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Purpose Elective neck dissection (END) is a common primary treatment strategy for oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (OTSCC), although uncertainty remains regarding the necessary extent of END for strictly unilateral early stage OTSCC. The authors evaluated two END variations, unilateral and bilateral, to determine the optimal extent. Materials and methods A retrospective cohort study was performed on patient data from two departments of oral and maxillofacial surgery. All previously untreated patients from both clinics who were diagnosed with early-stage (pT1-2) unilateral OTSCC were included. The following variables were collected: age, gender, END type/extent, tumor localization, later nodal metastasis, and TNM status. Statistical analyses were performed (p < 0.05). Results A total of 150 patients were identified, 105 receiving unilateral END and 45 bilateral END. The rates of postoperative positive lymph nodes were 21.9% for ipsilateral END and 26.7% for bilateral END (bilateral END: all positive nodes ipsilateral). In all, 14 patients in the ipsilateral group developed nodal metastasis during tumor aftercare (11 patients ipsilateral, 3 patients contralateral neck). In the bilateral group, nodal metastasis was later observed in 4 cases (8.9%; 3 cases ipsilateral, 1 case contralateral neck). Statistical analysis could not detect significant differences between the END procedures. Conclusion As both procedures lead to similar results in preventing or omitting possible later nodal metastasis, the two methods seem to be valuable alternatives. In conclusion, we recommend bilateral END because of advantages with regard to oncologic safety and esthetic outcome, but the decision for END should always be according to the patient's general health status, comorbidities, and individual tumor risk profile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Dementia poses a substantial economic burden on society. Knowing which factors predict high costs in dementia may help to better target interventions and optimize resource allocation. This study aimed to identify predictors of the total societal costs in dementia patients and their informal caregivers.Design: Prospective cohort study with 2-year follow up.Setting and Participants: 192 community-dwelling patients with dementia and their primary informal caregivers in the Netherlands.Measurements: Data on health care resource utilization, informal carer time and caregivers' work absenteeism were collected by cost diaries and interviews. Predictors of total costs were identified for patient-caregiver dyads, and for patients and informal caregivers separately by performing univariate and multivariate generalized linear models.Results: Societal costs of patient-caregiver dyads averaged €75,084 (SEM: €4,263) in the first year and €99,369 (SEM: €6,441) in the second year. Sixty percent was attributed to costs of informal care. Patient impairments in activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), disruptions during daily activities of the caregiver, and receiving case management were significantly associated with higher costs in dyads. The same predictors remained significant for patients' costs separately, and for informal caregivers, a poorer caregiver's quality of life and having more chronic diseases determined higher costs.Conclusions: The societal costs of dementia are substantial and mainly due to high costs of informal care. The burden for caregivers caused by a disrupted schedule and patients' ADL and IADL dependencies contributed most to the total costs. Interventions targeting these factors effectively might result in relevant economic benefits for society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• MS was associated with higher incidence of heart failure and myocardial infarction. • The associations were stronger in women and in younger persons. • A lower incidence of atrial fibrillation among pwMS might be caused by confounding. • No associations were found between multiple sclerosis and other heart diseases. • Included studies yielded high risk of bias and the certainty of evidence was low. Observational studies have described associations between multiple sclerosis (MS) and heart diseases, but the results were mixed. Medline, Embase, and Cochrane CENTRAL were searched up to 5 October 2020 according to a protocol (PROSPERO registration number CRD42020184493). We included longitudinal non-randomized studies of exposure comparing the incidence of acquired heart diseases between people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS) and people without multiple sclerosis. We used ROBINS-E and the GRADE approach to assess risk of bias and the certainty of evidence, respectively. Data were pooled using random-effect models. Of 5,159 studies, nine studies met the inclusion criteria. MS was associated with an increased risk for myocardial infarction (HR 1.6, 95% CI 1.2 to 2.0, I2 86%, n = 1,209,079) and heart failure (HR 1.7, 95% CI 1.3 to 2.2, I2 49%, n = 489,814). The associations were more pronounced among women and younger people in subgroup analyses. We found no difference for ischemic heart disease (HR 1.0, 95% CI 0.8 to 1.4, I2 86%, n = 679,378) and bradycardia (HR 1.5, 95% CI 0.4 to 5.0, I2 50%, n = 187,810). The risk of atrial fibrillation was lower in pwMS (HR 0.7, 95% CI 0.6 to 0.8, I2 0%, n = 354,070), but the risk of bias was high, and the certainty of evidence was rated as very low. One study found more cases of infectious endocarditis among pwMS (HR 1.2, 95% CI 1.0 to 1.4, n = 83,712). Myocardial infarction and heart failure should be considered in people with multiple sclerosis during follow-up examinations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Bicuspid aortic valve anatomy is associated with ascending aortic aneurysm in approximately 50% of individuals and may lead to severe aortic regurgitation with aortic dilatation. Both entities may be treated by valve repair and root remodeling. The objective was to review the cumulative experience of 20 years. Methods Between November 1995 and December 2015, 357 patients (324 male; age 10-80 years; mean, 49 ± 13 years) underwent combined bicuspid aortic valve repair and root remodeling. Aortic regurgitation was relevant in 265 cases; the main indications for surgery were aortic regurgitation (n = 241), aortic aneurysm (n = 102), and acute dissection (n = 9). In 225 instances, a suture annuloplasty was added. Cusp calcification was present beyond the raphe in 52 cases, and an autologous pericardial patch was implanted for partial cusp replacement in 39 cases. All patients were followed. Follow-up was 97.8% complete with a mean of 57 ± 51 months (median, 39 months). Results Two patients died (hospital mortality 0.6%), and survival at 15 years was 81%. Reoperation became necessary for recurrent aortic regurgitation in 24 patients; 6 patients underwent reoperation for stenosis. Cumulative incidence of reoperation at 15 years was 21.7%. Cusp calcification and the use of a pericardial patch for cusp reconstruction were associated with time to reoperation ( P = .002). Conclusions Repair of the bicuspid aortic valve combined with root remodeling leads to excellent 10- and 15-year results. Cusp calcification and the need for partial cusp replacement are associated with valve failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]