Medical Specialties Commons^™

Quality Improvement: Patient Education For Management Of Hypertension In Pregnancy, Kriti Goel

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

Objective: We introduced maternal hypertension education tools that address illiteracy in underserved populations. Through these tools, we aim to improve patients’ knowledge of their conditions. We also aim to determine if healthcare providers perceive a benefit to the use of the tools. Ultimately, we hope these changes will lead to better short- and long-term health outcomes for mother and child.

Methods: Pregnant women with any form of hypertension at Five Rivers Center for Women’s Health (FRHC) were surveyed during OB visits. The Patient Questionnaire includes objective knowledge questions on their condition and self-reported comprehension questions. Forty-five women were surveyed during …

Refusal Of Care In The Emergency Department: Self-Reported Reasons For Leaving Without Completing Treatment, Brenden Drerup

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

Objective: Emergency department (ED) patients may choose to leave prior to physician evaluation, elope during treatment, or leave against medical advice during treatment. This study was performed to identify the reasons why patients left the ED before completing treatment. Methods: This prospective study was conducted at Miami Valley Hospital, an urban level 1 trauma center. This study identified ED patients who left before completing treatment, including those who left without being seen (LWBS), eloped during treatment, or left against medical advice (AMA), from September to December of 2018. This project included a chart review and a prospective patient telephone survey. …

Incidence Of Female Breast Cancer In The United States By Race And Region, Tiffany Le

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

Objective: Assess the distribution and incidence of female breast cancer in the United States in different races and regions of the United States. Methods: Collect and analyze CDC WONDER data from the Center for Disease and Control to see if there are varying rates of female breast cancer incidence between races and in different regions of the United States. Results: The results are expected to show a significant difference in female breast cancer incidence between races and a non-significant difference in female breast cancer incidence among different regions of the United States.

Long-Term Survival Of Bladder Cancer Metastatic To Femoral Neck Treated With Chemotherapy, Radiation, And Arthroplasty: A Case Report, John Defant, Scott Huff, Joseph D. Henningsen, Anil Krishnamurthy

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

Case: A 64-year-old male suffered a pathologic left femoral neck fracture. Biopsy demonstrated metastatic urothelial cancer with a non-muscle invasive bladder cancer primary confirmed by cystoscopy. Patient underwent hemiarthroplasty, chemotherapy, radiation, and eventually, a conversion to total hip arthroplasty. Today, over a decade from initial surgery, the patient remains alive and highly functional. To our knowledge, this is the only report of bone metastatic bladder cancer with over 10-year survival. Conclusion: Bladder cancer metastatic to bone has a 5-year survival rate of 3%. Surgical resection of metastasis with reconstruction may confer a survival benefit in bony oligometastatic bladder cancer.

Totally Robotic Vs Hybrid Abdominoperineal Resection: A Retrospective Multicenter Analysis, Jonathan Douissard, Vincent Obias, Craig S. Johnson, Monika E. Hagen, Deborah Keller, James R. Ouellette, Minia Hellan

Department of Surgery Faculty Publications

Introduction

Laparoscopic abdominoperineal resection (APR) for low rectal cancers is technically demanding. Robotic assistance may be of help and can be hybrid (HAPR) or totally robotic (RAPR). The present study describes outcomes of robotic APR and compares both approaches.

Material and methods

A multicentric retrospective analysis of rectal cancer patients undergoing either HAPR or RAPR was conducted. Patients' demographics, surgeons' experience, oncologic results, and intraoperative and postoperative outcomes were collected.

Results

One hundred twenty‐five patients were included, 48 in HAPR group and 77 in RAPR group. Demographics and comorbidities were comparable. Operative time was reduced in RAPR group (266.9 ± …

A Phase 1 Study Of Intravenous Busulfan As A Conditioning Regimen For Multiple Myeloma, Sabarinath V. Radhakrishnan, Michael Boyer, Catherine M. Sherwin, Maurizio Zangari, Guido Tricot

