Long-term outcomes (beyond 5 years) of liver transplant recipients-A transatlantic multicenter study

The long-term (>5 y) outcomes following liver transplantation (LT) have not been extensively reported. The aim was to evaluate outcomes of LT recipients who have survived the first 5 years. A multicenter retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data from 3 high volume LT centers (Dallas-USA, Birmingham-UK, and Barcelona-Spain) was undertaken. All adult patients, who underwent LT since the inception of the program to December 31, 2010, and survived at least 5 years since their LT were included. Patient survival was the primary outcome. A total of 3682 patients who survived at least 5 years following LT (long-term survivors) were included. Overall, median age at LT was 52 years (IQR 44-58); 53.1% were males; and 84.6% were Caucasians. A total of 49.4% (n=1820) died during a follow-up period of 36,828 person-years (mean follow-up 10 y). A total of 80.2% (n=1460) of all deaths were premature deaths. Age-standardized all-cause mortality as compared to general population was 3 times higher for males and 5 times higher for females. On adjusted analysis, besides older recipients and older donors, predictors of long-term mortality were malignancy, cardiovascular disease, and dialysis. Implementation of strategies such as noninvasive cancer screening, minimizing immunosuppression, and intensive primary/secondary cardiovascular prevention could further improve survival.

Creative Mental Health Literacy Practices: A Qualitative Study Exploring How Students Use Literacy to Promote Wellbeing and Manage Mental Health Conditions While at University

Understanding how students manage their mental health while at university is more important than ever, given the increasing number of undergraduate students experiencing poor mental health and seeking support from their universities. This paper reports on an exploratory qualitative study and discusses how students with mental-health conditions use literacy (reading, writing, and the use of texts) to manage their mental health, focusing on reading for pleasure, creative writing, and bullet journaling. Through in-depth qualitative interviews across the academic year of 2018-2019, 11 students' reflective accounts of their practices in managing their mental health were collected and then thematically analysed. This paper focusses on the experiences of three students as case studies of how students use literacy to manage times of mental health distress and promote wellbeing through relaxation, the expression of emotions, and the recording of their mental health. These practices enabled the processing of emotions, engagement in supportive relationships, development of a sense of self, and reflection of mental health progress. These findings demonstrate that supporting students to engage in self-directed creative literacy practices could help students to manage their mental health and develop on-going positive strategies while helping universities manage the increased demand for help from students.

Prevalence of undiagnosed stage 3 chronic kidney disease in France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the USA: results from the multinational observational REVEAL-CKD study

OBJECTIVES

REVEAL-CKD aims to estimate the prevalence of, and factors associated with, undiagnosed stage 3 chronic kidney disease (CKD).

DESIGN

Multinational, observational study.

SETTING

Data from six country-specific electronic medical records and/or insurance claims databases from five countries (France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the USA [two databases]).

PARTICIPANTS

Eligible participants (≥18 years old) had ≥2 consecutive estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) measurements (calculated from serum creatinine values, sex and age) taken from 2015 onwards that were indicative of stage 3 CKD (≥30 and <60 mL/min/1.73 m²). Undiagnosed cases lacked an International Classification of Diseases 9/10 diagnosis code for CKD (any stage) any time before, and up to 6 months after, the second qualifying eGFR measurement (study index).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The primary outcome was point prevalence of undiagnosed stage 3 CKD. Time to diagnosis was assessed using the Kaplan-Meier approach. Factors associated with lacking a CKD diagnosis and risk of diagnostic delay were assessed using logistic regression adjusted for baseline covariates.

RESULTS

The prevalence of undiagnosed stage 3 CKD was 95.5% (19 120/20 012 patients) in France, 84.3% (22 557/26 767) in Germany, 77.0% (50 547/65 676) in Italy, 92.1% (83 693/90 902) in Japan, 61.6% (13 845/22 470) in the US Explorys Linked Claims and Electronic Medical Records Data database and 64.3% (161 254/250 879) in the US TriNetX database. The prevalence of undiagnosed CKD increased with age. Factors associated with undiagnosed CKD were female sex (vs male, range of odds ratios across countries: 1.29-1.77), stage 3a CKD (vs 3b, 1.81-3.66), no medical history (vs a history) of diabetes (1.26-2.77) or hypertension (1.35-1.78).

CONCLUSIONS

There are substantial opportunities to improve stage 3 CKD diagnosis, particularly in female patients and older patients. The low diagnosis rates in patients with comorbidities that put them at risk of disease progression and complications require attention.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

NCT04847531.

