Patients In Austria Research Articles

Abstract P4-01-27: Prognosis and treatment landscape of HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer (MBC) before the availability of tucatinib and trastuzumab-deruxtecan: Results from the Austrian AGMT_MBC-Registry

Abstract Background: New anti-HER2 drugs such as tucatinib and trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd) have shown to improve survival of HER2+ MBC in clinical phase III trials. To allow a future confirmation of this survival advantage in real world, we evaluated the prognosis of HER2+ MBC patients before the availability of tucatinib and T-DXd in Austria. Furthermore, we analyzed the treatment landscape and the drop-out rate between subsequent lines of therapy as documented in the MBC-Registry of the Austrian Study Group of Medical Tumor Therapy (AGMT). Patients and methods: The AGMT-MBC-Registry is a multicenter nationwide ongoing retrospective and prospective registry for MBC patients in Austria. In this analysis, patients with known HER2 status, available survival data, at least one treatment line and diagnosis of metastatic disease after 01/04/2013 (pertuzumab available) were included. Follow-up was censored at Dec 31, 2020, when tucatinib und T-DXd became available. Results: As of 04/05/2022, 2,235 patients have been included in the registry. Out of 2,000 evaluable patients, 362 (18.1%) were HER2+, of which 171 (47.2%) fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Out of them 69.0% were hormone-receptor positive. In patients with metachronous metastatic disease (53.2%), 61.5% had received trastuzumab-based treatment for early breast cancer. Median overall survival (OS) for all patients was 50.1 months (95%CI 40.7-73.0), and 66.1 months (95%CI 50.1-NA) for those who received a pertuzumab combination as first-line treatment. The drop-out rate from 1st- to 5th-line was 26.9%, 24.4%, 28.3% and 36.7%, respectively. This yields an estimated percentage of patients that received at least 3, 4, and 5 treatment lines for advanced disease of 55.2%, 39.6% and 25.1%, respectively. In first line, 50.9% received trastuzumab plus pertuzumab and 11.1% T- DM1. In second line, 38.9% were treated with T-DM1 and 35.6% with trastuzumab-based chemotherapy or endocrine therapy. In third line, 11.3%, 17.0% and 49.1% received T-DM1, lapatinib-based and trastuzumab-based therapy, respectively. Outcomes according to treatment line are shown in Table 1. Conclusion: Median overall survival of HER2+ MBC in Austria who received a pertuzumab combination treatment is comparable to the results reported in the registration CLEOPATRA trial. In this analysis, only ~40% of patients are estimated to receive more than three treatment lines and treatment benefit diminished from line to line. This underlines the importance of investigating and ultimately using the most effective compounds in early treatment lines in order to allow more patients to benefit from these life prolonging drugs. Table 1: Outcome according to treatment line Citation Format: Simon P. Gampenrieder, Gabriel Rinnerthaler, Christoph Tinchon, Andreas Petzer, Marija Balic, Sonja Heibl, Margit Sandholzer, August F. Zabernigg, Daniel Egle, Christopher Hager, Petra Pichler, Florian Roitner, Johannes Andel, Kathrin Strasser-Weippl, Michael Knauer, Michael Hubalek, Christian F. Singer, Richard Greil. Prognosis and treatment landscape of HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer (MBC) before the availability of tucatinib and trastuzumab-deruxtecan: Results from the Austrian AGMT_MBC-Registry [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2022 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2022 Dec 6-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(5 Suppl):Abstract nr P4-01-27.

Use and perceptions of digital technology for daily life, physical activity and health information among former cardiac rehabilitation patients in Austria: A cross-sectional survey

