Apixaban for treatment of embolic stroke of undetermined source (ATTICUS) randomized trial – update of patient characteristics and study timeline after interim analysis

Background

Secondary prevention after embolic stroke of undetermined source (ESUS) has not yet been established. ESUS is associated with high risk of recurrent ischemic stroke and clinically silent ischemic lesions. Secondary prevention with aspirin is the current standard therapy in ESUS patients, despite high prevalence of occult atrial fibrillation (AF).

Purpose

To determine whether the direct oral factor Xa inhibitor apixaban, started within 28 days after index stroke, is superior to aspirin in preventing new ischemic lesions in subjects with remote cardiac monitoring. Primary endpoint was detection of new ischemic lesions in flair and diffusion-weighted (DWI) MR imaging at 12 months follow-up.

Methods

The study enrolled ESUS patients with risk profile for cardiac thromboembolism (i.e., left atrium (LA) size >45 mm, spontaneous echo contrast in LA appendage, LA appendage flow velocity ≤0.2 cm/s, atrial high rate episodes, CHA2DS2-Vasc score ≥4, patent foramen ovale). Patients were randomized 1:1 into the aspirin and apixaban arms. Study drug was initiated within 3–28 days after minor/moderate stroke and 14–28 days after major stroke. MRI (Flair/DWI) was conducted within 7 days of AF detection by remote cardiac monitors and at 12 months. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02427126. Funding: The trial is supported by BMS-Pfizer Alliance.

Results

Enrollment was stopped after interims analysis (including 200 patients) due to futility. Overall, 373 patients were screened with 353 being enrolled (178 and 175 in apixaban and ASA arms, respectively). So far, 130 (73.0%) and 120 (68.6%) subjects from apixaban and ASA arms, respectively, completed the study. 2% death, 1.7% withdrawal, and 1.7% were lost to follow-up. 3.9% did not completed the study for other reasons. Mean age of the ATTICUS population was 68.5 years with 51% males. 80% of the subjects suffered from hypertension. Mean systolic blood pressure at enrollment was 132 mmHg, BMI was 27.7, and CHA2DS-VASc-Score was 4.9. So far, adverse events (AE) occurred in 63% of the subjects, 30% was documented as severe. 6.8% cases of recurrent ischemic stroke and no case of hemorrhagic stroke were reported. Only 1 case of severe bleeding was reported in the aspirin arm. Newly detected AF was reported in 80 patients (23%), 42 occurring in the aspirin arm. As required by protocol, latter were immediately switched from aspirin to apixaban. Due to ongoing data clearing, numbers and % will change until presentation.

Conclusions

In contrast to the recently published NAVIGATE and RESPECT ESUS trials, patients enrolled in ATTICUS need to exhibit additional AF predicting factors. Furthermore, mandatory cardiac remote monitoring will help to elucidate the impact of AF and the effects of early oral anticoagulation with apixaban compared to antiplatelet therapy with aspirin on the incidence of new ischemic lesions after ESUS. Preliminary data will be presented and discussed in the context of current literature.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: Private company. Main funding source(s): The trial is supported by BMS-Pfizer Alliance.

Discount Rate Determination for Economic Evaluations in HTA in the Philippines

To inform the development of a reference case for economic evaluation, we explored various approaches to determine a base case discount rate and rate options for discounting benefits and costs.

We conducted literature review and expert consultations to list approaches to determine base case discount rates, noting the advantages and disadvantages of each approach. The same methods were used to identify whether different discount rates would be applied to costs and benefits. We computed a social rate of time preference using the Ramsey formula: rc = ρ+μg, where ρ = pure rate of time preference μ= elasticity of the marginal utility of consumption and g= growth rate in per capita income. We assumed ρ = 1%, μ = 1.4% consistent with international practice, but used actual g of the Philippines of 4.5%. We compared this with the official social discount rate and with rate most commonly used internationally. These options were presented to the Philippine Health Technology Assessment Council for decisionmaking.