MO509: Reveal-CKD: Prevalence of Undiagnosed Stage 3 Chronic Kidney Disease Italy

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a serious progressive disease with a substantial impact on global health that affects ∼10% of the world's population. However, CKD remains largely under-recognized. Effective actions to slow disease progression and improve outcomes depend on timely detection and diagnosis before a further decline in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). The aim of the REVEAL-CKD study is to assess the prevalence of, and factors associated with, undiagnosed early (stage 3) CKD.

METHOD

REVEAL-CKD is a multi-national, multi-regional observational study using secondary data from electronic medical records and claims databases. In this analysis, we extracted data regarding patient demographics, laboratory tests, diagnoses and treatments from an Italian electronic medical record database, the Italian Longitudinal Patients Database (IQVIA, Italy). The Italian Longitudinal Patients Database consists of anonymised patient records collected from routine visits to general practitioners and represents ∼900 general practitioners and 1.2 million patients across Italy. The study cohort included patients aged ≥18 years between 2015–21 with two consecutive estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) results ≥30 and &lt;60 mL/min/1.73 m2 recorded &gt;90 and ≤730 days apart. The date of the second qualifying eGFR was defined as the index date. Patients with no presence of a CKD diagnostic code recorded any time before their first qualifying eGFR and up to 6 months after their second qualifying eGFR were considered to be undiagnosed. The prevalence of undiagnosed CKD was calculated as the ratio of undiagnosed patients to all patients who met the study inclusion criteria.

RESULTS

The study cohort included 65 676 patients who met the eGFR criteria for stage 3 CKD. The mean age at index date was 79 years (standard deviation: 9 years) and 58% were female. The overall prevalence of undiagnosed CKD was 77.0% [95% confidence interval (CI): 76.6–77.3]. The prevalence of undiagnosed CKD was greater in patients with stage 3a CKD (83.0%) compared with those with stage 3b CKD (64.8%). Female patients and those aged &gt; 65 years showed a higher prevalence of undiagnosed CKD, and the prevalence of undiagnosed CKD ranged from 66.6% to 75.7% in patients with pre-existing comorbidities (Table 1). In patients who were undiagnosed at the index date (n = 52 533), 15.5% (n = 8152) were diagnosed with CKD after the index date, with a median time to diagnosis of 404 days (IQR: 389–418 days); 84.5% (n = 44 381) remained undiagnosed.

CONCLUSION

This study indicates that a high proportion of patients with stage 3 CKD are undiagnosed by their general practitioners, with inequity noted for females and older patients. Underdiagnosis of CKD persisted in those with known risk factors for CKD such as diabetes, heart failure and hypertension. With the availability of targeted evidence-based therapies to decrease the risk of disease progression and improve patient outcomes, there is a clear need to proactively detect, diagnose and intervene in patients with early-stage CKD.

Investigating the global prevalence and consequences of undiagnosed stage 3 chronic kidney disease: methods and rationale for the REVEAL-CKD study

Background

Timely diagnosis and treatment of stage 3 chronic kidney disease (CKD) can prevent further loss of kidney function and progression to kidney failure. However, contemporary data on the global prevalence of undiagnosed stage 3 CKD are scarce. REVEAL-CKD is a multinational, multifocal and observational study aiming to provide insights into undiagnosed stage 3 CKD in a large population.

Methods

Patients (aged ≥18 years) with data in selected secondary databases from 11 countries will be included if they have at least two estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) measurements from 2015 onwards that are ≥30 and <60 mL/min/1.73 m², recorded >90 and ≤730 days apart. Undiagnosed cases are those without an International Classification of Diseases 9/10 diagnosis code for CKD (any stage) any time before and up to 6 months after the second qualifying eGFR measurement. Time to diagnosis will be assessed using a Kaplan–Meier approach; patient characteristics associated with undiagnosed CKD will be assessed using adjusted logistical regression analyses.

Results

REVEAL-CKD will assess the point prevalence of undiagnosed stage 3 CKD and time to CKD diagnosis in initially undiagnosed cases overall and in individual countries. Trends in undiagnosed CKD prevalence by calendar year will be assessed. Patient characteristics, healthcare resource utilization, adverse clinical outcomes, and CKD management and monitoring practices in patients with versus without a CKD diagnosis will be compared.

Conclusions

REVEAL-CKD will increase awareness of the global clinical and economic burden of undiagnosed stage 3 CKD and provide valuable insights to inform clinical practice and policy changes.

COVID-19 Infection, Admission and Death Amongst People with Rare Autoimmune Rheumatic Disease in England. Results from the RECORDER Project

Objectives

To calculate the rates of COVID-19 infection and COVID-19-related death among people with rare autoimmune rheumatic diseases (RAIRD) during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in England compared with the general population.

