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Summary Background Scalp wounds pose reconstructive challenges due to the lack of skin elasticity, potential for compromised adjacent tissue, and desire for the restoration of esthetic contour. Bilayer Wound Matrix (BWM) has been successfully employed as a treatment modality for complex, full-thickness wounds of the scalp. We aimed to highlight risk factors for BWM success and failure in complex wounds of the scalp. Methods A retrospective case-control study was performed from 2012 to 2019 of adult subjects who presented to plastic or dermatological surgery with complex scalp defects with or without exposed calvarium, who underwent staged reconstruction with BWM and split-thickness skin grafting or secondary intention. Success was defined as complete wound re-epithelialization within 90-day follow-up without additional operative procedures for wound coverage. Demographics, comorbidities, treatment history, wound characteristics, and clinical course were analyzed and correlated with reconstructive outcomes. Results In total, 127 subjects were identified for inclusion, with mean age 74.6 ± 12.2 years, defect area 80.2 ± 89.4 cm2, and wound age 10.0 ± 65.4 days. Successful wound reconstruction occurred in 107 (84%) subjects. Postoperative wound infections were an independent predictor of BWM failure at 90 days (Odds Ratio: 6.4, 95% Confidence Interval: 1.5 – 26.7, and p Conclusion BWM represents a reliable and efficacious modality in the treatment of complex scalp wounds. Patient comorbidities may not heavily influence the success of BWM to establish adequate wound coverage; however, preoperative radiation and postoperative wound infection may often lead to reconstructive failure.

The therapeutic potential of IgM-enriched immunoglobulin preparations (IgGAM) in sepsis remains a field of debate. The use of polyclonal immunoglobulins as adjuvant therapy (Esen & Tugrul, 2009; Kaukonen et al., 2014; Molnar et al., 2013; Taccone et al., 2009) has been shown to improve clinical outcomes in terms of mortality. This study analyze the impact of IgM-enriched IgG (IgGM) as additional immunomodulation. Patients and methods: This is a retrospective registry of 1196 patients with severe sepsis and septic shock from nine Intensive Care Units in Colombia, from routine clinical practice; 220 patients treated with IgGAM were registered. Fully matched comparators for severity and type of infection selected among patients non-treated with IgGAM. Mortality after 28 days was 30.5% among IgGAM-treated patients and 40.5% among matched comparators. Results: Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed IgGAM treatment to be the only variable protective from death after 28 days (hazard ratio 0.62; 0.45–0.86; p: 0.004). Results reinforce the importance of IgGAM treatment for favorable outcome after septic shock and are in line with recent published meta-analyses. This study showed that treatment with IgGM in patients with sepsis was an independent modulator of the 28-day associated with a lower mortality.

AIMS: Antihypertensive drugs have been implicated in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) susceptibility and severity, but estimated associations may be susceptible to bias. We aimed to evaluate antihypertensive medications and COVID-19 diagnosis and mortality, accounting for healthcare-seeking behaviour. METHODS: A population-based case-control study was conducted including 16 866 COVID-19 cases and 70 137 matched controls from the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink. We evaluated all-cause mortality among COVID-19 cases. Exposures were angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs), angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), beta-blockers (B), calcium-channel blockers (C), thiazide diuretics (D) and other antihypertensive drugs (O). Analyses were adjusted for covariates and consultation frequency. RESULTS: ACEIs were associated with lower odds of COVID-19 diagnosis (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 0.82, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.77-0.88) as were ARBs (AOR 0.87, 95% CI 0.80-0.95) with little attenuation from adjustment for consultation frequency. C and D were also associated with lower odds of COVID-19 diagnosis. Increased odds of COVID-19 for B (AOR 1.19, 95% CI 1.12-1.26) were attenuated after adjustment for consultation frequency (AOR 1.01, 95% CI 0.95-1.08). Patients treated with ACEIs or ARBs had similar odds of mortality (AOR 1.00, 95% CI 0.83-1.20) to patients treated with classes B, C, D or O or patients receiving no antihypertensive therapy (AOR 0.99, 95% CI 0.83-1.18). CONCLUSIONS: There was no evidence that antihypertensive therapy is associated with increased risk of COVID-19 diagnosis or mortality; most classes of antihypertensive therapy showed negative associations with COVID-19 diagnosis.

Background Choledochoduodenostomy (CD) is believed to cause certain long-term complications, such as sump syndrome and reflux gastritis. Therefore, CD is considered inferior to a Roux-and-Y hepaticojejunostomy (HJ). The aim of this study was to compare short- and long-term outcomes following CD and HJ for benign biliary diseases. Methods This was a retrospective, matched case-control study of patients undergoing biliary-digestive anastomosis for benign diseases between 2000 and 2016 in a tertiary centre. Patients undergoing CD and HJ were matched 1:1 based on age, sex, ASA-classification, indication, history of abdominal surgery or acute cholecystitis/pancreatitis. Short- and long-term outcomes were compared. Results Of 336 patients undergoing biliary-digestive anastomoses, 27 patients underwent CD. Matching resulted in two comparable groups of 26 patients each. Overall morbidity after HJ and CD was comparable: 30.8% versus 26.9% (p>0.999). Long-term complications occurred in 23.1% after HJ, and in 50% after CD (p=0.118). After CD, 2 patients (7.7%) developed sump syndrome. Both patients with an anastomotic stricture after HJ could be managed by endoscopic/radiological re-intervention, whilst all six patients with a stricture after CD required surgical re-intervention (p=0.016). Conclusion Although short-term complications were comparable, the number of anastomotic strictures was higher in patients undergoing CD. We therefore conclude that HJ is the biliary bypass of choice while CD should be performed in selected patients only.

