SAT0319 SUBCLINICAL ATHEROSCLEROSIS IN INDIAN PATIENTS WITH SCLERODERMA – CLINICAL AND SEROLOGICAL ASSOCIATIONS

Background:

Scleroderma has been associated with increased risk of cardiovascular events, however,studies on this from India are sparse.We evaluated clinical and serological factors associated with subclinical atherosclerosis in Indian patients with scleroderma, in a cross-sectional design.

Objectives:

To compare carotid intima-medial thickness (CIMT, mean value of both carotids) as a measure of subclinical atherosclerosis (SCA) between patients with scleroderma (n=61) fulfilling 2013 ACR/EULAR criteria, and healthy controls (n=41).

- To compare clinical (body mass index – BMI, waist-hip ratio – WHR, fasting lipid profile) and serological factors (microparticles, endothelial microparticles, inflammatory cytokines associated with increased cardiovascular risk) between patients with scleroderma and healthy controls.

- To identify factors associated with SCA in scleroderma patients.

Methods:

Subclinical atherosclerosis(SCA) was defined by presence of carotid plaques, or increased CIMT >2 standard deviations compared with Indian reference standards for age and sex. Total microparticles (TMP) were measured of plasma after ultracentrifugation as per previously described protocol using microbeads of 3 μm size (TMP were of size 0.1-1 μm); of these, microparticles positive for CD31 and CD142 were endothelial microparticles (EMP). Serum cytokines (IL-1, IL-6, TNF-α, IL-17) were measured by ELISA using manufacturer instructions. Linear regression was used to identify the determinants of CIMT in scleroderma. Binomial logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with subclinical athersclerosis in scleroderma.

VariablePatients with scleroderma (n=61)Healthy controls (n=41)p valueAge37.8 ± 11.9235.37 ± 6.690.2375Gender (M:F)11:506:350.6516Diabetes/Hypertension/Tobacco use1/2/00/0/0NSBody mass index (kg/m2)20.11 ± 3.8224.38 ± 4.45<0.0001Waist-hip ratio0.86 ± 0.110.89 ± 0.070.1251Total cholesterol (mg/dL)142.5 ± 30.7147.3 ± 39.50.4948Triglycerides (mg/dL)99.4 ± 37121.4 ± 460.0087HDL cholesterol (mg/dL)46.9 ± 4.946.1 ± 4.20.4029LDL cholesterol (mg/dL)93.6 ± 10.593.3 ± 7.50.8520VLDL cholesterol (mg/dL)19.9 ± 7.424.7 ± 9.70.0057Carotid intima-medial thickness (mm)0.68 ± 0.100.53 ± 0.03<0.0001Total microparticles (per±L)12913 ± 24936272 ± 1533<0.0001Endothelial microparticles (per±L)2623 ± 1032829 ± 439.5<0.0001Serum IL-1±(pg/mL)38.19 ± 13.4631.38 ± 18.290.0326IL-6 (pg/mL)176.6 ± 85.74128.9 ± 53.610.0020IL-17 (pg/mL)56.3 ± 20.4553.89 ± 20.510.5611TNF±(pg/mL)49.65 ± 26.7142.09 ± 30.410.1879

Results:

Despite lower BMI, triglycerides and VLDL cholesterol, CIMT was significantly higher in patients with scleroderma. Patients with scleroderma had significantly higher total microparticles and endothelial microparticles in plasma, and serum IL-1± and IL-6 (Table 1). On multivariable regression, age was the only significant determinant of CIMT. 28 (45.9%) patients had SCA; 13 (21.3%) had carotid plaques. Patients with SCA had higher proportion of males (9/28 in those with SCA vs 2/33 in those without SCA). Binomial logistic regression did not identify any other significant predictors of SCA.

Table 1

Comparison between patients with scleroderma and healthy controls

Serum IL-1± (pg/mL)38.19 ± 13.4631.38 ± 18.290.0326IL-6 (pg/mL)176.6 ± 85.74128.9 ± 53.610.0020IL-17 (pg/mL)56.3 ± 20.4553.89 ± 20.510.5611TNF± (pg/mL)49.65 ± 26.7142.09 ± 30.410.1879

Conclusion:

Patients with scleroderma had significant burden of subclinical atherosclerosis, which could not be explained by traditional or novel cardiovascular risk factors.

References:

[1]Psarras A, Soulaidopoulos S, Garyfallos A, Kitas G, Dimitroulas T. A critical view on cardiovascular risk in systemic sclerosis. Rheumatol Int. 2017 Jan; 37(1):85-95.

[2]Jung C, Drummer K, Oelzner P, Figulla HR, Boettcher J, Franz M, et al. The association between endothelial microparticles and inflammation in patients with systemic sclerosis and Raynaud’s phenomenon as detected by functional imaging. Clin HemorheolMicrocirc. 2015; 61(3):549-557.

Acknowledgments:

Supported by IRA(Indian Rheumatology Association) Research Grant to DP Misra.

Disclosure of Interests:

None declared

0007 Daytime Sleep in Night Shift Workers: Quantifying the Role of Circadian Misalignment

Introduction

Circadian misalignment is commonly cited as a culprit of daytime sleep disturbances in night shift workers; however, the specific impact and magnitude that circadian misalignment has on daytime sleep has not been well-characterized in larger samples of night shift workers.

Methods

Participants included fixed-night shift workers (n=52, ages 18–50) who completed an 8-hour daytime polysomnography (PSG) in the lab following a night shift. Measures of sleep disturbances included: difficulty falling asleep (sleep onset latency [SOL], latency to persistent sleep [LPS]), difficulty staying asleep (sleep efficiency [SE], wake after sleep onset [WASO]), and sleep duration (total sleep time [TST]). Melatonin samples were collected hourly for 24 hours under dim light (&lt;10 lux) and used to determine dim light melatonin offset (DLMOff). Circadian misalignment (CM) was calculated as the time difference between bedtime and DLMOff (higher values represented sleeping after DLMOff), and correlated with PSG sleep variables.

