Group Trial Research Articles

Generalizing trial evidence to target populations in non-nested designs: Applications to AIDS clinical trials.

Comparative effectiveness evidence from randomized trials may not be directly generalizable to a target population of substantive interest when, as in most cases, trial participants are not randomly sampled from the target population. Motivated by the need to generalize evidence from two trials conducted in the AIDS Clinical Trials Group (ACTG), we consider weighting, regression and doubly robust estimators to estimate the causal effects of HIV interventions in a specified population of people living with HIV in the USA. We focus on a non-nested trial design and discuss strategies for both point and variance estimation of the target population average treatment effect. Specifically in the generalizability context, we demonstrate both analytically and empirically that estimating the known propensity score in trials does not increase the variance for each of the weighting, regression and doubly robust estimators. We apply these methods to generalize the average treatment effects from two ACTG trials to specified target populations and operationalize key practical considerations. Finally, we report on a simulation study that investigates the finite-sample operating characteristics of the generalizability estimators and their sandwich variance estimators.

Associations of L-Ferritin and Tim-1 with frailty measures in people with HIV: a cross-sectional and longitudinal study

BackgroundPeople with HIV are at high risk of frailty. Iron transport is key to energy production and is dysregulated by HIV and inflammation. We previously linked higher cerebrospinal fluid levels of the iron transporter heavy-chain-ferritin (Fth1) to better cognition in people with HIV. Here, we evaluated whether higher levels of serum Fth1 and light-chain-ferritin (Ftl), and lower levels of urine T-cell immunoglobulin-and-mucin domain (Tim)-1 (Fth1 receptor) are associated with better frailty measures in people with HIV. MethodsSerum Fth1, Ftl, inflammation markers (IL-6, sTNFR2), and urine Tim-1 were quantified by ELISA in 324 AIDS Clinical Trials Group Study A5322 enrollees at entry. Prefrailty and frailty were assessed using Fried's criteria. Relationships among baseline biomarker concentrations, HIV clinical variables and demographic variables were tested using Pearson's χ2 test, non-parametric tests for trend, or Spearman's correlations. Multivariable regression models evaluated cross-sectional and longitudinal Fth1, Ftl, and Tim-1 associations with prefrail and frail status, average 4-metre walk time, and grip strength in all people with HIV and by sex. FindingsAt study entry, 127 (40%) of 321 participants were prefrail and 15 (4%) of 321 were frail (mean age 52 years [SD 7·3]]; 61 (19%) of 321 were female and 260 (81%) of 321 were male; and 306 (96%) of 319 were virally suppressed). Serum Fth1 was correlated with Ftl (rho 0·14; p<0·01), but not to urine Tim-1. In univariate analyses, Tim-1 was higher (ptrend=0·06) and Ftl lower (ptrend=0·02) across non-frail, prefrail, and frail groups. Higher Tim-1 was associated with prefrailty (odds ratio [OR] 1·5; p<0·01) and combined prefrailty and frailty (OR 2·3; p=0·01) versus non-frail people with HIV. Higher Ftl was associated with faster 4 m walk time (β –0·045; p<0·01), lower odds of weak grip (OR 0·49; p<0·01), and less frailty, particularly in female participants (OR 0·28; p=0·03). In multivariable-adjusted analyses, higher Ftl was associated with faster 4 m walk time and better grip strength (both p<0·05), reduced odds of combined prefrailty and frailty versus non-frailty (adjusted OR 0·56 in all people with HIV and 0·29 in female participants, both p<0·05 for levels greater than or equal to the median versus less than the median) and lower odds of weak grip (OR 0·50; p<0·05). Ftl concentrations in the highest versus lowest quartile were associated with lower odds of slow 4 m walk time in female participants (OR 0·060; p<0·05). Higher Tim-1 was associated with combined prefrailty and frailty versus non-frailty (OR 2·6; p<0·05). Serum Fth1 was not associated with frailty measures. InterpretationIncreased urine Tim-1 is a marker of risk for prefrailty and frailty in people with HIV. Higher serum Ftl is associated with preserved motor function and less prefrailty or frailty, particularly in female individuals. Future studies will explore causal pathways. FundingNational Institutes of Health grant (to AK): 5R03 MH123291-02; National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institute on Aging, and National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.

The Management of Unresectable, Advanced Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumours.

Gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GISTs) are the most common gastrointestinal tract mesenchymal tumours. Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have transformed the management of advanced GIST. Imatinib was the first TKI to gain approval as management for patients with advanced GIST, establishing a new standard of care. Since then, as a result of several trials including the GRID and INVICTUS studies, we now have five lines of approved targeted therapy, including imatinib, sunitinib, regorafenib, ripretinib and avapritinib for the treatment of unresectable, advanced GISTs. In this review, the Australasian Gastrointestinal Trials Group (AGITG) provide an overview of the key trials that have changed clinical practice, discuss the molecular drivers of GISTs, the importance of molecular testing and directing therapy according to molecular targets, as well as future strategies in the management of advanced GISTs.

Interim Guidance: 4-Month Rifapentine-Moxifloxacin Regimen for the Treatment of Drug-Susceptible Pulmonary Tuberculosis - United States, 2022.

On May 5, 2021, CDC's Tuberculosis Trials Consortium and the National Institutes of Health (NIH)-sponsored AIDS Clinical Trials Group (ACTG) published results from a randomized controlled trial indicating that a 4-month regimen containing rifapentine (RPT), moxifloxacin (MOX), isoniazid (INH), and pyrazinamide (PZA) was as effective as the standard 6-month regimen for tuberculosis (TB) treatment (1). On the basis of these findings, CDC recommends the 4-month regimen as a treatment option for U.S. patients aged ≥12 years with drug-susceptible pulmonary TB and provides implementation considerations for this treatment regimen.

Impact of Tamoxifen on Vorinostat-Induced Human Immunodeficiency Virus Expression in Women on Antiretroviral Therapy: AIDS Clinical Trials Group A5366, The MOXIE Trial.

Biological sex and the estrogen receptor alpha (ESR1) modulate human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) activity. Few women have enrolled in clinical trials of latency reversal agents (LRAs); their effectiveness in women is unknown. We hypothesized that ESR1 antagonism would augment induction of HIV expression by the LRA vorinostat. AIDS Clinical Trials Group A5366 enrolled 31 virologically suppressed, postmenopausal women on antiretroviral therapy. Participants were randomized 2:1 to receive tamoxifen (arm A, TAMOX/VOR) or observation (arm B, VOR) for 5 weeks followed by 2 doses of vorinostat. Primary end points were safety and the difference between arms in HIV RNA induction after vorinostat. Secondary analyses included histone 4 acetylation, HIV DNA, and plasma viremia by single copy assay (SCA). No significant adverse events were attributed to study treatments. Tamoxifen did not enhance vorinostat-induced HIV transcription (between-arm ratio, 0.8; 95% confidence interval [CI], .2-2.4). Vorinostat-induced HIV transcription was higher in participants with increases in H4Ac (fold increase, 2.78; 95% CI, 1.34-5.79) vs those 9 who did not (fold increase, 1.04; 95% CI, .25-4.29). HIV DNA and SCA plasma viremia did not substantially change. Tamoxifen did not augment vorinostat-induced HIV RNA expression in postmenopausal women. The modest latency reversal activity of vorinostat, postmenopausal status, and low level of HIV RNA expression near the limits of quantification limited assessment of the impact of tamoxifen. This study is the first HIV cure trial done exclusively in women and establishes both the feasibility and necessity of investigating novel HIV cure strategies in women living with HIV. NCT03382834.

Abstract P1-15-01: Effect of concomitant statin treatment in postmenopausal patients with hormone-receptor positive early-stage breast cancer receiving adjuvant denosumab or placebo: A post-hoc analysis of ABCSG-18