(1) To identify factors associated with severe dysfunctional larynx leading to total laryngectomy after curative treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and (2) to describe swallowing and voice outcomes.Retrospective single-institution case-control study.Tertiary care referral center.A 10-year chart review was performed for patients who had previously undergone radiation or chemoradiation for head and neck mucosal squamous cell carcinoma and planned to undergo total laryngectomy for dysfunctional larynx, as well as a control group of matched patients. Controls were patients who had undergone radiation or chemoradiation for mucosal squamous cell carcinoma but did not have severe dysfunction warranting laryngectomy; these were matched to cases by tumor subsite, T stage, and time from last treatment to video swallow study. Main outcomes assessed were postoperative diet, alaryngeal voice, pharyngeal dilations, and complications.Twenty-six patients were scheduled for laryngectomy for dysfunctional larynx, of which 23 underwent surgery. Originally treated tumor subsites included the larynx, oropharynx, hypopharynx, oral cavity, and a tumor of unknown origin. The median time from end of cancer treatment to laryngectomy was 11.5 years. All cases were feeding tube or tracheostomy dependent or both prior to laryngectomy. As compared with matched controls, cases were significantly less likely to have undergone IMRT (intensity-modified radiotherapy) and more likely to have pulmonary comorbidities. Eighty-nine percent of cases with follow-up achieved functional alaryngeal voice, and all were able to have oral intake.Non-IMRT approaches and pulmonary comorbidities are associated with laryngectomy for dysfunction after radiation or chemoradiation.

Purpose With the advancement of extended endonasal approaches, the ability to surgically reach parasellar tumor extensions increase. The aim of the study was to propose an optimized imaging protocol for surgical guidance in the cavernous sinus (CS) for proper visualization structures at risk. Methods Prospective case control analysis of 20 consecutive pituitary adenoma patients scheduled for endoscopic transnasal surgery. Assessment of the capability of three different MRI sequences (MPRAGE, VIBE, CISS) by 4 investigators to correctly visualize sellar and parasellar structures. Invasiveness and position of the normal pituitary gland were compared with the intraoperative findings. Results The consensus between the 4 examiners to achieve the same results for all modalities was 40% for MPRAGE, 70% for VIBE and 60% for CISS sequences (p = 0.155). A consensus of Knosp Grade per patient was 80% for MPRAGE, 100% for VIBE and 90% for CISS (overall kappa 0.60). A higher Knosp Grade was found in MPRAGE sequences compared to the other sequences. Intraoperative status of invasiveness was correctly identified in 12/20 (60%) with MPRAGE, 19/20 (95%) with VIBE and 11/20 (55%) with CISS sequences. The position of the normal pituitary gland was most frequent evaluable in 15/20 (75%) and correctly identified in 12/15 (80%) cases. Conclusion Our data showed that VIBE sequences obtain the highest degree of consensus with intraoperative findings of invasiveness and position of the normal pituitary gland. VIBE sequences, due to their high spatial resolution and at the same time fast image acquisition could provide improved imaging for neuronavigation.

Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major health problem in the United States and breast cancer is the second most common cancer in US women. Despite these prevalent diseases, there is limited information available on the effects of a concurrent HCV infection among breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy and the problems they face during their treatment. There are limited guidelines for chemotherapy treatment in HCV positive breast cancer patients. Methods: We performed a retrospective 2:1 matched case control analysis on breast cancer patients with a confirmed active HCV infection who received chemotherapy at Boston Medical Center between January 2000 and April 2015. Cases with HCV infection (n=6) were matched with controls (n=12) who were HCV negative. The controls were matched on age (decade) of diagnosis, stage of breast cancer, and intended chemotherapy regimen. We investigated dose delays, dose changes, hospitalization, hematologic reasons for dose delays, and variation in blood counts during the treatment period in these patients from their medical records. Statistical analysis was done using R version 3.4.0 to compare these outcomes of interest between the two groups. Fisher’s exact and Wilcoxon rank sum tests were used to compare the categorical and continuous variables respectively. Results: The HCV positive group was at a significantly higher risk of dose delays (100% vs. 33%, p = 0.01), dose changes (67% vs. 8%, p = 0.02), and hospitalization during chemotherapy (83% vs. 25%, p = 0.04) than their HCV matched controls. The risk of getting a dose delay due to hematotoxicity was significantly higher in the HCV positive group than the HCV negative group (83% vs. 8%, p = 0.003). The HCV positive patients took longer time to complete their treatment cycles than the HCV negative group. Conclusions: Chronic HCV infection in breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy may be complicated by their active HCV infection. Treatment challenges due to dose changes, dose delays and hospitalizations were significantly more common when compared to controls. Chemotherapy delays and dose changes during breast cancer treatment has a negative consequence. In the era of curative treatment for HCV, future studies focused on the effect and treatment of concurrent HCV and breast cancer treatment is warranted. Citation Format: Saptaparni Ghosh, Minghua L Chen, Janice Weinberg, Naomi Y Ko. Effects of hepatitis C virus infection on the safety of chemotherapy for breast cancer patients: A retrospective chart analysis [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2019 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2019 Dec 10-14; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P4-14-12.

Aim A “Floating Hip” injury describes a simultaneous ipsilateral fracture of the femur and pelvis. We performed a descriptive study of the injury patterns, management, and outcomes of floating hip patients, and compared these patients to those with similar pelvic fractures without femoral involvement. Method This was a retrospective case-series review with secondary case-control analysis. Medical records of patients presenting with a floating hip injury to our tertiary orthopaedics department between 2015 and 2020 were reviewed. The control group comprised of patients with pelvic fractures but without associated femoral fractures, matched by age, sex, pelvic fracture classification, and mechanism of injury. Results 46 Floating Hip cases were identified (34 males), of average age 39 (15-86) years. 20 had acetabular fractures, 21 had pelvic ring fractures and 5 had both fractures, concomitant with ipsilateral femoral fractures. The most common site of femoral fracture was mid-shaft (21.7%), followed by distal (19.6%). 69.6% of P/A fractures were managed surgically, with ORIF (43%) the most common option. 4 (12.50%) patients suffered complications, including 2 infections and 1 DVT. Compared to controls, Floating Hip patients were more likely to require surgical management (67.6% vs 47.8%, p = 0.03), and had higher rates of surgical complications (12.5% vs 4.6%), though not statistically significant (p = 0.3). Conclusions Our study describes the patterns, management, and outcomes of Floating Hip injuries, and observes differences in the management and complications compared to similar pelvic fractures without femoral involvement. These findings suggest Floating Hip cases may warrant consideration as a distinct injury pattern.

