Effects of empagliflozin on progression of chronic kidney disease: a prespecified secondary analysis from the empa-kidney trial

BACKGROUND

Sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors reduce progression of chronic kidney disease and the risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in a wide range of patients. However, their effects on kidney disease progression in some patients with chronic kidney disease are unclear because few clinical kidney outcomes occurred among such patients in the completed trials. In particular, some guidelines stratify their level of recommendation about who should be treated with SGLT2 inhibitors based on diabetes status and albuminuria. We aimed to assess the effects of empagliflozin on progression of chronic kidney disease both overall and among specific types of participants in the EMPA-KIDNEY trial.

METHODS

EMPA-KIDNEY, a randomised, controlled, phase 3 trial, was conducted at 241 centres in eight countries (Canada, China, Germany, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, the UK, and the USA), and included individuals aged 18 years or older with an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of 20 to less than 45 mL/min per 1·73 m2, or with an eGFR of 45 to less than 90 mL/min per 1·73 m2 with a urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (uACR) of 200 mg/g or higher. We explored the effects of 10 mg oral empagliflozin once daily versus placebo on the annualised rate of change in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR slope), a tertiary outcome. We studied the acute slope (from randomisation to 2 months) and chronic slope (from 2 months onwards) separately, using shared parameter models to estimate the latter. Analyses were done in all randomly assigned participants by intention to treat. EMPA-KIDNEY is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03594110.

FINDINGS

Between May 15, 2019, and April 16, 2021, 6609 participants were randomly assigned and then followed up for a median of 2·0 years (IQR 1·5-2·4). Prespecified subgroups of eGFR included 2282 (34·5%) participants with an eGFR of less than 30 mL/min per 1·73 m2, 2928 (44·3%) with an eGFR of 30 to less than 45 mL/min per 1·73 m2, and 1399 (21·2%) with an eGFR 45 mL/min per 1·73 m2 or higher. Prespecified subgroups of uACR included 1328 (20·1%) with a uACR of less than 30 mg/g, 1864 (28·2%) with a uACR of 30 to 300 mg/g, and 3417 (51·7%) with a uACR of more than 300 mg/g. Overall, allocation to empagliflozin caused an acute 2·12 mL/min per 1·73 m2 (95% CI 1·83-2·41) reduction in eGFR, equivalent to a 6% (5-6) dip in the first 2 months. After this, it halved the chronic slope from -2·75 to -1·37 mL/min per 1·73 m2 per year (relative difference 50%, 95% CI 42-58). The absolute and relative benefits of empagliflozin on the magnitude of the chronic slope varied significantly depending on diabetes status and baseline levels of eGFR and uACR. In particular, the absolute difference in chronic slopes was lower in patients with lower baseline uACR, but because this group progressed more slowly than those with higher uACR, this translated to a larger relative difference in chronic slopes in this group (86% [36-136] reduction in the chronic slope among those with baseline uACR <30 mg/g compared with a 29% [19-38] reduction for those with baseline uACR ≥2000 mg/g; ptrend<0·0001).

INTERPRETATION

Empagliflozin slowed the rate of progression of chronic kidney disease among all types of participant in the EMPA-KIDNEY trial, including those with little albuminuria. Albuminuria alone should not be used to determine whether to treat with an SGLT2 inhibitor.

FUNDING

Boehringer Ingelheim and Eli Lilly.

Impact of primary kidney disease on the effects of empagliflozin in patients with chronic kidney disease: secondary analyses of the EMPA-KIDNEY trial

BACKGROUND

The EMPA-KIDNEY trial showed that empagliflozin reduced the risk of the primary composite outcome of kidney disease progression or cardiovascular death in patients with chronic kidney disease mainly through slowing progression. We aimed to assess how effects of empagliflozin might differ by primary kidney disease across its broad population.

METHODS

EMPA-KIDNEY, a randomised, controlled, phase 3 trial, was conducted at 241 centres in eight countries (Canada, China, Germany, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, the UK, and the USA). Patients were eligible if their estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was 20 to less than 45 mL/min per 1·73 m2, or 45 to less than 90 mL/min per 1·73 m2 with a urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (uACR) of 200 mg/g or higher at screening. They were randomly assigned (1:1) to 10 mg oral empagliflozin once daily or matching placebo. Effects on kidney disease progression (defined as a sustained ≥40% eGFR decline from randomisation, end-stage kidney disease, a sustained eGFR below 10 mL/min per 1·73 m2, or death from kidney failure) were assessed using prespecified Cox models, and eGFR slope analyses used shared parameter models. Subgroup comparisons were performed by including relevant interaction terms in models. EMPA-KIDNEY is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03594110.

FINDINGS

Between May 15, 2019, and April 16, 2021, 6609 participants were randomly assigned and followed up for a median of 2·0 years (IQR 1·5-2·4). Prespecified subgroupings by primary kidney disease included 2057 (31·1%) participants with diabetic kidney disease, 1669 (25·3%) with glomerular disease, 1445 (21·9%) with hypertensive or renovascular disease, and 1438 (21·8%) with other or unknown causes. Kidney disease progression occurred in 384 (11·6%) of 3304 patients in the empagliflozin group and 504 (15·2%) of 3305 patients in the placebo group (hazard ratio 0·71 [95% CI 0·62-0·81]), with no evidence that the relative effect size varied significantly by primary kidney disease (pheterogeneity=0·62). The between-group difference in chronic eGFR slopes (ie, from 2 months to final follow-up) was 1·37 mL/min per 1·73 m2 per year (95% CI 1·16-1·59), representing a 50% (42-58) reduction in the rate of chronic eGFR decline. This relative effect of empagliflozin on chronic eGFR slope was similar in analyses by different primary kidney diseases, including in explorations by type of glomerular disease and diabetes (p values for heterogeneity all >0·1).

