External validation of the H‐index (host index) in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinomas

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader External validation of the H‐index (host index) in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinomas via Head & Neck Abstract Background The aim of the current study is to perform an external validation of the prognostic capacity of the H-index in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Methods Retrospective study of 835 patients with HNSCC located in the oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx, or larynx. Results When applying the cutoffs proposed in the original description of the H-index (1.5 and 3.5), we observed an orderly and significant decrease in the disease-specific survival and overall survival as H-index increased. Additionally, we were able to observe a decrease in survival as the H-index increased regardless of the location, the extension of the tumor or the type of treatment performed. Conclusion We have validated the prognostic capacity of the H-index in patients with HNSCC regardless of the location of the primary tumor, the extent of the disease, or the type of treatment performed. View on Web

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Blood eosinophil count in the diagnosis of allergic‐like rhinitis with chronic rhinosinusitis

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Blood eosinophil count in the diagnosis of allergic‐like rhinitis with chronic rhinosinusitis via Clinical Otolaryngology Abstract Background Allergic rhinitis (AR) and nonallergic rhinitis (NAR) often are comorbid with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). Finding a convenient test that distinguishes these complex conditions is helpful for effective treatment. We aimed to analyze blood parameter differences between AR and NAR patients with/without CRS. Methods Eight hundred thirteen patients, including AR and NAR with different conditions (CRS with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) and CRS without nasal polyps (CRSsNP)) were analyzed in this retrospective study. Patients with a nasal deviation alone were included as healthy controls (HC). ROC analysis was used to assess the value of blood parameters for diagnosing AR or NAR with/without CRS. Results Compared to nonallergic-like rhinitis (HC, CRSwNP and CRSsNP), the blood eosinophil count was significantly increased in the allergic-like rhinitis groups, except for NAR-CRSsNP (AR, AR-CRSwNP, AR-CRSsNP, NAR and NAR-CRSwNP). The NAR-CRSsNP group had a higher level of eosinophils than the HC and CRSsNP groups. Among allergic-like rhinitis patients, eosinophils were higher in allergic-like rhinitis patients with CRSwNP (AR-CRSwNP and NAR-CRSwNP) than in allergic-like rhinitis patients without CRSwNP (AR, AR-CRSsNP, NAR and NAR-CRSsNP). However, no difference in blood eosinophils was observed between AR and NAR. There was also no difference among nonallergic-like rhinitis patients. Similar findings were found for the blood eosinophil proportion. Furthermore, the blood eosinophil count was a good predictor of allergic-like rhinitis, especially allergic-like rhinitis with CRSwNP. Conclusion The blood eosinophil count and proportion may be good diagnostic predictors of allergic-like rhinitis but cannot differentiate between AR and NAR. This indicator may be much better in predicting allergic-like rhinitis with CRSwNP. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. View on Web

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Quantifying Mycobacterium tuberculosis transmission dynamics across global settings: a systematic analysis

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Quantifying Mycobacterium tuberculosis transmission dynamics across global settings: a systematic analysis via American Journal of Epidemiology - Advance Access Abstract The degree to which individual heterogeneity in the production of secondary cases ("superspreading") affects tuberculosis (TB) transmission has not been systematically studied. We searched for population-based or surveillance studies in which whole genome sequencing was used to estimate TB transmission and the size distributions of putative TB transmission clusters were enumerated. We fit cluster size distribution data to a negative binomial branching process model to jointly infer the transmission parameters $R$ (the reproductive number) and dispersion parameter, $k$, which quantifies the propensity of superspreading in a population (generally, lower values of $k$ ($<1.0$) suggest increased heterogeneity). Of 4,796 citations identified in our initial search, nine studies met inclusion criteria ($n=5$ all TB; $n=4$ drug resistant TB) from eight global settings. Estimated $R$ values (range: 0.10, 0.73) were below 1.0, consistent with declin ing epidemics in the included settings; estimated $k$ values were well below 1.0 (range: 0.02, 0.48), indicating the presence of substantial individual-level heterogeneity in transmission across all settings. We estimated that a minority of cases (range 2-31%) drive the majority (80%) of ongoing transmission at the population level. Identifying sources of heterogeneity and accounting for them in TB control may have a considerable impact on mitigating TB transmission. View on Web

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Wastewater Surveillance for Infectious Disease: A Systematic Review

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Wastewater Surveillance for Infectious Disease: A Systematic Review via American Journal of Epidemiology - Advance Access Abstract Wastewater surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 has been shown to be a valuable source of information regarding SARS-CoV-2 transmission and COVID-19 cases. Though the method has been used for several decades to track other infectious diseases, there has not been a comprehensive review outlining all of the pathogens that have been surveilled through wastewater. Herein we identify what infectious diseases have been previously studied via wastewater surveillance prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Infectious diseases and pathogens were identified in 100 studies of wastewater surveillance across 38 countries, as well as themes of how wastewater surveillance and other measures of disease transmission were linked. Twenty-five separate pathogen families were identified in the included studies, with the majority of studies examining pathogens from the family Picornaviridae, including polio and non-polio enteroviruses. Most studies of wastewater surveillance did not li nk what was found in the wastewater to other measures of disease transmission. Among those studies that did, the value reported varied by study. Wastewater surveillance should be considered as a potential tool for many infectious diseases. Wastewater surveillance studies can be improved by incorporating other measures of disease transmission at the population-level including disease incidence and hospitalizations. View on Web

