Evidence-based Treatment Recommendations Research Articles

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma

SummaryThe incidence of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) shows geographically differences between certain parts of Asia and the rest of the world. While NPC is an orphan disease in Western Europe/United States of America, it is endemic to southern China, southeast Asia and northern Africa. NPC is a radio- and chemotherapy sensitive malignancy. Although it is essential to follow the evidence-based treatment recommendations outlined in the international guidelines, it has to be emphasized that the field is rapidly involving and relevant data gaps such as the optimal treatment strategy for stage II disease, non-Epstein Barr Virus associated NPC or the role of immunotherapy in low incidence areas exist. These topics will be addressed in this article. Most importantly, interdisciplinary management of NPC patients is key for the optimal management at all disease stages.

Does age affect outcome with breast cancer?

Prior data about the influence of age at diagnosis of breast cancer on patient outcomes and survival has been conflicting. Using the Breast Cancer Outcomes Unit database at BC Cancer, this retrospective population-based study identified a cohort of 24,469 patients diagnosed with invasive breast cancer between 2005 and 2014. Median follow-up was 11.5 years. We analyzed clinical and pathological features at diagnosis and treatment specific variables compared across the following age cohorts: <35, 35-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70-79, and 80 years of age and older. We assessed the impact of age on breast cancer specific survival (BCSS) and overall survival (OS) by age and subtype. There were distinct clinical-pathological and treatment pattern differences at both extremes of age at diagnosis. Patients <35 and 35-39 years old were more likely to present with higher risk features, HER2 positive or triple-negative biomarkers, and more advanced TNM stage at diagnosis. They were more likely to undergo treatment with mastectomy, axillary lymph node dissection, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Conversely, patients ≥80 years old were generally more likely to have hormone-sensitive HER2-negative disease, and lower TNM stage at diagnosis. They were less likely to undergo surgery or be treated with radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Both younger and elderly age at breast cancer diagnosis were independent risk factors for poorer prognosis after controlling for subtype, LVI, stage, and treatment factors. This work will help clinicians to more accurately estimate patient outcomes, patterns of relapse, and provide evidence-based treatment recommendations.

Sleep Disorders and Circadian Disruption in Huntington's Disease.

Sleep and circadian alterations are common in patients with Huntington's disease (HD). Understanding the pathophysiology of these alterations and their association with disease progression and morbidity can guide HD management. We provide a narrative review of the clinical and basic-science studies centered on sleep and circadian function on HD. Sleep/wake disturbances among HD patients share many similarities with other neurodegenerative diseases. Overall, HD patients and animal models of the disease present with sleep changes early in the clinical course of the disease, including difficulties with sleep initiation and maintenance leading to decreased sleep efficiency, and progressive deterioration of normal sleep architecture. Despite this, sleep alterations remain frequently under-reported by patients and under-recognized by health professionals. The degree of sleep and circadian alterations has not consistently shown to be CAG dose-dependent. Evidence based treatment recommendations are insufficient due to lack of well-designed intervention trials. Approaches aimed at improving circadian entrainment, such as including light therapy, and time-restricted feeding have demonstrated a potential to delay symptom progression in some basic HD investigations. Larger study cohorts, comprehensive assessment of sleep and circadian function, and reproducibility of findings are needed in future in order to better understand sleep and circadian function in HD and to develop effective treatments.

Survival After Implementation of a Decision Support Tool to Facilitate Evidence-Based Cancer Treatment.