Objective Digital health technologies offer great potential to improve access and adherence to cardiovascular disease secondary prevention measures such as regular physical activity (PA). However, the use and perceptions of digital technology (DT) among cardiac rehabilitation (CR) patients are not well understood. The aim of this study was therefore to explore the use of DT in former CR patients’ daily lives, for PA and for health information; and to gain insight into patient perceptions of DT for PA, including barriers, facilitators and requested features. Methods A cross-sectional postal survey was conducted between May 2022 and January 2023. Five Austrian CR centres contacted 500 former patients who had completed a phase 2 CR programme from January 2019 onwards. One-hundred seventeen patients (mean [SD] age, 69 ± 10 years, 22% female) responded. Descriptive and thematic analyses were conducted for closed and open-ended questions, respectively. Results Results indicated high DT usage for communication and informational aspects, and to a large extent also for PA and health information seeking. Main facilitators of DT use for PA were attributed to health and behavioural monitoring. Main barriers were lack of perceived need, lack of interest and poor usability. Most frequently requested features included pulse and blood pressure measurement, step count and compatibility to other devices. Conclusions Patients generally used and perceived DT as beneficial in daily life and for secondary prevention purposes such as PA. The survey identified facilitators, barriers and feature requests, which may inform the design and implementation of digital health interventions for CR patients.

The EORTC QLU-C10D discrete choice experiment for cancer patients: a first step towards patient utility weights

BackgroundThe European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Utility-Core 10 Dimensions (QLU-C10D) is a novel cancer-specific preference-based measure (PBM) for which value sets are being developed for an increasing number of countries. This is done by obtaining health preferences from the respective general population. There is an ongoing discussion if instead patients suffering from the disease in question should be asked for their preferences. We used the QLU-C10D valuation survey, originally designed for use in the general population, in a sample of cancer patients in Austria to assess the methodology’s acceptability and applicability in this target group before obtaining QLU-C10D patient preferences.MethodsThe core of the QLU-C10D valuation survey is a discrete choice experiment in which respondents are asked to give preferences for certain health states (described by a relatively large number of 10 quality of life domains) and an associated survival time. They therewith are asked to trade off quality of life against life time. As this might be a very burdensome task for cancer patients undergoing treatment, a cognitive interview was conducted in a pilot sample to assess burden and potential additional needs for explanation in order to be able to use the DCE for the development of QLU-C10D patient preferences. In addition, responses to general feedback questions on the survey were compared against responses from a matched control group from the already completed Austrian general population valuation survey.ResultsWe included 48 patients (mean age 59.9 years; 46% female). In the cognitive interview, the majority indicated that their experience with the survey was positive (85%) and overall clarity as good (90%). In response to the general feedback questions, patients rated the presentation of the health states less clear than matched controls (p = 0.008). There was no difference between patients and the general population concerning the difficulty in choosing between the health states (p = 0.344).ConclusionDespite the relatively large number of DCE domains the survey was manageable for patients and allows going on with the QLU-C10D patient valuation study.

SARS-CoV-2-related mortality and treatment delays for cancer patients in Austria : Findings of amulticentric nationwide study.

BackgroundCancer patients infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) have an increased risk of mortality. Here, we investigated predictive factors for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) associated mortality in patients with neoplastic diseases treated throughout Austria.MethodsIn this multicentric nationwide cohort study, data on patients with active or previous malignant diseases and SARS-CoV‑2 infections diagnosed between 13 March 2020 and 06 April 2021 were collected. Collected data included the stage of the malignant disease and outcome parameters 30 days after the diagnosis of SARS-CoV‑2 infection.ResultsThe cohort consisted of 230 individuals of which 75 (32.6%) patients were diagnosed with hematologic malignancies and 155 (67.4%) with solid tumors. At a median follow-up of 31 days after COVID-19 diagnosis, 38 (16.5%) patients had died due to COVID-19. Compared to survivors, patients who died were older (62.4 vs. 71.4 years, p < 0.001) and had a higher ECOG performance status (0.7 vs. 2.43, p < 0.001). Furthermore, higher neutrophil counts (64.9% vs. 73.8%, p = 0.03), lower lymphocyte counts (21.4% vs. 14%, p = 0.006) and lower albumin levels (32.5 g/l vs. 21.6 g/l, p < 0.001) were observed to be independent risk factors for adverse outcomes. No association between mortality and systemic antineoplastic therapy was found (p > 0.05). In 60.6% of the patients, therapy was postponed due to quarantine requirements or hospital admission.ConclusionMortality of Austrian cancer patients infected with SARS-CoV‑2 is comparable to that of other countries. Furthermore, risk factors associated with higher mortality were evident and similar to the general population. Treatment delays were frequently observed.