Results

CM was significantly associated with difficulty staying asleep (WASO: r=0.48, p&lt;0.001; SE: r=-0.45, p&lt;0.001), and sleep duration (TST: r=-0.38, p&lt;0.01). Specifically, every 3 hours of CM on average added 19.2 minutes of WASO and reduced TST by 15 minutes. In contrast, CM was not significantly correlated with sleep onset difficulties (SOL: r=-0.27; LPS: r=-0.02).

Conclusion

These data suggest that circadian misalignment in shift workers may be a better predictor of difficulties staying asleep and sleep duration during the day relative to difficulties falling asleep. Because longer work hours (10–12 hours) are common in night shift worker, it may be that sleep initiation difficulties associated with circadian misalignment is masked by elevated fatigue or an increased homeostatic drive from prolonged wakefulness. These results may help guide decisions about the magnitude of phase shifts required (e.g., with light therapy) for the desired improvement in daytime sleep.

Support

Support for this study was provided to PC by the NHLBI (K23HL138166)

ANCA-associated vasculitis causing nasopalatal destruction

Autoimmune disorders and their manifestations can be very problematic to diagnose and manage. The symptoms can be ambiguous and debilitating. Early intervention is necessary to counter the unforgiving consequences of delayed intervention, such as loss of sight or hearing and destruction of affected tissues. Vasculitis in the head and neck region is rare. A case of ANCA-associated vasculitis causing extensive destruction is presented to enhance our understanding of this devastating multisystem disorder.

Efficacy of peroxy acetic acid in reducing Salmonella and Campylobacter spp. populations on chicken breast fillets

Poultry processors use antimicrobials to reduce the risk of pathogens on poultry and poultry products. The efficacy of selective and nonselective plating media to enumerate injured Salmonella (selective media-brilliant green sulfa agar and Petrifilm Enterobacteriaceae Plate Count; nonselective media-tryptic soy agar and Petrifilm Aerobic Plate Count) and Campylobacter (selective medium-Campy cefex agar and nonselective medium-Brucella agar) populations and the efficacy of peroxy acetic acid (PAA) to reduce Salmonella and Campylobacter populations on chicken breast fillets were evaluated. All plating media for Salmonella and Campylobacter contained nalidixic acid (200 ppm) or gentamycin (200 ppm), respectively. Breast fillets were sprayed or immersed in PAA (500 ppm) for 10 min for evaluation of the plating media. Breast fillets inoculated with a mixed Salmonella and Campylobacter cocktail were sprayed (5 or 10 s) or immersed (4-30 s) in PAA (100, 400, 500, or 1,000 ppm) for evaluation of PAA efficacy. Salmonella populations were higher (P ≤ 0.05) when plated on nonselective media compared with the selective media for the non-PAA treated fillets, although the differences in populations were low (<0.32 log CFU/mL). For both the microorganisms, populations on PAA treated (immersion or spray) fillets were similar when enumerated on nonselective or selective media within each treatment (PAA immersion or spray). Both immersion and spray applications reduced (P ≤ 0.05) the Salmonella and Campylobacter populations compared with the control. Increasing the PAA concentration to 250, 500, and 1,000 ppm resulted in greater reductions (P ≤ 0.05) in Salmonella and Campylobacter populations. Immersion of the inoculated breast fillets in 1,000 ppm PAA solution for 30 s resulted in Salmonella and Campylobacter population reductions of 1.92 and 1.87 log CFU/mL, respectively. Method of antimicrobial application (immersion and spray) did not affect the reductions in Salmonella and Campylobacter populations. Either immersion or spray application can be used to improve microbial safety of chicken breast fillets in a poultry processing plant.

Association of plasma C-reactive protein with ischaemic stroke: a Mendelian randomization study

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) is associated with an increased risk of ischaemic stroke (IS). However, the causality of this association is uncertain. The aim is to investigate whether genetically raised plasma CRP concentration levels are associated with IS on the basis of the Mendelian randomization method.

METHODS

Based on the National Center for Biotechnology Information single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) database, the Chinese online genetic database as well as previously published studies, four CRP-associated SNP alleles (rs1130864, rs1205, rs876537 and rs3093059) with minor allele frequency ≥0.15 were selected and the concentration levels of CRP were measured in 378 first-ever IS patients and 613 healthy controls.

RESULTS

Three SNPs were chosen and used as instrumental variables. The adjusted odds ratios (ORs) [95% confidence interval (95% CI)] of IS per addition of the modelled allele were 1.07 (0.79-1.45) for rs876537, 0.99 (0.73-1.35) for rs1205 and 1.08 (0.71-1.65) for rs3093059. The OR (95% CI) of IS for plasma CRP ≥2.0 mg/l was 2.19 (1.06-4.53) compared with <2.0 mg/l. The adjusted OR (95% CI) of IS per genetically predicted 10% higher CRP concentration, based on the three SNPs as the instruments, was 1.02 (0.94-1.11). Furthermore, similar results were obtained with adjusted ORs (95% CI) of 1.00 (0.88-1.13) and 1.04 (0.93-1.16), respectively, for large-artery atherosclerosis and small-artery occlusion per genetically predicted 10% higher CRP concentration.

CONCLUSIONS

This Mendelian randomization study provides no clear support that elevated CRP concentration is causally associated with the risk of IS.

The Effect of Piracetam on Valproic Acid Induced Congenital Malformations in Swiss Albino Mice

Valproic acid (VPA) is an antiepileptic drug which is widely used in humans and is a well known teratogenic agent when used during pregnancy. Piracetam is a nootropic or cognitive enhancer drug used to treat cognitive impairment in aging, brain injuries as well as dementia. In the present study, these two drugs VPA and Piracetam were administered orally to Swiss albino mice in the doses of400 mg/kg and 800 mg/kg body weight respectively from gestational day (GD) 6-11 in order to see the protective effect of Piracetam against VPA induced teratogenesis. The fetuses were collected on GD 18 after uterotomy and observed for gross malformations if any. In VPA treated group the malformations observed were exencephaly, cranioschisis, limb and tail defects, haemorrhage, resorptions and retardation. No such anomalies were observed in control and Piracetam treated groups. However,in VPA+ Piracetam treated group some resorptions and growth retardation were noted. This group showed highly significant (p < 0.001) protection against the teratogenic effects of VPA treated group though the developmental parameters were significantly reduced (p < 0.001) in comparison to those of group I (control) and group III (receiving piracetam). These findings suggest that Piracetam, if given in higher doses might protect the development in utero against the teratogenic effects of VPA.