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

The efficacy of melphalan (MEL) 140 mg/m 2 pre-transplant conditioning versus MEL 200 mg/m 2 for the elderly is still debated. We hypothesized that single-agent intravenous busulfan (BU) would show significant anti-myeloma efficacy and be better tolerated by elderly patients. A prospective 3+3 dose escalation study enrolled symptomatic multiple myeloma (MM) patients 65 years or older with SWOG performance 0–2 for treatment with intravenous BU pre-transplant at different administration levels. The primary objective was to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of BU that could be safely given over the least number of days. All patients, except one, received maintenance …

Statistical Multiscale Mapping Of Idh1, Mgmt, And Microvascular Proliferation Inhuman Braintumors From Multiparametric Mr And Spatially-Registered Core Biopsy, Jason G. Parker, Emily E. Diller, Sha Cao, Jeremy T. Nelson, Kristen W. Yeom, Chang Ho, Robert M. Lober

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

We propose a statistical multiscale mapping approach to identify microscopic and molecular heterogeneity across a tumor microenvironment using multiparametric MR (mp-MR). Twenty-nine patients underwent pre-surgical mp-MR followed by MR-guided stereotactic core biopsy. The locations of the biopsy cores were identified in the pre-surgical images using stereotactic bitmaps acquired during surgery. Feature matrices mapped the multiparametric voxel values in the vicinity of the biopsy cores to the pathologic outcome variables for each patient and logistic regression tested the individual and collective predictive power of the MR contrasts. A non-parametric weighted k-nearest neighbor classifier evaluated the feature matrices in a leave-one-out cross …

Management Of Traumatic Subarachnoid Hemorrhage By The Trauma Service: Is Repeat Ct Scanning And Routine Neurosurgical Consultation Necessary?, Stephen W. Cooper, Kimberly B. Bethea, Trevor J. Skrobut, Rod G. Gerardo, Juan Torres-Reveron, Akpofure Peter Ekeh

Department of Surgery Faculty Publications

Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) results frequently from traumatic brain injury (TBI). The standard management for these patients includes brief admission by the acute care surgery (trauma) service with neurological checks, neurosurgical consultation and repeat head CT within 24 hours to identify any progression or resolution. Recent studies have questioned the need for repeat CT imaging and specialty consultation in mild TBI. We reviewed patients with mild TBI specifically with isolated SAH to determine progression of the pathology and need for neurosurgical involvement. All patients with SAH secondary to mild TBI (Glasgow Coma Score (GCS) of 13-15) who presented over a 5-year …

Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells And Pancreatic Cancer: Implications In Novel Therapeutic Approaches, Anita Thyagarajan, Mamdouh Salman A. Alshehri, Kelly L.R. Miller, Catherine M. Sherwin, Jeffery B. Travers, Ravi P. Sahu

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains a devastating human malignancy with poor prognosis and low survival rates. Several cellular mechanisms have been linked with pancreatic carcinogenesis and also implicated in inducing tumor resistance to known therapeutic regimens. Of various factors, immune evasion mechanisms play critical roles in tumor progression and impeding the efficacy of cancer therapies including PDAC. Among immunosuppressive cell types, myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) have been extensively studied and demonstrated to not only support PDAC development but also hamper the anti-tumor immune responses elicited by therapeutic agents. Notably, recent efforts have been directed in devising novel approaches to target …

Vital Signs, Fall 2019, Boonshoft School Of Medicine

Vital Signs

A thirty-two page newsletter created by the Boonshoft School of Medicine to document the current affairs of the school. This issue includes a variety of feature articles, alumni profiles, class notes, and more.

Antibiotic Treatment Of Suspected And Confirmed Neonatal Sepsis Within 28 Days Of Birth: A Retrospective Analysis, Jadon S. Wagstaff, Robert J. Durrant, Michael G. Newman, Rachael Eason, Robert M. Ward, Catherine M.T. Sherwin, Elena Y. Enioutina

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

Neonatal sepsis causes significant mortality and morbidity worldwide. Diagnosis is usually confirmed via blood culture results. Blood culture sepsis confirmation can take days and suffer from contamination and false negatives. Empiric therapy with antibiotics is common. This study aims to retrospectively describe and compare treatments of blood culture-confirmed and unconfirmed, but suspected, sepsis within the University of Utah Hospital system. Electronic health records were obtained from 1,248 neonates from January 1, 2006, to December 31, 2017. Sepsis was categorized into early-onset (≤3 days of birth, EOS) and late-onset (>3 and ≤28 days of birth, LOS) and categorized as culture-confirmed …

