Outcomes In Patients Research Articles

Multimodal imaging diagnosis and analysis of prognostic factors in patients with adult-onset Coats disease

AIM: To describe the multimodal imaging features, treatment, and outcomes of patients diagnosed with adult-onset Coats disease. METHODS: This retrospective study included patients first diagnosed with Coats disease at ≥18 years of age between September 2017 and September 2021. Some patients received anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy (conbercept, 0.5 mg) as the initial treatment, which was combined with laser photocoagulation as needed. All the patients underwent best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and intraocular pressure examinations, fundus color photography, spontaneous fluorescence tests, fundus fluorescein angiography, optical coherence tomography (OCT), OCT angiography, and other examinations. BCVA alterations and multimodal image findings in the affected eyes following treatment were compared and the prognostic factors were analyzed. RESULTS: The study included 15 patients who were aged 24-72 (57.33±12.61)y at presentation. Systemic hypertension was the most common associated systemic condition, occurring in 13 (86.7%) patients. Baseline BCVA ranged from 2.0 to 5.0 (4.0±1.1), which showed improvement following treatment (4.2±1.0). Multimodal imaging revealed retinal telangiectasis in 13 patients (86.7%), patchy hemorrhage in 5 patients (33.3%), and stage 2B disease (Shield’s staging criteria) in 11 patients (73.3%). OCT revealed that the baseline central macular thickness (CMT) ranged from 129 to 964 µm (473.0±230.1 µm), with 13 patients (86.7%) exhibiting a baseline CMT exceeding 250 µm. Furthermore, 8 patients (53.3%) presented with an epiretinal membrane at baseline or during follow-up. Hyper-reflective scars were observed on OCT in five patients (33.3%) with poor visual prognosis. Vision deteriorated in one patient who did not receive treatment. Final vision was stable in three patients who received laser treatment, whereas improvement was observed in one of two patients who received anti-VEGF therapy alone. In addition, 8 of 9 patients (88.9%) who received laser treatment and conbercept exhibited stable or improved BCVA. CONCLUSION: Multimodal imaging can help diagnose adult-onset Coats disease. Anti-VEGF treatment combined with laser therapy can be an option for improving or maintaining BCVA and resolving macular edema. The final visual outcome depends on macular involvement and the disease stage.

Mediation Analysis of Acute Carotid Stenting in Tandem Lesions: Effect on Functional Outcome in a Multicenter Registry.

Current evidence suggests that acute carotid artery stenting (CAS) for cervical lesions is associated with better functional outcomes in patients with acute stroke with tandem lesions (TLs) treated with endovascular therapy (EVT). However, the underlying causal pathophysiologic mechanism of this relationship compared with a non-CAS strategy remains unclear. We aimed to determine whether, and to what degree, reperfusion mediates the relationship between acute CAS and functional outcome in patients with TLs. This subanalysis stems from a multicenter retrospective cohort study across 16 stroke centers from January 2015 to December 2020. Patients with anterior circulation TLs who underwent EVT were included. Successful reperfusion was defined as a modified Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction scale ≥2B by the local team at each participating center. Mediation analysis was conducted to examine the potential causal pathway in which the relationship between acute CAS and functional outcome (90-day modified Rankin Scale) is mediated by successful reperfusion. A total of 570 patients were included, with a median age (interquartile range) of 68 (59-76), among whom 180 (31.6%) were female. Among these patients, 354 (62.1%) underwent acute CAS and 244 (47.4%) had a favorable functional outcome. The remaining 216 (37.9%) patients were in the non-CAS group. The CAS group had significantly higher rates of successful reperfusion (91.2% vs 85.1%; p = 0.025) and favorable functional outcomes (52% vs 29%; p = 0.003) compared with the non-CAS group. Successful reperfusion was a strong predictor of functional outcome (adjusted common odds ratio [acOR] 4.88; 95% CI 2.91-8.17; p < 0.001). Successful reperfusion partially mediated the relationship between acute CAS and functional outcome, as acute CAS remained significantly associated with functional outcome after adjustment for successful reperfusion (acOR 1.89; 95% CI 1.27-2.83; p = 0.002). Successful reperfusion explained 25% (95% CI 3%-67%) of the relationship between acute CAS and functional outcome. In patients with TL undergoing EVT, successful reperfusion predicted favorable functional outcomes when CAS was performed compared with non-CAS. A considerable proportion (25%) of the treatment effect of acute CAS on functional outcome was found to be mediated by improvement of successful reperfusion rates.