Methods

We used Hospital Episode Statistics to identify all people alive 01 March 2020 with ICD-10 codes for RAIRD from the whole population of England. We used linked national health records (demographic, death certificate, admissions and PCR testing data) to calculate rates of COVID-19 infection and death up to 31 July 2020. Our primary definition of COVID-19-related death was mention of COVID-19 on the death certificate. General population data from Public Health England and the Office for National Statistics were used for comparison. We also describe COVID-19-related hospital admissions and all-cause deaths.

Results

We identified a cohort of 168 680 people with RAIRD, of whom 1874 (1.11%) had a positive COVID-19 PCR test. The age-standardised infection rate was 1.54 (95% CI 1.50–1.59) times higher than in the general population. 713 (0.42%) people with RAIRD died with COVID-19 on their death certificate and the age-sex-standardised mortality rate for COVID-19-related death was 2.41 (2.30–2.53) times higher than in the general population. There was no evidence of an increase in deaths from other causes in the RAIRD population.

Conclusions

During the first wave of COVID-19 in England, people with RAIRD had a 54% increased risk of COVID-19 infection and more than twice the risk of COVID-19-related death compared with the general population. These increases were seen despite shielding policies.

Biomarker Testing for People With Advanced Lung Cancer in England

Introduction

Optimal management of people with advanced NSCLC depends on accurate identification of predictive markers. Yet, real-world data in this setting are limited. We describe the impact, timeliness, and outcomes of molecular testing for patients with advanced NSCLC and good performance status in England.

Methods

In collaboration with Public Health England, patients with stages IIIB to IV NSCLC, with an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0 to 2, in England, between June 2017 and December 2017, were identified. All English hospitals were invited to record information.

Results

A total of 60 of 142 invited hospitals in England participated in this study and submitted data on 1157 patients. During the study period, 83% of patients with advanced adenocarcinoma underwent molecular testing for three recommended predictive biomarkers (EGFR, ALK, and programmed death-ligand 1). A total of 80% of patients with nonsquamous carcinomas on whom biomarker testing was performed had adequate tissue for analysis on initial sampling. First-line treatment with a tyrosine kinase inhibitor was received by 71% of patients with adenocarcinoma and a sensitizing EGFR mutation and by 59% of those with an ALK translocation. Of patients with no driver mutation and a programmed death-ligand 1 expression of greater than or equal to 50%, 47% received immunotherapy.

Conclusions

We present a comprehensive data set for molecular testing in England. Although molecular testing is well established in England, timeliness and uptake of targeted therapies should be improved.

P054 Risk of death during the 2020 UK COVID-19 epidemic among people with rare diseases compared to the general population

Background/Aims 

To quantify the risk of death among people with rare autoimmune rheumatic diseases (RAIRD) during the UK 2020 COVID-19 epidemic compared with baseline risk and the risk of death in the general population during COVID-19.

Methods 

A cohort study was performed using data from the National Congenital Anomaly and Rare Disease Registration Service (NCARDRS). Coded diagnoses for RAIRD were identified from Hospital Episode Statistics from 2003 onwards. Previous coding validation work demonstrated our case ascertainment methods had a positive predictive value &gt;85%. ONS published data were used for general population mortality rates. The main outcome measure was age-standardised mortality rates (ASMRs) for all-cause death. Secondary outcome measures were age-sex standardised mortality rates, and age-stratified mortality rates.

Results 

168,691 people with RAIRD were alive on 1 March 2020. Their median age was 61.7 (IQR 41.5-75.4) years, and 118,379 (70.2%) were female. 1,815 (1.1%) people with RAIRD died during March and April 2020. The ASMR among people with RAIRD was 3669.3 (95% CI 3500.4-3838.1) per 100,000 person-years, which was 1.44 (95% CI 1.42-1.45) times higher than the average ASMR during the same months of the previous 5 years. In the whole population of England, the ASMR during March and April 2020 was 1361.1 (1353.6- 1368.7) per 100,000 people, which was 1.38 times higher than the average ASMR during the same months of the previous 5 years (see related abstract about influenza seasons). Unlike in the general population, sex-specific rates in RAIRD were similar in males and females. When comparing risk of death during COVID-19 to pre-COVID-19, people with RAIRD had an increased risk of death from age 35 upwards, compared to around age 55 upwards in the general population. As the protective effect of being female was not seen in RAIRD, the group at the largest increased risk compared to their pre-COVID-19 risk were women aged 35 upwards. The absolute risk of all-cause death for someone aged 20-29 with RAIRD was similar to someone in the general population aged &gt;20 years older, someone aged 40-49 years with RAIRD similar to someone in the general population 20 years older, and someone aged 60-69 with RAIRD similar to someone in the general population aged &gt;10 years older.

Conclusion 

The excess risk of all-cause death during COVID-19 occurs at a younger age among people with RAIRD than among the general population, and particularly affects females. . We urgently need to quantify how much risk is due to COVID-19 infection and how much due to disruption to healthcare services to inform better guidance about shielding, access to healthcare and vaccine priorities for people with rare diseases.

