A randomized, comparative pilot trial of family-based interpersonal psychotherapy for reducing psychosocial symptoms, disordered-eating, and excess weight gain in at-risk preadolescents with loss-of-control-eating: SHOMAKER et al.

Preadolescent loss-of-control-eating (LOC-eating) is a risk factor for excess weight gain and binge-eating-disorder. We evaluated feasibility and acceptability of a preventive family-based interpersonal psychotherapy (FB-IPT) program. FB-IPT was compared to family-based health education (FB-HE) to evaluate changes in children’s psychosocial functioning, LOC-eating, and body mass

Suicide in the United States Air Force: Risk factors communicated before and at death

Background: Over the last decade, suicide rates in the U.S. military have steadily increased, resulting in a call for suicide-related research with military populations. The present project aimed to describe and evaluate the communications (i.e., verbally and in suicide notes) of 13 suicide risk factors in the suicide death investigation files of 98 active duty U.S. Air Force (USAF) members. Methods: Two-hundred thirty-seven suicide death investigation files were coded. Ninety-eight decedents left suicide notes and were included in the current analyses. Descriptive statistics were computed to evaluate the types of risk factors most commonly communicated prior to and at the time of death as well as the medium for their communication. Specifically, verbal and note communications were compared to evaluate which medium decedents most often used to communicate risk factors. Also, the frequency that interpersonal compared to intrapsychic risk factors were communicated was evaluated. Results: Hopelessness (35.7% of cases) and perceived burdensomeness (31.6% of cases) were the risk factors most often communicated in suicide notes but not verbally. Thwarted belongingness (29.6% of cases) was the risk factor most often communicated verbally and in the suicide note. Further, evaluated risk factors were more frequently communicated in suicide notes than verbally. Finally, interpersonal risk factors were more often communicated than intrapsychic risk factors. Limitations: The validity of the data relies on interviews of decedents\u27 acquaintances and various medical/military records. Conclusions: Our findings support emphasizing certain risk factors over others in USAF suicide prevention efforts. Further, interpersonal risk factors appeared to be more salient than intrapsychic risk factors in the minds of decedents

Abstract 4617: Association between DNA oxidative damage and radiotherapy-induced skin toxicities in breast cancer patients

Abstract Background: Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related death in the female population in the United States. Although radiotherapy (RT) has been shown to improve prognosis in breast cancer patients, RT may also lead to side effects that impact overall quality of life in some patients. The objective of this study was to investigate whether an oxidative damage biomarker, 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), is associated with RT-induced early adverse skin reactions (EASRs) in breast cancer patients. Methods: 8-OHdG data before (pre-RT) and after RT (post-RT) were obtained from 475 breast cancer patients. RT-induced EASRs were assessed using the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (v3.0) scale. Univariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to evaluate associations between above-median 8-OHdG (> 85 ng/ml) and RT-induced grade 2+ EASRs. A propensity score (PS) was derived from a logistic regression model for predicting RT-induced EASRs on the basis of patient, tumor, and treatment characteristics. Then, the association between 8-OHdG and RT-induced EASRs was assessed in four risk groups defined by quartiles of PS. Results: Overall, 59% of patients developed RT-induced grade 2+ EASRs and 28% developed moist desquamation. There were no significant associations between RT-induced EASRs and high 8-OHdG levels at both pre-RT and post-RT. However, there was a significant association between patients in the 2nd quartile PS that had high post-RT 8-OHdG levels and grade 2+ EASRs (OR=2.51, 95%CI=1.17, 5.40, p=0.0183). Conclusions: The results from this study suggest that 8-OHdG is a potential biomarker for RT-induced EASRs in a breast cancer population with low to medium (2nd quartile) propensity for RT-induced EASRs. Citation Format: Moody M. Mihyu, Isildinha M. Reis, Cristiane Takita, Jean L. Wright, Eunkyung Lee, Omar L. Nelson, George R. Yang, Johnna L. Bakalar, Jennifer J. Hu. Association between DNA oxidative damage and radiotherapy-induced skin toxicities in breast cancer patients [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research 2020; 2020 Apr 27-28 and Jun 22-24. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(16 Suppl):Abstract nr 4617

