Prevalence and treatment outcome of bronchopleural fistula: a multi-center study in Ethiopia

PURPOSE

The study aimed to assess the magnitude, risk factors, and management outcome of patients with a bronchopleural fistula at multiple centres in Ethiopia.

METHOD AND MATERIALS

A ten years (September 2012 - August 2021) institution-based multicenter retrospective cohort study was conducted from September 13 to September 30, 2021. we surveyed the cards of all patients having a diagnosis of bronchopleural fistula for the last 10 years. The document was reviewed using an extraction checklist. Descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation, frequency, percentages) and crosstabulation were used to describe the outcome variable.

RESULT

A total of 52(2%) patients were diagnosed to have bronchopleural fistula out of 2546 patients admitted to the cardiothoracic unit in three hospitals from September 2012 - August 2021 and 69% of study participants were male. The mean age of study participants was 33.42 years with SD = 12.5. Thirty-one (60%) of the cases spontaneously developed a bronchopleural fistula and 20 (38%) were post-surgical and 1(2%) was a post-traumatic fistula. Of the total of post-surgical bronchopleural fistula, 14 (26.9%) of them were lung resection, 4 (7.7%) were hydatid cystectomy and 1(1.9%) are decortications, and bullectomy respectively. of the total post-lung resection, 8 (57%) were pneumonectomies followed by 3 (21.5%) Lobectomy, 2 (14.5%) wedge resection and 1(7%) bilobectomy respectively. Fifty patients were managed surgically and two patients were managed conservatively. Bronchopleural fistula (BPF) was closed in 40 (85.4%) and there were two (3.9%) deaths, and the cause of death was sepsis secondary to pneumonia of the contralateral lung in one case.

CONCLUSION

Having thoracic surgery is a risk factor for the development of bronchopleural fistula. Management of bronchopleural fistula needs to be individualized.

Increased lesion depth, higher body mass index and older age are risk factors for osteoarthritis during long-term follow-up in patients with osteochondritis dissecans of the knee

INTRODUCTION

To report on the long-term prognosis of osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) patients regarding radiological and patient-reported outcomes and to analyze possible risk factors.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

All patients diagnosed with knee OCD between 2004 and 2014 with radiographic Kellgren-Lawrence (K-L) grades 0-2 at the time of diagnoses, ability to understand the language of the interview, and willingness to participate in the study were retrospectively reviewed. Current knee radiographs and the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) questionnaire were prospectively collected between May 2020 and March 2021. The extent of osteoarthritis (OA) and KOOS questionnaire results were evaluated.

RESULTS

90 patients (103 knees) with a mean age of 21 years (range 6-60) were included. The mean follow-up time was 12 years (range 7-20). 24 knees (23%) were treated conservatively, and 79 knees (77%) operatively. At the time of diagnoses, 90% of the patients had K-L grades of 0-1; during the follow-up period, 45% of the patients showed radiological progression of OA. Patient body mass index (BMI) (p = 0.004; 95% CI 0.25-0.29), age (p = 0.003; 95% CI 0.18-0.30), operative treatment (p = 0.0075; 95% CI 0.41-0.65) and lesion depth (p = 0.0007) were statistically significantly connected to K-L grade change. Patients with no progression in joint space narrowing had statistically significantly better overall KOOS scores (p = 0.03; 95% CI 0.77-0.88) than patients whose K-L grades worsened.

CONCLUSIONS

During the long-term follow-up of 12 years, patients with knee OCD had good clinical results. Lac of radiological progression of cartilage degeneration was noted in 55% of the patients, regardless of treatment method. Lesion depth, higher BMI and older age were associated with the progression of OA. The progression of OA was related to a worsening of functional scores.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

IV.

Supramaximal Resection for Glioblastoma: Redefining the Extent of Resection Criteria and Its Impact on Survival

Glioblastomas (GBMs) are the most common and aggressive primary brain tumors, and despite advances in treatment, prognosis remains poor. The extent of resection has been widely recognized as a key factor affecting survival outcomes in GBM patients. The surgical principle of "maximal safe resection" has been widely applied to balance tumor removal and neurological function preservation. Historically, T1-contrast enhanced (T1CE) extent of resection has been the focus of research; however, the "supramaximal resection" concept has emerged, advocating for even greater tumor resection while maintaining neurological function. Recent studies have demonstrated potential survival benefits associated with resection beyond T1CE extent in GBMs. This review explores the developing consensus and newly established criteria for "supramaximal resection" in GBMs, with a focus on T2-extent of resection. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses on supramaximal resection are summarized, and the Response Assessment in Neuro-Oncology (RANO) resect group classification for extent of resection is introduced. The evolving understanding of the role of supramaximal resection in GBMs may lead to improved patient outcomes and more objective criteria for evaluating the extent of tumor resection.

Vascular hyperintensities on baseline FLAIR images are associated with functional outcome in stroke patients with successful recanalization after mechanical thrombectomy

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to assess the prognostic value of vascular hyperintensities on FLAIR images (VHF) at admission MRI in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) achieving successful recanalization after mechanical thrombectomy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Patients with AIS treated by mechanical thrombectomy following admission MRI from the single-center HIBISCUS-STROKE cohort were assessed for eligibility. VHF were categorized using a four-scale classification and were considered poor when grade < 3 (i.e., absence of distal VHF). Recanalization was considered successful when modified thrombolysis in cerebral infarction score was ≥ 2B Functional outcome was considered poor if modified Rankin scale (mRS) at three months was > 2. Univariable and multiple variable logistic regressions were performed to identify factors associated with poor functional outcome despite successful recanalization.

RESULTS

A total of 108 patients were included. There were 65 men and 43 women with a median age of 70.5 years (interquartile range: 55.0, 81.0; age range: 22.0-93.0 years). Among them, 39 subjects (36.1%) had poor functional outcome at three months. Univariable logistic regressions indicated that poorly extended VHF (VHF grade < 3) were associated with a poor functional outcome (P = 0.008) as well as age, hypertension and diabetes, baseline National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score, pre-stroke mRS, lack of intravenous thrombolysis, cerebral microangiopathy and the presence of microbleeds. Multivariable analysis confirmed that poor VHF status was independently associated with a poor functional outcome (odds ratio [OR], 4.26; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.55-12.99; P = 0.007) in combination with hypertension (OR, 1.25; 95% CI: 0.87-1.85; P = 0.02), baseline NIHSS score (OR, 1.09; 95% CI: 1.04-1.20; P = 0.03), pre-stroke mRS (OR, 2.05; 95% CI: 1.07-4.61; P = 0.05) and lack of intravenous thrombolysis (OR, 0.23; 95% CI: 0.08-0.61; P = 0.004).

CONCLUSION

Poorly extended VHF (grade <3) at admission MRI are associated with a poor functional outcome at three months despite successful recanalization by mechanical thrombectomy.

Geriatric assessment measures are predictive of outcomes in chronic lymphocytic leukemia

INTRODUCTION

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) commonly affects older adults. However, few studies have examined the relationship between baseline geriatric domains and clinical outcomes in this population. Here, we aim to evaluate the use of a comprehensive geriatric assessment in older (>65 years) untreated patients with CLL to predict outcomes.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We conducted a planned analysis of 369 patients with CLL age 65 or older treated in a phase 3 randomized trial of bendamustine plus rituximab versus ibrutinib plus rituximab versus ibrutinib alone (A041202). Patients underwent evaluations of geriatric domains including functional status, psychological status, social activity, cognition, social support, and nutritional status. We examined associations among baseline geriatric domains with grade 3+ adverse events using multivariable logistic regression and overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) using multivariable Cox regression models.

RESULTS

In this study, the median age was 71 years (range: 65-87). In the combined multivariable model, the following geriatric domains were significantly associated with PFS: Medical Outcomes Study (MOS) - social activities survey score (hazard ratio [HR] [95% confidence interval (CI)] 0.974(0.961, 0.988), p = 0.0002) and nutritional status (≥5% weight loss in the preceding six months: (HR [95% CI] 2.717[1.696, 4.354], p < 0.001). MOS - social activities score [HR (95% CI) 0.978(0.958, 0.999), p = 0.038] was associated with OS. No geriatric domains were significantly associated with toxicity. There were no statistically significant interactions between geriatric domains and treatment.

DISCUSSION

Geriatric domains of social activity and nutritional status were associated with OS and/or PFS in older adults with CLL. These findings highlight the importance of assessing geriatric domains to identify high-risk patients with CLL who may benefit from additional support during treatment.

Single-group studies in leading physical therapy journals commonly make inappropriate conclusions regarding treatment effect modifiers. A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Characteristics that identify patients who respond differently to certain interventions are called treatment effect modifiers. Some studies inappropriately report the presence of treatment effect modifiers without adequate study designs.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate what proportion of single-group studies published in leading physical therapy journals inappropriately report treatment effect modifiers, and to assess whether the proportion varies over time or between journals.

METHODS

A systematic review was conducted of studies published in eight leading physical therapy journals since 2000. Eligible studies were single-group studies (e.g., cohort study or secondary analysis of treatment arm of randomised controlled trial) that investigated any condition, treatment or outcome. Studies that suggested participants with certain baseline characteristics responded better/or worse to the treatment, were considered to have reported inappropriately. Studies reporting that participants with certain baseline characteristics had improved outcomes but did not state it was due to the treatment were considered to have reported appropriately. The proportion of inappropriate reporting was compared over time and between journals.

RESULTS

Of the 145 included studies, 73 (50.3%) were categorised as inappropriately reporting treatment effect modifiers. The proportion of inappropriate reporting was highest in the most recent period, 2018 - 2022 (59.6%) and 2006 - 2011 (55.6%). The proportion of inappropriate reporting varied substantially between journals from 0% (Journal of Physiotherapy) to 91.7% (Journal of Neurologic Physical Therapy).

CONCLUSIONS

A large proportion (50.3%) of single-arm studies in leading physical therapy journals inappropriately report treatment effect modifiers. This inappropriate reporting risks misleading clinicians when selecting interventions for individual patients.

Prevalence of depression and anxiety in pulmonary tuberculosis patients and its association with unsuccessful treatment outcome: A prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) remains a major public health problem in Thailand. TB causes chronic disease which may cause physical disability, mental and socioeconomic problems in TB patients. Mental disorders may occur after TB infection or co-exist with the disease. This study assessed the prevalence of depression and anxiety among pulmonary TB patients and its association with treatment outcome.

METHODS

This is a single-center prospective study. Pulmonary TB patients who were treated at a tertiary hospital, in both outpatient and in-patient settings, were enrolled into the study. Demographic data and Thai Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) score at baseline and at least 2 months after diagnosis were collected to evaluate the probability of depression and anxiety. Logistic regression model was used to analyze the data. Association between suspicious mental disorder and treatment outcome were evaluated at the end of each participant's treatment.