Decision support tools (DSTs) to facilitate evidence-based cancer treatment are increasingly common in care delivery organizations. Implementation of these tools may improve process outcomes, but little is known about effects on patient outcomes such as survival. We aimed to evaluate the effect of implementing a DST for cancer treatment on overall survival (OS) among patients with breast, colorectal, and lung cancer. We used institutional cancer registry data to identify adults treated for first primary breast, colorectal, or lung cancer between December 2013 and December 2017. Our intervention of interest was implementation of a commercial DST for cancer treatment, and outcome of interest was OS. We emulated a single-arm trial with historical comparison and used a flexible parametric model to estimate standardized 3-year restricted mean survival time (RMST) difference and mortality risk ratio (RR) with 95% confidence limits (CLs). Our study population comprised 1,059 patients with cancer (323 breast, 318 colorectal, and 418 lung). Depending on cancer type, median age was 55-60 years, 45%-67% were racial/ethnic minorities, and 49%-69% were uninsured. DST implementation had little effect on survival at 3 years. The largest effect was observed among patients with lung cancer (RMST difference, 1.7 months; 95% CL, -0.26 to 3.7; mortality RR, 0.95; 95% CL, 0.88 to 1.0). Adherence with tool-based treatment recommendations was >70% before and >90% across cancers. Our results suggest that implementation of a DST for cancer treatment has nominal effect on OS, which may be partially attributable to high adherence with evidence-based treatment recommendations before tool implementation in our setting. Our results raise awareness that improved process outcomes may not translate to improved patient outcomes in some care delivery settings.

Implementation of the measure of case discussion complexity to guide selection of prostate cancer patients for multidisciplinary team meetings.

Multidisciplinary team meetings (MDTMs) provide an integrated team approach to ensure individualized and evidence-based treatment recommendations and best expert advice in cancer care. A growing number of patients and more complex treatment options challenge MDTM resources and evoke needs for case prioritization. In this process, decision aids could provide streamlining and standardize evaluation of case complexity. We applied the recently developed Measure of Case Discussion Complexity, MeDiC, instrument with the aim to validate its performance in another healthcare setting and diagnostic area as a means to provide cases for full MDTM discussions. The 26-item MeDiC instrument evaluates case complexity and was applied to 364 men with newly diagnosed prostate cancer in Sweden. MeDiC scores were generated from individual-level health data and were correlated with clinicopathological parameters, healthcare setting, and the observed clinical case selection for MDTMs. Application of the MeDiC instrument was feasible with rapid scoring based on available clinical data. Patients with high-risk prostate cancers had significantly higher MeDiC scores than patients with low or intermediate-risk cancers. In the total study, population affected lymph nodes and metastatic disease significantly influenced MDTM referral, whereas comorbidities and age did not predict MDTM referral. When individual patient MeDiC scores were compared to the clinical MDTM case selection, advanced stage, T3/T4 tumors, involved lymph nodes, presence of metastases and significant physical comorbidity were identified as key MDTM predictive factors. Application of the MeDiC instrument in prostate cancer may be used to streamline case selection for MDTMs in cancer care and may complement clinical case selection.

0278 Patient Satisfaction with a Novel Sleep Telehealth Platform in the US Military

Abstract Introduction Despite a high prevalence of sleep problems, there is a gross shortage of sleep clinicians within the military health system. To increase access to care, a novel telehealth platform was designed to empower patients and clinicians to make evidence-based sleep treatment decisions. Here, we present initial results from the implementation of this novel sleep telehealth platform in two military treatment facilities (MTFs). Methods Participants (N=305) with sleep complaints were recruited remotely and/or in-person from two MTFs. Participants were predominately men (53.4%), who self-identified as White (55.4%) or Black (24.1%) race and were retired or active-duty military servicemembers (69%). Average age was 45.9 (SD=13.3) years. Participants completed a baseline assessment including standardized research questionnaires via a mobile application (WellTap®). During a 10-day remote monitoring assessment, participants completed daily sleep diaries and twice-daily mood/daytime function surveys, while wearing a commercial-off-the-shelf device (Fitbit®). A personalized sleep report including evidence-based treatment recommendations was provided. Participants completed a satisfaction survey regarding the remote monitoring assessment. Results The most commonly reported sleep problems were difficulty staying asleep (65%), insufficient sleep (61%), and snoring (40%). Most participants described their sleep quality as “a little good” (51%) or “not at all good” (27%). Thirty-nine percent of participants reported moderate to severe insomnia complaints, 38% reported moderate to severe excessive daytime sleepiness, and 22% reported moderate to severe depressive symptoms. In terms of satisfaction, participants reported the sleep assessments were “easy” to complete (92%) and would consider sleep telehealth approaches in the future (95%). The vast majority of participants preferred to continue with sleep telehealth and preferred to combine a mobile app and remote monitoring with either virtual or face-to-face provider support. Conclusion Patients at two military treatment hospitals reported high levels of satisfaction with a novel 10-day intensive remote monitoring assessment including a mobile health assessment and wrist-wearable device. Future studies should evaluate the clinical and economic impact of sleep telehealth and remote monitoring in the U.S. military. Support (if any) Department of Defense (W81XWH1990006) via the Medical Technology Enterprise Consortium) to the University of Maryland, Baltimore (PI: EMW).