Early Maintenance Treatment Initiation and Relapse Risk Mitigation After a First Event of MOGAD in Adults: The MOGADOR2 Study.

Because myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease (MOGAD) is a recently identified autoimmune disorder, the natural history of MOGAD is still not well described. The objective of this study was to describe the long-term outcomes of adult patients with MOGAD. In addition, we aimed to identify factors affecting relapse risk and neurologic outcomes. Clinical and biological data were obtained from patients with a first event of MOGAD and included in the French nationwide incident cohort between February 2014 and March 2017. Only patients aged 18 years or older at disease onset and with observation period of at least 3 months were included. Data were collected prospectively until July 2023 and registered in the dedicated French nationwide database. This form includes every relapse with phenotype description during follow-up, date of last assessment, final clinical outcome with Expanded Disability Status Scale score and visual acuity, and maintenance therapy. The probability of recurrence-free survival was assessed using the Kaplan-Meier method. We included 128 patients. The onset phenotype was isolated optic neuritis in 81 patients (63.3%) and isolated myelitis in 25 patients (19.5%). The median follow-up duration was 77.8 months (range 3.2-111.2), with 49 patients (38.3%) experienced at least one relapse. Median times from onset to second and third attacks were 3.2 (1.0-86.2) and 13.0 (2.6-64.4) months, respectively. At the last assessment, Expanded Disability Status Scale Score was ≥3 and ≥6 in 22 (17.2%) and 6 (4.7%) patients, respectively. Eighty patients received at least one maintenance treatment. This treatment was initiated after the first attack in 47 patients (36.7% of the whole cohort) and at the time of a second attack in 25 (19.5%). Multivariate analysis revealed that initiating maintenance treatment after the first attack was associated with a lower relapse risk (OR = 0.26 [95% CI 0.11-0.62], p = 0.002). In patients receiving maintenance therapy after first attack, the 2-year, 4-year, 6-year, and 8-year relapse risks were 11%, 15%, 20%, and 20%, respectively. In other patients, the risks were 41%, 46%, 51%, and 56%. The highest risk of a relapse in MOGAD occurs early, and initiating maintenance therapy from the first attack substantially reduced the relapse risk. This study provides Class III evidence that initiating maintenance therapy from the first attack in patients with MOGAD reduces the relapse risk.

Effect of diabetes mellitus on 3-year outcomes in patients with acute myocardial infarction with nonobstructive coronary arteries.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a significant factor in increased mortality rates among patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), but research on its impact on the long-term outcomes in patients with MI with nonobstructive coronary arteries (MINOCA) is limited. Thus, a comparison of the 3-year clinical outcomes between the DM and non-DM groups among patients with MINOCA was undertaken. From the Korea AMI Registry-National Institute of Health dataset, 10,774 AMI patients were enrolled. After applying the exclusion criteria, 379 patients with MINOCA were included. The primary clinical outcomes were major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE), defined as all-cause death, recurrent myocardial infarction (MI), repeat coronary revascularization, and stroke. The secondary outcomes were the individual components of MACCE. The adjusted hazard ratios for 3-year MACCE (2.287, p = 0.010), all-cause death (2.845, p = 0.004), and non-cardiac death (non-CD, 3.914, p = 0.008) were higher in the DM group than in the non-DM group. It is speculated that the higher non-CD rate in the MINOCA group is attributable to a higher proportion of patients with non-ST-segment elevation MI in the total study population. The CD, recurrent MI, revascularization, and stroke rates were similar between the DM and non-DM groups. DM, advanced age, cardiopulmonary resuscitation on admission, and non-use of statin medications were significant predictors of MACCE. In this study involving patients with MINOCA, the DM group exhibited a higher 3-year mortality rate than the non-DM group. Thus, DM demonstrated a hazardous effect even in patients with MINOCA.

Abemaciclib for treating patients with HR+/HER2- metastatic breast cancer: a real-world study in France, Italy and Spain.