INTERPRETATION

In a broad range of patients with chronic kidney disease at risk of progression, including a wide range of non-diabetic causes of chronic kidney disease, empagliflozin reduced risk of kidney disease progression. Relative effect sizes were broadly similar irrespective of the cause of primary kidney disease, suggesting that SGLT2 inhibitors should be part of a standard of care to minimise risk of kidney failure in chronic kidney disease.

FUNDING

Boehringer Ingelheim, Eli Lilly, and UK Medical Research Council.

A left intraventricular lipoma resected with the assistance of endoscopic camera

Cardiac lipomas are extremely rare benign neoplasms of the heart. Most of them do not cause clinical symptoms, so far they are found incidentally in the majority of cases. Here, we describe a case of left intraventricular lipoma in an asymptomatic 34-year-old man which found by transthoracic echocardiography at comprehensive medical examination. Echocardiography and magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated a 3 × 3-cm mass in apical wall of the left ventricle, which was diagnosed as lipoma or liposarcoma. Although he was asymptomatic, tumor resection was indicated to confirm a diagnosis of the tumor and to prevent of future fatal complications. Surgery was performed with endoscopic assistance, and the tumor was resected. Histological examination of the tumor specimens consistent of lipoma. The patient is currently asymptomatic, and no recurrence was seen after 4 years.

Erratum: Search for Cosmic-Ray Boosted Sub-GeV Dark Matter Using Recoil Protons at Super-Kamiokande [Phys. Rev. Lett. 130, 031802 (2023)]

This corrects the article DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.130.031802.

Measurements of neutrino oscillation parameters from the T2K experiment using 3.6×1021 protons on target

The T2K experiment presents new measurements of neutrino oscillation parameters using 19.7 ( 16.3 ) × 10 20 protons on target (POT) in (anti-)neutrino mode at the far detector (FD). Compared to the previous analysis, an additional 4.7 × 10 20 POT neutrino data was collected at the FD. Significant improvements were made to the analysis methodology, with the near-detector analysis introducing new selections and using more than double the data. Additionally, this is the first T2K oscillation analysis to use NA61/SHINE data on a replica of the T2K target to tune the neutrino flux model, and the neutrino interaction model was improved to include new nuclear effects and calculations. Frequentist and Bayesian analyses are presented, including results on sin 2 θ 13 and the impact of priors on the δ CP measurement. Both analyses prefer the normal mass ordering and upper octant of sin 2 θ 23 with a nearly maximally CP-violating phase. Assuming the normal ordering and using the constraint on sin 2 θ 13 from reactors, sin 2 θ 23 = 0 . 561 - 0.032 + 0.021 using Feldman-Cousins corrected intervals, and Δ m 32 2 = 2 . 494 - 0.058 + 0.041 × 10 - 3 eV 2 using constant Δ χ 2 intervals. The CP-violating phase is constrained to δ CP = - 1 . 97 - 0.70 + 0.97 using Feldman-Cousins corrected intervals, and δ CP = 0 , π is excluded at more than 90% confidence level. A Jarlskog invariant of zero is excluded at more than 2 σ credible level using a flat prior in δ CP , and just below 2 σ using a flat prior in sin δ CP . When the external constraint on sin 2 θ 13 is removed, sin 2 θ 13 = 28 . 0 - 6.5 + 2.8 × 10 - 3 , in agreement with measurements from reactor experiments. These results are consistent with previous T2K analyses.

Search for Cosmic-Ray Boosted Sub-GeV Dark Matter Using Recoil Protons at Super-Kamiokande

We report a search for cosmic-ray boosted dark matter with protons using the 0.37  megaton×years data collected at Super-Kamiokande experiment during the 1996-2018 period (SKI-IV phase). We searched for an excess of proton recoils above the atmospheric neutrino background from the vicinity of the Galactic Center. No such excess is observed, and limits are calculated for two reference models of dark matter with either a constant interaction cross section or through a scalar mediator. This is the first experimental search for boosted dark matter with hadrons using directional information. The results present the most stringent limits on cosmic-ray boosted dark matter and exclude the dark matter-nucleon elastic scattering cross section between 10^{-33}cm^{2} and 10^{-27}cm^{2} for dark matter mass from 1  MeV/c^{2} to 300  MeV/c^{2}.

Scintillation light detection in the 6-m drift-length ProtoDUNE Dual Phase liquid argon TPC

DUNE is a dual-site experiment for long-baseline neutrino oscillation studies, neutrino astrophysics and nucleon decay searches. ProtoDUNE Dual Phase (DP) is a 6  ×  6  ×  6 m 3 liquid argon time-projection-chamber (LArTPC) that recorded cosmic-muon data at the CERN Neutrino Platform in 2019-2020 as a prototype of the DUNE Far Detector. Charged particles propagating through the LArTPC produce ionization and scintillation light. The scintillation light signal in these detectors can provide the trigger for non-beam events. In addition, it adds precise timing capabilities and improves the calorimetry measurements. In ProtoDUNE-DP, scintillation and electroluminescence light produced by cosmic muons in the LArTPC is collected by photomultiplier tubes placed up to 7 m away from the ionizing track. In this paper, the ProtoDUNE-DP photon detection system performance is evaluated with a particular focus on the different wavelength shifters, such as PEN and TPB, and the use of Xe-doped LAr, considering its future use in giant LArTPCs. The scintillation light production and propagation processes are analyzed and a comparison of simulation to data is performed, improving understanding of the liquid argon properties.

