341 odontogenic keratocysts were analyzed regarding clinical diagnosis, size, site, imaging appearance, signs and symptoms, type of biopsy, treatment, and recurrence.

RESULTS

There was a similar distribution by sex. The median age of non-syndromic and syndromic patients was 32 and 17.5 years, respectively. The posterior mandible was the site most affected by small and large lesions in both groups and in recurrent cases. Unilocular lesions were more frequent, also in recurrent cases. Mainly small lesions showed this imaging appearance. Signs and symptoms were absent in most cases. Conservative treatment was the most frequent modality in all age groups, regardless of the patient's condition and recurrence. Recurrences were uncommon.

CONCLUSION

This study showed a higher frequency of non-syndromic keratocysts in the population. Clinicopathological features related to the involvement of multiple sites, age, and recurrence may differ between syndromic and non-syndromic cases. Furthermore, we found an association between lesion size and some clinical features and between the time interval to recurrence and the syndromic spectrum.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

To contribute to a better understanding of the distribution and association between clinical, imaging, and sociodemographic characteristics in each spectrum of the lesion.

The Association Between Tachycardia and Mortality in Septic Shock Patients According to Serum Lactate Level: A Nationwide Multicenter Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to evaluate whether the effect of tachycardia varies according to the degree of tissue perfusion in septic shock.

METHODS

Patients with septic shock admitted to the intensive care units were categorized into the tachycardia (heart rate > 100 beats/min) and non-tachycardia (≤ 100 beats/min) groups. The association of tachycardia with hospital mortality was evaluated in each subgroup with low and high lactate levels, which were identified through a subpopulation treatment effect pattern plot analysis.

RESULTS

In overall patients, hospital mortality did not differ between the two groups (44.6% vs. 41.8%, P = 0.441), however, tachycardia was associated with reduced hospital mortality rates in patients with a lactate level ≥ 5.3 mmol/L (48.7% vs. 60.3%, P = 0.030; adjusted odds ratio [OR], 0.59, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.35-0.99, P = 0.045), not in patients with a lactate level < 5.3 mmol/L (36.5% vs. 29.7%, P = 0.156; adjusted OR, 1.39, 95% CI, 0.82-2.35, P = 0.227).

CONCLUSION

In septic shock patients, the effect of tachycardia on hospital mortality differed by serum lactate level. Tachycardia was associated with better survival in patients with significantly elevated lactate levels.

Development and Verification of Time-Series Deep Learning for Drug-Induced Liver Injury Detection in Patients Taking Angiotensin II Receptor Blockers: A Multicenter Distributed Research Network Approach

OBJECTIVES

The objective of this study was to develop and validate a multicenter-based, multi-model, time-series deep learning model for predicting drug-induced liver injury (DILI) in patients taking angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs). The study leveraged a national-level multicenter approach, utilizing electronic health records (EHRs) from six hospitals in Korea.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort analysis was conducted using EHRs from six hospitals in Korea, comprising a total of 10,852 patients whose data were converted to the Common Data Model. The study assessed the incidence rate of DILI among patients taking ARBs and compared it to a control group. Temporal patterns of important variables were analyzed using an interpretable timeseries model.

RESULTS

The overall incidence rate of DILI among patients taking ARBs was found to be 1.09%. The incidence rates varied for each specific ARB drug and institution, with valsartan having the highest rate (1.24%) and olmesartan having the lowest rate (0.83%). The DILI prediction models showed varying performance, measured by the average area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, with telmisartan (0.93), losartan (0.92), and irbesartan (0.90) exhibiting higher classification performance. The aggregated attention scores from the models highlighted the importance of variables such as hematocrit, albumin, prothrombin time, and lymphocytes in predicting DILI.

CONCLUSIONS

Implementing a multicenter-based timeseries classification model provided evidence that could be valuable to clinicians regarding temporal patterns associated with DILI in ARB users. This information supports informed decisions regarding appropriate drug use and treatment strategies.

