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Objectives: This study assesses tuberculosis (TB) treatment outcomes in Haiti. Methods: Data from drug-susceptible patients with TB (2018-2019) were analyzed using the Fine & Gray model with multiple imputation. Results: Of the 16,545 patients, 14.7% had concurrent HIV coinfection, with a 66.2% success rate. The median treatment duration was 5 months, with patients averaging 30 years (with an interquartile range of 22-42 years). The estimated hazard of achieving a successful treatment outcome decreased by 2.5% and 8.1% for patients aged 45 and 60 years, respectively, compared with patients aged 30 years. Male patients had a 6.5% lower estimated hazard of success than their female counterparts. In addition, patients coinfected with HIV experienced a 35.3% reduction in the estimated hazard of achieving a successful treatment outcome compared with those with a negative HIV serologic status. Conclusions: Integrated health care approaches should be implemented, incorporating innovative solutions, such as machine learning algorithms combined with geographic information systems and non-conventional data sources (including social media), to identify TB hotspots and high-burden households.

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BACKGROUND: Ideal therapy duration for Pseudomonas aeruginosa or Acinetobacter baumannii-calcoaceticus complex (ABC) bloodstream infections (BSI) is not defined, especially in the context of carbapenem resistance. In this study, we compared short- (≤7 days) and long-term (>7 days) antimicrobial therapy duration for these infections. METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study in two tertiary-care hospitals in Porto Alegre, Brazil, from 2013 to 2019. Eligible patients aged ≥18 years were included and excluded for the following criteria: polymicrobial infections, treatment with non-susceptible antibiotics, complicated infections, or early mortality (<8 days of active antimicrobial therapy). The 30-day mortality risk was evaluated using a Cox regression model. RESULTS: We included 237 BSI episodes, 51.5% caused by ABC and 48.5% by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Short-term therapy was not associated with 30-day mortality, adjusted hazard ratio 1.01, 95% confidence interval 0.47-2.20, p = 0.98, when adjusted for Pitt score (p = 0.02), Charlson Comorbidity Index score (p < 0.01), and carbapenem resistance (p < 0.01). Among patients who survived, short-term therapy was associated with shorter hospital stay (p < 0.01). Results were maintained in the subgroups of BSI caused by carbapenem-resistant bacteria (p = 0.76), ABC (p = 0.61), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (p = 0.39). CONCLUSIONS: Long-term therapies for non-complicated Pseudomonas aeruginosa and ABC BSI were not superior to short-term therapy for 30-day mortality.

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Abstract This prospective study aimed to assess the positional features of palatally displaced maxillary canines (PDCs), their relationship with both cephalometric and dental cast measurements and treatment duration. Pretreatment panoramic and lateral cephalometric radiographs and dental casts of 46 patients (23 patients with uni/bilateral PDC and 23 patients with Class I malocclusion) were collected. The mesial inclination of the permanent canine to the midline (α angle), the distance from the cusp tip of the permanent canine to the occlusal line (d distance), and the mesial position of the crown of the displaced canine (sector) were measured on the panoramic radiographs. SNA°, SNB°, ANB°, SN-GoGn°, SN-PP°, and PP-MP° angles and sagittal inclinations of the PDCs' (C-PP°) were measured on cephalometric radiographs. Arch length discrepancies and transversal arch measurements were also performed. The Student's t-test, Mann-Whitney U test and Kruskal-Wallis test were used to compare variables that were not normally distributed while ANOVA was used for the normally distributed data. The arch widths were similar between the groups while crowding was significantly greater in the PDC group. A negative correlation was found between the α angle and vertical plane angle (SN-GoGn°). Treatment duration was positively correlated with α angle and d distance but there was no relationship with the sagittal angulation of the PDC to the palatal plane (C-PP°) and the treatment duration. Treatment duration can be expected to be longer with every increase in the angle of the PDC to the midline and distance from the occlusal plane.