Evidence for orthodontic interventions is lacking.

Dear Sir, I read with interest a recently published “perspective in your journal on “A roadmap of craniofacial growth modification for children with sleep disordered breathing: a multidisciplinary approach” [1]. As I feel that some of your regular readers will not be conversant with the orthodontic literature around this subject, I felt it would be worth raising a few issues about the poor quality of the evidence base for several statements made in this article. Given the lack of evidence-based recommendations for treatment and the frequent misquoting of the literature mentioned above, I believe that this published “perspective” should be treated with a degree of skepticism by Doctors and Dentists when discussing orthodontic interventions for children under their care. You will note above that I have referenced a recent white paper published by the American Association of Orthodontists [2]. This paper was written by medical and dental experts in sleep medicine and dental sleep medicine to create a document designed to offer guidance on the suggested role of the specialty of orthodontics in the management of obstructive sleep apnea in children and adults.

American Gastroenterological Association-American College of Gastroenterology Clinical Practice Guideline: Pharmacological Management of Chronic Idiopathic Constipation.

Chronic idiopathic constipation (CIC) is a common disorder associated with significant impairment in quality of life. This clinical practice guideline, jointly developed by the American Gastroenterological Association and the American College of Gastroenterology, aims to inform clinicians and patients by providing evidence-based practice recommendations for the pharmacological treatment of CIC in adults. The American Gastroenterological Association and the American College of Gastroenterology formed a multidisciplinary guideline panel that conducted systematic reviews of the following agents: fiber, osmotic laxatives (polyethylene glycol, magnesium oxide, lactulose), stimulant laxatives (bisacodyl, sodium picosulfate, senna), secretagogues (lubiprostone, linaclotide, plecanatide), and serotonin type 4 agonist (prucalopride). The panel prioritized clinical questions and outcomes and used the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation framework to assess the certainty of evidence for each intervention. The Evidence to Decision framework was used to develop clinical recommendations based on the balance between the desirable and undesirable effects, patient values, costs, and health equity considerations. The panel agreed on 10 recommendations for the pharmacological management of CIC in adults. Based on available evidence, the panel made strong recommendations for the use of polyethylene glycol, sodium picosulfate, linaclotide, plecanatide, and prucalopride for CIC in adults. Conditional recommendations were made for the use of fiber, lactulose, senna, magnesium oxide, and lubiprostone. This document provides a comprehensive outline of the various over-the-counter and prescription pharmacological agents available for the treatment of CIC. The guidelines are meant to provide a framework for approaching the management of CIC; clinical providers should engage in shared decision making based on patient preferences as well as medication cost and availability. Limitations and gaps in the evidence are highlighted to help guide future research opportunities and enhance the care of patients with chronic constipation.