Observation of Collective Resonance Modes in a Chiral Spin Soliton Lattice with Tunable Magnon Dispersion

A chiral spin soliton lattice (CSL), one of the representative systems of a magnetic superstructure, exhibits reconfigurability in periodicity over a macroscopic length scale. Such coherent and tunable characteristics of the CSL lead to an emergence of elementary excitation of the CSL as phononlike modes due to translational symmetry breaking and bring a controllability of the dispersion relation of the CSL phonon. Using a broadband microwave spectroscopy technique, we directly found that higher-order magnetic resonance modes appear in the CSL phase of a chiral helimagnet CrNb_{3}S_{6}, which is ascribed to the CSL phonon response. The resonance frequency of the CSL phonon can be tuned between 16 and 40 GHz in the vicinity of the critical field, where the CSL period alters rapidly. The frequency range of the CSL phonon is expected to extend over 100 GHz as extrapolated on the basis of the theoretical model. The present results indicate that chiral helimagnets could work as materials useful for broadband signal processing in the millimeter-wave band.

Denosumab-related osteonecrosis of the jaw after tooth extraction and the effects of a short drug holiday in cancer patients: a multicenter retrospective study

Pre-existing inflammation, corticosteroid therapy, periapical periodontitis, longer duration of denosumab therapy, and female sex were significantly associated with an increased risk of denosumab-related osteonecrosis of the jaw after tooth extraction in patients with cancer on oncologic doses of denosumab. A short drug holiday did not protect against this complication.

INTRODUCTION

This study retrospectively investigated the relationship between various risk factors, including brief discontinuation of denosumab, and development of denosumab-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (DRONJ) after tooth extraction in patients with cancer who were receiving oncologic doses of this agent.

METHODS

Data were collected on demographic characteristics, duration of denosumab therapy, whether or not denosumab was discontinued before tooth extraction (drug holiday), duration of discontinuation, presence of pre-existing inflammation, and whether or not additional surgical procedures were performed. Risk factors for DRONJ after tooth extraction were evaluated by univariate and multivariate analyses.

RESULTS

A total of 136 dental extractions were performed in 72 patients (31 men, 41 women) with cancer who were receiving oncologic doses of denosumab. Post-extraction DRONJ was diagnosed in 39 teeth (28.7%) in 25 patients. Tooth extraction was significantly associated with development of DRONJ only in patients with pre-existing inflammation (odds ratio [OR] 243.77), those on corticosteroid therapy (OR 73.50), those with periapical periodontitis (OR 14.13), those who had been taking oncologic doses of denosumab for a longer period (OR 4.69), and in women (OR 1.04). There was no significant difference in the occurrence of DRONJ between patients who had a drug holiday before tooth extraction and those who did not.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that inflamed teeth should be extracted immediately in patients with cancer who are receiving oncologic doses of denosumab. Drug holidays have no significant impact on the risk of DRONJ.

Low plasma levels of B-type natriuretic peptide predict the insulin resistance and left ventricular concentric remodeling in subjects without heart diseases: the observational arita cohort study

Introduction

Although natriuretic peptides (NPs) are established as a biomarker of heart failure (HF), NPs have been attracting attention as a mediator in the metabolic sequences recently. On the other hand, metabolic disorders including insulin resistance have been suggested to be involved in left ventricular (LV) concentric remodeling, hinting us to the unexpected relationship among NPs, insulin resistance and LV concentric remodeling.

Purpose

To investigate whether the basal B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) level is linked to insulin resistance or LV concentric remodeling in the participants independent of HF in the Japanese Arita-cho cohort study.

Methods

Among 1632 subjects who participated in annual health checks from 2005 to 2008 in Arita-cho, Saga, Japan as a cohort study, we studied 675 subjects without history of cardiovascular disease with LV ejection fraction≥50% and BNP level&lt;35pg/ml (227 men; median 62 years old). Insulin resistance was assessed by homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and LV geometry including LV concentric remodeling was classified based on relative wall thickness (RWT) and LV mass index from echocardiographic findings.

Results

The tertile levels of BNP were inversely associated with HOMA-IR (the 1st tertile 1.33 (0.76–1.74), the 2nd tertile 1.05 (0.72–1.59), the 3rd tertile 0.95 (0.66–1.58), p=0.005); in the logistic regression analysis, the lower BNP level was related to the prevalence of insulin resistance defined as HOMA-IR≥1.37 after full multivariate adjustment (1 SD increment of BNP: adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.740, 95% confidence interval 0.601–0.912, P=0.005. LV concentric remodeling (RWT &gt;0.42 and LV mass index ≤115 g/m2 in men and ≤95 g/m2 in women) was observed in 170 (25%) subjects; both low BNP level and higher insulin resistance were independently linked with LV concentric remodeling after multivariate adjustment (1 SD increment of BNP: aOR 0.714, 95% CI 0.544–0.938, p=0.015, HOMA-IR≥1.37 vs. &lt;1.37: aOR 1.694, 95% CI 1.004–2.857, p=0.048, respectively) (Figure).

Conclusions

In the cohort without HF, the low BNP level was linked to insulin resistance and LV concentric remodeling independently, suggesting that the subjects with low NPs levels may cause metabolic disorders and LV morphological abnormalities.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: None.