Aim: This real-world study aimed to describe patient and clinical characteristics, treatment patterns and outcomes for patients with HR+/HER2-metastatic breast cancer receiving abemaciclib in France, Italy and Spain. Materials & methods: A multicenter chart review was conducted for adult females with HR+/HER2- advanced/metastatic breast cancer who received abemaciclib in routine care. Real-world progression-free survival (rwPFS) was estimated via Kaplan-Meier curves. Results: This study included 151, 173 and 175 patients from France, Italy and Spain, respectively. Abemaciclib was mostly prescribed as first-line therapy concomitantly with hormone therapy. Median rwPFS was >20months and the 1-year rwPFS rate was >70%. Conclusion: Effectiveness was similar across the three countries and aligns with pivotal studies.

Matched Comparison Examining the Effect of Obesity on Clinical, Economic, and Humanistic Outcomes in Patients with BipolarI Disorder.

BipolarI disorder (BD-I) is associated with an increased risk of obesity, but few studies have evaluated the real-world clinical, humanistic, and economic effects associated with obesity in people with BD-I. This was a retrospective, cross-sectional analysis of responses to the 2016 and 2020 National Health and Wellness surveys. Respondents (18-64years) with a self-reported physician diagnosis of BD-I were matched to controls without BD-I based on demographic and health characteristics. Respondents were categorized by body mass index as underweight/normal weight (< 25kg/m2), overweight (25 to < 30kg/m2), or obese (≥ 30kg/m2). Multivariable regression models were used to compare obesity-related comorbidities, healthcare resource utilization (HCRU), health-related quality of life (HRQoL), work productivity, and indirect and direct costs. Before matching, the BD-I cohort was younger than the non-BD-I cohort and included more female and white respondents and a greater proportion covered by Medicaid or Medicare. After matching, the BD-I and non-BD-I cohorts had similar characteristics. A total of 5418 respondents (BD-I, n = 1806; matched controls, n = 3612) were analyzed. Obese respondents with BD-I reported the highest adjusted prevalences of high blood pressure (50%), high cholesterol (35%), sleep apnea (27%), osteoarthritis (17%), type2 diabetes (12%), and liver disease (4%). Obesity in respondents with BD-I was associated with the lowest HRQoL scores. Measures of work impairment were highest in respondents with BD-I and obesity, as was HCRU. Respondents with BD-I and obesity had the highest associated total indirect and direct medical costs ($25,849 and $44,482, respectively). Obese respondents with BD-I had greater frequencies of obesity-related comorbidities, higher HCRU, lower HRQoL, greater work impairments, and higher indirect and direct medical costs. These findings highlight the real-world burden of obesity in people with BD-I and the importance of considering treatments that may reduce this burden.

Infectious Scleritis - Clinical Characteristics, Causative Factors, and Treatment Outcomes in an Indian Population.

To study the clinical features, causative factors and treatment outcomes in patients with infectious scleritis seen in India. A retrospective study of all patients examined at a tertiary care center between August 2012 and March 2021. Forty-five patients (45 eyes; mean age 52.7 ± 17.5 years) were included in the study. The mean duration of symptoms was 3.1 ± 4.4 months. Inciting factors were found in 53.3% (injury: 33.3%; ocular surgery: 20.0%). The scleritis was predominantly anterior (97.8%), with multiple lesions in 40.0%, a solitary lesion in 31.1%, and diffuse in 28.9%. Associated features included uveitis (51.1%), keratitis (37.8%), hypopyon (15.6%), and endophthalmitis (6.7%). Causative organisms included bacteria (53.3%), fungi (35.6%), and presumed herpes virus (11.1%). All patients were treated with antimicrobial agents along with systemic corticosteroids where indicated. Surgical treatment included scleral debridement (37.8%), patch grafts (4.4%), and penetrating keratoplasty (2.2%). Complete resolution of scleritis was seen in 86.7%, with a mean duration of therapy of 2.9 ± 2.5 months. The mean follow-up was 8.3 ± 14.3 months. 51.1% of patients lost functional vision (<6/60). Causes of decreased vision included corneal scar, cataract, macular scar, glaucomatous optic atrophy, and phthisis bulbi. On bivariate analysis, poor visual acuity at presentation was associated with a worse visual outcome (p = 0.02). Other risk factors included necrotizing scleritis, multifocal scleritis, the presence of keratitis and uveitis. In our study, infectious scleritis resulted from bacterial and fungal infections. The scleritis resolved in most subjects, however, vision loss was frequent due to infection-related complications.

