Canadian journal of ophthalmology. Journal canadien d'ophtalmologie最新文献

Objective: To determine the characteristics associated with higher online ratings of academic ophthalmologists in Canada.

Design: Retrospective cross-sectional study.

Methods: All ophthalmologists affiliated with Canadian ophthalmology departments were queried in March 2023 using WebMDs. Online ratings and physician profile details were extracted and descriptively analyzed using nonparametric tests with significance at p < 0.05. Subgroup analysis was conducted using ≥ 4-star rated profiles.

Results: Eight hundred and ninety-nine department faculty from 15 institutions were considered, and 660 ophthalmologists with active, rated profiles were included. A total of 27,823 online ratings with a median of 4.14 stars (out of 5) were observed. Most profiles were of men (74.1%). Women received lower overall ratings compared to men (median = 4.08 vs. 4.20; p = 0.021), and lower number of reviews (median = 23 vs. 34; p < 0.001). Most profiles included office addresses (87.9%), private practice affiliation (79.8%), and contact information (51.1%). There was a positive correlations between higher ratings and profiles that included biographies (rho = 0.13; p = 0.001), languages spoken (rho = 0.15; p < 0.001), educational background (rho = 0.13; p < 0.001), areas of expertise (rho = 0.10; p = 0.010), awards (rho = 0.12; p = 0.002), and among physicians indicating they accept new patients (rho = 0.15; p < 0.001) and accommodate virtual visits (rho = 0.09; p = 0.020).

Conclusions: Canadian ophthalmologists having certain personal information on their online profiles tended to have higher ratings, despite weak associations, possibly due to wider public outreach. Women had fewer and lower overall ratings compared to men. Further research about online ratings' influence on physician selection and physician career satisfaction is needed.

Objective: Conjunctival melanoma (CJM) is a rare subtype of mucosal melanomas. Despite an increasing understanding of CJM genetics, predicting patient prognosis remains challenging. Here we sought to see if a 31-gene expression profile (31-GEP) test (i.e., DecisionDx-Melanoma) originally developed and validated for cutaneous melanoma (CM) could be useful in the prognostication of patients with CJM.

Design/participants: We performed a single-center retrospective review and gene expression profiling of 10 patients with CJM.

Methods: Deidentified archived samples of each primary tumor were sent to Castle Biosciences, where 31-GEP testing was performed. Patients were followed until death or a minimum of 5 years postexcision and monitored for tumor recurrence or metastatic spread. Mean fold change in individual gene expression was compared between nonmetastatic and metastatic groups via independent t-tests.

Results: Fifty percent of patients developed metastatic disease and had reduced overall survival (3.6 vs 9.3 months; p = 0.018). In 4 of 10 patients, two nonmetastatic and two metastatic, tumor samples passed Castle Biosciences quality control allowing for class designation. All metastatic patients and one nonmetastatic patient were designated as class 2B. The final nonmetastatic patient was designated as class 1B. In individual gene analysis, BAP1 expression was significantly reduced in the metastatic group (p = 0.03).

Conclusions: In assessing if a CM gene expression panel could aid in the risk stratification of patients with CJM, we found that the uveal melanoma-relevant gene, BAP1, may be important. Additional studies with larger sample sizes are needed to determine the relevance of this and other differentially expressed genes in CJM prognostication.

Objective: To analyze factors predictive of tumor recurrence, orbital exenteration, lymph node metastasis, systemic metastasis, and metastasis-related death in patients with eyelid and periocular sebaceous gland carcinoma (eSGC) undergoing protocol-based management.

Methods: Retrospective interventional study RESULTS: Of the 355 patients with eSGC, 248 (70%) were referred to us without any prior intervention, and 107 (30%) had a history of prior intervention. The treatment modalities after presentation to our center included excisional biopsy (n = 303, 85%), orbital exenteration (n = 36, 85%), neoadjuvant chemotherapy (n = 12, 3%), and topical mitomycin C (n = 4, 1%). The 15-year Kaplan Meier estimates of tumor recurrence, need for orbital exenteration, lymph node metastasis, systemic metastasis, and metastasis-related death were 23%, 26%, 12%, 8%, and 9%, respectively. Multivariate Cox regression model identified positive histopathological margins (p < 0.001) and perivascular invasion (p < 0.001) as predictors of tumor recurrence; diffuse tumor morphology (p = 0.009), tumor diameter >20 mm (p = 0.027), orbital extension of the tumor (p < 0.001), perivascular invasion (p = 0.013), and pagetoid tumor spread (p < 0.001) on histopathology as predictors of orbital exenteration; diffuse tumor morphology (p = 0.005), tumor diameter >10 mm (p = 0.015), and perivascular invasion (p = 0.008) as predictors of lymph node metastasis; diffuse tumor morphology (p = 0.024) as a predictor of systemic metastasis; and multicentric tumor origin (p = 0.035) as a predictor of metastasis-related death.

Conclusion: Clinical features, including diffuse tumor morphology, multicentric tumor origin, larger tumor diameter, and orbital extension of the tumor, and histopathological features, including pagetoid tumor spread, positive histopathological margins, and perivascular invasion, are predictors of poor outcomes in eSGC.

Objective: To estimate the prevalence of glaucoma in Canada based on self-reports and test data, including Frequency Doubling Technology Perimetry (FDT), optic nerve vertical cup-to-disc ratio (CDR), intraocular pressure (IOP), and use of glaucoma medications.

Design: Cross-sectional survey.

Participants: 2,600-4,100 participants aged 40-79 in the Canadian Health Measures Survey 2016-2019 with available information from self-report, CDR, FDT, and IOP.

Methods: Glaucoma was defined by self-reports, CDR ≥ 0.7 only, or failed FDT only. Incorporating results of CDR, FDT, IOP, and use of glaucoma medications, participants were further classified as definite glaucoma (failed FDT and CDR ≥ 0.7) or glaucoma suspects (CDR ≥ 0.7 only, failed FDT only, or IOP > 21 mmHg only, or "normal" values of FDT, CDR, and IOP but used glaucoma medications). Survey weights were used in analyses.

Results: The glaucoma prevalence was 2.5% (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.7%-3.3%) utilizing self-reports, 3.0% (95% CI 2.1%-3.9%) by CDR ≥ 0.7 only and 10.3% (7.8%-12.8%) with failed FDT only. Merging test data, the prevalence of definite glaucoma was 0.7% (95% CI 0.3%-1.1%) and the prevalence of suspected glaucoma was 16.3% (95% CI 13.2%-19.4%). Among the patients suspected of having glaucoma, 44.4% had ocular hypertension (OHT, mean IOP 22.8 mmHg) and 6.8% used glaucoma medications. IOP ≥28 mmHg was found in 2.4% of OHT individuals, and none used glaucoma medications.37.5% of Canadians with definite glaucoma were unaware they had glaucoma.

Conclusions: Glaucoma prevalence in Canadians aged 40-79 varied between 0.7% and 10.3% depending on definition used. 16.3% of Canadians were labeled "glaucoma suspects". Nearly 40% of Canadians with definite glaucoma were unaware of having glaucoma.