Antioxidant Enzyme-Mimetic Activity And Neuroprotective Effects Of Cerium Oxide Nanoparticles Stabilized With Various Ratios Of Citric Acid And Edta, Ana Y. Estevez, Mallikarjunarao Ganesana, John F. Trentini, James E. Olson, Guang Ze Li, Yvonne O. Boateng, Jennifer M. Lipps, Sarah E.R. Yablonski, William T. Donnelly, James C. Leiter, Joseph S. Erlichman

Emergency Medicine Faculty Publications

Cerium oxide (CeO2) nanoparticles (CeNPs) are potent antioxidants that are being explored as potential therapies for diseases in which oxidative stress plays an important pathological role. However, both beneficial and toxic effects of CeNPs have been reported, and the method of synthesis as well as physico-chemical, biological, and environmental factors can impact the ultimate biological effects of CeNPs. In the present study, we explored the effect of different ratios of citric acid (CA) and EDTA (CA/EDTA), which are used as stabilizers during synthesis of CeNPs, on the antioxidant enzyme-mimetic and biological activity of the CeNPs. We separated the CeNPs into …

Implementing A Novel Quality Improvement-Based Approach To Data Quality Monitoring And Enhancement In A Multipurpose Clinical Registry, Jesse Pratt, Daniel Jeffers, Eileen C. King, Michael D. Kappelman, Jennifer Collins, Peter Margolis, Howard Baron, Julie A. Bass, Mikelle D. Bassett, Genie L. Beasley, Keith J. Benkov, Jeffrey A. Bornstein, Jose M. Cabrera, Wallace Crandall, Liz D. Dancel, Monica P. Garin-Laflam, John E. Grunow, Barry Z. Hirssch, Edward Hoffenberg, Esther Israel, Traci W. Jester, Fevronia Kiparissi, Arathi Lakhole, Sameer P. Lapsia, Phillip Minar, Fernando A. Navarro, Haley Neef, Kt Park, Dinesh S. Pashankar, Ashish S. Patel, Victor M. Pineiro, Chrles M. Samson, Kelly C. Sandberg, Steven J. Steiner, Jennifer A. Strople, Boris Sudel, Jillian S. Sullivan, David L. Suskind, Vikas Uppal, Prateek D. Wali

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

Objective: To implement a quality improvement based system to measure and improve data quality in an observational clinical registry to support a Learning Healthcare System.

Data Source: ImproveCareNow Network registry, which as of September 2019 contained data from 314,250 visits of 43,305 pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) patients at 109 participating care centers.

Study Design: The impact of data quality improvement support to care centers was evaluated using statistical process control methodology. Data quality measures were defined, performance feedback of those measures using statistical process control charts was implemented, and reports that identified data items not following data quality checks …

Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy In The Acute Care Surgery Model: Risk Factors For Complications, Emily Fletcher, Erica Seabold, Ronald J. Markert, Alyssa J. Gans, Akpofure Peter Ekeh

Department of Surgery Faculty Publications

Background: The Acute Care Surgery (ACS) model developed during the last decade fuses critical care, trauma, and emergency general surgery. ACS teams commonly perform laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) for acute biliary disease. This study reviewed LCs performed by an ACS service focusing on risk factors for complications in the emergent setting. Methods: All patients who underwent LC on an ACS service during a 26-month period were identified. Demographic, perioperative, and complication data were collected and analyzed with Fisher's exact test, χ ² test, and Mann-Whitney U Test. Results: During the study period, 547 patients (70.2% female, mean age 46.1±18.1, …

Learning From Experience: Avoiding Common Pitfalls In Multicenter Quality Improvement Collaboratives, Jonathan D. Thackeray, Carrie A. Baker, Rachel P. Berger

