Estimation of Relative Vaccine Effectiveness in Influenza: A Systematic Review of Methodology

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Estimation of Relative Vaccine Effectiveness in Influenza: A Systematic Review of Methodology Via Epidemiology - Current Issue Background: When new vaccine components or platforms are developed, they will typically need to demonstrate noninferiority or superiority over existing products, resulting in the assessment of relative vaccine effectiveness (rVE). This review aims to identify how rVE evaluation is being performed in studies of influenza to inform a more standardized approach. Methods: We conducted a systematic search on PubMed, Google Scholar, and Web of Science for studies reporting rVE comparing vaccine components, dose, or vaccination schedules. We screened titles, abstracts, full texts, and references to identify relevant articles. We extracted information on the study design, relative comparison made, and the definition and statistical approach used to estimate rVE in each study. Results: We identified 63 articles assessing rVE in influenza virus. Studies compared multiple vaccine components (n = 38), two or more doses of the same vaccine (n = 17), or vaccination timing or history (n = 9). One study compared a range of vaccine components and doses. Nearly two-thirds of all studies controlled for age, and nearly half for comorbidities, region, and sex. Assessment of 12 studies presenting both absolute and relative effect estimates suggested proportionality in the effects, resulting in implications for the interpretation of rVE effects. Conclusions: Approaches to rVE evaluation in practice is highly varied, with improvements in reporting required in many cases. Extensive consideration of methodologic issues relating to rVE is needed, including the stability of estimates and the impact of confounding structure on the validity of rVE estimates. View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Decreased overall survival in patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer receiving definitive radiotherapy and concurrent cetuximab: National Cancer Database analysis

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Decreased overall survival in patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer receiving definitive radiotherapy and concurrent cetuximab: National Cancer Database analysis Via Head & Neck Abstract Background Recently, randomized trials have questioned the efficacy of cetuximab-based bioradiotherapy compared to chemoradiation for patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx, larynx, and hypopharynx (HNSCC). We compared the OS of patients treated with radiotherapy alone (RTonly), chemoradiotherapy (chemoRT), and bioradiotherapy (cetuxRT). Methods Patients with stage III–IVB HNSCC treated with RTonly, chemoRT, or cetuxRT were identified in the National Cancer Database. OS was estimated using Cox proportional hazards. Analyses were conducted on the overall cohort and propensity matched cohorts. Results 31 014 patients were treated with RTonly (22%), chemoRT (72%), or cetuxRT (6%) from 2013 to 2016. The 2-year OS was 69% for RTonly, 79% for chemoRT, and 66% for cetuxRT (p < 0.001). In the overall and propensity-matched cohorts, chemoRT and RTonly were associated with improved OS as compared to cetuxRT (p ≤ 0.001). Conclusion Compared to chemoRT or RTonly, cetuxRT is associated with decreased OS for patients with HNSCC, suggesting minimal benefit of bioradiotherapy in this population. View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Racial and rural–urban disparities in cardiovascular risk factors among patients with head and neck cancer in a clinical cohort

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Racial and rural–urban disparities in cardiovascular risk factors among patients with head and neck cancer in a clinical cohort Via Head & Neck Abstract Background Evidence on distribution of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is limited. We assessed disparities in prevalence and incidence of CVD risk factors in patients with HNSCC. Methods Electronic health records (EHR) data on 2262 patients with HNSCC diagnosed between 2012 and 2018 at a NCI-designated cancer center were included. Prevalence of CVD risk factors at baseline and incidence at 1-year post HNSCC diagnosis were assessed using logistic and robust Poisson regression, respectively. Results At baseline, 31.72% white patients with HNSCC had dyslipidemia, compared to 24.29% blacks (p < 0.008); diabetes was more prevalent in blacks (p < 0.027). Odds of ≥1 prevalent CVD clinical risk factor at baseline was lower in blacks (OR, 95%CI: 0.71, 0.54–0.93) and in rural patients (OR, 95%CI: 0.70, 0.58–0.85). At 1 year, risk of incident diabetes was higher in rural patients (RR, 95%CI: 1.63, 1.21–2.19). Conclusions Demographic disparities were observed in distribution of CVD risk factors in patients with HNSCC. View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Efficacy, safety and prognostic factors of camrelizumab plus carboplatin and pemetrexed chemotherapy in advanced lung adenocarcinoma patients

