The global retinoblastoma outcome study : a prospective, cluster-based analysis of 4064 patients from 149 countries

DATA SHARING : The study data will become available online once all analyses are complete.BACKGROUND : Retinoblastoma is the most common intraocular cancer worldwide. There is some evidence to suggest that major differences exist in treatment outcomes for children with retinoblastoma from different regions, but these differences have not been assessed on a global scale. We aimed to report 3-year outcomes for children with retinoblastoma globally and to investigate factors associated with survival. METHODS : We did a prospective cluster-based analysis of treatment-naive patients with retinoblastoma who were diagnosed between Jan 1, 2017, and Dec 31, 2017, then treated and followed up for 3 years. Patients were recruited from 260 specialised treatment centres worldwide. Data were obtained from participating centres on primary and additional treatments, duration of follow-up, metastasis, eye globe salvage, and survival outcome. We analysed time to death and time to enucleation with Cox regression models. FINDINGS : The cohort included 4064 children from 149 countries. The median age at diagnosis was 23·2 months (IQR 11·0–36·5). Extraocular tumour spread (cT4 of the cTNMH classification) at diagnosis was reported in five (0·8%) of 636 children from high-income countries, 55 (5·4%) of 1027 children from upper-middle-income countries, 342 (19·7%) of 1738 children from lower-middle-income countries, and 196 (42·9%) of 457 children from low-income countries. Enucleation surgery was available for all children and intravenous chemotherapy was available for 4014 (98·8%) of 4064 children. The 3-year survival rate was 99·5% (95% CI 98·8–100·0) for children from high-income countries, 91·2% (89·5–93·0) for children from upper-middle-income countries, 80·3% (78·3–82·3) for children from lower-middle-income countries, and 57·3% (52·1-63·0) for children from low-income countries. On analysis, independent factors for worse survival were residence in low-income countries compared to high-income countries (hazard ratio 16·67; 95% CI 4·76–50·00), cT4 advanced tumour compared to cT1 (8·98; 4·44–18·18), and older age at diagnosis in children up to 3 years (1·38 per year; 1·23–1·56). For children aged 3–7 years, the mortality risk decreased slightly (p=0·0104 for the change in slope). INTERPRETATION : This study, estimated to include approximately half of all new retinoblastoma cases worldwide in 2017, shows profound inequity in survival of children depending on the national income level of their country of residence. In high-income countries, death from retinoblastoma is rare, whereas in low-income countries estimated 3-year survival is just over 50%. Although essential treatments are available in nearly all countries, early diagnosis and treatment in low-income countries are key to improving survival outcomes.The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust and the Wellcome Trust.https://www.thelancet.com/journals/langlo/homeam2023Paediatrics and Child Healt

Cesarean delivery in preeclampsia and seasonal variation in a tropical rainforest belt

Background: The pathogenesis of preeclampsia is poorly understood and recent evidence suggests that the incidence varies depending upon the season. Aim: This study was carried out to determine whether there is a seasonal variation in the presentation of preeclamptics undergoing cesarean delivery in a tropical rainforest belt. Setting: A university teaching hospital. Study Design: Retrospective. Materials and Methods: The hospital records of consecutive patients (July 1996-June 2006) with preeclampsia, who underwent cesarean delivery in a tertiary care centre, were reviewed. Data collected included patient demographics, total number of deliveries, number of cesarean deliveries, and number of preeclampsia patients and time of presentation for cesarean section. Approval of the local ethical committee was obtained. Statistical Analysis: The EPI info software program was used for statistical analysis. Results: A total of 6798 deliveries were recorded during the study period resulting in 6485 live births. There were 1579 cesarean deliveries during the period. Of these, 196 patients had toxemia of pregnancy (166 with preeclampsia and 30 with eclampsia). One hundred and forty-one patients (9% of cesarean deliveries) had cesarean delivery during the rainy season and 55 (3.5%) during the dry season (P < 0.05). Amongst preeclampsia patients, 115 presented (7%) during the rainy season and 51 (3.2%) during the dry season (P < 0.05). In the eclampsia group, 26 (1.65% of cesarean sections) presented during the rainy season and four (0.25%) during the dry season (P < 0.05). Conclusions: There was a seasonal variation in the cesarean delivery required for preeclampsia/eclampsia patients. This may help in counseling women on when to plan their pregnancy in order to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with this apparent seasonal disease

Missing intrauterine contraceptive device amongst clients in Enugu, Nigeria

Background Missing intrauterine contraceptive device (IUCD) is a known complication of IUCD use. Objective To examine the methods of diagnosis and Management modalities of missing IUCD at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu. Materials and Method This was a retrospective review of the records of all clients who presented with complaints of missing IUCD over an 11 year period, from 1 st January 1990 to 31 st December 2000. Relevant information on biodata, methods of diagnosis and removal were extracted and analysed using tabulations and simple percentages. Results A total of 44,975 clients were seen at the family planning clinic within the period under review. Twenty two thousand, one hundred and sixty eight clients used IUCD, giving a 55.96% of total contraceptive use. Of these, 20 IUCD missed, giving the incidence of missing IUCD as 0.08%. The mean age of clients with missing IUCD was 38±2.18 years and the mean parity was 6.00 ± 0.54. Majority (30%) were asymptomatic. Twenty five percent presented with lower abdominal pain. One client had a co-existing pregnancy of about 10 weeks. The commonest mode of diagnosing missing IUCD was the use of plain abdominal x-ray with a marker in-utero (50%) and retrieval hook was used for removal in 45% of the cases. Three patients had exploratory laparotomy for removal of the missing IUCD. Conclusion IUCD is a method of contraception most commonly used in UNTH, Enugu. Plain abdominal x-ray with a marker in-utero is a simple and reliable diagnostic technique for missing IUCD