Abstract Background Statins are a common class of cholesterol-lowering drugs prescribed for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease. Moreover, it was suggested that statins may possess anti-cancer properties and interact with RANK ligand expression. Therefore, we aimed at evaluating a hypothetical synergistic effect of statins with denosumab in early-stage breast cancer (BC) patients from the Austrian Breast and Colorectal Cancer Study Group (ABCSG) trial 18. Methods ABCSG-18 (NCT00556374) is a prospective, randomized, double-blind, phase III study; postmenopausal patients with hormone receptor (HR) positive BC receiving a non-steroidal aromatase inhibitor were randomly assigned to denosumab or placebo. In this post-hoc analysis, we investigated the potential effects of concomitant statin therapy on recurrence risk of BC, fracture risk and bone mineral density (BMD) using time-dependent Cox proportional hazards models. Sensitivity analyses accounting for immortal time and confounding bias were performed. Results In the analysis of the study population (n=3,420), statin therapy (n=824) was associated with worse disease-free survival (DFS) (HR 1.35, 95%; CI 1.04-1.75; p=0.023). Sensitivity analysis relativized these results (HR 1.22, 95% CI 0.94 - 1.59; p=0.14). While there was no significant effect of lipophilic statins (n=710) on recurrence risk (HR 1.30, 95% CI 0.99 - 1.72; p=0.062), patients on hydrophilic statins (n=87) had worse DFS compared with patients not receiving any statins (HR 2.00, 95% CI 1.09-3.66; p=0.026). This finding was mainly driven by the effect of hydrophilic statins on DFS in the denosumab arm (HR 2.63, 95% CI 1.21 - 5.68; p=0.014). No association between statin use and fracture risk or osteoporosis was observed. Conclusion In this population of early-stage breast cancer patients from a prospective randomized study, an association of hydrophilic statins with increased recurrence risk was observed. According to this retrospective analysis hydrophilic statins may increase recurrence risk especially in patients treated with denosumab. Still, our data need to be interpreted with caution due to their retrospective nature and the low number of patients receiving hydrophilic statins. Therefore, no final conclusion is possible. This hypothesis generating result warrants further exploration. Citation Format: Christoph Minichsdorfer, Thorsten Fuereder, Michael Leutner, Christian F. Singer, Stephanie Kacerovsky-Strobl, Daniel Egle, Richard Greil, Marija Balic, Florian Fitzal, Georg Pfeiler, Sophie Frantal, Rupert A. Bartsch, Michael Gnant. Effect of concomitant statin treatment in postmenopausal patients with hormone-receptor positive early-stage breast cancer receiving adjuvant denosumab or placebo: A post-hoc analysis of ABCSG-18 [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2021 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2021 Dec 7-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P1-15-01.

Validating Restricted Mean Survival Time Estimates From Reconstructed Kaplan-Meier Data Against Original Trial Individual Patient Data From Trials Conducted by the Canadian Cancer Trials Group

ObjectivesThe development of novel cancer therapies, including immuno-oncology agents, has increased interest in reconstructed individual patient data (IPD) based restricted mean survival time (RMST) analyses. Additionally, reconstructed IPD–based RMST is recommended in cost-effectiveness analyses when original trial IPD are not available. Nevertheless, recently concerns regarding potential bias of reconstructed-IPD RMST have been presented, because reconstructed-IPD RMSTs have not been validated and previous validation endpoints may not capture the entire Kaplan-Meier (KM) curve, especially the “tail.” Our study aims to validate the recommended method of IPD reconstruction by comparing reconstructed IPD– and original trial IPD–based RMST. MethodsCanadian Cancer Trials Group trials from 1990 to 2017 were included. Overall survival and progression-free survival IPD were reconstructed based on published KM curves using the Guyot method. Analysts were blinded to original trial IPD. RMST was calculated at 1 year and over the entire KM curve. Reconstructed-IPD and original trial–IPD (gold-standard) RMSTs were compared for accuracy and predictive error via mean deviation, mean absolute error (MAE), mean percentage bias, and Bland-Altman plots and across KM curve quality (vector traced or bitmapped). ResultsWe identified 39 trials. The mean deviation, MAE, and mean percentage bias of RMST between the reconstructed IPD and original trial IPD were small. In particular, the mean deviation was −0.01 months and −0.04 months, MAE was 0.19 months and 0.24 months, and mean percentage bias was 0.82% and 0.84% in overall survival KM curves in control and experimental arms, respectively. Accuracy was generally not associated with KM curve quality. ConclusionsRMST derived from reconstructed IPD displayed excellent accuracy and predictive error compared with the gold standard. Reconstructed IPD could be used to calculate RMST in lieu of original trial IPD, to facilitate decision making for clinicians, researchers, and policy makers.

Monitoring Circulating Immune Checkpoint Proteins as Predictors of Non-AIDS Morbid Events in People With HIV Initiating Antiretroviral Therapy.