Objective We investigated the incidence, predictor variables, clinical characteristics, and stroke outcomes in patients with COVID-19 seen in emergency departments (EDs) before hospitalization. Methods We retrospectively reviewed all COVID-19 patients diagnosed with stroke during the COVID-19 outbreak in 62 Spanish EDs. We formed two control groups: COVID-19 patients without stroke (control A) and non-COVID-19 patients with stroke (control B). We compared disease characteristics and four outcomes between cases and controls. Results We identified 147 strokes in 74,814 patients with COVID-19 seen in EDs (1.96 parts per thousand, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.66 parts per thousand to 2.31 parts per thousand), being lower than in non-COVID-19 patients (6,541/1,388,879, 4.71 parts per thousand, 95% CI = 4.60 parts per thousand to 4.83 parts per thousand; odds ratio [OR] = 0.42, 95% CI = 0.35 to 0.49). The estimated that standardized incidences of stroke per 100,000 individuals per year were 124 and 133 for COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 individuals, respectively (OR = 0.93 for COVID patients, 95% CI = 0.87 to 0.99). Baseline characteristics associated with a higher risk of stroke in COVID-19 patients were hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and previous cerebrovascular and coronary diseases. Clinically, these patients more frequently presented with confusion, decreased consciousness, and syncope and higher D-dimer concentrations and leukocyte count at ED arrival. After adjustment for age and sex, the case group had higher hospitalization and intensive care unit (ICU) admission rates (but not mortality) than COVID-19 controls without stroke (OR = 3.41, 95% CI = 1.27 to 9.16; and OR = 3.79, 95% CI = 1.69 to 8.50, respectively) and longer hospitalization and greater in-hospital mortality than stroke controls without COVID-19 (OR = 1.55, 95% CI = 1.24 to 1.94; and OR = 1.77, 95% CI = 1.37 to 2.30, respectively). Conclusions The incidence of stroke in COVID-19 patients presenting to EDs was lower than that in the non-COVID-19 reference sample. COVID-19 patients with stroke had greater need for hospitalization and ICU admission than those without stroke and longer hospitalization and greater in-hospital mortality than non-COVID-19 patients with stroke.

Anemia is a common condition in cancer patients and is associated with a wide variety of symptoms that impair quality of life (QoL). However, exactly how anemia affects QoL in cancer patients is unclear because of the inconsistencies in its definition in previous reports. We aimed to examine the clinical impact of anemia on the QoL of cancer patients using specific questionnaires. We performed a post-hoc analysis of a multicenter, prospective, case-control study. We included patients with cancer with (cases) or without (controls) anemia. Participants completed the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life questionnaire version 3.0 (EORTC QLQ-C30) and Euro QoL 5-dimension 3-level (EQ−5D−3L) questionnaire. Statistically significant and clinically relevant differences in the global health status were examined. From 2015 to 2018, 365 patients were included (90 cases and 275 controls). We found minimally important differences in global health status according to the EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire (case vs. controls: 45.6 vs. 58%, respectively, mean difference: −12.4, p &lt, 0.001). Regarding symptoms, cancer patients with anemia had more pronounced symptoms in six out of nine scales in comparison with those without anemia. In conclusion, cancer patients with anemia had a worse QoL both clinically and statistically.

In a retrospective case control analysis, following adjustments for high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), traditional cardiovascular risk factors, and the CD4/CD8 T-cell ratio, higher lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP) was associated with future myocardial infarctions in hsCRP human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). LBP may be a marker of cardiovascular risk with utility in HIV.

BACKGROUND Contact sensitization in children is increasing. The offending allergens differ depending on patient age and sex. We aimed to determine the sensitization profiles in children (aged 6-12) and adolescents (aged 13-18), to compare these to a control group of adults (aged 60-66), and to evaluate differences in sensitization patterns between working and non-working adolescents. PATIENTS/MATERIALS/METHODS We analyzed Information Network of Departments of Dermatology (IVDK) data from 2009 to 2016 using multiple logistic regression analysis. Of the 99 082 patients documented in the IVDK database, 591 children, 2451 adolescents and 12 122 adults were included in further analysis. RESULTS Nickel was the most frequent contact allergen among all age-groups. Children and adolescents showed significantly lower reaction rates to fragrance mix, methyldibromo-glutaronitrile, methylisothiazolinone, and propolis than adults. Positive reactions to sorbitan sesquioleate and mercapto mix among children and to cobalt among adolescents were significantly more frequent than in adults. Working adolescents had more often positive reactions to methyl(chloro)isothiazolinone (skin lesions predominantly on hands) and paraben mix (skin lesions predominantly on feet) when compared to non-working peers. Patch-tested children were more often diagnosed with atopic dermatitis than adults (P

The purpose of this study was to compare paraspinal muscle mass between patients with and without adjacent segment disease (ASD) after lumbar fusion.Fifty patients with ASD (mean age, 61.4 years; ratio of male to female patients: 13:37; mean body mass index [BMI; weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters], 25.1) were matched to 50 control patients on the basis of age, sex, BMI, and fusion segment. The total cross-sectional area (CSA) and functional CSA (FCSA; i.e., the area containing lean muscle tissue only) of the paraspinal muscle group (the multifidus and erector spinae muscles) and the psoas muscles were measured on preoperative MRI. The ratio of the FCSA to the total CSA and the skeletal muscle index (SMI; calculated as muscle area [expressed as centimeters squared] divided by the square of the patient's height in meters]) were calculated and compared between the two groups with use of the independent-sample t test.The mean FCSA (2178.6 mmPatients with ASD had smaller lean muscle mass (FCSA), a lower ratio of FCSA to total CSA, and a lower SMI of the FCSA of the paraspinal muscle group on pre-operative MRI, compared with control patients.

Aim: Thyroid-stimulating hormone (thyrotropin, TSH) stimulates the thyroid gland to produce metabolism-stimulating hormones (thyroxine and triiodothyronine). Changes in thyroid function can affect mood and trigger mood swings, anxiety or depressive symptoms. The aim of the study was to determine the differences in serum TSH level between elderly patients with unipolar depression and non-depressed elderly patients based on a case–control analysis. Methods: Serum level of TSH was measured in depressed Caucasian in-patients aged ≥60 and age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Results: In depressed patients mean serum TSH levels in the study groups were higher (1.44 ± 1.23 vs. 2.00 ± 1.70 μIU/mL, p < 0.001). TSH levels were lower in depressed than non-depressed women (1.45 ± 1.19 vs. 2.06 ± 1.70 μIU/mL, p < 0.001). The overall rate of being below the low level of TSH (set at 0.8 μIU/mL) was 12.0% for depressed patients and 8.8% for healthy controls. No correlations were found between TSH level and age. Conclusions: Elderly patients (especially women) with depression have decreased TSH levels, and hyperthyroidism may be more frequent in this clinical subpopulation.