Association between C-reactive protein and radiotherapy-related pain in a tri-racial/ethnic population of breast cancer patients: a prospective cohort study

Post-surgery adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) significantly improves clinical outcomes in breast cancer patients; however, some patients develop cancer or treatment-related pain that negatively impacts quality of life. This study examined an inflammatory biomarker, C-reactive protein (CRP), in RT-related pain in breast cancer. During 2008 and 2014, breast cancer patients who underwent RT were prospectively evaluated for pre- and post-RT pain. Pre- and post-RT plasma CRP levels were measured using a highly sensitive CRP ELISA kit. Pain score was assessed as the mean of four pain severity items (i.e., pain at its worst, least, average, and now) from the Brief Pain Inventory. Pain scores of 4-10 were classified as clinically relevant pain. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were applied to ascertain the associations between CRP and RT-related pain. In 366 breast cancer patients (235 Hispanic whites, 73 black/African Americans, and 58 non-Hispanic whites), 17% and 30% of patients reported pre- and post-RT pain, while 23% of patients had RT-related pain. Both pre- and post-RT pain scores differed significantly by race/ethnicity. In multivariable logistic regression analysis, RT-related pain was significantly associated with elevated pre-RT CRP (≥ 10 mg/L) alone (odds ratio (OR) = 2.44; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.02, 5.85); or combined with obesity (OR = 4.73; 95% CI = 1.41, 15.81) after adjustment for age and race/ethnicity. This is the first pilot study of CRP in RT-related pain, particularly in obese breast cancer patients. Future larger studies are warranted to validate our findings and help guide RT decision-making processes and targeted interventions

Child Maltreatment’s Heavy Toll: The Need for Trauma-Informed Obesity Prevention

This paper is the product of a workshop on the topic of child maltreatment and obesity at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard that brought together the listed authors, who are experts across a number of relevant fields. Emerging research has highlighted childhood maltreatment and other psychological traumas as risk factors for obesity and related comorbidities.1–3 Although the high rate of obesity in the U.S. affects the entire population, those with histories of maltreatment—making up at least 30% of the population4,5—appear to be at greater risk. Unfortunately, childhood maltreatment is often overlooked as a risk factor for adult obesity, and efforts to prevent and treat obesity underutilize promising trauma-informed approaches. Likewise, clinical care for psychological trauma has unrealized potential as an opportunity for obesity prevention. The aims of this paper are to: raise awareness of the prevalence of childhood maltreatment; present current evidence of the child maltreatment–obesity association; highlight existing research on mechanisms; and suggest areas for additional research, including trauma-informed obesity interventions that Although this paper focuses on childhood maltreatment, particularly physical and sexual abuse, the presented information is potentially relevant to other types of early trauma, such as community violence and peer bullying

Preventing Obesity in the Military Community (POMC): The Development of a Clinical Trials Research Network

Obesity impacts the U.S. military by affecting the health and readiness of active duty service members and their families. Preventing Obesity in Military Communities (POMC) is a comprehensive research program within Patient Centered Medical Homes (PCMHs) in three Military Training Facilities. This paper describes three pilot randomized controlled trials that target critical high risk periods for unhealthy weight gain from birth to young adulthood: (1) pregnancy and early infancy (POMC-Mother-Baby), (2) adolescence (POMC-Adolescent), and (3) the first tour of duty after boot camp (POMC-Early Career). Each study employs a two-group randomized treatment or prevention program with follow up. POMC offers a unique opportunity to bring together research and clinical expertise in obesity prevention to develop state-of-the-art programs within PCMHs in Military Training Facilities. This research builds on existing infrastructure that is expected to have immediate clinical benefits to DoD and far-reaching potential for ongoing collaborative work. POMC may offer an economical approach for widespread obesity prevention, from conception to young adulthood, in the U.S. military as well as in civilian communities