Evaluating surgical outcomes of conventional versus endoscopic septoplasty using subjective and objective methods

Objectives

The aim of the study is to compare the pre- and post-operative symptomatology, endoscopic findings, and nasal patency and to evaluate the postoperative outcomes of conventional compared to endoscopic septoplasty (ES).

Materials and Methods

This prospective study was conducted at Rajindra Hospital, Patiala, Punjab, India, on 50 patients aged between 18 and 60 years having symptomatic deviated nasal septum and refractory to medical treatment. The patients were divided into two groups: Group A, which included 25 patients in whom conventional septoplasty (CS) was performed, and Group B, which included 25 patients in whom ES was conducted. The postoperative assessment was carried out at once weekly for 1 month and twice weekly for another 2 months.

Results

Nasal obstruction was relieved in 79.1% cases belonging to Group A and 91.3% cases to Group B. Headache was relieved in 62.5% cases belonging to Group A and 93.3% cases to Group B. Postnasal drip was relieved in 73.3% cases in Group A and 94.1% cases in Group B. The results were found to be statistically significant. An improvement in visual analog scale score was observed in both groups, but statistically significant difference was seen at 2^nd and 4^th week. Postoperative nasal patency improvement was observed in both groups by the Gertner plate, and the results were found to be statistically significant. Postoperative hemorrhage was observed in 24% cases in Group A and 12% cases in Group B. Septal perforation, septal hematoma, and mucosal tear were observed in 4%, 4%, and 8% of cases, respectively, in Group A. No such complication was reported in Group B.

Conclusion

ES is more effective in terms of relief of symptoms and improvement of nasal patency. It is best for isolated spur, posterior deviation, and revision surgery, but anterior caudal dislocation is best handled with CS. Both these techniques should be taken as an adjuvant to each other.

Molecular characterization and expression profile of interferon-stimulated gene 15 (ISG15) in the endometrium of goat (Capra hircus)

Interferon-stimulated gene 15 (ISG15), a ubiquitin-like protein, is responsible for uterine receptivity, implantation and conceptus development in different ruminant species, but in goat (Capra hircus) its role is yet to be explicated. In the present study, the ISG15 gene was cloned, characterized and its temporal expression profile was examined in the endometrium of caprine (cp). A fragment of cpISG15 gene, 1033 bp in length, was amplified, cloned and sequenced from genomic DNA covering the coding region. Sequence analysis of cpISG15 gene revealed that it was comprised of two exons of 59 bp and 496 bp encoding a peptide of 157 amino acids. Complementary DNA (cDNA) and deduced amino acid sequences of cpISG15 exhibited 99 and 98, 93 and 88, 94 and 89, 76 and 66, and 73 and 62% identity with that of sheep, cattle, buffalo, human and mice, respectively. Further, relative expression of cpISG15 mRNA and protein was determined by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) and Western blot, respectively, in the endometrium of pregnant and cyclic does. Both cpISG15 mRNA and protein were expressed maximally (P < 0.05) in the endometrium during early stage of pregnancy (16-24 d) as compared to cyclic does, but no significant difference was observed in cpISG15 mRNA and protein expression in the endometrium between the later stage of pregnancy (25-40 d) and cyclic does. It is concluded that cpISG15 is almost similar in structure and probably in function also to other species as it has been found significantly upregulated during early pregnancy.

Synbiotic supplementation to decrease Salmonella colonization in the intestine and carcass contamination in broiler birds

In vitro and in vivo experiments were conducted to study the effects of synbiotic supplementation on Salmonella enterica ser. Enteritidis (SE) proliferation, cecal content load, and broiler carcass contamination. Lactobacillus reuteri, Enterococcus faecium, Bifidobacterium animalis, and Pediococcus acidilactici culture supernatants decreased (P < 0.05) the in vitro proliferation of SE at 1:1 supernatant: pathogen dilution. A total of 240 Cobb-500 broiler chicks were randomly allotted to three treatment groups (8 replicates/group with 10 birds/replicate): control (basal diet), antibiotic (Virginiamycin at 20 mg/kg feed), synbiotic (PoultryStar® ME at 0.5 g/kg feed containing L. reuteri, E. faecium, B. animalis, P. acidilactici and a Fructooligosaccharide) from day of hatch. At 21 d of age, all birds in experimental groups were orally inoculated with 250 μl of 1 X 109 CFU SE. Antibiotic supplementation increased (P < 0.05) body weight and feed consumption, compared to the control group. Birds in the synbiotic supplementation had intermediate body weight and feed consumption that were not significantly different from both the control and antibiotic group at 42 d of age in SE infected birds. No significant effects were observed in feed efficiency at 42 d of age among the groups. Antibiotic and synbiotic supplementation decreased (P < 0.05) SE load in cecal contents by 0.90 and 0.85 log units/ g and carcass SE load by 1.4 and 1.5 log units/mL of rinsate compared to the control group at 42 d of age (21 dpi). The relative abundance of IL-10, IL-1, TLR-4, and IFNγ mRNA was decreased (P < 0.05) in the antibiotic and synbiotic supplementation groups compared to the control birds at 42 d of age (21 dpi). It can be concluded that synbiotic supplementation decreased SE proliferation in vitro and decreased SE load in the cecal contents and broiler carcass.

A clinicopathological study of upper aerodigestive tract cancers

Background

The upper aerodigestive tract (UAT) includes the nose and paranasal sinuses, oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, and salivary glands. Cancers of the UAT constitute approximately 4% of all malignancies. In this study, the varied nature of the UAT cancers was studied to find out their incidence, etiology, and clinicopathological correlations.

Materials and Methods

This prospective, observational, and clinicopathological study was conducted on 100 patients who were presented at outdoor in the Department of ENT, Government Medical College/Rajindra Hospital, Patiala, Punjab, India, from October 2016 to October 2018. Proven cases of UAT cancers were taken up and reviewed to gather data on multiple clinicopathological variables, such as age, sex, predisposing factors, and site of pathology. Histopathological differentiation was noted after conducting a biopsy.

