Introduction Vitamin B12 is very vital for the nervous system. Its deficiency can manifest with neurological symptoms like pain and paresthesias and in severe cases may cause not completely restorable neurological dam...Introduction Vitamin B12 is very vital for the nervous system. Its deficiency can manifest with neurological symptoms like pain and paresthesias and in severe cases may cause not completely restorable neurological damage, especially in elderly patients. Methods The charts of 702 patients who underwent cervical spine surgery retrospectively reviewed and data collected . All patients were preoperatively seen by an internist who ordered Vit B12 levels for some of them. We used two thresholds for the diagnosis of vitamin B12 deficiency, 200 and 300 pg/mL as recommended by Yao et al. 1992. Data were also collected on gender, payor status, myelopathy, hemoglobin level, corpuscular parameters and glycosylated hemoglobin level (HbA1c). Vitamin B12 levels were compared between patients with HbA1c levels ≥ 6.1% and <6.1%. Differences between patients ≥ and < than the median age were studied. The median age of the patient cohort was 52. Results Hemoglobin level was recorded for 659 patients. Vit B12 levels were ordered for 291 patients only. Overall, 13.7% had decreased hemoglobin level (anemia), 30.2% had decreased Vit B12 levels by the 300 threshold, 6.9% had decreased Vit B12 levels by the 200 threshold, 6.3% decreased MCV (microcytosis), and 2.8% increased MCV (macrocytosis). Only four patients (0.7%), of whom older than 52, had decreased hemoglobin level and increased MCV (macrocytic anemia) and one patient (0.4%), who was also older than 52, had decreased hemoglobin level, increased MCV and Vit B12 level < 200 pg/mL (macrocytic anemia duo to Vit B12 deficiency). Dividing the patient sample into three age groups, <40, 40-59, and ≥ 60 years, we investigated the trend of cobalamin deficiency by age and found an increase in cobalamin deficiency after 40 from 0% to 7.4% (200 threshold). Uninsured patients (25%) using the 200 pg/mL threshold and workers’ compensation (54.5%) and uninsured patients (50.0%) had the highest rate of Vit B12 deficiency using the 300 pg/mL threshold. The few patients with macrocytic anemia (N=4) and macrocytic anemia due to Vit B12 deficiency (N=1) had health coverage. Conclusion Vit B12 deficiency in cervical spine surgery patients may not necessarily mean macrocytic anemia but may precede macrocytic anemia. Therefore, Vit B12 deficiency screening on the preoperative visit is warranted especially in uninsured or older patients or both. Preoperative treatment may be indicated and correlation with postoperative outcome is suggested for future research.展开更多
Rhizomelic Chondrodysplasia Punctata Type I is one of the rare peroxisome disorders. We report the case of a newborn white male that developed seizures and skeletal dysmorphism. The baby had short humerus bones with s...Rhizomelic Chondrodysplasia Punctata Type I is one of the rare peroxisome disorders. We report the case of a newborn white male that developed seizures and skeletal dysmorphism. The baby had short humerus bones with stippled epiphy-ses, consistent with the disease. He had also delay in myelinization on brain MRI with bilateral subependymal cysts over the atria and frontal horns of the lateral ventricles. Usually, infants with this disorder do not live long. This unfor-tunate little patient died at 5 weeks age from pneumonia. We emphasize the importance of antenatal screening for these disorders especially when a family history of dysmorphism is positive.展开更多
Background: What is the quantitative relationship between repeated surgical intervention and unemployment in the spine surgery population? And, does the literature pay sufficient attention to this important aspect of ...Background: What is the quantitative relationship between repeated surgical intervention and unemployment in the spine surgery population? And, does the literature pay sufficient attention to this important aspect of spine surgery outcome? Methods: This was a retrospective review of 905 patients of working age undergoing one of three types of spine surgery. The index surgery at the time of the study was either on the cervical or lumbar spine. We retrospectively collected data on patients’ employment status and history of prior spine surgery. In this study, history of prior spine surgery was coded using two nominal (categorical) variables: The number of previous spine surgeries (0, 1, 2, ≥3) and the variability of location of previous spine surgeries (cervical, lumbar). We also looked into scientific publications related to spine surgery and probed “employment” and “reoperation” awareness in randomized controlled trials (RCTs). In addition, we queried some common factors that are known to play an important role in exacerbating the unemployment problem, such as opioid (ab)use and depression. Results: The unemployment rate was 19.4% among males and 34.8% among females. Unemployment rate correlated with the number of previous spine surgery (r = 0.077, p = 0.020), opioid use (r = 0.080, p = 0.017) and being on antidepressants (r = 0.119, p = 0.000). The unemployment rate was sta-tistically different (χ2 = 10.656, p = 0.014) among patients with different numbers of previous spine surgeries: 25.6% of de novo patients versus 28.1% of patients with one previous spine surgery, 32.7% of patients with two previous spine surgeries and 48.7% of patients with three or more previous