Prospects for beyond the Standard Model physics searches at the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment: DUNE Collaboration

The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) will be a powerful tool for a variety of physics topics. The high-intensity proton beams provide a large neutrino flux, sampled by a near detector system consisting of a combination of capable precision detectors, and by the massive far detector system located deep underground. This configuration sets up DUNE as a machine for discovery, as it enables opportunities not only to perform precision neutrino measurements that may uncover deviations from the present three-flavor mixing paradigm, but also to discover new particles and unveil new interactions and symmetries beyond those predicted in the Standard Model (SM). Of the many potential beyond the Standard Model (BSM) topics DUNE will probe, this paper presents a selection of studies quantifying DUNE's sensitivities to sterile neutrino mixing, heavy neutral leptons, non-standard interactions, CPT symmetry violation, Lorentz invariance violation, neutrino trident production, dark matter from both beam induced and cosmogenic sources, baryon number violation, and other new physics topics that complement those at high-energy colliders and significantly extend the present reach.

Lead-free MCP to improve coincidence time resolution and reduce MCP direct interactions

Achieving direct imaging of the annihilation position of a positron on an event-by-event basis using an ultrafast detector would have a great impact on the field of nuclear medicine. Cherenkov emission is the most attractive physical phenomenon for realizing such an ultrafast timing performance. Moreover, a microchannel-plate photomultiplier tube (MCP-PMT) is one of the most promising photodetectors for fully exploiting the fast timing properties of Cherenkov emission owing to its excellent single photon time resolution of 25 ps full width at half maximum (FWHM). However, as the MCP structure generally contains a lead compound, the gamma rays frequently and directly interact with the MCP, resulting in the degradation of its timing performance and generation of undesirable side peaks in its coincidence timing histogram. To overcome this problem, we have developed a new MCP-PMT based on an MCP consisting of borosilicate glass, thus drastically reducing the probability of the photoelectric effect occurring in the MCP. To evaluate its insensitivity to gamma rays and its timing performance, a coincidence experiment was performed and showed that the probability of direct interactions was reduced by a factor of 3.4. Moreover, a coincidence time resolution of 35.4 ± 0.4 ps FWHM, which is equivalent to a position resolution of 5.31 mm, was obtained without any pulse height/area cut, improving to 28.7 ± 3.0 ps when selecting on the highest amplitude events by careful optimization of the voltage divider circuit of the new MCP-PMT. The timing performance of this new MCP-PMT presents an important step toward making direct imaging possible.

Prognostic differences between atrial functional mitral regurgitation and ventricular functional mitral regurgitation

Introduction

Atrial functional mitral regurgitation (A-FMR) has been under-recognized until recently as a cause of FMR, and the prognostic difference between A-FMR and ventricular FMR (V-FMR) has not been fully elucidated. As there has been different mechanisms of FMR suggested in A-FMR and V-FMR, we hypothesized that prognosis and prognostic predictors of A-FMR may differ from those of V-FMR.

Purpose

To investigate the prognosis and prognostic predictors of A-FMR in comparison with V-FMR.

Methods

Among 1312 consecutive patients with grade 3+ (moderate to severe) or 4+ (severe) MR, 378 consecutive FMR patients were identified by excluding patients with degenerative MR, previous cardiac surgery, or concomitant aortic valve disease and/or mitral stenosis. FMR with ejection fraction (EF) &lt;40% or FMR due to regional wall motion abnormalities with leaflet tethering were classified as V-FMR (N=288), and FMR due to left atrial (LA) and/or annular dilatation with preserved or mid-range EF (≥40%) were classified as A-FMR (N=90). All-cause death and heart failure hospitalization were analyzed as cardiovascular (CV) events in this study. Surgical or percutaneous mitral valve intervention without CV events was handled as not reaching an endpoint and these cases were censored.

Results

A-FMR were significantly older (76 [69–82] vs. 70 [58–77] years), higher rates of female (64 vs. 35%) and atrial fibrillation (88 vs. 42%), and lower B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) values (169 [101–318] vs. 447 [213–952] pg/ml) compared to V-FMR (all P&lt;0.05). On echocardiography, LV end-diastolic and end-systolic dimensions (52 [48–57] vs. 64 [58–72] mm, 34 [31–37] vs. 55 [48–64] mm), respectively) were smaller, and EF (55 [50–60] vs. 28 [19–35] %) and LA volume (99 [73–137] vs. 73 [57–91] ml/m2) were larger in A-FMR (all P&lt;0.05). Effective regurgitant orifice area (32 [26–40] vs. 31 [24–45] mm2) and regurgitant volume (50±15 vs. 52±16 ml) were similar (both n.s.). During a median follow up of 1407 days, 206 (54%) patients developed CV events. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that V-FMR had a significantly higher rates of CV events compared to A-FMR (Figure) with adjusted hazard ratio (HR) of 1.762 [1.168–2.660], P=0.007 after adjusted for variables including age, sex, New York Heart Association functional class, previous heart failure hospitalization, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and BNP. Further, stepwise multivariate analysis showed that independent prognostic predictors of A-FMR were LA volume and eGFR, while those for V-FMR were LA volume, age, and LV end-systolic dimension.

Conclusions

A-FMR had relatively better prognosis compared to V-FMR, and there were different prognostic predictors between A-FMR and V-FMR. Our results suggest that different treatment strategies need to be considered between A-FMR and V-FMR.

The Kaplan-Meier life table

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding source: None

Recurrences of disease activity in patients with cardiac sarcoidosis under corticosteroid therapy: prevalence, clinical background and prognosis

Background

Corticosteroid therapy (CTx) has been widely accepted as first-line therapy for cardiac sarcoidosis (CS), but there are very limited data regarding recurrence of disease activity of CS. We retrospectively investigated the prevalence, patient characteristics and prognostic significance in patients with recurrences of CS.

