Multivariate Analysis Of Patients Research Articles

Care Patterns and Outcomes for Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma by Rurality of Patient Residence in a Midwestern State.

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is the second most common malignancy of the liver and has the worst prognosis of any tumor arising from the liver, with a 5-year survival as low as 10%. However, whether the rurality of a patient's residence impacts care received and survival has not been well studied. We aimed to assess differences in care patterns associated with the rurality of patient's residences and their impact on survival outcomes, hypothesizing that patients in rural areas would experience lower survival. Adult patients diagnosed with ICC between 2010 and 2020 were identified in the Iowa Cancer Registry. Chi-square tests were used to compare values categorical variables by rural/urban status. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to determine associations with cancer-specific mortality. Of 672 patients diagnosed with ICC during the study period, 53%, 27%, and 21% resided in metropolitan, micropolitan, and rural areas, respectively. There were no significant differences in age, sex, stage at diagnosis, the proportion receiving chemotherapy within 12 weeks of diagnosis, and undergoing surgery across all groups. Additionally, the proportion receiving definitive care at a National Cancer Institute (NCI) designated center was comparable across the three groups (37% metro vs. 43% micro vs. 35% rural). However, rural residents had the highest proportion of traveling ≥ 50 miles for definitive care (22% metro vs. 41% micro vs. 56% rural). In multivariable analysis of patients with Stage 1-3 disease, younger age, receipt of chemotherapy, surgery, and definitive care at an NCI center were independently associated with decreased mortality risk. However, rural residence was not significantly associated with survival (HR: 0.64 [95% CI: 0.38-1.06]). Similar to other complex cancer diagnoses, we found that definitive care at an NCI center was associated with decreased mortality risk for patients with ICC. Although rural residence was not independently associated with survival in this cohort, rural residents traveled significantly longer distances to access definitive care. This highlights a crucial need to improve access to specialized centers for complex cancer care.

203. THE NUMBER OF RESECTED LYMPH NODES FROM THE UPPER MEDIASTINAL AREA PREDICTS LONG-TERM OUTCOMES OF ESOPHAGEAL CANCER AFTER MIE

Abstract Background The total number of resected lymph nodes (LNs) is an important determinant of longer survival after esophagectomy for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). However, resected LN counts from which areas affect long-term outcomes remain unclear. Methods: This study comprised 406 patients who underwent minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE) at Kobe University Hospital. Resected LN counts were evaluated in the following areas: upper mediastinal (UM), middle mediastinal (MM), lower mediastinal (LM), and abdominal (Abd). Cut-off values for LN counts from each area were determined using receiver operating characteristics analysis to the survival status. Cox proportional hazards regression analyses were performed to identify prognostic factors. Results: The cut-off values for large or small numbers of resected LN counts in the UM, MM, LM, and Abd areas were 4, 8, 5, and 18 in patients with upper and middle thoracic (Ut/Mt) ESCC, respectively, and 7, 6, 5, and 24 in patients with lower thoracic (Lt) ESCC, respectively. Multivariate analysis in patients with Ut/Mt ESCC revealed that tumor invasion depth, lymph node metastasis and the resected LN count from the UM area were independent risk factors for overall survival (hazard ratio = 7.04; 95% confidence interval = 4.47-11.1, hazard ratio = 4.01; 95% confidence interval = 1.96-8.21, hazard ratio = 2.18; 95% confidence interval = 1.24-3.82, respectively). In patients with Lt ESCC, tumor invasion depth, lymph node metastasis and pulmonary complication were independent risk factors for overall survival (hazard ratio = 4.23; 95% confidence interval = 2.14-8.35, hazard ratio = 3.83; 95% confidence interval = 1.75-8.38, hazard ratio = 2.80; 95% confidence interval = 1.38-5.65, respectively). Resected LN counts from no areas were prognostic factors. Conclusions: The number of resected LNs from the UM area influenced survival outcomes of patients with Ut/Mt ESCC after MIE.

Comparison of treatment strategies based on clinical and pathological nodal status in resectable gastric adenocarcinoma.

To determine the optimal multimodal treatment strategy between perioperative chemotherapy (PEC), postoperative chemoradiation therapy (POCR), and postoperative chemotherapy (POC) in resected gastric cancer (GC) patients based on nodal status. In this retrospective analysis, the National Cancer Database was used to identify resected non-metastatic GC (2006-2016). Patients were stratified by clinical nodal status-negative (cLN-) and positive (cLN+). In patients with cLN- disease who underwent upfront resection and were upstaged to pathological LN+, overall survival (OS) was compared between POC and POCR. In patients with cLN- and cLN+ disease, OS was compared between PEC, POCR, and POC. Kaplan-Meier survival estimate, log-rank test, and multivariable Cox proportional hazards analysis were performed. We identified 7827 patients (cLN- 4828; cLN+ 2999). On multivariable analysis in patients with cLN- disease who underwent upfront resection (n = 4314) and were upstaged to pLN+ disease (70%), POCR (n = 2300, aHR 0.78, 95% CI 0.70-0.87, p < 0.001) was associated with improved OS compared to POC (n = 907). No significant difference was noted between POCR (n = 766, aHR 1.11, 95% CI 0.88-1.40, p = 0.39) and POC (n = 341) in patients with pLN- disease. On multivariable analysis in all patients with cLN- disease, POCR (n = 3066) was significantly associated with improved OS (aHR 0.84, 95% CI 0.75-0.92, p < 0.01) compared to POC (n = 1248). No significant difference was noted between POCR (aHR 1.0, 95% CI 0.70-1.01, p = 0.958) and PEC (n = 514). These results remained consistent in patients with cLN+ disease (POCR = 1602, POC = 720, PEC = 677). Postoperative chemoradiation is associated with improved survival in GC patients upstaged from clinically node-negative disease to pathologically node-positive disease. Negative clinical nodal disease status is not a reliable indicator of pathological nodal disease.