Resumen El objetivo de este estudio prospectivo fue evaluar las características de los caninos mailares desplazados palatalmente (CDPs), su relación con las radiografías cefalométricas, las medidas en los modelos de yeso y el tiempo de duración del tratamiento. Se recolectaron radiografías panorámicas, laterales cefalométricas y modelos dentales de 46 pacientes (23 pacientes con CDPs uni/bi laterales y 23 pacientes con maloclusión de Clase I). Se midieron la inclinación mesial de los caninos permanentes con respecto a la línea media (ángulo α), la distancia de la punta de la cúspide del canino permanente a la línea oclusal (distancia d) y la posición mesial de la corona del canino desplazado (sector) en la radiografía panorámica. En las radiografías cefalométricas se midieron los ángulos SNA°, SNB°, ANB°, SN-GoGn°, SN-PP° y PP-MP° y las inclinaciones sagitales de los CDPs (C-PP°). También se realizaron las medidas de las discrepancias de la longitud de arco y las medidas de arco transversal. La prueba de t de student, prueba Mann-Whitney U y la prueba Kruskal-Wallis se usaron para comparar las variables que no se comportaron con una distribución normal, mientras que se utilizó la ANOVA para los datos de distribución normal. El ancho de los arcos fue similar entre grupos mientras el apiñamiento fue significativamente mayor en el grupo de CDPs. Se encontró una correlación negativa entre el ángulo α y el ángulo del plano vertical (SN-GoGn°). La duración del tratamiento fue positivamente correlacionado con el ángulo α y la distancia d peron o se encontró relación entre la angulación sagital del CDP con el plano palatal (C-PP°) y la duración del tratamiento. Se puede esperar que la duración del tratamiento sea mayor con el aumento del ángulo entre el CDP a la línea media y la distancia desde el plano oclusal.

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BACKGROUND: The optimal duration of first-line chemotherapy for patients with advanced gastric cancer is unknown. Diverse clinical trials have proposed different strategies including limited treatment, maintenance of some drugs, or treatment until progression. METHOD: The sample comprises patients from the AGAMENON multicenter registry without progression after second evaluation of response. The objective was to explore the optimal duration of first-line chemotherapy. A frailty multi-state model was conducted. RESULTS: 415 patients were divided into three strata: discontinuation of platinum and maintenance with fluoropyrimidine until progression (30%, n = 123), complete treatment withdrawal prior to progression (52%, n = 216), and full treatment until progression (18%, n = 76). The hazard of tumor progression decreased by 19% per month with the full treatment regimen. However, we found no evidence that fluoropyrimidine maintenance (hazard ratio [HR] 1.07, confidence interval [CI] 95%, 0.69-1.65) worsened progression-free survival (PFS) with respect to treatment until progression. Predictive factors for PFS were ECOG performance status, ≥ 3 metastatic sites, prior tumor response, and bone metastases. Toxicity grade 3/4 was more common in those who continued the full treatment until progression vs fluoropyrimidine maintenance (16% vs 6%). CONCLUSION: The longer duration of the full initial regimen exerted a protective effect on the patients of this registry. Platinum discontinuation followed by fluoropyrimidine maintenance yields comparable efficacy to treatment up to PD, with a lower rate of serious adverse events.

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RESUMEN: La duración de los tratamientos de ortodoncia siempre ha sido una de las mayores preocupaciones, tanto en los pacientes como en los Ortodoncistas. El proposito de esta investigacion fue determinar la magnitud de las inasistencias a los controles por parte de los pacientes y como estas y otras variables, influyen en la duración de los tratamientos de Ortodoncia en el Centro de Salud Familiar (CESFAM) Dr. Victor Manuel Fernandez, Servicio de Salud de Concepcion, Chile. Se realizo un estudio descriptivo, de tipo transversal, retrospectivo, en el que se utilizaron las fichas clínicas de todos los pacientes que fueron dados de alta por los Ortodoncistas del CESFAM Dr. V. M. F. durante el año 2017. La tabulación se realizó en Microsoft Excel y el análisis estadístico se hizo en InfoStat 17. Se incluyeron 246 pacientes, con una edad de ingreso promedio de 13,6 años. La maloclusion predominante fue la Clase I de Angle (71 %). Estos pacientes tuvieron una duracion de tratamiento promedio de 33,9 meses. Se concluyó que a mayor cantidad de inasistencias, el tratamiento de ortodoncia tuvo una duración mayor.

ABSTRACT: The duration of orthodontic treatments has always been one of the biggest concerns, both in patients and for orthodontists. The purpose of this investigation was to determine the magnitude of the absences to the controls of the patients and how they influence the duration of the orthodontic treatments in the CESFAM Dr. Victor Manuel Fernandez, Concepcion, Chile. A descriptive, cross-sectional, retrospective study was carried out, in which the clinical records of all patients discharged by the Orthodontists of CESFAM Dr. V.M.F. during the year 2017 were analyzed. The tabulation was performed in Microsoft Excel and the statistical analysis was carried out in InfoStat 17. In total, 246 patients were included, with an average age of admission of 13.6 years. The predominant malocclusion was Class I of Angle (71 %). These patients had an average treatment duration of 33.9 months. It was further concluded that the length of orthodontic treatment, was also affected by the increased number of times patients failed to show for treatment.