Methods

We identified 102 consecutive patients who were clinically diagnosed CS (admission: 2012 and 2019) and whose disease activity was diminished clinically at least once. Recurrence of CS was defined as detection of increased uptake of 18F-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose or gallium-67 in the follow-up examination. Composite adverse events (events) were defined as all-cause of death or hospitalization for heart failure. Echocardiographic and laboratory data before initiation of CTx were obtained.

Results

During the follow-up term (median: 4.9 years), the recurrences of CS occurred in 28 patients at 30 months (median) after the initiation of CTx. In patients with recurrence, left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction before initiation of CTx was lower than in those without recurrences (median: 31% vs. 39%, p&lt;0.05). After the detection of CS recurrences, 17 patients were treated with only increases of PSL and remaining 11 patients were treated with adding other immunosuppressive therapies to CTx. The univariate analysis demonstrated that there were no parameters in echocardiographic and laboratory examinations to predict the recurrences of CS. The results of univariate analysis for event occurrences (n=12) are shown in the Table. Additionally, the Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that there were no differences in event free survival rate in the patients with and without CS recurrences (Figure).

Conclusion

This study showed that the recurrences of disease activity were observed in a substantial number of patients with CS even under the CTx. All patients received intensification of CTx or additional immunosuppressive therapy, and LV systolic function, rather than the recurrence itself, was associated with clinical outcomes in this study.

Kaplan-Meier analysis for events

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding source: None

Diagnostic Value of Model-Based Iterative Reconstruction Combined with a Metal Artifact Reduction Algorithm during CT of the Oral Cavity

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Metal artifacts reduce the quality of CT images and increase the difficulty of interpretation. This study compared the ability of model-based iterative reconstruction and hybrid iterative reconstruction to improve CT image quality in patients with metallic dental artifacts when both techniques were combined with a metal artifact reduction algorithm.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This retrospective clinical study included 40 patients (men, 31; women, 9; mean age, 62.9 ± 12.3 years) with oral and oropharyngeal cancer who had metallic dental fillings or implants and underwent contrast-enhanced ultra-high-resolution CT of the neck. Axial CT images were reconstructed using hybrid iterative reconstruction and model-based iterative reconstruction, and the metal artifact reduction algorithm was applied to all images. Finally, hybrid iterative reconstruction + metal artifact reduction algorithms and model-based iterative reconstruction + metal artifact reduction algorithm data were obtained. In the quantitative analysis, SDs were measured in ROIs over the apex of the tongue (metal artifacts) and nuchal muscle (no metal artifacts) and were used to calculate the metal artifact indexes. In a qualitative analysis, 3 radiologists blinded to the patients' conditions assessed the image-quality scores of metal artifact reduction and structural depictions.

RESULTS

Hybrid iterative reconstruction + metal artifact reduction algorithms and model-based iterative reconstruction + metal artifact reduction algorithms yielded significantly different metal artifact indexes of 82.2 and 73.6, respectively (95% CI, 2.6-14.7; P < .01). The latter algorithms resulted in significant reduction in metal artifacts and significantly improved structural depictions(P < .01).

CONCLUSIONS

Model-based iterative reconstruction + metal artifact reduction algorithms significantly reduced the artifacts and improved the image quality of structural depictions on neck CT images.

Visualization of ferroaxial domains in an order-disorder type ferroaxial crystal

Ferroaxial materials that exhibit spontaneous ordering of a rotational structural distortion with an axial vector symmetry have gained growing interest, motivated by recent extensive studies on ferroic materials. As in conventional ferroics (e.g., ferroelectrics and ferromagnetics), domain states will be present in the ferroaxial materials. However, the observation of ferroaxial domains is non-trivial due to the nature of the order parameter, which is invariant under both time-reversal and space-inversion operations. Here we propose that NiTiO₃ is an order-disorder type ferroaxial material, and spatially resolve its ferroaxial domains by using linear electrogyration effect: optical rotation in proportion to an applied electric field. To detect small signals of electrogyration (order of 10⁻⁵ deg V⁻¹), we adopt a recently developed difference image-sensing technique. Furthermore, the ferroaxial domains are confirmed on nano-scale spatial resolution with a combined use of scanning transmission electron microscopy and convergent-beam electron diffraction. Our success of the domain visualization will promote the study of ferroaxial materials as a new ferroic state of matter.

The presence of ferroaxial domain states is recently experimentally demonstrated by a nonlinear optical technique, which lacks high spatial resolution to visualize ferroaxial domains. Here, the authors visualize spatial distributions of ferroaxial domains in NiTiO₃ showing an order-disorder type ferroaxial transition.

Interleukin-4 Restores Insulin Sensitivity in Insulin-Resistant Osteoblasts by Increasing the Expression of Insulin Receptor Substrate 1

Obesity and latent inflammation can give rise to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Here we established an insulin resistance model of osteoblasts to explore the restoration effect of anti-inflammatory interleukin-4 (IL-4) on insulin sensitivity and its mechanism. We found that IL-4 inhibited cell proliferation in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Insulation resistance significantly reduced the phosphorylation levels of the insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS1; Tyr612), Akt (Ser473), and AS160 (Ser318) proteins. The addition of IL-4 to the insulin resistance model led to a dose-dependent stimulation of the phosphorylation of IRS1, Akt, and AS160. IL-4 fully restored the activation of the insulin cascade in insulin-resistant cells at the concentration of 50 ng/ml. Additionally, IL-4 promoted the expression of IRS1 in a time-dependent manner. We conjecture that IL-4 restores insulin sensitivity in osteoblasts by upregulating the expression of IRS1. It was also found that IL-4 promoted the expression of osteoprotegerin depending on the time of exposure. This effect may play an important role in the regulation of the energy metabolism in the whole body.