EMS bypass to endovascular stroke centers is associated with shorter time to thrombolysis and thrombectomy for LVO stroke.

Largevessel occlusion (LVO) strokesmay be eligible for treatment with intravenous thrombolysis(IVT)and endovascular therapy(EVT).Patients selected for treatment have better neurologic outcomes withEVT, anddelaysinthis therapyleadto worse outcomes. However, EVT is offered at a limited number ofhospitals,referred to asendovascular stroke centers (ESC).Thisposesa difficult decisionforEMS:to take potential stroke patients to the closestprimary stroke center (PSC)or longertransport time to a more distantESC. We hypothesized that patients with LVO stroke undergoing EVT transported directly to an ESC would have more favorable outcomes as measured by the modified Rankin scale (mRS) at 90 days, compared to transport to a PSC followed by transfer to an ESC. The OPUS-REACH consortium examinedtransportation patterns and outcomes in patients with LVO stroke who received endovascular treatment.This cohort includes 2400 patients with LVO stroke throughouteightendovascular centers in the Northeast U.S.from 2015 to 2020. All patients enrolled in the OPUS-REACH database were eligible for inclusion. Patients were excluded if they were missing the pickup address, had an in-hospital stroke, or arrived via mobile stroke unit. The remaining patients were separated into two groups: thebypass group, withtransportation by EMS to an ESCbybypassing PSC,andthe non-bypassgroup, withinitialtransport to PSCandinterfacility transport to an ESC.The primary outcome was the modified Rankin scale(mRS)at 90 days, where 0-2 was defined as "good". The primary outcome did not reach significancewith 40% of the bypass group as compared with the 33.1% of thenon-bypassgroup having a "good" outcome. However, the bypass group underwent shorter times from last-known-well to both thrombolysis (120.9 vs 153.3 min, p < 0.001) and thrombectomy (356.1 vs 454.8 min, p = 0.001). In patients with LVO stroke who undergo thrombectomy, EMS transport directly to an ESC results in shorter time thrombectomy, although we did not observe a difference in 90-day functional outcomes. Additionally, bypass to reach a more capable endovascular stroke center does not delay administration of IVT from time of LKW.

Selective Gastrectomy with Knowledge of Gastric Anatomy and Blood Supply are Key to Complete Tumour Removal in Advanced Pseudomyxoma: Single-Centre Experience with 120 Gastrectomies Over 20 Years.

The role of gastrectomy to achieve complete cytoreduction (CCR) for pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP) is controversial due to uncertain risk/benefit ratio. The outcomes of patients who gastrectomy over a twenty-year period in a high-volume unit are reported. All patients requiring gastrectomy to achieve CCR for appendiceal PMP between 2000 and 2020 were reviewed. Demographics, disease, operative, complication, and survival data were analysed. The first and second decades were compared. A total of 2148 patients underwent CRS and HIPEC, of which 78% had CCR. Gastrectomy was performed in 7.1%. Median age was 55 years, and 52% were female. Among gastrectomy patients, 94.2% had ≥1 elevated tumour marker, and 18% had high-grade disease. Median PCI was 30, and 30% required subtotal colectomy. Clavien-Dindo III-IV complications occurred in 32%, and 90-day mortality was 1.75%. Median survival was 104 months, and 10-year OS was 47%. Comparing the two decades, total CRS cases almost tripled, with a greater proportion achieving CCR (82.2% vs. 67.8%) but fewer requiring gastrectomy (5.3% vs. 13.5%). In those who had gastrectomy, disease was more advanced (higher PCI, more high-grade disease, more colectomies) in the later period. However, on multivariable analysis, there was no difference in survival between decades. High-grade histology was the only predictor of survival. Gastrectomy can achieve good long-term survival with low mortality and acceptable morbidity and should not deter surgeons from achieving CCR. However, increasing experience shows CCR can be achieved, preserving the stomach in the majority of cases through careful consideration of the anatomy and gastric blood supply.

Dual-etiology MAFLD: the interactions between viral hepatitis B, viral hepatitis C, alcohol, and MAFLD.

Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) and viral hepatitis due to chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection are common liver diseases worldwide. Excessive alcohol consumption and alcoholic liver disease (ALD) are also emerging health problems. Therefore, in clinical practice, we may encounter subjects with dual etiology of liver diseases such as coexisting MAFLD/HBV, MAFLD/HCV, and MAFLD/ALD. In this review, we summarize the epidemiology, clinical features, and mutual interactions of MAFLD with coexisting HBV, HCV, or ALD. The impact of MAFLD on the progression of liver diseases and treatment outcomes in patients with chronic viral hepatitis and the clinical questions to be addressed regarding dual MAFLD and ALD are also discussed.

Impact of Preoperative Time Intervals for Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy on Short-term Postoperative Outcomes of Esophageal Cancer Surgery: A Population-Based Study Using the Dutch Upper Gastrointestinal Cancer Audit (DUCA) Data.

To clarify the impact of the preoperative time intervals on short-term postoperative and pathological outcomes in esophageal cancer patients who underwent neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) followed by esophagectomy. The impact of preoperative intervals on esophageal cancer patients who received multimodality treatment remains unknown. Patients(cT1-4aN0-3M0) treated with nCRT plus esophagectomy were included using the Dutch national DUCA-database. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine the effect of different time intervals upon short-term postoperative and pathological outcomes: diagnosis-to-nCRT intervals (≤5, 5-8 and 8-12wk), nCRT-to-surgery intervals (5-11, 11-17 and >17wk) and total preoperative intervals (≤16, 16-25 and >25wk). Between 2010-2021, a total of 5052 patients were included. Compared to diagnosis-to-nCRT interval ≤5 weeks, the interval 8-12 weeks was associated with higher risk of overall complications (P=0.049). Compared to nCRT-to-surgery interval 5-11 weeks, the longer intervals (11-17wk and >17wk) were associated with higher risk of overall complications (P-value=0.016; P-value<0.001) and anastomotic leakage (P-value=0.004; P-value=0.030), but the interval >17 weeks was associated with lower risk of ypN+ (P-value=0.021). The longer total preoperative intervals were not associated with the risk of 30-day mortality and complications compared to the interval ≤16 weeks, but the longer total preoperative interval (>25wk) was associated with higher ypT stage (P-value=0.010) and lower pCR rate (P-value=0.013). In patients with esophageal cancer undergoing nCRT and esophagectomy, prolonged preoperative time intervals may lead to higher morbidity and disease progression, and the causal relationship requires further confirmation.

Oral Antibiotics and Risk of Serious Cutaneous Adverse Drug Reactions.

Serious cutaneous adverse drug reactions (cADRs) are potentially life-threatening drug hypersensitivity reactions involving the skin and internal organs. Antibiotics are a recognized cause of these reactions, but no studies have compared relative risks across antibiotic classes. To explore the risk of serious cADRs associated with commonly prescribed oral antibiotics, and to characterize outcomes of patients hospitalized for them. Nested case-control study using population-based linked administrative datasets among adults aged 66 years or older who received at least 1 oral antibiotic between 2002 and 2022 in Ontario, Canada. Cases were those who had an emergency department (ED) visit or hospitalization for serious cADRs within 60 days of the prescription, and each case was matched with up to 4 controls who did not. Various classes of oral antibiotics. Conditional logistic regression estimate of the association between different classes of oral antibiotics and serious cADRs, using macrolides as the reference group. During the 20-year study period, we identified 21 758 older adults (median age, 75 years; 64.1% female) who had an ED visit or hospitalization for serious cADRs following antibiotic therapy and 87 025 matched controls who did not. In the primary analysis, sulfonamide antibiotics (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.9; 95% CI, 2.7-3.1) and cephalosporins (aOR, 2.6; 95% CI, 2.5-2.8) were most strongly associated with serious cADRs relative to macrolides. Additional associations were evident with nitrofurantoin (aOR, 2.2; 95% CI, 2.1-2.4), penicillins (aOR, 1.4; 95% CI, 1.3-1.5), and fluoroquinolones (aOR, 1.3; 95% CI, 1.2-1.4). The crude rate of ED visits or hospitalization for cADRs was highest for cephalosporins (4.92 per 1000 prescriptions; 95% CI, 4.86-4.99) and sulfonamide antibiotics (3.22 per 1000 prescriptions; 95% CI, 3.15-3.28). Among the 2852 case patients hospitalized for cADRs, the median length of stay was 6 days (IQR, 3-13 days), 9.6% required transfer to a critical care unit, and 5.3% died in the hospital. Commonly prescribed oral antibiotics are associated with an increased risk of serious cADRs compared with macrolides, with sulfonamides and cephalosporins carrying the highest risk. Prescribers should preferentially use lower-risk antibiotics when clinically appropriate.

