C. Burmeister

Predictive Capacity of 3 Comorbidity Indices in Estimating Survival Endpoints in Women With Early-Stage Endometrial Carcinoma.

Objective The negative impact of comorbidity on survival in women with endometrial carcinoma (EC) is well-known. Few validated comorbidity indices are available for clinical use, such as the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), the Age-Adjusted CCI (AACCI), and the Adult Comorbidity Evaluation-27 (ACE-27). The aim of the study is to determine which index best correlates with survival endpoints in women with EC. Materials and Methods We identified 1132 women with early-stage EC treated at an academic center. Three scores were calculated for each patient using CCI, AACCI, and ACE-27 at the time of hysterectomy. Univariate and multivariable modeling was used to determine predictors of survival. Results For each of the studied comorbidity indices, the highest scores were significantly correlated with poorer overall survival. The hazard ratio of death from any cause was 3.92 for AACCI, 2.25 for CCI, and 1.57 for ACE-27. All 3 indices were independent predictors of overall survival with a P value of less than 0.001 on multivariate analysis. In addition, lymphovascular space invasion, lower uterine segment involvement, and tumor grade were predictors of overall survival. Lymphovascular space invasion, grade (P < 0.001), and high AACCI score were the only significant predictors of recurrence-free survival (RFS). Lymphovascular space invasion and tumor grade were the only 2 predictors of disease-specific survival. Conclusions Although all 3 studied comorbidity indices were significant predictors of overall survival in women with early-stage EC, AACCI showed a stronger association. It should be considered for evaluating comorbidity in women with early-stage EC.

Antenatal inflammation and gestational diabetes mellitus risk among pregnant African-American women

Although inflammation is associated with risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), little is known if there is an association between inflammation and GDM in African-American women, a group at higher risk for GDM complications. In the present study, we aimed to determine if selected inflammatory cytokines (i.e. TNF-α, hs-CRP, IL-6, IL-10, IL-6/IL-10 ratio, IL-1β) measured in the 2nd trimester, were associated with GDM risk in 185 pregnant African-American women. GDM was defined as a physician-documented GDM diagnosis, a fasting glucose between 92 and 125mg/dl, or evidence of glucose intolerance (defined using the 3-h glucose tolerance test). A total of 18 women (9.7%) had GDM. After covariate adjustment, C-reactive protein, measured at a mean 21.2±3.7 weeks gestation, was statistically significantly associated with GDM development (P=0.025); for every one-unit increase in log-transformed C-reactive protein, the odds of GDM increased by 5.3. Results were similar using a principal component analysis approach. This study provides evidence that higher levels of 2nd trimester C-reactive protein is associated with increased risk of GDM in African-American women. Further research is needed to examine whether C-reactive protein may be a useful early-pregnancy screen for evaluating potential GDM risk in African-American women.

Is Older Age a Real Adverse Prognostic Factor in Women With Early-Stage Endometrial Carcinoma? A Matched Analysis.

Objectives The aim of this study was to evaluate if older age alone negatively impacts survival endpoints in women with early-stage uterine endometrioid carcinoma (EC), or its reported prognostic impact is due to an interaction with other well-known adverse factors using matched-analysis methodology. Methods We identified 1254 patients with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage I–II EC who underwent hysterectomy at our institution. We created 2 matched groups based on International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage, tumor grade, lymph node dissection status, and the type of adjuvant management. Recurrence-free (RFS), disease-specific (DSS) and overall survival (OS) were calculated. Results A total 297 women 70 years or older were matched with 297 women younger than 70 years. The 2 groups were well balanced except for age and higher body mass index in younger patients. There were no significant difference between older and younger patients in regard to 5-year RFS (85% vs 87%; P = 0.52) or DSS (93% for both groups with P = 0.77). Five-year OS was shorter in older patients (76% vs 88% with P < 0.001). On multivariate analysis for RFS and DSS, high tumor grade and the presence of lymphovascular space invasion (LVSI) were the only 2 predictors of shorter RFS and DSS (P = 0.01 and P = 0.02, and P = 0.01 and P = 0.01, respectively). Tumor grade and LVSI also were predictors of shorter OS. Conclusions Our study suggests that when older patients with EC are matched with younger patients based on tumor stage, grade, and adjuvant management the prognostic impact of old age disappears. High tumor grade and LVSI remained as independent predictors of survival endpoints.

INCIDENTAL THYROID NODULES: RACE / ETHNICITY DISPARITIES AND OUTCOMES

OBJECTIVE Black patients have a significantly lower incidence of well-differentiated thyroid cancer (WDTC) compared to all other race/ethnic groups, while white patients appear to be at greater risk. This study examines incidental thyroid nodules (ITNs) to assess whether racial disparities in WDTC arise from a differential discovery of ITNs-perhaps due to socioeconomic disparities-or reflect true differences in thyroid cancer rates. METHODS A retrospective review was performed of all patients who underwent fine-needle aspiration (FNA) of thyroid nodules by our academic medical centers endocrinology division between January 2006 and December 2010. Medical records were reviewed to identify whether the biopsied thyroid nodule was discovered incidentally through nonthyroid-related imaging or identified by palpation. RESULTS FNAs were performed on 1,369 total thyroid nodules in 1,141 study patients; 547 (48%) were classified as white, and 593 (52%) were classified as nonwhite. Among this cohort, 36.6% of patients underwent biopsy for an ITN. White patients were 1.6 times more likely to have undergone a biopsy for a nodule that was incidentally identified compared to nonwhites ( P<.0001). Indicators of socioeconomic status (SES) did not have a significant association with ITNs. Within the ITN cohort, 4.9% of nonwhite patients were found to have a thyroid malignancy compared to 12.9% of white patients ( P<.01). CONCLUSION The higher incidence of thyroid cancer in white patients appears to be not only due to diagnostic bias, but also to a true difference in cancer prevalence. ABBREVIATIONS FNA = fine-needle aspiration; ITN = incidental thyroid nodule; SEER = Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results; SES = socioeconomic status; WDTC = well-differentiated thyroid cancer.

Neighborhood-Level Poverty at Menarche and Prepregnancy Obesity in African-American Women

Introduction. Menarche is a critical time point in a womans reproductive system development; exposures at menarche may influence maternal health. Living in a poorer neighborhood is associated with adult obesity; however, little is known if neighborhood factors at menarche are associated with prepregnancy obesity. Methods. We examined the association of neighborhood-level poverty at menarche with prepregnancy body mass index category in 144 pregnant African-American women. Address at menarche was geocoded to census tract (closest to year of menarche); neighborhood-level poverty was defined as the proportion of residents living under the federal poverty level. Cumulative logistic regression was used to examine the association of neighborhood-level poverty at menarche, in quartiles, with categorical prepregnancy BMI. Results. Before pregnancy, 59 (41%) women were obese. Compared to women in the lowest neighborhood-level poverty quartile, women in the highest quartile had 2.9 [1.2, 6.9] times higher odds of prepregnancy obesity; this was slightly attenuated after adjusting for age, marital status, education, and parity (odds ratio: 2.3 [0.9, 6.3]). Conclusions. Living in a higher poverty neighborhood at menarche is associated with prepregnancy obesity in African-American women. Future studies are needed to better understand the role of exposures in menarche on health in pregnancy.