The incidence of remission and indicators of inadequate response to advanced therapy in patients with ulcerative colitis: results from medical charts in the United Kingdom

OBJECTIVE

A considerable proportion of patients with moderate-to-severe ulcerative colitis (UC) treated with advanced therapies do not achieve remission, even after one year of treatment, and suboptimal response to advanced therapies is frequently observed in clinical practice. This study aims to analyze clinical practice data in the United Kingdom (UK) and assess the rates of clinical remission and inadequate response with advanced therapies among patients with UC.

METHODS

This retrospective chart review included patients with UC who initiated a new advanced therapy (i.e., adalimumab, infliximab, golimumab, tofacitinib, or vedolizumab) between January 2017 and September 2019 from eight clinics across the UK. At least 12 months of data before and after starting an advanced therapy were required. Remission was assessed using components of the Mayo score. Inadequate response was defined by therapeutic adjustment or emergency treatment.

RESULTS

Among 238 patients included (female: 46.6%; median age: 42.0 years; median follow-up: 28.8 months), 178 patients (74.8%) were biologic-naïve. At 12 months, 87 patients (53.9%) had achieved remission (median time to remission: 7.6 months); although 29 (33.3%) among them had required therapeutic modifications to achieve remission. At 12 months, 105 patients (44.3%) had at least one indicator of an inadequate response (median time to first indicator of inadequate response: 18.0 months).

CONCLUSIONS

Nearly half of patients did not achieve remission, and almost half of included patients had an inadequate response within 1 year after treatment initiation. More effective therapies are needed to effectively treat UC.

Barriers and facilitators to more timely treatment of aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage across two tertiary referral centres in Australia: A thematic analysis

BACKGROUND

Delays in treatment of aSAH appear to be common but the causes are not well understood. We explored facilitators and barriers to timely treatment of aSAH.

METHODS

We used a multiple case study with cases of aSAH surviving> 1 day identified prospectively. We conducted semi-structured interviews with the patient, their next-of-kin and health professionals involved in the case. Within-case analysis identified barriers and facilitators in 4 phases (pre-hospital, presentation, transfer, in-hospital) followed by thematic analysis across cases using a case-study matrix.

RESULTS

Twenty-seven cases with 90 interviewees yielded five themes related to facilitators or barriers of timely treatment. "Early recognition" led to urgent response. "Accessibility to health care" depended on patient's location, transport, and environmental conditions. Good "Coordination" between and within health services was a key facilitator. "Complexity" of patient's condition affected time to treatment in multiple time periods. "Availability of resources" was identified most frequently during the diagnostic and treatment phases as both barrier and facilitator.

CONCLUSIONS

The identified themes may be modifiable at the patient/health professional level and health system level and may improve timely treatment of aSAH through targeted interventions, subsequently contributing to improve morbidity and mortality of patients with aSAH.

Risk Model Establishment of Endoscopic Sinus Surgery for Patients with Chronic Rhinosinusitis: a Multicenter Study in Korea

BACKGROUND

Endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) is the mainstay treatment for refractory chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). Since various factors may contribute to the surgical outcome, it is challenging for physicians to predict surgical outcomes. The aim of study was to analyze the prognostic factors of postoperative outcomes and to establish the prediction model with the risk factors that impact the postoperative outcomes.

METHODS

Medical records of CRS patients who underwent ESS at 9 institutions in 2005, 2010, and 2016 were retrospectively reviewed. We classified the patients into 2 groups based on postoperative objective endoscopic outcomes. Demographics, nose-specific symptoms, olfactory function, eosinophil counts in blood (EoB) and nasal tissue (EoT), and Lund-Mackay CT score (LMS) were collected. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed and established a prediction equation for postoperative endoscopic objective outcomes.

RESULTS

In total (n = 1,249), 27.0% were not satisfied under postoperative endoscopic examination. Of 10 variables, LMS (> 5), sinus dominancy (maxillary sinus and ethmoid sinus), EoB (> 210), and EoT (> 100) were statistically significant in univariate analysis (P < 0.05, all). In multivariate analysis, EoT (> 100) and LMS (> 5) were significantly associated with poor postoperative outcome. Furthermore, 5 significant variables were employed to establish the risk model of postoperative outcomes and P (the value of prediction probability) = 1 / (1 + exp [-0.392 + 1.088 × EoT (> 100) + 0.123 × mean LMS (> 5) - 0.366 × sinus dominancy (maxillary) + 0.064 × sinus dominancy (similar) + 0.200 × EoB (4%) + 0.344 × EoB (> 210)] was developed.

