Subfoveal choroidal thickness in ipsi- and contralateral eyes of patients with carotid stenosis before and after carotid endarterectomy : a prospective study

Purpose To compare subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) and associated clinical variables in patients with carotid stenosis (CS) before and 6 months after carotid endarterectomy (CEA). Methods The prospective non-randomized Helsinki Carotid Endarterectomy Study - Brain and Eye Sub-sTudy included seventy patients (81% male, mean age 69 years) and 40 control subjects (77% male, 68 years), from March 2015 to December 2018. Ophthalmological examination included SFCT measured with enhanced-depth imaging-optical coherence tomography. Carotid stenosis (CS) was more severe (>= 70% stenosis in 92%) ipsilateral to the CEA than contralaterally ( Results At baseline, patients had thinner mean SFCT than control subjects in both eyes (ipsilateral, 222 versus 257 mu m and contralateral, 217 versus 258 mu m, p Conclusions Subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) is thinner in patients with CS without association between SFCT and the grade of CS. Unchanged SFCT after CEA suggests, that choroidal vessels in severe CS are unable to react to increased blood flow. Bilaterally thin SFCT could be considered as yet another sign of CS.Peer reviewe

Flicker-induced retinal vascular dilation in ipsi- and contralateral eyes of patients with carotid stenosis before and after carotid endarterectomy : a prospective study

Purpose Retinal vascular function was assessed in patients with carotid stenosis (CS) before and six months after carotid endarterectomy (CEA) and in controls at a six-month interval. Methods We studied 68 patients (81% male, mean age 69) and 41 healthy non-medicated controls (77%, 68) from March 2015 to December 2018. Our ophthalmological examination included flicker-induced arteriolar and venular measurements with a Dynamic Vessel Analyser in both eyes. Results At baseline, flicker-induced arteriolar and venular dilation was reduced in the ipsilateral eyes of the patients compared with dilation in the controls (arteriolar 1.0% versus 2.6%, p = 0.001 and venular 2.2% versus 2.8%, p = 0.049). These differences subsided after CEA. In patients' ipsilateral eyes, flicker-induced arteriolar dilation was borderline postoperatively (preoperative 1.0% versus postoperative 1.6%, p = 0.06), whereas venular dilation increased (2.2% versus 2.8%, p = 0.025). We found various tentative associations with the change in flicker-induced dilations after CEA, but not with the preoperative dilations. Conclusions Postoperative recovery of the reduced flicker-induced arteriolar and venular dilatation in the ipsilateral eye shows that, after CEA, the activity-dependent vascular reactivity of haemodynamically compromised retinal tissue can improve.Peer reviewe

Development and Implementation of Survivorship Tools to Enable Medical Follow-Up After Childhood Cancer Treatment in Southern Sweden

PURPOSE: Survival rates after childhood cancer have increased from 20% to 80% since the 1970s. The increased number of survivors emphasizes the importance of late effects and their monitoring. Late effects may have a strong impact on quality of life in survivors. The purpose of this study was to make key data in a quality registry available for direct clinical use, enabling health care professionals to perform efficient and appropriate long-term medical follow-up after childhood cancer treatment.METHODS: The population-based quality registry upon which this study is centered contains data on all individuals diagnosed with childhood cancer (diagnosed at 18 years of age or younger) in southern Sweden since January 1, 1970, and treatment data on 5-year survivors. Web tools, which were developed and implemented in a health care setting, generate a personalized treatment summary for each patient and enable risk group stratification of survivors.RESULTS: Generation of a personalized treatment summary and risk group stratification of survivors led to identification of women at risk for developing breast cancer as a consequence of childhood cancer treatment. Three novel cases of previously undiagnosed breast cancer were identified.CONCLUSION: The registry, together with the developed tools, enabled health care professionals to perform medical follow-up in this at-risk patient population

Identifying causal relationships of cancer treatment and long-term health effects among 5-year survivors of childhood cancer in Southern Sweden

Background: Survivors of childhood cancer can develop adverse health events later in life. Infrequent occurrences and scarcity of structured information result in analytical and statistical challenges. Alternative statistical approaches are required to investigate the basis of late effects in smaller data sets.Methods: Here we describe sex-specific health care use, mortality and causal associations between primary diagnosis, treatment and outcomes in a small cohort ( n = 2315) of 5-year survivors of childhood cancer ( n = 2129) in southern Sweden and a control group ( n = 11,882; age-, sex- and region-matched from the general population). We developed a constraint-based method for causal inference based on Bayesian estimation of distributions, and used it to investigate health care use and causal associations between diagnoses, treatments and outcomes. Mortality was analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier method. Results: Our results confirm a significantly higher health care usage and premature mortality among childhood cancer survivors as compared to controls. The developed method for causal inference identifies 98 significant associations ( p < 0.0001) where most are well known ( n = 73; 74.5%). Hitherto undescribed associations are identified ( n = 5; 5.1%). These were between use of alkylating agents and eye conditions, topoisomerase inhibitors and viral infections; pituitary surgery and intestinal infections; and cervical cancer and endometritis. We discuss study-related biases ( n = 20; 20.4%) and limitations. Conclusions: The findings contribute to a broader understanding of the consequences of cancer treatment. The study shows relevance for small data sets and causal inference, and presents the method as a complement to traditional statistical approaches

The production of charge chrome using pelletized feed

Translated from Spanish (Ferroaleaciones '78; Prod. Merc. Usos, Trab. Congr. , ILAFA, 1978)Available from British Library Document Supply Centre- DSC:5828.4(M--17833)T / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreSIGLEGBUnited Kingdo