Prognostic Factors in Patients Diagnosed with Gallbladder Cancer over a Period of 20 Years: A Cohort Study.

Gallbladder cancer (GBC) is an uncommon cancer. This study aimed to determine the outcomes of GBC in relation to geographic, demographic, and clinical factors in a Canadian province from 2000 to 2019. This population-based retrospective cohort study included all patients diagnosed with gallbladder cancer (GBC) in Saskatchewan, Canada, from 2000 to 2019. Cox proportional multivariate regression analysis was conducted to identify factors associated with poorer outcomes. In total, 331 patients with a median age of 74 years and male-female ratio of 1:2 were identified. Of these patients, 305 (92%) had a pathological diagnosis of GBC. Among patients with documented staging data, 64% had stage IV disease. A total of 217 (66%) patients were rural residents, and 149 (45%) were referred to a cancer center. The multivariate analysis for patients with stage I-III GBC showed that stage III disease [hazard ratio (HR), 2.63; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.09-6.34)] and urban residence (HR, 2.20; 95% CI, 1.1-4.39) were correlated with inferior disease-free survival. For all patients, stage IV disease (HR, 3.02; 95% CI, 1.85-4.94), no referral to a cancer center (HR, 2.64; 95% CI, 1.51-4.62), lack of surgery (HR, 1.63; 95% CI, 1.03-2.57), a neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio of >3.2 (HR, 1.57; 1.05-2.36), and age of ≥70 years (HR, 1.51; 95% CI, 1.04-2.19) were correlated with inferior overall survival. In this real-world context, the majority of patients with GBC were diagnosed at a late stage and were not referred to a cancer center. For those with early-stage GBC, living in an urban area and having stage III disease were linked to worse outcomes. Across all stages of GBC, stage IV disease, older age, absence of surgery, lack of referral to a cancer center, and a high neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio were associated with poorer survival.

Scalp Reconstruction With Free Tissue Transfer as a Palliative Surgical Intervention in a High-Risk Population.

Microvascular reconstruction of the scalp is frequently indicated in patients with locally advanced tumors, among other etiologies, in a relatively high-risk, older patient population that often has multiple medical comorbidities. A retrospective analysis was performed on patients undergoing microvascular scalp reconstruction at Emory University Hospital and Grady Memorial Hospital between 2011 and 2021. Patient demographics, wound characteristics, operative details, and complications were recorded. Statistical analysis using univariate and multivariate models was performed. Forty-two patients underwent 45 microvascular scalp reconstructive procedures during the study period. The median age was 63 years. Wounds were predominantly oncologic (n=38, 84.4%) and frequently involved deeper structures [calvarium (n=38, 84.4%), dura (n=17, 37.8%)]. At a median follow-up of 350 days, 33 patients (73.3%) had healed flaps, 9 (20.0%) had wound healing issues but ultimately successful reconstruction, and 3 (6.7%) experienced flap failure. Most patients (n=33, 80.9%) were discharged home or to a rehabilitation facility, while the remaining 8 patients (19.1%) were discharged to hospice or died. The 30-day mortality was 4 patients (8.9%) and the 6-month mortality was 8 patients (20.5%). There was a statistically significant difference in 30-day mortality (P=0.0001) on univariate analysis and 6-month mortality (P=0.003) on both univariate and multivariate analysis for patients >70 years. While age >70 years is a risk factor for mortality in patients undergoing microvascular scalp reconstruction, mortality was commonly related to underlying disease processes rather than complication of surgery. Microvascular reconstruction for scalp defects has a high success rate and can be offered as a palliative procedure for patients with locally advanced cancers, advanced age, and multiple comorbidities.

The number of resected lymph nodes from the upper mediastinal area predicts long-term outcomes of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma after minimally invasive esophagectomy.

The total number of resected lymph nodes (LNs) is an important determinant of longer survival after esophagectomy for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). However, the resected LN counts from areas that affect long-term outcomes remain unclear. This study included 406 patients who underwent minimally invasive esophagectomies (MIEs) at Kobe University Hospital. Resected LN counts were evaluated in the following areas: upper mediastinal (UM), middle mediastinal (MM), lower mediastinal (LM), and abdominal (Abd). Cut-off values for LN counts from each area were determined using receiver operating characteristics analysis of the survival status. Cox proportional hazards regression analyses were performed to identify prognostic factors. The cut-off values for large or small numbers of resected LN counts in the UM, MM, LM, and Abd areas were 4, 8, 5, and 18, respectively, in patients with upper and middle thoracic (Ut/Mt) ESCC and 7, 6, 5, and 24, respectively, in patients with lower thoracic (Lt) ESCC. Multivariate analysis in patients with Ut/Mt ESCC revealed that tumor invasion depth, LN metastasis, and the resected LN count from the UM area were independent risk factors for overall survival [hazard ratio (HR), 7.04; 95% confidence interval (CI) 4.47-11.1; HR, 4.01; 95% CI 1.96-8.21; HR, 2.18; 95% CI 1.24-3.82, respectively]. In patients with Lt ESCC, tumor invasion depth, LN metastasis, and pulmonary complications were independent risk factors for overall survival (HR, 4.23; 95% CI 2.14-8.35; HR, 3.83; 95% CI 1.75-8.38; HR, 2.80; 95% CI 1.38-5.65, respectively). Resected LN counts from no areas were prognostic factors. The number of resected LNs from the UM area influenced the survival outcomes of patients with Ut/Mt ESCC after MIE.

