Inverse Probability Of Treatment Weighting Research Articles

Health care costs among patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma treated with ixazomib or daratumumab in combination with lenalidomide and dexamethasone in the United States.

Available treatments for relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) include multiclass triplet regimens such as lenalidomide and dexamethasone (Rd backbone) plus ixazomib (proteasome inhibitor [PI]; I) or daratumumab (monoclonal antibody; D). Although prior real-world studies compared PI-Rd triplets, this research extends those findings by comparing health care costs of a PI-based and a monoclonal antibody-based triplet, IRd and DRd, in patients with RRMM in the United States. To describe and compare all-cause and MM-related health care costs in patients with RRMM treated with IRd vs DRd. This retrospective longitudinal study used fully adjudicated US claims data from IQVIA PharMetrics Plus (January 1, 2015, to September 30, 2020) and included adult patients who initiated IRd or DRd as second line of therapy (LOT) or later. Index date was the treatment initiation date for each LOT; baseline was 6 months pre-index. MM-related and all-cause costs per patient per month were assessed during follow-up (2020 US dollars). For MM-related costs, treatment administration costs were excluded from outpatient (OP) costs and instead summed with pharmacy costs. Costs were compared using 2-part models and generalized linear models. Inverse probability of treatment weighting was used to adjust for imbalances in baseline confounders across treatment groups. A total of 265 patients who initiated IRd or DRd were included in this analysis, contributing to 276 distinct LOTs (IRd: n = 153; DRd: n = 123). Baseline characteristics were similar between IRd and DRd cohorts after applying inverse probability of treatment weighting. Weighted (ie, adjusted) mean monthly MM-related total costs were significantly lower for the IRd cohort compared with the DRd cohort (-$8,141; P < 0.001). Total MM-related medical (-$4,764; P < 0.001), OP (-$3,152; P < 0.001), and pharmacy and OP treatment administration costs (-$3,563; P = 0.017) were also significantly lower for the IRd cohort. When comparing patients with MM in the IQVIA PharMetrics Plus commercial insurance database, which reflects the payer perspective, significant cost savings were observed for patients treated with IRd vs DRd owing to lower OP and pharmacy costs. These findings may help inform real-world treatment and reimbursement decisions for patients with RRMM.

Whether mTICI 3 or mTICI 2b is better in patients with vertebrobasilar artery occlusion undergoing endovascular treatment depends on pc-ASPECTS

BackgroundThe clinical relevance of differentiating between mTICI (modified Thrombolysis In Cerebral Infarction) 2b and mTICI 3 in patients with vertebrobasilar artery occlusion (VBAO) remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate...

Minimally invasive technique facilitates early extubation after cardiac surgery: a single-center retrospective study

BackgroundPostoperative time to extubation plays a role in prognosis after heart valve surgery; however, its exact impact has not been clarified. This study compared the postoperative outcomes of minimally invasive surgery and conventional sternotomy, focusing on early extubation and factors influencing prolonged mechanical ventilation.MethodsData from 744 patients who underwent heart valve surgery at the Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital between August 2019 and June 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. The outcomes in patients who underwent conventional median sternotomy (MS) and minimally invasive (MI) video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery were compared using inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) and Kaplan–Meier curves. Clinical data, including surgical data, postoperative cardiac function, postoperative complications, and intensive care monitoring data, were analyzed.ResultsAfter propensity score matching and IPTW, 196 cases of conventional MS were compared with 196 cases of MI video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery. Compared to patients in the conventional MS group, those in the MI video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery group in the matched cohort had a higher early postoperative extubation rate (P < 0.01), reduced incidence of postoperative pleural effusion (P < 0.05), significantly shorter length of stay in the intensive care unit (P < 0.01), shorter overall length of hospital stay (P < 0.01), and lower total cost of hospitalization (P < 0.01).ConclusionsSuccessful early tracheal extubation is important for the intensive care management of patients after heart valve surgery. The advantages of MI video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery over conventional MS include significant reductions in the duration of use of mechanical ventilation support, reduced length of intensive care unit stay, reduced total length of hospitalization, and a favorable patient recovery rate.

Impact of targeted neonatal echocardiography consultations for critically sick preterm neonates

RationalePreterm neonates needing rescue treatments with inotropes and/or inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) (acute critical illnesses, ACIs) in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) are at high risk of mortality. While targeted...

