Treatment Considerations Research Articles

Impact of functional gene groups on outcomes after ablation of ventricular tachycardia in patients with inherited left ventricular cardiomyopathy: an international multicentre study

Abstract Background Advances in genetic testing has enabled identification of pathogenic variants of different functional gene groups associated with non-dilated left ventricular cardiomyopathy (NDLCM)/dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and ventricular tachycardia (VT). However, there is limited data on the impact of functional groups on VT ablation outcome. Aim We aimed to assess the impact of likely pathogenic/pathogenic variants (LP/Pv) of different functional gene groups on heart failure (HF) outcomes and VT recurrence in patients with NDLCM/DCM after VT ablation. Methods Patients with NDLCM/DCM who underwent genetic testing (next-generation sequencing) and were referred for VT ablation were enrolled at 6 participating centers. Patients were followed for VT recurrence, HF-related adverse outcomes (death, left ventricular assist device [LVAD], or heart transplantation due to HF), and all-cause mortality. Results A total of 239 patients (age 55±14yrs; male n=193; LVEF 40±12%; amiodarone at admission n=103; ICD n=180) were included. LP/Pv were identified in 128 patients (54%), predominantly found in genes encoding sarcomeric (n=36/128, [28%]; titin n=20, myosin binding protein C n=12), followed by nuclear membrane (n=27/128, [22%]; lamin A/C; n=26), desmosomal (n=23/128, [18%]; desmoplakin n=11, plakophilin n=9), cytoskeleton (n=12/128, [9%]; filamin C n=8), and sarcoplasmic reticulum proteins (n=12/128, [9%]; phospholamban n=10). Variants of unknown significance (n=32) were grouped with patients who tested negative. Acute complete ablation success, defined as non-VT inducibility of any sustained monomorphic VT, was achieved in 113 patients (47%), 63 (56%) with LP/Pv. During a median follow-up of 32 months, 108 patients (45%) had VT recurrence, 41 (17%) had HF-related adverse outcomes (death with/without LVAD in 34, LVAD in 2, heart transplantation in 5) and 47 (20%) died. Patients with LP/Pv were more likely to have VT recurrence, HF-related adverse outcomes and had a higher mortality compared to those without (VT, 68 [53%] vs. 40 [36%]; HF-related adverse outcomes, 30 [23%] vs. 11 [10%]; mortality, 30 [23%] vs. 17 [15%]; log-rank, P<0.01 for all). As compared to patients without LP/Pv, those with LP/Pv in genes encoding nuclear membrane or sarcomeric proteins had significantly worse (P<0.01 for both) and those with LP/Pv in genes encoding desmosomal proteins had similar HF and VT recurrence outcomes (Figure). Of interest, patients with LP/Pv in genes encoding cytoskeleton proteins had favorable HF-related adverse outcomes, but worse VT recurrence (P=0.02) compared to those without LP/Pv (Figure). Conclusion In patients with NDLCM/DCM and VT, the impact of LP/Pv on HF and VT-recurrence outcomes after ablation differs across functional groups. Integrating genetic testing in the comprehensive evaluation of patients with NDLCM/DCM undergoing VT ablation may facilitate personalized ablation strategies and early consideration of alternative HF treatments.

Considerations of Pico-second and Nano-second Laser Treatments for Pigmented Lesions in Skin: Our 10 years’ Clinical Experience

Considerations of Pico-second and Nano-second Laser Treatments for Pigmented Lesions in Skin: Our 10 years’ Clinical Experience

Home-based primary care providers' perspectives on the unique challenges of working with late life posttraumatic stress disorder within their population of Veterans.