Polygenic risk scores point toward potential genetic mechanisms of type 2 myocardial infarction in people with HIV

BackgroundPeople with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection (PWH) are at higher risk of myocardial infarction (MI) than those without HIV. About half of MIs in PWH are type 2 (T2MI), resulting from mismatch between myocardial oxygen supply and demand, in contrast to type 1 MI (T1MI), which is due to primary plaque rupture or coronary thrombosis. Despite worse survival and rising incidence in the general population, evidence-based treatment recommendations for T2MI are lacking. We used polygenic risk scores (PRS) to explore genetic mechanisms of T2MI compared to T1MI in PWH. MethodsWe derived 115 PRS for MI-related traits in 9541 PWH enrolled in the Centers for AIDS Research Network of Integrated Clinical Systems cohort with adjudicated T1MI and T2MI. We applied multivariate logistic regression analyses to determine the association with T1MI and T2MI. Based on initial findings, we performed gene set enrichment analysis of the top variants composing PRS associated with T2MI. ResultsWe found that T1MI was strongly associated with PRS for cardiovascular disease, lipid profiles, and metabolic traits. In contrast, PRS for alcohol dependence and cholecystitis, significantly enriched in energy metabolism pathways, were predictive of T2MI risk. The association remained after the adjustment for actual alcohol consumption. ConclusionsWe demonstrate distinct genetic traits associated with T1MI and T2MI among PWH further highlighting their etiological differences and supporting the role of energy regulation in T2MI pathogenesis.

ERS/ESICM/ESCMID/ALAT guidelines for the management of severe community-acquired pneumonia.

Severe community-acquired pneumonia (sCAP) is associated with high morbidity and mortality, and whilst European and non-European guidelines are available for community-acquired pneumonia, there are no specific guidelines for sCAP. The European Respiratory Society (ERS), European Society of Intensive Care Medicine (ESICM), European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID), and Latin American Thoracic Association (ALAT) launched a task force to develop the first international guidelines for sCAP. The panel comprised a total of 18 European and four non-European experts, as well as two methodologists. Eight clinical questions for sCAP diagnosis and treatment were chosen to be addressed. Systematic literature searches were performed in several databases. Meta-analyses were performed for evidence synthesis, whenever possible. The quality of evidence was assessed with GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation). Evidence to Decision frameworks were used to decide on the direction and strength of recommendations. Recommendations issued were related to diagnosis, antibiotics, organ support, biomarkers and co-adjuvant therapy. After considering the confidence in effect estimates, the importance of outcomes studied, desirable and undesirable consequences of treatment, cost, feasibility, acceptability of the intervention and implications to health equity, recommendations were made for or against specific treatment interventions. In these international guidelines, ERS, ESICM, ESCMID, and ALAT provide evidence-based clinical practice recommendations for diagnosis, empirical treatment, and antibiotic therapy for sCAP, following the GRADE approach. Furthermore, current knowledge gaps have been highlighted and recommendations for future research have been made.

ERS/ESICM/ESCMID/ALAT guidelines for the management of severe community-acquired pneumonia

Severe community-acquired pneumonia (sCAP) is associated with high morbidity and mortality, and while European and non-European guidelines are available for community-acquired pneumonia, there are no specific guidelines for sCAP. The European Respiratory Society (ERS), European Society of Intensive Care Medicine (ESICM), European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID) and Latin American Thoracic Association (ALAT) launched a task force to develop the first international guidelines for sCAP. The panel comprised a total of 18 European and four non-European experts, as well as two methodologists. Eight clinical questions for sCAP diagnosis and treatment were chosen to be addressed. Systematic literature searches were performed in several databases. Meta-analyses were performed for evidence synthesis, whenever possible. The quality of evidence was assessed with GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation). Evidence to Decision frameworks were used to decide on the direction and strength of recommendations. Recommendations issued were related to diagnosis, antibiotics, organ support, biomarkers and co-adjuvant therapy. After considering the confidence in effect estimates, the importance of outcomes studied, desirable and undesirable consequences of treatment, cost, feasibility, acceptability of the intervention and implications to health equity, recommendations were made for or against specific treatment interventions. In these international guidelines, ERS, ESICM, ESCMID and ALAT provide evidence-based clinical practice recommendations for diagnosis, empirical treatment and antibiotic therapy for sCAP, following the GRADE approach. Furthermore, current knowledge gaps have been highlighted and recommendations for future research have been made.