Positive Airway Pressure, Mortality, and Cardiovascular Risk in Older Adults With Sleep Apnea

Positive airway pressure (PAP) is the first-line treatment for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), but evidence on its beneficial effect on major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and mortality prevention is limited. To determine whether PAP initiation and utilization are associated with lower mortality and incidence of MACE among older adults with OSA living in the central US. This retrospective clinical cohort study included Medicare beneficiaries with 2 or more distinct OSA claims identified from multistate, statewide, multiyear (2011-2020) Medicare fee-for-service claims data. Individuals were followed up until death or censoring on December 31, 2020. Analyses were performed between December 2021 and December 2023. Evidence of PAP initiation and utilization based on PAP claims after OSA diagnosis. All-cause mortality and MACE, defined as a composite of myocardial infarction, heart failure, stroke, or coronary revascularization. Doubly robust Cox proportional hazards models with inverse probability of treatment weights were used to estimate treatment effect sizes controlling for sociodemographic and clinical factors. Among 888 835 beneficiaries with OSA included in the analyses (median [IQR] age, 73 [69-78] years; 390 598 women [43.9%]; 8115 Asian [0.9%], 47 122 Black [5.3%], and 760 324 White [85.5%] participants; median [IQR] follow-up, 3.1 [1.5-5.1] years), those with evidence of PAP initiation (290 015 [32.6%]) had significantly lower all-cause mortality (hazard ratio [HR], 0.53; 95% CI, 0.52-0.54) and MACE incidence risk (HR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.89-0.91). Higher quartiles (Q) of annual PAP claims were progressively associated with lower mortality (Q2 HR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.81-0.87; Q3 HR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.74-0.79; Q4 HR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.72-0.77) and MACE incidence risk (Q2 HR, 0.92; 95% CI, 0.89-0.95; Q3 HR, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.86-0.91; Q4 HR, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.85-0.90). In this cohort study of Medicare beneficiaries with OSA, PAP utilization was associated with lower all-cause mortality and MACE incidence. Results might inform trials assessing the importance of OSA therapy toward minimizing cardiovascular risk and mortality in older adults.

Sex-based utilization and outcomes of cold-stored whole blood for trauma resuscitation: Analysis of a prospective multicenter study.

Resuscitation with cold-stored whole blood (WB) has outcome benefits, but benefits varied by patient sex is unknown. There are also concerns about alloimmunization risk for premenopausal females given WB, leading to some protocols excluding this cohort. We sought to analyze WB utilization, outcomes, and disparities by patient sex. This is a secondary analysis of a prospective multicenter study of WB resuscitation. Patients were stratified by sex and compared by transfusion strategy of WB or component therapy (CT). Generalized estimated equation models using inverse probability of treatment weighting were utilized. There were 1,617 patients (83% male; 17% female) included. Females were less likely to receive WB versus males (55% vs. 76%; p < 0.001), with wide variability between individual centers (0%-33% female vs. 66%-100% male, p < 0.01). Male WB had more blunt trauma (45% vs. 31%) and higher shock index (1.0 vs. 0.8) compared with the male CT cohort (all p < 0.05) but similar Injury Severity Score. The female WB cohort was older (53 vs. 36) and primarily blunt trauma (77% vs. 62%) compared with the female CT cohort (all p < 0.05) but had similar shock index and Injury Severity Score. Male WB had lower early and overall mortality (27% vs. 42%), but a higher rate of acute kidney injury (16% vs. 6%) vs. the male CT cohort (all p < 0.01). Female cohorts had no difference in mortality, but the WB cohort had higher bleeding complications. Whole blood use was independently associated with decreased mortality (OR, 0.6; p < 0.01) for males but not for females (OR, 0.9; p = 0.78). Whole blood was independently associated with a decreased mortality for males with no difference identified for females. Whole blood was significantly less utilized in females and showed wide variability between centers. Further study of the impact of patient sex on outcomes with WB and WB utilization is needed. Prognostic/Epidemiological; Level IV.