Based on reviewed literature, 10 out of 22 countries used a 3.0% to 3.5% discount rate while 18 countries from the same pool applied equal discount rates for both costs and outcomes. The official social discount rate (SDR) prescribed by the Philippine National Economic Development Authority is 10% for all social investments. Upon input of the values, rc was calculated at 7%, which is above the international norm but below the official rate. Four discount rate options were identified: 3%, 3.5%, 7% and 10%.

Evidence suggested using a discount rate higher than 3% to 3.5% for low-to-middle income countries. A more conservative rate based on the Ramsey formula of 7% base case discount rate was selected in performing economic evaluations. Sensitivity analysis was set between 3% and 10% to allow benchmarking with international practice and with the official SDR, respectively. Given Philippines' early HTA implementation phase, it was agreed to subject these rates to regular review.

Key messages

Setting a discount rate in economic evaluations is a crucial process for HTA institutionalization. Discount rate determination heavily relies on decision context a country considers most relevant.

Measurement of the Permanent Electric Dipole Moment of the Neutron

We present the result of an experiment to measure the electric dipole moment (EDM) of the neutron at the Paul Scherrer Institute using Ramsey's method of separated oscillating magnetic fields with ultracold neutrons. Our measurement stands in the long history of EDM experiments probing physics violating time-reversal invariance. The salient features of this experiment were the use of a ^{199}Hg comagnetometer and an array of optically pumped cesium vapor magnetometers to cancel and correct for magnetic-field changes. The statistical analysis was performed on blinded datasets by two separate groups, while the estimation of systematic effects profited from an unprecedented knowledge of the magnetic field. The measured value of the neutron EDM is d_{n}=(0.0±1.1_{stat}±0.2_{sys})×10^{-26}  e.cm.

Imaging of a Metastatic Gastrointestinal Carcinoid by F-18-DOPA Positron Emission Tomography

The localization of carcinoids in the gastrointestinal tract is frequently difficult if not impossible with the imaging procedures used to date. It is reported on a patient with metastasizing carcinoid in whom various imaging procedures were not successful in detecting the primary tumor. Due to the importance of primary tumor proof for potential curative surgical therapy, a whole-body positron emission tomography with F-18-DOPA was performed. PET enabled localization of a potential primary tumor in the ileum. Moreover, in addition to the known abdominal lymph node and liver metastases, it detected a mediastinal lymph node metastasis and a pulmonary metastasis. F-18-DOPA whole-body PET may be a very promising imaging approach to the localization and staging of gastrointestinal carcinoids.

THE ROLE OF SURGERY IN A PATIENT WITH CARCINOID SYNDROME, COMPLICATED BY CARCINOID HEART DISEASE

A 55-year-old female patient was admitted for flushing and abdominal pain in the right upper quadrant. Her past medical history revealed high blood pressure and a recent echocardiography showed thickened appearance of tricuspid valve with coaptation defect and grade II tricuspid regurgitation. Contrast enhanced abdominal CT scan and MRI were subsequently performed and revealed a large macronodular liver mass, as well as other micronodular lesions disseminated in the liver parenchyma. CT guided biopsy from the main liver mass revealed neuroendocrine tumor of unknown origin (probably GI) with Ki-67 of 8%. Surgical exploration was decided. During laparotomy, the primary tumor was found in the proximal ileum and the patient underwent segmental enterectomy. Non-anatomical hepatectomy was also performed to remove the bulk of the tumor burden (more than 90%). Postoperative course was uneventful and the carcinoid syndrome relieved. At present, 15 months postoperatively, the patient is under treatment with somatostatin analogue for its antiproliferative effect, with good clinical, biochemical and tumoral control and stable heart disease. In patients with neuroendocrine liver metastases from unknown primary, surgical exploration could allow detection (and resection) of the primary tumor and surgical debulking of liver metastases to control carcinoid syndrome and carcinoid heart disease.

