University of Maryland Medical Center Midtown Campus

BACKGROUND: Some interventions to reduce the risk of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) that target youths have resulted in short-term increases in self-reported condom use. However, long-term intervention effects have not been assessed. STUDY QUESTION: Can a theoretically and culturally based, AIDS-risk reduction intervention delivered to naturally formed peer groups increase self-reported condom use among African-American early adolescents at 6 and 12 months of follow-up? METHOD: A randomized, controlled trial of a community-based intervention delivered in eight weekly sessions involved 76 naturally formed peer groups consisting of 383 (206 intervention and 177 control) African-American youths 9 to 15 years of age. A theory-based, culturally and developmentally tailored instrument that assessed perceptions, intentions, and self-reported sexual behaviors was administered to all subjects at baseline (preintervention) and 6 and 12 months later. RESULTS: At baseline, 36% of youths were sexually experienced, and by 12 months of follow-up, 49% were sexually experienced. Self-reported condom use rates were significantly higher among intervention than control youths (85% vs 61%; P<.05) at the 6-month follow-up. However, by 12 months, rates were no longer significantly higher among intervention youths. The intervention impact at 6 months was especially strong among boys (85% vs 57%; P<.05) and among early teens (13 to 15 years old) (95% vs 60%; P<.01). Self-reported condom use intention was also increased among intervention youths at 6 months but not at 12 months. Some perceptions were positively affected at 6 months, but the change did not persist at 12 months. CONCLUSIONS: High rates of sexual intercourse underscore the urgent need for effective AIDS-risk reduction interventions that target low-income urban, African-American preteens and early teens. A developmentally and culturally tailored intervention based on social-cognitive theory and delivered to naturally formed peer groups recruited from community settings can increase self-reported condom use. The strong short-term improvements in behaviors and intentions followed by some relapse over longer periods argue for a strengthened program and research focus on sustainability.

Accurate contemporary data on the burden of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) on the African continent are lacking. We determined the prevalence of CKD in adult populations living in Africa, and variations by stage, gender, estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR) equation, and residence. For this systematic review, we searched multiple electronic databases for original studies on CKD prevalence reported from January 1, 2000 to December 31, 2016. Two reviewers independently undertook quality assessment and data extraction. We stabilized the variance of study-specific estimates with the Freeman-Turkey single arcsine transformation and pooled the data using a random effects meta-analysis models. A total of 98 studies involving 98,432 individuals were included in the final meta-analysis. The overall prevalence was 15.8% (95% CI 12.1–19.9) for CKD stages 1–5 and 4.6% (3.3–6.1) for CKD stages 3–5 in the general population. Equivalent figures were greater at 32.3% (23.4–41.8) and 13.3% (10.7–16.0) in high-risk populations (people with hypertension, diabetes, HIV). CKD prevalence was higher in studies based on the Cockcroft-Gault formula than MDRD or CKD-EPI equations; and in studies from sub-Saharan Africa compared with those from North Africa (17.7, 95% CI 13.7–22.1 vs 6.1, 95% CI 3.6–9.3, p < 0.001). There was substantial heterogeneity across studies (all I2 > 90%) and no evidence of publication bias in main analyses. CKD is highly prevalent across Africa, inviting efforts into prevention, early detection and control of CKD in adults living on the African continent which is particularly important in a resource limited environment. Prospero Registration ID: CRD42017054445 .