RESULTS

One hundred and three participants were enrolled into the study on March 2018 to October 2019. The prevalence of probable depression and anxiety (Thai HADS score ≥11 from both test) were 7.8% and 6.8%, respectively. Unsuccessful treatment outcome rate was 10.7% (11/103). From the multivariate analysis, people previously treated/relapsed (aOR (95%CI): 7.04 (1.19-41.85), p = 0.03) and probable depression/anxiety with Thai HADS score ≥11 (10.12 (1.54-66.45), p = 0.02) were associated with unsuccessful treatment outcome.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, Thai HADS score could identify probable depression and anxiety among pulmonary TB patients, and its association with unfavorable treatment outcome. Clinicians should keep in mind that pulmonary TB can affect the mental status of the patients and therefore, should evaluate them and provide appropriate treatment.

Efficacy and Safety of ClearCut™ Knife H-type in Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection for Gastric Neoplasms: A Multicenter, Randomized Trial

PURPOSE

Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is an effective treatment for early gastrointestinal neoplasms. However, this is a time-consuming procedure requiring various devices. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the ClearCut™ Knife H-type, which is an integrated needle-tipped and insulated-tipped (IT) knife.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Between July 2020 and September 2021, 99 patients with gastric epithelial neoplasms scheduled for ESD at three tertiary care hospitals were randomly assigned to H-knife (ClearCut™ Knife H-type) or IT-knife (conventional IT knife) groups. Procedure times, therapeutic outcomes, and adverse events were analyzed.

RESULTS

A total of 98 patients (50 in the H-knife group and 48 in the IT-knife group) were analyzed. The median total procedure time was 11.9 minutes (range, 4.4-47.2 minutes) in the H-knife group and 12.7 minutes (range, 5.2-137.7 minutes) in the IT-knife group (P=0.209). Unlike the IT-knife group, which required additional devices in all cases, no additional devices were used in the H-knife group (P<0.001). En-bloc resection was performed for all lesions in both groups. The incidence of adverse events was not significantly different between groups (4.0% in the H-knife group vs. 8.3% in the IT-knife group; P=0.431).

CONCLUSIONS

The newly developed hybrid device, the ClearCut™ Knife H-type, had comparable efficacy to the conventional IT knife for gastric ESD.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Clinical Research Information Service Identifier: KCT0005164.

Efficacy and immunological changes of sublingual immunotherapy in pediatric allergic rhinitis

Background

Allergen-specific immunotherapy, including subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) and sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT), improves the disease progression of allergic rhinitis (AR). SCIT and SLIT exhibit similar efficacy, but SLIT has less systemic reactions. However, few studies have investigated the underlying mechanisms of SLIT treatment. In this study, we explored the efficacy of SLIT under different treatment durations and immunological changes.

Methods

This retrospective study was conducted from August 2017 to August 2022 in our hospital. A total of 314 children who underwent SLIT were divided into the following groups based on their treatment duration: the 1 year group (6 months-1 year), the 2 years group (1-2 years), and the 3 years group (2-3 years). The treatment efficacy was confirmed using a combined symptom and medication score (SMS). Multiple serum cytokines were measured using Luminex. Various immune cells in PBMCs were determined using flow cytometry.

Results

The total nasal symptom score (TNSS), rescue medication score (RMS), and SMS of the 3 years group was significantly different from those of the 1 years and 2 years groups. At the end of the 2 years following cessation of SLIT, the following results were observed in the 3 years group: 1) the TNSS, RMS, and SMS had significantly improved, 2) the serum IL-10, TGF-beta, and IL-35 levels had increased significantly, and 3) the percentages of regulatory T cell, regulatory B cell, and follicular regulatory T cell increased significantly.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that 3 years of SLIT is necessary for long-term effects and continued immunological changes.

The Association Between On-treatment Ambulatory Central Blood Pressure and Left Ventricular Reverse Remodeling in Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Compared to office blood pressure (OBP), central blood pressure (CBP) and ambulatory blood pressure (BP) are known to be better markers for predicting cardiovascular events. We evaluated the association between left ventricular reverse remodeling (LVRR) and ambulatory CBP in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF).

METHODS

This study retrospectively analyzed 93 patients who performed ambulatory CBP and brachial BP (BBP) monitoring from 2018 to 2020 within 1 year after diagnosis of HFrEF at a single tertiary center. We analyzed the association between on-treatment ambulatory BPs and LVRR on follow-up echocardiography.

RESULTS

The mean age of participants was 59 years; 65.6% were men; mean LVEF was 29%. Ambulatory BP and follow-up echocardiography were done at 143 days (interquartile range [IQR], 64-267) and 454 days (IQR, 281-600) after diagnosis of HF, respectively. Baseline OBP was not different between 2 groups, but ambulatory systolic CBP was significantly higher in the LVRR group than the non-LVRR group (p=0.005). Systolic OBP (odds ratio [OR], 1.029; confidence interval [CI], 1.004-1.055; p=0.026), 24-hour ambulatory systolic CBP (OR, 1.048; CI, 1.015-1.082; p=0.004), and 24-hour ambulatory systolic BBP (OR, 1.049; CI,1.017-1.082; p=0.003) were associated with LVRR. Compared to ambulatory systolic CBP of 110-119 mmHg, 90-99 mmHg showed lower OR for LVRR.

CONCLUSIONS

Low on-treatment ambulatory systolic CBP was closely related to a lower likelihood of LVRR in HFrEF than the normal range. Ambulatory CBP measured during treatment of patients with HFrEF appears to be useful in predicting outcomes.

Assessment of Intratumoural and Stromal Infiltrating Lymphocytes In The Various Subtypes of Breast Carcinoma Patients who have Received Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy

BACKGROUND

Breast cancer comprises a highly heterogeneous subset of tumours that respond well to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy (NAC). Tumour Infiltrating Lymphocytes (TIL) act as a means to an end by shedding light on the treatment response as well as predictive factors to the clinicopathological features for the same. Therefore, this article attempts to shift the attention to the relevance of TIL in the aforementioned aspects by bringing to notice the contrasting traits displayed by them in the different immunohistochemical subtypes of breast carcinoma.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

75 triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients, 25 human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER2BC) positive patients and 77 hormone receptor (HRBC) positive breast cancer patients were included in this study who received NAC before surgical excision of the tumour which was then stained using routine Haematoxylin and Eosin techniques. Standardised guidelines were used to evaluate TIL in the stroma and the tumour.

RESULTS

In TNBC, a significant association between Intratumoural (IT) TIL (p=0.0288) and Intrastromal (IS) TIL (p=0.0250) with pathological complete response (pCR). IS TIL and age at operation (p=0.0494) showed significant values but no correlation was found with IT TIL. In HER2BC, IS TIL revealed a significant association with the tumour response(p=0.0229). A strong association was found between IT TIL and the age of menopause(p=0.0441). In HRBC, no significant associations were found between IT and IS TIL scores and the clinicopathological features.

CONCLUSION

The predictive factors of TIL and complete response post-neoadjuvant chemotherapy can be a strong indicative factor for immunohistochemical markers. It also helps throw light on further studies which can be carried out to determine the clinicopathological features and TIL correlation in the various subtypes of breast carcinoma.

Below-Knee Prosthetic Bypass Is a Viable Option for Limb Salvage in Patients with Extensive Femoropopliteal Occlusive Disease

Purpose

This study aimed to (1) evaluate the outcomes of below-knee prosthetic bypass (BKPB) in the absence of the great saphenous vein, and (2) identify risk factors associated with these outcomes.

Materials and Methods

This study included 37 consecutive patients who underwent BKPB with or without distal modification between 2010 and 2022. We further assessed the following treatment outcomes: primary patency (PP), secondary patency (SP), limb salvage (LS), and amputation-free survival (AFS) rates. The risk factors for PP were also examined.

Results

Most patients (n=31) were male. In 32 (86.5%) patients, BKPBs were performed for chronic limb-threatening ischemia. At the time of initial admission, two (5.4%) early deaths and three (8.1%) major amputations were noted. At 1 year after BKPB, the overall PP, SP, LS, and AFS rates were 78%, 85%, 85%, and 70%, respectively; at 3 years, they were 58%, 70%, 80%, and 52%, respectively; and at 5 years, they were 35%, 58%, 62%, and 29%, respectively. Notably, PP was significantly lower in limbs with ≤1 patent tibial arteries than in limbs with ≥2 patent artery (hazard ratio [HR], 3.80; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.14-12.69 for overall; and HR, 12.97; 95% CI, 2.15-78.08 for distal anastomosis to below-knee popliteal artery). However, the PP was unaffected by the distal modification.

Conclusion

BKPB is a viable option for LS in patients with extensive femoropopliteal disease. Tibial runoff was significantly correlated with patency; therefore, decision-making for BKPB and follow-up must involve careful evaluation of the outflow arteries.

Fascia- vs vessel-oriented lateral lymph node dissection for rectal cancer: Short-term outcomes and prognosis in a single-center experience

BACKGROUND

For the management of lateral lymph node (LLN) metastasis in patients with rectal cancer, selective LLN dissection (LLND) is gradually being accepted by Chinese scholars. Theoretically, fascia-oriented LLND allows radical tumor resection and protects of organ function. However, there is a lack of studies comparing the efficacy of fascia-oriented and traditional vessel-oriented LLND. Through a preliminary study with a small sample size, we found that fascia-oriented LLND was associated with a lower incidence of postoperative urinary and male sexual dysfunction and a higher number of examined LLNs. In this study, we increased the sample size and refined the postoperative functional outcomes.

AIM

To compare the effects of fascia- and vessel-oriented LLND regarding short-term outcomes and prognosis.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective cohort study on data from 196 patients with rectal cancer who underwent total mesorectal excision and LLND from July 2014 to August 2021. The short-term outcomes included perioperative outcomes and postoperative functional outcomes. The prognosis was measured based on overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS).

RESULTS

A total of 105 patients were included in the final analysis and were divided into fascia- and vessel-oriented groups that included 41 and 64 patients, respectively. Regarding the short-term outcomes, the median number of examined LLNs was significantly higher in the fascia-oriented group than in the vessel-oriented group. There were no significant differences in the other short-term outcomes. The incidence of postoperative urinary and male sexual dysfunction was significantly lower in the fascia-oriented group than in the vessel-oriented group. In addition, there was no significant difference in the incidence of postoperative lower limb dysfunction between the two groups. In terms of prognosis, there was no significant difference in PFS or OS between the two groups.

CONCLUSION

It is safe and feasible to perform fascia-oriented LLND. Compared with vessel-oriented LLND, fascia-oriented LLND allows the examination of more LLNs and may better protect postoperative urinary function and male sexual function.

Hot snare polypectomy vs endoscopic mucosal resection using bipolar snare for intermediate size colorectal lesions: Propensity score matching

BACKGROUND

Endoscopic resection (ER) with bipolar snare, in which the electric current only passes through the tissue between the device’s two electrodes, is a prominent method used to prevent perforation due to electricity potentially. ER using bipolar snare with or without submucosal injection enabled safe resection of colorectal lesions measuring 10–15 mm in an ex vivo porcine model. ER with bipolar snare is expected to have good treatment outcomes in 10–15 mm colorectal lesions, with high safety even without submucosal injection. However, no clinical reports have compared treatment outcomes with and without submucosal injection.