Unterschiede in der Mutter-Kind-Bindung bei Frauen mit und ohne Soziale Phobie

Zusammenfassung. Fragestellung: Untersuchung der Bedeutung von mütterlicher Sozialer Phobie für die Entwicklung der Mutter-Kind-Beziehung in einer prospektiv-longitudinalen Studie. Methodik: Eine Teilstichprobe von 46 Frauen mit vs. ohne Lebenszeitdiagnose einer Sozialen Phobie und deren Kindern wurde analysiert. Soziale Phobien der Mütter wurden mit dem Composite International Diagnostic Interview für Frauen (CIDI-V) erhoben. Die Mütter wurden zum ante- und postnatalen Bonding befragt (MAAS, MPAS) und die Kinder wurden 16 Monate nach der Geburt mit dem Fremde-Situations-Test beobachtet. Ergebnisse: Kinder von sozialphobischen Müttern waren in der Verhaltensbeobachtung prozentual häufiger unsicher gebunden (45.4 % vs. 33.3 %) und brauchten signifikant länger, um den Kontakt zur Mutter in der Wiedervereinigungsphase wiederherzustellen (U = 160.0, p = .019). In Bezug auf das ante- (t = -.151, p = .881) und postnatale (t = .408, p = .685) Bonding der Mutter an das Kind sowie im widerstehenden (U = 262.5, p = .969), vermeidenden (U = 311.5, p = .258) und kontakterhaltenden (U = 224.0, p = .373) Verhalten des Kindes in der Fremden Situation zeigten beide Gruppen vergleichbare Werte. Schlussfolgerungen: Möglicherweise haben Mütter mit Sozialer Phobie eine gehemmte Verhaltensdisposition weitergegeben oder ihre Kinder weniger zur sozialen Interaktion ermutigt als Mütter ohne Soziale Phobie. Wenn Kinder von sozialphobischen Müttern Interaktionsängste zeigen, sollte eine Aufklärung über verschiedene Therapiemöglichkeiten sowie über mögliche Konsequenzen des eigenen (Vermeidungs-)Verhaltens für die kindliche Entwicklung erfolgen.

ROBOTIC SURGERY IN THE ROMANIAN HEALTH SYSTEM

Robotic surgery appeared in the Romanian health system in 2008 with the purchase of the first twosurgical robots. One of them belonged to “Dan Setlacec” Center of General Surgery and LiverTransplantation - Fundeni and the second to Floreasca Emergency Clinical Hospital. Funding wasprovided by the Ministry of Health special program. Since the first year of operation by the roboticsystem, the Fundeni Center has performed about 200 interventions. A key objective of the programwas to identify the interventions that are cost efficient, i.e., around 9,000 RON for each surgicalintervention. Subsequently, another 7 robotic systems were put into operation, out of which threeare in urology and four in general surgery. Given the high cost of consumables and post-warrantymaintenance, the operation of these robotic systems could only be done through the national healthsystem, or private sector. The operation of the program allowed for an annual limited number ofcases, and since 2013 the program funding has ceased. During this period, a significant experiencewas gained using robotic surgery in general surgery, urology and gynecology as well.

Complex histopathological and surgical aspects in a case of giant malignant gastric perforation

We present the case of a 52-year-old male patient, hospitalized on an emergency basis in the University Emergency Hospital in Bucharest, after being diagnosed with pneumoperitoneum acute abdomen, for which emergency surgery was mandatory. A 3,5-4 cm malignant gastric perforation, ascitis and peritoneal carcinomatosis were found. The histopathological exam revealed infiltrative mucinous gastric carcinoma with epiploic metastasis. Due to the lack of available gastric material, an atypical surgical solution was performed: gastric packing with epiploic material by means of transgastric traction. The solution proved to be successful for short-term recovery. The underlying condition was not focused on, the patient being directed to the Oncology Department. Acute gastric perforation is a rare complication of gastric cancer, and the association with gastric linitis is uncommon. This specific histopathological condition made the classical surgical repair techniques unsuitable for the presented case and an atypical solution had to be performed.