Search for Electron Antineutrino Appearance in a Long-Baseline Muon Antineutrino Beam

Electron antineutrino appearance is measured by the T2K experiment in an accelerator-produced antineutrino beam, using additional neutrino beam operation to constrain parameters of the Pontecorvo-Maki-Nakagawa-Sakata (PMNS) mixing matrix. T2K observes 15 candidate electron antineutrino events with a background expectation of 9.3 events. Including information from the kinematic distribution of observed events, the hypothesis of no electron antineutrino appearance is disfavored with a significance of 2.40σ and no discrepancy between data and PMNS predictions is found. A complementary analysis that introduces an additional free parameter which allows non-PMNS values of electron neutrino and antineutrino appearance also finds no discrepancy between data and PMNS predictions.

Natural internal thoracic-to-coronary artery collateral network

We describe a rare case of three-vessel coronary disease in a 67-year-old man who had spontaneous communication between the left internal mammary artery and the left anterior descending artery. We decided to perform elective coronary artery bypass grafting. However, he died from sudden cardiac arrest before surgery.

P684Long-term outcomes in patients with cancer undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention: analysis from a Japan multicenter registry

Background

Cancer and cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the most common cause of death in developed countries, and substantial overlap exist in their medical care. However, the detailed and updated information on outcome of cancer patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD), particularly in clinically significant coronary artery disease (CAD) remain unknown.

Purpose

We sought to describe the prevalence and long-term outcomes of cancer patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), which has become a coronerstone in the management of CVD.

Methods

Patient data extracted from a regional prospectiveprocedure-based multicenter registry for PCI was analyzed. A total of 4,455 patients who underwent PCI at 15 hospitals within metropolitan Tokyo from September 2008 to 2012 were followed for 2 years. “Active” cancer patient was defined as having a history of cancer not cured or in remission. We analyzed in acute and stable presentation.The occurrence of clinical outcomes was assessed via Kaplan-Meier survival curve, and Cox-regression hazard model to adjust for known clinical predictors.

Results

Within the studied patients, 173 (3.9%) had a concomitant “active” cancer at the time of intervention. There was a significant difference between the patients with and without active cancer in each situation. In stable presentation, cancer group were older, lower BMI, frequently had silent ischemia, COPD and cerebrovascular/peripheral disease, and less often had dyslipidemia compared with non-cancer group. In acute presentation, cancer group were older, frequently had COPD, CKD, peripheral disease and history of HF compared with non-cancer group. The prescription rate of RAAS inhibitor was lower in the cancer group than in the non-cancer group in acute presentation. Notably, in both acute and stable presentation, these patients had significantly higher risk of all-cause mortality (HR 8.01: 95%, p<0.001 and HR5.53: 95%, p<0.001, respectively), and they were also at higher risk of major cardo- and cerebrovascular events (MACCE; HR2.38, p<0.001, HR2.33, p=0.001), when referenced to non-cancer patients after 2 year of follow-up.

Conclusion

Cancer patient was present in 3.9% of all PCI patients and was strongly associated with both non-cardiac and cardiac adverse events.

P5551Comparison of prognostic predictors of heart failure admission and progression to end-stage in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

Background

Heart failure (HF) is a common complication within the clinical spectrum of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). HCM-related HF is recognized to be multifactorial, including outflow obstruction, diastolic dysfunction, or progression to end-stage; however, prognostic predictors of HF events are not fully understood. We sought to investigate predictors for various HF outcomes in HCM.

Methods

We studied 289 consecutive HCM patients with EF≥50%. Patients with outflow obstruction (peak pressure gradient ≥30mmHg) were defined as obstructive HCM. HF events assessed in this study were 1) HF admission and 2) progression to end-stage (EF<50%).

Results

The mean age was 63±16 years, 53% male, EF 61±5%, NYHA class 1.8±0.7, and 39% obstructive. During a median follow up of 5.2 [3.7–7.0] years, 48 HF admission and 19 progression to end-stage were observed. Only 8/48 (17%) patients with HF admission had progressed to end-stage; while 11/19 (58%) patients with progression to end-stage remained free from HF admission. Univariate Cox regression hazard analysis showed different prognostic predictors between HF admission and progression to end-stage (Table). Multivariate Cox regression hazard analysis showed atrial fibrillation was an independent predictor of HF admission (adjusted HR 2.711 [1.094–7.389], P=0.031); while LV end-systolic dimension was an independent predictor of progression to end-stage (adjusted HR 1.114 [1.018–1.229], P=0.025).

Cox hazard analysis for predicting event HF admission Progression to end-stage HR (95% CI) P value HR (95% CI) P value Age, 1 year 1.042 (1.017–1.071) <0.001 1.002 (0.975–1.035) 0.89 Male sex 1.052 (0.595–1.882) 0.86 2.853 (1.034–10.02) 0.043 Atrial fibrillation 3.247 (1.809–6.608) <0.001 1.434 (0.570–3.559) 0.44 Non-obstructive 0.850 (0.481–1.531) 0.58 5.439 (1.558–34.30) 0.005 LV end-diastolic dimension, 1mm 1.027 (0.981–1.077) 0.25 1.120 (1.035–1.218) 0.005 LV end-systolic dimension, 1mm 1.059 (1.008–1.110) 0.023 1.167 (1.080–1.258) <0.001 EF, 1% 0.974 (0.926–1.032) 0.36 0.894 (0.825–0.980) 0.018 LA volume, 1ml/m2 1.012 (1.001–1.020) 0.044 1.006 (0.978–1.023) 0.64 Transmitral E wave, 1m/s 1.013 (1.002–1.024) 0.025 1.006 (0.987–1.023) 0.50 Transmitral DcT, 1msec 0.999 (0.995–1.003) 0.59 0.985 (0.974–0.994) <0.001 E/e', 1.0 1.062 (1.012–1.109) 0.015 1.089 (1.010–1.164) 0.027

Conclusions

Different prognostic predictors were found for HF admission and progression to end-stage, suggesting the difficulty and multifactorial nature of HCM-related HF.