Clinical Significance of Primary Tumor Resection in Perihilar Cholangiocarcinoma with Positive Peritoneal Lavage Cytology.

The prognostic impact of positive peritoneal lavage cytology (CY+) in patients with perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (PHC) remains unclear. The present study investigated the clinical significance of primary tumor resection of CY+ PHC. We retrospectively evaluated 282 patients who underwent surgery for PHC between September 2002 and March 2022. The patients' clinicopathological characteristics and survival outcomes were compared between the CY negative (CY-) resected (n = 262), CY+ resected (n = 12), and CY+ unresected (n = 8) groups. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify prognostic factors for overall survival. The expected residual liver volume was significantly higher in the CY+ resected group (61%) than in the CY- resected (47%) and CY+ unresected (37%) groups (p = 0.004 and 0.007, respectively). The CY+ resected group had a higher administration rate of postoperative therapy than the CY- resected group (58% vs. 16%, p = 0.002). Overall survival of the CY+ resected group was similar to that of the CY- resected group (median survival time [MST] 44.5 vs. 44.6, p = 0.404) and was significantly better than that of the CY+ unresected group (MST 44.5 vs. 17.1, p = 0.006). CY positivity was not a prognostic factor according to a multivariate analysis in patients with primary tumor resection. The CY+ resected group showed better survival than the CY+ unresected group and a similar survival to that of the CY- resected group. Resection of the primary tumor with CY+ PHC may improve the prognosis in selected patients.

Cardiovascular and renal physiological impacts seen in blood tests of flu diagnosed patients

Early detection of influenza virus infection can potentially reduce risk of morbidity, mortality, and virus transmission through earlier intervention strategies. Although seasonal influenza is a localized respiratory viral infection, changes in cardiovascular physiology and inflammatory biomarkers have been previously observed by our group in mice during influenza infection. Distinguishing patterns among common blood panels, including complete blood count, basic metabolic, comprehensive metabolic, coagulation panel, and c-reactive protein, could lead to earlier diagnosis and better prognosis of symptomatic carriers, but also be useful to diagnose asymptomatic carriers of the virus and provide better infectious disease surveillance. The objective of this study was to utilize the University of Mississippi Medical’s extensive clinical database (EPIC) to investigate the potential association between common blood tests with patients diagnosed with influenza from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2022. Diagnosed patients were identified from over 1 million patients (of a total population of 3 million) and 36 million encounters of Mississippi residents from the electronic health record Data from patients with reported demographic dimensions (age, first race, and sex), offce visit dimensions (BMI, diastolic blood pressure (BP), pulse rate, respiration rate, systolic BP, and temperature), and common blood test values were obtained for 1896 influenza diagnosed patients, including day of diagnosis and additional encounter visits within 60 days before and after first unique influenza diagnosis. Overall, at day of influenza diagnosis, we see an increase in red blood cell (RBC) count, white blood cell (WBC) count, hemoglobin, hematocrit, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), prothrombin time (PT), and c-reactive protein (CRP) and a decrease in platelets, calcium, glucose, sodium, potassium, bicarbonate, chloride, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, albumin, and alkaline phosphatase (AST). Yet, at the sex-specific level, there were differences; females have an increase in glucose, BUN, and creatinine, while males have an increase in albumin and ALP. Multivariate analyses of patients with complete data for 18 blood tests and binned by month relative to the day of diagnosis confirm distinct differences on the day of diagnosis. Future analysis will reveal which blood tests contribute to overall change on the day of diagnosis. Our findings show both changes in cardiovascular and renal physiology during influenza infection and the need to assess these blood measurements during influenza virus infection studies in mice. NIH/NIGMS — 1P20GM144041-01A1 5334 Host-pathogen molecular and cardiovascular interaction during influenza infection. This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2024 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.

Predictors of late outcomes after concomitant tricuspid valve repair with left-sided valve surgery.