Diffuse alveolar haemorrhage in children: an international multicentre study

Paediatric diffuse alveolar haemorrhage (DAH) is a rare heterogeneous condition with limited knowledge on clinical presentation, treatment and outcome. A retrospective, descriptive multicentre follow-up study initiated from the European network for translational research in children's and adult interstitial lung disease (Cost Action CA16125) and chILD-EU CRC (the European Research Collaboration for Children's Interstitial Lung Disease). Inclusion criteria were DAH of any cause diagnosed before the age of 18 years. Data of 124 patients from 26 centres (15 counties) were submitted, of whom 117 patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Diagnoses were idiopathic pulmonary haemosiderosis (n=35), DAH associated with autoimmune features (n=20), systemic and collagen disorders (n=18), immuno-allergic conditions (n=10), other childhood interstitial lung diseases (chILD) (n=5), autoinflammatory diseases (n=3), DAH secondary to other conditions (n=21) and nonspecified DAH (n=5). Median (IQR) age at onset was 5 (2.0-12.9) years. Most frequent clinical presentations were anaemia (87%), haemoptysis (42%), dyspnoea (35%) and cough (32%). Respiratory symptoms were absent in 23%. The most frequent medical treatment was systemic corticosteroids (93%), hydroxychloroquine (35%) and azathioprine (27%). Overall mortality was 13%. Long-term data demonstrated persistent abnormal radiology and a limited improvement in lung function. Paediatric DAH is highly heterogeneous regarding underlying causes and clinical presentation. The high mortality rate and number of patients with ongoing treatment years after onset of disease underline that DAH is a severe and often chronic condition. This large international study paves the way for further prospective clinical trials that will in the long term allow evidence-based treatment and follow-up recommendations to be determined.

Working with Patients with Obesity: Addressing Weight Stigma, Frailty and Obesity Medicine Updates

Obesity is a chronic and complex disease that can negatively impact health, functioning and quality of life. In the past decade, obesity prevalence's largest growth occurred in older adults, particularly among racial and ethnic minorities. By the year 2030, an estimated 50% of the population over 65 is likely to be obese. Until recently, little attention has been given to obesity as a chronic disease, and those living with obesity encounter challenges accessing high quality medical care. Despite growing evidence for bariatric and obesity medicine, these treatments remain inaccessible for most patients. Obesity medicine is a newer and growing field, yet research that is focused on older adults with obesity lags behind. This symposium will focus on three areas related to obesity and older adults. Dr. Gentry will discuss weight stigma, often encountered by patients with obesity in the healthcare setting, and its impact on emotional and physical health. Cases and group discussion will be used to explore potential weight bias amongst participants and discuss strategies to mitigate this bias in working with older adults. Dr. Beito will review the complex connections between obesity and frailty syndrome in older adults. This session will engage the audience with case examples focusing on evidence-based treatment recommendations to help those individuals experiencing both obesity and frailty syndrome. Dr. Boyle will review the evaluation of patients with concerns about obesity, focusing on the potential role of psychiatrists and other mental health providers. Non-pharmacologic and pharmacologic tools will be discussed so psychiatrists and mental health providers can consider options to implement in one's own practice or to refer patients for weight management services. Ultimately, the goal is to raise awareness of this complex problem and provide clinically helpful information to improve care for older patients with obesity.This symposium is sponsored by the AAGP's IDEA committee.