P915Clinical characteristics, natural history and predictors of disease progression in patients with degenerative mitral stenosis

Background

Mitral annular calcification (MAC) is a common echocardiographic finding and an increasingly recognized cause of degenerative mitral stenosis (DMS). However, little is known about the natural history and predictors of disease progression of DMS, especially compared with rheumatic mitral stenosis (RMS).

Purpose

To compare the clinical characteristics and disease progression among patients with DMS and those with RMS, and to investigate the determinants of disease progression in DMS patients.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed consecutive MS patients with a trans-mitral mean gradient ≥2 mmHg who underwent echocardiography at our institution between January 2014 and December 2017. We selected patients who had an initial and follow-up echocardiography with a ≥3-month interval and without prior and interim mitral valve intervention. DMS was defined as MS with MAC with normal or minimally reduced leaflet motion without tips restriction. RMS was defined as MS with tip restriction, thickening and restriction of leaflet mainly. We defined MAC severity as mild (focal), moderate (marked density >1/3 but <1/2 of the mitral annulus) and severe (marked density involving >1/2 of the mitral annulus) based on previous reports. We calculated disease progression from the annual increase rate of trans-mitral mean gradient. First, we compared the backgrounds and disease progression between DMS group and RMS group. Second, we investigated the predictors of disease progression in DMS group.

Results

We enrolled 111 patients (64 in DMS group and 47 in RMS group) with a mean follow-up period of 2.1 years. Patients in DMS group were significantly older (79±9 vs. 70±10 years; P<0.01), had higher prevalence of hypertension (P<0.01) and coronary artery disease (P=0.02), and had higher plasma BNP level (P<0.01) than those in RMS group. Baseline trans-mitral mean gradient was slightly lower in DMS group than in RMS group (3.9±1.9 vs. 4.7±1.8 mmHg; P=0.02). There were wide variations among individuals in progression rate (range: 0 to 3.5 mmHg/year in DMS group and 0 to 5.8 mmHg/year in RMS group, respectively), and the progression rate was comparable between DMS group and RMS group (0.49±0.79 vs. 0.61±1.37 mmHg/year; P=0.59). In DMS group, higher prevalence of dyslipidemia (P=0.01) and lower baseline trans-mitral mean gradient (P<0.01) were significantly associated with disease progression even after adjustment for age and sex. Unexpectedly, there was no significant difference in the disease progression regardless of the MAC severity among DMS group (Picture).

MAC severity and disease progression

Conclusions

Progression in DMS group is highly variable, but generally slow as that in RMS group. Initial mean gradient was inversely associated with disease progression in DMS group. Furthermore, baseline MAC severity did not correlate with the progression, suggesting the importance of follow-up echocardiography in spite of the MAC severity and initial mean gradient.

P1809Impact of mitral regurgitation on clinical outcome in patients with cardiac sarcoidosis

Background

Mitral regurgitation (MR) is sometimes observed in cardiac sarcoidosis (CS), and might be related to worsening heart failure. However, mechanism and clinical significance of MR associated with CS remains undetermined.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed consecutive 51 CS patients, and identified 16 patients with moderate to severe MR evaluated by quantitative echocardiography. According to the assessment of coaptation point and tenting height, main mechanisms of the 16 patients with MR were classified into prolapse (P) in 5, and tethering in 11 (T). Prednisolone was started from 30 mg/day, gradually tapered over a period of 6 months to a maintenance dose of 5 to 10 mg/day and continued a lifetime.

Results

At the first visit, patients with MR showed higher incidence of NYHA class IV heart failure as compared to those without MR (56 vs. 9%, p<0.001). Abnormal uptake of fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose in the papillary muscle was more frequent in patients with MR than those without MR (63% vs. 23%, p<0.05). Patients with tethering MR showed higher incidence of complete atrioventricular block (T: 74% vs. P: 40% vs. without MR: 31%, p<0.05), significantly reduced left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (T: 33±7% vs. P: 52±9% vs. without MR: 52±16%, p<0.001) and increased LV end-diastolic volume index (T: 100±52ml/m2 vs. P: 66±23ml vs. without MR: 62±21ml, p<0.001). During the mean follow-up of 108 months, cardiac-event free survival was significantly worse in patients with tethering MR as compared to the other patients (log-rank; 11.7, p<0.001). Six of the 11 patients with tethering MR received cardiac resynchronization therapy, and then did not experience further hospitalization due to decompensated heart failure for at least 2 years. Multivariate analysis identified tethering MR as an independent predictor of cardiac event (HR: 6.7, p<0.05).

Conclusions

MR associated with CS has variety of mechanisms including prolapse, tethering and inflammation of the LV papillary muscle, and may be related to ventricular remodeling and poor clinical outcome.