CONCLUSION

Tissue eosinophil count and radiographic severity predispose to a poorer outcome of ESS and the risk model established may be helpful to predict postoperative outcomes of ESS.

HIPTCN: Prospective Observational Study of Hypocoagulated Head Trauma Patients with Normal Admission Computed Tomography Scan

INTRODUCTION

Our national protocol for traumatic brain injury dictates that hypocoagulated patients with mild trauma and initial tomography scan with no intracranial traumatic changes must be hospitalized for 24 hours and do a post-surveillance tomography scan. The main goal of this study was to evaluate the clinical relevance of these measures.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A prospective observational study was undertaken in four hospitals. Adult hypocoagulated traumatic brain injury patients with a normal tomography scan were included. The main outcomes evaluated were rate of delayed intracranial hemorrhage, rate of admission in a neurosurgical department, rate of complications related with surveillance and rate of prolonged hospitalization due to complications. An analysis combining data from a previously published report was also done.

RESULTS

A total of 178 patients were included. Four patients (2.3%) had a delayed hemorrhage and three (1.7%) were hospitalized in a neurosurgery ward. No cases of symptomatic hemorrhage were identified. No surgery was needed, and all patients had their anticoagulation stopped. Complications during surveillance were reported in seven patients (3.9%), of which two required prolonged hospitalization.

DISCUSSION

The rate of complications related with surveillance was higher than the rate of delayed hemorrhages. The initial period of in-hospital surveillance did not convey any advantage since the management of patients was never dictated by neurological changes. Post-surveillance tomography played a role in deciding about anticoagulation suspension and prolongation of hospitalization.

CONCLUSION

Delayed hemorrhage is a rare event and the need for surgery even rarer. The need for in-hospital surveillance should be reassessed.

Weight loss before total joint arthroplasty using a remote dietitian and mobile app: study protocol for a multicenter randomized, controlled trial

Background

The months prior to elective surgery may present an opportunity for patients to initiate behavior changes that will simultaneously ready them for surgery and improve their overall health status. An upcoming elective total joint arthroplasty (TJA) may serve as motivation for patients with severe obesity (body mass index [BMI]> 40 kg/m²) to lose weight, as it may optimize clinical outcomes following TJA and help them become eligible for TJA since some surgeons use a BMI of 40 kg/m² as a cut-off for offering surgery in an effort to optimize outcomes.

Methods

The purpose of this multicenter randomized, controlled trial is to assess the feasibility and efficacy of a 12-week remote dietitian (RD) supervised dietary and physical activity weight loss intervention and mobile app for 60 patients with severe obesity prior to undergoing TJA. Intervention participants will receive access to a smartphone app and connect with an RD who will contact these participants weekly or bi-weekly via video calls for up to nine video calls. Together, participants and RDs will set goals for lifestyle modifications, and RDs will check on progress towards achieving these goals using in-app tools such as food logs and text messages between video calls. All patients will be encouraged to lose at least 20 pounds with a goal BMI < 40 kg/m² after 12 weeks. Individuals randomized to the control group will receive clinical standard of care, such as nutritionist and/or physical therapy referrals. Outcome and demographic data will be collected from blood serology, chart review, mobile app user data, pre- and postintervention surveys, and phone interviews. The primary outcome measure will be weight change from baseline. Secondary outcome measures will include percentage of patients eligible to undergo TJA, number of sessions completed with dietitians, self-reported global health status (PROMIS Global Health scale), self-reported joint-specific pain and function (Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) or Hip disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (HOOS)), and serologies such as hemoglobin A1c, total lymphocyte count, albumin, and transferrin. Qualitative responses transcribed from phone interviews about the intervention will also be analyzed.

