Citations

Abstract INTRODUCTION Visual perceptual difficulties occur in dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). Normative data and cut scores for DLB and mild cognitive impairment with Lewy bodies (MCI‐LB) are needed for the 20‐item Noise Pareidolia Task. METHODS Participants included 344 cognitively unimpaired (CU), 112 DLB, and 105 MCI‐LB. Cumulative percentile ranking was used for normative classification. Receiver operating characteristic analyses, convergent validity, and associations with visual hallucinations (VH) were assessed. RESULTS In CU participants, a perfect score was average, one error was low average, and two or more errors fell below average. A cut score of one or more errors optimally distinguished CU participants from DLB (Total score area under the curve [AUC]: 0.82, Noise score AUC: 0.77) and MCI‐LB (Total score AUC: 0.75, Noise score AUC: 0.74). A cut score of two or more errors lowered sensitivity but increased specificity to 94%. Performance was associated with VH in DLB, but not MCI‐LB. DISCUSSION Results establish normative data for the 20‐item Noise Pareidolia Task and support its use in DLB and MCI‐LB.

Sex differences in Alzheimer's disease (AD) phenotypes are well documented. Wang et al. examined sex-specific tau propagation across Braak neurofibrillary tangle stages in an Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative cohort, while considering cognitive and amyloid status, using longitudinal tau-PET imaging. They found that females exhibit faster tau spread and accelerated clinical decline in advanced stages. While the study offers valuable insights, factors such as neuroimaging-pathology discordance, coexisting conditions, and limited cohort diversity warrant caution before making broad generalizations. Nonetheless, these findings highlight sex-dependent AD trajectories and reinforce the need for precision medicine and timely, individualized interventions to improve outcomes and address biological variability in disease progression.

Abstract Within the field of regenerative medicine for musculoskeletal regenerative medicine, orthobiologics and cellular therapies are evolving at a rapid pace. Exuberant ideas for new treatments often outpace their scientific evidence, which may create confusion for both patients and providers on what treatments are evidence based. Orthobiologics and cellular therapies are a subset of regenerative therapies focused on treatment of musculoskeletal disease. For the field of orthobiologics to progress, it is essential that musculoskeletal providers understand the necessary components for translating novel therapies from discovery into practice. In this article, we provide an overview of both the lexicon and regulatory processes related to translation of orthobiologics and cellular therapies along with a comparison of how to translate orthobiologics and related novel cellular therapies in hopes to dispel misinformation while promoting responsible advancements and ethical practices in medicine.

ABSTRACT The epidemiology of myelodysplastic syndromes/neoplasms (MDS) is challenging to define due to inconsistent reporting, complex diagnostic procedures, and evolving diagnostic criteria. Using the National MDS Natural History Study—a prospective cohort with centrally adjudicated histopathology and genetic variant review—we characterized the landscape of MDS across the United States and identified differences across demographics. Among 2115 participants, 64% (1346) had an MDS spectrum condition, including MDS (24%), MDS/myeloproliferative neoplasm (5%) and precursor conditions—clonal cytopenia of undetermined significance (22%) and idiopathic cytopenia/dysplasia of undetermined significance (13%). The median age was 74 years, and participants were predominantly male (66%), White (91%), and Non‐Hispanic (92%). Myeloid‐associated variants were detected in 68% of participants, most commonly in TET2, DNMT3A, ASXL1, SF3B1, and SRSF2 . Black, compared to White, participants were younger at diagnosis (69 vs. 74 years, p = 0.01), had equal or increased prevalence of higher‐risk MDS, lower hemoglobin, and higher peripheral blood blasts, yet were less likely to receive MDS‐directed therapy (14% vs. 42%, p = 0.008). Black and Hispanic participants had fewer detectable gene mutations than White participants. Females had lower variant allele frequencies and fewer RNA splicing gene mutations than males. After multivariable adjustment, TP53 mutations, MDS diagnosis, and higher‐risk disease were associated with worse progression‐free and overall survival; age was also associated with overall survival. Black race trended toward improved progression‐free survival. These findings highlight the need for enhanced understanding of MDS pathogenesis across patient groups and refined prognostic tools to improve personalized management of MDS spectrum conditions. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02775383