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is more prevalent in medically ill older Veterans in Home-Based Primary Care (HBPC) settings than in the general population, raising unique considerations. The aim of this qualitative project was to explore HBPC mental health providers' perceptions of the presentation and treatment of PTSD and trauma-related symptoms in this population of older Veterans, many of whom face additional barriers to treatment due to living in rural settings. Five focus groups and one one-on-one interview were conducted with 23 HBPC mental health providers serving rural or rural/urban mixed communities across the United States. We applied qualitative content analysis to the data. Three themes were found: (1) Presentation of Trauma-Related Symptoms and PTSD in HBPC Population; (2) Treatment Challenges in HBPC; and (3) PTSD Treatment Strategies. Each theme had multiple subthemes which illustrate unique issues in this population. Results of this project contribute to key insights surrounding the unique presentation of PTSD and trauma-related processes and treatment considerations in a medically, cognitively, and psychosocially complex group of veterans. Efforts to improve access to care should consider the specific needs of veterans who are homebound, live in rural settings and identify with rural cultural norms, and have difficulty engaging in specialized PTSD treatment due to the convergence of these factors. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

#1814 Infection associated pancreatitis in peritoneal dialysis, a case report

Abstract Background and Aims Peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients seem to have a higher incidence of acute alithiasic pancreatitis. Though rare and with some suggested triggers described in the literature, this is still a poorly understood and potentially life-threatening complication. We present a 60 years old woman concluding antimicrobial therapy with an icodextrin night-dwell regimen for peritonitis presenting with epigastric pain. This work reviews our approach to cloudy effluent from non-infectious causes during an infection while managing acute pancreatitis in the PD setting. We report diagnostic difficulties and treatment considerations with a positive outcome. Method We present a 60 years old woman on PD for one year presenting to the emergency room in November of 2023 with severe epigastric pain, nausea and emesis. She suffered from stage 5 chronic kidney disease due to autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease and had disease complications as anemia and secondary hyperthyroidism controlled within targets. She was on automated PD (APD) with glucose based solutions. She was on the 17th of 21 days antibiogram guided treatment (ceftazidime) for a Enterobacter ludwigii PD-related peritonitis with good clinical evolution and peritoneal effluent (PE) leukocyte count per μl from 1258 to 91 in 5 days. In the previous 3 months she had had 2 other infectious episodes. A bacteremic urinary tract infection to E. coli associated with peritonitis treated with antibiogram guided therapy (ceftazidime) followed by C. difficile colitis treated with oral vancomycin. During each infection period she transitioned from APD to continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis with an icodextrin night dwell. On admission she presented with normal vital signs, no fever, and abdominal distention with severe epigastric tenderness to palpation without muscular guarding. Her dwell exchange showed blood-tinged cloudy PE. She had hemoglobin of 11.3 g/dl, otherwise normal blood cell counts, and raised amylase (213 UI/l) and lipase (1467 UI/l). There was no elevation of transaminases, cholestatic enzymes, C-reactive protein or procalcitonin and lipidemia or hyperbilirubinemia were normal. PE cell count showed 213/μl leukocytes and 202/μl erythrocytes. Abdominal ultrasound showed no evidence of an obstructive cause. She was admitted in the surgical care unit for a conservative and watchful approach. Results On presentation we accounted for the peritonitis still under treatment, acute pancreatitis, drug therapy and recently introduced icodextrin solution. The acute alithiasic pancreatitis diagnosis was established but there was still a possible causative role of icodextrin or infection and refractory peritonitis could also not be promptly excluded. The literature suggests icodextrin and other drugs as causes for acute pancreatitis in some patients but also mentions the possibility of cloudy or hemorrhagic effluent due to abdominal inflammation processes. Considering the clinical stability, the multiple possible contributing causative agents and the differential diagnosis of refractory peritonitis we closely monitored PE cell count evolution keeping the icodextrin dwell and ceftazidime prescriptions and collected samples for bacterial and fungal culture. The cultures were negative and stability of leukocyte count and mononuclear cell predominance (Fig. 1) helped us exclude the peritonitis hypothesis and attribute the PE changes to the pancreatitis process. Conclusion Inpatient monitoring and identifying all possible causes are essential to ensure good outcomes in PD patients suffering from acute pancreatitis. Full anamnesis, physical examination and close attention to laboratory findings were key in allowing adequate antibiotic therapy and resolution of the abdominal inflammatory process at hand while maintaining an adequate PD prescription.