Results

Most patients of UAT cancers were in the age group of 40-70 years. Maximum incidence was among males (82%) compared to females (28%). The most common predisposing factor was alcohol + smoking (28%), followed by alcohol + chewing tobacco (25%). The most common symptom in the oral cavity was ulcer and odynophagia (38%) each. In oropharyngeal cancers, dysphagia (92%) was the most common symptom. In laryngeal cancers, dyspnea (68%) and hoarseness of voice (32%) were the most common. The most common site involved in UAT cancers was the oral cavity (31%), followed by oropharynx (28%), larynx (22%), hypopharynx (7%), and salivary gland (5%). The most common histopathological type was squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) (90%). Most of the ulceroproliferative and exophytic growth was moderately differentiated SCC on histopathology.

Conclusion

Studies are essential for education and awareness aimed at reducing exposure to habit-forming substances.

P4599Strict versus no fasting prior to cardiac catheterization: a prospective evaluation of safety and clinical outcomes

Background/Methods

No studies have examined safety of a no fasting (NF) strategy as compared to current nil per os (NPO) practice in patients undergoing non emergent cardiac catheterization (CC). We compared these two strategies in this single center, prospective, randomized study. Fasting group was NPO for solids after midnight but could have clear liquids up to 2 hours prior to procedure. NF group had no restriction or oral intake.

Results

A total of 520 patients enrolled till December 2018 were included in this interim analysis. Both groups had similar baseline characteristics (figure 1). As compared to the fasting group (n=274), NF group (n=246) had similar rates of primary outcomes: CIN (0.02% in both groups), peri-procedural hypotension (0.02% vs 0.03%), aspiration pneumonitis (none vs 0.009%), nausea/vomiting (0.05 vs 0.07%), hypoglycemia (0.007% vs 0.008%) respectively [p=not significant for all].Secondary outcomes including patient's satisfaction and 30-day mortality were also similar in both groups. Cost of index hospitalization was significantly lower in NF group (table 1).

Outcome table Outcomes Fasting group (n=274) Non- Fasting group (n=246) p value Length of Stay (days)† 2.13±0.2 1.96±0.19 0.524 SBP post catheterization† 133.31±1.44 133.15±1.39 0.936 Hypotension peri procedurally 6 (2%) 7 (3%) 0.617 Fluid resuscitation required for hypotension 2 (0.7%) 3 (1%) 0.669 Pressor required for hypotension 1 (0.4%) 2 (0.8%) 0.603 Acute Kidney Injury 10 (4%) 9 (4%) 0.981 Contrast induced nephropathy 5 (2%) 6 (2%) 0.612 Hypoglycemia 2 (0.7%) 2 (0.8%) 1 Hyperglycemia 12 (4%) 4 (2%) 0.080 Symptomatic hypotension 1 (0.4%) 2 (0.8%) 0.603 Nausea/vomiting 12 (5%) 15 (7%) 0.344 Aspiration pneumonitis 0 (0%) 2 (0.9%) 0.219 Patient satisfaction score† 4.39±0.06 4.45±0.06 0.438 Alive on discharge 271 (98.9%) 240 (98%) 0.622 30-day mortality 4 (1.5%) 6 (2.4%) 0.417 30-day Cardiac readmission 32 (13%) 26 (11%) 0.557 Total Cost (US Dollars)† 10148.97±985.71 7710.914±648.33 0.040 Results are shown as number (%). †Expressed as mean ± standard error.

Conclusion

NF strategy is safe and cost effective as compared to traditional NPO practice in patients undergoing CC.

Acknowledgement/Funding

A financial grant of USD15,000 from Guthrie Research Foundation

P776Use of sacubitril-valsartan in an extensive long term follow up cohort in real life

Background

Most clinical data regarding the use of sacubitril-valsartan (SV) in patients with heart failure with reduce EF (HFrEF) come from clinical trials, while observational studies in real life are scarce.

Purpose

To analyse the efficacy, safety and tolerability of SV in patients with HFrEF in real life.

Methods

An analysis of the SAVE-RLife (SV Evidence in Real Life) study was performed. This is an observational and ambispective study that included all patients with HFrEF who started SV between SEP2016 and DEC2018.

Results

A total of 291 patients were included in the study with a median follow-up of 326 (169; 523). Mean age 66.16±11.8, 71 were women (24.4%), 209 patients started treatment at office (71.8%) and 82 during the admission (28.2%). The main aetiologies were ischemic heart disease (51.5%) and idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (35.4%). Comorbidities included: 71.5% hypertensive, 55.3% dyslipidemic, 37.1% AF and 44% T2DM. Baseline treatment included 85.9% beta-blockers, 87.2% ACEI or ARA-II, 65.6% MRA and 17.5% iSGLT2. After treatment start with SV, baseline and follow-up analytical parameters such as GFR, K+ levels and NT-BNP, and echo parameters of LV reverse remodeling were evaluated (Table 1).

Improvement of the functional NYHA class (Figure 1) and reduction in the incidence of hospital admission or visits to emergency room (ER) were observed. Side effects were 16.2% acute renal failure, 9.3% symptomatic hypotension, 9.7% asymptomatic hypotension and 15.9% hyperkalemia. In 31 patients (11%) the drug was discontinued, one patient due to angioedema. 7.9% of patients died during follow-up, 7 of them due to HF (2.4%).

Table 1 Before SV After SV P value Analytical data GFR (ml/min) 70.25±24.95 68.27±24.62 0.008 Serum K+(mEq/L) 4.53±0.50 4.71±0.456 <0.001 NT-proBNP (pg/ml) 2201 (846; 4664) 1146 (436; 2564) <0.001 Echocardiographic data LVEF (%) (n=84) 30.60±7.16 38.30±12.22 <0.001 LVED (mm) (n=72) 65.22±7.82 60.81±8.37 <0.001 PAPs (mmHg) (n=48) 44.48±13.03 37.52±12.25 0.002 MR (grade 1–4) (n=71) 1.83±0.91 1.38±0.90 <0.001 Clinical outcomes HF Hospital/ER Admission the year before (mean± SD) 0.79±1.09 0.41±0.963 <0.001

Predictors of clinical improvement

Conclusions

SV has shown to improve morbidity and mortality in patients with HFrEF by improving functional class, decreasing NT-proBNP levels and reducing admissions due to HF, without significant side effects. In our study SV improved LVEF and reverse remodeling echocardiographic parameters too.

