Epidemiology, clinical profile, management, and outcome of COVID-19-associated rhino-orbital-cerebral mucormycosis in 2826 patients in India - Collaborative OPAI-IJO Study on Mucormycosis in COVID-19 (COSMIC), Report 1.

Purpose: COVID-19-associated rhino-orbital-cerebral mucormycosis (ROCM) has reached epidemic proportion during India's second wave of COVID-19 pandemic, with several risk factors being implicated in its pathogenesis. This study aimed to determine the patient demographics, risk factors including comorbidities, and medications used to treat COVID-19, presenting symptoms and signs, and the outcome of management. Methods: This was a retrospective, observational study of patients with COVID-19-associated ROCM managed or co-managed by ophthalmologists in India from January 1, 2020 to May 26, 2021. Results: Of the 2826 patients, the states of Gujarat (22%) and Maharashtra (21%) reported the highest number of ROCM. The mean age of patients was 51.9 years with a male preponderance (71%). While 57% of the patients needed oxygen support for COVID-19 infection, 87% of the patients were treated with corticosteroids, (21% for > 10 days). Diabetes mellitus (DM) was present in 78% of all patients. Most of the cases showed onset of symptoms of ROCM between day 10 and day 15 from the diagnosis of COVID-19, 56% developed within 14 days after COVID-19 diagnosis, while 44% had delayed onset beyond 14 days. Orbit was involved in 72% of patients, with stage 3c forming the bulk (27%). Overall treatment included intravenous amphotericin B in 73%, functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS)/paranasal sinus (PNS) debridement in 56%, orbital exenteration in 15%, and both FESS/PNS debridement and orbital exenteration in 17%. Intraorbital injection of amphotericin B was administered in 22%. At final follow-up, mortality was 14%. Disease stage >3b had poorer prognosis. Paranasal sinus debridement and orbital exenteration reduced the mortality rate from 52% to 39% in patients with stage 4 disease with intracranial extension (p < 0.05). Conclusion: : Corticosteroids and DM are the most important predisposing factors in the development of COVID-19-associated ROCM. COVID-19 patients must be followed up beyond recovery. Awareness of red flag symptoms and signs, high index of clinical suspicion, prompt diagnosis, and early initiation of treatment with amphotericin B, aggressive surgical debridement of the PNS, and orbital exenteration, where indicated, are essential for successful outcome.

Aging and the Indian Face: An Analytical Study of Aging in the Asian Indian Face.

Asian Indians make up almost one-sixth of the world's population. Although some aspects of facial beauty are universal, anthropometric morphology and age-related changes differ in all ethnic groups. Currently, there are hardly any published studies highlighting the process of aging in Asian Indians. We wanted to understand the aging patterns in different ethnic subgroups within Asian Indians and also compare the aging patterns with Caucasians. METHOD: 300 participants, above 30 years of age, were selected from different Indian ethnic groups (North, South, East, West). Recent good-quality photographs as well as those from the preceding decades (20 years and beyond) were studied. A validated grading score of 1-5 was used for assessing various aging parameters. RESULTS: Significant differences exist in the process of aging between Asian Indians and Caucasians. Maximum signs of aging were reported in the age group of >70 years. Earlier signs of aging (in 30-40 years) were more visible in North and East Indian ethnic groups followed by West and South Indians in decreasing order. Also, South Indians showed the least signs of aging (early as well as overall) compared to the other 3 ethnic groups in any given age range. CONCLUSIONS: This study attempts to understand in greater detail the aging process of the Asian Indian population. This study could open up specific treatment protocols to treat this population in the fields of facial esthetics and facial cosmetic surgery.