Purpose The aim of this study was to investigate the association of telomere length with breast cancer risk. We simultaneously explored the association between telomerase reverse transcriptase gene polymorphisms and telomere length. Methods We used real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction to measure relative telomere length (RTL) in genomic DNA extracted from peripheral blood from 183 breast cancer cases and 191 healthy controls. Genotyping was performed using the Sequenom MassARRAY platform. Results Our results show that breast cancer patients had significantly shorter RTLs than control subjects (p40 years (OR, 2.41; 95% CI, 1.31–4.43; p=0.005), body mass index ≤24 kg/m2 (OR, 2.81; 95% CI, 1.55–5.10; p=0.001), and postmenopausal women (OR, 3.94; 95% CI, 1.63–9.51; p=0.002), respectively. In addition, individuals with the AA genotype of rs2853677 have longer telomeres than those of breast cancer patients with the AG genotype (p=0.011). Conclusion Our results suggest that shorter RTL was associated with an increased risk of breast cancer. An association was found between the AA genotype of rs2853677 and longer RTLs in the case group. Functional studies are warranted to validate this association and further investigate our findings.

Psoriasis is an auto-immune skin disorder, exhibited by silvery scales and associated sometimes with itching and pain...

In human medicine, infections caused by third-generation cephalosporin-resistant Enterobacterales (3GCRE) are associated with detrimental outcomes. In veterinary medicine, controlled epidemiological analyses are lacking. A matched case–case–control investigation (1:1:1 ratio) was conducted in a large veterinary hospital (2017–2019). In total, 29 infected horses and donkeys were matched to 29 animals with third-generation cephalosporin-susceptible Enterobacterales (3GCSE) infections, and 29 uninfected controls (overall n = 87). Despite multiple significant associations per bivariable analyses, the only independent predictor for 3GCRE infection was recent exposure to antibiotics (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 104, p &lt, 0.001), but this was also an independent predictor for 3GCSE infection (aOR = 22, p &lt, 0.001), though the correlation with 3GCRE was significantly stronger (aOR = 9.3, p = 0.04). In separated multivariable outcome models, 3GCRE infections were independently associated with reduced clinical cure rates (aOR = 6.84, p = 0.003) and with 90 days mortality (aOR = 3.6, p = 0.003). Klebsiella spp. were the most common 3GCRE (36%), and blaCTX-M-1 was the major β-lactamase (79%). Polyclonality and multiple sequence types were evident among all Enterobacterales (e.g., Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Enterobacter cloacae). The study substantiates the significance of 3GCRE infections in equine medicine, and their independent detrimental impact on cure rates and mortality. Multiple Enterobacterales genera, subtypes, clones and mechanisms of resistance are prevalent among horses and donkeys with 3GCRE infections.

Access to quality emergency obstetric and newborn care (EmONC); having a skilled attendant at birth (SBA); adequate antenatal care; and efficient referral systems are considered the most effective interventions in preventing stillbirths. We determined the influence of travel time from mother’s area of residence to a tertiary health facility where women sought care on the likelihood of delivering a stillbirth. We carried out a prospective matched case-control study between 1st January 2019 and 31st December 2019 at the Federal Teaching Hospital Gombe (FTHG), Nigeria. All women who experienced a stillbirth after hospital admission during the study period were included as cases while controls were consecutive age-matched (ratio 1:1) women who experienced a live birth. We modelled travel time to health facilities. To determine how travel time to the nearest health facility and the FTHG were predictive of the likelihood of stillbirths, we fitted a conditional logistic regression model. A total of 318 women, including 159 who had stillborn babies (cases) and 159 age-matched women who had live births (controls) were included. We did not observe any significant difference in the mean travel time to the nearest government health facility for women who had experienced a stillbirth compared to those who had a live birth [9.3 mins (SD 7.3, 11.2) vs 6.9 mins (SD 5.1, 8.7) respectively, p = 0.077]. However, women who experienced a stillbirth had twice the mean travel time of women who had a live birth (26.3 vs 14.5 mins) when measured from their area of residence to the FTHG where deliveries occurred. Women who lived farther than 60 minutes were 12 times more likely of having a stillborn [OR = 12 (1.8, 24.3), p = 0.011] compared to those who lived within 15 minutes travel time to the FTHG. We have shown for the first time, the influence of travel time to a major tertiary referral health facility on the occurrence of stillbirths in an urban city in, northeast Nigeria.

Background: Malaria is still one of the public health problems that can cause death primarily in high-riskgroups. High incidence of malaria caused by unhealthy environment and patterns of Society behavior.Objectives: Assessing the relationship between environmental factors and the society behavior factors withmalaria incidence.Method: This is a case-control study. Samples were taken using sampling purposive with criteria: Age 7-50years and case groups were noted as clinical malaria patients. Data is collected by observing and filling outquestionnaires. Risk factors are analyzed using the Chi-Square test, knowing the risks with the odds ratio.The dominant risk factors were analyzed using binary logistic regression.Results: The variable associated with the malaria incident is ventilation (0,000), 2.5 (1.6-4.1), ceiling(0,015), 1.7 (1.1-2.7), puddles around the house (0,005), 1.9 (1.2-3.0), using of mosquito nets (0,000), 4.1(2.4-6.4) and using mosquito repellent (0.001), 2,2 (1,4-3,5).Conclusion: The proven environmental factors associated with malaria incidents are ventilation, ceilings,and puddles around the house. The Society behavior factor associated with malaria incidents is usingmosquito nets and using mosquito repellent. Proves that the use of mosquito nets is a major risk factor formalaria incidents, with a risk of 4.3 times greater in those who when sleeping at night do not use mosquitonets.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the demographic data, clinical findings, ectopic pregnancy (EP) localization (left or right-sided), and treatments versus clinical presentation of tubal pregnancies (TP) with or without acute abdomen.Pregnants with a diagnosis of TP, selected for acute abdomen or not, were evaluated and compared, concerning EP local-ization (right/left), age, parity, symptoms (menstrual delay, vaginal bleeding, and groin pain), initial β-hCG value, endometrial thickness, presence of rupture, and treatment type (methotrexate and surgery).On a total of 122 pregnants with TP, 32 showed acute abdomen, 45 had a TP located in the right tube and 32 in the left tube. In the acute abdomen group, parity, initial β-hCG level, and endometrial thickness were greater than non-acute abdomen group. In addition to this, the frequency of bleeding complaints, right-sided TP, rupture, and need for surgery were higher, than to the non-acute abdomen group. The frequency of the previous EP and methotrexate treatment was higher in those with the left-sided TP compared to those with the right-sided TP.EP rate, in patients with TP who applied to the emergency department with acute abdominal symptoms, was mostly located in the right tube with greater frequency of salpingectomy in open surgery.