AIM

To compare the treatment outcomes of bipolar polypectomy with hot snare polypectomy (HSP) to those with endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR).

METHODS

In this single-centre retrospective study, we enrolled 10–15 mm nonpedunculated colorectal lesions (565 Lesions in 463 patients) diagnosed as type 2A based on the Japan Narrow-band Imaging Expert Team classification, resected by either HSP or EMR between January 2018 and June 2021 at the National Cancer Center Hospital East. Lesions were divided into HSP and EMR groups, and propensity score matching was performed. In the matched cohort, en bloc and R0 resection rates and adverse events were compared between the two groups.

RESULTS

Of the 565 lesions in 463 patients, 117 lesions each in the HSP and EMR groups were selected after propensity score matching. In the original cohort, there was a significant difference in antithrombotic drug use (P < 0.05), lesion size (P < 0.01), location (P < 0.01), and macroscopic type (P < 0.05) between the HSP and EMR groups. In the matched cohort, the en bloc resection rates were comparable between both groups [93.2% (109/117) vs 92.3% (108/117), P = 0.81], and there was no significant difference in the R0 resection rate [77.8% (91/117) vs 80.3% (94/117), P = 0.64]. The incidence of delayed bleeding was similar in both groups [1.7% (2/117)]. Perforation occurred in the EMR group [0.9% (1/117)] but not in the HSP group.

CONCLUSION

Using bipolar snare, ER of nonpedunculated 10–15 mm colorectal lesions may be performed safely and effectively, even without submucosal injection.

Management of oral leukoplakia with an 808-nm high-power diode laser: a single-center experience

PURPOSE

High-power diode laser emerges as a promising approach to the treatment of oral leukoplakia (OL); however, its short- and long-term effects have been barely explored. This study evaluated the postoperative endpoints and the recurrence rate of high-power diode laser treatment in a well-defined series of patients with OL.

METHODS

A prospective analysis was performed on 22 individuals comprising 31 OL. The lesions were irradiated using the following protocol: Indium-Gallium-Arsenide diode laser, 808 nm, continuous-wave mode, 1.5-2.0 W, 780.0 ± 225.1 J, and 477.1 ± 131.8 s. Postoperative pain was assessed with a visual analog scale at three endpoints. Clinical follow-up was performed on all patients and the Kaplan-Meier test was used to analyze the probability of recurrence.

RESULTS

The series consisted mostly of women (72.7%) with a mean age of 62.8 years. A single laser session was performed in 77.4% of cases. The median score on the scale that assessed pain on the 1st, 14th and 42nd postoperative day was 4, 1, and 0, respectively. The mean follow-up period per lesion was 28.6 months (range: 2-53 months). A complete response was observed in 93.5% of OL cases, while 6.5% had recurrence. The probability of recurrence at 39 months was 6.7%. No patient experienced malignant transformation.

CONCLUSION

High-power diode laser for the treatment of OL is safe and effective during the trans- and postoperative period. These findings represent an alternative approach to the management of OL, mainly because a low recurrence rate was observed.

Haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation as promising therapy in the improved survival of pediatric patients with leukemias and myelodysplasias

BACKGROUND

Haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (Haplo-HSCT) is often performed in children with hematologic malignancies. Faced with the gap in the literature regarding the approach to experiences related to Haplo-HSCT with pediatric patients with leukemias and myelodysplasias aged up to 18 years, there was an interest in exploring the clinical outcomes of patients undergoing this treatment.

AIM

To identify and summarize the scientific contributions available on Haplo-HSCT performed in the last 10 years in children and adolescents with myeloid and lymphoid leukemias and myelodysplasias, aged up to 18 years.

METHODS

This is a descriptive systematic review. We extracted data including characteristics of participants, health condition, characteristics of the donation, conditioning regimen, recurrent clinical complications and clinical outcomes. The Virtual Health Library Brazil, PubMed, EMBASE, and SciELO platforms were used, finding a total of 1052 studies. After the eligibility criteria and complete reading of the texts, 18 articles were included for analysis.

RESULTS

The total sample of all study cohorts was 1825 patients, mostly male, the highest reported median age was 15.0 years and the lowest was 1.2 years. Acute graft-versus-host disease and chronic graft-versus-host disease were observed in almost all studies. Relapse, graft rejection and delayed immune recovery were identified as major clinical challenges. Pre-transplant minimal positive residual disease was identified in 288 patients. Infections are also among the main clinical complications, viral, bacterial and fungal infections being reported. It is observed that in the 5-year interval, the lowest rates of EFS and overall survival (OS) were 29.5% and 68.0%, respectively. While, the highest rates of EFS and OS, in the same interval, were 80.1% and 81.0%.

CONCLUSION

Haplo-HSCT represents a promising therapy, considering the potential number of possible donors and the conditioning and treatment platforms that can be offered. The results obtained show that this type of transplant has a strong antileukemic effect, with generally favorable OS rates. Overcoming relapse as the first cause of transplant failure is the great clinical challenge.

[Comparison of safety and effectiveness of active migration technique and in situ lithotripsy technique in the treatment of 1-2 cm upper ureteral calculi by flexible ure-teroscopy]

OBJECTIVE

To compare the safety and effectiveness of active migration technique and in situ lithotripsy technique in the treatment of 1-2 cm upper ureteral calculi by retrograde flexible ureteroscopy.

METHODS

A total of 90 patients with 1-2 cm upper ureteral calculi treated in the urology department of Beijing Friendship Hospital from August 2018 to August 2020 were selected as the subjects. The patients were divided into two groups using random number table: 45 patients in group A were treated with in situ lithotripsy and 45 patients in group B were treated with active migration technique. The active migration technique was to reposition the stones in the renal calyces convenient for lithotripsy with the help of body position change, water flow scouring, laser impact or basket displacement, and then conduct laser lithotripsy and stone extraction. The data of the patients before and after operation were collected and statistically analyzed.

RESULTS

The age of the patients in group A was (51.6±14.1) years, including 34 males and 11 females. The stone diameter was (1.48±0.24) cm, and the stone density was (897.8±175.9) Hu. The stones were located on the left in 26 cases and on the right in 19 cases. There were 8 cases with no hydronephrosis, 20 cases with grade Ⅰ hydronephrosis, 11 cases with grade Ⅱ hydronephrosis, and 6 cases with grade Ⅲ hydronephrosis. The age of the patients in group B was (51.8±13.7) years, including 30 males and 15 females. The stone diameter was (1.52±0.22) cm, and the stone density was (964.6±214.2) Hu. The stones were located on the left in 22 cases and on the right in 23 cases. There were 10 cases with no hydronephrosis, 23 cases with grade Ⅰ hydronephrosis, 8 cases with grade Ⅱ hydronephrosis, and 4 cases with grade Ⅲ hydronephrosis. There was no significant diffe-rence in general parameters and stone indexes between the two groups. The operation time of group A was (67.1±16.9) min and the lithotripsy time was (38.0±13.2) min. The operation time of group B was (72.2±14.8) min and the lithotripsy time was (40.6±12.6) min. There was no significant difference between the two groups. Four weeks after operation, the stone-free rate in group A was 86.7%, and in group B was 97.8%. There was no significant difference between the two groups. In terms of complications, 25 cases of hematuria, 16 cases of pain, 10 cases of bladder spasm and 4 cases of mild fever occurred in group A. There were 22 cases of hematuria, 13 cases of pain, 12 cases of bladder spasm and 2 cases of mild fever in group B. There was no significant difference between the two groups.

CONCLUSION

Active migration technique is safe and effective in the treatment of 1-2 cm upper ureteral calculi.

[The efficacy and safety of Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitors as monotherapy in the treatment of newly diagnosed patients with Waldenström macroglobulinemia]

Objective: To investigate the efficacy and safety of Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitors (BTKi) ibrutinib or zanubrutinib monotherapy in newly diagnosed patients with Waldenström macroglobulinemia (WM) . Methods: The efficacy and adverse effects of 58 patients with newly diagnosed WM receiving BTKi monotherapy in Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine were analyzed retrospectively from January 2018 to August 2022. Results: The response of 55 patients may be examined. Forty patients received ibrutinib monotherapy for a median of 15 months, with an overall response rate (ORR) of 85%, a main remission rate (MRR) of 70%, and a very good partial remission (VGPR) rate of 10%. Fifteen patients received zanubrutinib monotherapy for a median of 13 months, with an ORR of 93%, an MRR of 73%, and a VGPR rate of 0%. For various reasons, 10 patients were converted from ibrutinib to zanubrutinib. Ibrutinib treatment lasted an average of 7.5 months before conversion. The median duration of zanubrutinib therapy after conversion was 3.5 months. The ORRs before and after conversion were 90% and 100%, MRRs were 80% and 80%, and VGPR rates were 10% and 50%, respectively. After a median of 16 months, the 24-month progression-free survival (PFS) rate of patients who received both BTKi was 86%. PFS did not differ statistically across individuals with low, medium, and high-risk ISS scores (P=0.998). All of the patients survived. The most common side effects of BTKi were neutropenia and thrombocytopenia, which occurred in 12% and 10% of all patients, respectively. Ibrutinib accounts for 5% of atrial fibrillation, and zanubrutinib has a 7% risk of bleeding. Conclusions: In treating WM, ibrutinib or zanubrutinib provides good efficacy and tolerable adverse effects.

Potential non-invasive biomarkers in tumor immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy: response and prognosis prediction

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have dramatically enhanced the treatment outcomes for diverse malignancies. Yet, only 15-60% of patients respond significantly. Therefore, accurate responder identification and timely ICI administration are critical issues in tumor ICI therapy. Recent rapid developments at the intersection of oncology, immunology, biology, and computer science have provided an abundance of predictive biomarkers for ICI efficacy. These biomarkers can be invasive or non-invasive, depending on the specific sample collection method. Compared with invasive markers, a host of non-invasive markers have been confirmed to have superior availability and accuracy in ICI efficacy prediction. Considering the outstanding advantages of dynamic monitoring of the immunotherapy response and the potential for widespread clinical application, we review the recent research in this field with the aim of contributing to the identification of patients who may derive the greatest benefit from ICI therapy.

Effect of Community Treatment Orders on Mental Health Service Usage, Emergency Visits, and Violence: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

INTRODUCTION

Community treatment orders (CTOs) enable patients to actively engage in mental health services while being supervised in the community outside the hospital setting. However, the efficacy of CTOs remains controversial in terms of mental health services usage or service contacts, emergency visits, and violence.

