The outcomes of hypoglossal nerve stimulation in the management of OSA: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Objectives:Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a prevalent disease with significant health impacts.While first line therapy is CPAP,long-term compliance is low and device misuse is common,highlighting the need for alternative therapies.Upper airway surgery is one alternative,but substantial side effects hamper efficacy.A new alternative is an implantable hypoglossal nerve stimulator (HNS).These devices utilize neuromodulation to dilate/reinforce the airway and reduce side effects associated with traditional surgery.Several recent trials investigated the efficacy of these devices.The purpose of this study was to perform meta-analysis of available HNS studies investigating treatment of OSA to analyze objective and subjective outcomes and side effects.Methods:A comprehensive literature search of PubMed and Scopus was performed.Two independent reviewers examined clinical trials investigating HNS in treatment of sleep apnea in adults.Studies with objective and subjective endpoints in sleep were included for analysis.Adverse events from trials were also recorded.Results:Across 16 studies,381 patients were analyzed.At 6 months (p =0.008),mean SAQLI improved by 3.1 (95%CI,2.6-3.7).At 12 months (p < 0.0001),mean AHI was reduced by 21.1 (95%Cl,16.9-25.3),mean ODI was reduced by 15.0 (95%CI,12.7-17.4),mean ESS was reduced by 5.0 (95%CI,4.2-5.8),mean FOSQ improved by 3.1 (95%CI,2.6-3.4).Pain (6.2%:0.7-16.6),tongue abrasion (11.0%:1.2-28.7),and internal (3.0%:0.3-8.4)/external device (5.8%:0.3-17.4) malfunction were common adverse events.Conclusions:HNS is a safe and effective treatment for CPAP refractory OSA.Further study comparing HNS to other therapies is required.

Is the incidence of anaplastic thyroid cancer increasing: A population based epidemiology study

Objective:To provide an understanding of the incidence of anaplastic thyroid cancer within the United States.Methods:Patients in the Surveillance,Epidemiology,and End Results (SEER) database were included from 1973 to 2014 based on a diagnosis of anaplastic thyroid cancer using ICDO-3 codes.Patients were categorized into cohorts based on their year of diagnosis.Results:1527 patients were diagnosed with anaplastic thyroid cancer within the SEER 18 registries.The age-adjusted incidence rate was 0.2 per 1,000,000 people (95% CI:0.0-0.5) in 1973 and was 1.2 per 1,000,000 people (95% Cl:0.8-1.6) in 2014 (average annual percent change:3.0% [95% CI:2.2%-3.7%]).Patients tended to be of older age (mean age:70.5 [range 15.0-102.0]),of female sex (62.8%),and Caucasian (81.1%).Finally,survival over time remained the same,as median disease specific survival months was 4.00 (95% CI:2.26-5.74) from 1995 to 1999 and 4.00 (95% Cl:3.26-4.74) from 2010 to 2014.Conclusions:The incidence rate of anaplastic thyroid cancer has increased from 1973 to 2014.Interestingly,median survival in months did not greatly change overtime.Based on this increasing incidence,physicians must act appropriately to identify patients with anaplastic thyroid cancer as it possesses a high morbidity and mortality.