Prognosis of eyelid sebaceous gland carcinoma based on the tumor (T) category of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) classification.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical features and prognosis of eyelid sebaceous gland carcinoma (SGC) based on the T category of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) classification (7th edition). This is a retrospective interventional case series study. Based on the T category of the AJCC classification, 191 patients with eyelid sebaceous gland carcinoma were classified as T1 (n = 1, 1 %), T2 (n = 111, 58 %), T3 (n = 76, 40 %), and T4 (n = 3, 2 %). Based on multivariate analysis, the factors predictive of regional lymph node metastasis included duration of symptoms >6 months (p = 0.04) and orbital tumor extension (p < 0.001). The factors predictive of systemic metastasis included orbital tumor extension (p < 0.001) and perivascular invasion (p = 0.007). The factor predictive of death due to systemic metastasis included orbital tumor extension (p < 0.001). Kaplan-Meier estimates of regional lymph node metastasis at 5 and 10 years, respectively, were 0 and 0 % for T1, 11 and 11 % for T2, 44 and 59 % for T3, and 100 and 100 % for T4 (p < 0.001). Kaplan-Meier estimates of systemic metastasis at 5 and 10 years, respectively, were 0 and 0 % for T1, 6 and 6 % for T2, 35 and 35 % for T3, and 100 and 100 % for T4 (p < 0.001). Kaplan-Meier estimates of death due to metastasis at 5 and 10 years, respectively, were 0 and 0 % for T1, 3 and 3 % for T2, 30 and 50 % for T3, and 100 and 100 % for T4 (p < 0.001). Primary tumor (T) category of the AJCC classification predicts the prognosis of patients with eyelid SGC. The risk of systemic metastasis and death increases with increasing tumor category.

Neoadjuvant Systemic Chemotherapy in the Management of Extensive Eyelid Sebaceous Gland Carcinoma: A study of 10 Cases.

PURPOSE: To report the efficacy of neoadjuvant systemic chemotherapy in the management of eyelid sebaceous gland carcinoma (SGC). METHODS: Retrospective study of 10 patients that received neoadjuvant systemic chemotherapy (Cisplatin/Carboplatin and 5-Fluorouracil) for eyelid SGC. RESULTS: The mean age at presentation of eyelid SGC was 58 years (median, 55 years; range, 45 to 72 years). There were 6 females and 4 males. The mean tumor basal diameter was 36 mm (median, 31 mm, range, 20 to 65 mm), with orbital tumor extension in 9 cases. On the basis of TNM Classification, the tumors were classified as T3 (n = 10), N1 (n = 6), and M1 (n = 2). The mean number of cycles of neoadjuvant systemic chemotherapy per patient was 3 (median, 3; range, 3 to 4). The mean percentage reduction of tumor basal diameter after neoadjuvant chemotherapy was 74% (median, 80%; range, 30% to 100%). None of them had any major systemic side-effects of neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Postchemotherapy, surgical treatment for residual tumor was performed in 7 cases. Five cases underwent excision biopsy and 2 cases with residual orbital component underwent eyelid-sparing orbital exenteration. No tumor recurrence was noted in any of the 7 cases at a mean follow-up period of 18 months (median, 14 months; range, 3 to 63 months). One patient died due to systemic metastasis. CONCLUSION: Neoadjuvant systemic chemotherapy is effective and safe in the management of eyelid sebaceous gland carcinoma.

Bacteremia during dacryocystorhinostomy: results of intra-operative blood cultures.

BACKGROUND: The aims of the study are to assess the prevalence of bacteremia during dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) and to assess whether there is a need for post-operative prophylaxis. Prospective interventional study of 52 consecutive dacryocystorhinostomy performed in 50 patients over a period of 1 year from 2013 to 2014. Blood was drawn under strict aseptic conditions during two separate time points: fashioning of the nasal mucosal and creation of lacrimal sac flaps. The blood was inoculated into two blood culture bottles: the dual media as well as Columbia broth. Following withdrawal of blood, all patients received an intraoperative single dose of a cephalosporin antibiotic. Clean cases of primary acquired nasolacrimal duct obstructions (PANDO) without any sac discharge upon marsupialization (22%, 11/50) were not prescribed routine post-operative prophylaxis, whereas the remaining were prescribed oral antibiotics for 5 days. RESULTS: The mean age of patients was 41 years (range, 4-61 years). The most common diagnosis (70%, 35/50) was primary acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction. Acute dacryocystitis was noted in 12% (6/50). External DCR was performed in 65% (34/52) and endoscopic DCR in 35% (18/52) of the cases. All the blood cultures were uniformly negative both in terms of abnormal physical changes in media as well subcultures; 22% (11/50) did not receive post-operative antibiotic prophylaxis. None of the patients developed any signs of wound infections. The anatomical and functional success rate was achieved in 98%. CONCLUSIONS: This study did not find any intraoperative bacteremia during dacryocystorhinostomy and that none had wound infection irrespective of post-operative prophylaxis.