METHODS

The databases PsychINFO, Embase, and Medline were searched on 11 March 2022 by 2 independent reviewers through the Covidence website (www.covidence.org). Randomised or non-randomised case-control studies and pre-post studies were included if they examine the effect of CTOs on service contacts, emergency visits, and violence in individuals with mental illnesses by comparing with control groups or pre-CTO conditions. Conflicts were resolved by consultation of the third independent reviewer.

RESULTS

Sixteen studies provided sufficient data in the target outcome measures and were included in analysis. Variability in the risk of bias was high among studies. Meta-analyses were conducted separately for case-control studies and pre-post studies. For service contacts, a total of 11 studies with 66,192 patients reported changes in the number of service contacts under CTOs. In 6 case-control studies, a small non-significant increase in service contacts was observed in those under CTOs (Hedge's g = 0.241, z = 1.535, p = 0.13). In 5 pre-post studies, a large and significant increase in service contacts was noted after CTOs (Hedge's g = 0.830, z = 5.056, p < 0.001). For emergency visits, a total of 6 studies with 930 patients reported changes in the number of emergency visits under CTOs. In 2 case-control studies, a small non-significant increase in emergency visits was noted in those under CTOs (Hedge's g = -0.196, z = -1.567, p = 0.117). In 4 pre-post studies, a small significant decrease in emergency visits was noted after CTOs (Hedge's g = 0.553, z = 3.101, p = 0.002). For violence, a total of 2 pre-post studies reported a moderate significant reduction in violence after CTOs (Hedge's g = 0.482, z = 5.173, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Case-control studies showed inconclusive evidence, but pre-post studies showed significant effects of CTOs in promoting service contacts and reducing emergency visits and violence. Future studies on cost-effectiveness analysis and qualitative analysis for specific populations with various cultures and backgrounds are warranted.

Efficacy of Transforaminal Endoscopic Lumbar Discectomy in Elderly Patients Over 65 Years of Age Compared to Young Adults

OBJECTIVE

Spine surgery rates are increasing in the elderly population due to social aging, and it is known that prognoses related to surgery are worse for the elderly compared to younger individuals. However, minimally invasive surgery, such as full endoscopic surgery, is considered safe with low complication rates due to minimal damage to surrounding tissues. In this study, we compared outcomes of transforaminal endoscopic lumbar discectomy (TELD) in elderly and younger patients with disc herniation in the lumbosacral region.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed the data of 249 patients who underwent TELD at a single center between January 2016 to December 2019, with a minimum follow-up of 3 years. Patients were allocated to 2 groups: a young group aged ≤ 65 years (n = 202) or an elderly group aged > 65 years (n = 47). We evaluated baseline characteristics, clinical outcomes, surgery-related outcomes, radiological outcomes, perioperative complications, and adverse events during the 3-year follow-up period.

RESULTS

Baseline characteristics, including age, general condition based on American Society of Anesthesiologist physical status classification grade, age-Charlson Comorbidity Index, and disc degeneration, were worse in elderly group (p < 0.001). However, except for leg pain at 4 weeks after surgery, overall outcomes, including pain improvement, radiological change, operation time, blood loss, and hospital stay, were not different between the 2 groups. Furthermore, the rates of perioperative complications (9 patients [4.46%] in the young group and 3 patients [6.38%] in the elderly group, p = 0.578) and adverse events over the 3-year follow-up period (32 patients [15.84%] in the young group and 9 patients [19.15%] in the elderly group, p = 0.582) were comparable in the 2 groups.

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest that TELD produces similar outcomes in both elderly and younger patients with a herniated disc in the lumbosacral region. TELD can be considered a safe option for appropriately selected elderly patients.

Outcomes After Endoscopic Evacuation Versus Evacuation Using Craniotomy or Stereotactic Aspiration for Spontaneous Intracerebral Hemorrhage: Analysis Using a Japanese Nationwide Database

BACKGROUND

Various surgical methods are available for managing large intracerebral hemorrhage. This study compared the prognosis of patients with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage who underwent endoscopic evacuation, stereotactic aspiration, and craniotomy by using a nationwide inpatient database in Japan.

METHODS

Using the Diagnosis Procedure Combination database, we identified patients who underwent surgery for spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage within 48 h after admission between April 2014 and March 2018. Eligible patients were classified into three groups according to the type of surgery (endoscopic surgery, stereotactic surgery, and craniotomy). Propensity score matching weight analysis was conducted to compare poor modified Rankin Scale score at discharge (severe disability or death) and hospitalization cost among the groups.

RESULTS

Among 17,860 eligible patients, craniotomy, stereotactic surgery, and endoscopic surgery were performed in 14,354, 474, and 3,032 patients, respectively. In the matching weight analysis, all covariates were well balanced. Compared with the endoscopic surgery group, the proportion of poor prognosis (modified Rankin Scale score at discharge of 5 or 6) was significantly higher in craniotomy groups (odds ratio 2.51, 95% confidence interval 1.11-5.68; p = 0.028). Subgroup analysis based on hemorrhage location and consciousness level at the time of admission showed no significant difference between the surgical procedures. Hospitalization costs were significantly higher in the craniotomy group than in the endoscopic surgery group (difference US $9,724, 95% confidence interval 2,169-17,259; p = 0.011).

CONCLUSIONS

Endoscopic surgery for spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage was associated with improved prognosis compared with craniotomy at the hospital discharge. Future large-scale clinical trials are needed to evaluate the optimal surgical techniques for intracerebral hemorrhage.

Comparison of Preventable Trauma Death Rates in Patients With Traumatic Brain Injury Before and After the Establishment of Regional Trauma Center: A Single Center Experience

Objective

To compare preventable trauma death rates (PTDRs) in patients with traumatic brain injury before and after the establishment of a regional trauma center (RTC) at a single center.

Methods

Our institution established an RTC in 2014. A total of 709 patients were enrolled from January 2011 to December 2013 (before RTC) and 672 from January 2019 to December 2021 (after RTC). The revised trauma score, injury severity score, and trauma and injury severity score (TRISS) were evaluated. Definitive preventable (DP), possibly preventable (PP), and non-preventable deaths were defined as TRISS >0.5, TRISS 0.25-0.5, and TRISS <0.25, respectively. PTDR was the proportion of deaths from DP+PP out of all deaths, and the preventable major trauma death rate (PMTDR) was the proportion of deaths from DP+PP out of all DP+PP.

Results

The overall mortality rates before and after the establishment of RTC were 20.3 and 13.1%, respectively. PTDR was lower after the establishment of RTC than before (90.3% vs. 79.5%). The PMTDR was also lower after the establishment of RTC than before (18.8% vs. 9.7%). The ratio of direct hospital visits was higher in patients before the establishment of RTC than in those after (74.9% vs. 61.3%, p<0.001).

Conclusion

Establishing the RTC reduced PTDRs. Additional studies on factors associated with PTDR reduction are required.

Low prevalence of Clostridioides difficile infection in acute severe ulcerative colitis: A retrospective cohort study from northern India

BACKGROUND

The incidence of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is high in ulcerative colitis and is associated with disease flares and adverse outcomes. However, the data on the dynamics of CDI in patients with acute severe ulcerative colitis (ASUC) is rather scarce. We evaluated the prevalence of CDI in patients with ASUC.

METHODS

This retrospective analysis of a prospectively maintained cohort admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, India, from May 2016 to December 2021, included patients with ASUC (as per Truelove and Witts criteria) who were tested for CDI. CDI testing was performed using enzyme-linked immunoassay for toxins A and B. Risk factors for developing CDI were analyzed along with short-term outcomes of ASUC. Steroid failure was defined as the need for medical rescue therapy or colectomy.

RESULTS

Total 153 patients with ASUC were included (mean age 34.92 ± 12.24 years; males 56.2%; disease duration 36 (IQR: 16-55.5) months, pancolitis 67.3%). Ninety-eight (63.4%), 72 (47%) and 10 (6.5%) patients, respectively, had received steroids, azathioprine and biologics in the past. Forty patients (26.14%) had a prior history of ASUC. Among risk factors for CDI, 14% of the patients had prior admission within 30 days, 22.2% had a recent history of antibiotics and 3.9% had long-term non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug intake. Only one sample was positive for Clostridioides difficile toxin assay. Tissue Cytomegalovirus DNA-PCR positivity was noted in 57 patients (37.3%). Fifty-seven patients (37.3%) had steroid failure, 35 required medical rescue therapy and 30 (19.6%) required colectomy (eight after medical rescue therapy failure).

CONCLUSION

Despite antecedent risk factors for CDI, the overall prevalence of CDI in ASUC was low and the outcomes were determined by underlying disease severity.

Hemithyroidectomy in Papillary Thyroid Cancers: A Prospective, Single Institutional Surgical Audit and Contemplating on the Clinical Implications of 2015 American Thyroid Association Guidelines

Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) contributes to 88% of thyroid malignancies and its extent of surgical management has been a topic of debate in the past 2 decades. American thyroid association (ATA) recommendations have been periodically updated for its robust and evidence-based management. We present our experience in implementing 2015 ATA guidelines, assessment of surgical outcomes of hemithyroidectomy in PTC ≤ 4 cm and contemplating on the potential clinical implications of 2015 ATA guidelines. A prospective study in a cohort of Bethesda class V and VI PTC with nodule ≤ 4 cm who underwent Hemithyroidectomy between 2012 and 2020. Data on thyroid nodule evaluation, management, histopathology and follow up were used for risk stratification. Of 37 patients, 27 (72.9%) were low risk and 10 (37%) were intermediate risk ATA group. 4 (40%) intermediate risk patients had structural incomplete response and underwent completion thyroidectomy. 1 (2.7%) out of 4 completion surgery patients required adjuvant radio-ablation iodine (RAI) and 3 patients were under surveillance. Overall, 2 (5.4%) of 37 patients, 1 each from low and intermediate groups were given remnant RAI in view of aggressive histology, old age and unwillingness for a completion surgery. During follow up of 4.94 ± 2.4 years, 35 (94.5%) showed excellent response and 2 (5.4%) showed biochemical incomplete response. The difference in RFS between two groups was statistically significant with p < 0.001. Thyroid preserving surgery combined with real time risk stratification seems appropriate for low and intermediate risk PTC ≤ 4 cm.

Comparable Short-Term Weight Loss and Safety of Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty in Diabetic and Non-diabetic Patients

BACKGROUND

Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG) is a highly effective endo bariatric procedure. Data on outcomes of ESG in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) compared to non-diabetics are limited.

AIMS

We aim to assess differences in clinical outcomes of ESG in DM patients in North America.

METHODS

We used the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation Quality Improvement Program database from 2016 to 2021 to identify all DM patients who underwent ESG as the primary procedure for weight loss. A 1:1 propensity score matched cohort of non-DM patients served as controls. Patient characteristics, clinical outcomes, and complications were compared and analyzed. Adult patients with Class I obesity and above were included.