spine surgeries. Females had significantly higher unemployment rate if they had three or more previous spine surgeries in their past (31.4%, 34.4%, 46.2% versus 83.3%, χ2 = 21.841, p = 0.000). Unemployment rate was as high as 90% in female patients with ≥3 surgeries on different regions of the spine and receiving antidepressants. Among randomized controlled trials addressing spine surgery in humans and published in English, 10.4% of reported studies mentioned opioids in their text, 4.1% (23/566) mentioned reoperation, 1.4% (8/566) mentioned employment, and none mentioned antidepressants. Conclusion: Females’ employment status is more sensitive to repeated surgical intervention, regardless of the part of the spine being targeted, reaching close to ten times the general population’s unemployment rate (83.3% versus 8%). On the other hand, a small percentage of randomized controlled trials pertaining to spine surgery deals with employment issues and reoperation rate in their outcome analysis.展开更多
As the population of the United States undergoes significant qualitative and quantitative changes the healthcare needs of the population changes accordingly. Since the “old-old” ≥85 years sector of the population i...As the population of the United States undergoes significant qualitative and quantitative changes the healthcare needs of the population changes accordingly. Since the “old-old” ≥85 years sector of the population is growing fast we embarked on studying how spine surgery profile changes across age groups. Methods: A database of 6147 spine surgery patients operated in a tertiary care center in Middle Georgia between 2003 and 2009 was divided to four age groups. The threshold for old-old age was set at 75. The percentage of old-old patients was calculated and their spine surgery profile for the whole period was studied. Changes in spine surgery profile were evaluated in relation to age group and gender. Type of surgery was determined by ICD-9 code. Results: For the whole study period, the percentage of old-old spine surgery patients was 6.7%. The percentage of old-old spine surgery patients increased from 4.7% in 2003 to 7.3% in 2009. Females were preponderant in the later three age groups (53.8%, 53.2% and 55.0%) while males were more in the 2 = 1446.958, P = 0.000). The spine surgery profile for the whole study period was characterized by shifts in the ≥75 age group toward less primary fusions of the cervical and lumbar spine and more refusions of the lumbar spine, more intervertebral disk excisions and more canal exploratory operations in older-old patients. In addition to the age factor, the gender factor had an impact on the spine surgery profile. Statistically significant differences (P < 0.5) were noted between males and females in each age group. Conclusions: Spine surgery profile shows a tendency toward less invasive procedures in the older-old population unless indicated by previous surgery failures, upper neck injuries or osteoporosis-induced fractures.展开更多
文摘Introduction Vitamin B12 is very vital for the nervous system. Its deficiency can manifest with neurological symptoms like pain and paresthesias and in severe cases may cause not completely restorable neurological damage, especially in elderly patients. Methods The charts of 702 patients who underwent cervical spine surgery retrospectively reviewed and data collected . All patients were preoperatively seen by an internist who ordered Vit B12 levels for some of them. We used two thresholds for the diagnosis of vitamin B12 deficiency, 200 and 300 pg/mL as recommended by Yao et al. 1992. Data were also collected on gender, payor status, myelopathy, hemoglobin level, corpuscular parameters and glycosylated hemoglobin level (HbA1c). Vitamin B12 levels were compared between patients with HbA1c levels ≥ 6.1% and <6.1%. Differences between patients ≥ and < than the median age were studied. The median age of the patient cohort was 52. Results Hemoglobin level was recorded for 659 patients. Vit B12 levels were ordered for 291 patients only. Overall, 13.7% had decreased hemoglobin level (anemia), 30.2% had decreased Vit B12 levels by the 300 threshold, 6.9% had decreased Vit B12 levels by the 200 threshold, 6.3% decreased MCV (microcytosis), and 2.8% increased MCV (macrocytosis). Only four patients (0.7%), of whom older than 52, had decreased hemoglobin level and increased MCV (macrocytic anemia) and one patient (0.4%), who was also older than 52, had decreased hemoglobin level, increased MCV and Vit B12 level < 200 pg/mL (macrocytic anemia duo to Vit B12 deficiency). Dividing the patient sample into three age groups, <40, 40-59, and ≥ 60 years, we investigated the trend of cobalamin deficiency by age and found an increase in cobalamin deficiency after 40 from 0% to 7.4% (200 threshold). Uninsured patients (25%) using the 200 pg/mL threshold and workers’ compensation (54.5%) and uninsured patients (50.0%) had the highest rate of Vit B12 deficiency using the 300 pg/mL threshold. The few patients with macrocytic anemia (N=4) and macrocytic anemia due to Vit B12 deficiency (N=1) had health coverage. Conclusion Vit B12 deficiency in cervical spine surgery patients may not necessarily mean macrocytic anemia but may precede macrocytic anemia. Therefore, Vit B12 deficiency screening on the preoperative visit is warranted especially in uninsured or older patients or both. Preoperative treatment may be indicated and correlation with postoperative outcome is suggested for future research.