Discussion

This will be the first study to assess pre-operative weight loss in patients with severe obesity anticipating orthopaedic surgery using an RD and mobile app intervention aimed at helping patients become eligible for TJA.

Trial registration

Registered on 1 April 2020 at Clincialtrials.gov. Trial number is NCT04330391.

A Multicenter Survey on the Trend of Chest CT Scan Utilization: Tracing the First Footsteps of COVID-19 in Iran

BACKGROUND

Chest computed tomography (CT) scan has been used widely to diagnose COVID-19 in Iran.

OBJECTIVES

To trace the footsteps of COVID-19 in Iran by exploring the trend in using chest CT scans and its economic impact on radiology departments. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, the number of imaging examinations from 33 tertiary radiology departments in 9 large cities of Iran was collected from September 23, 2019 to March 20, 2020 (Months 1 to 6) and the corresponding months in 2018-2019.

RESULTS

A 50.2% increase was noted in the chest CT scan utilization in 2019-2020 compared to 2018-2019. This increase was +15%, +15%, +27%, +2%, +1% in Months 1-5 of 2019-2020, respectively. In Month 6 of 2019-2020, a 251% increase in the acquisition of chest CT scans was observed compared to the Month 6 of 2018-2019. Following negative balance of revenue from Month 1 to 5 with respect to the inflation rate, the total income in Month 6 was further 1.5% less than the same Month in 2018-19.

CONCLUSION

The observed peak in chest CT utilization in Month 3 prior to the surge in Month 6 could be explained by the seasonal influenza. However, unawareness about an emerging viral disease, i.e. COVID-19, might have underutilized chest CT in Months 4 and 5 before the official announcement in Month 6. The unbalanced increase in the workload of radiology departments in the shortage of cardiothoracic radiologists with the simultaneous decrease in income initiated a vicious cycle that worsened the economic repercussions of the pandemic.

[Multicenter epidemiological investigation of hospitalized elderly, young and middle-aged patients with severe burn]