Abstract P1-16-03: Response pattern to chemotherapy in metastatic breast cancer (MBC): Real-word data from the Austrian AGMT_MBC-Registry

Abstract Background: Despite the advances by targeted therapies, particularly in HER2-positive and hormone receptor (HR)-positive metastatic breast cancer (MBC), chemotherapy remains a mainstay of the treatment in all breast cancer subtypes. Response probabilities to chemotherapy seem to decrease with increasing lines of treatment, but little is known about the response dependency on the previous therapy line. Here, we present data from the MBC registry of the Austrian Study Group for Medical Tumor Therapy (AGMT-MBC-Registry). Methods: The AGMT-MBC-Registry is an ongoing multicenter registry for MBC patients in Austria. Patients with available hormone receptor and negative HER2 status, at least two consecutive lines of chemotherapy and sufficient progression-free survival (PFS) data were included in this analysis. Multivariable adjusted hazard ratios (HR) for PFS were estimated by Cox regression models and included the following parameters: age, HR status, disease-free survival (de novo metastatic or ≥ 24 months vs. &amp;lt; 24 months), visceral disease, number of involved metastatic sites at diagnosis of MBC, chemotherapy treatment line, and response in previous treatment line. Response was defined as PFS &amp;gt; 4 month and non-response as a PFS ≤ 4 month. Cox model was extended as proposed by Andersen and Gill due to possibility of multiple events per patient and thereby resulting dependencies (Sousa-Ferreira &amp; Abreu, 2019). Results: As of 15/04/2021, 2024 patients were included in the registry. Out of them, 405 patients (20.0%) had documented HER2 negative disease with at least two lines of consecutive chemotherapy. Median PFS for first-, second-, third-, and forth-line chemotherapy were 6.0 months (95% CI 5.5-6.5), 3.7 months (95% CI 3.1-4.3), 2.9 months (95% CI 2.5-3.2), and 2.8 months (95% CI 2.6-3.2), respectively. Median overall survival was 31.8 months (95% CI 27.2-34.8). Median number of chemotherapy lines was 3 (range 2-8). The most commonly used cytotoxic agents were paclitaxel and capecitabine in first- and second-line, and eribulin in third-, and fourth-line chemotherapy. Combinations of more than one cytotoxic drug were given in 36%, 29%, 28% in first-, second-, and third/fourth-line. Patients who did not respond to the previous therapy line, had a response in 43% (95% CI 33-53), 34% (95% CI 25-43), and 30% (95% CI 21-39) to second-, third-, and fourth-line. In those patients, investigator assessed overall response rate (partial remission or complete remission) was 27% (95% CI 13-40), 23% (95% CI 9-37), and 33% (95% CI 16-51), respectively. A response to third-line chemotherapy in patients who did not respond to first- and second-line therapy, was seen in 16.7% of patients. Ratios between PFS of interest and PFS of the previous treatment line were 0.63 (95% CI 0.55-0.68), 0.57 (95% CI 0.41-0.62), and 0.76 (95% CI 0.58-0.9) in second-, third-, and forth-line therapy. In multivariable analysis, responses in second- to fourth-line therapy were statistically significant associated with disease-free survival (HR 0.75, P=0.022), and treatment line (HR 1.17 per increasing treatment line, P=0.004), but not for the response to the previous treatment line (HR 0.85, P=0.068). Conclusion: A continuously decreasing PFS for cytotoxic drugs from treatment line to treatment line was confirmed in our analysis. However, in multivariable analysis, response, defined as PFS &amp;gt; 4 months, was not statistically associated with response to the previous treatment line. Therefore, a lack of response to first, second-, - or third-line chemotherapy should not trigger discontinuation of anticancer therapy in case of further available treatment options. Citation Format: Gabriel Rinnerthaler, Simon P Gampenrieder, Christoph Tinchon, Andreas Petzer Petzer, Marija Balic, Heibl Sonja, August F Zabernigg, Daniel Egle, Margit Sandholzer, Florian Roitner, Johannes Andel, Petra Pichler, Christophe Hager, Michael Hubalek, Michael Knauer, Christian F Singer, Richard Greil. Response pattern to chemotherapy in metastatic breast cancer (MBC): Real-word data from the Austrian AGMT_MBC-Registry [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2021 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2021 Dec 7-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P1-16-03.