Concomitant tricuspid valve (TV) repair is a safe and effective procedure to protect against late moderate or greater tricuspid regurgitation (TR) after left-sided valve surgery, but studies regarding its late outcomes and recurrent TR are limited. This study aimed to reveal the late outcomes and explore the predictors of mortality and recurrent TR among patients who underwent concomitant TV repair with left-sided valve surgery. This study included 645 patients (mean age, 69.7years; 44% male) who underwent concomitant TV repair with left-sided valve surgery (mitral valve surgery in 594 cases, aortic valve surgery in 172 cases) from 2006-2020. Preoperative TR was grade 4, 3, and less than 2 in 85, 235, and 325 patients, respectively. The median follow-up period was 4.6 (IQR 1.7-7.8) years. The in-hospital or 30-day mortality was 1.7% (n = 11). Regarding long-term outcomes after TV repair, 90.3% and 80.8% achieved 5- and 10-year survival, respectively, while 96.1% and 88.8% achieved 5- and 10-year freedom from recurrent TR, respectively. The following were independent predictors of overall mortality on multivariate analysis in patients with preoperative TR grade ≥ 3: prior pacemaker implantation, preoperative renal dysfunction, diabetes mellitus and NYHA class ≥ 3. Also, suture annuloplasty and ring type of ring annuloplasty were not independent risk factors for recurrent TR, classified as grade ≥ 3. Concomitant TV repair with left-sided valve surgery had acceptable outcomes in terms of survival and TR durability. In patients with preoperative TR grade ≥ 3, preoperative patient status had negative impacts on prognosis.

Investigations of the prognostic value of RUNX1 mutation in acute myeloid leukemia patients: Data from a real-world study

RUNX1 is one of the recurrent mutated genes in newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Although historically recognized as a provisional distinct entity, the AML subtype with RUNX1 mutations (AML-RUNX1mut) was eliminated from the 2022 WHO classification system. To gain more insight into the characteristics of AML-RUNX1mut, we retrospectively analyzed 1065 newly diagnosed adult AML patients from the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University between January 2017 and December 2021. RUNX1 mutations were identified in 112 patients (10.5%). The presence of RUNX1 mutation (RUNX1mut) conferred a lower composite complete remission (CRc) rate (40.2% vs. 58.4%, P＜0.001), but no significant difference was observed in the 5-year overall survival (OS) rate (50.2% vs. 53.9%; HR=1.293; P=0.115) and event-free survival (EFS) rate (51.5% vs. 49.4%; HR=1.487, P=0.089), even within the same risk stratification. Multivariate analysis showed that RUNX1mut was not an independent prognostic factor for OS (HR=1.352, P=0.068) or EFS (HR=1.129, P=0.513). When patients were stratified according to induction regimen, RUNX1mut was an unfavorable factor for CRc both on univariate and multivariate analysis in patients receiving conventional chemotherapy, and higher risk stratification predicted worse OS. In those who received venetoclax plus hypomethylating agents, RUNX1mut was not predictive of CRc and comparable OS and EFS were seen between intermediate-risk and adverse-risk groups. The results of this study revealed that the impact of RUNX1mut is limited. Its prognostic value depended more on treatment and co-occurrent abnormalities. VEN-HMA may abrogate the prognostic impact of RUNX1, which merits a larger prospective cohort to illustrate.

Prognostic factors of gallbladder cancer (GBC) in patients diagnosed over a period of 20 years: A Canadian province experience.

437 Background: GBC is an uncommon but often fatal gastrointestinal cancer. The poor prognosis of GBC may in part be due to lack of effective screening tools and a delay in diagnosis that leads to presentation in the latter stages of the disease. The current study aims to determine outcomes of patients with GBC in relation to contextual, demographic and clinical factors in a Canadian province over a span of 20 years. Methods: In this population-based retrospective cohort study patients with GBC diagnosed in Saskatchewan, Canada from 2000-2019 were evaluated. Cox proportional multivariate regression analyses was performed to determine factor correlated with inferior outcomes. Results: 331 patients with median age of 74 yrs and M:F of 1:2 were identified. 92% had a pathological diagnosis of GBC &amp; 80% had adenocarcinoma. 49% were diagnosed &gt;year 2010. 217 (66%) of those diagnosed with GBC were rural residents. 149 (45%) patients were referred to a cancer center. In patients with documented stage, 64% had stage IV disease &amp; &gt;90% were symptomatic with a median time from the onset of symptoms to the diagnosis of 7 months. Rural residents have a significantly high rate of smoking history whereas urban residents have significantly high rates of pathological diagnosis, low serum albumin and elevated platelet count. Median overall survival (OS) of patients with stage I-III GBC was 20 months (95% CI:10.9-29.1) vs. 4.0 months (3.0-5.0) with stage IV GBC (&lt;0.001). No significant differences were noted in OS in relation to residence and time-period of diagnosis. Patients who were not referred for a cancer center had a median OS of 3 months (1.98-4.0) vs. 13 months (9.9-16.1), p&lt;0.001. Median disease-free survival (DFS) of patients with stage I-III GBC was 20 months (95%CI: 10-30.1) with 5-year DFS of 36%. Patients with stage I-III GBC who received adjuvant chemotherapy had 5-yr DFS of 43% vs. 33% without adjuvant chemotherapy (p=0.73). 5-year DFS of urban patients was 25% vs. 42% of rural patients (p=0.016). On multivariate analysis for patients with Stage I-III GBC, stage III disease, HR (hazard ratio), 2.63 (1.09-6.34) and urban residence, HR, 2.20 (1.1-4.39) were correlated with inferior DFS whereas for all patients, stage IV disease, HR, 3.02 (1.85-4.94); no referral to cancer center, HR, 2.64 (1.51-4.62); lack of surgery, HR, 1.63 (1.03-2.57); neutrophil:lymphocyte of &gt;3.2, HR, 1.57 (1.05-2.36); and age ≥70, HR, 1.51 (1.04-2.19) were correlated with inferior OS. Conclusions: In a real-world setting, most patients with GBC are diagnosed with late-stage disease and were not referred to cancer center. For early-stage GBC, urban residence and stage III disease were correlated with inferior outcome, whereas for all stage GBC, stage IV disease, old age, lack of surgery, lack of referral to cancer center, and high neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio were correlated with inferior survival.