Patient characteristics, treatment patterns, and survival outcomes for patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma in Denmark between 2011 and 2018: a nationwide population-based cohort study.

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a rare thoracic malignancy with poor prognosis and limited treatment options. Immunotherapy shows potential for improved outcomes; however, real-world evidence on its use will take time to accumulate. This study examined patient characteristics, treatment patterns, overall survival (OS), and predictors of mortality among patients diagnosed with MPM in Denmark prior to the introduction of newer treatments. This historical cohort study based on routinely collected Danish National Registry data included adults newly diagnosed with MPM between 01 January 2011 and 31 May 2018. Summary statistics were used to describe patient characteristics and initial treatment. OS was estimated using Kaplan-Meier methods; Cox regression was used to compare patient mortality against the (age/sex-matched) general population and to investigate mortality predictors. Overall, 880 patients were included; 44% had advanced MPM, 37% had non-advanced MPM, and 19% had unknown MPM stage. Median age at diagnosis was 71.9 years, and 82% of the patients were male. Within 180 days of diagnosis, no treatment was recorded for 215 patients (54%) with advanced MPM and 150 (46%) with non-advanced MPM. Median time-to-initial treatment (interquartile range) was 47 days (31-111) overall, 40 days (28-77) in patients with advanced MPM, and 53 days (35-121) with non-advanced MPM. Median OS was 13.7 months overall (non-advanced MPM: 18.0 months vs. advanced MPM: 10.0 months). Predictors of higher mortality were older age at diagnosis, histology, and advanced MPM stage. These findings provide a baseline upon which to evaluate MPM epidemiology as newer treatments are adopted in routine practice.

The early learning curve of the bipolar enucleation of the prostate: a multicenter cohort study.

To evaluate the early learning curve of BipolEP (Bipolar Enucleation of the Prostate). We conducted a retrospective, multicenter analysis of surgical and functional outcomes of patients treated with BipolEp for BPO (benign prostatic obstruction). We evaluated the first 20 cases of BipolEp performed by four different surgeons in three different countries. The following baseline parameters were obtained: age, IPSS, indwelling catheter, transrectal measured prostate volume, post void residual volume (PVR) and uroflowmetry. The learning curve was analysed based on perioperative parameters and the influence of perioperative parameters was correlated with the sequence of BipolEp cases. 84 BipolEp operations performed by 4 different surgeons in their early learning curve were studied. Mean prostate volume was 75ml, 39% of cases had an indwelling catheter and the average operating time was 101min. Three out of four surgeons performed at least 50% of successful operations according to Trifecta (complete enucleation and morcellation < 90min., no conversion to TUR-P). Conversion rate to TURP was 11.9% in total which however was driven by a single surgeon with an almost 50% conversion rate. Mean enucleated prostate was 33.3 gr (18-54.5). Intraoperative complications and reported stress incontinence ranged from 0 to 38.1%. At six-weeks review, the IPPS improved by 12.5 (8-16) points and Qmax by 208% (109.8-266.7). Uroflowmetry outcomes correlated with the sequence of cases with a linear improvement during 20 consecutive cases (p = 0.018) in all centres. Major complications (Clavien Dindo ≥ 3) were rare (4.8%) and comparable between the groups. Surgeons starting to learn BipolEp can expect to be able to achieve a linear improvement in Uroflow at the six-week postoperative evaluation after 20 consecutive cases. BipolEp can be successfully performed during the early learning curve with an acceptable rate of conversion to standard TUR-P.

The prognostic impact of unplanned invasive coronary angiography following coronary artery bypass grafting.