BackgroundAlthough cell surface immune checkpoint proteins (ICPs) such as PD-1 expressed on T cells are associated with T-cell exhaustion, HIV disease progression, and AIDS events, they have shown limited utility in predicting non-AIDS morbidity. Given that ICPs also exist in soluble forms and are elevated in ART-treated HIV infection, we tested the hypothesis that soluble ICPs may be predictive of non-AIDS events in adults initiating ART.MethodsUtilizing a nested case–control study from the AIDS Clinical Trials Group ALLRT cohort, we measured plasma levels of 15 soluble inhibitory and activating ICPs by Luminex. Participants (134 cases, 292 matched controls) were evaluated pre-ART, a year post-ART, and immediately preceding a non-AIDS event, which included myocardial infarction (MI)/stroke, malignancy, serious bacterial infection, and nonaccidental death.ResultsConditional logistic regression analysis determined that higher levels of soluble CD27 were associated with increased risk of non-AIDS events at all time points. Higher levels of CD40 at baseline and pre-event and CD80 at pre-event were associated with increased risk of non-AIDS events. Examining specific non-AIDS events, multiple ICPs were associated with malignancy at baseline and pre-event, whereas only higher CD27 levels were associated with increased risk of MI/stroke at year 1 and pre-event.ConclusionsWhile select soluble ICPs were associated with non-AIDS events, CD27 emerged as a consistent marker irrespective of ART. Our data may offer guidance on new targets for early clinical monitoring in people with HIV who remain at greater risk of specific non-AIDS events.

COVID-19 in Hospitalised Children and Adolescents: Review of the First Pandemic Year at Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Klinikos.

Summary.Background.Since the start of the pandemic with SARS-CoV-2 virus, very little data was known about clinical features and outcomes of COVID-19 in children and adolescents not only in Lithuania, but also in other European countries. This study was started in collaboration with 82 participating healthcare institutions across 25 European countries, using a well-established research network—the Paediatric Tuberculosis Network European Trials Group (ptbnet). This multinational, multicentre cohort study was performed during the first wave of the pandemic, between April 1 and April 24, 2020. Each participating country was allowed to continue further research individually encompassing brighter time limits and using the same methodology. We present here data of children hospitalised at Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Klinikos (VUH SK) during the first year of the pandemic.Materials and methods.We included all paediatric patients with PCR confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection who were hospitalised at VUH SK. The study was performed between March 12, 2020 and March 12, 2021. A standardised data collection spreadsheet was used to record epidemiological, clinical and treatment data.Results.A total of 104 patients were included in the study. The median age of participants was 5 years (IQR 1.0-11.0, range 0-17 years). Males accounted for 50 (48%) of all patients. The average duration of hospitalisation was 3 days. Ten (9.6%) patients had pre-existing medical conditions. Among all hospitalised patients 16 (15%) were asymptomatic, 5 (4.8%) were treated in intensive care unit (ICU). The most common symptoms among COVID-19 patients were pyrexia 71 (68%) followed by upper respiratory tract infection 49 (47%) and gastrointestinal symptoms 33 (32%). Among the entire cohort only 3 (3%) patients required oxygen support, but none of them was started on continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), mechanical ventilation or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). None of the patients admitted to ICU needed inotropic support. There was no fatal outcome.Conclusions.Our data indicate that COVID-19 may affect children of any age. The COVID-19 disease was usually mild in hospitalized children and adolescents. The most common clinical findings of COVID-19 were pyrexia and symptoms of upper respiratory tract infection. Severe COVID-19 disease cases when oxygen support or treatment in ICU was required were very rare. No patient received antiviral drugs for Covid-19 treatment. There was no fatal outcome due to COVID-19 in our study population.

Intensive care research coordinator workforce, role satisfaction, & wellbeing survey

Introduction: Intensive care unit (ICU) clinical research is implemented by specialised research coordinators (RCs). ICU RCs were surveyed on workforce and role satisfaction in 2004. Clinical trials activity through the Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Society, Clinical Trials Group has escalated since 2004, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Progress of the ICU RC workforce and role satisfaction is poorly understood.

Associations of FGF21 and GDF15 with mitochondrial dysfunction in children living with perinatally-acquired HIV: A cross-sectional evaluation of pediatric AIDS clinical trials group 219/219C.