Aim: We examined the effect of diabetes on survival in patients with lymphoma and the effect of lymphoma on glycemic control. Patients & methods: Patients with lymphoma with and without diabetes (2005–2016) were retrospectively identified and matched 1:1. Overall survival and progression-free survival were estimated by the Kaplan–Meier method. Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and glucose levels during the year after cancer diagnosis were compared by mixed models. Results: For patients with diabetes, mean HbA1c during the year after lymphoma diagnosis was 6.7%. Estimated 5-year progression-free survival for patients with versus without diabetes was 63% (95% CI: 53–76%) versus 58% (95% CI: 46–71%) (p = 0.42). Conclusion: Lymphoma and its treatment did not affect glycemic control. Diabetes did not decrease lymphoma-specific survival., Lay abstract This study aimed to determine the effect of diabetes on survival in patients with lymphoma and to assess whether lymphoma and its treatment affect glycemic control. We retrospectively identified 174 patients with lymphoma and matched them 1:1 (by current age, sex and age at lymphoma diagnosis) on the basis of the presence (n = 87) or absence (n = 87) of a diabetes diagnosis. Results suggest that diabetes does not decrease survival in patients with lymphoma and that lymphoma and its treatment do not affect glycemic control.

BACKGROUND: Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a major cause of seafood-borne illness. It is naturally prevalent in brackish waters and accumulates in shellfish. Vibriosis cases are rising globally, likely due to rising temperatures. OBJECTIVES: To identify associations between vibriosis in Washington State and pre-harvest environmental and V. parahaemolyticus genetic measurements sampled from shellfish. METHODS: Successful vibriosis traceback investigations were spatiotemporally matched to routine intertidal oyster (Crassostrea gigas) sampling events, which included measurements of temperature, salinity, and V. parahaemolyticus genetic targets (thermolabile hemolysin: tlh; thermostable direct hemolysin: tdh; thermostable direct-related hemolysin: trh). Unmatched sampling events were treated as controls. Associations were evaluated using logistic regression models. RESULTS: Systematic differences were observed across Washington harvesting zones. These included positive associations between the odds of vibriosis and all three genetic targets in South Puget Sound, with a large odds ratio (OR) = 13.0 (95% CI: 1.5, 115.0) for a 1-log(10) increase in tdh when total bacterium abundance was low (tlh

Funding Acknowledgements No Funding OnBehalf RHYTHM DETECT study group Background A two-incision technique, in association with inter-muscular positioning of the subcutaneous defibrillator (S-ICD), is now the most frequently adopted implantation approach in Europe. Ultrasound-guided serratus anterior plane block (SAPB) has been proposed in order to provide anesthesia/analgesia during S-ICD implantation. Objective We performed a case-control analysis in which a standardized SAPB approach was compared with the typical local anesthesia and sedation approach. Methods 91 consecutive patients underwent implantation of an S-ICD with the SAPB approach for anesthesia/analgesia at 10 centers. The control group consisted of 55 consecutive patients who underwent S-ICD implantation with standard local approach. Results The mean procedure duration was 59 ± 15min in the SAPB group and 76 ± 23min in the control group (p Conclusions SAPB is feasible and effective in providing anesthesia/analgesia during S-ICD implantation. The procedures were successfully accomplished and no complications occurred in either group. However, SAPB was associated with lower pain levels, enabling the need for sedation to be reduced and more patients to remain awake. Moreover, it resulted in shorter procedure durations.

Unplanned reoperations have not been studied extensively in pediatric patients, especially concerning risk factors. We aim to estimate the rate of unplanned reoperations and to determine the associated factors in pediatric general surgical specialties. This analysis included a retrospective case–control study of unplanned reoperations from July 1, 2010 to June 30, 2017 in the general surgical specialties. For each case, we identified approximately 2 randomly selected controls who underwent the same type of operation. The factors involved in the unplanned reoperations were investigated using univariate and multivariate analysis. Of the 3263 patients who underwent surgery, unplanned reoperations were performed in 139 patients (4.3%). The main indications for unplanned reoperations were wound complications (n = 52, 42.6%), followed by postoperative ileus (n = 12, 9.8%), postoperative bleeding (n = 8, 6.6%), and intraabdominal infection (n = 13, 10.7%). Following multivariate analysis, 2 factors remained significantly associated with unplanned reoperation: higher initial surgery-related risk level (P = .007, risk ratio (RR) = 0.48; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.27–0.82) and operation performed outside working hours (P = .031, RR = 0.52; 95% CI = 0.30–0.89). Various patient- and procedure-related factors were associated with unplanned reoperations. This information might be helpful for the optimization of treatment planning and resource allocation.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE:The long-term effects of cancer and cancer treatments on male reproduction over the lifetime have been incompletely elucidated. We hypothesize that men with cancer have l...