Effectiveness of short treatment duration for carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales in bloodstream-infections: A retrospective cohort study

ObjectiveWe analyse the effectiveness of short courses of adequate treatment in patients with episodes of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales bloodstream-infections (CPE-BSI). MethodsPatients with first monomicrobial CPE-BSI episodes who received ≥72 h of appropriate treatment from 2014–2022 were selected. Detection of CPE was established on the basis of phenotypic antibiogram and confirmation by PCR and/or immunochromatographic methods. Patients were classified in short treatment group (STG) those who received 3–10 days of appropriate treatment, and long treatment (LTG) those receiving >10 days. Unfavourable outcome consisted in a composite of global 30-day mortality and/or persistent bacteremia and/or recurrent bacteremia. Inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) analysis was performed to compare the outcome between the two study groups. ResultsWe included 105 CPE-BSI episodes: 99 were caused by OXA-48-like, 4 VIM and 2 KPC carbapenemases. Thirty-nine patients (37.1%) were included in the STG and 66 (62.9%) in LTG. The STG group presented frequent treatment with ceftazidime-avibactam (43.6% vs. 24.2%, P = 0.03) and lower in-hospital stay (21 days vs. 32 days, P = 0.02). Overall, 28 patients (26.7%) presented unfavourable outcome: IPTW analysis showed no differences in the outcome between STG to LTG groups (24.2% vs. 30.8%, weighted-risk difference 6.6%, P = 0.44). Patients with unfavourable outcome presented more frequently source other than urinary-biliary (46.4% vs. 23.4%, P = 0.02), received less frequently ceftazidime-avibactam (14.3% vs. 37.7%, P = 0.02) and presented frequently with absence of source control when indicated (28.6% vs. 13.0%, P = 0.06). ConclusionsShort treatment durations for CPE-BSI episodes may be effective, as long as they are appropriate and source control is performed.

Efficacy of Closed-Incision Negative Pressure Wound Therapy in Reducing Postoperative Complications in Breast Reconstruction After Radiotherapy: A Propensity Score Analysis.

Implant-based breast reconstruction following radiotherapy can lead to significant postoperative complications. Closed-incision negative pressure wound therapy (ciNPWT) has emerged as a potential intervention to reduce these complications. To assess the effectiveness of ciNPWT in reducing postoperative complications in patients undergoing implant-based breast reconstruction after radiotherapy. A retrospective single-center cohort study was conducted, including patients who underwent implant-based breast reconstruction after mastectomy and radiotherapy between January 1, 2015, and December 31, 2022. We utilized a procedure-level analysis model with patients contributing distinct observations for multiple procedures. Our primary outcome measures included fluid collection, infection, and wound complications. Propensity score analysis was employed to adjust for potential confounders, such as BMI, smoking history, and diabetes history, creating a balanced comparison between the ciNPWT-treated and untreated groups. In our study of 301 breast reconstructions postradiotherapy from 2015 to 2022, encompassing 218 unique patients, we found significant benefits of ciNPWT. During an average of 2.2-year follow-up, the ciNPWT group demonstrated no infections, contrasting with a 10.4% rate in the non-ciNPWT group (P < .0001). Wound complications were also significantly lower in the ciNPWT group (1.9% vs 11.2%; P = .00848). Demographic differences were adjusted using inverse probability of treatment weights. The findings suggest ciNPWT's promising role in enhancing postoperative outcomes in breast reconstruction postradiotherapy. Our study suggests that the use of ciNPWT in implant-based breast reconstruction postradiotherapy can potentially reduce postoperative complications. This intervention can improve patient outcomes and may offer cost-saving benefits in the long run.

The glycemic gap as a prognostic indicator in cardiogenic shock: a retrospective cohort study

BackgroundStress-induced hyperglycemia (SIH) is associated with poor outcomes in cardiogenic shock (CS), and there have been inconsistent results among patients with or without diabetes mellitus (DM). The glycemic gap (GG) is derived by subtracting A1c-derived average glucose from blood glucose levels; it is a superior indicator of SIH. We aimed to explore the role of GG in the outcomes of patients with CS.MethodsData on patients diagnosed with CS were extracted from the MIMIC-IV v2.0 database to investigate the relationship between GG and 30-day mortality (Number of absolute GG subjects = 359; Number of relative GG subjects = 357). CS patients from the Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University were enrolled to explore the correlation between GG and lactic acid (Number of absolute GG subjects = 252; Number of relative GG subjects = 251). Multivariate analysis, propensity score-matched (PSM) analysis, inverse probability treatment weighting (IPTW), and Pearson correlation analysis were applied.ResultsAbsolute GG was associated with 30-day all-cause mortality in CS patients (HRadjusted: 1.779 95% CI: 1.137–2.783; HRPSM: 1.954 95% CI: 1.186–3.220; HRIPTW: 1.634 95% CI: 1.213–2.202). The higher the absolute GG level, the higher the lactic acid level (βadjusted: 1.448 95% CI: 0.474–2.423). A similar trend existed in relative GG (HRadjusted: 1.562 95% CI: 1.003–2.432; HRPSM: 1.790 95% CI: 1.127–2.845; HRIPTW: 1.740 95% CI: 1.287–2.352; βadjusted:1.294 95% CI: 0.369–2.219). Subgroup analysis showed that the relationship existed irrespective of DM. The area under the curve of GG combined with the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) for 30-day all-cause mortality was higher than that of GCS (absolute GG: 0.689 vs. 0.637; relative GG: 0.688 vs. 0.633). GG was positively related to the triglyceride-glucose index. Kaplan–Meier curves revealed that groups of higher GG with DM had the worst outcomes. The outcomes differed among races and GG levels (all P < 0.05).ConclusionsAmong patients with CS, absolute and relative GGs were associated with increased 30-day all-cause mortality, regardless of DM. The relationship was stable after multivariate Cox regression analysis, PSM, and IPTW analysis. Furthermore, they reflect the severity of CS to some extent. Hyperlactatemia and insulin resistance may underlie the relationship between stress-induced hyperglycemia and poor outcomes in CS patients. They both improve the predictive efficacy of the GCS.