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Hypermitotic meningiomas harbor DNA methylation subgroups with distinct biological and clinical features

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Hypermitotic meningiomas harbor DNA methylation subgroups with distinct biological and clinical features via Neuro-Oncology Advance Access Abstract Background Meningiomas, the most common primary intracranial tumors, can be separated into 3 DNA methylation groups with distinct biological drivers, clinical outcomes, and therapeutic vulnerabilities. Alternative meningioma grouping schemes using copy number variants, gene expression profiles, somatic short variants, or integrated molecular models have been proposed. These data suggest meningioma DNA methylation groups may harbor subgroups unifying contrasting theories of meningioma biology. Methods 565 meningioma DNA methylation profiles from patients with comprehensive clinical follow-up at independent discovery (n=200) or validation (n=365) institutions were re-analyzed and classified into Merlin-intact, Immune-enriched, or Hypermitotic DNA methylation groups. RNA sequencing from the discovery (n=200) or validation (n=302) cohort were analyzed in the context of DNA methylation groups to identify subgroups. Biological featur es and clinical outcomes were analyzed across meningioma grouping schemes. Results RNA sequencing revealed differential enrichment of FOXM1 target genes across 2 subgroups of Hypermitotic meningiomas. Differential expression and ontology analyses showed the subgroup of Hypermitotic meningiomas without FOXM1 target gene enrichment was distinguished by gene expression programs driving macromolecular metabolism. Analysis of genetic, epigenetic, gene expression, or cellular features revealed Hypermitotic meningioma subgroups were concordant with Proliferative or Hypermetabolic meningiomas, which were previously reported alongside Merlin-intact and Immune-enriched tumors using an integrated molecular model. The addition of DNA methylation subgroups to clinical models refined prediction of postoperative outcomes compared to the addition of DNA methylation groups. Conclusions Meningiomas can be separated into 3 DNA methylation groups and Hypermitotic meningiomas can be su bdivided into Proliferative and Hypermetabolic subgroups, each with distinct biological and clinical features. View on Web

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Sociodemographic Disparities in the Diagnostic Management of Pediatric Thyroid Nodules

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Sociodemographic Disparities in the Diagnostic Management of Pediatric Thyroid Nodules via JAMA Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery Online First This cross-sectional study assesses the association of sociode mographic factors with the odds of receiving a biopsy, timeliness of the procedure, and risk of nodule malignancy. View on Web

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Association of Stapedotomy Volume and Patient Sex With Better Outcome

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Association of Stapedotomy Volume and Patient Sex With Better Outcome via JAMA Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery Current Issue This cross-sectional study evaluates demographic characte ristics, surgical characteristics, and audiometric data associated with closure of the air-bone gap to less than 10 dB or 15 dB. View on Web

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Association of Neoadjuvant Pembrolizumab for OCSCC With Adverse Events After Surgery

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Association of Neoadjuvant Pembrolizumab for OCSCC With Adverse Events After Surgery via JAMA Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery Current Issue This cohort study evaluates the incidence of postoperativ e adverse events in treatment-naive patients receiving neoadjuvant pembrolizumab for advanced oral cavity cancer when compared with matched controls. View on Web

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Plasma Circulating Tumor HPV DNA and HPV-Related Oropharynx Cancer—A Caution—Reply

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Plasma Circulating Tumor HPV DNA and HPV-Related Oropharynx Cancer—A Caution—Reply via JAMA Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery Current Issue In Reply Dr Johnson and colleagues raise a good point, as expressed in our article, that our findings should not be inferred to suggest that circulating tumor human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA (ctHPVDNA) is ready to be used for screening. Our observation that no ctHPVDNA was detected in healthy participants with detectable salivary HPV DNA or E6 serum antibody suggests a low false-positive rate (ie, suggests good specificity). However, as pointed out in the discussion of our research letter, and by Johnson et al, it is possible that the detecti on methods used in our study could be insensitive, and additional research is needed to verify the finding of high specificity in our study. View on Web

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Outcomes in Patients With Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Treated With Checkpoint Inhibitors

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Outcomes in Patients With Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Treated With Checkpoint Inhibitors via JAMA Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery Current Issue This cohort study assesses survival outcomes and response rates among patients with recurrent or metastatic mucosal head and neck squamous cell carcinoma treated with checkpoint inhibitors with or without chemotherapy. View on Web

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A Novel Molecular Test for Determining HPV Integration Status in HPV-Positive Oropharynx Cancers

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader A Novel Molecular Test for Determining HPV Integration Status in HPV-Positive Oropharynx Cancers via JAMA Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery Current Issue This diagnostic study describes the development of an ass ay for human papillomavirus–driven cancers of the oropharynx and the role viral integration could play in the process. View on Web

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