Disclosure 

M. Rutter: None. P.C. Lanyon: None. E. Peach: None. M.J. Grainge: None. R.B. Hubbard: None. J. Aston: None. M. Bythell: None. S. Stevens: None. F.A. Pearce: None.

Risk of death among people with rare autoimmune diseases compared with the general population in England during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic

Objectives

To quantify the risk of death among people with rare autoimmune rheumatic diseases (RAIRD) during the UK 2020 COVID-19 pandemic compared with the general population, and compared with their pre-COVID risk.

Methods

We conducted a cohort study in Hospital Episode Statistics for England 2003 onwards, and linked data from the NHS Personal Demographics Service. We used ONS published data for general population mortality rates.

Results

We included 168 691 people with a recorded diagnosis of RAIRD alive on 01/03/2020. Their median age was 61.7 (IQR 41.5–75.4) years, and 118 379 (70.2%) were female. Our case ascertainment methods had a positive predictive value of 85%. 1,815 (1.1%) participants died during March and April 2020. The age-standardised mortality rate (ASMR) among people with RAIRD (3669.3, 95% CI 3500.4–3838.1 per 100 000 person-years) was 1.44 (95% CI 1.42–1.45) times higher than the average ASMR during the same months of the previous 5 years, whereas in the general population of England it was 1.38 times higher. Age-specific mortality rates in people with RAIRD compared with the pre-COVID rates were higher from the age of 35 upwards, whereas in the general population the increased risk began from age 55 upwards. Women had a greater increase in mortality rates during COVID-19 compared with men.

Conclusion

The risk of all-cause death is more prominently raised during COVID-19 among people with RAIRD than among the general population. We urgently need to quantify how much risk is due to COVID-19 infection and how much is due to disruption to healthcare services.

The interplay of sun damage and genetic risk in Australian multiple and single primary melanoma cases and controls

BACKGROUND

Skin phenotype, host genotype and ultraviolet (UV) damage play a role in the development of melanoma.

OBJECTIVES

To ascertain whether the level of UV damage at the site of melanomas was associated with genetic polymorphisms.

METHODS

Deep phenotyping was performed on 1244 individuals; 281 with multiple primary melanomas (MPMs), 304 with single primary melanoma (SPM) and 659 convenience controls. Genotype data was generated using the Illumina CoreExome microarray platform, assaying over 500 000 single-nucleotide polymorphisms. A subset of variants were combined to assess a polygenic risk score (PRS) for melanoma.

RESULTS

Most MPM cases were diagnosed in patients aged > 40 years, in sites with visible chronic UV damage. Women and those diagnosed at age ≤ 40 years were less likely to have perilesional UV damage. Patients with MPM had higher frequencies of MITF E318K, MC1R R-alleles and the ASIP risk haplotype. Individuals who had melanoma in a visibly UV-damaged site were more likely to carry MC1R rs75570604 [odds ratio (OR) 2·5], 9q31.2 rs10816595 (OR 1·4) and MTAP rs869329 (OR 1·4). These same alleles were more common in patients with MPM who were diagnosed at age ≤ 40 years. The mean PRS was significantly higher in MPM than in SPM and controls. Naevus count was comparable in early-onset MPM cases and those diagnosed at age > 40 years.

CONCLUSIONS

Our cohort demonstrated higher frequencies of previously reported alleles associated with melanoma. MPM melanomas more commonly occur in UV-damaged areas, and these individuals are more likely to carry MC1R red hair colour alleles. Awareness of the interplay of genetic vulnerability with UV damage can stratify risk and guide recommendations for melanoma screening. What's already known about this topic? Skin phenotype, host genotype and ultraviolet (UV) damage all play a role in melanoma development. One of the main risk factors is a personal history of melanoma; second and subsequent primary melanomas account for over 20% of all melanomas registered in Queensland. Multiple loci are associated with melanoma risk, including many low-penetrance loci, which may have a cumulatively significant risk. Population-wide screening programmes for melanoma are not yet economically viable. What does this study add? Patients diagnosed with melanoma at age ≤ 40 years were more likely than older patients to have melanomas in non-UV-damaged sites. Patients with multiple melanomas had higher frequencies of MITF E318K, MC1R R-alleles, and the ASIP extended risk haplotype than patients with single melanoma. CDKN2A, MC1R and MTAP variants were more frequent in patients who developed melanomas at a younger age, but also in those whose melanomas were all on visibly UV-damaged sites. What is the translational message? Incorporating these genetic findings into the known risk factors of skin phenotype and visible UV damage may allow for a more customized and economically feasible approach to early detection of melanoma, particularly in younger patients. Plain language summary available online.