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

Clinicians and researchers often tout the newest breakthrough or latest successful intervention. Sharing wins, however, is often done at the expense of sharing obstacles, failures, and subsequent adjustments, which are the cornerstone of quality improvement (QI).^1–3 Here, we share 3 key lessons from 2 hospital-based QI initiatives—the Ohio Timely Recognition of Abuse Injuries (TRAIN) Collaborative and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Child Abuse Initiative (UPMC-CAI). Both focus on early identification, proper evaluation, and accurate reporting of child maltreatment. These are important clinical issues because many children who die or nearly die from maltreatment had been …

Quantifying Skin Photodamage With Spatial Frequency Domain Imaging: Statistical Results, Jeffrey B. Travers, Chien Poon, Trevor J. Bihl, Benjamin Rinehart, Christina E. Borchers, Daniel J. Rohrbach, Samia Borchers, Julian J. Trevino, Max Rubin, Heidi Donnelly, Karl Kellawan, Lydia Carpenter, Shalini Bahl, Craig A. Rohan, Elizabeth Muennich, Scott Guenthner, Holly Hahn, Ali Rkein, Marc Darst, Nico Mousdicas, Elizabeth E. Cates, Ulas Sunar

Dermatology Faculty Publications

We investigated the change in optical properties and vascular parameters to characterize skin tissue from mild photodamage to actinic keratosis (AK) with comparison to a published photodamage scale. Multi-wavelength spatial frequency domain imaging (SFDI) measurements were performed on the dorsal forearms of 55 adult subjects with various amounts of photodamage. Dermatologists rated the levels of photodamage based upon the photographs in blinded fashion to allow comparison with SFDI data. For characterization of statistical data, we used artificial neural networks. Our results indicate that optical and vascular parameters can be used to quantify photodamage and can discriminate between the stages as …

Predicted Disease Compositions Of Human Gliomas Estimated From Multiparametric Mri Can Predict Endothelial Proliferation, Tumor Grade, And Overall Survival, Emily E. Diller, Sha Cao, Beth Ey, Robert M. Lober, Jason G. Parker

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

Background and Purpose: Biopsy is the main determinants of glioma clinical management, but require invasive sampling that fail to detect relevant features because of tumor heterogeneity. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of a voxel-wise, multiparametric MRI radiomic method to predict features and develop a minimally invasive method to objectively assess neoplasms. Methods: Multiparametric MRI were registered to T1-weighted gadolinium contrast-enhanced data using a 12 degree-of-freedom affine model. The retrospectively collected MRI data included T1-weighted, T1-weighted gadolinium contrast-enhanced, T2-weighted, fluid attenuated inversion recovery, and multi-b-value diffusion-weighted acquired at 1.5T or 3.0T. Clinical experts provided voxel-wise annotations …

Inadvertent Radial Head Inversion During Closed Reduction Of A Pediatric Radial Neck Fracture, Zachary J. Sirois, Sarah Kreul, Craig F. Shank

Orthopaedic Surgery Faculty Publications

Management of displaced pediatric radial neck fractures can be fraught with challenges. This unique case presents an 11-year-old female with a Salter-Harris type II radial neck fracture and how her radial head overturned 180° with the articular surface facing the radial shaft rather than the capitellum during closed manipulation under anesthesia. The malreduction subsequently required open reduction and highlights the importance of a careful stepwise approach to managing markedly displaced radial neck fractures. After closed reduction, meticulous assessment of intraoperative imaging when determining proper alignment is of the utmost importance as a result of the transverse nature of Salter-Harris type …

Crossbow Bolt Injury To The Heart, Deanne Jacobs, Claire Hardman, Syed A. Zaman, Akpofure Peter Ekeh

Department of Surgery Faculty Publications

Case summary A 33-year-old woman was transferred from an outside hospital with a penetrating injury to her right chest. The patient was shot with a crossbow with the entry site to the right breast/chest and a transmediastinal trajectory. She was intubated prior to arrival due to difficulty breathing. Her vital signs remained stable and within normal limits, with good breath sounds, and no evidence of pneumothorax on chest X-ray. The tip of the bolt was palpable at the patient’s left midaxillary line. Chest X-ray in trauma bay showed the transmediastinal trajectory, and the bolt appeared to have a field point …