Abstract P1-21-08: Brain metastases (BM) from breast cancer: Real-word data from the Austrian AGMT_MBC-registry

Abstract Background: BM are generally associated with poor prognosis and with neurological impairments making BM a major limitation of life expectancy and quality of life in MBC. Real-world data are needed in order to quantify and better characterize this special clinical situation. Here, we present data from the MBC registry of the Austrian Study Group for Medical Tumor Therapy (AGMT-MBC-Registry). Methods: The AGMT-MBC-Registry is an ongoing multicenter registry for MBC patients in Austria. Patients with available hormone receptor and HER2 status and sufficient outcome data were included in this analysis. Unadjusted, univariate overall survival (OS) probabilities were calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method and compared by the log-rank test; multivariable adjusted hazard ratios (HR) were estimated by Cox regression models. HR were estimated with diagnosis of BM as time-dependent variable. Logistic regression was performed to investigate the probability of developing BM. Multivariable analyses included the following parameters: breast cancer subtype (luminal-like vs. HER2+ vs. TNBC), age at diagnosis of metastatic disease (continuous, in Cox regression as interaction with menopausal status), DFS (de novo metastatic or ≥ 24 months vs. &amp;lt; 24 months), visceral disease (yes vs. no) and number of metastatic sites (1 vs 2-3 vs. ≥4) at diagnosis of metastatic disease. Results: As of 15/04/2021, 2024 patients were included in the registry. Out of 1691 evaluable patients, 306 (18.1%) had documented BM. The incidence at diagnosis of metastatic disease and the overall incidence during the course of disease was significantly higher in HER2+ (9.5% [13/137] and 36.5% [50/137]) and triple-negative tumors (11.9% [38/318] and 27.7% [88/318]) compared to luminal-like tumors (3.3% [41/1236] and 13.6% [168/1236]) (both P&amp;lt;0.001). Besides subtype, ≥4 metastatic sites at diagnosis of metastatic disease and age were statistically significant associated with BM in logistic regression analysis.Median time to BM calculated from the date of diagnosis of metastatic disease was 11.3 months (95%CI 9.3-13.3) in the total population with BM, 12.7 months (95%CI 7.3-16.0) in HER2+, 5.2 months (95%CI 1.8-10.3) in triple-negative and 15.4 months (95%CI 8.4-19.5) in luminal disease, respectively. Interestingly, 13.7% of patients (42/306) had BM as first metastatic site without extracranial disease. The median number of systemic therapy-lines before and after diagnosis of BM was 1 (range 0-8) and 1 (range 0-10), respectively. Most of the patients with BM (80.1%) received radiotherapy; 12.7% focal radiotherapy, 69.8% whole brain irradiation and 9.0% both types of radiotherapy (8.5% unknown). After a median follow-up of 72.3 months (95%-CI 68.6-80.0), patients with BM had a significantly shorter median OS (7.5 months) compared to patients without BM (38.4 months) both in univariate (HR 3.58; 95%CI 3.11-4.11; P&amp;lt;.001) and multivariable analysis (HR 3.70; 95%CI 3.18-4.32; P&amp;lt;.001). OS in patients with BM differed significantly between the three breast cancer subtypes with a median OS of 36.3 months (95%CI 30.5-47.9), 33.5 months (95%CI 22.9-45.5) and 13.2 months (95%CI 11.1-18.4) in luminal, HER2+ and TNBC, respectively (overall log-rank P&amp;lt;0.001). Similarly, the time from diagnosis of BM and death was significantly shorter in TNBC (4.1 months; 95%CI 3.4-6.3) compared to luminal (9.7 months; 95%CI 6.8-13.7) and HER2+ breast cancer (10.7 months; 95%CI 9.1-26.2) (overall log-rank P&amp;lt;0.001). Conclusion: Almost 20% of patients with MBC develop BM during their course of disease, with a higher incidence in HER2+ and triple-negative disease. Besides effective prevention strategies improved systemic and local therapies are needed to minimize morbidity and improve outcome in these patients. Citation Format: Simon Peter Gampenrieder, Gabriel Rinnerthaler, Christoph Tinchon, Andreas Petzer, Marij Balic, Sonja Heibl, August F Zabernigg, Daniel Egle, Margit Sandholzer, Florian Roitner, Johannes Andel, Petra Pichler, Christopher Hager, Michael Knauer, Michael Hubalek, Christian F Singer, Richard Greil. Brain metastases (BM) from breast cancer: Real-word data from the Austrian AGMT_MBC-registry [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2021 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2021 Dec 7-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P1-21-08.