Access to Care Considerations for the Endodontic Treatment of Immature Permanent Teeth: A National Survey of Pediatric Dentists and Endodontists

IntroductionThis study aimed to investigate access to care and financial considerations associated with the endodontic treatment of immature permanent teeth. MethodsSurveys were distributed to endodontists (n = 2,457) and pediatric dentists (n = 3,974) in the United States. Data were analyzed using X2 analysis and logistic regression. The level of significance was set to 0.05. ResultsThe response rate was 13% (n = 840). Respondent specialist groups were similar by age and years since specialty residency completion, but significantly different with regard to primary practice setting (eg private practice, Federally Qualified Health Center, hospital), (P = .001). The majority (91%) of respondents reported participation with dental insurance. Pediatric dentists (69%) were significantly more likely than endodontists (17%) to participate with public-payer dental insurance (P < .001). The majority of respondents (82%) indicated that patients reported economic factors (time or money) as a barrier to accessing endodontic treatment. Pediatric dentists were significantly more likely to consider economic factors when planning for treatment (P < .001). Pediatric dentists were more likely than endodontists to have the opinion that endodontic procedures for treatment of necrotic immature permanent teeth should cost less than root canal therapy (apexification, P < .001; regenerative endodontic procedures, P = .002). Pediatric dentists (33%) reported encountering barriers when attempting to refer their patients to an endodontist. Inability to find an endodontist that participates with dental insurance was the most frequently cited barrier. ConclusionsLimited clinician participation with dental insurance and gaps in insurance coverage for endodontic procedures appear to contribute to access to care barriers for pediatric patients.

Thyroid papillary carcinoma combined with primary follicular lymphoma: a case report

BackgroundPapillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) stands out as the most prevalent epithelial malignant thyroid tumor. Thyroid primary follicular lymphoma (PFL) represents a rare malignant tumor originating from mesenchymal tissues. The concurrent occurrence of PTC and PFL is exceptionally rare, particularly in the context of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, presenting significant challenges in clinical diagnosis and treatment.Case demonstrationA 44-year-old female patient presented with a neck mass persisting for over 1 month. The patient underwent surgery, and the incised tissues were subjected to pathology examinations, along with immunohistochemistry and next-generation sequencing tests suggestive of an EZH2 gene mutation in the tumor cells. The final pathological diagnosis confirmed the presence of PTC combined with PFL. Following a 27-month follow-up, the patient displayed no signs of recurrence or metastasis.ConclusionsThe concurrent occurrence of PTC and PFL poses notable challenges in clinical practice, requiring careful consideration in diagnosis and treatment. Herein, we present a rare case of PTC combined with PFL featuring an EZH2 gene mutation, which can be easily overlooked in the context of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. The patient’s favorable response to surgical and radiotherapeutic interventions underscores the importance of accurate diagnosis and tailored treatment strategies in similar cases.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of Tuberculosis and COVID-19 Co-infection: Prevalence, fatality, and treatment considerations.

Tuberculosis (TB) and COVID-19 co-infection poses a significant global health challenge with increased fatality rates and adverse outcomes. However, the existing evidence on the epidemiology and treatment of TB-COVID co-infection remains limited. This updated systematic review aimed to investigate the prevalence, fatality rates, and treatment outcomes of TB-COVID co-infection. A comprehensive search across six electronic databases spanning November 1, 2019, to January 24, 2023, was conducted. The Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist assessed risk of bias of included studies, and meta-analysis estimated co-infection fatality rates and relative risk. From 5,095 studies screened, 17 were included. TB-COVID co-infection prevalence was reported in 38 countries or regions, spanning both high and low TB prevalence areas. Prevalence estimates were approximately 0.06% in West Cape Province, South Africa, and 0.02% in California, USA. Treatment approaches for TB-COVID co-infection displayed minimal evolution since 2021. Converging findings from diverse studies underscored increased hospitalization risks, extended recovery periods, and accelerated mortality compared to single COVID-19 cases. The pooled fatality rate among co-infected patients was 7.1% (95%CI: 4.0% ~ 10.8%), slightly lower than previous estimates. In-hospital co-infected patients faced a mean fatality rate of 11.4% (95%CI: 5.6% ~ 18.8%). The pooled relative risk of in-hospital fatality was 0.8 (95% CI, 0.18-3.68) for TB-COVID patients versus single COVID patients. TB-COVID co-infection is increasingly prevalent worldwide, with fatality rates gradually declining but remaining higher than COVID-19 alone. This underscores the urgency of continued research to understand and address the challenges posed by TB-COVID co-infection.