In persons living with HIV, mitochondrial disease (MD) is difficult to diagnose, as clinical signs are non-specific with inconsistent patterns. Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) and growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) are mitokines elevated in MD patients without HIV, and associated with cardiometabolic comorbidities in adults living with HIV. We assessed relationships of these biomarkers with MD in children living with perinatally-acquired HIV infection (CPHIV). Cross-sectional study of CPHIV from Pediatric ACTG 219/219C classified by Mitochondrial Disease Criteria (MDC) that defines scores 2-4 as "possible" MD. Each case with MDC equaling 4 (MDC4; n = 23) was matched to one randomly selected control displaying no MDC (MDC0; n = 23) based on calendar date. Unmatched cases with MDC equaling 3 (MDC3; n = 71) were also assessed. Plasma samples proximal to diagnoses were assayed by ELISA. Mitokine distributions were compared using Wilcoxon tests, Spearman correlations were calculated, and associations with MD status were assessed by conditional logistic regression. Median FGF21 and GDF15 concentrations, respectively, were highest in MDC4 (143.9 and 1441.1 pg/mL), then MDC3 (104.0 and 726.5 pg/mL), and lowest in controls (89.4 and 484.7 pg/mL). Distributions of FGF21 (paired Wilcoxon rank sum p = 0.002) and GDF15 (paired Wilcoxon rank sum p<0.001) differed in MDC4 vs MDC0. Mitokine concentrations were correlated across all participants (r = 0.33; p<0.001). Unadjusted odds ratios of being MDC4 vs MDC0 were 5.2 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.06-25.92] for FGF21 and 3.5 (95%CI: 1.19-10.25) for GDF15. Relationships persisted after covariate adjustments. FGF21 and GDF15 levels may be useful biomarkers to screen for CPHIV with mitochondrial dysfunction.

Treatment and Outcome in Children With Tuberculous Meningitis: A Multicenter Pediatric Tuberculosis Network European Trials Group Study

Currently, data on treatment, outcome, and prognostic factors in children with tuberculous meningitis (TBM) in Europe are limited. To date, most existing data on TBM originate from adult studies, or studies conducted in low-resource settings. We designed a multicenter, retrospective study involving 27 pediatric healthcare institutions in 9 European countries via an established pediatric TB research network, before and after the 2014 revision of World Health Organization (WHO) dosing recommendations. Of 118 children, 39 (33.1%) had TBM grade 1, 68 (57.6%) grade 2, and 11 (9.3%) grade 3. Fifty-eight (49.1%) children received a standard 4-drug treatment regimen; other commonly used drugs included streptomycin, prothionamide, and amikacin. Almost half of the patients (48.3%; 56/116) were admitted to intensive care unit, with a median stay of 10 (interquartile range [IQR] 4.5-21.0) days. Of 104 children with complete outcome data, 9.6% (10/104) died, and only 47.1% (49/104) recovered fully. Main long-term sequelae included spasticity of 1 or more limbs and developmental delay both in 19.2% (20/104), and seizure disorder in 17.3% (18/104). Multivariate regression analyses identified microbiological confirmation of TBM, the need for neurosurgical intervention, and mechanical ventilation as risk factors for unfavorable outcome. There was considerable heterogeneity in the use of TB drugs in this cohort. Despite few children presenting with advanced disease and the study being conducted in a high-resource setting, morbidity and mortality were high. Several risk factors for poor outcome were identified, which may aid prognostic predictions in children with TBM in the future.

A modified GnRH antagonist method in combination with letrozole, cabergoline, and GnRH antagonist for PCOS: Safe and effective ovarian stimulation to treat PCOS and prevent OHSS.

PurposeTo analyze the therapeutic efficacy of a modified controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) protocol for polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) that does not cause ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) while maintaining oocyte quality.MethodThis study is a retrospective cohort study of reproductive medicine at St. Mother Clinic. We analyzed ART clinical outcomes, embryonic development, and hormone levels in 175 PCOS patients treated with four COS (GnRH agonist based long protocol, Group A; GnRH antagonist protocol with HCG trigger, Group B; GnRH antagonist protocol with GnRH agonist trigger, Group C, and the modified COS group) between 2010 and 2021.ResultsOf 175 patients with PCOS, 45 and 130 patients underwent 47 and 136 oocyte retrieval cycles, 75 and 250 embryo transfer cycles with the modified COS, and with conventional methods, respectively. The cumulative pregnancy rate at one trial was a significantly higher result than in Group A and higher than in Groups B and C (cumulative pregnancy rate at one trial of Group A, B, C, and modified COS: 40.0%, 54.5%, 56.3%, and 72.3%, respectively). With this method, not clinically problematic OHSS and higher clinical outcomes than in conventional methods were observed.ConclusionThis modified COS can significantly improve clinical outcomes and eliminate OHSS.

