The value of 6-month interval imaging after benign radiologic-pathologic concordant minimally invasive breast biopsy.

BACKGROUND: Current National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines recommend repeat imaging 6-12 months after a benign radiologic-pathologic concordant image-guided breast biopsy. We hypothesized that interval imaging <12 months after benign concordant biopsy has a low cancer yield and increases health care costs. METHODS: An institutional review board-approved retrospective chart review identified 689 patients who underwent image-guided breast biopsy at Bryn Mawr Hospital between January and December 2010. Charts were evaluated for documentation of radiologic-pathologic concordance. RESULTS: Of 689 patients, 188 (27 %) had malignant pathology, 3 (0.4 %) had nonbreast pathology, and 498 (72.3 %) had benign pathology. Of 498 patients with benign findings, 44 (8.8 %) underwent surgical excision as a result of discordance, atypia, papillary lesion, or other benign finding. Of the remaining 454 patients who did not undergo excision, 337 (74.2 %) had documented radiologic-pathologic concordance. Interval imaging <12 months after benign biopsy was obtained in 182 (54.0 %) concordant patients. Five (2.7 %) patients had suspicious [American College of Radiology Breast Imaging-Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) 4] findings on follow-up imaging. Only one breast cancer was identified, representing 0.5 % (95 % confidence interval 0-3.4) of all benign concordant patients undergoing interval imaging. The cost of detecting a missed cancer with interval imaging after benign concordant biopsy was $41,813.77 in this cohort. CONCLUSIONS: Interval imaging performed <12 months after benign concordant breast biopsy demonstrated a low yield for the detection of breast cancer and resulted in increased health care costs. Our data support the policy for discontinuation of routine interval imaging after benign concordant biopsy.

Exercise capacity and 24-h blood pressure in prehypertensive men and women.

BACKGROUND: Prehypertensive individuals are at increased risk for developing hypertension and cardiovascular disease compared to those with normal blood pressure (BP). Physically active, normotensive individuals are also at lower risk for developing hypertension than sedentary individuals. We assessed the relationship between fitness and 24-h ambulatory BP in prehypertensive men and women. METHODS: We assessed exercise capacity and 24-h BP in 407 men (age 51 +/- 11 years) and 243 women (age 54 +/-10 years) with resting systolic BP 120 to 139 mm Hg and diastolic BP of 80 to 89 mm Hg, defined as prehypertension. Fitness categories (low, moderate, and high) were established according to exercise time and age. RESULTS: Multiple regression analysis revealed that fitness status was inversely associated with ambulatory BP in both genders (P < .001). After adjusting for various confounders, individuals in the lowest fitness category had significantly higher 24-h, daytime, and night-time BP than those in the moderate and high fitness categories. For men, differences between low and moderate fitness categories were 6/4 mm Hg, 8/4 mm Hg, and 7/3 mm Hg for 24-h, daytime, and night-time BP, respectively (P < .05). For women, the differences were 8/5 mm Hg, 9/5 mm Hg, and 8/7 mm Hg for 24-h, daytime, and night-time BP, respectively. Similar differences were evident in both genders between low and high fitness category (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Moderate physical activity promotes lower BP during a 24-h period in prehypertensive men and women. The risk for developing hypertension is likely to be lowered if moderate intensity physical activity in this vulnerable population is encouraged.