[Tryptophan immunoadsorption for multiple sclerosis and neuromyelitis optica: therapy option for acute relapses during pregnancy and breastfeeding]

BACKGROUND

Approximately 25 % of women with multiple sclerosis (MS) suffer clinically relevant relapses during pregnancy. Almost all disease-modifying drugs are contraindicated in pregnancy. High-dose glucocorticoids have some serious risks, especially within the first trimester. Tryptophan immunoadsorption (IA) provides a safe option to treat MS relapses during pregnancy.

OBJECTIVES

In this case series we describe for the first time the use of tryptophan IA for MS and neuromyelitis optica (NMO) relapses during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In this study a total of 9 patients were retrospectively analyzed of which 7 patients received IA treatment during pregnancy, 2 during breastfeeding and 4-6 tryptophan IA treatments were performed per patient with the single use tryptophan adsorber. Primary outcome was symptom improvement of the relapse.

RESULTS

In this study four patients with MS and one with NMO relapse during pregnancy were treated with IA without preceding glucocorticoid pulse therapy. The MS patients showed improvement in the expanded disability status scale (EDSS) by at least one point, the NMO patient showed significant improvement in visual acuity and two pregnant patients with steroid-refractory relapses showed clinically relevant improvement after IA. Of the patients two suffered from steroid-refractory relapses during breastfeeding and relapse symptoms improved in both cases after treatment with IA. All treatments were well tolerated and no serious adverse events occurred.

CONCLUSION

Tryptophan IA was found to be safe, well-tolerated and effective in the treatment of MS and NMO relapses during pregnancy and breastfeeding, sometimes without preceding glucocorticoid pulse therapy. A binding recommendation is limited without prospective clinical studies.

Long-Term Effects of Serial Anodal tDCS on Motion Perception in Subjects with Occipital Stroke Measured in the Unaffected Visual Hemifield

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a novel neuromodulatory tool that has seen early transition to clinical trials, although the high variability of these findings necessitates further studies in clinically relevant populations. The majority of evidence into effects of repeated tDCS is based on research in the human motor system, but it is unclear whether the long-term effects of serial tDCS are motor-specific or transferable to other brain areas. This study aimed to examine whether serial anodal tDCS over the visual cortex can exogenously induce long-term neuroplastic changes in the visual cortex. However, when the visual cortex is affected by a cortical lesion, up-regulated endogenous neuroplastic adaptation processes may alter the susceptibility to tDCS. To this end, motion perception was investigated in the unaffected hemifield of subjects with unilateral visual cortex lesions. Twelve subjects with occipital ischemic lesions participated in a within-subject, sham-controlled, double-blind study. MRI-registered sham or anodal tDCS (1.5 mA, 20 min) was applied on five consecutive days over the visual cortex. Motion perception was tested before and after stimulation sessions and at 14- and 28-day follow-up. After a 16-day interval an identical study block with the other stimulation condition (anodal or sham tDCS) followed. Serial anodal tDCS over the visual cortex resulted in an improvement in motion perception, a function attributed to MT/V5. This effect was still measurable at 14- and 28-day follow-up measurements. Thus, this may represent evidence for long-term tDCS-induced plasticity and has implications for the design of studies examining the time course of tDCS effects in both the visual and motor systems.