Early antibiotic de-escalation in patients with severe infections due to bloodstream infection by enterobacterales: A post hoc analysis of a prospective multicentre cohort

Data about antibiotic de-escalation in sepsis associated with the bloodstream and caused by Enterobacterales are scarce. The objectives of this study are to identify factors associated with early de-escalation and to analyse the impact of de-escalation on mortality in patients with Enterobacterales bloodstream infection (BSI) with a Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score ≥ 2. A prospective, multicentre cohort study was performed including episodes of BSI due to Enterobacterales and a SOFA score ≥ 2 who were receiving an active antipseudomonal β-lactam; the isolate should be susceptible to at least 1 narrower-spectrum antibiotic. Variables associated with de-escalation were identified using logistic binary regression. The association of de-escalation with 30-day mortality was investigated. Confounding was controlled by calculating a propensity score used as covariate, as matching variable, and for inverse probability treatment weighting. Of the 582 patients included, de-escalation was performed in 311 (53.4%). Neutropenia (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 0.37; 95% confidence interval [95% CI] = 0.18-0.75), central venous catheter (aOR = 0.52; 95% CI = 0.32-0.83), and extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing isolate (aOR = 0.28; 95% CI = 0.17-0.48) were negatively associated with de-escalation, and urinary tract source was positively associated (aOR = 2.27; 95% CI = 1.56-3.33). The 30-day mortality was 6.8% (21 patients) in de-escalated patients and 14.4% (39) in not de-escalated patients (relative risk, 0.63; 95% CI = 0.44-0.89). In multivariate analysis including the propensity score, de-escalation was not associated with mortality (AOR = 0.98; 95% CI = 0.39-2.47) and was protective in the case of urinary or biliary tract source (AOR = 0.31, 95% CI = 0.09-1.06). Matched and inverse probability treatment weighting analysis showed similar results. These results suggest that early de-escalation from antipseudomonal β-lactams is safe in patients with Enterobacterales bacteremia and SOFA ≥ 2.

251. THE COMPARISON OF UNIPORTAL VERSUS MULTIPORTAL VIDEO-ASSISTED THORACIC SURGERY FOR ESOPHAGEAL CANCER: A PROPENSITY-WEIGHTED ANALYSIS

Abstract Background Uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) has been widely used, however, there are few studies on uniportal VATS for esophagectomy. Methods Data from patients with clinical stage T1–3/N0/M0 thoracic esophageal cancer who underwent surgery between January 2017 and December 2020 were retrospectively collected and retrospectively analyzed. Inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) analysis was performed to assess the outcomes. Results Overall, 55 patients who underwent uniportal, and 212 patients who underwent multiportal, VATS were identified. Surgery-related postoperative complications (Clavien-Dindo grades 1–2) occurred less frequently after uniportal than multiportal VATS in both crude and IPTW models (10.1% versus 28.8%, respectively; P = 0.018). The median postoperative length of stay was 9 (9–10) days in the uniportal VATS and 10 (9–14) days in the multiportal VATS group (P = 0.006 after IPTW). Upon IPTW analysis, in uniportal and multiportal VATS groups, the rates of pneumonia (grades 1-2) were 7.3% and 23.2% (P = 0.037). The visual analog scale (VAS) was administered on postoperative first 7 days and were significantly lower in the uniportal VATS group (P &amp;lt; 0.001). No surgical mortality was observed in the uniportal VATS group, and the survival benefit between the two groups was comparable before (P = 0.320) and after IPTW (P = 0.824). Conclusion Uniportal VATS for esophagectomy resulted in a lower rate of postoperative complications with less postoperative pain, and is practical for treating patients with esophageal cancer.