RESULTS

After matching, 310 DM and non-DM patients that underwent ESG were compared. The median % BMI decrease (3.3% vs. 3.1%, P = 0.62) and median total body weight loss (%TBWL) (4.3% vs. 4%, P = 0.75) in 30 days were similar in the DM compared to non-DM cohorts. A similar proportion of patients with major adverse events (AEs) were present after ESG in the DM (1.6% vs. 1.3%, P = 0.74) compared to the non-DM cohort. The DM cohort had more patients with 30-day readmissions (3.2% vs. 1.9%, P = 0.08) than the non-DM cohort. %TBWL was similar in patients with HbA1c < 9% compared to ≥ 9%, (4.3% each, P = 0.33) with comparable AEs.

CONCLUSION

ESG is a safe procedure in DM patients, without an increase in AEs, and it shows similar short-term weight loss compared to non-DM patients.

Study protocol for The GOAL Trial: comprehensive geriatric assessment for frail older people with chronic kidney disease to increase attainment of patient-identified goals-a cluster randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND

An increasing number of older people are living with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Many have complex healthcare needs and are at risk of deteriorating health and functional status, which can adversely affect their quality of life. Comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) is an effective intervention to improve survival and independence of older people, but its clinical utility and cost-effectiveness in frail older people living with CKD is unknown.

METHODS

The GOAL Trial is a pragmatic, multi-centre, open-label, superiority, cluster randomised controlled trial developed by consumers, clinicians, and researchers. It has a two-arm design, CGA compared with standard care, with 1:1 allocation of a total of 16 clusters. Within each cluster, study participants ≥ 65 years of age (or ≥ 55 years if Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander (First Nations Australians)) with CKD stage 3-5/5D who are frail, measured by a Frailty Index (FI) of > 0.25, are recruited. Participants in intervention clusters receive a CGA by a geriatrician to identify medical, social, and functional needs, optimise medication prescribing, and arrange multidisciplinary referral if required. Those in standard care clusters receive usual care. The primary outcome is attainment of self-identified goals assessed by standardised Goal Attainment Scaling (GAS) at 3 months. Secondary outcomes include GAS at 6 and 12 months, quality of life (EQ-5D-5L), frailty (Frailty Index - Short Form), transfer to residential aged care facilities, cost-effectiveness, and safety (cause-specific hospitalisations, mortality). A process evaluation will be conducted in parallel with the trial including whether the intervention was delivered as intended, any issue or local barriers to intervention delivery, and perceptions of the intervention by participants. The trial has 90% power to detect a clinically meaningful mean difference in GAS of 10 units.

DISCUSSION

This trial addresses patient-prioritised outcomes. It will be conducted, disseminated and implemented by clinicians and researchers in partnership with consumers. If CGA is found to have clinical and cost-effectiveness for frail older people with CKD, the intervention framework could be embedded into routine clinical practice. The implementation of the trial's findings will be supported by presentations at conferences and forums with clinicians and consumers at specifically convened workshops, to enable rapid adoption into practice and policy for both nephrology and geriatric disciplines. It has potential to materially advance patient-centred care and improve clinical and patient-reported outcomes (including quality of life) for frail older people living with CKD.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04538157. Registered on 3 September 2020.

[The polypill in cardiovascular prevention: successful through simplification? : New study results on the benefit of the polypill strategy in primary and secondary prevention]

BACKGROUND

Cardiovascular disease is still the major cause of death worldwide. Beside the elevated blood pressure, a major modifiable risk factor is the elevated low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. Although both risk factors are well manageable, therapeutic control remains poor with low adherence to medication being a major cause of insufficient treatment success. One solution to overcome this issue is the polypill concept, i.e. a combination of different drugs in one tablet. This not only increases adherence but also significantly improves patients' prognosis by reducing cardiovascular events.

OBJECTIVE

This review focuses on current evidence published in randomized control trials in primary and secondary prevention. A major focus is on the recently published SECURE trial dealing with the polypill in secondary prevention.

CURRENT DATA

Most trials dealing with the polypill concept focus on the control of risk factors such as blood pressure and LDL cholesterol while lacking a prognostic benefit in the form of a reduction in cardiovascular events. Recent trials such as the HOPE‑3, PolyIran and TIPS‑3 trials have shown a prognostic improvement for the polypill in primary prevention. In secondary prevention there has been a lack of prognostic benefit for the polypill to date. The recently published SECURE trial closed this gap by showing a significant reduction in major adverse cardiovascular events in post-infarct patients and also showing a reduction in cardiovascular death by 33%.

CONCLUSION

The concept of the polypill has evolved from a comfort method for patients aimed at facilitating adherence to an innovative therapeutic concept with a proven prognostic advantage compared to current treatment practice by reducing cardiovascular events and mortality. Therefore, it is time to implement the concept of the polypill in primary and secondary prevention to improve patients' prognosis and reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease worldwide.

Association between the relationship of bystander and neurologic recovery in pediatric out-of-hospital cardiac arrest

AIM

This study aimed to evaluate whether the relationship between bystanders and victims is associated with neurological outcomes in paediatric out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA).

METHODS

This cross-sectional, retrospective, observational study included patients with non-traumatic paediatric OHCA undergoing emergency medical service treatment between 2014 and 2021. The relationship between bystanders and patients was categorized into first responder, family, and layperson groups. The primary outcome was good neurological recovery. Further sensitivity analyses were conducted subcategorizing the cohort into four groups: first responder, family, friends or colleagues, and layperson, or two groups: family and non-family.

RESULTS

We analysed 1,451 patients. OHCAs in the family group showed lower rate of good neurological outcomes regardless of witness status: 29.4%, 12.3%, and 38.6% in the first responder, family, and layperson groups in the witnessed and 6.7%, 2.0%, and 7.3% in the unwitnessed cohort. Multivariable logistic regression yielded no significant differences between the three groups: the adjusted odds ratios (AOR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were 0.57 (0.28-1.15) in the family and 1.18 (0.61-2.29) in the layperson compared to the first responder group. The sensitivity analysis yielded a higher probability of good neurologic recovery in the non-family compared to the family member bystander group in witnessed cohort (AOR, 1.96; 95% CI, 1.17-3.30).

CONCLUSION

Paediatric OHCAs had no significant difference between good neurological recovery and the relationship of bystander.

Development and validation of a prediction model for unsuccessful treatment outcomes in patients with multi-drug resistance tuberculosis

BACKGROUND

The World Health Organization has reported that the treatment success rate of multi-drug resistance tuberculosis is approximately 57% globally. Although new drugs such as bedaquiline and linezolid is likely improve the treatment outcome, there are other factors associated with unsuccessful treatment outcome. The factors associated with unsuccessful treatment outcomes have been widely examined, but only a few studies have developed prediction models. We aimed to develop and validate a simple clinical prediction model for unsuccessful treatment outcomes in patients with multi-drug resistance pulmonary tuberculosis (MDR-PTB).

METHODS

This retrospective cohort study was performed between January 2017 and December 2019 at a special hospital in Xi'an, China. A total of 446 patients with MDR-PTB were included. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression and multivariate logistic regression were used to select prognostic factors for unsuccessful treatment outcomes. A nomogram was built based on four prognostic factors. Internal validation and leave-one-out cross-validation was used to assess the model.

RESULTS

Of the 446 patients with MDR-PTB, 32.9% (147/446) cases had unsuccessful treatment outcomes, and 67.1% had successful outcomes. After LASSO regression and multivariate logistic analyses, no health education, advanced age, being male, and larger extent lung involvement were identified as prognostic factors. These four prognostic factors were used to build the prediction nomograms. The area under the curve of the model was 0.757 (95%CI 0.711 to 0.804), and the concordance index (C-index) was 0.75. For the bootstrap sampling validation, the corrected C-index was 0.747. In the leave-one-out cross-validation, the C-index was 0.765. The slope of the calibration curve was 0.968, which was approximately 1.0. This indicated that the model was accurate in predicting unsuccessful treatment outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

We built a predictive model and established a nomogram for unsuccessful treatment outcomes of multi-drug resistance pulmonary tuberculosis based on baseline characteristics. This predictive model showed good performance and could be used as a tool by clinicians to predict who among their patients will have an unsuccessful treatment outcome.

Characteristics and response cutoff of Octreotide Suppression Test in Thyrotropin (TSH)-secreting pituitary adenomas

CONTEXT

Somatostatin analogs are recommended for preoperative therapy in Thyrotropin secreting pituitary adenomas (TSHomas). Octreotide suppression test (OST) was designed to differentiate TSHomas with Resistance to Thyroid Hormones, while its ability to test sensitivity of SSA has not be fully studied.

OBJECTIVE

To test the sensitivity of SSA in TSHomas with OST.

PATIENTS

We collected 48 pathologically confirmed TSHoma patients with complete 72 hours' data of OST into analysis.

INTERVENTION

Octreotide suppression test MAIN OUTCOME: Sensitivity timepoint and cutoff of OST RESULTS: During the entire OST, the TSH descended maximally 89.07% (73.85%,96.77%), while the FT3 and FT4 declined slowly [43.40% (37.80%,54.44%) and 26.59% (19.01%,33.13%), respectively]. The 24^th hour was the timepoint wherein the stability occurs for TSH and the 48^th hour for FT3 and FT4 during OST. In the patients who received both short- and long-acting Somatostatin analogs (SSA), the 24-hour timepoint was the most predictive timepoint for the percentage of TSH decline (Spearman's rank correlation analysis, r=0.571, p<0.001), while the 72-hour timepoint was optimal for predicting the magnitude of TSH decline (Spearman's rank correlation analysis, r=0.438, p=0.005). In the 24^th timepoint, a positive correlation was also observed between TSH suppression rate and the percentage decrease and absolute value decrease of FT3 and FT4. Furthermore, in patients treated with long-acting SSA, the 72-hour timepoint was optimal for predicting both the percentage (Spearman's rank correlation analysis, r=0.587, p=0.01) and magnitude (Spearman's rank correlation analysis, r=0.474, p=0.047) of TSH decline. The 24^th hour was the optimal timepoint with 44.54% (50% of median value of TSH in 72hOST) decrease of TSH being the observing cutoff. The adverse effect of OST was predominantly occurred in gastrointestinal system and no severe event occurred during OST. Paradoxical response could occur in OST and it did not influence the effect of SSA as long as sensitivity was confirmed. High level of hormonal control was achieved in the SSA-sensitive patients.

CONCLUSION

OST can be used as efficient tool to guide the adequate use of SSA. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Nonresponder does not mean not better: Improvement in nonsymptom domains in complex depressed patients who are not symptomatic responders to intensive treatment

In treatment studies of depression, response is typically defined as a 50% or greater reduction in symptom severity. However, multiple surveys of depressed patients have found that patients prioritize improved functioning and quality of life objectives over symptom improvement as the most important goal of treatment. The goal of the present study is to widen the lens of assessing outcome by examining response in nonsymptom domains in patients who are, by convention, considered nonresponders to treatment. Eight hundred and forty-four patients with major depressive disorder completed the Remission from Depression Questionnaire (RDQ), a self-report measure that assesses multiple constructs considered by patients to be relevant to assessing treatment outcome. At discharge, the patients made a global rating of the effectiveness of treatment. The 517 patients who were nonresponders on the depression symptom subscale of the RDQ are the focus of this report. The patients showed significant levels of improvement from admission to discharge in all nonsymptom domains, with medium to large effect sizes. Approximately one-third of the patients were responders on at least 1 of the nonsymptom domains. The failure to meet the conventional definition of treatment response based on symptom severity does not preclude significant improvement in nonsymptom domains.