Myocardial ischaemia following coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is a potentially devastating complication. Nevertheless, the incidence, aetiology, and prognostic relevance of unplanned CAG remain understudied. We aimed to investigate the prevalence and outcome of patients undergoing urgent, unplanned coronary angiography in the postoperative period following CABG. We screened all patients undergoing isolated elective CABG in an academic referral centre between 2016-2021 and identified patients undergoing unplanned CAG (uCAG) within 30 days of surgery. Within uCAG patients, a distinction was made between patients undergoing re-revascularization (REV) and patients receiving conservative management (CON). The primary outcomes were 30-day mortality and unadjusted and adjusted long-term survival. Secondary outcomes were the indication for and prevalence of uCAG and urgent revascularization. Of the 1918 patients undergoing isolated CABG, 78 individuals needed uCAG (4.1%), of which 45 underwent immediate revascularization (REV-group; 2.3% overall, 57% within the uCAG group, median age 69.9 years) and 33 were treated conservatively (CON-group; 1.7% overall, 42% within the uCAG group, median age 69.1 years). Patients undergoing uCAG (n = 78) had a higher 30-day mortality than patients not undergoing uCAG (n = 1840, 30-day mortality: 9.0% vs 0.4%, p < 0.001). Long-term survival was significantly decreased in patients undergoing uCAG in both unadjusted (hazard ratio [HR] 2.20, 95% CI 1.30-3.73), and EuroSCORE-, age-, and sex-adjusted models (HR uCAG 2.03, 95% CI 1.16-3.56). Unplanned postoperative CAG is performed in 4.1% of isolated CABG procedures, and patients in need of such urgent invasive evaluation are subjected to decreased short- and long-term survival.

Association between longitudinal biomarkers and major adverse liver outcomes in patients with non-cirrhotic metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease.

Non-invasive biomarkers provide prognostic information for the development of major adverse liver outcomes (MALO) in patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), but the predictive value of longitudinal biomarker measurements has not been evaluated. We assessed whether changes in biomarkers could predict incident MALO in MASLD. We analyzed a cohort of 1,260 patients (71.7% on biopsy) with non-cirrhotic MASLD between 1974 and 2019. Data at baseline and follow-up visits were obtained from medical charts. MALO was determined through medical charts and linkage to national registers until the end of 2020. A joint modeling approach was used to quantify the associations between the trajectory of biomarkers with the risk of MALO. MASLD was diagnosed at median age of 52 years (IQR: 39-60), and 59% were male. During a median follow-up of 12.2 years, 111 (8.8%) patients developed MALO. The joint modeling showed that an elevated FIB-4 (HR 2.60, 95% CI 1.89-3.50), AST (HR 2.69, 95% CI 2.57-3.05), and lower platelet count (HR 0.93, 95% CI 0.90-0.97) at any time point were associated with an increased risk of MALO, whereas the rate of change in these biomarkers had no association with this risk. In addition to baseline measurements of non-invasive biomarkers such as FIB-4 and AST, and platelets taken at MASLD diagnosis, monitoring their values over time is important, as the latest value of these biomarkers is closely associated with the risk of future MALO. The rate of change may not be as important.

Impact of HCV eradication on recurrence pattern and long-term outcomes in patients with HCV-related hepatocellular carcinoma undergoing radiofrequency ablation.

The benefits of HCV eradication on distinct recurrence patterns and long-term hepatic outcomes in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) undergoing radiofrequency ablation (RFA) remain uncertain. This study aims to assess the impact of HCV eradication on HCC recurrence patterns and long-term hepatic outcomes after RFA and to identify predictors of recurrence in patients achieving sustained virological response (SVR). We retrospectively enrolled 274 patients receiving RFA for HCV-related HCC, including 73 and 88 patients treated with interferon-based (IFN) and direct-acting antivirals (DAA) therapy, respectively. We analysed factors associated with local tumour progression (LTP), distant recurrence, overall survival, and hepatic decompensation. SVR was achieved in 49.3% of patients undergoing IFN therapy and 93.2% of patients undergoing DAA therapy. HCV eradication was not associated with LTP but significantly correlated with reduced risk of distant recurrence (by DAA: hazard ratio (HR) = 0.449, p = 0.006), overall survival (by IFN: HR = 0.242, p < 0.001; by DAA: HR = 0.274, p < 0.001) and hepatic decompensation (by IFN: HR = 0.313, p = 0.004; by DAA: HR = 0.281, p < 0.001). The benefits of achieving SVR in terms of overall survival and hepatic decompensation remained significant in subgroups of patients with and without recurrence. Patients with SVR showed a significant decline in FIB-4 score and a higher proportion of ALBI grade improvement. Among SVR patients, the IMbrave050 criteria predicted LTP but not distant recurrence, whereas the FIB-4 score after SVR, rather than the baseline FIB-4, predicted distant recurrence. HCV eradication was associated with a significant reduction in distant recurrence, mortality and hepatic decompensation following RFA in patients with HCV-related HCC.