Respiratory pathogen and clinical features of hospitalized patients in acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease after COVID 19 pandemic

Respiratory infections are common causes of acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive lung disease (AECOPD). We explored whether the pathogens causing AECOPD and clinical features changed from before to after the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak. We reviewed the medical records of patients hospitalized with AECOPD at four university hospitals between January 2017 and December 2018 and between January 2021 and December. We evaluated 1180 patients with AECOPD for whom medication histories were available. After the outbreak, the number of patients hospitalized with AECOPD was almost 44% lower compared with before the outbreak. Patients hospitalized with AECOPD after the outbreak were younger (75 vs. 77 years, p = 0.003) and more often stayed at home (96.6% vs. 88.6%, p < 0.001) than patients of AECOPD before the outbreak. Hospital stay was longer after the outbreak than before the outbreak (10 vs. 8 days. p < 0.001). After the COVID-19 outbreak, the identification rates of S. pneumoniae (15.3 vs. 6.2%, p < 0.001) and Hemophilus influenzae (6.4 vs. 2.4%, p = 0.002) decreased, whereas the identification rates of P. aeruginosa (9.4 vs. 13.7%, p = 0.023), Klebsiella pneumoniae (5.3 vs. 9.8%, p = 0.004), and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (1.0 vs. 2.8%, p = 0.023) increased. After the outbreak, the identification rate of influenza A decreased (10.4 vs. 1.0%, p = 0.023). After the outbreak, the number of patients hospitalized with AECOPD was lower and the identification rates of community-transmitted pathogens tended to decrease, whereas the rates of pathogens capable of chronic colonization tended to increase. During the period of large-scale viral outbreaks that require quarantine, patients with AECOPD might be given more consideration for treatment against strains that can colonize chronic respiratory disease rather than community acquired pathogens.

Genetic Predisposition to Sarcoma: What Should Clinicians Know?

Pathogenic germline variants in the setting of several associated cancer predisposition syndromes (CPS) may lead to the development of sarcoma. We would consider testing for a CPS in patients with a strong family history of cancer, multiple primary malignancies, and/or pediatric/adolescent/young adult patients diagnosed with other malignancies strongly associated with CPS. When a CPS is diagnosed in a patient with sarcoma, additional treatment considerations and imaging options for those patients are required. This applies particularly to the use of radiation therapy, ionizing radiation with diagnostic imaging, and the use of alkylating chemotherapy. As data and guidelines are currently lacking for many of these scenarios, we have adopted a shared decision-making process with patients and their families. If the best chance for cure in a patient with CPS requires utilization of radiation therapy or alkylating chemotherapy, we discuss the risks with the patient but do not omit these modalities. However, if there are treatment options that yield equivalent survival rates, yet avoid these modalities, we elect for those options. Considering staging imaging and post-therapy evaluation for sarcoma recurrence, we avoid surveillance techniques that utilize ionizing radiation when possible but do not completely omit them when their use is indicated.

Differential efficacy of medical therapies for ulcerative colitis according to disease extent: patient-level analysis from multiple randomized controlled trials