Clinical, Economic, and Patient-Reported Benefits of Connected Insulin Pen Systems: A Systematic Literature Review

INTRODUCTION

The objective of this systematic literature review was to evaluate the available literature concerning the clinical, economic, and patient-reported benefits of insulin pen platforms, including connected insulin pens/caps/sleeves and insulin platforms, as well as mobile apps capable of receiving near real-time insulin dosing information.

METHODS

Medline and Embase databases and the Cochrane Library were searched for published literature between January 2015 and May 2021, and manual searches for conference abstracts from 2018 to May 2021 were performed. These searches were supplemented by internet searches for relevant literature and clinical trials. Study selection involved the population, intervention, comparator, outcomes, time frame, and study design outline. Included studies investigated connected insulin systems or connected caps/sleeves enabling pens to be connected, or apps able to connect to these systems, in individuals of all ages with type 1 or type 2 diabetes mellitus.

RESULTS

Searches identified a total of 26 publications (mostly observational studies and conference abstracts) for inclusion, representing ten unique, predominantly small studies. Evidence in this field is still in its early stages, and only two randomized controlled trials met our inclusion criteria. Available results showed that connected insulin pens and their systems potentially helped reduce suboptimal insulin use and may therefore improve glycemic control. Satisfaction of people with diabetes with the technologies used was high, and economic benefits were noted. Features of effective connected insulin pen devices include simplicity of use and data upload/sharing, useful "point-of-care" alerts, and simple and understandable data presentation to facilitate more effective consultations.

CONCLUSIONS

Connected insulin pen systems could be increasingly considered as part of routine clinical care for insulin-treated persons with diabetes who must manage the complexity of their daily insulin routine. Future research focusing on the way data obtained from these devices can be most effectively used alongside other information is urgently needed.

Patients with endometriosis may experience worse clinical manifestations and therapeutic outcomes during COVID-19 in western China- a case series comparative analysis

BACKGROUND

Endometriosis is a crippling, ongoing, chronic inflammatory condition. The management of these patients has been impacted by the current COVID-19 pandemic, which is still controversial. This study compared the clinical therapy outcomes and psychological scores between before and during- the epidemic.

METHOD

The data of patients who were diagnosed with endometriosis in the Department of Gynecology, Chongqing Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital from January 2018 to December 2022 were collected. The patients were divided into pre- and intra-COVID groups. The treatment results and psychological status of the two groups were compared.

RESULTS

A total of 1022 patients with endometriosis were enrolled, with a mean age of 33.16 ± 9.81 years and a BMI of 23.90 ± 3.04 kg/m², of which 434 cases (434/1022, 42.5%) were in the pre-COVID group and 588 cases (588/1022, 57.5%) in the intra-COVID group. Both groups were well balanced for age, BMI, history of abdominopelvic surgery, family relationships, education level, and duration between initial diagnosis and admission. Compared to the Pre-COVID group, the intra-COVID group had a higher proportion of patients with chronic pelvic pain (297/434, 68.4% vs. 447/588, 76.0%, p = 0.007) and dysmenorrhea (249/434, 62.8% vs. 402/588, 70.0%, p < 0.001), more patients requiring surgery (93/434, 21.4% vs. 178/588, 30.3%, p = 0.002) and longer hospital stays (5.82 ± 2.24 days vs. 7.71 ± 2.15 days, p < 0.001). A total of 830 questionnaires were completed. In the Intra-COVID group, PHQ-2 (2 (2, 3) vs. 3 (2,4), p < 0.001), GAD-2 (2 (1, 2) vs. 3 (2, 3), p < 0.001), PHQ-4 (4 (3, 5) vs. 5 (4, 7), EHP-5 (20.26 ± 6.05 vs. 28.08 ± 7.95, p < 0.001) scores were higher than that in the pre-COVID group, while BRS (3.0 (2.2, 4.0) vs. 2.4 (1.8, 3.8), p = 0.470) were not significantly different.

CONCLUSION

During the COVID-19 epidemic, patients with endometriosis may have reduced visits to the hospital, more severe related symptoms, longer length of hospital stays, and worse quality of life, with the possible cause being a disturbance in hormone levels through increased anxiety and depression. This provides a valid clinical basis for optimizing the management of patients with endometriosis and for early psychological intervention during the epidemic.

Behavioral and emotional difficulties and HIV treatment outcomes among HIV-infected children in rural southwestern China

BACKGROUND

Previous studies have not clearly demonstrated the impact of behavioral and emotional problems (BEDs) on treatment outcomes among HIV-infected children on antiretroviral therapy (ART). This study aimed to describe the prevalence of BEDs among this population and identify the factors associated with HIV treatment outcomes.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study was conducted in Guangxi, China, between July and August 2021. HIV-infected children answered questionnaires about BEDs, physical health, social support, and whether they have missed doses in the past month. BEDs were assessed using the Chinese version of the self-reported Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ-C). The self-reported survey data were linked to participants' HIV care information that was obtained from the national surveillance database. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used to identify factors that were associated with missed doses in the past month and virological failure.

RESULTS

The study sample was 325 HIV-infected children. HIV-infected children had a higher proportion of abnormal scores on SDQ-C total difficulties compared to their peers in the general population (16.9 vs 10.0%; P = 0.002). An abnormal SDQ-C total difficulties score (AOR = 2.06, 95%CI: 1.10-3.88) and infrequency of receiving assistance and support from parents over the past 3 months (AOR = 1.85, 95%CI: 1.12-3.06) were significantly associated with missed doses in the past month. Between the ages of 14-17 years (AOR = 2.66, 95% CI: 1.37-5.16), female (AOR = 2.21, 95% CI: 1.20-4.08), and suboptimal adherence (AOR = 2.45, 95% CI: 1.32-4.57) were significantly associated with virological failure.

CONCLUSIONS

Children's mental health plays a role in HIV treatment outcomes. Psychological interventions should be promoted in pediatric HIV care clinics to improve children's mental health status and HIV treatment outcomes.

[Factors influencing severe cytopenia in chronic phase chronic myeloid leukemia patients receiving initial second generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors and its impact on treatment responses and outcomes]

Objective: To explore the influencing covariates of severe neutrophils and/or thrombocytopenia and their effect on treatment response and outcome in patients with chronic-phase chronic myeloid leukemia (CP-CML) receiving initial second-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors (2G-TKI) . Methods: Data from consecutive patients aged ≥18 years with newly diagnosed CP-CML who received initial 2G-TKI at Peking University People's Hospital from September 2008 to November 2021 were interrogated. Binary logistic regression models and Fine-Gray and Cox regression models were applied. Results: Data from 267 patients who received initial 2G-TKI, including nilotinib (n=239, 89.5% ) and dasatinib (n=28, 10.5% ) , were interrogated. The median age was 36 (range, 18-73) years, and 156 (58.4% ) patients were male. At a median treatment period of 1.0 (0.1-3.0) month, 43 (16.1% ) patients developed grade ≥3 neutrophils and/or thrombocytopenia and recovered within 1.0 (0.1-24.6) month. Male (OR=2.9, 95% CI 1.2-6.8; P=0.018) , age of ≥36 years (OR=3.2, 95% CI 1.4-7.2, P=0.005) , a spleen below a costal margin of ≥7 cm (OR=2.8, 95% CI 1.2-6.6, P=0.020) , and a hemoglobin (HGB) level of <100 g/L (OR=2.9, 95% CI 1.3-6.8, P=0.012) at diagnosis were significantly associated with grade ≥ 3 neutrophils and/or thrombocytopenia. Based on their regression coefficients, male, age of ≥36 years, a spleen below a costal margin of ≥7 cm, and an HGB level of <100 g/L were given 1 point to form a predictive system. All patients were divided into three risk subgroups, and the incidence of severe cytopenia significantly differed among the three groups (P < 0.001) . Grade ≥3 neutrophils and/or thrombocytopenia for >2 weeks was significantly associated with lower cumulative incidences of complete cytogenetic response (CCyR, HR=0.5, 95% CI 0.3-0.7, P<0.001) and major molecular response (MMR, HR=0.4, 95% CI 0.3-0.8, P=0.004) and was not significantly associated with failure, progression, and survival. Conclusion: Male, advanced age, a large spleen, and a low HGB level were significantly associated with severe cytopenia. The four covariates were used to establish a prediction model, in which the incidence of severe cytopenia among different risk groups was significantly different. Severe cytopenia for >2 weeks was a negative factor for responses but not for outcomes.

Multimodal predictions of treatment outcome in major depression: A comparison of data-driven predictors with importance ratings by clinicians

BACKGROUND

Reliable prediction models of treatment outcome in Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) are currently lacking in clinical practice. Data-driven outcome definitions, combining data from multiple modalities and incorporating clinician expertise might improve predictions.

METHODS

We used unsupervised machine learning to identify treatment outcome classes in 1060 MDD inpatients. Subsequently, classification models were created on clinical and biological baseline information to predict treatment outcome classes and compared to the performance of two widely used classical outcome definitions. We also related the findings to results from an online survey that assessed which information clinicians use for outcome prognosis.

RESULTS

Three and four outcome classes were identified by unsupervised learning. However, data-driven outcome classes did not result in more accurate prediction models. The best prediction model was targeting treatment response in its standard definition and reached accuracies of 63.9 % in the test sample, and 59.5 % and 56.9 % in the validation samples. Top predictors included sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, while biological parameters did not improve prediction accuracies. Treatment history, personality factors, prior course of the disorder, and patient attitude towards treatment were ranked as most important indicators by clinicians.

LIMITATIONS

Missing data limited the power to identify biological predictors of treatment outcome from certain modalities.

CONCLUSIONS

So far, the inclusion of available biological measures in addition to psychometric and clinical information did not improve predictive value of the models, which was overall low. Optimized biomarkers, stratified predictions and the inclusion of clinical expertise may improve future prediction models.

Photodynamic therapy combined with surgery versus Mohs micrographic surgery for the treatment of difficult-to-treat basal cell carcinoma: A retrospective clinical study

BACKGROUND

Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) is the preferable surgery for difficult -to-treat basal cell carcinoma (BCC) but is an expensive, labor-intensive, and time-consuming technique. The aim of this study is to compare the efficacy and safety of photodynamic therapy combined with surgery(S-PDT) versus Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) for the treatment of difficult-to-treat BCC.