Objective: To compare and analyze the epidemiological characteristics of hospitalized elderly, young and middle-aged patients with severe burn in recent years, so as to provide reference for the prevention and treatment of elderly patients with severe burn. Methods: Relying on the entry system of epidemiological case data and biological sample of severe burn from multicenter in clinic, medical records of patients with severe burn, aged above 18, hospitalized in 8 burn wards from January 2012 to December 2015 were collected. Six hundred and fifteen patients who were more than 18 years old and less than or equal to 65 years old were included in young and middle-aged group (YM). Eighty-two patients aged more than 65 years old were included in elderly group (E). Data of age, gender, residence, education level, cause of injury, location of injury, season of injury, total burn area, occurrence and area of full-thickness burn injury, wound site, inhalation injury incidence and severity, post burn admission time, proportion of delayed resuscitation, proportion of escharectomy or tangential excision and skin grafting, preinjury systemic disease, system complication during hospitalization, length of hospital stay, outcome of treatment, and reason of abandoning treatment of patients were analyzed. Data were processed with chi-square test and Mann-Whitney U test. The odds ratios of preinjury systemic disease, system complication during hospitalization, and adverse outcome of patients in group YM were compared with those in group E. Results: (1) The majority of patients in the two groups were male, but the proportion of male patients in group YM was higher. There was statistically significant difference in gender distribution of patients between the two groups (χ(2)=18.727, P<0.001). The majority of patients in the two groups were from rural areas, but the proportion of rural patients in group E was higher. There was statistically significant difference in residence distribution of patients between the two groups (χ(2)=9.306, P=0.002). Patients in group YM mainly had secondary education, while patients in group E mainly had primary education. There was statistically significant difference in distribution of education level of patients between the two groups (χ(2)=146.797, P<0.001). (2) The most common causes of injury of patients in the two groups were both flame, but the proportion of patients with flame burn injury in group E was higher. There was statistically significant difference in distribution of cause of injury of patients between the two groups (χ(2)=25.063, P<0.001). The main locations of injury of patients in groups YM and E were respectively public place and private residence. There was statistically significant difference in location distribution of injury of patients between the two groups (χ(2)=46.313, P<0.001). The main seasons of injury of patients in groups YM and E were respectively summer and winter. There was statistically significant difference in season distribution of patients between the two groups (χ(2)=23.143, P<0.001). There was statistically significant difference in distribution of total burn area of patients between the two groups (χ(2)=25.799, P=0.002). The occurrences of full-thickness burn injury of patients in the two groups were similar (χ(2)=2.685, P=0.101), while there was statistically significant difference in area of full-thickness burn injury of patients between the two groups (χ(2)=26.702, P=0.002). There was no statistically significant difference in distribution of wound site of patients between the two groups (χ(2)=3.954, P=0.785). There were no statistically significant differences in incidence and severity distribution of inhalation injury of patients between the two groups (with χ(2) values respectively 0.425 and 0.672, P values above 0.05). (3) There was statistically significant difference in distribution of admission time of patients between the two groups (χ(2)=6.632, P=0.036), but there was no statistically significant difference in proportion of delayed resuscitation of patients between the two groups (χ(2)=1.261, P=0.261). The proportion of escharectomy or tangential excision and skin grafting of patients in group YM was 72.0% (443/615), which was significantly higher than 35.4% (29/82) of group E (χ(2)=44.498, P<0.001). The incidence of preinjury systemic disease of patients in group YM was 13.2% (81/615), which was significantly lower than 61.0% (50/82) of group E (χ(2)=108.337, P<0.001). The risk of preinjury systemic disease of patients in group E was 10.30 times of that of patients in group YM [with 95% confidence interval (CI) of 6.24-17.01, P<0.001]. During hospitalization, 59.8% (49/82) of patients in group E suffered from system complications, which was significantly higher than 36.6% (225/615) of group YM (χ(2)=16.282, P<0.001). The risk of system complication of patients in group E was 2.57 times of patients in group YM (with 95% CI of 1.61-4.12, P<0.001). The length of hospital stay of patients in group E was significantly shorter than that of group YM (U=36 735, P<0.001). There was statistically significant difference in treatment outcome of patients between the two groups (χ(2)=106.251, P<0.001). The risk of adverse outcome of patients in group E was 7.52 times of group YM (with 95% CI of 4.40-12.88, χ(2)=67.709, P<0.001). The proportion of abandoning treatment of patients in group E was significantly higher than that of group YM (χ(2)=150.670, P<0.001). The risk of abandoning treatment of patients in group E was 15.86 times of that of group YM (with 95% CI of 9.36-26.88, P<0.001). There was no statistically significant difference in distribution of reason of abandoning treatment of patients between the two groups (χ(2)=4.178, P=0.243). Conclusions: There were significant differences in the epidemiological characteristics of patients in groups E and YM. In elderly burn patients, the proportion of rural population was higher and the education level was lower. Flame burn was common and burns mostly occurred in private residences and in winter. The total burn area was slightly lower but the area of full-thickness burn injury was larger. The length of hospital stay was shorter and the proportion of surgical treatment was lower. The incidences of preinjury systemic disease and system complication during hospitalization were higher, and therefore the risks of adverse outcome and abandoning treatment were higher.

Application of Multilevel Models in Dentistry

Multilevel analysis which was primarily introduced to deal with hierarchical data was later applied extensively for research in other fields of science and not only for nested data, but also for repeated measurements or clustered trials. This method of statistical analysis was applied in dental studies in the 1991 for the first time but despite its value for data analysis in dental studies, its application for dental studies remains limited until now. This manuscript reviews the applications of this method in dental studies.