Neck dissection does not add to morbidity or mortality of laryngectomy

Objectives:To examine the national rates of complications,readmission,reoperation,death and length of hospital stay after laryngectomy.To explore the risks of neck dissection with laryngectomy using outcomes.Methods:The American College of Surgeons National Quality Improvement Program(ACS-NSQIP)database was reviewed retrospectively.The database was analyzed for patients undergoing laryngectomy with and without neck dissection.Demographic,perioperative complication,reoperation,readmission,and death variables were analyzed.Results:754 patients who underwent total laryngectomy during this time were found.Demographic analysis showed average age was 63 years old,566(75.1%)were white,and 598(79.3%)were male.Of these patients,520(69.0%)included a neck dissection while 234(31.0%)did not.When comparing patients who received a neck dissection to those who did not,there were no significant differences in median length of hospital stay(12.5 days w/vs.13.3 days w/o,P=0.99),rates of complication(40%w/vs.35%w/o,P=0.23),reoperation(13.5%w/vs.14%w/o,P=0.81),readmission(14%w/vs.18%w/o,P=0.27),and death(1.3%w/vs.1.3%w/o,P>0.99).Furthermore,neck dissection did not increase the risk of complication(P=0.23),readmission(P=0.27),reoperation(P=0.81),death(P=0.94),or lengthened hospital stay(P=0.38).Conclusions:Concurrent neck dissection does not increase postoperative morbidity or mortality in patients undergoing total laryngectomies.These results may help physicians make decisions regarding concurrent neck dissection with total laryngectomy.

Are demographics associated with mucoepidermoid or acinic cell carcinoma parotid malignancies in children?

Objective:To identify possible associations between patient demographics and parotid cancer histological type in pediatric patients.Methods:Pediatric patients(ages:birth-18.0 years)in the Surveillance,Epidemiology,and End Results(SEER)database were included from 1973 to 2014 based on a diagnosis of mucoepidermoid carcinoma or acinic cell carcinoma of the parotid gland using the ICD O-3 codes of C07.9 and 8430 or 8550.Patients were classified into the following cohorts:<14 and 14-18 years of age based on the mean age at diagnosis.Results:Three hundred and three pediatric patients were diagnosed with mucoepidermoid carcinoma or acinic cell carcinoma of the parotid gland within the SEER 18 registries.Female pediatric patients 14-18 years of age were 7.68 times more likely to have an acinic cell carcinoma(adjusted OR:7.68[95%Cl:2.01-29.44]).When stratified by histological type,58.9%of female pediatric patients≥14 years of age had an acinic cell carcinoma as compared to 37.3%of male pediatric patients≥14 years of age,36.5%of female pediatric patients<14 years of age,and 34.0%of male pediatric patients<14 years of age(P=0.01).Conclusions:Based on this study,pediatric female patients between the ages of 14 and 18 years are the most likely cohort to have acinic cell carcinoma.The results of this study may assist providers during the work up of a pediatric patient with a suspected parotid malignancy.

Predictors of occult lymph node metastasis in cutaneous head and neck melanoma

Objective:To use the Surveillance,Epidemiology,and End Results(SEER)database to verify the findings of a recent National Cancer Database(NCDB)study that identified factors predicting occult nodal involvement in cutaneous head and neck melanoma(CHNM)while identifying additional predictors of occult nodal metastasis and comparing two distinct cancer databases.Methods:Cases of CHNM in the SEER database diagnosed between 2004 and 2014 were identified.Demographic information and oncologic data were obtained.Univariate and multivariate analysis were performed to identify factors associated with pathologic nodal positivity.Results:There were 34002 patients with CHNM identified.Within this population,16232 were clinically node-negative,1090 of which were found to be pathologically node-positive.On multivariate analysis,factors associated with an increased risk of occult nodal metastasis included increasing depth of invasion(stepwise increase in adjusted odds ratio[OR]),nodular histology(aOR:1.47[95%CI:1.21-1.80]),ulceration(aOR:1.74[95%CI:1.48-2.05]),and mitoses(aOR:1.86[95%CI:1.36-2.54]).Factors associated with a decreased risk of occult nodal metastasis included female sex(aOR:0.80[0.67-0.94])and desmoplastic histology(aOR:0.37[95%CI:0.24-0.59]).Between the SEER database and the NCDB,factors associated with occult nodal involvement were similar except for nodular histology and female sex,which did not demonstrate significance in the NCDB.Conclusion:Regarding clinically node-negative CHNM,the SEER database and the NCDB have similarities in demographic information but differences in baseline population sizes and tumor characteristics that should be considered when comparing findings between the two databases.