METHODS

This was a retrospective, comparative study. A total of 32 patients, 16 patients with 48 lesions, were treated with S-PDT and the other 16 patients with 17 lesions treated by MMS were enrolled in this study. Follow-up was at least 36 months posttreatment.

RESULTS

The recurrence rate was no statistical difference between the S-PDT and MMS (P = 1.000, Fishers exact test). The median follow-up was 42.5 months (range 36-63 months).Mean healing time in the S-PDT [17.9 days (SD 9.8)] is longer than in MMS [7.5 days (SD 1.5)] during follow-up(P＜0.001,Independent T test) . On the whole, the cosmetic outcome of patients in S-PDT was statistically no significant difference with that in MMS according to a 4-point scale (p = 0.719, chi-squared test).

CONCLUSIONS

S-PDT is a safe, effective, and novel cosmetic treatment, which holds the potential to be an alternative treatment to MMS for some cases.

Natalizumab treatment of multiple sclerosis - a Danish nationwide study with 13 years of follow-up

BACKGROUND

Natalizumab is a widely used high-efficacy treatment in multiple sclerosis (MS). Real-world evidence regarding long-term effectiveness and safety is warranted. We performed a nationwide study evaluating prescription patterns, effectiveness, and adverse events.

METHODS

A nationwide cohort study using the Danish MS Registry. Patients initiating natalizumab between June 2006 and April 2020 were included. Patient characteristics, annualized relapse rates (ARRs), confirmed Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score worsening, MRI activity (new/enlarging T2- or gadolinium-enhancing lesions), and reported adverse events were evaluated. Further, prescription patterns and outcomes across different time periods ("epochs") were analysed.

RESULTS

In total, 2424 patients were enrolled, with a median follow-up time of 2.7 years (interquartile range (IQR) 1.2-5.1). In recent epochs, patients were younger, had lower EDSS scores, had fewer pre-treatment relapses and were more often treatment naïve. At 13 years of follow-up, 36% had a confirmed EDSS worsening. On-treatment ARR was 0.30, corresponding to a 72% reduction from pre-initiation. MRI activity was rare, 6.8% had activity within 2-14 months from treatment start, 3.4% within 14-26 months, and 2.7% within 26-38 months. Approximately 14% of patients reported adverse events, with cephalalgia constituting the majority. During the study, 62.3% discontinued treatment. Of these, the main cause (41%) was due to JCV antibodies, while discontinuations due to disease activity (9%) or adverse events (9%) were less frequent.

CONCLUSION

Natalizumab is increasingly used earlier in the disease course. Most patients treated with natalizumab are clinically stable with few adverse events. JCV antibodies constitute the main cause for discontinuation.

Pretreatment synthetic magnetic resonance imaging predicts disease progression in nonmetastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma after intensity modulation radiation therapy

BACKGROUND

To investigate the potential of synthetic MRI (SyMRI) in the prognostic assessment of patients with nonmetastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), and the predictive value when combined with diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) as well as clinical factors.

METHODS

Fifty-three NPC patients who underwent SyMRI were prospectively included. 10th Percentile, Mean, Kurtosis, and Skewness of T1, T2, and PD maps and ADC value were obtained from the primary tumor. Cox regression analysis was used for analyzing the association between SyMRI and DWI parameters and progression-free survival (PFS), and then age, sex, staging, and treatment as confounding factors were also included. C-index was obtained by bootstrap. Moreover, significant parameters were used to construct models in predicting 3-year disease progression. ROC curves and leave-one-out cross-validation were used to evaluate the performance and stability.

RESULTS

Disease progression occurred in 16 (30.2%) patients at a follow-up of 39.6 (3.5, 48.2) months. T1_Kurtosis, T1_Skewness, T2_10th, PD_Mean, and ADC were correlated with PFS, and T1_Kurtosis (HR: 1.093) and ADC (HR: 1.009) were independent predictors of PFS. The C-index of SyMRI and SyMRI + DWI + Clinic models was 0.687 and 0.779. Moreover, the SyMRI + DWI + Clinic model predicted 3-year disease progression better than DWI or Clinic model (p ≤ 0.008). Interestingly, there was no significant difference between the SyMRI model (AUC: 0.748) and SyMRI + DWI + Clinic model (AUC: 0.846, p = 0.092).

CONCLUSION

SyMRI combined with histogram analysis could predict disease progression in NPC patients, and SyMRI + DWI + Clinic model further improved the predictive performance.

External validation of an MR-based radiomic model predictive of locoregional control in oropharyngeal cancer

OBJECTIVES

To externally validate a pre-treatment MR-based radiomics model predictive of locoregional control in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) and to assess the impact of differences between datasets on the predictive performance.

METHODS

Radiomic features, as defined in our previously published radiomics model, were extracted from the primary tumor volumes of 157 OPSCC patients in a different institute. The developed radiomics model was validated using this cohort. Additionally, parameters influencing performance, such as patient subgroups, MRI acquisition, and post-processing steps on prediction performance will be investigated. For this analysis, matched subgroups (based on human papillomavirus (HPV) status of the tumor, T-stage, and tumor subsite) and a subgroup with only patients with 4-mm slice thickness were studied. Also the influence of harmonization techniques (ComBat harmonization, quantile normalization) and the impact of feature stability across observers and centers were studied. Model performances were assessed by area under the curve (AUC), sensitivity, and specificity.

RESULTS

Performance of the published model (AUC/sensitivity/specificity: 0.74/0.75/0.60) drops when applied on the validation cohort (AUC/sensitivity/specificity: 0.64/0.68/0.60). The performance of the full validation cohort improves slightly when the model is validated using a patient group with comparable HPV status of the tumor (AUC/sensitivity/specificity: 0.68/0.74/0.60), using patients acquired with a slice thickness of 4 mm (AUC/sensitivity/specificity: 0.67/0.73/0.57), or when quantile harmonization was performed (AUC/sensitivity/specificity: 0.66/0.69/0.60).

CONCLUSION

The previously published model shows its generalizability and can be applied on data acquired from different vendors and protocols. Harmonization techniques and subgroup definition influence performance of predictive radiomics models.

KEY POINTS

• Radiomics, a noninvasive quantitative image analysis technique, can support the radiologist by enhancing diagnostic accuracy and/or treatment decision-making. • A previously published model shows its generalizability and could be applied on data acquired from different vendors and protocols.

Comparative Effectiveness of Pegcetacoplan Versus Ravulizumab and Eculizumab in Complement Inhibitor-Naïve Patients with Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria: A Matching-Adjusted Indirect Comparison

INTRODUCTION

In the absence of head-to-head trials, this study compared treatment outcomes with the C3 complement inhibitor pegcetacoplan versus the C5 complement inhibitor eculizumab or ravulizumab in complement inhibitor-naïve patients with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH).

METHODS

A matching-adjusted indirect comparison was conducted using individual patient data from the pegcetacoplan arm of the PRINCE trial (NCT04085601; n = 34) and aggregate data from the ravulizumab (n = 125) and eculizumab (n = 121) arms of the ALXN1210-PNH-301 trial (NCT03056040). Clinical and quality of life endpoints were evaluated after matching patients in the two trials on baseline characteristics. The weighted Wald test with 95% confidence interval was used to compare categorical and continuous variables (i.e., weighted chi-squared and z tests, respectively). Bias factor analysis was performed to quantify the extent of residual bias from unmeasured confounders.

RESULTS

After weighting, treatment with pegcetacoplan was associated with statistically significant improvements in most clinical endpoints compared with ravulizumab or eculizumab treatment. These included: greater absolute and percent reductions in lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) level and increase in hemoglobin level from baseline; shorter time to first occurrence of LDH normalization; larger proportions of patients achieving hemoglobin stabilization and avoiding transfusion, with fewer packed red blood cell units transfused; and a smaller proportion of patients experiencing breakthrough hemolysis (all p < 0.05). Patients receiving pegcetacoplan also had a greater increase in general health status score from baseline compared with those receiving C5 complement inhibitors.

CONCLUSION

Pegcetacoplan provides clinical benefits as first-line treatment for complement inhibitor-naïve patients with PNH.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov identifier, NCT04085601.

Prevalence, risk factors, and clinical effect of coronary artery disease in patients with asymptomatic bilateral carotid stenosis

OBJECTIVE

In the present report, we have described the prevalence, risk factors, and clinical effects of coronary artery disease (CAD) for patients with asymptomatic bilateral carotid stenosis.

METHODS

We conducted a single-center, retrospective cohort study of consecutive patients referred for bilateral carotid stenosis >70% (2014-2021). All the patients had undergone systematic coronary angiography. Depending on the anatomic and clinical characteristics, the patients had undergone combined carotid endarterectomy (CEA) plus coronary artery bypass grafting, coronary percutaneous intervention followed by CEA or carotid artery stenting (CAS), or staged bilateral CEA with cardiac best medical therapy. The cumulative 30-day stroke/myocardial infarction (MI) rate after cardiac and bilateral carotid interventions and long-term survival and freedom from cardiovascular mortality were assessed.

RESULTS

A total of 167 patients with bilateral carotid stenosis >70% had undergone preoperative coronary angiography, identifying severe CAD in 108 patients (65.1%). Echocardiographic abnormalities (odds ratio [OR], 2.07; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03-5.78; P = .04) and prior coronary intervention (OR, 11.94; 95% CI, 2.99-63.81; P = .001) were significantly associated with severe CAD. CAD was treatable in 91 patients (84%) and untreatable in 17 (16%). The cumulative MI rate was 4.8%; 5.6% for the patients with severe CAD and 1.7% for those without severe CAD (P = .262). The cumulative stroke rate was 1.8%; 1.8% for those with severe CAD and 1.7% for those without severe CAD (P = 1.00). The overall stroke/MI rate was 6.6%; 8.3% for those with severe CAD and 3.3% for patients without severe CAD (P = .33). Patients with severe CAD deemed untreatable for coronary bypass or percutaneous intervention had a higher risk of perioperative stroke/MI (OR, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.00-2.83; P = .04). At 10 years, overall survival was 67.1% (95% CI, 57%-79%), and freedom from cardiovascular mortality was 78.5% (95% CI, 69%-89%). Patients with untreatable CAD maintained a higher risk of 10-year mortality (hazard ratio, 5.5; 95% CI, 1.6-19.9; P < .01).

CONCLUSIONS

In the present study, the prevalence of CAD in patients with bilateral carotid stenosis was high, especially for those with abnormal echocardiographic findings. CAD was potentially treatable in 80% of patients, and staged or simultaneous CAD treatment was performed with an acceptable stroke/MI complication rate for these patients. The presence of untreatable CAD was associated with worsened early and long-term outcomes, questioning the benefit of carotid interventions for this subset of patients.

Modified dynamic risk stratification system further predicts individual outcome in patients with intermediate-risk papillary thyroid cancer

OBJECTIVE

We assessed the contribution of initial treatment response to further refining prediction of individual outcomes in intermediate-risk papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) on the American Thyroid Association (ATA) risk stratification system. Dynamic risk stratification (DRS) as originally proposed by Tuttle et al. in 2010 was modified to also include serum antithyroglobulin antibodies (TgAb) as a surrogate marker of the likelihood of persistent disease, specifically in patients with thyroglobulin assay interference by TgAb.