Proximal humerus fracture management and outcomes are distinctly different for individuals 60 years of age or younger: a systematic review

Proximal humerus fractures (PHFs) occur most commonly in an elderly and osteoporotic population, but a considerable proportion of these injuries occur in relatively younger individuals. Differences in treatment principles and outcomes in this younger population remain poorly understood. The purpose of this review was to characterize the treatment algorithms and outcomes for patients less than or equal to 60 years of age with PHFs. A comprehensive search of the Medline, Pubmed, Embase, and Cochrane databases for articles published between January 2005 and December 2020 was performed in January 2021. Levels of evidence I-IV analyzing outcomes (patient reported outcomes and/or complications) following PHFs in adult patients less than or equal to 60 years of age were included. The search was carried out in accordance with the preferred reported items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses guidelines. The risk of bias 2 tool and methodological index for nonrandomized studies score were utilized to evaluate included studies. Fourteen studies met the inclusion criteria (open reduction internal fixation: 5, intramedullary nail: 4, hemiarthroplasty: 2, nonoperative: 1, and reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA): 1). Seven studies reported differences in outcomes between younger and older patient populations, with three studies noting separate management algorithms for those 60 years of age or younger. There were no studies comparing different treatments modalities in those less than 60 years of age, and the lone study on RTSA did not include patient-reported outcomes. Treatment algorithms and outcomes following PHFs in patients less than or equal to 60 years of age are distinctly different from that of a more elderly population. However, evidence-based treatment recommendations for this younger population are limited by the lack of studies comparing treatment modalities and the absence of patient-reported outcomes for individuals undergoing RTSA.

EXERCISE HAS NO EFFECT ON KNEE JOINT CREPITUS. A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS

https://youtu.be/Qj1Msu4t4Kg BACKGROUND Noise emanating from the knee upon movement (crepitus) is one of the primary symptoms of knee osteoarthritis (OA). Exercise and education are key components of evidence-based guideline recommendations for prevention and treatment of OA. However, there is limited evidence if these approaches alter knee crepitus. Exercise professionals are faced with client concerns of crepitus during exercise; providing reassurance to the contrary may help exercise adherence. Thus, we aimed to determine if knee crepitus improves with exercise or education, either alone or combined, in healthy individuals or in people with early or established OA. METHODS/DESIGN We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis. Electronic databases (CINAHL, Embase, PsycINFO, PubMed, and SportDISCUS) were searched from inception to 1 July 2022 for studies of adults (&amp;gt;18 years) with OA or reporting knee crepitus who undertook exercise or education compared to control. Risk of bias was appraised using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool (v2). Data was analysed using a random-effects meta-analysis. RESULTS 12 studies were included, with data from seven contributing to the meta-analysis. All included studies measured crepitus using the KOOS subscale following varying supervised and unsupervised exercise interventions (aquatic, resistance (weights, body weight, theraband), stretching, circuit, aerobic (cycle, treadmill, arm crank)) for 30–60 minutes at moderate to vigorous intensity, 3–7 days/week over 12–52 weeks. Across 379 participants (n=201 exercise, n=184 control, 82% female), mean crepitus at baseline was 2.0 on a 5-point scale. There was no difference in the effect of exercise compared to control on crepitus (MD: 0.01; 95% CI −0.023, 0.021). The remaining five studies, excluded from the meta-analysis due to exercising controls, had similar characteristics. Risk of bias ranged from low to high, with bias introduced due to issues with randomization, reporting of results, noted deviations from intended interventions and missing outcome data. CONCLUSIONS Based on studies with mixed risk of bias, knee crepitus is unlikely to change in individuals with established OA following exercise. Thus, Exercise Physiologists can provide reassurance to people who are concerned about their noisy joints that exercise should not exacerbate symptoms.

KAAACI Allergic Rhinitis Guidelines: Part 2. Update in Non-pharmacological Management.

Allergic rhinitis is the most common chronic disease worldwide. Various upper airway symptoms lower quality of life, and due to the recurrent symptoms, multiple treatments are usually attempted rather than one definitive treatment. There are alternatives to medical (medication-based) and non-medical treatments. A guideline is needed to understand allergic rhinitis and develop an appropriate treatment plan. We have developed guidelines for medical treatment based on previous reports. The current guidelines herein are associated with the "KAAACI Evidence-Based Guidelines for Allergic Rhinitis in Korea, Part 1: Update in pharmacotherapy" in which we aimed to provide evidence-based recommendations for the medical treatment of allergic rhinitis. Part 2 focuses on non-pharmacological management, including allergen-specific immunotherapy, subcutaneous or sublingual immunotherapy, nasal saline irrigation, environmental management strategies, companion animal management, and nasal turbinate surgery. The evidence to support the treatment efficacy, safety, and selection has been systematically reviewed. However, larger controlled studies are needed to elevate the level of evidence to select rational non-medical therapeutic options for patients with allergic rhinitis.