The efficacy of upfront craniocerebral radiotherapy and epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors in patients with epidermal growth factor receptor-positive non-small cell lung cancer with brain metastases.

This is a retrospective study that involved 213 patients with EGFR-NSCLC and BMs, with the patients divided into two groups: the upfront cranial RT (ucRT) group (n = 96) and the non-ucRT group (n = 117). All patients were administered with osimertinib, and those in the ucRT group also underwent RT. The overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS) and intracranial PFS (IPFS) of the two groups were compared. The ucRT group manifested a markedly higher IPFS than the non-ucRT group (29.65 months vs 21.8 months; P < 0.0001). The subgroup analysis revealed that patients with oligometastases (OLOGO-BMs; 1-3 BMs) demonstrated a notably longer OS (44.5 months vs 37.3 months; P < 0.0001), PFS (32.3 months vs 20.8 months; P = 0.6884) and IPFS (37.8 months vs 22.1 months; P < 0.0001) in the ucRT group than in the non-ucRT group. However, for patients with multiple BMs, there was no significant difference in OS (27.3 months vs 34.4 months; P = 0.0710) and PFS (13.7 months vs 13.2 months; P = 0.0516) between the ucRT group and the non-ucRT group; the ucRT group exhibited a higher IPFS (26.4 months vs 21.35 months; P = 0.0028). Cox's multivariate analysis of patients with OLOGO-BM indicated that the use of ucRT was linked to a better OS (heart rate [HR] = 0.392; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.178-0.863; P = 0.020) and PFS (HR = 0.558; 95% CI: 0.316-0.986; P = 0.044). Upfront cerebral cranial stereotactic radiosurgery can improve outcomes in EGFR-positive patients with NSCLC and OLOGO-BM. However, for patients with multiple BMs, the preferable strategy may be pre-treatment with EGFR-TKIs.

Impact of Preoperative Frailty on Outcomes in Patients with Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy Undergoing Anterior vs. Posterior Cervical Surgery.

Introduction: Frailty has been shown to negatively influence patient outcomes across many disease processes, including in the cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) population. The aim of this study was to assess the impact that frailty has on patients with CSM who undergo anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) or posterior cervical decompression and fusion (PCDF). Materials and Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed using the 2016-2019 national inpatient sample. Adult patients (≥18 years old) undergoing ACDF only or PCDF only for CSM were identified using ICD codes. The patients were categorized based on receipt of ACDF or PCDF and pre-operative frailty status using the 11-item modified frailty index (mFI-11): pre-Frail (mFI = 1), frail (mFI = 2), or severely frail (mFI ≥ 3). Patient demographics, comorbidities, operative characteristics, perioperative adverse events (AEs), and healthcare resource utilization were assessed. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify independent predictors of extended length of stay (LOS) and non-routine discharge (NRD). Results: A total of 37,990 patients were identified, of which 16,665 (43.9%) were in the pre-frail cohort, 12,985 (34.2%) were in the frail cohort, and 8340 (22.0%) were in the severely frail cohort. The prevalence of many comorbidities varied significantly between frailty cohorts. Across all three frailty cohorts, the incidence of AEs was greater in patients who underwent PCDF, with dysphagia being significantly more common in patients who underwent ACDF. Additionally, the rate of adverse events significantly increased between ACDF and PCDF with respect to increasing frailty (p < 0.001). Regarding healthcare resource utilization, LOS and rate of NRD were significantly greater in patients who underwent PCDF in all three frailty cohorts, with these metrics increasing with frailty in both ACDF and PCDF cohorts (LOS: p < 0.001); NRD: p < 0.001). On a multivariate analysis of patients who underwent ACDF, frailty and severe frailty were found to be independent predictors of extended LOS [(frail) OR: 1.39, p < 0.001; (severely frail) OR: 2.25, p < 0.001] and NRD [(frail) OR: 1.49, p < 0.001; (severely frail) OR: 2.22, p < 0.001]. Similarly, in patients who underwent PCDF, frailty and severe frailty were found to be independent predictors of extended LOS [(frail) OR: 1.58, p < 0.001; (severely frail) OR: 2.45, p < 0.001] and NRD [(frail) OR: 1.55, p < 0.001; (severely frail) OR: 1.63, p < 0.001]. Conclusions: Our study suggests that preoperative frailty may impact outcomes after surgical treatment for CSM, with more frail patients having greater health care utilization and a higher rate of adverse events. The patients undergoing PCDF ensued increased health care utilization, compared to ACDF, whereas severely frail patients undergoing PCDF tended to have the longest length of stay and highest rate of non-routine discharge. Additional prospective studies are necessary to directly compare ACDF and PCDF in frail patients with CSM.

