Profile and prognosis of patients with heart failure with recovered ejection fraction

Background

Patients with heart failure (HF) and reduced ejection fraction (rEF) have a poor prognosis. Nevertheless, in the subgroup of patients with recovered ejection fraction (recEF) prognosis is unknown.

Purpose

To analyze characteristics and prognosis in patients with HFrEF (initial EF and at one year <40%) and HFrecEF (initial EF <40% and at one year ≥40% with ≥10% absolute improvement from the initial value).

Methods

Retrospective observational study of outpatients referred to the HF unit within March/2006 and November/2021. Baseline characteristics, ecocardiographic data and follow-up were collected, discerning between patients with HFrEF and HFrecEF.

Results

A total of 346 patients (76.0% men) were analyzed with a mean of age 66.3 (IQR 57.8–74.4) years, of which 50.6% remained with rEF and 49.4% recEF. Median follow-up was 4.6 (2.8–7.9) years. Both groups had a similar risk profile albeit less prevalence of dyslipidemia in the group with recEF (43.5% vs 56.7%, p=0.015). Ischemic etiology predominated in those with rEF (41.7% vs 25.7%, p=0.002) and enolic in recEF (10.5% vs 3.4%, p=0.009). The incidence of combined event (readmission for HF or death) was lower in HFrecEF (33.6% vs 66.4%, p<0.001), as well as death (33.9% vs 66.1%, p<0.001) and readmission for HF (24.4% vs 75.6%, p<0.001). Prevalence of cardiovascular death was lower in the group with recEF (37.8% vs 61.1%, p=0.021). In the multivariate analysis, rEF was an independent predictor for the combined event (HR 2.17; 95% IC [1.45–3.25], p<0.001), as well as for global mortality and readmission for HF.

Conclusion

Patients with HFrecEF have a similar risk profile than patients with HFrEF although with better long-term prognosis.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: None.

Prospective assessment of XRCC3, XPD and Aurora kinase A single-nucleotide polymorphisms in advanced lung cancer

PURPOSE

New therapeutic approaches are being developed based on findings that several genetic abnormalities underlying non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) can influence chemosensitivity. The identification of molecular markers, useful for therapeutic decisions in lung cancer, is thus crucial for disease management. The present study evaluated single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in XRCC3, XPD and Aurora kinase A in NSCLC patients in order to assess whether these biomarkers were able to predict the outcomes of the patients.

METHODS

The Spanish Lung Cancer Group prospectively assessed this clinical study. Eligible patients had histologically confirmed stage IV or IIIB (with malignant pleural effusion) NSCLC, which had not previously been treated with chemotherapy, and a World Health Organization performance status (PS) of 0-1. Patients received intravenous doses of vinorelbine 25 mg/m(2) on days 1 and 8, and cisplatin 75 mg/m(2) on day 1, every 21 days for a maximum of 6 cycles. Venous blood was collected from each, and genomic DNA was isolated. SNPs in XRCC3 T241M, XPD K751Q, XPD D312N, AURORA 91, AURORA 169 were assessed.

RESULTS

The study included 180 patients. Median age was 62 years; 87 % were male; 34 % had PS 0; and 83 % had stage IV disease. The median number of cycles was 4. Time to progression was 5.1 months (95 % CI, 4.2-5.9). Overall median survival was 8.6 months (95 % CI, 7.1-10.1). There was no significant association between SNPs in XRCC3 T241M, XPD K751Q, XPD D312N, AURORA 91, AURORA 169 in outcome or toxicity.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings indicate that SNPs in XRCC3, XPD or Aurora kinase A cannot predict outcomes in advanced NSCLC patients treated with platinum-based chemotherapy.

Methylation RE in serum of patients with breast cancer and relation with molecular phenotype and worse prognostic factors

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Background: To determine whether Estrogen Receptor (ESR1) (+) and ESR1(-) status relates to epigenetic changes in breast cancer-related genes and to correlate with molecular breast cancer subtypes.

Methods: Since January/02 to June/05, we quantified methylation levels ERS1 gene in serum of 92 pts breast cancer. A PCR quantitative technique was used to analyze levels of methylation gene. We also examined and correlationed the expression of ESR1 in tumors by immunohistochemistry with molecular phenotype.

Results: Median age was 58 years (32-88); 69% were postmenopausal women. Nodal involvement (N0; 63%, N1; 30%, N2; 7%), tumor size (T1; 58%, T2; 35%, T3; 4%, T4; 4%) and grade (G1; 20%, G2; 37%, G3; 30%). Of the cases, 37 pts (40%) were Luminal A (LA), 32 pts (33%) Luminal B (LB), 14 pts (15%) Triple-negative (TN) and 9pts (10%) HER2+. The methylated ESR1 in serum was significantly associated with ESR1(-) in breast tumors >80% (p=0.0179). Methylation ESR1 was preferably associated with TN (80%) and HER2+ (60%) subtype. Nevertheless unmethylation ESR1 was found more frequently in LA (71%) and LB (59%) phenotype. With a median follow up of 5 years, we found worse overall survival (OS) with more frequent ESR1 methylation gene (p>0.05), Luminal A; ESR1 Methylation OS at 5 years 81% vs 93% when was ESR1 Unmethylation. Luminal B; ESR1 Methylation 86% SG at 5 years vs 92% in Unmethylation ESR1. Triple negative; ESR1 Methylation SG at 5 years 75% vs 80% in unmethylation ESR1. HER2; ESR1 Methylation SG at 5 years was 66.7% vs 75% unmethylation ESR1.