Efficacy of CARVYKTI in CARTITUDE-4 versus other conventional treatment regimens for lenalidomide-refractory multiple myeloma using inverse probability of treatment weighting.

Aim: The phase III randomized controlled trial (RCT) CARTITUDE-4 (NCT04181827) demonstrated superiority of CARVYKTI (ciltacabtagene autoleucel; cilta-cel) over daratumumab, pomalidomide and dexamethasone (DPd) and pomalidomide, bortezomib and dexamethasone (PVd) for relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) patients who have received one to three prior line(s) of therapy (LOT[s]) including an immunomodulatory agent and a proteasome inhibitor, and are refractory to lenalidomide. These analyses estimate the relative efficacy between cilta-cel and other common treatment regimens, for which no direct comparative evidence is available. Materials & methods: Patient data were available from the CARTITUDE-4, CASTOR, CANDOR and APOLLO RCTs. Imbalances between cohorts on key patient characteristics were adjusted for using inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW). Relative efficacies were estimated with response rate ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for overall response rate (ORR), very good partial response or better rate (≥VGPR) and complete response or better rate (≥CR), and with hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs for progression-free survival (PFS). Sensitivity analyses using different analytical methods and additional covariates were explored. Results: Key characteristics were well balanced across cohorts after IPTW. Cilta-cel showed statistically significant benefit in PFS (HRs: 0.11-0.51), ≥VGPR (RRs: 1.51-5.13) and ≥CR (RRs: 2.90-35.24) versus all comparators, and statistically significant improvements in ORR over most comparator regimens (RRs: 1.22-1.90). Results were consistent across sensitivity analyses. Conclusion: Cilta-cel demonstrated benefit over other common treatment regimens, highlighting its potential to become a new standard of care option for lenalidomide-refractory RRMM patients with one to three prior LOT(s). These comparisons help to demonstrate the improved efficacy of cilta-cel in countries where the standard of care may differ from DPd/PVd.

The role of wedge resection and lymph node examination in stage IA lung carcinoid tumors.

Current guidelines recommend anatomical resection and mediastinal lymph node resection for stage I to IIIA pulmonary carcinoids (PCs). The role of wedge resection in stage IA PCs remains controversial, previous studies focused on typical carcinoids (TCs) while differentiating histological subtypes preoperatively is not easy. We aimed to study the effect of wedge resection and lymph node examination (LNE) in patients with stage IA PCs. Patients who underwent anatomical and wedge resection for stage T1N0M0 lung carcinoid tumors between 2004 and 2019 were identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Patients were also divided into a non-LNE group and an LNE group. Kaplan-Meier analysis and the log-rank test were used to calculate and compare overall survival (OS). Propensity score matching (PSM) and inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) were used to balance the variables between groups. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard models were developed to determine prognostic factors. A total of 2,029 patients with bronchopulmonary carcinoid tumors were included in this study, 1,450 underwent lobectomy, 147 underwent segmentectomy and 432 underwent wedge resection. Initially, 5-year survival differed marginally between wedge and anatomical resection (91% vs. 95%, P=0.051), but lost significance after adjustment. LNE improved 5-year survival (95% vs. 89%, P=0.003), and this remained significant after adjustment. In multivariate cox analysis, LNE remained a significant variable while extent of resection was not. This result also remained consistent after adjustment. OS was comparable between wedge resection and anatomical resection when at least 1 lymph node was examined. For early-stage PC, wedge resection was not inferior to anatomical resection in terms of OS, while LNE significantly increased the survival in both multivariate and matched studies. The relationship between surgical extent and survival in the unadjusted study may be attributed to the lower rate of LNE in wedge resection. Our findings support wedge resection with emphasis on LNE in early-stage PCs.