Protocol For Serious Fall Injury Adjudication In The Strategies To Reduce Injuries And Develop Confidence In Elders (Stride) Study, David A. Ganz, Albert L. Siu, Jay Magaziner, Nancy K. Latham, Thomas G. Travison, Nancy P. Lorenze, Charles Lu, Rixin Wang, Erich J. Greene, Cynthia L. Stowe, Lea N. Harvin, Katy L.B. Araujo, Jerry H. Gurwitz, Yuri Agrawal, Rosaly Correa-De-Araujo, Peter Peduzzi, Thomas M. Gill, Shalender Bhasin, Thomas M. Gill, David B. Reuben, Siobhan Mcmahon, Nancy K. Latham, Shehzad Basaria, Brooke Brawley, Richard Eder, Amy Larson, Lori Goehring, Molly Lukas, Scott Margolis, Thomas W. Storer, Martha B. Carnie, Priscilla Gazarian

Orthopaedic Surgery Faculty Publications

Background: This paper describes a protocol for determining the incidence of serious fall injuries for Strategies to Reduce Injuries and Develop Confidence in Elders (STRIDE), a large, multicenter pragmatic clinical trial with limited resources for event adjudication. We describe how administrative data (from participating health systems and Medicare claims) can be used to confirm participant-reported events, with more time- and resource-intensive full-text medical record data used only on an "as-needed" basis. Methods: STRIDE is a pragmatic cluster-randomized controlled trial involving 5451 participants age ≥ 70 and at increased risk for falls, served by 86 primary care practices in 10 US …

A Value Analysis Of Microsurgical Lower Extremity Reconstruction Vs. Acellular Urinary Bladder Matrix (Ubm) For Radiation Wounds Of The Lower Extremity, Christopher J. Micallef, Jamie N. Johnson, R. Michael Johnson

Orthopaedic Surgery Faculty Publications

In the USA, external beam radiation is offered to patients as an alternative to surgery for non-melanoma skin cancers. While this technique may be useful in highly specific patient populations, recalcitrant chronic radiation wounds can result. These complex wounds ultimately may require major reconstructive surgery to achieve closure. Porcine urinary bladder matrix (UBM) may be effective in the treatment of radiation wounds and eliminating the need for vascularized tissue transfers. A case report of an elderly male with bilateral radiation wounds of the lower extremity, one extremity treated with free flap reconstruction and the other with porcine urinary bladder matrix, …

Decreasing Door-To-Door Times For Infliximab Infusions In A Children's Hospital Observation Unit, Kelly C. Sandberg, Janet N. Lucien, Denise Stoll, Erica Yanney, Adam Mezoff

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

Introduction:

Children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) often require infliximab infusions to manage their disease. Infusions administered in the hospital setting require the patient and their families to devote many hours away from home. Changing to a rapid infusion protocol has been shown in the literature to be safe and has the potential to decrease time spent in the hospital receiving infusions.

Methods:

We describe stepwise changes made over a 4-month period to improve infliximab infusion efficiency and lessen the time spent in the hospital by IBD patients and their families. These changes included the implementation of a standardized order …

The Relationship Between Generalized Anxiety Disorder And Patient Age Among Emergency Department Patients, Mitchell Mcmurray

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and patient age in emergency department patients. The GAD-7 screening tool was used in an urban ED setting to survey patients about their anxiety, with a score of 8 or higher suggesting a diagnosis of GAD. Eligible participants included ED patients over the age of 18 with a painful condition ranging from 1-10 on the verbal numeric rating pain scale (VNRS). Participants were excluded if they were in distress and/or did not speak English. Of the 320 patients surveyed, the mean patient age was determined …

Automobile Restraint Use Among Patients In Motor Vehicle Crashes: Factors Associated With Noncompliance, Ashley A. Brent

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

Despite the 1968 U.S. law requiring that all vehicles have seat belts in every seat, many drivers and passengers choose not to use them. This is an important healthcare issue when the there is an estimated $917 billion spent annually on hospital services due to noncompliance with seat belt use.1 Previous literature has demonstrated that patients who are noncompliant with seatbelts are not only “more likely to use more hospital resources because they are more severely injured”, but also less likely to have health insurance, thus incurring more debt for the hospitals serving them¹. Conversely, restraint compliance has …