As genetic sequencing costs decrease, the lack of clinical interpretation of variants has become the bottleneck in using genetics data. A major rate limiting step in clinical interpretation is the manual curation of evidence in the genetic literature by highly trained biocurators. What makes curation particularly time-consuming is that the curator needs to identify papers that study variant pathogenicity using different types of approaches and evidences-e.g. biochemical assays or case control analysis. In collaboration with the Clinical Genomic Resource (ClinGen)-the flagship NIH program for clinical curation-we propose the first machine learning system, LitGen, that can retrieve papers for a particular variant and filter them by specific evidence types used by curators to assess for pathogenicity. LitGen uses semi-supervised deep learning to predict the type of evi+dence provided by each paper. It is trained on papers annotated by ClinGen curators and systematically evaluated on new test data collected by ClinGen. LitGen further leverages rich human explanations and unlabeled data to gain 7.9%-12.6% relative performance improvement over models learned only on the annotated papers. It is a useful framework to improve clinical variant curation.

Background: Some recent studies have challenged the direction of causality for the association between cannabis use and psychotic disorder, suggesting that cannabis use initiation is explained by common genetic variants associated with risk of schizophrenia. We used data from the European Union Gene-Environment Interaction consortium (EUGEI) case-control study to test for the independent and combined effect of heavy cannabis use, and of Schizophrenia Polygenic risk score (SZ PRS), on risk for psychotic disorder. Methods: Genome-wide data were obtained from 492 first episode psychosis patients (FEPp) and from 787 controls of European Ancestry, and used to generate SZ PRS from the summary results of an independent meta-analysis. Information on pattern of cannabis use was used to build a 7-level frequency-type composite cannabis use measure that we previously found was a strong predictor of psychotic disorder. Results: SZ PRS did not predict cannabis initiation (b=0.027; p=0.51) or how frequently controls (b=0.027; p=0.06) or FEPp (b=0.006; p=0.91) used it, or the type of cannabis they used (Controls: b = 0.032; p=0.31); FEPp: b= 0.005; p=0.89). The frequency-type composite cannabis use measure (OR=1.32; 95% CI 1.22-1.44) and SZ PRS (OR=2.29; 95%CI 1.71-3.05) showed independent effects from each other on the OR for psychotic disorder. Conclusion: SZ PRS does not predict an individual s propensity to try cannabis, frequency of use, or the potency of the cannabis used. Our findings provide the first evidence that SZ PRS and heavy cannabis use exert effects independent from each other on the risk for psychotic disorder.

Background Little is known about differences in the clinical course between patients receiving maintenance dialysis who do and do not withdraw from dialysis therapy. Study Design Case-control analysis. Setting & Participants US patients with Medicare coverage who received maintenance hemodialysis for 1 year or longer in 2008 through 2011. Predictors Comorbid conditions, hospitalizations, skilled nursing facility stays, and a morbidity score based on durable medical equipment claims. Outcome Withdrawal from dialysis therapy. Measurements Rates of medical events, hospitalizations, skilled nursing facility stays, and a morbidity score. Results The analysis included 18,367 (7.7%) patients who withdrew and 220,443 (92.3%) who did not. Patients who withdrew were older (mean age, 75.3±11.5 [SD] vs 66.2±14.1 years) and more likely to be women and of white race, and had higher comorbid condition burdens. The odds of withdrawal among women were 7% (95% CI, 4%-11%) higher than among men. Compared to age 65 to 74 years, age 85 years or older was associated with higher adjusted odds of withdrawal (adjusted OR, 1.61; 95% CI, 1.54-1.68), and age 18 to 44 years with lower adjusted odds (adjusted OR, 0.36; 95% CI, 0.32-0.40). Blacks, Asians, and Hispanics were less likely to withdraw than whites (adjusted ORs of 0.36 [95% CI, 0.35-0.38], 0.47 [95% CI, 0.42-0.53], and 0.46 [95% CI, 0.44-0.49], respectively). A higher durable medical equipment claims-based morbidity score was associated with withdrawal, even after adjustment for traditional comorbid conditions and hospitalization; compared to a score of 0 (lowest presumed morbidity), adjusted ORs of withdrawal were 3.48 (95% CI, 3.29-3.67) for a score of 3 to 4 and 12.10 (95% CI, 11.37-12.87) for a score ≥7. Rates of medical events and institutionalization tended to increase in the months preceding withdrawal, as did morbidity score. Limitations Results may not be generalizable beyond US Medicare patients; people who withdrew less than 1 year after dialysis therapy initiation were not studied. Conclusions Women, older patients, and those of white race were more likely to withdraw from dialysis therapy. The period before withdrawal was characterized by higher rates of medical events and higher levels of morbidity.

Aim: While the effect of antidepressants on platelet functions is relatively well studied, there are few studies comparing platelet parameters, such as platelet count, between elderly patients with unipolar depression and non-depressed elderly subjects. Therefore, the aim of the study was to determine if there are differences in platelet count in elderly patients with unipolar depression (DEP) compared with non-depressed elderly patients (nonDEP) using case-control analysis. Methods: We measured platelet count in 582 (DEP: n = 291, nonDEP: n = 291) Caucasian in-patients aged ≥60. The mean age of the study subjects was 77.2 years, there were 243 (83.5%) women in both study groups. Results: The mean platelet count was significantly (p = 0.02) lower in the DEP group (241.6 ± 82.0) compared with the nonDEP group (263.6 ± 107.2). We also found that platelet count was not correlated with age. Conclusions: Compared with non-depressed controls, elderly patients with depression have decreased number of platelet cells. This, combined with the known effect of antidepressants on platelet agreeability, may translate into an increased risk of bleeding complications in the course of antidepressive treatment in elderly patients. Careful monitoring of platelet parameters is therefore recommended in the clinical population of elderly depressed patients.

Controversy exists as to whether glucocorticoids (GC) are ulcerogenic per se and may thus cause peptic ulcer bleeding (PUB) independent of concomitantly prescribed nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). To investigate the association between GC use and PUB with or without co-medication with NSAIDs. We conducted a case–control study using administrative claims data from the Swiss health insurance company Helsana. We identified 1191 cases with incident PUB between 2012 and 2016 and matched up to 10 PUB-free controls to each case on age, sex, region and number of years insured with Helsana. We compared prior GC exposure between cases and controls using multivariate conditional logistic regression analyses controlling for several potential confounders. Patients with or without concomitant NSAID exposure were analysed separately. Patients with prior exposure to both GC and NSAIDs were five times more likely to experience PUB than patients who neither used GC nor NSAIDs (adjusted odds ratio [adj. OR] 4.80, 95% CI 3.55–6.71). Although the risk of PUB among patients who used NSAIDs without GC was increased threefold (adj. OR 3.20, 95% CI 2.59–3.95), we observed only a moderately increased risk among patients who used GC alone without NSAIDs (adj. OR 1.63, 95% CI 1.20–2.42). The use of NSAIDs with or without GC was associated with a markedly higher risk of PUB compared with GC monotherapy. Use of GC alone was associated with a moderately increased risk of PUB, which might be causal or attributed to confounding by indication.