785. MANAGEMENT OF ESOPHAGEAL CANCER WITH CONCURRENT CERVICAL NODE METASTASIS: A NATIONWIDE POPULATION-BASED COHORT STUDY

Abstract Background In the Netherlands, the standard treatment of locally advanced, resectable esophageal cancer without metastasis is neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy followed by esophagectomy. There is a small subset of patients that present with concurrent cervical lymph node metastasis (LNM). Historically this was seen as distant metastasis and surgical intervention has usually not been an option for these patients. The contemporary TNM classification now categorizes these lymph node stations as locoregional disease. Our current study aims to describe current treatment paradigms in the Netherlands for patients presenting with esophageal cancer and concurrent cervical LNM. Methods This population-based cohort study utilized data from the Netherlands Cancer Registry (NCR), encompassing patients with locally advanced thoracic esophageal or gastroesophageal junction cancer and concurrent cervical lymph node metastasis. Treatment modalities were categorized into five options: neoadjuvant therapy followed by surgery (Neo + S), definitive chemoradiotherapy (dCRT), chemotherapy with or without radiotherapy &amp;lt; 30 Gray (CT), radiotherapy (RT), and best supportive care (BSC). Overall survival (OS) was assessed using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared via the log-rank test. Hazard rates were computed using Cox proportional hazards regression, with adjustment for confounding achieved through inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW). Results Between 2015 and 2021, a cohort of 412 patients was identified from the NCR database. Median survival durations were observed as follows: 24.2 months for Neo + S, 18.0 months for dCRT, 14.5 months for CT, 7.0 months for RT, and 3.2 months for BSC (Figure). A comparison between the Neo + S group and dCRT demonstrated a significant improvement in survival (p=0.02). Further subdivision of the surgical group into neoadjuvant CRT or chemotherapy did not reveal a significant difference in survival (p=0.6). Utilizing IPTW to adjust for confounding factors, Neo + S maintained its survival advantage. Conclusion The retrospective cohort findings suggest that neoadjuvant therapy followed by surgery may represent the optimal approach for managing esophageal cancer patients with cervical LNMs Yet, it's vital to recognize the influence of confounding by indication, which statistical adjustments may not entirely rectify. Furthermore, immortal time bias notably skews results favorably toward surgery. Nevertheless, the results emphasize the importance of considering surgery as a viable option for these patients. These limitations underscore the critical need for a prospective study, prompting the launch of the NODE-II trial.

575. PATHOLOGIC RESPONSE AND RESIDUAL LYMPH NODE PATTERNS IN ESOPHAGEAL SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA PATIENTS UNDERGOING NEOADJUVANT IMMUNOCHEMOTHERAPY COMPARED TO NEOADJUVANT CHEMORADIOTHERAPY

Abstract Background Concurrent chemoradiotherapy is the cornerstone treatment for locally advanced esophageal cancer. Immunochemotherapy, established as the standard treatment for advanced esophageal cancer, concurrently exhibits excellent short-term efficacy in the neoadjuvant stage. Combining concurrent chemoradiotherapy with immunochemotherapy may enhance control over primary tumor and metastatic lymph nodes, potentially improving patients’ outcomes and survival. Therefore, comparing the pros and cons of these two treatment modalities in controlling primary lesions and lymph node metastasis is crucial for guiding clinical treatment. Methods Our study enrolled a total of 137 patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) who underwent neoadjuvant immunochemotherapy (NICT) and 151 ESCC patients who underwent neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (NCRT) between January 2019 and March 2022. We documented baseline patient characteristics, including clinical TNM stage, tumor location, and clinical metastatic lymph nodes, as well as pathologic outcomes such as pathological stage, pathologic complete response (pCR), tumor regression grade (TRG), and pathological metastatic lymph nodes. To balance baseline patient characteristics, we employed inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) to adjust for confounding in different neoadjuvant treatment groups. Results After balancing baseline characteristics, there was no statistically significant difference in pathologic outcomes, including pCR rate, major pathologic response rate, TRG, yp-TNM stage, and R0 resection rate between NCRT and NICT. However, patients with clinical N2-3 stage (OR 2.66; 95% CI 1.05 to 6.79) or lower thoracic esophageal tumors (OR 2.31; 95% CI 1.05 to 5.04) had a higher chance of achieving pCR after NICT compared to NCRT. For patients undergoing NICT, the ypN0 rates for clinically N0 patients were 100.0% (5/5), while only 65.0% (13/20) of clinical N0 patients achieved ypN0 in the NCRT group. Even after adjusting for differences in clinical stage, tumor location, and baseline lymph node metastasis rates in various locations, the NICT group still demonstrated a lower rate of abdominal lymph node metastasis during surgery (p=0.030). Conclusion In comparison to concurrent chemoradiotherapy, immunochemotherapy exhibits comparable overall disease control for primary lesions and lymph node metastasis. Notably, patients with clinical N2-3 and lower thoracic esophageal cancer may derive greater benefits from NICT. The potential of immunochemotherapy in enhancing the effectiveness of chemoradiotherapy is evident in its ability to improve the control of occult metastatic lymph nodes and reduce abdominal lymph node metastasis.