Disease extent in Ulcerative Colitis (UC) has prognostic implications for disease course. It is unclear whether the efficacy of medical therapies for moderate to severely active UC vary according to disease extent at enrollment. We analyzed patient level data from 11 Phase 2 and 3 clinical trials of advanced therapies in patients with moderate-to-severe UC to assess modifications of advanced therapy effects by disease extent. Primary outcome was clinical response and secondary outcomes were clinical remission, endoscopic response/remission and endoscopic improvement, and Mayo clinic subscore for both induction and maintenance studies. Binary and continuous outcomes were analyzed using the modified Poisson regression model and the mixed-effects model, respectively, adjusting for age, sex, disease duration, concomitant steroid use and prior anti-TNF use. Effect modifications with binary outcomes were quantified by ratios of risk ratio for left-sided to that for extensive colitis while effect modifications with the Mayo subscores were quantified by differences of the differences between mean scores of the left-sided and extensive colitis. Results were presented with point estimates and 95% confidence intervals as well as p-values. Eleven clinical trials enrolling 5450 UC patients (infliximab=2, adalimumab=2, golimumab=2, vedolizumab=2, tofacitinib=3) were included. In induction trials, there was evidence to suggest effect modification by disease extent for clinical response with tofacitinib (the ratio of RRs 0.67, 95% CI [0.45, 0.99], p=0.049) and clinical remission with infliximab (ratio of RRs 0.33, 95% CI [0.13, 0.85], p=0.020) favoring patients with extensive colitis. There was no evidence to suggest effect modification for endoscopic improvement and clinical outcomes. There was evidence to suggest effect modification by disease extent for clinical remission with tofacitinib (ratio of RRs 0.44, 95% CI [0.22, 0.89], p=0.020) favoring patients with extensive colitis. For symptom subscores from the Mayo Clinic score, tofacitinib was associated with a greater reduction in both stool frequency (difference of differences 0.37, 95% CI [0.08, 0.65], p=0.012) and rectal bleeding scores (difference of differences 0.25, 95% CI [0.03, 0.47], p=0.026) in patients with extensive colitis compared to left sided. These findings underscore the possibility of differential efficacy of medical therapies according to disease distribution. These results warrant further exploration in forthcoming trials to better inform treatment strategies and consideration of disease distribution as a baseline stratification factor in clinical trials. This study did not receive any financial support.

Abstract PO3-05-13: A Multi-Institutional Review of Contralateral Axillary Metastases: Time for Reclassification as Local-Regional Event?