The role of deep intronic variants in hereditary cancer susceptibility has been largely understudied. Previously, the BRCA2 c.6937 + 594TG variant has been shown to preferentially promote the inclusion of a 95 nucleotide cryptic exon and to introduce a premature termination codon. Our objective was to further assess the pathogenicity of the BRCA2 c.6937 + 594TG deep intronic variant.We examined the association between BRCA2 c.6937 + 594TG and breast cancer (BC) risk in 464 BC cases and 497 noncancer controls from Puerto Rico.The overall frequency of the G allele was 2.1% in this population. There was no association between the TG/GG genotypes and BC risk in the uncorrected model and after correcting for confounders. There was only one carrier of the GG genotype. This individual did not have personal or family history of cancer and did not meet the National Comprehensive Cancer Network criteria for hereditary cancer genetic testing.Although previous work has demonstrated that the BRCA2 c.6937 + 594TG variant affects splicing, this association study does not support a pathogenic role for the BRCA2 c.6937 + 594TG intronic variant in breast and ovarian cancer syndrome susceptibility. Furthermore, it emphasizes the need to take into account multiple diverse populations in association studies for the assessment of variant pathogenicity.

Background: Minimally-invasive approach is one of the mainstays of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) pathways. Robot-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC) introduction has reduced the surgical burden on patient's recovery. Accordingly, ERAS protocol benefits may be more striking in RARC patients. We evaluated the impact of surgical approach on perioperative outcomes, Fast Track (FT) recovery steps and Trifecta success rates in patients undergoing RC followed by FT protocol. Materials and methods: We considered 147 patients who underwent RC, with open (Open radical cystectomy [ORC]; 47.6%) or robotic (RARC; 52.4%) approach at 2 tertiary centers. Urinary diversions were ileal conduit or orthotopic neobladder. All patients underwent FT protocol. We analyzed perioperative surgical and functional outcomes and Trifecta success rates (namely, defecation 0.05). Conclusion: RARC has more favorable perioperative outcomes compared to ORC, with higher Trifecta success rates. Accordingly, robotic approach should be ideally included in every center where ERAS protocol is applied to RC for maximizing patient's recovery.

Background:Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis and a major cause of pain and disability worldwide. Individuals with OA have increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, and other comorbidities are also more common amongst them than in the general population. In this study, we examined the prevalence and timing of the diagnosis of co-morbidities prior to the clinical diagnosis of OA.Objectives:To determine the odds of comorbidities in newly diagnosed OA cases versus matched controls in the up to 10 years prior to diagnosis.Methods:Case-control study of people registered in the Information System for Research in Primary Care (SIDIAP). SIDIAP includes primary care records covering over 80% of the population of Catalonia, Spain.Participants with an incident diagnosis of OA, based on ICD-10-CM disease codes, were matched to up to 4 controls by age (within 2 years), gender and primary care practice. The first diagnosis date of OA used the index date, with matched controls using the same index date, to retrospectively review for comorbidities. Patients were required to have at least 3 years continuous registration prior to the index date. A total of 57 comorbidities were considered, based on prior knowledge and clinical consensus.Descriptive statistics were used to obtain the demographic information about cases and controls. Counts of any comorbidity were calculated, and univariable and multivariable logistic regression were used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of individual comorbidities adjusted for age, gender and socio-economic status.Results:In total, there were 455,494 OA cases and 1,481,298 matched controls. The cases and controls were similar with regards to age, gender and deprivation level.The incident diagnosis of any comorbidity at any time prior to index date was 77% (n= 350,913) in cases versus 61% (n= 909,497) in controls.The results from the multivariable analysis [Table 1] showed that OA patients had higher prevalence of many comorbidities up to 1 year prior to their diagnosis of OA compared to up to 10 years prior to diagnosis. They were most likely to be diagnosed with another musculoskeletal condition followed by neuro-psychiatric and metabolic and cardiovascular conditions. Conversely, patients with OA were less likely to be diagnosed with cancer up to 10 years prior to index date than matched controls.Table 1.Multivariable analysis at 1 year and 10 year prior to index dateCo-morbidityMultivariable analysis 1-year prior (OR, 95% CI)Multivariable analysis 10-year prior (OR, 95% CI)Musculoskeletal conditionsAnkylosing Spondylosis3.12 (2.41, 4.05)1.27 (1.12, 1.43)Fibromyalgia4.24 (3.96, 4.54)1.85 (1.80, 1.91)Rheumatoid Arthritis2.67 (2.40, 2.97)1.27 (1.20, 1.34)Back/ neck pain2.41 (2.38, 2.45)1.76 (1.75, 1.78)Neuro-psychiatricAnxiety1.69 (1.65, 1.73)1.23 (1.22, 1.24)Depression1.87 (1.81, 1.93)1.25 (1.24, 1.27)Irritable Bowel Syndrome1.90 (1.71, 2.11)1.28 (1.22, 1.34)Migraine1.81 (1.69, 1.94)1.23 (1.20, 1.27)CancerLeukaemia1.07 (0.88, 1.30)0.91 (0.82, 1.00)Lymphoma0.84 (0.68, 1.03)0.90 (0.82, 0.99)Solid malignancy0.95 (0.91, 0.99)0.95 (0.93, 0.97)Other medical conditionsStroke1.15 (1.10, 1.20)0.95 (0.93, 0.97)Hypertension1.70 (1.68, 1.74)1.26 (1.25, 1.28)Diabetes1.34 (1.30, 1.38)1.07 (1.06, 1.09)Obesity1.96 (1.92, 2.01)1.60 (1.58, 1.62)Conclusion:Patients with OA have multiple chronic conditions. Our results found that the diagnosis of these other co-morbidities (particularly musculoskeletal and neuro-psychiatric conditions) were more likely to occur in the 1-year prior to their diagnosis of OA, compared to in the 10-year prior, except for lymphoma and solid malignancy. These results help us to further understand the relationship and timing of the development of multiple co-morbidities in patients with OA.Disclosure of Interests:Arani Vivekanantham: None declared, Daniel Prieto-Alhambra: None declared, Danielle E Robinson Grant/research support from: Dr. Prieto-Alhambra reports grants and other from AMGEN, grants, non-financial support and other from UCB Biopharma, grants from Les Laboratoires Servier, outside the submitted work; and Janssen, on behalf of IMI-funded EHDEN and EMIF consortiums, and Synapse Management Partners have supported training programmes organised by DPA’s department and open for external participants.