ENT infection caused by Raoultella ornithinolytica

Raoultella ornithinolytica is an encapsulated gram-negative aerobic bacillus belonging to the Enterobacteriaceae family. It is one of the three species of Raoultella. Human infections related to R. ornithinolytica are exceedingly rare. This case report describes an ENT infection caused by R. ornithinolytica successfully treated with antibiotic therapy.

Spectrum of management options for pediatric pelvic fracture urethral injury and outcome analysis: 12-year tertiary center experience

INTRODUCTION

Pediatric pelvic fracture-associated urethral injuries (PFUIs) are relatively rare injuries that occur in secondary to high impact pelvic trauma. There is no consensus yet on the optimal management approach.

OBJECTIVES

In this study, the authors reviewed their experience of pediatric PFUIs and discussed the current spectrum of potential management options.

STUDY DESIGN

The authors retrospectively evaluated a cohort of 33 children (≤14 years) treated for PFUI between January 2005 and December 2017.

RESULTS

The mean age of presentation was 11.2 ± 2.1 years (range 6-14). All the subjects were male. Average stricture length was 2.5 + 1.4 cm. Transperineal anastomotic repair (TPAR) was done in 27 patients; Mitrofanoff procedure was done in three patients; Badenoch's procedure, preputial flap, and transpubic urethroplasty (TPU) was done in 1 patient each. Overall success rate for TPAR was 85%. Minor complications (Clavien grade I and II) were seen in eight cases (24.2%). Average hospital stay was 11.3 days (range 6-15). The mean follow-up duration was 13.8 months (range 9-18).

DISCUSSION

As not many large overview studies were known, this retrospective study is small step for developing a protocol for patients with a pediatric PFUI that needs treatment. The goal of surgery in pediatric PFUI-associated posterior urethral strictures is to achieve a tension-free bulboprostatic anastomosis after excision of the distraction segment. Transperineal anastomotic repair is the best and most commonly performed surgery for pediatric PFUI with 85-98% success rates. The success rates for TPAR may be lower in children because of smaller pelvic cavity, small caliber urethra, and poorly formed elastic spongiosa. Hence, a TPAR should be attempted in every case of posterior urethral stricture post-PFUI. If a tension-free anastomosis is not possible, then procedures depending on local stricture characteristics such as TPU may be required.

CONCLUSION

Most pediatric posterior urethral strictures post-PFUI (≤2 cm) can be managed by delayed TPAR with reasonable success rates. Few selected patients may require procedures such as TPU based on local stricture characteristics.

Hamartomatous polyp of the tonsil: A case report

Hamartomatous polyps of the tonsil are rare. They have been described using various terms such as a lymphangiomatous polyp, lymphangiectatic fibrous polyp, lipomatous polyp, or pedunculated tonsil; hence, the actual incidence is difficult to be quantified. Polyp of the palatine tonsils is an unusual benign lesion of the head and neck. It is a rare polypoidal mass that generally arises from a pedicle attached to the tonsil and projecting into the oropharynx. Polypoid lesions of the head and neck are likewise rare, and such tumors arising from the palatine tonsils are sparse. Tonsillar polyp is an uncommon hamartomatous lesion that generally arises from the tonsillar surface. It has rarely been reported in the medical literature. We present a case of hamartomatous polyp of the palatine tonsil in a 17-year-old male patient.

Automated data extraction and report analysis in computer-aided radiology audit: practice implications from post-mortem paediatric imaging

AIM

To determine local departmental adherence to the paediatric post-mortem magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) protocols, using a customised automated computational approach.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A retrospective review of 460 whole-body post-mortem MRI examinations performed at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children over a 5.5-year period was assessed for adherence to a full or abbreviated imaging sequence protocol. A simple computer program was developed to batch process DICOM (digital imaging and communications in medicine) files, extracting imaging sequence details, followed by natural language processing (NLP) of authorised reports to automate information extraction of diagnostic image quality.

RESULTS

The program was able to extract study parameters from the entire dataset (approximately 80 GB of data) in a few hours, and retrieve information on diagnostic image quality using NLP with an overall diagnostic accuracy for data extraction of 96.7% (445/460, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 94.7-98%). The full imaging protocol was adhered to in 305/460 (66.3%) cases, and an abbreviated protocol in 140/460 (30.4%) cases. Overall, 423/460 (91.9%) of studies were of diagnostic quality. These included 298/305 (97.7%) of the full protocol, 111/140 (79.3%) of the abbreviated protocol. In only five cases were the examinations non-diagnostic for all body systems, all of whom weighed <100 g (24.7-72 g) and imaged using the abbreviated protocol.

CONCLUSION

The present study demonstrated a successful application of an automated approach for data collection for audit and quality assessment purposes using paediatric post-mortem imaging as a specific example. Re-audit of these data following change implementation will be straightforward now that the automated workflow is clearly established.

Audit of Quality and Quantity of Nucleic Acid Yield from Pediatric Acute Leukemia Cases Following a Bio-banking Initiative

Information which can be harvested from a biological sample has greatly improved with advancements in diagnostic technologies. However, in developing countries, the awareness about usefulness of bio-banking concept is lacking and centres which do offer it, depend mainly on - 20 or - 80 °C for sample storage due to lack of sophisticated infrastructure like vapour phase nitrogen storage preservation. Hence in these resource constraint settings, timely audit of quality of nucleic acids extractable from samples stored is of utmost importance. In this study, we explore the effect of - 20 °C storage over nucleic acids (DNA/RNA) isolated from blood samples of 180 patients with various leukaemia's following a bio-banking initiative. We observed that the integrity and quality of both DNA and RNA were maintained in 70 and 80% samples respectively over time as reflected by their concentration measurements and inherent uniform expression of housekeeping gene GAPDH. Only 3.7% of the RNA samples and 4.2% of the DNA samples yielded very low concentrations despite minimizing processing and technical loss. In nutshell, audit of our biobank sample yield highlights that storage of blood samples at - 20 °C does not compromise the fidelity of nucleic acids for future diagnostic and research work in a resource constraint setting.