文摘Rhizomelic Chondrodysplasia Punctata Type I is one of the rare peroxisome disorders. We report the case of a newborn white male that developed seizures and skeletal dysmorphism. The baby had short humerus bones with stippled epiphy-ses, consistent with the disease. He had also delay in myelinization on brain MRI with bilateral subependymal cysts over the atria and frontal horns of the lateral ventricles. Usually, infants with this disorder do not live long. This unfor-tunate little patient died at 5 weeks age from pneumonia. We emphasize the importance of antenatal screening for these disorders especially when a family history of dysmorphism is positive.
文摘Background: What is the quantitative relationship between repeated surgical intervention and unemployment in the spine surgery population? And, does the literature pay sufficient attention to this important aspect of spine surgery outcome? Methods: This was a retrospective review of 905 patients of working age undergoing one of three types of spine surgery. The index surgery at the time of the study was either on the cervical or lumbar spine. We retrospectively collected data on patients’ employment status and history of prior spine surgery. In this study, history of prior spine surgery was coded using two nominal (categorical) variables: The number of previous spine surgeries (0, 1, 2, ≥3) and the variability of location of previous spine surgeries (cervical, lumbar). We also looked into scientific publications related to spine surgery and probed “employment” and “reoperation” awareness in randomized controlled trials (RCTs). In addition, we queried some common factors that are known to play an important role in exacerbating the unemployment problem, such as opioid (ab)use and depression. Results: The unemployment rate was 19.4% among males and 34.8% among females. Unemployment rate correlated with the number of previous spine surgery (r = 0.077, p = 0.020), opioid use (r = 0.080, p = 0.017) and being on antidepressants (r = 0.119, p = 0.000). The unemployment rate was sta-tistically different (χ2 = 10.656, p = 0.014) among patients with different numbers of previous spine surgeries: 25.6% of de novo patients versus 28.1% of patients with one previous spine surgery, 32.7% of patients with two previous spine surgeries and 48.7% of patients with three or more previous spine surgeries. Females had significantly higher unemployment rate if they had three or more previous spine surgeries in their past (31.4%, 34.4%, 46.2% versus 83.3%, χ2 = 21.841, p = 0.000). Unemployment rate was as high as 90% in female patients with ≥3 surgeries on different regions of the spine and receiving antidepressants. Among randomized controlled trials addressing spine surgery in humans and published in English, 10.4% of reported studies mentioned opioids in their text, 4.1% (23/566) mentioned reoperation, 1.4% (8/566) mentioned employment, and none mentioned antidepressants. Conclusion: Females’ employment status is more sensitive to repeated surgical intervention, regardless of the part of the spine being targeted, reaching close to ten times the general population’s unemployment rate (83.3% versus 8%). On the other hand, a small percentage of randomized controlled trials pertaining to spine surgery deals with employment issues and reoperation rate in their outcome analysis.
文摘As the population of the United States undergoes significant qualitative and quantitative changes the healthcare needs of the population changes accordingly. Since the “old-old” ≥85 years sector of the population is growing fast we embarked on studying how spine surgery profile changes across age groups. Methods: A database of 6147 spine surgery patients operated in a tertiary care center in Middle Georgia between 2003 and 2009 was divided to four age groups. The threshold for old-old age was set at 75. The percentage of old-old patients was calculated and their spine surgery profile for the whole period was studied. Changes in spine surgery profile were evaluated in relation to age group and gender. Type of surgery was determined by ICD-9 code. Results: For the whole study period, the percentage of old-old spine surgery patients was 6.7%. The percentage of old-old spine surgery patients increased from 4.7% in 2003 to 7.3% in 2009. Females were preponderant in the later three age groups (53.8%, 53.2% and 55.0%) while males were more in the 2 = 1446.958, P = 0.000). The spine surgery profile for the whole study period was characterized by shifts in the ≥75 age group toward less primary fusions of the cervical and lumbar spine and more refusions of the lumbar spine, more intervertebral disk excisions and more canal exploratory operations in older-old patients. In addition to the age factor, the gender factor had an impact on the spine surgery profile. Statistically significant differences (P < 0.5) were noted between males and females in each age group. Conclusions: Spine surgery profile shows a tendency toward less invasive procedures in the older-old population unless indicated by previous surgery failures, upper neck injuries or osteoporosis-induced fractures.