2023 Guidelines of the Taiwan Society of Cardiology on the Diagnosis and Management of Chronic Coronary Syndrome.

Coronary artery disease (CAD) covers a wide spectrum from persons who are asymptomatic to those presenting with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) and sudden cardiac death. Coronary atherosclerotic disease is a chronic, progressive process that leads to atherosclerotic plaque development and progression within the epicardial coronary arteries. Being a dynamic process, CAD generally presents with a prolonged stable phase, which may then suddenly become unstable and lead to an acute coronary event. Thus, the concept of "stable CAD" may be misleading, as the risk for acute events continues to exist, despite the use of pharmacological therapies and revascularization. Many advances in coronary care have been made, and guidelines from other international societies have been updated. The 2023 guidelines of the Taiwan Society of Cardiology for CAD introduce a new concept that categorizes the disease entity according to its clinical presentation into acute or chronic coronary syndromes (ACS and CCS, respectively). Previously defined as stable CAD, CCS include a heterogeneous population with or without chest pain, with or without prior ACS, and with or without previous coronary revascularization procedures. As cardiologists, we now face the complexity of CAD, which involves not only the epicardial but also the microcirculatory domains of the coronary circulation and the myocardium. New findings about the development and progression of coronary atherosclerosis have changed the clinical landscape. After a nearly 50-year ischemia-centric paradigm of coronary stenosis, growing evidence indicates that coronary atherosclerosis and its features are both diagnostic and therapeutic targets beyond obstructive CAD. Taken together, these factors have shifted the clinicians' focus from the functional evaluation of coronary ischemia to the anatomic burden of disease. Research over the past decades has strengthened the case for prevention and optimal medical therapy as central interventions in patients with CCS. Even though functional capacity has clear prognostic implications, it does not include the evaluation of non-obstructive lesions, plaque burden or additional risk-modifying factors beyond epicardial coronary stenosis-driven ischemia. The recommended first-line diagnostic tests for CCS now include coronary computed tomographic angiography, an increasingly used anatomic imaging modality capable of detecting not only obstructive but also non-obstructive coronary plaques that may be missed with stress testing. This non-invasive anatomical modality improves risk assessment and potentially allows for the appropriate allocation of preventive therapies. Initial invasive strategies cannot improve mortality or the risk of myocardial infarction. Emphasis should be placed on optimizing the control of risk factors through preventive measures, and invasive strategies should be reserved for highly selected patients with refractory symptoms, high ischemic burden, high-risk anatomies, and hemodynamically significant lesions. These guidelines provide current evidence-based diagnosis and treatment recommendations. However, the guidelines are not mandatory, and members of the Task Force fully realize that the treatment of CCS should be individualized to address each patient's circumstances. Ultimately, the decision of healthcare professionals is most important in clinical practice.

Arbeitsgemeinschaft Gynäkologische Onkologie Recommendations for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Patients with Early Breast Cancer: Update 2023.

Each year the interdisciplinary Arbeitsgemeinschaft Gynäkologische Onkologie (AGO), German Gynecological Oncology Group Breast Committee on Diagnosis and Treatment of Breast Cancer provides updated state-of-the-art recommendations for early and metastatic breast cancer. The updated evidence-based treatment recommendation for early and metastatic breast cancer has been released in March 2023. This paper concisely captures the updated recommendations for early breast cancer chapter by chapter.