Platelet Parameters and Interleukin 6 as Predictors of Disease Severity and Outcomes Amongst Hospitalised Coronavirus Disease-19 Patients

Introduction: COVID-19 has been declared a pandemic by the WHO. Most mortality cases were linked to the presence of cytokine storms induced by the virus. Platelet parameters and IL-6 may provide significant results in the disease severity and input in a COVID-19 patient’s management. This study aimed to determine the usefulness of platelet parameters and IL-6 with disease severity and outcomes amongst COVID-19 patients admitted to Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL). Methods: A retrospective study utilising clinical data of confirmed COVID-19 cases. Demographic data, platelet parameters on admission, serum IL-6 level, and treatment outcomes were retrieved and analysed. Results: 283 patients’ data were analysed. The mean age of patients was 54.10 ±14.9 years old. Sixty percent of the patients were with comorbidities and (n=65, 23%) of them had succumbed to the disease. Males and females were equally affected and (n=139, 49.1%) were Malays. Ethnicity was an independent predictor for COVID-19 severity. A significant association was found between platelet count, MPV, and IL-6 with COVID-19 severity and outcomes. PDW was not associated with disease outcomes (p=0.236). Comorbidity and platelet count were independent predictors of COVID-19 death. A multivariate analysis of patients’ platelet count, MPV, and IL-6 level using binary logistic analysis showed that platelet count of the non-survivor group significantly decreased by 0.004, compared to the survivor group. Conclusion: Combining a readily available routine blood investigation of low platelet count, raised MPV, and IL-6 level signifies an increased risk of COVID-19 severity, and thus, warrants close clinical attention in reducing mortality.

Survival Analysis of Adults with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in Ecuador

Background Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the second most common acute leukemia in adults. Unfortunately, in Ecuador there are no survival studies in patients ≥15 years with ALL, thus, this is the first national report. The aim of the study was to describe clinical-demographic characteristics and overall survival (OS). Methods Medical records of 628 patients from 8 reference hospitals in Ecuador with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) aged ≥15 years, diagnosed between January/2015 and December/2022, were retrospectively reviewed. A high-risk group was defined as: age ≥ 35 years ; ≥ 30,000/mm3 leukocytes in B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) or ≥ 100,000/mm3 leukocytes in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL- T) ; CNS infiltration at diagnosis, and/or if EMR was not reached (&amp;lt;0.01%) negative at the end of induction. If none of these factors were present, it was classified as standard risk. OS and treatment-related mortality were evaluated. Before carrying out this study, the approval of a national research ethics committee was obtained, as well as the approval of the 8 participating centers. Results 628 patients with ALL were included in the study. Summary of clinical and demographic data Table 1. In this cohort of patients, 9 different regimens of intensive chemotherapy were used. 454/517 (87.8%) patients with B-ALL were considered high risk. 595/628 (94.5%) patients received intensive chemotherapy. 150/595 (25.2%) and 54/595 (9.0%) patients died during the induction and consolidation phase respectively, reaching a mortality related to the treatment of 34.2%. In 290/401 (72.3%) with B-ALL achieved a complete response (CR) after induction, also 199/401 (49.1%) patients achieved minimal residual disease (MRD) negative (&amp;lt;0.01%). 16/235 (6.8%) patients with B-ALL considered high risk who achieved CR received allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). 32/35 (91.4%) patients with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) received intensive chemotherapy, of which 17/24 (70.8%) achieved CR, MRD negative (&amp;lt;0.01%), in 8/20 (40.0%) and 3/17 (17.6%) who achieved CR received HCT. The median OS was 12 months (95% CI 9.8-14.1) with a 5-year OS of 25.6%. The median OS for intensive chemotherapy patients with B-ALL was 12 months (95% CI 9.8 - 14.1) with a 5-year OS of 25.8% and 8 months (95% CI 5.9 - 10.0) with a 5-year OS of 23.5% for T-ALL. The 5-year OS for patients with HSCT was 78.4% (median survival not reached). The median OS for patients with B-ALL who received intensive high-risk chemotherapy was 12 months (95% CI 9.7-14.2) while median survival was not reached in the standard-risk group (p=&amp;lt;0.01). Figure 1. In patients with ALL-B, regimens with or without L-asparaginase achieved a 5-year OS of 26.4% vs 22.9% (p=0.588), respectively. In multivariate analysis for patients with ALL-B on intensive chemotherapy, age [HR 1.02 (95% CI 1.00 - 1.04) p=0.014] was significantly associated with OS, as well as those patients who did not achieve negative an MRD [HR 1.82 (95% CI 1.23-2.69) p=&amp;lt;0.01]. Otherwise, the adolescent and young adults (AYA) group, BCR:ABL fusion, CNS infiltration and leukocyte number at debut, L-asparaginase chemotherapy regimens, and being classified as high-risk group did not show statistical differences associated with OS . Conclusion The reported OS rates in this cohort are considerably low when compared to with international available data, being mainly negatively affected by the high treatment-related mortality rate, and the small number of patients who reach a HSCT.