Abstract P3-16-02: Voice of cancer patient: Analysis of breast cancer patients' experience with PARP inhibitors

Background:

Many breast and ovarian cancer patients have germline or somatic mutations in BRCA 1&2 genes. These proteins are important for repairing double-strand DNA breaks by homologous recombinational repair. In patients who have mutations in these genes, PARP is the major alternative for repairing single-strand DNA breaks. PARP inhibitors (PARPi) inhibit PARP, thereby causing cell death by accumulation of damaged DNA in cells. Many PARPi, including Olaparib, have been approved and used in treatment of metastatic ovarian cancer patients with BRCA 1&2 mutation.

Recently, Olaparib was also approved by the FDA for treatment of metastatic breast cancer patients with germline BRCA 1&2 mutation, and many other PARPi are in clinical trial. In this study we analyzed breast cancer patients' awareness, use and experience with PARPi s.

Many patients share their experiences on online forums which contain millions of freely shared messages. These can be used to analyze patient concerns and experiences. However, this data is unstructured and difficult to analyze. We used our automated system VoCP, that uses techniques from Big Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (deep learning, topic modeling, information retrieval, and natural language processing) to analyze these messages.

Methods:

We collected 15.13 million unique messages by 987,189 users from 37 unrestricted cancer forums that provide clinically relevant information. We built custom ontologies for breast cancer, various PARPi, chemotherapy and side effects, and then used our automated system VoCP to extract relevant information from these messages.

Results:

We found 1,536 breast cancer patients discussing PARPi. 459 patients mentioned use of PARPi whereas 706 patients shared the information about PARPi and 196 inquired about them. 176 patients mentioned that they were planning to use PARPi.

76 patients using PARPi mentioned having BRCA 1 or 2 mutation and 1 patient mentioned CHEK 2 mutation. 91 patients mentioned having triple negative cancer.

212 patients mentioned being treated on clinical trial and 10 mentioned being off trial. 162 patients mentioned use of chemotherapy with PARPi and 40 mentioned use of PARPi as single agent.

Specific PARPi: 47 mentioned Olaparib, 104 mentioned Valiparib, & Talazoparib, 6 rucaparib and 4 Niraparib. Most patient just mentioned “PARP inhibitor.” Some patients mentioned iniparib on clinical trial.

Side effects were reported by 60 patients. These include:

· Nausea: 14

· Fatigue: 15

· GI side effect: 7

· Thrombocytopenia: 5

· Anemia: 2

· Neutropenia: 2

· Neuropathy: 5

· Insomnia:2

99 patients mentioned PARPi were “effective,” 21 mentioned they were “somewhat effective” and 36 mentioned they were “ineffective.”

144 patient expressed positive sentiments, 30 patients expressed negative sentiments and 16 patients expressed neutral sentiment for PARPi.

Conclusion:

· There is increasing awareness and curiosity for PARPi in breast cancer patients as more patients are being tested for BRCA and other mutations.

· Among the users, PARPi are generally associated with low toxicity and positive sentiments.

· VoCP reliably provides meaningful insights from the patient's point of view; it also gives insight into unmet needs where more resources and research should be focused.

Citation Format: Aggarwal S, Sharma R, Singh M, Aggarwal A. Voice of cancer patient: Analysis of breast cancer patients' experience with PARP inhibitors [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2018 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2018 Dec 4-8; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P3-16-02.

Abstract P5-18-04: HER2 overexpression in ductal carcinoma in situ: A biomarker for risk stratification and therapeutic implication

Background:

After initial treatment for ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), a subsequent clinically significant event (SCSE) such as another diagnosis of DCIS, atypia or invasive breast cancer (IBC), will likely lead to further surgical/medical therapy. Pathologically, DCIS is treated on the basis of estrogen (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) status with hormonal therapy (HT), ie, tamoxifen (TMX) or aromatase inhibitor, regardless of human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER2) overexpression. Although HER2 is a well-established prognostic marker for IBC, the role of HER2 in DCIS is less appreciated. Recent studies have documented the prognostic value of p16, COX-2 and Ki67 as prognostic biomarkers for locoregional invasive recurrences due to abrogated response to cellular stress (ARCS). Notably, a high-risk population of DCIS patients lacking ER expression but over-expressing HER2, p16 and COX-2 has been recently identified. In the present study, we compared expression levels of HER2 and the 3 ARCS markers in a large cohort of DCIS patients treated with contemporary standard of care and with &gt;5-year follow-up to assess their association with cancer progression and predictive value for developing a SCSE.

Methods:

Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue sections from 99 patients diagnosed with primary DCIS(1999-2013) were stained forER, PR and HER2 expression by immunohistochemistry (IHC).If equivocal, HER2 amplification was assessed by Silver In Situ Hybridization. An additional slide was stained forp16, Ki67 and COX-2 using a novel multiplex IHC strategy. Quantification of the 3 ARCS markers' expression in both epithelial and stromal compartments was carried out using a software (InformTM)-guided approach. For expression level comparison of the three markers between HER2+ and HER2- DCIS, Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test was used. Fisher's exact or Chi-square test was used for other data analysis.

Results:

Simultaneous increase in epithelial p16, COX-2 and Ki67 expression in DCIS lesions was associated with subsequent IBC progression. HER2+ DCIS was significantly associated with high grade (p=0.0014), comedo-necrosis subtype (p=0.0022) compared to HER2- lesions. Upregulation of stromal COX-2 and p16 was significantly (p=0.008) associated with progression to SCSE in HER2- DCIS. The majority (5/6, 83%) of HER2+ DCIS patients treated with HT developed a SCSE, while only 22% (6/27) of HER2- DCIS patients treated with HT developed a SCSE. COX-2 upregulation was significantly associated with resistance to HT in HER2+ DCIS patients.

Conclusion:

High expression of p16, COX-2 and Ki67 in DCIS lesions can serve as powerful predictive biomarkers for DCIS progression to IBC. Our preliminary data suggest that overexpression of stromal p16 and COX-2 may help predict SCSEs in HER2- DCIS. Additionally, assessment of HER2 expression in DCIS may allow identification of patients who would not benefit from traditional HT as HER2 overexpression may predict TMX resistance. Since our data suggest that TMX resistance in HER2+ DCIS may be linked to upregulation of COX-2, one may propose that COX-2 inhibitors in conjunction with TMX may minimize TMX resistance in HER2+ DCIS. These preliminary data will need to be reproduced in a larger cohort to solidify their significance.