BackgroundAlthough diabetes and poor glycaemic control significantly increase the risk of tuberculosis and adversely affect tuberculosis treatment outcomes, the global burden of diabetes in the context of tuberculosis remains unknown. We did a systematic review and meta-analysis to estimate the prevalence of diabetes among patients with tuberculosis at global, regional, and country levels.MethodsWe searched PubMed, Excerpta Medica Database, Web of Science, and Global Index Medicus to identify studies published between Jan 1, 1986, and June 15, 2017, on the prevalence of diabetes in patients with active tuberculosis, with no language restrictions. Criteria to diagnose tuberculosis and diabetes concurred with WHO guidelines. Methodological quality of eligible studies was assessed, and random-effect models meta-analysis served to obtain the pooled prevalence estimate of diabetes among patients with active tuberculosis, globally. Heterogeneity (I2) was assessed via the χ2 test on Cochran's Q statistic. This study is registered with PROSPERO, number CRD42016049901.FindingsWe screened 7565 records of which 200 studies (2 291 571 people with active tuberculosis) were included in meta-analyses. The pooled prevalence of diabetes was 15·3% (95% prediction interval 2·5–36·1; I2 99·8%), varying from 0·1% in Latvia to 45·2% in Marshall Islands. Subgroup and metaregression analyses for identifying sources of heterogeneity showed that four International Diabetes Federation (IDF) regions (North America and Caribbean [19·7%], western Pacific [19·4%], southeast Asia [19·0%], Middle East and North Africa [17·5%]) had significantly higher prevalence estimates than the three others (Africa [8·0%], South and Central America [7·7%], and Europe [7·5%]; p<0·0001). Additionally, the prevalence increased with age, in men, and in countries with low tuberculosis burden. The prevalence of diabetes was decreased in countries that had low incomes and low Human Development Index scores. The form of tuberculosis infection and presence of HIV seemed not to affect the prevalence of diabetes among patients with active tuberculosis.InterpretationThis study suggests a high burden of diabetes among patients with active tuberculosis, with disparities according to age, sex, regions, level of country income, and development. Cost-effective strategies to curb the burden of diabetes among patients with active tuberculosis are needed.FundingNone.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major global burden, ranking as the third leading cause of cancer-related mortality. HCC due to chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) or C virus (HCV) infection has decreased due to universal vaccination for HBV and effective antiviral therapy for both HBV and HCV, but HCC related to metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease and alcohol-associated liver disease is increasing. Biannual liver ultrasonography and serum α-fetoprotein are the primary surveillance tools for early HCC detection among high-risk patients (e.g., cirrhosis, chronic HBV). Alternative surveillance tools such as blood-based biomarker panels and abbreviated magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are being investigated. Multiphasic computed tomography or MRI is the standard for HCC diagnosis, but histological confirmation should be considered, especially when inconclusive findings are seen on cross-sectional imaging. Staging and treatment decisions are complex and should be made in multidisciplinary settings, incorporating multiple factors including tumor burden, degree of liver dysfunction, patient performance status, available expertise, and patient preferences. Early-stage HCC is best treated with curative options such as resection, ablation, or transplantation. For intermediate-stage disease, locoregional therapies are primarily recommended although systemic therapies may be preferred for patients with large intrahepatic tumor burden. In advanced-stage disease, immune checkpoint inhibitor-based therapy is the preferred treatment regimen. In this review article, we discuss the recent global epidemiology, risk factors, and HCC care continuum encompassing surveillance, diagnosis, staging, and treatments.