Abstract Background Current American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) breast cancer staging considers contralateral axillary metastasis (CAM) stage IV disease (M1). Retrospective studies suggest that women with CAM have improved overall survival (OS) compared to those with distant metastasis (M1) and/or comparable OS to locally advanced breast cancer (LABC). These studies support consideration of curative intent treatment; however, they contain heterogeneous cohorts with highly variable treatment strategies. We sought to evaluate treatment and outcomes in a well-defined CAM cohort treated with contemporary systemic and locoregional therapy. Methods We performed a retrospective multi-institution cohort study to compare OS of patients with CAM matched 1:3 on age +/- 5 years to LABC (defined as cN2-3 and/or pN2-3), and to non-CAM M1. CAM patients classified as type 1) de novo CAM, synchronous with the contralateral primary, 2) metachronous isolated CAM in the setting of prior surgical and/or radiation treatment to primary index cancer, 3) synchronous with, or 4) metachronous after an in-breast or axillary nodal recurrence of the primary index cancer. The M1 cohort included de novo and recurrent metastasis with varied sites and number of metastasis. OS was defined as time from CAM diagnosis to death or last follow-up for CAM patients; time from primary diagnosis to death or last follow-up for LABC; and time from metastatic diagnosis to death or last follow-up for M1. Unadjusted OS was estimated with the Kaplan-Meier method, and Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate the association of group with OS after adjustment for covariates Results We identified 57 CAM and 155 LABC from 8 institutions (2016-2022), and 632 M1 from a single institution. The median age was similar between groups (CAM=59 years, LABC=58, M1=57, p=0.44), and there were no statistically significant differences in hormone receptor status (p=0.25). There were more Non-Hispanic Black patients in the M1 cohort compared to CAM or LABC (p&amp;lt; 0.001). The majority of CAM cases were delayed metachronous from the index cancer (type 2, 35.1%), or synchronous with a recurrence (type 3, 33.3%). Type 1 (de novo, 14%) and type 4 (delayed metachronous after breast cancer recurrence, 17.5%) were less frequent. Among CAM patients, 49.1% were hormone receptor positive (HR+)/HER2-negative (HER2-), 22.8% HR-/HER2-, 10.5% HR+/HER2+, and 5.3% HR-/HER2+. Comparing CAM versus LABC, invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) was more commonly seen in CAM (82.5% vs 66.5%), as was grade 3 (45.6% vs 35.5%), and triple negative (22.8% vs 13.5%). Conversely, in LABC, treatment of the primary index cancer more frequently included chemotherapy (CAM=71.9%, LABC=92.3%), mastectomy (CAM=54.4%, LABC 74.2%), and adjuvant radiation (CAM=73.7%, LABC=90.3%). On multivariable analysis adjusting for age, race/ethnicity, and hormone receptor status, both CAM and M1 had inferior survival to LABC (Table 1), but with a 2.4-fold difference for CAM (95% CI 1.42-4.07, p=0.001) versus a 6.3-fold difference for M1 (95% CI 4.29-9.23, p=&amp;lt; 0.001). Discussion In this contemporary, multi-institution study, we demonstrated that CAM patients selected for presumed curative intent treatment experienced improved OS when compared to stage IV (M1) patients. Our data adds additional support for re-evaluating the current stage IV designation, in favor of N3, and consideration of curative intent treatment in this disease. Table. Adjusted* Overall Survival Comparing Patients with Breast Cancer Contralateral Axillary Metastasis (CAM) to those with Locally Advanced Breast Cancer (LABC) and Metastatic Disease (M1) *Adjusted for age, race/ethnicity, hormone receptors. Citation Format: Meghan R. Flanagan, Stephanie Downs-Canner, Samantha Thomas, Astrid Botty van de bruele, Margaret Lillie, Kristalyn Gallagher, Tammeza Gibson, James Jakub, Alexandra Verosky, Sarah Tevis, Malia Brennan, Francys Verdial, Jennifer Q. Zhang, Leisha Elmore, Jennifer Plichta, Laura Rosenberger. A Multi-Institutional Review of Contralateral Axillary Metastases: Time for Reclassification as Local-Regional Event? [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO3-05-13.

Treatment considerations for bluetongue virus serotype‐3 cases in sheep

Background: Bluetongue virus (BTV) serotype‐3 (BTV‐3) has been circulating in the Netherlands since September 2023 and was first reported in Kent in the UK in November 2023, picked up via the annual bluetongue surveillance programme. It is a highly pathogenic strain in sheep with limited preventive measures once virus is circulating in the biting midge population. At the time of publication there is no BTV‐3 vaccine available and no cross‐protection from other BTV vaccine strains. There are no specific antiviral medicines available, and therapy focuses on nursing care and anti‐inflammatory medicines to reduce clinical signs, although early euthanasia decisions need to be considered on the grounds of animal welfare.Aim of the article: This article takes the experiences of vets from the Netherlands and describes what practitioners might be able to do to treat clinical cases of BTV‐3, with thanks to Schapendokter (2023) for sharing their practice protocols.

Social anxiety disorder in Black American adolescents: Cultural considerations in conceptualization, assessment, and treatment.

Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is characterized by significant distress and avoidance surrounding social and performance situations, with marked interpersonal and academic impairment. This review article highlights cultural considerations relevant to the conceptualization, identification, and treatment of SAD in Black youth. Research evaluating the utility of evidence-based measures to assess SAD suggests they are culturally relevant; however, gaps in knowledge regarding the psychometric properties of even the most widely used instruments are evident. In regard to intervention, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) approaches hold promise, yet there is a lack of research on the use of CBT with Black adolescents. Recommendations to incorporate cultural factors into CBT are provided, and future work investigating culturally adapted interventions is needed. Finally, given significant disparities in access and utilization of mental health services among Black youth, strategies to increase treatment engagement, such as school-based services, are important to consider.