Topical Photodynamic Therapy Induces Immunosuppression: Potential Role Of Lipid Mediator Platelet-Activating Factor, Christina E. Borchers, Christine M. Rapp, Elizabeth Cates, Amy Williams, Jeffery B. Travers

Dermatology Faculty Publications

opical photodynamic therapy (PDT), or blue light therapy, isa procedure using a photosensitizing agent, or precursoragent 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA), and is commonly usedto treat precancerous actinic keratosis. The 5-ALA is takenup by skin lesions through targeting cells with high turnoverthat are metabolically active (malignant proliferation) andconverted to the photoactive drug protoporphyrin IX.Following exposure to blue light, significant cell destructionoccurs which has been linked to the generation of reactiveoxygen species (1). Though PDT is effective, several studieshave suggested that this procedure results inimmunosuppression, which might limit the effectiveness ofthis therapy. Our group has demonstrated previously thatexperimental PDT of keratinocyte cell lines …

What Does Anxiety Look Like? Prevalence Among Ed Patients, Justin B. Anderson

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

The prevalence of mental illness in the US population is common, with an estimated value of 8%. The emergency department patient population is especially vulnerable to mental illness. Previous studies from 2012 and 2017 estimated the rate of undiagnosed mental illness in the Emergency Department (ED) at 41-42%.1,2 According to the studies, only a minority of these were identified by the physician.

DSM-5 defines the criteria for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) as “excessive anxiety and worry (apprehensive expectation), occurring more days than not for at least 6 months, about a number of events or activities (such as work or school …

The Relationship Between Generalized Anxiety Disorder And Self-Reported Pain Scores Among Emergency Department Patients, Nicholas Seitz

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

Anxiety is common among Emergency Department (ED) patients. Self-reported pain scores have been associated with a variety of physical and psychological factors. However, the relationship between pain and anxiety in ED patients has not been previously reported. This study aims to identify a relationship between self-reported pain scores and the diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder among ED patients.

This prospective patient survey study was conducted at Miami Valley Hospital, an urban ED in Dayton, Ohio. Eligible participants included ED patients age 18 or over, with a self-reported pain score ranging from 1-10 on the verbal numeric rating pain scale (VNRS). …

Cannabis Use And Association With Pain, Anxiety, And Depression Among Emergency Department Patients, John Detherage

Scholarship in Medicine - All Papers

Introduction:

Cannabis use is increasing nationwide. Many states have legalized medical and recreational use of cannabis. This study was undertaken to identify any association between cannabis use and chronic pain among ED patients.

Methods:

This was a prospective survey study of Emergency Department (ED) patients at Miami Valley Hospital, a level 1 trauma center in Dayton, Ohio conducted during June – August 2018. The survey included data regarding the frequency of cannabis use, chronic pain, and current mental illness.

Results:

Three hundred and sixty patients participated in this study. The majority of respondents were white (55%) or African American (42%). …

Vital Signs, Winter 2019, Boonshoft School Of Medicine

Vital Signs

A thirty-two page newsletter created by the Boonshoft School of Medicine to document the current affairs of the school. This issue includes a variety of feature articles, alumni profiles, class notes, and more.

Systemic Sclerosis Presenting With Bilateral Retinal Cotton Wool Spots, Christina E. Borchers, Ronald E. Warwar

Dermatology Faculty Publications

Systemic sclerosis is a systemic inflammatory diseasecharacterized by a triad of autoimmune reactions,vasculopathy, and fibrosis due to collagen deposition. Thediffuse sclerosis type includes vascular abnormalities in theskin (puffy, taut, thickened skin, pitting of fingertips), soft tissues(arthralgias, myalgias), lungs (pulmonary hypertension,interstitial fibrosis), gastrointestinal tract (esophagealdysmotility, GERD), kidneys (scleroderma renal crisis), andheart (arrhythmias, heart failure).Rarely, systemic sclerosis can present with signs of retinalvascular occlusion and cotton wool spots in the eyes. Thefollowing case report describes a patient presenting with cottonwool spots as an early manifestation of systemic sclerosis.