BACKGROUND: Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TSC) and its complications, such as cardiac rupture (CR), are increasingly being reported in the literature. CR is associated with rapid clinical decline and is uniformly fatal if not surgically repaired. To identify patients who developed CR we performed an analysis of all available indexed cases in the literature and compared them with a control group of patients with TSC without rupture. HYPOTHESIS: Takotsubo cardiomyopathy patients with cardiac rupture do not differ significantly from those without rupture. METHODS: MEDLINE (2009) was searched for all TSC case reports with CR. Eleven case reports were identified. Using a random sampling method, we selected 12 case reports of TSC without rupture (control). We included our patient with TSC with rupture as the 12th case of TSC cohort with CR (CR group). Demographic and clinical characteristics were compared between CR group and control. RESULTS: All patients in the TSC group with rupture were female and were significantly older than controls. TSC group with rupture had significantly higher frequency of ST elevation in lead II and absence of T-wave inversion in lead V5 on hospital admission than controls. Mean ejection fraction, systolic blood pressure, and double product, a measure of oxygen demand, was significantly higher in the rupture group compared to controls. The CR group was associated with less frequent use of β-blocker as compared to controls. CONCLUSIONS: CR as a complication of TSC could be more common than recognized. Higher double product and ejection fraction suggest higher fluctuation of intracardiac pressure and may cause CR in TSC. Use of β blockers in TSC may provide protection against CR.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the efficacy of albuterol (0.15 mg/kg per dose) in the management of bronchiolitis. DESIGN: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled outpatient clinical trial utilizing four study groups: neubulized albuterol, nebulized saline, oral albuterol, and oral placebo. SETTING: Pediatric emergency department and outpatient clinic at University of Maryland in Baltimore. PATIENTS: Eighty-eight infants (median age 5.5 months) being treated for their first episode of wheezing were randomly assigned to nebulized albuterol (n = 22), nebulized saline (n = 23), oral albuterol (n = 19), oral placebo (n = 24). INTERVENTIONS: The nebulized groups received two nebulizations 30 minutes apart, whereas the oral groups received one oral dose. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Respiratory and heart rates, clinical score, oxygen saturation (Spo2), and the infant's state, ie, asleep, awake, or feeding, were recorded at baseline and at 30 and 60 minutes after treatment. RESULTS: Randomization produced equivalent groups in terms of demographics and baseline measures. There were no statistically significant differences in any outcomes among the four treatments, except for oral albuterol, which produced an increase in heart rate (15 beats per minute, P = .005). No differences in the need for additional treatment or hospitalization were observed. Change in the state of the infant during the trial had significant effects on respiratory rate and clinical score. CONCLUSIONS: Albuterol is as effective as oral placebo in the management of bronchiolitis. Past studies supporting the use of albuterol did not control for effects of change in state of the infant and did not use a truly inactive placebo group. This study underscores the importance of these design components in measuring the efficacy of albuterol in infants.

This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to provide a contemporaneous estimate of the global burden of rheumatic heart disease (RHD) from echocardiographic population-based studies. We searched multiple databases between January 01, 1996 and October 17, 2017. Random-effect meta-analysis was used to pool data. We included 82 studies (1,090,792 participant) reporting data on the prevalence of RHD and 9 studies on the evolution of RHD lesions. The pooled prevalence of RHD was 26.1‰ (95%CI 19.2-33.1) and 11.3‰ (95%CI 7.2-16.2) for studies which used the World Heart Federation (WHF) and World Health Organization (WHO) criteria, respectively. The prevalence of RHD varied inversely with the level of a country's income, was lower with the WHO criteria compared to the WHF criteria, and was lowest in South East Asia. Definite RHD progressed in 7.5% (95% CI 1.5-17.6) of the cases, while 60.7% (95% CI 42.4-77.5) of cases remained stable over the course of follow-up. The proportion of cases borderline RHD who progressed to definite RHD was 11.3% (95% CI 6.9-16.5). The prevalence of RHD across WHO regions remains high. The highest prevalence of RHD was noted among studies which used the WHF diagnostic criteria. Definite RHD tends to progress or remain stable over time.

Small cell carcinomas of the prostate are rare. A few reported cases have manifested morphologic and functional neuroendocrine characteristics, and it has been suggested that these tumors are derived from the argentaffinic/argyrophilic cells normally present in the prostate. The authors have recently studied three cases of primary prostatic small cell carcinoma in which the small cell component developed during the course of progression of "regular" prostatic adenocarcinoma, and reflected a terminal aggressive phase of the disease. Immunoperoxidase staining for prostate-specific acid phosphatase (PSAP) showed positivity in the adenocarcinoma but absence in the small cell component of each tumor. The association of small cell carcinoma with prostatic adenocarcinoma indicates that in considering the histogenesis of prostatic small cell carcinoma, a specific neuroendocrine cell of origin need not be implicated.