ABSTRACT Background Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory disease associated with substantial impairment in quality of life and psychological well‐being. The impact of cumulative treatment exposure and its relationship with multidimensional disease burden in HS has not been sufficiently discussed. The aim of this study is to investigate the associations between cumulative treatment burden, quality of life impairment, psychological symptom burden, disease activity, and patient‐perceived severity in patients with HS. Methods This multicenter cross‐sectional study included previously treated adult HS patients. Participants completed validated Turkish versions of the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), Symptom Checklist‐90‐Revised (SCL‐90‐R), and the Hidradenitis Suppurativa Self‐Assessment Tool (HSSA). A Treatment Burden Index (TBI) was developed to quantify cumulative therapeutic exposure based on guideline‐weighted treatment modalities. Results Ninety‐three patients were included (mean age 34.5 ± 11.0 years; 57% male). Higher TBI was moderately correlated with greater QoL impairment (Spearman ρ = 0.401, p < 0.001) and flare frequency. TBI was weakly correlated with psychological symptom burden. DLQI scores were positively associated with flare frequency and SCL‐90‐R scores, whereas the SCL‐90‐R scores were not associated with flare frequency or patient‐perceived disease severity. Conclusions HS burden is multidimensional, with partially independent domains of disease activity, treatment burden, quality of life impairment, and psychological distress. Cumulative treatment exposure is closely linked to QoL impairment and disease activity but only weakly associated with psychological symptom burden. Identification of distinct burden phenotypes may facilitate more personalized and patient‐centered management strategies in HS. image

Background: Anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies (ACPAs) are associated with more aggressive rheumatoid arthritis disease. We aimed to determine the effect of ACPA serostatus on survival free from revision, all-cause reoperation, and recurrence of coronal plane deformity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) undergoing silicone metacarpophalangeal (MCP) arthroplasty. Methods: We retrospectively identified silicone MCP arthroplasties performed in patients with RA with known ACPA serostatus from 2000 to 2022. Kaplan-Meier estimates were used to report survival free from revision, all-cause reoperation, and recurrence of coronal plane deviation >10° on postoperative radiographs. We analyzed ACPA serostatus as a risk factor for these endpoints using cluster-robust Cox proportional hazard models, adjusting for patient sex. Results: We included 133 joints in 39 ACPA seropositive patients (9.0 years mean follow-up) and 63 joints in 21 ACPA seronegative patients (5.7 years mean follow-up). Survival free from revision, all-cause reoperation, and recurrent coronal deformity was higher in seropositive patients than in seronegative patients. Anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody seropositivity was significantly associated with lower risk for revision (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.16), all-cause reoperation (HR = 0.20), and recurrent coronal plane deviation >10° (HR = 0.28). Seropositive patients had longer average time to recurrent coronal deviation >10° (3.5 years vs 1.3 years) and less coronal deviation at final radiographic follow-up (15.9° vs 21.5°). Conclusions: Anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody seropositivity is associated with improved silicone MCP implant survivorship and lower risk of recurrent coronal plane deformity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. More work is needed to better understand the biologic basis of these findings.

Spontaneous pneumothorax (SP) is defined by the presence of air in the pleural space arising from neither trauma nor iatrogenic causes. It can develop secondary to various etiologies. The familial clustering observed in some patients with SP supports the view that genetic factors play a role in the pathogenesis of SP. Several recognizable pneumothorax-associated genetic syndromes exist, including Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome (BHD), tuberous sclerosis complex-associated lymphangioleiomyomatosis (TSC-LAM), Marfan syndrome (MFS), cystic fibrosis (CF), alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD), vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (vEDS), Loeys-Dietz syndrome (LDS), and a few others. Recognition of these syndromes underlying SP facilitates optimal management and counseling regarding prognosis and potential comorbidities. In this review, we systematically summarize several genetic syndromes associated with pneumothorax, in which SP may manifest either as an initial presenting symptom or as a potential complication that adversely affects the prognosis.