Update on optimal management for pancreatic cancer: expert perspectives from members of the Australasian Gastrointestinal Trials Group (AGITG) with invited international faculty

ABSTRACT Introduction Pancreatic cancer remains a challenging malignancy due to the high proportion of patients diagnosed at advanced stages and the limited treatment options. This article discusses recent evidence in the management of both localized and advanced pancreatic cancer and offers an expert opinion on current best practice. Areas covered For patients with localized disease, the evidence for adjuvant chemotherapy is discussed as well as emerging neoadjuvant approaches for resectable, borderline resectable, and locally advanced disease. Advances in metastatic disease are discussed including cytotoxic chemotherapy, targeted therapies, and the role of genomic testing to identify patients with molecular alterations. Reviewed literature included journal publications, abstracts presented at major international oncology meetings, and ongoing clinical trials databases. Expert opinion Pancreatic cancer is a devastating diagnosis and despite recent advances has a very poor prognosis. Only a minority of patients, 20%, are diagnosed with potentially curable disease. The shifting paradigm toward neoadjuvant therapy may improve resectability and survival rates; however, robust evidence is required. Thus far, there has only been limited progress in advanced stage disease. Genomic testing may potentially identify more treatment targets although limited to small subgroups.

RTID-05. THE MULTI-ARM GLIOBLASTOMA AUSTRALASIA (MAGMA) TRIAL

Abstract BACKGROUND Survival outcomes for patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma have not changed significantly since the introduction of concurrent temozolomide with post-surgical radiation followed by adjuvant temozolomide. METHODS Multi-Arm Glioblastoma Australasia (MAGMA) is a recently initiated phase III multi-arm, multi-centre randomized trial for patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma, led by the Australian Cooperative Trials Group for Neuro-Oncology (COGNO), that will concurrently test multiple treatment questions. Initially, a partial factorial design will be implemented to compare the current standard of care with either or both of (1) neoadjuvant temozolomide and (2) aduvant temozolomide continued beyond six months until progression. MAGMA will transition to a multi-arm multi-stage (MAMS) design as additional tratment question are introduced. Treatment allocation to each question will be balanced (1:1) using minimisation over several stratification factors, including study site, age, IDH-mutation status, surgical extent and randomization to the prior treatment question(s). The primary outcome is overall survival. Secondary outcomes include progression-free survival (measured by mRANO), time to first non-temozolomide systemic treatment, clinically significant toxicity as measured by Grade 2/4 adverse events, and health-related quality of life measures. Parsimonious data collection and a streamlined assessment schedule have been incorporated to mitigate the burden of data collection (such as low grade toxicity from temozolomide), and to encourage participation in regional and rural settings. A consortium model has been adopted to foster neuro-oncology expertise and infrastructure and share academic credit and future design opportunities. PROGRESS Recruitment commenced in September 2020. To date, 60 patients have been recruited from an initial sample size target of 250 patients for each of these initial two treatment questions. Of these 60 patients, 45 have been randomized in Question 1 (neoadjuvant chemotherapy) whilst 50 randomized in Question 2 (prolonged adjuvant chemotherapy). To date, 14 of the 27 intended sites are open to recruitment.

Clonal Hematopoiesis Is Associated with Risk of Cardiovascular Disease in Individuals with Human Immunodeficiency Virus