Comparative prospective cohort study of efficacy and safety according to dosage and administration of ceftriaxone for community-acquired pneumonia

IntroductionLimited prospective evidence has been accumulated regarding the efficacy and safety of ceftriaxone (CTRX) based on differences in dosage and administration of the drug as empiric therapy for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). This study aimed to compare initial treatment failure, 30-day mortality, and side effects between two groups of hospitalized adult CAP patients: one receiving intravenous CTRX at 1g twice daily (1gq12hr) and the other receiving 2g once daily (2gq24hr). MethodsWe prospectively included patients with CAP admitted to our hospital between October 2010 and December 2018. We analyzed patients initially treated solely with CTRX as either 1gq12hr or 2gq24hr. The primary outcome was initial treatment failure, while secondary outcomes were 30-day mortality and side effects. Inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) analysis was used to minimize biases. ResultsAmong the 457 CAP patients, 186 patients were in the 1gq12hr group and 271 patients were in the 2gq24hr group. After IPTW analysis, no significant differences in initial treatment failure rate (2.43 % vs 4.46 %, p = 0.27) or 30-day mortality rate (2.95 % vs 6.43 %, p = 0.13) were seen between groups. A small but noteworthy tendency was noted in the frequency of side effects between the two groups (1.04 % vs 4.20 %, p = 0.08) following IPTW analysis, even though the difference was not significant. ConclusionsThis study did not find any significant difference between ceftriaxone 1gq12hr and 2gq24hr regarding efficacy or safety in adult patients with CAP. However, CTRX 1gq12hr may represent a safer option in terms of side effects.

395. SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE OF ROBOT-ASSISTED MINIMALLY INVASIVE ESOPHAGECTOMY OVER THORACOSCOPIC APPROACH: A MULTI-INSTITUTIONAL STUDY ON SHORT-TERM OUTCOMES

Abstract Background Robot-assisted minimally invasive esophagectomy (RAMIE) and conventional minimally invasive esophagectomy (CMIE) are superior to open techniques. However, few studies have directly compared the outcomes of these two approaches. Methods A retrospective study was conducted on a dataset from six medical centers, encompassing patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) who underwent minimally invasive esophagectomy between 2015 and 2022. Perioperative outcomes were compared after applying inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW). Results The study included 577 patients (RAMIE, 206; CMIE, 371). After applying IPTW, RAMIE was found to yield a higher number of mediastinal nodes compared to CMIE (14.86 versus 12.66, p=0.017). RAMIE was notably effective in retrieving upper mediastinal left RLN nodes, averaging 1.97 nodes versus 1.14 nodes harvested by CMIE (p&amp;lt;0.001). This was coupled by a significant decrease in nerve palsy rates (13.9% versus 22.8%, p=0.020). A significantly larger percentage of patients in the RAMIE group had an uncomplicated postoperative course (51.8% versus 34%, p&amp;lt;0.001). RAMIE also led to a reduction in pneumonia rates (8.6% versus 15.2%, p=0.041) and was linked to a shorter length of stay (LOS; 16.64 versus 21.14 days, p=0.007). The advantage of RAMIE in reducing LOS was especially pronounced in patients with a high Charlson comorbidity index (mean difference, 8.46 days; p=0.0069) and those who underwent preoperative therapy (mean difference, 5.63 days; p&amp;lt;0.001). Conclusion In ESCC, the use of RAMIE led to fewer pneumonia and faster recovery compared to CMIE. Additionally, RAMIE significantly improved the feasibility and safety of performing LND along the RLN.

Association between Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection and the risk of inflammatory arthritides.

Tuberculosis is a highly contagious disease that has a significant impact on global health. Emerging evidence suggests that tuberculosis can lead to an altered immune response. We investigated the association between tuberculosis and the onset of inflammatory arthritides (IA). Patients with incident tuberculosis in the South Korean National Claims database from 2010 to 2021 were included, and those who had undergone appendectomy during 2010-2011 served as controls. The onset of IA (including seropositive rheumatoid arthritis [SPRA], ankylosing spondylitis [AS], and psoriatic arthritis [PsA]) after tuberculosis was compared between patients with tuberculosis and the control group. Sensitivity analysis was performed using stabilised inverse probability of treatment weighting (sIPTW). A total of 408,685 patients with tuberculosis and 159,675 controls were included. During the mean follow-up of 7.5 years, a total of 1,957 (0.3%) were diagnosed with IA (SPRA, 1,397; AS, 481; and PsA, 79). Multivariable Cox hazard analysis indicated that the overall risk of IA was elevated in the tuberculosis group (hazard ratio [HR], 1.71; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.51-1.93) compared with controls. This increased incidence in patients with tuberculosis was identical among IA subgroups even after adjustment (SPRA [HR, 1.72; 95% CI, 1.49-2.00], AS [HR, 1.64; 95% CI, 1.30-2.06], and PsA [HR, 2.59; 95% CI, 1.32-5.07]) and was replicated in the sIPTW. The increased overall risk of developing IA after tuberculosis corroborates the hypothesis that tuberculosis can trigger dysregulated immunity. This necessitates an increased awareness of autoimmunity in this patient group.