Citation Format: Yin J, Gascard P, Last B, Singh M, Tlsty T, Tjoe JA. HER2 overexpression in ductal carcinoma in situ: A biomarker for risk stratification and therapeutic implication [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2018 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2018 Dec 4-8; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P5-18-04.

Abstract P1-08-28: Impact of surgery and time to surgery on breast cancer survival in the United States, 2004–2014 (N=2,211,245)

Background: Surgery is very common for patients diagnosed with breast cancer. Its impact on survival depends on diagnostic, patient, tumor-related, and other-treatment factors. Moreover, time to surgery from the date of diagnosis is also a critical factor affecting outcome.

Objective: In this study we investigated the impact of surgery on survival in breast cancer patients using two methods: (1) multivariate regression; and (2) propensity score matching. For the patients undergoing surgical intervention, we aimed to identify the optimum time from diagnosis to surgery.

Methods: The study population was taken from the National Cancer Database over the years 2004 through 2014. Of 2,211,245 patients, 99.1% were female, 0.9% male, 85% non-Hispanic white, 10.5% black, 0.7% Hispanic, and 14.5% other races. Mean age of the patient population was 60.0 ± 13.4 years (range: 18–90). The majority of the patients (92.9%) underwent a surgical procedure.

Results: Overall, the patients who did not undergo surgery were 6.7 times more likely to die within the study time period (95% confidence interval [CI]: 6.7–6.8, p&lt;0.001) than those who did. However, after adjusting for patients' demographics, tumor-related factors, cancer stages, and combination of other treatments, the risk for dying of patients without surgery was 2.3 times higher (hazard ratio [HR]: 2.3, 95% CI: 2.3–2.4, p&lt;0.001). In the propensity-matched cohort of 51,630 patients that was divided equally into two groups — those who underwent surgery and those who did not — the risk of mortality remained 2.4 times higher for patients without surgery (HR: 2.4, 95% CI: 2.3–2.4, p&lt;0.001). Regarding time to surgery from the date of diagnosis, patient survival was best for the patients whose time to surgery ranged from 31 to 60 days. The next best timeframe was 61 to 90 days, followed by 30 days or fewer, then 91 to 120 days, and finally 120 and more days (p&lt;0.001).

Conclusion: Using two different statistical methods, surgery is clearly an independent predictor of survival for patients with breast cancer. After matching for other factors, patients not having surgery were more than twice as likely to die as their surgical counterparts. Time to surgery from the date of diagonosis confirmed ealier findings that surgery is most benificial within 2–3 months from the date of diangosis. These findings can provide clinical guidance to clinicians and patients for planning treatment.

Citation Format: Singh M, Konduri SD, Bobustuc GC, Rovin RA, Kassam AB. Impact of surgery and time to surgery on breast cancer survival in the United States, 2004–2014 (N=2,211,245) [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2018 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2018 Dec 4-8; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P1-08-28.

Abstract P2-14-14: Voice of cancer patients (VoCP): Analysis of experiences of cancer patients undergoing breast cancer surgery

Surgery is an important part of breast cancer treatment. Most patients either go for mastectomy or lumpectomy + radiation (i.e., breast conserving surgery, BCS). It is well known that mastectomy and BCS have equal long-term outcomes, and more patients are choosing to get breast reconstruction.

In this study, we analyzed experiences, concerns, complications and side effects in patients who have undergone breast cancer surgery and who shared their views on various online forums. Such forums have millions of freely shared messages and are rich sources of such information. However, this data is unstructured. We used our automated system, VoCP, that used techniques from Big Data science and artificial intelligence (e.g., deep learning, topic modeling, information retrieval, natural language processing) to analyze concerns and experiences of patients undergoing breast cancer surgeries.

Methods: We collected 5.5 million messages from 174556 distinct users in 21 unrestricted breast cancer forums. We built specific ontology for different surgeries, reconstruction, side effects and sentiments and used our system, VoCP, to extract relevant information from these messages.

Results: 52172 users shared 307966 messages regarding surgery and their views are summarized below.

Lumpectomy (BCS):

· 25850 users provided 98499 messages

· 15771 users had lumpectomy and shared 50390 messages

· 3760 users shared 6322 messages with complications

· 2760 users mentioned need for additional surgery

· 1447 users mentioned satisfaction with the outcome whereas 117 were dissatisfied

Mastectomy:

· 37544 users shared 198494 messages

· 22716 users had mastectomy and shared 94595 messages

· 5065 users shared 8983 messages regarding complications

· 2730 patients expressed satisfaction with outcome whereas 286 patients were dissatisfied

Reconstruction:

· 23164 users provided 113568 messages regarding reconstruction

· 9850 users had reconstruction and shared 32472 messages

· 1904 users shared 2734 messages with complication

· 1982 users had immediate reconstruction; 353 users mentioned delayed reconstruction

· 2686 users had autologous tissue reconstruction and 3105 repot implant reconstruction

· Type of Autologous Reconstruction reported : 759 TRAM flap, 296 Diep flap, 820 fat grafting, 108 Latissimus Dorsi flap, 89 SGAP Flap/hip Flap

· 418 users expressed satisfaction whereas 40 were dissatisfied with outcome

Complications reportedComplicationsReconstruction #Lumpectomy #Mastectomy#Overall#Scars1071,5051,4163,028Pain7101,4104052,525Infection2823106521,244Necrosis22951167447Numbness35145369549Lymphedema80136334550Lumps60115196371Seroma56222462740Swelling83290385758Frozen Shoulder3783151271Bleeding 445599Hematoma 178139317Itching/Rash 130253383Anxiety 82145227Blood Clot  6464Bruising  6060Drainage  5454

Conclusions:

· Despite reports of equal long term outcomes between BCS and mastectomy, more patient had mastectomy.

· Scar issues and pain is the most common complication from any surgery.

· Most patients have expressed satisfaction from their chosen surgery.