IntroductionAn estimated 1.2 million individuals in the United States are living with HIV (www.hiv.gov). Thanks to modern antiretroviral therapies (ART), the life expectancies of individuals living with HIV now approach those of people without HIV (Marcus 2020). But with this, an increase in the proportion of deaths due to non-infectious causes has occurred including, predominately, cardiovascular disease (CVD). Multiple studies have shown that HIV infection is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. This increased risk is multifactorial due to an increased prevalence of traditional CVD risk factors and HIV-specific risk factors including ART, chronic inflammation and immune activation (Hsue 2010). Clonal Hematopoiesis, characterized by the expansion of blood cells stemming from a mutant hematopoietic stem/progenitor cell (HSPCs) is an emerging risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Mechanistically, this is thought to be driven, at least in part, by CH-induced proinflammatory circulating leukocytes (Jaiswal 2017, Bick 2020). Recent data suggest that inflammatory states may also promote the expansion of DNMT3A and TET2 CH mutant HSPCs suggesting a potential feedback loop (Zheng 2019, King 2019). CH has been recently reported to be increased among individuals living with HIV (Dharan 2021). Whether CH is a risk factor for HIV-associated CVD is not known. Given evidence of an increased prevalence of CH among those with HIV, we hypothesized that CH would predict risk of CVD.MethodsWe performed a nested case-control study drawn from the AIDS Clinical Trials Group Longitudinal Linked Randomized Trials (ALLRT) observational study which was a long-term study of individuals with newly diagnosed HIV receiving ART (N=4,371). Cases who developed a cardiovascular event were matched to controls with no event based on age at blood draw and sex. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PMBCs) were isolated from the blood draw closest to the time of CVD event or time of censoring, for cases and controls respectively. Extracted DNA was subjected to whole exome sequencing (WES) at a median depth of 500x. We also included WES data from 267 children sequenced using the same platform as a technical panel of normal (PON). Mutation calling was performed using Mutect2, VarDict and Varscan2. We retained variants that met the following criteria: 1) passed by at least two callers 2) showed statistically significant higher variant allele fraction (VAF) compared to our PON 3) had VAF between 2-35% 4) at least 6 reads supporting the variant 5) passed additional post-calling filters for germline variants and sequencing artifacts 6) were annotated as a putative driver of CH based on previously defined criteria.ResultsOver 13 years of follow-up we observed 83 cardiovascular events: 4 cases of ASC, 14 of stroke, 25 of cerebrovascular accident, 37 of myocardial infarction, 2 of peripheral artery disease, and 1 heart failure. The mean age of our participants was 51.6 years, 81% were male, 35% percent were African-American, 17% were Hispanic and 2% were Asian. Among 161 participants (83 cases and 78 controls) we observed at least one CH mutation in 14% of participants (18% of cases and 10% of controls). The median VAF was 3.5% with 23 individuals harboring a median of 1 mutation (range 1-2). In a conditional logistic regression model adjusted for race, Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease (ASCVD) Risk Score and stratified by case-control matched pairs, CH was significantly associated with CVD (OR=3.70, 95% CI 1.03-13.23 p=0.045). Because of the possible confounding effects of classes of ART therapy on the CH-CVD association, we explored whether the prevalence of CH differed based on prior exposure to ART sub-class(es). We did not observe differences in the frequency of CH among individuals with prior exposure to different ART regimens (Non-Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors 14%, Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors 17%, Protease inhibitors 20%, Integrase inhibitors 18%)ConclusionsAmong individuals with HIV, CH is associated with a nearly four-fold increased risk of CVD. These findings highlight the relevance of CH to HIV-associated CVD and provide support for interventions targeting potential CH-induced pro-inflammatory states among patients with HIV. DisclosuresErlandson: Gilead Sciences: Consultancy, Research Funding; Viiv Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy; Janssen Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy. Bolton: bristol myers squibb: Research Funding.

Healthcare Costs of Laparoscopic versus Open Surgery for Rectal Cancer Patients in the First 12 Months: A Secondary Endpoint Analysis of the Australasian Laparoscopic Cancer of the Rectum Trial (ALaCaRT).

Laparoscopic-assisted surgery for rectal cancer is widely used, however the healthcare costs are thought to be higher than for open resection. This secondary endpoint analysis of a randomized controlled trial aimed to evaluate total healthcare costs of laparoscopic-assisted surgery compared with open resection for rectal cancer over a 12-month period. Patients in the Australasian Laparoscopic Cancer of the Rectum Trial (ALaCaRT) were included in a prospective costing analysis. All healthcare use for the index surgery and hospital admission, readmissions, and follow-up care over 12months were included. Unit costs were valued in Australian dollars (AUD$) using scheduled Medicare fees and hospital cost weights. The primary outcome was mean per patient cost. Non-parametric bootstrapping with 10,000 replications was undertaken for robustness checks. Data from 468 patients indicated that the laparoscopic-assisted surgical procedure incurred a mean cost of AUD$4542 (standard deviation [SD] AUD$1050)-AUD$521 higher than the open procedure mean cost of AUD$4021 (SD AUD$804) due to longer operative time and involvement of more costly equipment (95% confidence interval [CI] AUD$354-AUD$692). At 12 months, the average cost for the laparoscopic-assisted and open groups was AUD$43,288 (SD AUD$40,883) and AUD$45,384 (SD AUD$38,659), respectively, due to the shorter subsequent hospital stays. No overall significant cost difference between groups was found (95% CI -AUD$9358 to AUD$5003). One-way sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of the results. While initially higher, the costs of laparoscopic-assisted surgery for rectal cancer were similar to open resection at 12 months. Clinicians may choose a surgical approach based on clinical need. The Australasian Gastro-Intestinal Trials Group (AGITG) was the legal sponsor and trial coordination was performed by the NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre. The trial was registered with the Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry (ACTRN12609000663257).