968. The Impact of Film Array Detection of High-risk and Resistant Pathogens on the Time to Optimal Antibiotic Therapy at a Community Health System

Abstract Background The importance of effective antibiotic therapy for the treatment of bloodstream infections has been well described. Rapid diagnostic testing platforms like the BioFire® FilmArray® blood culture identification (BCID) have the potential to decrease time to effective antibiotics when acted on appropriately. The Cone Health stewardship team has collaborated with clinical pharmacists and infectious diseases physicians to define a process to optimize antibiotic therapy. This process involves microbiology calling a pharmacist with newly positive blood cultures, and the pharmacist notifies the attending physician with the results and evidence-based treatment recommendations. We transitioned from BCID to BCID2 in August, 2021. As CTX-M (marker for extended spectrum beta-lactamase production) was not a target on BCID, we were interested in how the addition of this marker could improve care in this subset of patients. Procedure for Positive Blood Culture Workup and Notification Treatment Recommendations for Selected Organisms Methods From August 2021 - March 2022, the times to administration of effective and optimal antibiotics were evaluated in patients with the following BCID2 organism and resistance gene targets identified: S. aureus, P. aeruginosa, CTX-M, KPC, OXA-48 like, IMP, VIM, NDM, and vancomycin resistant enterococci. An effective antibiotic was defined as an antibiotic with in vitro activity to the organism, and an optimal antibiotic was defined as the preferred agent based on institutional guidelines. For CTX-M isolates, we compared effective and optimal times to a historical control of ceftriaxone resistant enterobacterales and analyzed by student’s t-test. Results The combined mean time from BCID2 to administration of effective antibiotics = 1.2 hours (range 0-7.9 hours) and to optimal therapy =7.6 hours (range 0 – 113.8 hours). Prior to the BCID2 transition, patients found to be growing ceftriaxone resistant enterobacterales had an average time to optimal antibiotic administration of 17.7 hours, which improved to 2.8 hours after BCID2 implementation (p=0.0041). Time to Effective and Optimal Antibiotics after implementation of BCID2 (August 2021 – March 2022) Time to Effective and Optimal Antibiotics for Ceftriaxone Resistant Enterobacterales Prior to BCID2 Implementation (January 2021 - July 2021) Conclusion BioFire® FilmArray® coupled with antibiotic stewardship team support can help optimize time to effective and optimal antibiotic therapy in bloodstream infection. The addition of the CTX-M target to BCID2 was a helpful addition to the panel which allowed for decreased time to optimal antibiotic therapy. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures.

Registered nurses' views on consideration of patient perspectives during multidisciplinary team meetings in cancer care.

Multidisciplinary team meetings (MDTMs) represent an integral component of modern cancer care and have increasingly been implemented to ensure accurate and evidence-based treatment recommendations. During MDTMs, multiple and complex medical and patient-related information should be considered by a multi-professional team whose members contribute various perspectives. Registered nurses (RNs) are expected to share information on the patient perspective at MDTMs. However, research suggests that RNs' contributions to case discussions are limited and that patient perspective is generally underrepresented. Our aim was to explore RNs' views of the prerequisites for and barriers to the inclusion of the patient perspective in MDTMs in Swedish cancer care. Data were collected from four focus group interviews with 22 RNs who worked as contact nurses in Swedish cancer care. Interviews were transcribed and analysed using inductive content analysis. The analysis identified two categories and five subcategories. The participants presented different views and expressed ambivalence about the patient perspective in MDTMs. Subcategories were related to medical versus holistic perspectives, the added value of patient perspective, and possibilities for patient contributions. The participants also discussed prerequisites for the patient perspective to be considered in MDTM decision-making process, with subcategories related to structures promoting attention to the patient perspective and determinants of RNs' contributions to case discussions in MDTMs. This study demonstrates various views related to the patient perspective in MDTMs and identifies a great need to clarify the RN's role. Our results indicate that if enhanced presentation of the patient perspective in MDTMs is desired, key information points and structures must be established to collect and present relevant patient-related information.