Lipopolysaccharide binding protein (L.B.P.)--an inflammatory marker of prognosis in the acute appendicitis

LIPOPOLYSACCHARIDE BINDING PROTEIN (LBP) is an important mediator of the inflammatory reaction. A multitude of factors can determine the genic transcription activation and the increase of the LBP in the blood and the human body humours: Il1, Il 6, lipopolysaccharides, Gram-negative bacteria, as well as non-infectious agents. This paper is a prospective study performed on 147 patients admitted for acute appendicitis in 2010-2012 and evaluates the dynamics of LBP in acute appendicitis, by identifying the correlations between the pre- and post-operatory levels of LBP (up to 72 hours after surgery) and the anatomopathological type (i.e. catarrhal, phlegmonous and gangrenous). The mean pre-op LBP values are significantly different as to the histopathological result (p<0,005). Among the biological inflammatory markers measured in this present study, LBP has a dynamics of its own in the catarrhal and phlegmonous appendicitis. Thus, if after the surgical removal of the infectious source, the leukocites and neutrophiles decrease 72 hrs after surgery, LBP continues an ascending curve. The importance of this study consists in the introduction of last generation LBP-type inflammatory markers' dosage in the cecal appendix pathology. This implementation is brand new in the Romanian surgical practice. The good correlation between the LBP pre-op values and the histopathological diagnosis of the appendicits form that we discovered during the present study opens the way to large-scale use of the biochemical dosage of LBP in the management of acute appendicitis.

Bulking control by low-dose ozonation of returned activated sludge in a full-scale wastewater treatment plant

Sludge bulking is still a problem in the operation of state-of-the-art wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). The ozonation of returned activated sludge (RAS) is an innovative option as a non-specific measure for the control of filament growth. The applicability of sludge ozonation for bulking control of a large wastewater treatment plant was investigated. At a full-scale WWTP one lane was equipped with a sludge ozonation plant for RAS. The implemented sludge ozonation of RAS was tested against the two identical references lanes of the same WWTP. The positive effect on settleability could be clearly proven. Low-dose sludge ozonation could be a technical alternative in comparison with the established chemical measures for bulking control.

[Clinical and morphological features in a case of recent gastric carcinoma (the signet ring cell carcinoma type)]

The article presents the case of a male patient, hospitalized due to severe pain in the upper abdomen area, nausea, and vomiting. The patient was diagnosed with surgical acute abdomen, for which emergency surgery is performed. Upon penetration into the peritoneal cavity, stomach inspection shows at the medio-gastric level, on the greater curvature, a callous gastric ulcer, with a central perforation. A large excision is decided up to the healthy (normal) gastric tissue, and the resulting pieces are sent to the pathological anatomy laboratory. The histopathological exam reveals signet ring cell recent gastric carcinoma. The biopsy performed 1 month after surgery, prelevated from the antropyloric zone, reveals antropyloric gastritis with moderate activity and Helicobacter pylori positive. Due to the fact that such cases when this gastric cancer type is diagnosed in recent stages are extremely rare, we considered it useful to present it and look into its macroscopic and microscopic aspects, as well as into the differentiating diagnosis.

Light-Emitting Diodes Based on Conjugated Polymers: Control of Colour and Efficiency

Studies of the effect of different electrode combinations on the device characteristics of simple three layer light-emitting diodes (LEDs) prepared with poly(ρ-phenylenevinylene) (PPV) as the emissive layer sandwiched between two metal contacts have shown that it is generally more difficult to inject electrons than holes. In order to improve the efficiency of such devices it is, therefore, necessary to develop methods to enhance the injection of electrons and we illustrate here one example where we have successfully achieved this by the introduction of a further, electron transport, layer. The result is an eight fold increase in efficiency over our best three layer PPV devices. The efficiency is also dependent on the details of the polymer electronic structure and using a family of copolymers we have been able to produce enhancements in efficiency to values of up to 30 times that of the corresponding PPV devices. Variations in the polymer electronic structure also affect the colour of emission and the same family of copolymers allow control of emission colour from blue/green to orange/red. Supramolecular control of the copolymer electronic structure can be achieved by lithographic patterning and we show that it is possible to produce regions within a single polymer film that possess different π-π* energy gaps.