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BACKGROUND: Recurrent episodes of Plasmodium vivax are caused by dormant liver stages of the parasite, which are not eradicated by choloroquine. Therefore, effective treatment also includes the use of primaquine (PQ). However, this secondary preventive therapy is often not effective, mostly due to poor adherence to the relatively long treatment course, justifying a comparative study of the efficacy of different durations of PQ treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We included patients presenting with an acute and documented P. vivax infection from January 2006 to February 2008. All patients received chloroquine 25 mg/kg over a 3-day period. Subsequently, patients in group 7D received PQ 30 mg/day for 7 days, and patients in group 14D received standard PQ 15 mg/day for 14 days. All doses were given under supervision and patients were followed up for at least 6 months. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate cumulative probability of recurrence up to 12 months after treatment initiation stratified by treatment group. Cox regression was used to assess possible determinants for recurrent parasitemia. RESULTS: Forty-seven of the 79 included patients (59.5%) were allocated to group 7D and 32 patients (40.5%) were allocated to group 14D. Recurrent parasitemia was detected in 31.9% of the cases in group 7D compared to 12.5% of the cases in group 14D (hazard ratio [HR] =3.36, 95% CI 1.11-10.16). Cumulative probability for recurrent parasitemia at 3, 6, and 12 months was 0.201 (95% CI 0.106-0.362), 0.312 (95% CI 0.190-0.485), and 0.424 (95% CI 0.274-0.615) for group 7D and 0.100 (95% CI 0.033-0.279), 0.100 (95% CI 0.033-0.279), and 0.138 (95% CI 0.054-0.327) for group 14D, respectively. When adjusted for possible confounders, differences in recurrent parasitemia remained significant between the two regimens in Cox regression analysis. CONCLUSION: More than 30% of the patients receiving shorter treatment course had recurrent parasitemia, suggesting that the standard dose of 15 mg/day PQ for 14 days is more efficacious than 30 mg for 7 days in preventing P. vivax recurrent episodes. Furthermore, we suggest that P. vivax treatment in Suriname should be changed to PQ 30 mg/day for 14 days, as per Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommendation, in light of a recurrence rate of over 10%, even in group 14D.

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BACKGROUND: In a phase III study, maintenance pemetrexed showed superior survival over placebo (PARAMOUNT) for patients with advanced non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who completed 4 cycles of pemetrexed plus cisplatin (PC) induction therapy, with low incidence of treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) generally associated with pemetrexed. Prior analyses did not account for toxicities carried over from induction; thus, the current analysis was developed to understand toxicities that may be attributed to pemetrexed maintenance versus PC induction, and how treatment duration affects toxicity. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Selected clinically relevant TEAEs were explored in 2 analyses: assessing induction versus maintenance treatment in PARAMOUNT, and comparing PC from PARAMOUNT with toxicity data from a previous phase III study that established the role of PC in front-line therapy of non-squamous NSCLC (JMDB trial). RESULTS: In PARAMOUNT, the incidence of most drug-related TEAEs was higher during induction than maintenance, for both the pemetrexed and placebo randomized populations. The majority of TEAEs during maintenance, except renal events, were carried over from induction with no change in severity from the end of induction; the incidence of TEAEs associated with pemetrexed maintenance was low. The cross-trial analysis showed that 6 cycles of PC in JMDB compared with 4 cycles in PARAMOUNT increased grade 1/2 fatigue (34.1% vs. 25.0%), anemia (24.0% vs. 13.5%), and renal events (11.8% vs. 3.6%). CONCLUSIONS: Safety data presented here support the favorable risk benefit of 4 cycles of PC followed by maintenance pemetrexed in patients with advanced non-squamous NSCLC.

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The standard of care (SOC) for hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 2 is pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN) plus ribavirin (RBV). Even though most patients can be cured with this therapy after 24 weeks, tailoring treatment can improve its safety and efficacy in special populations. Thus, shortening treatment together with a weight-based RBV dosing approach has been considered satisfactory in patients with positive predictors of response. With the development of the direct antiviral agents (DAAs), shorter, better tolerated and more efficient treatments for HCV genotype 2 will become available, including interferon-free regimens. Until these new treatments are released, the decision to treat patients with HCV genotype 2 with currently approved drugs or to wait for future options must be made, taking into account the stage of fibrosis.

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