Introduction to the special issue: Culturally sensitive approaches to conceptualization and treatment of psychiatric disorders.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is an effective treatment for a variety of psychiatric disorders. However, historic underrepresentation, misapplication of techniques, and neglected consideration for the unique experiences of marginalized groups-including racial, ethnic, sexual, and gender minorities-have led to mistrust of mental health treatment among these communities and decreased access to quality, evidence-based care. Although these treatments are not inherently harmful to individuals with marginalized identities, clinicians can cause harm if they do not consider the role of culture in their conceptualization, assessment, and treatment of individuals with marginalized identities. Thus, this Special Issue details important considerations for conceptualization, assessment, treatment, and research related to a variety of psychiatric disorders in individuals with marginalized identities. In particular, this Special Issue describes substance use disorders among Black men, eating disorders among queer and transgender individuals, obsessive-compulsive disorder in Hispanic and Latin American individuals, and social anxiety disorder in Black adolescents.

Sequencing considerations in the third-line treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer.

Numerous advances in the standard of care for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), including the approval of several new treatments indicated for treatment in the third line or later (3L+), have been made, yet data and appropriate guidance on the optimal sequencing and treatment strategies for these lines of therapy are lacking. Four treatments-regorafenib, trifluridine/tipiracil alone or with bevacizumab, and fruquintinib-are FDA-approved and recommended by the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines®) for the treatment of mCRC in the 3L+. When considering sequencing of treatment options for patients in the 3L+, the goal of treatment is to improve survival, but also maintain quality of life, a goal that requires consideration of relative efficacy and cumulative toxicity such as persistent myelosuppression.

Surgical Outcome of Vestibular Schwannoma in a Tertiary Care Hospital, Dhaka

Background: Presenting symptoms, treatment considerations, and outcome are strongly related to the extension of vestibular schwannomas (VS). The aim of the current retrospective study was to analyze the clinical features, microsurgical treatment, and outcome of VS with brainstem compression. Methods: 130 patients presented with VS who had undergone operative procedures performed in our unit from Jan, 2017 to may, 2022. The facial nerve function and hearing assessment was done according to House-Brackmann [HB] grading and pure tone audiometry (PTA) respectively. All patients were operated by retro-sigmoid retromastoid sub-occipital approach. Results: Most patients had large tumors and had no useful hearing (75.38%), had disabling cerebellar ataxia (84.61%) and presented with features of raised intracranial pressure (46.15%). Complete tumor excision was carried out 92.30% and anatomical preservation of facial nerve was achieved in 87.50% cases. Hearing preservation was achieved in eight patients. Cerebrospinal fluid leak with or without meningitis and transient lower cranial nerve paresis were common complications. The mortality rate was 7.69% Conclusions: Complete tumor excision with good facial nerve preservation can be achieved in large vestibular schwannomas. Hearing preservation is difficult in larger tumors. Primary microsurgical resection is an appropriate management option for large VS. In our experience, this goal can be achieved safely and successfully by using the retromastoid retrosigmoid sub-occipital approach. Bang. J Neurosurgery 2023; 12(2): 86-93

Crisis responders in Sri Lanka: Exploring impact and treatment considerations through the perspectives of mental health professionals

Purpose – South Asian mental health professionals were invited to identify influences on mental health symptom severity among responders during crisis events in Sri Lanka. Further consideration was given to the treatment that could be applied to improve the mental wellbeing of such individuals. Methodology – Twenty-nine mental health professionals (14 civilian and 15 military based) completed a semi-structured interview that incorporated a guided discussion on the mental health experiences observed in crisis responders. Key findings – Thematic Analysis was conducted, yielding two categories. The first understanding from mental health professionals of the impact of trauma that crisis responders in Sri Lanka can experience providing 10 themes capturing the diversity of impact on mental health and social structures. The second category was effective intervention for crisis mental health responders and yielded two main themes. A number of subthemes underpinned each theme across the two categories. Originality – The current study is one of the first to explore mental health symptomology and treatment considerations for crisis responders in a South Asian sample, through the perspective of mental health responders.