Blood lipids are widely used in monitoring the risk of cardiovascular diseases; however, atherogenic indices are more precise markers. The aim of the study was to determine differences in atherogenic indices in elderly patients with unipolar depression (DEP) compared with nondepressed elderly patients (nonDEP) using case-control analysis.Fasting serum lipid profiles were measured in 564 (depressed: n = 282, nondepressed: n = 282, 83.7% (n = 236) women in both groups) Caucasian inpatients aged ≥60, with mean age 76.9 years. Patients from both groups were matched for age and sex. Atherogenic index of plasma (AIP) was calculated as logHDL levels were significantly decreased in depressed patients (48.2 ± 14.4 mg/dL vs. 54.5 ± 17.7 mg/dL). No other differences in lipid profile were found. We found that all three analyzed atherogenic indices were increased in depressed patients (AIP: 0.41 ± 0.28 vs. 0.33 ± 0.27, AIAll three atherogenic indices were increased in elderly patients with depression. Since depression and age are associated with elevated risk of cardiovascular events, elderly patients with depression should be carefully monitored for abnormal lipid status to reduce their cardiovascular risk. The role of lipid abnormalities in the pathogenesis of depression requires further studies.

Purpose:To identify risk factors associated with endophthalmitis after pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) surgery.Methods:All eyes that presented with endophthalmitis after PPV from 2005 to 2015 in a comm...

Background: A two-incision technique, in association with inter-muscular positioning of the subcutaneous defibrillator (S-ICD), is now the most frequently adopted implantation approach in Europe. Ultrasound-guided serratus anterior plane block (SAPB) has been proposed to provide anesthesia/analgesia during S-ICD implantation. Objective: We performed a case-control analysis in which a standardized SAPB approach was compared with the typical local anesthesia and sedation approach. Methods: Ninety-one consecutive patients underwent implantation of an S-ICD with the SAPB approach for anesthesia/analgesia at 10 centers. The control group consisted of 55 consecutive patients who underwent S-ICD implantation with a standard local approach. Results: The mean procedure duration was 59 ± 15 minutes in the SAPB group and 76 ± 23 minutes in the control group (P

Background:Loss of motion (LOM) remains a common complication after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction and can be detrimental to patient outcomes after surgery. LOM is multifactorial, but nonsurgical and surgical solutions to this complex problem are available. A paucity of quality data exists evaluating clinical outcomes after the surgical treatment of patients with LOM after ACL reconstruction.Hypothesis:Patients undergoing surgical lysis of adhesions and manipulation under anesthesia for LOM after ACL reconstruction will exhibit decreased function, lower outcome scores, and delayed time of release to play when compared with matched controls without LOM.Study Design:Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3Methods:A database of 1572 patients undergoing ACL reconstruction was sampled from 2013 to 2017 to identify a total of 58 patients (LOM group [n = 29] vs matched control group [n = 29]). Group comparisons were examined for patients requiring a second surgical procedure for LOM versus matched controls after ACL reconstruction for differences in surgical timing, self-reported International Knee Disability Committee scores, objective function at release to play, and subjective knee function at 2 years with the Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation. The risk of a type I error was set at α = .05 for all statistical analyses.Results:Patients who underwent lysis of adhesions and manipulation under anesthesia for LOM after ACL reconstruction exhibited no differences in Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation knee function at 2 years when compared with matched controls (85.8 ± 14.9 vs 88.0 ± 10.8, P = .606). All patients met release-to-play criteria. Only International Knee Disability Committee scores ( P = .046) and single-legged hop testing ( P = .050) reached statistically significant differences, with higher scores in the control group. There was no difference in the time to release to play ( P = .034) or level of participation ( P = .180) between the control and surgical groups. Subjective function scores at 2 years were not significantly different between groups. Tourniquet time during the index ACL reconstruction was shorter in the control group ( P = .034).Conclusion:The findings of this study suggest that patients who undergo surgical treatment for LOM after ACL reconstruction can release to play at similar times but display relative deficits in single-legged-hop symmetry and lower self-reported function when compared with matched controls. Longer surgical times may increase the risk for LOM after ACL reconstruction.Registration:NCT03704376 (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier)

We tested the hypothesis that successful weight loss post-bariatric surgery would be associated with healthier chemosensory function, food likes, and dietary behaviors than either unsuccessful weight loss or pre-surgery morbid obesity. In a case-control design, pre-surgical women with morbid obesity (n = 49) were compared with those 1-year post-surgery (24 Roux-en-Y Bypass, 24 Sleeve Gastrectomy) and defined by excess or percent weight loss as successful/unsuccessful. For self-reported smell/taste perception, more post-surgery than pre-surgery reported improved/distorted perception, especially if weight loss successful. Measured taste function (perceived quinine and NaCl intensity) was lower among weight loss unsuccessful versus pre-surgery patients, yet a genetic variation in taste probe (propylthiouracil bitterness) matched expected frequencies without significant pre/post-surgery difference. Regarding survey-reported liking, higher diet quality was seen in the weight loss successful (independent of surgery type) versus pre-surgical patients, with differences driven by lower sweet and refined carbohydrate liking. The post versus pre-surgical patients had greater restraint but less hunger and disinhibition. Patients reporting both higher diet quality and lower hunger showed greater % weight loss, independent of surgery type. Thus, successful weight loss 1-year post-bariatric surgery was associated with improved or distorted chemosensation and patterns of liking associated with healthier diets, especially if coupled with less hunger.