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Efficacy, safety and prognostic factors of camrelizumab plus carboplatin and pemetrexed chemotherapy in advanced lung adenocarcinoma patients Via Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics Of 51 advanced lung adenocarcinoma patients with negative driver genes who received camrelizumab plus CP chemotherapy were recruited. Patients received 4 cycles of camrelizumab plus CP chemotherapy in a 21-day cycle. Then, camrelizumab, pemetrexed or camrelizumab plus pemetrexed was administered as maintenance therapy. The ORR and DCR were 58.8% and 78.4%, separately. The median PFS was 10.5 months (95%CI: 8.4–12.6 months) with 1-year PFS rate of 36.3% and 2-year PFS rate of 7.5%. Moreover, the median OS was 18.7 months (95%CI: 16.4–21.0 months) with 1-year OS rate of 79.1% and 2-year OS rate of 30.4%. Regarding safety, the commonly observed adverse events were mild and manageable. Abstract What is known and objective Camrelizumab is a recently developed PD-1 inhibitor in China applied in treating different cancers including lung cancer. This study is designed to evaluate the efficacy, safety and prognostic factors for camrelizumab plus carboplatin and pemetrexed (CP) chemotherapy in treating patients with advanced lung adenocarcinoma. Methods Of 51 advanced lung adenocarcinoma patients with negative driver genes who received camrelizumab plus CP chemotherapy were recruited. These patients received four cycles of camrelizumab plus CP chemotherapy in a 21-day cycle. Then, camrelizumab, pemetrexed or camrelizumab plus pemetrexed was administered as maintenance therapy. Results and discussion The rates of complete response, partial response, stable disease and progressive disease were 2.0%, 56.8%, 19.6% and 5.9%, respectively; while treatment response of 15.7% of patients was missing or not evaluable. The objective response and disease control rates were 58.8% and 78.4%, respectively. With a median follow-up period of 14.9 months (the follow-up duration ranged from 3.9 months to 24.3 months), 41 (83.4%) cases of disease progression and 22 (43.1%) cases of death were recorded. The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 10.5 months (95% confidence interval (CI): 8.4–12.6 months) with a 1-year PFS rate of 36.3% and a 2-year PFS rate of 7.5%. In addition, the median overall survival (OS) was 18.7 months (95% CI: 16.4–21.0 months) with a 1-year OS rate of 79.1% and a 2-year OS rate of 30.4%. In consideration of safety, the most frequent adverse events were peripheral neuropathy (37.3%), neutropenia (37.3%), alopecia (35.3%), etc. a nd most of them were grade 1–2 and could be controlled. What is new and Conclusion Camrelizumab plus CP chemotherapy achieves favourable efficacy and tolerable adverse events in advanced lung adenocarcinoma patients. View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Fluorescent Carbon Dot-Supported Imaging-Based Biomedicine: A Comprehensive Review

alkiviadis.1961 shared this article with you from Inoreader Fluorescent Carbon Dot-Supported Imaging-Based Biomedicine: A Comprehensive Review Via Hindawi Publishing Corporation Carbon dots (CDs) provide distinctive advantages of strong fluorescence, good photostability, high water solubility, and outstanding biocompatibility, and thus are widely exploited as potential imaging agents for in vitro and in vivo bioimaging. Imaging is absolutely necessary when discovering the structure and function of cells, detecting biomarkers in diagnosis, tracking the progress of ongoing disease, treating various tumors, and monitoring therapeutic efficacy, making it an important approach in modern biomedicine. Numerous investigations of CDs have been intensively studied for utilization in bioimaging-supported medical sciences. However, there is still no article highlighting the potential importance of CD-based bioimaging to support various biomedical applications. Herein, we summarize t he development of CDs as fluorescence (FL) nanoprobes with different FL colors for potential bioimaging-based applications in living cells, tissue, and organisms, including the bioimaging of various cell types and targets, bioimaging-supported sensing of metal ions and biomolecules, and FL imaging-guided tumor therapy. Current CD-based microscopic techniques and their advantages are also highlighted. This review discusses the significance of advanced CD-supported imaging-based in vitro and in vivo investigations, suggests the potential of CD-based imaging for biomedicine, and encourages the effective selection and development of superior probes and platforms for further biomedical applications. View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Actinomyces Acute Rhinosinusitis Complicated by Subperiosteal Abscess in an Immunocompromised 12-Year-Old: Case Report and Literature Review

alkiviadis.1961 shared this article with you from Inoreader Actinomyces Acute Rhinosinusitis Complicated by Subperiosteal Abscess in an Immunocompromised 12-Year-Old: Case Report and Literature Review Via Hindawi Publishing Corporation Objective. To describe a rare case of pediatric actinomycotic rhinosinusitis with orbital subperiosteal abscess and review the current literature to assess methods of diagnosis, treatment modalities, and outcomes with appropriate treatment. Methods. A case report and a review of the literature. Results. A 12-year-old patient with Crohn's disease on infliximab presented with rhinosinusitis with orbital subperiosteal abscess formation. Endoscopic sinus surgery was performed and cultures grew actinomyces. A prolonged course of antibiotics was started, resulting in the complete resolution of the infection. In a literature review, all cases of uncomplicated and complicated actinomyces rhinosinusitis managed with appropriate surgery and prolonged antibiotics resulted in a cure. Our case is the first reported in a pediatric patient and the first taking immunosuppressive medication. Overall, only 3 cases of actinomyces rhinosinusitis in immunosuppressed individuals have been reported, each with uncontrolled diabetes and each also responded well to surgery and appropriate antibiotics. Conclusion. Actinomycosis of the paranasal sinuses poses a diagnostic challenge, with infections varying widely in presentation and extent of disease. A high index of suspicion, appropriate testing, and early aggressive treatment are critical in managing patients with this infection. Our case and prior published studies show that actinomyces rhinosinusitis can be successfully managed with endoscopic sinus surgery, abscess drainage as necessary, and a prolonged course of antibiotics, even in immunocompromised and pediatric populations. View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.