BACKGROUND: Although HIV infection and antiretroviral therapy (ART) increase the risk for hypertension in people living with HIV (PLHIV), the global and regional burden of hypertension in PLHIV is not well characterized. METHODS: In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched multiple databases for studies reporting on hypertension in PLHIV and conducted between 2007 and 2018. Meta-analysis through random-effect models served to obtain the pooled prevalence estimates. Heterogeneity was assessed via the χ test on Cochran's Q statistic. RESULTS: We included 194 studies (396 776 PLHIV from 61 countries). The global prevalence of hypertension was 23.6% [95% confidence interval (95% CI: 21.6-25.5)] with substantial heterogeneity. The regional distribution was Western and Central Europe and North America [28.1% (95% CI: 24.5-31.9)], West and Central Africa [23.5% (16.6-31.0)], Latin America and the Caribbean [22.0% (17.8-26.5)], Eastern and Southern Africa [19.9% (17.2-22.8)], and Asia and Pacific [16.5% (12.5-21.0)]; P = 0.0007. No study originated from the Middle East and North Africa, and Eastern Europe and Central Asia regions. The prevalence was higher in high-income countries than others (P = 0.0003) and higher in PLHIV taking ART than those ART-naive (P = 0.0003). The prevalence increased over time (mainly driven by Eastern and Southern Africa) and with age. There was no difference between men and women. We estimated that in 2018, there were 8.9 (95% CI: 8.3-9.6) million cases of hypertension in PLHIV globally, among whom 59.2% were living in Sub-Saharan Africa. CONCLUSION: Cost-effective strategies to curb the dreadful burden of hypertension among PLHIV are needed.

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) are a major contributor to maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality, especially in resource-limited settings. Little is known about the magnitude of HDP in Africa. We conducted the first systematic review and meta-analysis to summarize available data on the prevalence of HDP in Africa. We did a comprehensive literature search to identify review paper published from January 1, 1996, to September 30, 2017, and searched the reference list of retrieved review paper. We used a random-effects model to estimate the overall and type-specific prevalence of HDP in Africa. We included 82 studies published between 1997 and 2017 reporting data on a pooled sample of 854 304 women during pregnancy or puerperium. Most studies were hospital-based, conducted in urban settings across 24 countries. In this population, the overall prevalence of HDP was 100.4‰ (95% CI: 81.4-121.2). The prevalence was 49.8‰ (95% CI: 32.3-70.7) for gestational hypertension, 14.7‰ (95% CI: 11.6-18.2) for chronic hypertension, 9.2‰ (95% CI: 4.2-16.0) for superimposed preeclampsia, 44.0‰ (95% CI: 36.7-52.0) for preeclampsia, 22.1‰ (95% CI: 14.8-30.8) for severe preeclampsia, 14.7‰ (95% CI: 8.1-23.2) for eclampsia and 2.2‰ (95% CI: 1.2-3.4) for HELLP syndrome. Prevalence of HDP was significantly higher in Central and Western Africa; there was a consistent tendency of increasing HDP prevalence with income at the country level. In conclusion, the burden of HDP in Africa is high, with about one in 10 pregnancies affected. The higher rate of severe forms of HDP that are associated with significant maternal and perinatal mortality is a major concern in the region.

The peer review history for this article is available at https://publons.com/publon/10.1111/dom.14382. The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request. Table S1. Quality assessment of the included cohort studies using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale Figure S1. PRISMA flow diagram of the literature search and article selection Figure S2. Forest plot of the relative risk of mortality for highest versus lowest categories of body mass index in COVID-19 patients Figure S3. Funnel plot to assess publication bias in studies comparing mortality between highest versus lowest categories of body mass index in COVID-19 patients Figure S4. The leave-one-out sensitivity analysis of the relative risk of mortality for highest versus lowest categories of body mass index in COVID-19 patients with each study omitted individually one at a time Please note: The publisher is not responsible for the content or functionality of any supporting information supplied by the authors. Any queries (other than missing content) should be directed to the corresponding author for the article.