Continued Low Rates of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) Recurrence in HCV/HIV- and HCV-Infected Participants Who Achieved Sustained Virologic Response After Direct-Acting Antiviral Treatment: Final Results From the AIDS Clinical Trials Group A5320 Viral Hepatitis C Infection Long-term Cohort Study (V-HICS).

Final results from the long-term Viral Hepatitis C Infection Long-term Cohort Study (V-HICS) found low rates of hepatitis C virus (HCV) recurrence after direct-acting antiviral therapy in both HCV/human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)–coinfected (0.67/100 person-years) and HCV-infected (0.2/100 person-years) groups with >500 person-years of follow-up. Confirmed reinfections were in participants with HIV who reported high-risk behaviors.

Global trends in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension clinical trials and dissemination of results.

Treatment options for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) are rapidly expanding. The purpose of this study is to identify trends in CTEPH clinical trials and the publication of results. We performed a worldwide review of completed and ongoing clinical trials through searching the ClinicalTrials.gov database and the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform for “CTEPH” and related terms. Entries were classified as pharmaceutical/procedural interventions (Group 1), all other clinical trials (Group 2) and patient registries (Group 3). Trial characteristics and national affiliation were recorded. PubMed was searched for related publications. There were 117 clinical trials registry entries after removing duplicates and non-target records. Group 1 comprised 29 pharmaceutical, 15 procedural, and four combined interventions starting in 2005, 2010, and 2016, respectively. Riociguat and balloon pulmonary angioplasty were the most frequent pharmaceutical and procedural interventions, respectively. The proportion of procedural trials increased over time from 0% of those in 2005–2009 to 29% in 2010–2014 and 54% in 2015–2020. There were 56 entries in Group 2 and 13 in Group 3. Japan was the most frequent national affiliation and the most frequent participating country, present in 28% of all trials. The proportion of entries with published results was highest with Group 3 (62%) and lowest with Group 1 (27%). Thirty percent of all publications occurred in 2020. In conclusion, CTEPH clinical trials are increasingly procedural based, with growth largely attributable to Japan and balloon pulmonary angioplasty. Most trials have not published, but results from balloon pulmonary angioplasty clinical trials are anticipated soon.

Peripheral neuropathy in people living with human immunodeficiency virus and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome on antiretroviral therapy

Background: Peripheral neuropathy is a common neurological complication in people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. HIV-associated sensory neuropathy (HIV-SN) is defined as the presence of neuropathic symptoms and at least an abnormal perception of vibrations of a 128 Hz tuning fork on the great toe or abnormal ankle reflexes or both. Brief peripheral neuropathy screening (BPNS) tool is employed in identifying HIV-SN based on a directed symptom questionnaire and limited clinical examination. The present study was conducted to determine the prevalence and drug regimens related to peripheral neuropathy in people living with HIV and Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) on antiretroviral therapy (ART) so as to help improve the care for those on ART. The objective was to study the prevalence of peripheral neuropathy in people living with HIV and AIDS on ART using AIDS clinical trials group validated BPNS tools.Methods: Cross-sectional study on 198 HIV-seropositive cases aged above 18 years on ART attending centre of excellence (CoE) ART centre, RIMS Imphal. The presence of peripheral neuropathy was examined by using a BPNS among the participants.Results: Peripheral neuropathy was found in 46 (23.2%) out of 198 participants using BPNS. In this study a positive association between the duration of treatment with ART and use of protease inhibitor regimes with the development of peripheral neuropathy was significant.Conclusions: Peripheral neuropathy in patient with HIV and AIDS on ART had significant association with duration of treatment with ART and use of protease inhibitor combination in the ART regime.