Detailed preform design procedure considering the effect of heat treatment in IN718 disk forging

We investigated the impact of heat treatment on preform deduction during the hot forging of In718 turbine disks. Proposed preform design method leverages a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) to aim for minimized damage and uniform grain size in the final forged products. For damage calculation, we employ the Lemaitre damage model, while the Johnson-Mehl-Avrami-Kolmogorov (JMAK) model is utilized for grain size calculation. The CNN, trained on datasets of NURBS-generated preform shapes and final forged disks from them, showed superior performance in terms of damage and grain size of forged disk compared with other existing approaches. Moreover, the results indicate that preforms deduced with heat treatment considerations can lead to significant improvements in forging results, including up to a 17% reduction in average grain size and a 16% decrease in standard deviation compared to preforms without heat treatment consideration. These results underscore the importance of considering heat treatment in preform design, offering valuable insights for industries where the integrity of forged products, like aerospace, is critical.

E020 Osteoporosis service improvement audit

Abstract Background/Aims Osteoporosis referrals are sent to rheumatology departments for consideration of parenteral treatments in those who are unable to tolerate oral bisphosphonates or have failed treatment. The rheumatology services at Croydon University Hospital (CUH) are oversubscribed which results in long waiting times for appointments and increased workload on clinicians. The aim of this audit is to identify the scope of osteoporosis workload, the source of referrals, to improve distribution of the osteoporosis workload in CUH and redesign the pathway for osteoporosis referrals. A secondary aim is to identify patients that could be managed without referral enabling more consultation slots within the rheumatology department for patients that present with early inflammatory arthritis. Methods Data was collected retrospectively from all the patients that had been referred to the rheumatology department, either internally or externally and offered a new osteoporosis appointment from June to mid-September 2022 (104 patients in total). A data collection sheet was created from electronic patient records. The data included the patients’ hospital number, age, sex, height, weight, BMI, race, source of referral, reason for referral, fractures sustained, admissions for fracture, prior treatment with IV/ oral bisphosphonates, which oral bisphosphonate treatment and reasons for stopping, co-prescription of calcium/ vitamin D and the follow up plan. Results Among patients who were surveyed, 33 were internal referrals. Referring departments were as follows: 18 from fracture liaison service (FLS), 7 from care of the elderly (COTE), 3 from orthopaedics, 1 from rheumatology, 1 from nephrology, 1 from endocrinology, 1 from haematology and 1 from respiratory. In the GP cohort (71 patients), many were intolerant to oral bisphosphonates due to gastrointestinal upset. Reasons for referral were as follows: 36 for intolerance to oral medication, 14 for declining BMD, 11 for restarting medication after drug holding, 9 for complexity of cases (including young age/ male/ anorexia/ osteogenesis imperfecta), 8 unspecified, 7 had sustained a fracture on treatment, 6 received breast cancer treatment, 6 had renal impairment, 6 for a second opinion and 1 for considering a drug holiday. Conclusion This audit highlights the issues associated with osteoporosis workload and suggests improvements for managing the referrals both internally and externally. GP education is important for managing patients not tolerating oral bisphosphonates before accepting referrals. We have started recommending GP to try alternative oral bisphosphonates or effervescent alendronic acid prior to referral. Some internal workload can be managed by the referring team with advice being provided by the rheumatology team in order to reallocate rheumatology appointments for other conditions. The rheumatology department at Croydon University Hospital met with stakeholders from COTE and FLS and discussed the audit results. The COTE team agreed to initiate and continue IV zoledronate to reduce the osteoporosis burden on the rheumatology department. Disclosure S. Taheri: None. R. Suresh: None. J. Burton: None. S. Adil: None. T. Ahmed: None. N. Horwood: None. R. Sathananthan: None.

Considerations for Treatment in Clinical Care of Spinal Muscular Atrophy Patients.

Spinal Muscular Atrophy is a neurodegenerative disease which can lead to muscle weakness, paralysis, and in some cases death. There are many factors that contribute to the severity of symptoms and those factors can be used to determine the best course of treatment for the patients. We looked through published literature to create a set of considerations for treatment in patients with Spinal Muscular Atrophy including age, type, SMN2 copies, and any familial considerations. This can serve as a guide for what to consider in the treatment of SMA patients clinically.