Bacterial biofilm formation has been implicated in persistent posttympanostomy otorrhea and irreversible tube contamination. The use of a tympanostomy tube with a resistance to biofilm formation by the most common organisms associated with persistent infection may decrease the incidence of chronic otorrhea and the need for tube removal. In this investigation, scanning electron microscopy was used to compare a phosphorylcholine-coated fluoroplastic tympanostomy tube to plain fluoroplastic and silver oxide-impregnated fluoroplastic for resistance to biofilm formation after in vitro incubation with Staphylococcus aureus or Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Only a biofilm from Pseudomonas formed on the untreated fluoroplastic tubes, whereas the silver oxide-impregnated tubes developed biofilms from both S aureus and P aeruginosa. In contrast, the coated fluoroplastic tube showed resistance to both staphylococcal and pseudomonal biofilm adhesion. This is the first study to demonstrate the effect of a surface treatment of fluoroplastic as a method to inhibit biofilm formation by both S aureus and P aeruginosa. This reinforces our previous studies showing that surface-adherence properties such as charge or slickness or both may be more beneficial than antibacterial treatments in preventing film adhesion.

The pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL)-6 has been associated with outcomes in small pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) cohorts composed largely of patients with severe idiopathic PAH (IPAH). It is unclear whether IL-6 is a marker of critical illness or a mechanistic biomarker of pulmonary vascular remodelling. We hypothesised that IL-6 is produced by pulmonary vascular cells and sought to explore IL-6 associations with phenotypes and outcomes across diverse subtypes in a large PAH cohort.IL-6 protein and gene expression levels were measured in cultured pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) and endothelial cells (PAECs) from PAH patients and healthy controls. Serum IL-6 was measured in 2017 well-characterised PAH subjects representing each PAH subgroup. Relationships between IL-6 levels, clinical variables, and mortality were analysed using regression models.Significantly higher IL-6 protein and gene expression levels were produced by PASMCs than by PAECs in PAH (p<0.001), while there was no difference in IL-6 between cell types in controls. Serum IL-6 was highest in PAH related to portal hypertension and connective tissue diseases (CTD-PAH). In multivariable modelling, serum IL-6 was associated with survival in the overall cohort (hazard ratio 1.22, 95% CI 1.08-1.38; p<0.01) and in IPAH, but not in CTD-PAH. IL-6 remained associated with survival in low-risk subgroups of subjects with mild disease.IL-6 is released from PASMCs, and circulating IL-6 is associated with specific clinical phenotypes and outcomes in various PAH subgroups, including subjects with less severe disease. IL-6 is a mechanistic biomarker, and thus a potential therapeutic target, in certain PAH subgroups.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the health outcomes of managed care Medicaid children with non-emergent conditions who were not authorized to be seen in the Pediatric Emergency Department (PED) by their primary care provider. DESIGN: Consecutive case surveillance from 6/29/92 to 2/2/93. SETTING: University based PED (17,500 visits/year) in inner city Baltimore. PARTICIPANTS: Cases were MAC children denied authorization to be seen for non-emergent conditions in the PED. Age and complaint matched MAC children were selected from the university based Pediatric Ambulatory Center (PAC) and from non-emergent PED visits (PED-seen) in order to compare utilization rates after denial. INTERVENTION: The Maryland Access to Care (MAC) Medicaid program (started in 12/91) emphasizes primary care and appropriate health care utilization by incorporating the following elements of managed care: assignment to primary care provider, gatekeeping, mandatory enrollment and fee for service. METHODS: Consecutive case surveillance from 6/29/92 to 2/2/93 was used to evaluate the health outcomes of MAC children denied authorization for non-emergent care in a university based PED. One week following denial, a pediatric nurse practitioner contacted the patient's caretaker and the MAC provider to ascertain health outcome. Medicaid claims data was used to compare the six month health care utilization of the denied group to age and complaint matched children seen in the PED (PED-seen) or in a primary care clinic (PAC). RESULTS: 216 MAC patients were not authorized for a PED visit by their MAC providers. 123 (57%) saw their MAC provider within one week of the denied PED visit. 40 (18%) were not seen because their presenting complaint had resolved completely. No adverse health outcomes occurred because of delay in health care delivery. The subsequent ER utilization rate of the denied group was the same as the PED-seen comparison group, and significantly higher than that of the PAC group (P = .002). The denied group was hospitalized at a significantly higher rate relative to these comparison groups (P = .003). CONCLUSIONS: Diverting Medicaid children classified as non-emergent in an ER to their MAC providers can be a safe practice short-term. However, denial of a PED visit has no impact on subsequent ER utilization by Medicaid participants and may be associated with higher hospitalization rate. Gatekeeping in this setting does not necessarily change the health care seeking behavior of these patients.