Black aortic valve: Minocycline pigmentation complicating treatment of pyoderma gangrenosum

We describe the case of a 75-year-old male with pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) who had severe aortic insufficiency and moderate mitral regurgitation. He had been taking minocycline for 15 years to treat PG. He underwent aortic valve replacement and mitral valve repair. Aortotomy revealed a black discoloration of the aortic valve and sinus of Valsalve.

Longitudinal changes in 18 F-THK5351 positron emission tomography in corticobasal syndrome

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Corticobasal syndrome (CBS) is pathologically characterized by tau deposits in neuronal and glial cells and by reactive astrogliosis. In several neurodegenerative disorders, ¹⁸ F-THK5351 has been observed to bind to reactive astrocytes expressing monoamine oxidase B. In this study, the aim was to investigate the progression of disease-related pathology in the brains of patients with CBS using positron emission tomography with ¹⁸ F-THK5351.

METHODS

Baseline and 1-year follow-up imaging were acquired using magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography with ¹⁸ F-THK5351 in 10 subjects: five patients with CBS and five age-matched normal controls (NCs).

RESULTS

The 1-year follow-up scan images revealed that ¹⁸ F-THK5351 retention had significantly increased in the superior parietal gyrus of the patients with CBS compared with the NCs. The median increases in ¹⁸ F-THK5351 accumulation in the patients with CBS were 6.53% in the superior parietal gyrus, 4.34% in the precentral gyrus and 4.33% in the postcentral gyrus. In contrast, there was no significant increase in the regional ¹⁸ F-THK5351 retention in the NCs.

CONCLUSIONS

Longitudinal increases in ¹⁸ F-THK5351 binding can be detected over a short interval in the cortical sites of patients with CBS. A monoamine oxidase B binding radiotracer could be useful in monitoring the progression of astrogliosis in CBS.

A Case of Feline T-cell Lymphoma with Tropism for Striated Muscle and Peripheral Nerve

An 11-year-old female American shorthair cat was presented with a 3-month history of hindlimb ataxia and knuckling of the left forelimb. Clinical abnormalities included weight loss, hyperaesthesia of the neck and back, cardiac murmur and systemic muscle atrophy. The cat died 10 days after the initial presentation and a necropsy examination was performed. Grossly, extensive pale lesions were seen in the wall of the left ventricle and the septum of the heart. There were no detectable masses in the heart, skeletal muscles or peripheral nerves. Histopathological examination revealed diffuse, extensive infiltration of atypical lymphoid cells in the heart; the cardiac muscles were markedly degenerate and atrophic and were replaced by the neoplastic cells. Neoplastic cells with similar morphology were seen in all specimens of the skeletal muscles and peripheral nerves. Clonality analysis of the paraffin wax-embedded heart tissue revealed a monoclonal rearrangement of the gene encoding the T-cell receptor γ chain. Based on these findings, the case was diagnosed as T-cell lymphoma with tropism for striated muscle and peripheral nerve.

Medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw after tooth extraction in cancer patients: a multicenter retrospective study

Root amputation, immunosuppressive therapy, mandibular tooth extraction, pre-existing inflammation, and longer duration of treatment with bone-modifying agents were significantly associated with an increased risk of medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw. Hopeless teeth should be extracted without drug holiday before the development of inflammation in cancer patients receiving high-dose bone-modifying agents.

INTRODUCTION

No studies have comprehensively analyzed the influence of pre-existing inflammation, surgical procedure-related factors such as primary wound closure, demographic factors, and drug holiday on the incidence of medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ). The purpose of this study was to retrospectively investigate the relationships between these various factors and the development of MRONJ after tooth extraction in cancer patients receiving high-dose bone-modifying agents (BMAs) such as bisphosphonates or denosumab.

METHODS

Risk factors for MRONJ after tooth extraction were evaluated with univariate and multivariate analyses. The following parameters were investigated in all patients: demographics, type and duration of BMA use, whether BMA use was discontinued before tooth extraction (drug holiday), the duration of such discontinuation, the presence of pre-existing inflammation, and whether additional surgical procedures (e.g., incision, removal of bone edges, root amputation) were performed.

RESULTS

We found that root amputation (OR = 22.62), immunosuppressive therapy (OR = 16.61), extraction of mandibular teeth (OR = 12.14), extraction of teeth with pre-existing inflammation, and longer duration (≥ 8 months) of high-dose BMA (OR = 7.85) were all significantly associated with MRONJ.

CONCLUSIONS

Tooth extraction should not necessarily be postponed in cancer patients receiving high-dose BMA. The effectiveness of a short-term drug holiday was not confirmed, as drug holidays had no significant impact on MRONJ incidence. Tooth extraction may be acceptable during high-dose BMA therapy until 8 months after initiation.

Search for CP Violation in Neutrino and Antineutrino Oscillations by the T2K Experiment with 2.2×10^{21} Protons on Target

The T2K experiment measures muon neutrino disappearance and electron neutrino appearance in accelerator-produced neutrino and antineutrino beams. With an exposure of 14.7(7.6)×10^{20} protons on target in the neutrino (antineutrino) mode, 89 ν_{e} candidates and seven anti-ν_{e} candidates are observed, while 67.5 and 9.0 are expected for δ_{CP}=0 and normal mass ordering. The obtained 2σ confidence interval for the CP-violating phase, δ_{CP}, does not include the CP-conserving cases (δ_{CP}=0, π). The best-fit values of other parameters are sin^{2}θ_{23}=0.526_{-0.036}^{+0.032} and Δm_{32}^{2}=2.463_{-0.070}^{+0.071}×10^{-3}  eV^{2}/c^{4}.