Evaluation of the Impact of the Disease Risk Index and Pre-Transplant Measurable Residual Disease By Flow Cytometry As Prognostic Factors in Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation in Patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Introduction: Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is the therapy with the best curative potential for patients with intermediate/high-risk acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Although many factors may influence the outcomes of allogeneic HSCT, risk stratification and disease status at the time of transplant are two of the strongest prognostic factors of post-transplant survival². In this context, the Disease Risk Index (DRI) was developed and validated in a cohort of more than 13.000 patients and stratifies patients into 4 groups with different overall survivals (OS)². Measurable residual disease (MRD) is also an important and consolidated biomarker for the prognosis, monitoring, and treatment effectiveness evaluation³. Objective: To compare the impact of the pre-transplant DRI and MRD in patients with AML in OS and leukemia-free survival of patients treated with allogeneic HSCT in a private institution in Brazil from January 2017 to May 2023. Methods: This is a retrospective, unicentric study. MRD was evaluated immediately before transplantation by 10-color flow cytometry and was considered positive if ≥0.1%. DRI was grouped into two groups: low/intermediate risk and high/very high risk. Statistical analyzes were performed using the Cox regression model. Results: With a median follow-up of 18 months, a total of 57 patients were included, 34 of whom had negative MRD and 23, positive. The mean ages in these groups were 55 and 60 years, respectively. HCT-CI was 0-2 in 91% of the patients in the MRD-negative group, and in 78% of the MRD-positive group. The type of donors was similar in both group (MRD positive or negative): 20-30% of related donors, 25-40% of haploidentical and 40-45% unrelated donors. The reduced-intensity conditioning regimen (RIC) was the used in 70% of the patients. In the MDR + group, peripheral stem cell source was more used than in the MDR negative group. In univariate analysis, DRI had an impact on overall survival (OS) with an HR=3.52 (95%CI 1.46 - 8.5) and p=0.075 for low/intermediate risk compared with high/very high risk, while in the multivariate analysis this impact was not maintained with HR=2.31 (95%CI 0.92 - 5.82) and p=0.075. A pre-transplant positive MRD was a risk factor for death in univariate analysis, with an HR=5.99 (95%CI 2.93- 26.82) and p&amp;lt;0.001. The impact of MRD HR 8.87 (2.93 - 26.83) and p &amp;lt; 0.001, age HR 1.09 (1.04 - 1.15) with p = 0.001 and bone marrow source HR 0.29 (0.08 - 1.06) are prognostic factors even when controlled for age, cell source and type of transplant. One-year overall survival in the MRD-negative group was 90% (79-100%), and 53% (36-80%) in the MRD-positive group. Additionally, one-year leukemia-free survival in the MRD-negative group was 70% (55-89%) and 45% (28-72%) in MRD-positive. Conclusion: Our results show that both DRI and pre-transplant MRD may have an impact on OS and LFS, although pre-transplant MRD seemed to perform better than DRI in multivariable analysis in patients with acute myeloid leukemia undergoing hematopoietic cell transplantation.

Copy-number-gain of telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) is associated with an unfavorable prognosis in esophageal adenocarcinoma

Esophageal adenocarcinoma exhibits one of the highest mortality rates among all cancer entities. Multimodal therapy strategies have improved patients’ survival significantly. However, patients in early stages are currently limited to receiving only local therapies, even though some patients within this group showcase short survival periods. Until now, there has been no widely established clinically used biomarker to detect these high-risk patients. Telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT), a gene encoding a crucial subunit of the telomerase enzyme, plays a significant role in establishing cancer cell immortality and is under suspicion for its potential contribution to tumor progression. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the clinical relevance of the TERT amplification status. We included 643 patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma, who underwent Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy at the University Hospital of Cologne. The TERT amplification status was characterized using fluorescence in situ hybridization. Clinicopathological values and patients’ overall survival were compared between patients with and without TERT amplification. Further sub-cohort analyses were conducted for patients with pT1N0-3 tumor stage. Eighty-One patients (12.6%) exhibited TERT amplification. Patients with amplified TERT showed significantly worse overall survival (median OS: 22.6 vs. 36.8 months, p = 0.009). Interestingly, TERT amplification could be characterized as an independent risk factor for worse overall survival in multivariate analysis in patients with pT1N0-3 tumor stage (HR = 2.440, 95% CI 1.095–5.440, p = 0.029). In this study, we describe the TERT amplification status as an independent risk factor for worse survival in patients diagnosed with esophageal adenocarcinoma at pT1N0-3 tumor stage, encompassing cases involving tumor infiltration of the lamina propria, muscularis mucosae, and/or submucosa. Based on our findings, we put forth the proposition that evaluating the TERT amplification status may serve as a valuable tool in identifying a specific subgroup of patients, namely those with TERT amplification and pT1N0-3 tumor-stage esophageal adenocarcinoma. The patients of this subgroup could potentially benefit from enhanced follow-up protocols, more aggressive treatment approaches, or possible targeted TERT inhibition therapies, all aimed at improving their overall clinical outcomes.