It is well known that visceral adipose tissue (VAT) is associated with insulin resistance (IR). Considerable debate remains concerning the potential positive effect of thigh subcutaneous adipose tissue (TSAT). Our objective was to observe whether VAT and TSAT are opposite, synergistic or additive for both peripheral and hepatic IR. Fifty-two volunteers (21 male/31 female) between 30 and 75 years old were recruited from the general population. All subjects were sedentary overweight or obese (mean BMI 33.0 ± 3.4 kg/m(2)). Insulin sensitivity was determined by a 4-h hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp with stable isotope tracer dilution. Total body fat and lean body mass were determined by dual X-ray absorptiometry. Abdominal and mid-thigh adiposity was determined by computed tomography. VAT was negatively associated with peripheral insulin sensitivity, while TSAT, in contrast, was positively associated with peripheral insulin sensitivity. Subjects with a combination of low VAT and high TSAT had the highest insulin sensitivity, subjects with a combination of high VAT and low TSAT were the most insulin resistant. These associations remained significant after adjusting for age and gender. These data confirm that visceral excess abdominal adiposity is associated with IR across a range of middle-age to older men and women, and further suggest that higher thigh subcutaneous fat is favorably associated with better insulin sensitivity. This strongly suggests that these two distinct fat distribution phenotypes should both be considered in IR as important determinants of cardiometabolic risk.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: To report the feasibility and safety of the use of a novel energy source that uses an electrically neutral beam of pure argon plasma for the laparoscopic management of endometriosis. METHODS: In this prospective pilot study, 20 patients undergoing laparoscopic treatment of endometriosis were included. Characteristic endometriotic lesions throughout the pelvis were vaporized or resected using neutral argon plasma. Specimens were evaluated for the presence of endometriosis and thermal effects on tissue. The bases of the treated lesions were biopsied to determine whether residual endometriosis was present. RESULTS: Neutral argon plasma was used in 18 of the 20 patients for laparoscopic treatment of pelvic endometriosis. All biopsies confirmed complete vaporization or resection with no residual endometriosis at the base. Endometriosis was identified on pathology in all lesions excised. Thermal effects did not interfere with histologic analysis in any of the lesions. No complications occurred. CONCLUSION: Neutral argon plasma can be utilized as a multi-functional device that has vaporization, coagulation, and superficial cutting capacities with minimal thermal spread and acceptable outcomes. The use of neutral argon plasma appears to be efficacious and safe for the complete treatment of endometriotic implants.

Purpose To evaluate the sensitivity, specificity, and severity of chest radiographs and chest CT scans over time in patients confirmed positive for COVID-19 and those confirmed negative for COVID-19 and to evaluate determinants of false-negative results. Materials and Methods In a retrospective multi-institutional study, 254 patients with reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction–verified COVID-19, who underwent at least one chest radiography examination or chest CT, were compared with 254 age- and sex-matched controls who were confirmed negative for COVID-19. Chest radiograph severity, sensitivity, and specificity were determined with respect to time after onset of symptoms; sensitivity and specificity for chest CT scans were determined without time stratification. Performance of serial chest radiographs against CT scans was determined by comparing area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUC). A multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to assess factors related to false-negative findings on chest radiographs. Results COVID-19–positive chest radiograph severity and sensitivity increased with time (from sensitivity of 55% at ≤ 2 days to 79% at > 11 days; P < .001 for trends of both severity and sensitivity), whereas chest radiograph specificity decreased over time (from 83% to 70%, P = .02). The findings of serial chest radiographs demonstrated an increase in AUC (first chest radiograph, AUC = 0.79; second chest radiograph, AUC = 0.87; P = .02), and second chest radiographs approached the accuracy of CT (AUC = 0.92, P = .11). COVID-19 sensitivity of first chest radiograph, second chest radiograph, and CT was 73%, 83%, and 88%, whereas specificity was 80%, 73%, and 77%, respectively. Normal and mild severity chest radiograph findings were the largest factor behind false-negative findings on chest radiographs (40% normal and 87% combined normal/mild). Young age and African American ethnicity increased false-negative finding rates. Conclusion Chest radiography sensitivity in COVID-19 detection increases with time, and serial chest radiography of patients confirmed positive for COVID-19 has accuracy approaching that of chest CT. Supplemental material is available for this article. Keywords: Adults, CT, Conventional Radiography, Infection, Lung, Pulmonary © RSNA, 2020

