Symptom Dimension Breakpoints for the Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Child Version (OCI-CV)

Pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) clusters around three major symptom dimensions: contamination/cleaning, symmetry/ordering, and disturbing thoughts/checking. The Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Child Version (OCI-CV) is a self-report questionnaire that provides scores along six theory-based OCD dimensions, but no study has evaluated how well OCI-CV identifies clinically significant symptoms within each of the three major symptom dimensions of OCD. We examined this question using data from 197 Swedish and Spanish youth with OCD. All youth completed the OCI-CV and clinically significant symptom severity within each major OCD dimension was established with a validated interview-based measure. Results showed that a score ≥ 3 on the OCI-CV washing scale excellently captured those with clinically significant contamination/cleaning symptoms (AUC = 0.85 [0.80–0.90], 79% accuracy). A score ≥ 4 on the obsessing scale adequately captured those with disturbing thoughts/checking symptoms (AUC = 0.71 [0.64–0.78], 67% accuracy) and a score ≥ 3 on the ordering scale adequately captured those with symmetry/ordering symptoms (AUC = 0.72 [0.65–0.79], 70% accuracy). Similar accuracy of the breakpoints was found in the Swedish and Spanish samples. OCI-CV works well to identify youth with pediatric OCD that have clinically significant contamination/cleaning symptoms. The measure can also with adequate precision identify those with clinically significant disturbing thoughts/checking and symmetry/ordering symptoms. The breakpoints provided in this study can be used to examine differences in clinical presentation and treatment outcome for youth with different types of OCD.

Male vs. Female Differences in Responding to Oxygen–Ozone Autohemotherapy (O2-O3-AHT) in Patients with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS)

(1) Background: Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) is a syndrome that has fatigue as its major symptom. Evidence suggests that ozone is able to relieve ME/CFS-related fatigue in affected patients. (2) Objective: To evaluate whether differences exist between males and females in ozone therapy outputs in ME/CFS. (3) Methods: In total, 200 patients previously diagnosed with ME/CFS (mean age 33 ± 13 SD years) underwent treatment with oxygen–ozone autohemotherapy (O2-O3-AHT). Fatigue was investigated via an FSS 7-scoring questionnaire before and following 1 month after treatment. (4) Results: The Mann-Whitney test (MW test) assessed the significance of this difference (H = 13.8041, p = 0.0002), and female patients showed better outcomes than males. This difference was particularly striking in the youngest age cohort (14–29 years), and a KW test resulted in H = 7.1609, p = 0.007 for the Δ = 28.3% (males = 3.8, females = 5.3). (5) Conclusions: When treated with O2-O3-AHT, females respond better than males.

Neuroimaging signature associated with symptom exacerbation in early-stage psychosis

Recent reports have indicated that the occurrence of symptom exacerbation in early-stage psychosis could result in brain changes, which are likely to underlie the poorer disease outcome. Thus, it is important to identify neuroimaging signature associated with symptom exacerbation in early-stage psychosis. We studied 85 patients with psychosis within two years after onset and 94 healthy controls (HC). The patient group was subdivided into two groups: 54 patients who did not experience major symptom exacerbation between the onset and study enrollment (P1), and 31 patients who experienced major symptom exacerbation (P2). We analyzed three brain imaging measures derived from resting-state functional MRI, such as global efficiency, nodal efficiency, and resting-state functional connectivity (rs-FC). After excluding some brain imaging measures that were potentially affected by clinical variables, we conducted a comparison between overall patient group and HC group as well as comparsions between HC, P1, and P2 groups for these three types of brain imaging measures, respectively. By integrating the information, we pinned down the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex and thalamus as key hubs in the context of several large-scale brain networks associated with symptom exacerbations in early-stage psychosis. Our study implies the importance of considering neural mechanism associated with symptom exacerbations in early stages of psychotic disorders.