Effective use of the hybrid emergency Department system in the treatment of non-traumatic critical care diseases

BackgroundThe hybrid emergency room (ER) system can provide resuscitation, computed tomography imaging, endovascular treatment, and emergency surgery, without transferring the patient. However, although several reports have demonstrated the effectiveness of the hybrid ER for trauma conditions, only a few case reports have demonstrated its usefulness for non-traumatic critical diseases. In this observational cohort study, we aimed to identify endogenous diseases that may benefit from treatment in the hybrid ER. MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed the clinical characteristics of patients with non-traumatic conditions treated in a hybrid ER between August 2017 and July 2022 at our institution. Patients who underwent surgery, endoscopy, or interventional radiology (IR) in the hybrid ER were selected and pathophysiologically divided into a bleeding and non-bleeding group. The rate of shock or cardiac arrest, blood transfusion, and death within 24 h of admission or in-hospital death were compared among the groups using Fisher's exact test. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to confirm the relationships among in-hospital mortality, transfusion, and hemorrhagic conditions in patients who underwent endoscopy and IR. ResultsAmong the 726 patients with non-traumatic conditions treated in a hybrid ER system, 50 (6.9%) experienced cardiac arrest at or before admission to the hybrid ER, 301 (41.5%) were in shock, 126 (17.4%) received blood transfusions, 42 (5.8%) died within 24 h of admission to the hybrid ER, and 141 (19.4%) died in the hospital. Emergency surgery was performed in 39 patients (7 in the bleeding group and 32 in the non-bleeding group). Significantly more blood transfusions were administered in the bleeding group (71.4% vs. 18.8%, P = 0.01); there were no significant differences in the rate of shock or cardiac arrest, death within 24 h, or in-hospital death between groups. Endoscopy was performed in 122 patients (80 in the bleeding group and 42 in the non-bleeding group). The bleeding group had a significantly higher rate of shock or cardiac arrest (87.5% vs. 66.7%, P = 0.008) and rate of blood transfusion (62.5% vs. 4.8%, P < 0.0001); there was no significant difference in death within 24 h and in-hospital death between groups. IR was performed in 100 patients (68 in the bleeding group and 32 in the non-bleeding group). Significantly more blood transfusions were administered in the hemorrhage group (67.7% vs. 12.5%, P < 0.0001); there was no difference in the rate of shock or cardiac arrest, death within 24 h, or in-hospital death between groups. Multivariable analysis in patients who underwent endoscopy showed a trend toward more in-hospital deaths in non-hemorrhagic conditions than in hemorrhagic conditions (odds ratio = 3.8, 95% confidence interval: 0.88–17, P = 0.073); however, no significant relationship with in-hospital death was observed for any of the adjusted variables. ConclusionAmong endogenous diseases treated in the hybrid ER, there is a possible association between in-hospital mortality and hemorrhagic conditions. Future studies are needed to focus on diseases to demonstrate the effectiveness of the hybrid ER.

Effects of Cortactin Expression on Prognosis in Patients with Breast Cancer.

Cortactin is overexpressed in several types of invasive cancers. However, the role of cortactin expression in breast cancer prognosis has not been sufficiently elucidated. Therefore, we investigated the clinicopathological significance of cortactin in breast cancer. Tissue microarrays were prepared from a cohort of 506 patients with breast cancer, and cortactin expression was evaluated using immunohistochemistry. The cortactin immunoreactivity score (IRS) was quantified as the product of the intensity score and the percentage of immunoreactive cells. Cortactin expression was classified as low or high using the IRS (IRS ≤ 4 as a cortactin-low value and IRS > 4 as a cortactin-high value). We compared cortactin expression and clinicopathological factors according to the molecular subtypes of breast cancer. Of 506 breast cancer cases, 333 and 173 showed high and low cortactin expression, respectively. Of the 333 patients with high cortactin expression, 204, 58, and 71 had luminal, HER2, and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), respectively. In the univariate and multivariate analyses of patients with TNBC, cortactin expression was found to be a significant prognostic factor for overall survival (OS). However, in all patients with non-TNBC, cortactin expression had no significant association with prognosis or overall survival. Survival curves revealed that among patients with TNBC, the high-cortactin group had a better prognosis in disease-free survival and OS. Cortactin expression may be a good biomarker for predicting the prognosis of patients with TNBC.

Predictive factors for disease progression after salvage radiation therapy in biochemical recurrent patients treated by radical prostatectomy.

Salvage radiation therapy (SRT) is standard treatment for patients after radical prostatectomy (RP). However, the optimal timing of SRT remains to be elucidated. We retrospectively reviewed 133 prostate cancer (PCa) patients who underwent SRT for biochemical recurrenceafter RP. Disease progression was defined as repeated prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level more than 0.2ng/mL, greater than the post-SRT nadir or radiographic progression. A receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to identify the optimal pre-SRT PSA level for predicting progression after SRT. Cox regression analyses were performed to elucidate the association between clinicopathologic characteristics and disease progression. Fifty-one PCa patients (38.4%) experienced disease progression after SRT. The optimal cutoff value of the pre-SRT PSA for predicting disease progression was 0.44ng/mL. In multivariable analysis, pre-SRT PSA >0.44ng/mL was a significant independent predictor of post-SRT disease progression [hazard ratio (HR): 2.02, P=0.02]. Although the pre-SRT PSA >0.44ng/mL did not maintain its independent association with disease progression in the multivariable analysis of patients with adverse pathology (HR: 1.63, P=0.22), PSA within 4weeks after RP as a continuous variable was significantly associated with disease progression (HR: 1.19, P=0.04). Our results highlight thatin PCa patients who undergo RP, SRT should be performed before their PSA reaches 0.44ng/mL. In patients with adverse pathology disease, a high PSA level within the 4weeks after RP might identify those who are likely to have disease progression, andthese patients might require systemic therapy.