Association of trauma classifications to long-term outcome in blunt trauma patients.

The impact of major trauma is long lasting. Although polytrauma patients are currently identified with the Berlin polytrauma criteria, data on long-term outcomes are not available. In this study, we evaluated the association of trauma classification with long-term outcome in blunt-trauma patients. A trauma registry of a level I trauma centre was used for patient identification from 1.1.2006 to 31.12.2015. Patients were grouped as follows: (1) all severely injured trauma patients; (2) all severely injured polytrauma patients; 2a) severely injured patients with AIS ≥ 3 on two different body regions (Berlin-); 2b) severely injured patients with polytrauma and a physiological criterion (Berlin+); and (3) a non-polytrauma group. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was performed to estimate differences in mortality between different groups. We identified 3359 trauma patients for this study. Non-polytrauma was the largest group (2380 [70.9%] patients). A total of 500 (14.9%) patients fulfilled the criteria for Berlin + definition, leaving 479 (14.3%) polytrauma patients in Berlin- group. Berlin + patients had the highest short-term mortality compared with other groups, although the difference in cumulative mortality gradually plateaued compared with the non-polytrauma patient group; at the end of the 10-year follow up, the non-polytrauma group had the greatest mortality due to the high number of patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Excess mortality of polytrauma patients by Berlin definition occurs in the early phase (30-day mortality) and late deaths are rare. TBI causes high early mortality followed by increased long-term mortality.

Psychological Factors Related to Treatment Outcomes in Head and Neck Cancer.

Patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) often demonstrate stress, distress, anxiety, depression, and are at risk forsuicide. These affect their quality of life (QoL) but less attention has been given to psychological variables that may impact response to treatment. This study aims to systematically review publications during 2013-2023 to collate evidence on the effects of psychological variables on HNC treatment outcomes. We searched Ovid Medline, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science for articles that examined psychological factors related to treatment outcomes in patients with HNC. There were 29 studies (5 before treatment, 2 during, 17 after, and 5 covering the whole management trajectory) including 362,766 patients. The psychological factors were either behavioral (adjustment and coping strategy, unrealistic ideas, self-blame), cognitive (elevated risk of psychiatric co-comorbidity), or emotional (distress, depression, anxiety, nervousness, and fear of disfigurement and complications). It was found that there was a relationship between depression and decreased survival in patients with HNC. Pretreatment pain was an independent predictor of decreased survival in a large sample of patients. The distress level was approximately 54%, emotional problems ranged between 10 and 44%, while financial difficulties wereidentified in 54% of the patients. Sixty-nine percent of patientswere reported to have used at least one cost-coping strategy within 6months after treatment initiation. During post-treatment period, depression increased from 15% at the baseline to 29%, while the fear of recurrence was found among at least 35% of patients. Several psychological factors predict QoL and survival among HNC survivors. Distress encompasses depression and anxiety, and physical burden from HNC diagnosis and treatment. Routine screening and early interventions that target distress could improve HNC survivors' QoL. A systematic and standardized measurement approach for QoL is warranted to homogenize these findings and to understand the underlying relationships.

ERα Coregulator TRIM28 Promotes Breast Cancer Progression by Activating the AKT/GSK3β Pathway.

Estrogen receptor α (ERα) promotes the growth and survival of ER-positive breast cancer (BC) cells. ER regulates ER expression target genes by directly binding to specific estrogen response elements, upon activation by estrogens. In this study, 106 proteins interacting with endogenous chromatin-bound ER in a BC cell line MCF7 were identified using the RIME method. The interactome data showed that the tripartite motif containing 28 (TRIM28) is the most significantly enriched ER-associated protein. This study provides evidence that TRIM28 expression improves ER transcriptional activity and promotes the BC cells proliferation, migration, and invasion of BC cells. The high expression of TRIM28 is associated with poor clinical outcomes in patients with ER-positive BC. Mechanistic experiments indicate that TRIM28 expression activates the AKT/GSK3β pathway. To conclude, TRIM28 acts as a regulatory protein of ER and AKT signaling; therefore, it can be a target for the therapeutic interventions of BC.