Impact of the Early Start Denver Model on the cognitive level of children with autism spectrum disorder: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial using a two-stage Zelen design

INTRODUCTION

Early intervention for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the European French-speaking countries is heterogeneous and poorly evaluated to date. Early intervention units applying the Early Start Denver Model (ESDM) for toddlers and young children with ASD have been created in France and Belgium to improve this situation. It is essential to evaluate this intervention for the political decision-making process regarding ASD interventions in European French-speaking countries. We will evaluate the effectiveness of 12 hours per week ESDM intervention on the cognitive level of children with ASD, over a 2-year period.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

The study will be a multicentre, randomised controlled trial, using a two-stage Zelen design. Children aged 15-36 months, diagnosed with ASD and with a developmental quotient (DQ) of 30 or above on the Mullen Scale of Early Learning (MSEL) will be included. We will use a stratified minimisation randomisation at a ratio 1:2 in favour of the control group. The sample size required is 180 children (120 in the control and 60 in the intervention group). The experimental group will receive 12 hours per week ESDM by trained therapists 10 hours per week in the centre and 2 hours in the toddlers' natural environment (alternatively by the therapist and the parent). The control group will receive care available in the community. The primary outcome will be the change in cognitive level measured with the DQ of the MSEL scored at 2 years. Secondary outcomes will include change in autism symptoms, behavioural adaptation, communicative and productive language level, sensory profile and parents' quality of life. The primary analysis will use the intention-to-treat principle. An economic evaluation will be performed.

DISSEMINATION

Findings from the study will be disseminated through peer reviewed publications and meetings.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT02608333 (clinicaltrials.gov); Pre-results.

Transplantation of Autologous Ex Vivo Expanded Human Conjunctival Epithelial Cells for Treatment of Pterygia: A Prospective Open-label Single Arm Multicentric Clinical Trial

Purpose:

To establish the efficacy and safety of ex vivo cultured autologous human conjunctival epithelial cell (hCjEC) transplantation for treatment of pterygia.

Methods:

Twenty-five patients with pterygia were recruited at different centers across the country. Autologous hCjEC grafts were prepared from conjunctival biopsy specimens excised from the healthy eye and cultured ex vivo on human amniotic membrane mounted on inserts using a unique mounting device. The hCjEC grafts were then transported in an in-house designed transport container for transplantation. Post-surgery, the patients were followed up on days 1, 7, 14, 30, 90, and 180 as per the approved study protocol. Clinical outcomes were assessed by slit lamp examination, visual acuity, imprint cytology, fluorescein/rose bengal staining, Schirmer's test, and photographic evaluation three and 6 months post-transplantation.

Results:

Two patients were lost to follow-up and final analysis included 23 cases. No recurrence of pterygium was observed in 18 (78.3%) patients; all of these eyes showed a smooth conjunctival surface without epithelial defects. Recurrence was observed in 5 (21.7%) patients at 3 months post-treatment. No conjunctival inflammation, secondary infections or other complications were reported. Adequate goblet cells were present in 19 (82.6%) patients at the site of transplantation.

Conclusion:

We have, for the 1^st time, standardized a protocol for preparing autologous hCjEC grafts that can be safely transported to multiple centers across the country for transplantation. The clinical outcome was satisfactory for treating pterygia.

Retrospective italian multicenter study

BACKGROUND

Chronic shunt-dependent hydrocephalus is a complication of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). Its incidence and risk factors have been described while the hydrocephalus onset in terms of days after treatment (microsurgical or endovascular) has not been yet analyzed.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

45 patients, treated for aSAH in 4 Italian Neurosurgical Departments, were retrospectively analyzed. It was calculated the time that elapses between treatment and hydrocephalus onset in 36 patients.

RESULTS

Of the 45 shunted patients, 15 (33.3%) were included in the microsurgical group (group A) and 30 (66.6%) were in the endovascular one (group B). There was no difference of the hydrocephalus onset between the two groups (24,1 days, group A vs. 27,7 days, group B). The presence of intracerebral hematoma (ICH) caused a delay in the hydrocephalus onset after endovascular treatment in terms of 11,5 days compared to microsurgical group as well the absence of vasospasm determined a delay of 13,7 days (not statistically significant).

CONCLUSION

No difference in terms of hydrocephalus onset after microsurgical or endovascular treatment has been demonstrated. Only the presence of ICH or the absence of vasospasm can cause a slight delay in the time of hydrocephalus onset in the endovascular series (not statistically significant). Long-term follow-up studies involving higher numbers of subjects are needed to better demonstrate this issue.