New materials and coatings are now being developed to resist permanent bacterial contamination of implanted medical devices. This study exposed several styles of middle ear ventilation tube materials and coatings to high concentrations of Pseudomonas and Staphylococcus. Electron microscopy was then used to evaluate these tubes' resistance to bacterial biofilm formations. Ionized, processed silicone tubes were the only tubes resistant to Pseudomonas adhesion. Tubes that were made of fluoroplastic or that were ionized processed were very resistant to Staphylococcus contamination when compared with untreated silicone or silver oxide-treated silicone. This study suggests that ionized, coated fluoroplastic would be a highly effective tube material in preventing bacterial biofilm contamination of implanted ventilation tubes.

Abstract Thirty‐eight partial middle turbinate resections from 20 patients undergoing endoscopic sinus surgery were evaluated by histopathology of mucosa and bone and by computed tomography (CT) appearance prior to resection. Histopathologic analysis revealed not only mucosal inflammation but also chronic osteitis of the bone in all patients with sinus disease. The preoperative CT was accurate in predicting turbinate osteitis when the scans displayed advanced grades III and IV disease. These findings suggest that in advanced disease, conservative partial middle turbinate resections may be necessary to remove chronically infected bone from the osteomeatal complex. Because it is unsafe to remove all of the middle turbinate, consideration should also be given to long‐term antibiotic therapy to treat the osteitis found in advanced disease.

OBJECTIVE: There is a paucity of population-based studies investigating the epidemiology of lupus nephritis (LN) in the US and long-term secular trends of the disease and its outcomes. We aimed to examine the epidemiology of LN in a well-defined 8-county region in the US. METHODS: Patients with incident LN between 1976 and 2018 in Olmsted County, Minnesota (1976-2009) and an 8-county region in southeast Minnesota (2010-2018) were identified. Age- and sex-specific incidence rates and point prevalence over 4 decades, adjusted to the projected 2000 US population, were determined. Standardized mortality ratios (SMRs), survival rates, and time to end-stage renal disease (ESRD) were estimated. RESULTS: There were 72 patients with incident LN between 1976 and 2018, of whom 76% were female and 69% were non-Hispanic White. Mean ± SD age at diagnosis was 38.4 ± 16.24 years. Average annual LN incidence per 100,000 population between 1976 and 2018 was 1.0 (95% CI 0.8-1.3) and was highest in patients ages 30-39 years. Between the 1976-1989 and 2000-2018 time periods, overall incidence of LN increased from 0.7 to 1.3 per 100,000, but this was not statistically significant. Estimated LN prevalence increased from 16.8 per 100,000 in 1985 to 21.2 per 100,000 in 2015. Patients with LN had an SMR of 6.33 (95% CI 3.81-9.89), with no improvement in the mortality gap in the last 4 decades. At 10 years, survival was 70%, and 13% of LN patients had ESRD. CONCLUSION: The incidence and prevalence of LN in this area increased in the last 4 decades. LN patients have poor outcomes, with high rates of ESRD and mortality rates 6 times that of the general population.