· VoCP reliably provides meaningful insights from the patient's point of view; it also gives insight into unmet needs where more resources and research should be focused.

Citation Format: Aggarwal S, Sharma R, Bhoemick J, Singh M, Aggarwal A. Voice of cancer patients (VoCP): Analysis of experiences of cancer patients undergoing breast cancer surgery [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2018 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2018 Dec 4-8; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P2-14-14.

Modelling the impact of biosecurity practices on the risk of high pathogenic avian influenza outbreaks in Australian commercial chicken farms

As of 2018, Australia has experienced seven outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in poultry since 1976, all of which involved chickens. There is concern that increases in free-range farming could heighten HPAI outbreak risk due to the potential for greater contact between chickens and wild birds that are known to carry low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI). We use mathematical models to assess the effect of a shift to free-range farming on the risk of HPAI outbreaks of H5 or H7 in the Australian commercial chicken industry, and the potential for intervention strategies to reduce this risk. We find that a shift of 25% of conventional indoor farms to free-range farming practices would result in a 6-7% increase in the risk of a HPAI outbreak. Current practices to treat water are highly effective, reducing the risk of outbreaks by 25-28% compared to no water treatment. Halving wild bird presence in feed storage areas could reduce risk by 16-19% while halving wild bird access of potential bridge-species to sheds could reduce outbreak risk by 23-25%, and relatively small improvements in biosecurity measures could entirely compensate for increased risks due to the increasing proportion of free-range farms in the industry. The short production cycle and cleaning practices for chicken meat sheds considerably reduce the risk that an introduced low pathogenic avian influenza virus is maintained in the flock until it is detected as HPAI through increased mortality of chickens. These findings help explain HPAI outbreak history in Australia and suggest practical changes in biosecurity practices that could reduce the risk of future outbreaks.

A comparative study of gloved versus ungloved merocel® as nasal pack after septoplasty

Introduction

Septoplasty or septal reconstruction is a corrective surgical procedure performed to straighten the nasal septum. It may be associated with numerous complications. To minimize these complications, both nasal cavities are frequently packed with different types of nasal packing.

Materials and Methods

This prospective, observational, and comparative study was undertaken in the Department of ENT, Rajindra Hospital, Patiala, Punjab, India. A total of sixty patients fulfilling the inclusion criteria participated in the study. They were divided into two groups, Groups A and B. After septoplasty, the nasal cavity was packed with gloved Merocel^® in Group A and ungloved Merocel^® in control group (Group B). The efficacy and patient tolerance for both nasal packings were compared and assessed. The data collected were compiled and analyzed statistically.

Results

In our study, it was demonstrated that gloved Merocel^® produces less pain during pack insertion (P = 0.001) and produces less pain while insertion of pack in situ (P = 0.001) and during pack removal (P = 0.001). Saccharin transit time (STT) returned back to normal in gloved Merocel^® group (P = 0.001) in most of patients (27) by the 2^nd week, whereas STT in ungloved Merocel^® group returned back to normal by the 4^th week postoperatively. The differences in impairment in STT between the two groups were found to be statistically significant. There was no statistical significance between both groups for other parameters.

Conclusion

Gloved Merocel^® may be preferred over ungloved Merocel^® as nasal packing following septoplasty since both types of packs had similar hemostatic, adhesion prevention properties and similar incidence in postoperative complications and gloved Merocel^® produces less pain during its insertion, while it is in situ, during its removal with early recovery of nasal mucociliary clearance mechanism of nose.

Is sino-nasal outcome test-22 reliable for guiding chronic rhinosinusitis patients for endoscopic sinus surgery?

Chronic rhino-sinusitis (CRS) is a significant health problem whose incidence and prevalence is rising. An emphasis has been placed on diseasespecific quality of life (QoL as the predominant measure for most current outcome studies. Therefore a validated measure of health-related QoL in sinonasal disease is needed. The present prospective and observational study was conducted on 50 patients in the Department of ENT at Govt. Medical College and Rajindra Hospital Patiala, Punjab, India. The primary outcomes were the following: (1) the chance of attaining minimal clinically important difference (MCID) improvements of nine points at the 22-item Sino-Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT-22) after endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) for different preoperative QoL levels, and (2) the percentage of relative improvement in SNOT-22 after ESS for different preoperative QoL levels.

Methods

Patients with CRS who were elected for ESS were prospectively enrolled into an observational cohort study. They were categorized into 10 preoperative SNOT-22 groups based on 10-point increments beginning with a score of 10 and ending at 110. Standard protocol for all patients presenting for evaluation included completion of the SNOT-22 prior to and following surgical intervention. The scores were calculated and the data collected were compiled and analyzed.

Results

A total of 50 patients were included in this study. Patients with a SNOT-22 score between 10 and 19 had the lowest chance of achieving an MCID. Patients with a SNOT-22 score greater than 30 had a greater than 90% chance of achieving an MCID, and there was a relative improvement of 43.3% on their preoperative SNOT-22 scores. CRS patients with polyp had better outcomes (47.1% improvement) after ESS than those without polyp (33.2% improvement).

Conclusion

There is an increased probability of achieving an MCID at SNOT-22 score >30 and in general the percentage of relative improvement increased with an increase in preoperative SNOT score.

Surgical review of the anatomical variations of the internal jugular vein: an update for head and neck surgeons

BACKGROUND

The internal jugular vein is one of the major vessels of the neck. The anatomy of this vessel is considered to be relatively stable. It is an important landmark for head and neck surgeons as well as the anaesthetists for both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.

METHODS

We present two case reports of the posterior tributary of the internal jugular vein and review the surgical literature regarding anatomical variations of the vein.

FINDINGS

A total of 1197 patients from 27 published papers were included in this review. Of these patients, 99.6% had neck surgery and the rest were cadaveric dissections. Anatomical variations of the internal jugular vein were found in 2% of the patient cohort (n = 40). The majority of these patients had either bifurcation or fenestration of the vein. The posterior tributary of the internal jugular vein is unusual and is scarcely reported in the literature (three cases). Knowledge of variations in the anatomy of the internal jugular vein assists surgeons in avoiding complications during neck surgery and preventing morbidity. Two rare cases of posterior branching of the internal jugular vein and experience of other surgeons are demonstrated in this extensive review.