Conclusions: Gene promoter region hypermethylation is a significant event in primary breast cancer. However, its impact on tumor progression and potential predictive implications remain relatively unknown. Our study identifies the presence of variations in global levels of methylation promoters ESR1 genes in breast cancer with different phenotype classes and shows that these differences have clinical significance. Although numerous issues remain to be resolved, quantitative measurement of circulating methylated DNA may be of significance in the assessment and search of targeted therapy resistance related to ESR1 and HER2 status by epigenetic or transcriptional cancer therapy.

Abstract P3-04-07: Loss of Expression of the 14-3-3 Sigma by CpG Island Methylation and Relations with Prognostic Factor in Breast Cancer

Background: Expression of 14-3-3 σ is a tumor suppressor gene induced in response to DNA damage, and has been implicated in G2/M cell cycle arrest by p53. Hypermethylation of CpG islands located in the promoter regions of tumor suppressor genes is now firmly established as an important mechanism for gene inactivation. Objetive: To correlation methylation levels of promoter 14-3-3σ with association prognostic factors in breast cancer.Material and Methods:This is a prospective study we quantified methylation levels of promoter 14-3-3 σ gene in 107 women with breast cancer and 108 control subjects by Real Time QMS-PCR SYBR green and analyzed association with prognostics factor in breast cancer. Results: Median age was 58 years (32-88); 69% were postmenopausal women.Nodal involvement N0; 63%,N1;30%,N2;7%), tumor size (T1;58%,T2;35%,T3;4%,T4;4%) and grade G1; 20%,G2;37%,G3;30%). The methylation of 14-3-3σ were 60% of sporadic breast cancer patients and were 34% of normal breast (p=0.0047).The methylation of 14-3-3σ gene in serum was markedly related with T3-4 stage (P<0.05),nodal positive status (P<0.05) and poor outcome. With a median follow up 6 years we saw more probability of developing distance metastasis in patients with methylation 14-3-3σ (P>0.05).Conclusions:Hypermethylation of the 14-3-3σ a promoter is an early and frequent event in breast neoplastic transformation, leading to the suggestion that silencing of 14-3-3σ may be an important event in tumor progression and particularly in breast carcinogenesis.Therefore, it is possible that loss of σ expression contributes to malignant transformation by impairing the G2 cell cycle checkpoint function, thus allowing an accumulation of genetic defects. Perhaps in the detection of CpG methylation of 14-3-3σ may be used for diagnostic and prognostic purposes

Citation Information: Cancer Res 2010;70(24 Suppl):Abstract nr P3-04-07.

Nutrición y parasitismo gastrointestinal en producción de rumiantes

En pos de aumentar el rendimiento animal, los productores se enfrentan con dos grandes obstáculos: sanidad y nutrición. La resistencia a las drogas antihelmínticas tradicionales y el incremento en la producción orgánica de alimentos están llevando a buscar alternativas para el control de los parásitos. Los parásitos producen alteraciones que afectan desde el consumo de alimentos hasta la utilización de los nutrientes ingeridos, interfiriendo gravemente en la producción. La "inmunonutrición", se considera una medida potencial y sustentable de control antipara-sitario. La disponibilidad de proteínas, vitaminas y minerales es un importante factor para optimizar la productividad y la resistencia del hospedador a ciertas parasitosis. Los metabolitos secundarios de algunas plantas pueden tener efectos antiparasitarios para los animales que las pastorean. El objetivo del presente trabajo es, basado en revisiones de trabajos de investigaciones previas, señalar algunas de las interacciones existentes entre nutrición y parasitismo en rumiantes y mostrar cómo un manejo nutricional racional puede ser considerado un método eficiente de control antiparasitario.

ProMACE-C-MOPP in aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Long-term results in 45 patients treated in a single institution

Forty-five previously untreated patients with intermediate or high-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma were treated with the Pro-MACE-C-MOPP regimen (flexitherapy). The median age of the patients was 51 years, 51% had constitutional symptoms, 78% were in Ann Arbor stage III-IV, 40% had two or more involved extranodal sites and 87% had serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) above 225 U/l. Twenty-two (49%) patients had immunoblastic lymphoma (Working Formulation). Overall, 40% of the patients attained complete response (CR) and there were no relapses. The dose-limiting toxicity was myelosuppression (69% of the patients with WBC less than 1.9 x 10(9)/l). Three deaths were attributed primarily to chemotherapy, but another two patients died of long-term complications of therapy. After a median follow-up of 50 months (18-80), 15 patients (33%) were alive without lymphoma. Only histologic subtype (intermediate vs. high) and abdominal involvement were prognostic factors for CR rate. Our results indicate that ProMACE-C-MOPP is an effective regimen for intermediate-grade lymphomas. However, in high-risk patients the regimen seems to be less effective than originally reported.

[Very late recurrence (14 years) of a lymphoblastic leukemia-lymphoma]

We report a two and a half years old girl diagnosed in 1972 of lymphoblastic leukemia-lymphoma with pleural, mediastinal and bone marrow involvement. Clinical remission developed with chemotherapy (induction and maintenance). This situation persisted until June 1986 (14 years after the diagnosis and 11 years after cessation of any therapy), when mediastinal mass, pleural effusion and bilateral renal infiltration developed again, and also peripheral lymphadenopathy; bone marrow involvement is now absent. This case is considered as an exceptionally late relapse. Other possibilities are discussed, while the difficulty to define "cure" in these patients is emphasized.