Characteristics of mandibular third molars that have greater risk to cause pathologies

Background To evaluate the associations of impaction patterns of mandibular third molars (M3Ms) with pathologies caused by them. Methods In this study, 262 patients with 432 impacted M3Ms were included. The pathologies include pericoronitis, mandibular second molar (M2M) caries, and M2M distal periodontal pathology. The impaction patterns of M3Ms and the pathologies were examined, and the M2Ms outcomes after the surgeries were evaluated. χ2 test was used to analyze the data and a P value of < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results Pericoronitis was the major symptom in all patients, whereas the propensities of M2M distal caries and periodontal pathologies increased in older patients. Soft tissue impacted and vertically angulated teeth were more associated with the pericoronitis (p < 0.05); Mesio-angular impacted teeth in less deep positions had greater risks of M2Ms distal caries (p < 0.05); Mesio-angular and horizontal impacted teeth in relative deep positions were more likely to cause M2Ms distal periodontal pathologies (p < 0.05). Conclusions Extractions of soft tissue impacted teeth in vertical angulations should be considered. While removals of mesially and horizontally angulated or bony impacted teeth could be delayed.

Self-Reported Improvement for Chronic Rhinosinusitis Major Symptoms in Patients Treated with Omalizumab

Objective: To evaluate the clinical effect of omalizumab therapy on the symptoms of patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). Methods: This cross-sectional study evaluated CRS major symptom improvement in patients with CRS on omalizumab therapy and patients who met omalizumab therapy indications, but could not access coverage for omalizumab. Changes in overall chronic rhinosinusitis symptom burden and each of the major symptoms of CRS were rated on a 10 cm visual analogue scale (VAS). The Mann–Whitney test was used to compare the symptom improvement between groups. Results: Omalizumab therapy provided a mean overall symptom improvement of 69.5% (individual symptom improvement: facial pain 78.5%, nasal obstruction 69.8%, rhinorrhea 56.2%, and olfaction 55.8%). For the control group, mean overall symptom improvement since omalizumab screening was 16.8% (individual symptom improvement: rhinorrhea 16.4%, nasal obstruction 15.3%, no improvement in facial pain or olfaction). Overall, and for each major symptom, improvement was significantly greater for omalizumab treated patients (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Omalizumab treatment provided significant improvement in every major clinical symptom of CRS in the treated cohort of patients with recalcitrant CRS, in comparison to the control cohort. A well-designed randomized clinical trial is needed to further assess the efficacy and safety of omalizumab treatment for CRS.

Subjective Changes in Smell and Taste During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A National Survey—Preliminary Results

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, many individuals have noted acute loss of smell and/or taste, although not all patients with these symptoms are tested for COVID-19. To better characterize all patients with these rare symptoms, a national survey was created. Over 13 days in April 2020, a total of 220 people completed the survey in its entirety, representing a wide geographic distribution across the United States. Of the 220 respondents, 93 (42%) were diagnosed with COVID-19, and 127 (58%) were not. A total of 37.7% of respondents reported changes in smell/taste as the initial or sole presentation of their condition. Most but not all patients had other symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 at the time of chemosensory loss. Despite its inclusion as a major symptom of COVID-19 by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), respondents with additional CDC-defined symptoms associated with COVID-19 were statistically more likely to be tested/diagnosed than those without.

Prevalence of Chronic Rhinosinusitis in ENT Departement RSUP Dr. Mohammad Hoesin Palembang Period 2016-2018

Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is an inflammation involving the nose and paranasal sinuses where the patient has two or more major symptoms or one major symptom with two minor symptoms for ≥12 weeks. The prevalence of CRS throughout the world population is around 10-12%. The prevalence of CRS in Indonesia is uncertain. A research has been conducted on the prevalence of CRS in RSUP Dr. Mohammad Hoesin Palembang in 2015, therefore this study aims to find out more about the prevalence of CRS in the ENT Department of Dr. Mohammad Hoesin Palembang General Hospital in the period 2016-2018 and its distribution based on age, sex, major symptoms, minor symptoms, and the number of sinuses involved. This research was an observational descriptive survey with cross-sectional design. This study used medical records of CRS patients undergoing surgery in the Rhinology Division of the ENT Department RSUP Dr. Mohammad Hoesin Palembang period 2016-2018. Sampling was done by consecutive sampling method. The amount of samples in this research is 99 cases. The result of this research is presented in table and narration form. The prevalence of CRS was 33.55%. CRS is most commonly found by the age group 46-53 years (21.2%), male sex (65.7%) with a ratio between men and women 1.9: 1. The most common major symptom was nasal congestion (100%) and the most common minor symptom was headache (62.6%). The most number of sinuses involved based on the paranasal sinus CT scan results was multiple sinusitis (52.5%).