The Synthesis And Optoelectronic Properties Of Oxadiazole-Based Polymers

New oxadiazole-based polymeric materials have been synthesized either as side chain copolymers with polymethacrylate or as main chain copolymers carrying solubilizing elements such as hexafluoropropylidene or meta-linked aromatic spacer units. Many of these materials exhibit blue luminescence in the solid state. The materials have been evaluated by photoluminescence and cyclic voltammetry studies, and as the electron transporting layer in a two-layer electroluminescent device with poly(p-phenylenevinylene) (PPV) as the emissive layer. The major conclusion is that these materials function by providing large heterojunction offsets at the Highest Occupied Molecular Orbital (HOMO) which block the passage of holes through the device.

[Amyand's hernia--a clinical case]

Amyand's hernia, a rare entity in the surgical pathology, presupposes the presence of the vermiform appendix inside a inguinal hernia sac (1). The hernia sac peritonitis by appendix swelling is even more rare, very few cases being presented in the surgical literature (1). The preoperatory diagnosis of Amyand's hernia is therefore very difficult. We herein present the case of a 71-year old male patient, operated on an emergency basis for hernia, which eventually turned out to be Amyand's hernia, a case which determined us to research the literature dedicated to this topic.

An initial transient-state and reliable measures of corticospinal excitability in TMS studies

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to determine if an initial transient state influences the acquisition of reliable estimates of corticospinal excitability in transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) studies. Whereas muscle evoked potential (MEP) amplitudes are an important index of cortical excitability, these are severely limited by sweep-to-sweep variability. Interesting in this context is the experimental observation that the first MEP amplitudes might be much larger than subsequent responses [Brasil-Neto JP, Cohen LG, Hallet M. Central fatigue as revealed by postexercise decrement of motor evoked potentials. Muscle Nerve 1994;17:713-9]. This led to the hypothesis that an initial transient-state of increased excitability affects MEP amplitude derived estimates of corticospinal excitability.

METHODS

To address this issue we acquired repeated measures of single pulse MEP amplitudes over the primary motor cortex with and without navigated brain stimulation (NBS) and with various TMS-coils. Importantly, NBS allows for the sweep-to-sweep differentiation of physical and physiological variability.

RESULTS

We found a significant decline in estimates of corticospinal excitability and a transition from log-Normal to Normal distributed state, after which reliable measures (British Standards Institute) could be acquired.

CONCLUSIONS

We argue that an initial transient state of physiological origin influences measures of corticospinal excitability.

SIGNIFICANCE

This has important implications for investigations of cortical excitability. For example, it could reduce variability over studies and within small group comparisons.

[Relapsing solitary pulmonary nodule in a patient with ulcerative colitis]

ANAMNESIS AND CLINICAL FINDINGS

A 46-year-old patient with ulcerative colitis, known since she was 27 years old, was found to have a mesenteric granulomatous necrotizing inflammation containing acid-fast bacilli ten years ago. Treatment against tuberculosis was initiated. The ulcerative colitis was treated with mesalazin and, in times of peak activity, additionally with prednisolon. During periods of chronic activity the patient received azathioprin. Six years ago a solitary pulmonary nodule (coin lesion) was detected radiologically in the inferior lobe of the left lung.

INVESTIGATIONS

Laboratory investigations revealed mild inflammation (CRP 1.5 mg/dl). Computed tomography showed a solitary nodule in the left lower pulmonary lobe (diameter 27 mm). Fungi, actinomyces and mycobacteria were not found.

TREATMENT AND COURSE

The pulmonary nodule was resected. During the following years several relapses occurred. After the second relapse lobectomy was performed revealing mycobacterial DNA (not further identified). Treatment against non-tuberculous mycobacteria with clarithromycin, rifampicin and ethambutol was started for 12 months. A third relapse in the form of another solitary pulmonary node occurred one year later. But this nodule regressed spontaneously in part without any additional therapy.

CONCLUSION

In this case the spontaneous regression after the third relapse may represent better control of the ulcerative colitis. An infection seems less likely retrospectively.