Blood perfusion assessment by near-infrared fluorescence angiography of epiploic appendages in prevention of anastomotic leakage after laparoscopic intersphincteric resection for ultra-low rectal cancer: a case-matched study.

The role of intraoperative near-infrared fluorescence angiography with indocyanine green in reducing anastomotic leakage (AL) has been demonstrated in colorectal surgery, however, its perfusion assessment mode, and efficacy in reducing anastomotic leakage after laparoscopic intersphincteric resection (LsISR) need to be further elucidated. Aim was to study near-infrared fluorescent angiography to help identify bowel ischemia to reduce AL after LsISR. A retrospective case-matched study was conducted in one referral center. A total of 556 consecutive patients with ultra-low rectal cancer including 140 patients with fluorescence angiography of epiploic appendages (FAEA)were enrolled. Perfusion assessment by FAEA in the monochrome fluorescence mode. Patients were divided into two groups based on perfusion assessment by FAEA. The primary endpoint was the AL rate within 6 months, and the secondary endpoint was the structural sequelae of anastomotic leakage (SSAL). After matching, the study group (n = 109) and control group (n = 190) were well-balanced. The AL rate in the FAEA group was lower before (3.6% vs. 10.1%, P = 0.026) and after matching (3.7% vs. 10.5%, P = 0.036). Propensity scores matching analysis (OR 0.275, 95% CI 0.035-0.937, P 0.039), inverse probability of treatment weighting (OR 0.814, 95% CI 0.765-0.921, P 0.002), and regression analysis (OR 0.298, 95% CI 0.112-0.790, P = 0.015), showed that FAEA was an independent protector factor for AL. This technique can significantly shorten postoperative hospital stay [9 (6-13) vs. 10 (8-13), P = 0.024] and reduce the risk of SSAL (1.4% vs. 6.0%, P = 0.029). Perfusion assessment by FAEA can achieve better visualization in LsISR and reduce the incidence of AL, subsequently avoiding SSAL after LsISR.

Comparison of Metastasectomy and Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for Pulmonary Oligometastasis From Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Propensity Score-Weighted Analysis

Although there is a growing role for local therapy in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and pulmonary oligometastasis, it remains unclear whether metastatectomy or stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) is the more effective treatment for these patients. We aimed to compare the oncologic outcomes of metastasectomy and SBRT for HCC with pulmonary oligometastasis. We retrospectively analyzed 209 patients with HCC with 322 metastatic lung lesions who underwent either metastasectomy (150 patients with 241 lesions) or SBRT (59 patients with 81 lesions) between January 2008 and December 2018. Propensity score-based inverse probability of treatment weighting was used to minimize potential bias between the 2 groups. The median follow-up duration was 39.8 months (range, 2.3-166.9 months). The 2-year rate of freedom from local progression was 98.2% in the metastasectomy group and 97.0% in the SBRT group (P = .197). The 2-year rates of overt systemic progression-free survival (PFS) (51.0% vs 46.1%; P = .274), PFS (26.3% vs 9.1%; P = .074), and overall survival (OS, 74.0% vs 57.6%; P = .006) were higher in the metastasectomy group. After the probability of treatment weighting adjustment, the 2-year rates of overt systemic PFS (50.8% vs 52.7%; P = .396), PFS (23.0% vs 24.7%; P = .478), and OS (72.6% vs 83.0%, P = .428) were not significantly different between the 2 groups. In multivariate analysis, viable intrahepatic lesions and the number of prior liver-directed therapies were found to be significant prognostic factors for OS and PFS. The time interval between HCC diagnosis and the development of pulmonary metastases was also significantly associated with OS. Both metastasectomy and SBRT demonstrated excellent local control and comparable oncologic outcomes in patients with pulmonary oligometastasis from HCC. The treatment modality for these patients could be determined based on the individual patient's condition and intrahepatic disease status.