METHODS

Three hundred and seventy-three patients with ATA intermediate-risk PTC were enrolled retrospectively upon reviewing medical records. Patients were followed at the National Cancer Institute in Bogota, Colombia after being treated with total thyroidectomy and I-131 therapy between 2009 and 2013. Best response to initial therapy was classified as excellent, indeterminate, biochemically incomplete or structurally incomplete. Final disease status after a median follow-up of 7.1 years was classified as no evidence of disease (NED), indeterminate, or persistent disease (either biochemically or structurally). The rate of recurrence was determined in excellent responders.

RESULTS

Excellent response was achieved by 164 patients (43.9%). At a median follow-up of 42 months, 19 (11.6%) had experienced recurrence. 87.4% of initially excellent responders available at the final checkpoint were NED, compared to 28% of those with biochemically or structurally incomplete response and to 60.2% of all ATA intermediate-risk PTC patients in our cohort.

CONCLUSIONS

Modified DRS further predicted individual outcomes in intermediate-risk PTC, potentially allowing ongoing management to be tailored accordingly.

The role of anterior segmental osteotomies in orthognathic surgery for protrusive faces in a Southeast Asian population: 10-year retrospective data of 51 patients treated in a single centre

Bimaxillary protrusion is a dentofacial deformity common in the East Asian population. It is often difficult to decide between orthodontic and surgical retraction to treat patients with bimaxillary protrusion, especially if surgery to correct skeletal base discrepancies is also required. The objective of this study was to investigate the treatment outcomes of surgical versus orthodontic retraction in patients with bimaxillary protrusion undergoing orthognathic surgery. A retrospective cohort study was conducted, where the medical records and radiographs of 51 patients with bimaxillary protrusion who had an anterior segmental osteotomy concomitant with orthognathic surgery were examined. Patients who had bimaxillary anterior segmental osteotomies were more likely to achieve an inter-incisal angle of 135 ± 5° at the end of treatment, when compared to patients who had orthodontic retraction (P < 0.01). The total treatment duration of patients who had bimaxillary anterior segmental osteotomies was significantly shorter as compared to that of the patients who only had these osteotomies in the maxilla (P < 0.001) or mandible (P = 0.012). Complications and permanent long-term sequelae following anterior segmental osteotomies were uncommon. It is concluded that bimaxillary anterior segmental osteotomies are a viable alternative for patients with concomitant bimaxillary protrusion and skeletal base discrepancies. This allows for a significantly shorter treatment time and greater correction of inter-incisal angles, without a significant increase in complications.

Treatment and outcome in metastatic lobular breast cancer in the prospective German research platform OPAL

PURPOSE

Evidence about routine treatment and outcome of patients with invasive lobular cancer (ILC) is limited, especially regarding metastatic disease. Here we present prospective real-world data of patients with metastatic ILC (mILC) as compared to patients with metastatic invasive ductal cancer (mIDC) receiving systemic therapy in routine care in Germany.

METHODS

Prospective data on patient and tumor characteristics, treatments, and outcomes of patients with mILC (n = 466) and mIDC (n = 2100), recruited between 2007 and 2021 into the Tumor Registry Breast Cancer/OPAL were analyzed.

RESULTS

Compared to mIDCs, patients with mILC were older at start of first-line treatment (median 69 vs. 63 years) and had more often lower grade (G1/G2: 72.8% vs. 51.2%), hormone receptor (HR)-positive (83.7% vs. 73.2%) and less often HER2-positive (14.2% vs. 28.6%) tumors, which metastasized more frequently to the bone (19.7% vs. 14.5%) or peritoneum (9.9% vs. 2.0%), and less frequently to the lungs (0.9% vs. 4.0%). Median OS of patients with mILC (n = 209) and mIDC (n = 1158) was 30.2 months [95% confidence interval (CI) 25.3, 36.0] and 33.7 months [95% CI 30.3, 37.9], respectively. Multivariate survival analysis did not show a significant prognostic impact of the histological subtype [HR mILC vs. mIDC 1.18 (95% CI 0.97-1.42)].

CONCLUSION

Overall, our real-world data confirm clinicopathological differences between mILC and mIDC breast cancer patients. Despite patients with mILC presenting with some favorable prognostic factors, ILC histopathology was not associated with a better clinical outcome in multivariate analysis, suggesting the need for more tailored treatment strategies for patients with the lobular subtype.

Balloon-occluded transarterial chemoembolization versus conventional transarterial chemoembolization for the treatment of single hepatocellular carcinoma: a propensity score matching analysis

OBJECTIVES

To compare the safety and efficacy of balloon-occluded transarterial chemoembolization (B-TACE) and conventional TACE (C-TACE) in treating single hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

METHODS

This single-center retrospective study included 523 patients who underwent C-TACE and 44 who underwent B-TACE as first-line treatment for single HCCs between November 2017 and December 2019. After propensity score matching (PSM), initial tumor response rates, local tumor progression (LTP), and major complication rates were evaluated in the 32 pairs of PSM matched population.

RESULTS

In the 32 pairs of PSM cohort, B-TACE showed distinct superiority over C-TACE in treating single HCCs, with significantly higher initial complete response (CR) rates (93.8% vs. 62.5%, p = 0.005). During a median follow-up of 37 months (range, 12.7-46.5 months), 13 patients (40.6%) who underwent B-TACE and 16 (50%) who underwent C-TACE showed LTP of treated lesions. Size-based sub-group analysis showed that the median times to LTP in patients with medium- to large-sized tumors (> 3 cm) were significantly longer in the B-TACE (27 months; 95% confidence interval [CI], 19.7-34.3 months) than in the C-TACE (13 months; 95% CI, 3.9-22.1 months) group (p = 0.019). The major complication rate was similar between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONS

B-TACE had a higher initial CR rate than C-TACE in treating single HCCs. Moreover, size-based subgroup analysis showed that time to LTP was significantly longer in patients with medium- to large-sized HCCs (> 3 cm) who underwent B-TACE rather than C-TACE.

KEY POINTS

• B-TACE was superior to C-TACE in treating single HCC, with a significantly higher initial complete response rate after one session of treatment. • In size-based subgroup analysis, time to LTP was significantly longer in patients with medium- to large-sized HCCs (>3 cm) who underwent B-TACE rather than C-TACE. • B-TACE should be considered an alternative treatment option for medium- to large-sized single HCCs (>3 cm) in patients with a nonresectable condition and those who prefer nonsurgical treatment.

Early experience of robotic axillary lymph node dissection in patients with node-positive breast cancer

BACKGROUND

Robotic surgical systems enable surgeons to perform precise movement in the surgical field using high-resolution 3D vision and flexible robotic instruments. We aimed to evaluate the feasibility and safety of performing axillary lymph node dissection using a robotic surgical system in patients with node-positive breast cancer.

METHODS

Thirty-two women with breast cancer who underwent robot-assisted nipple-sparing mastectomy (RNSM) and level I/II axillary lymph node dissection were analyzed. Patients were divided into two groups: RNSM with conventional axillary lymph node dissection (CALND) vs. RNSM with robotic axillary lymph node dissection (RALND). Clinicopathological features and surgical outcomes were analyzed.

RESULTS

The median age of the patients was 44 (range 20-59) years. Eleven patients underwent RALND. None of the clinicopathologic features differed between the two groups. There were no statistically significant differences in surgical outcomes, except for the final incision size, between the two groups. The proportion of cases with an incision ≤ 40 mm was 63.6% in the RALND group and 36.4% in the CALND group (p = 0.020).

CONCLUSION

RALND can be safely performed in RNSM. RNSM with RALND is comparable to RNSM with CALND in terms of early surgical outcomes. The incision size can be reduced when using RALND.

Harvesting anterior iliac crest or calvarial bone grafts to augment severely resorbed edentulous jaws: a systematic review and meta-analysis of patient-reported outcomes

The aim of this systematic review was to compare patient-reported outcomes after harvesting calvarial or anterior iliac crest bone grafts to repair severe jaw defects and enable implant placement. The MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases, and OpenGrey were searched for studies on patient satisfaction, pain, disturbances in daily functioning, sensory alterations, donor site aesthetics, and complication rates. Of the 1946 articles identified, 43 reporting 40 studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria; the studies were one randomized controlled clinical trial, one retrospective controlled clinical trial, and 23 prospective and 15 retrospective cohort studies. A meta-analysis of two studies (74 patients) showed no difference in satisfaction (mean difference (MD) - 0.13, 95% confidence interval (CI) - 1.17 to 0.92; P = 0.813) or postoperative pain (directly postoperative: MD -2.32, 95% CI -5.20 to 0.55, P = 0.113; late postoperative: MD -0.01, 95% CI -0.14 to 0.11, P = 0.825) between donor sites. However, the level of evidence is limited, due to the retrospective, non-randomized design of one study. Postoperative gait disturbances were highly prevalent among the anterior iliac crest patients (28-100% after 1 week). The incidence rates of sensory disturbances and other complications were low, and the donor site aesthetic outcomes were favourable for both graft types. To conclude, harvesting bone grafts from the calvarium or anterior iliac crest to augment the severely resorbed edentulous jaw results in similar patient satisfaction. However, the findings for postoperative pain and disturbances in daily living suggest a trend in favour of calvarial bone grafts if harvested using an adjusted technique.

Tuberculosis and malnutrition: The European perspective

Tuberculosis (TB) is a leading infectious cause of death worldwide, despite ongoing efforts to limit its incidence and mortality. Although the European Region has made gains in TB incidence and mortality, it now contends with increasing numbers of multidrug- and rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis (MDR/RR-TB). Malnutrition is a major contributor to the burden of TB and may also be directly caused or enhanced by the onset of TB. The presence of malnutrition may worsen TB and MDR/RR-TB related treatment outcomes and contribute to growing TB drug-resistance. Preventing and treating all forms of malnutrition is an important tool to limit the spread of TB worldwide and improve TB outcomes and treatment efficacy. We carried out a scoping review of the existing evidence that addresses malnutrition in the context of TB. Our review found malnutrition increased the risk of developing TB in high-burden settings and increased the likelihood of developing unfavorable treatment outcomes, including treatment failure, loss to follow-up, and death. The potential impact of nutritional care and improved nutritional status on patient prognosis was more difficult to evaluate due to heterogeneity of patient populations, treatment protocols, and treatment durations and goals. High-quality trials that consider malnutrition as a major risk factor and relevant treatment target when designing effective strategies to limit TB spread and mortality are needed to inform evidence-based practice. In TB patients, we suggest that widespread and regular nutritional screening, assessment, and counselling, has the potential to increase effectiveness of TB management strategies and improve patient quality of life, overall outcomes, and survival.