Projected number of osteoarthritis patients in Austria for the next decades \u2013 quantifying the necessity of treatment and prevention strategies in Europe

BackgroundThe present study aimed to predict the expected number of patients with osteoarthritis (OA) in Austria up to the year 2080.MethodsDemographic data and population projections between 2019 and 2080 were obtained from European authorities. Information about recent age- and sex-stratified prevalence of patients with self-reported physician-diagnosed OA was obtained from the Austrian Health Interview Survey (n = 15,771). Projections were stratified by age and sex; sensitivity analyses were performed based on aging, main (most likely), and growth scenarios of the population.ResultsBased on the projection, the overall increase in the total number of patients with OA from 2019 to 2080 will be 38% for men and women. In 2019, the highest number of OA-patients nested in the groups of persons aged 70-79 (n = 238,749) and 60-69 (n = 237,729) years. In 2080, the 80+ age group is predicted to have the highest number of OA with 421,548 individuals (i.e. factor 3.45 and factor 2.48 increase in the male and female group, respectively, compared to 2019), followed by the group aged 70-79 with 314,617 individuals (factor 1.45 and factor 1.28 increase in the male and female group, respectively, compared to 2019). Similar trends were found in the ageing and growing scenarios.ConclusionsThe projected increase in the occurrence of OA will likely lead to a substantial socioeconomic burden for the Austrian healthcare system in the near and far future. The current findings plead for the development of sustainable concepts for the treatment and prevention of OA by European authorities.

POSA72 Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of the Helicopter Emergency Medical Services for Stroke Patients in Austria

Many patients suffer from acute stroke at a significant distance from dedicated stroke centers. Since onset of advanced stroke care is time critical, the impact of rapid transport provided by helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) on patient outcome merits further evaluation. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of a HEMS compared with ground-based ambulance-transport for patients with acute stroke to a stroke unit (SU). A Markov-model was developed based on the modified Ranking Scale (mRS) states 90 days after stroke to simulate consequences over a 10-year time-horizon. Consequences include recurrent stroke, deteriorated mRS, death due to recurrent stroke or other reasons. Health benefits were measured in quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) and life-years (LYs). Probabilities were derived from the literature mainly the stroke registry. According to data derived from the OEAMTC Air Rescue, 4.9% of all SU admissions are carried out by HEMS. The target value for an appropriate use of HEMS was assumed to be 20%. The assumption was because 18% of all patients admitted to a SU suffer a severe stroke (NIH-SS<13). Direct-costs (2020€) were derived from published sources from the payer’s perspective. QALYs, LYs and costs were discounted. Monte-Carlo-simulation accounted for uncertainty. A >20% proportion of stroke patients who were transported by HEMS to a SU is associated with savings over a 10-year time-horizon (3,500.- € to 10,191.- € per patient). Savings are due to a better neurological status (mRS after 90 days), because of the faster onset of stroke interventions. Patients also achieved a higher life expectancy (0.7 to 1.39 LYs) and quality of life [0.23 to 0.86 QALYs). In the entire cohort of stroke patients in 2020 (n=12,953), savings of 45.3 million euros could be achieved. 1€ spend in HEMS results in savings of 15.9.- € in the health-care and social system.

Landscape of HER2-low metastatic breast cancer (MBC): results from the Austrian AGMT_MBC-Registry

BackgroundAbout 50% of all primary breast cancers show a low-level expression of HER2 (HER2-low), defined as immunohistochemically 1+ or 2+ and lack of HER2 gene amplification measured by in situ hybridization. This low HER2 expression is a promising new target for antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs) currently under investigation. Until now, little is known about the frequency and the prognostic value of low HER2-expression in metastatic breast cancer (MBC).Patients and methodsThe MBC-Registry of the Austrian Study Group of Medical Tumor Therapy (AGMT) is a multicenter nationwide ongoing registry for MBC patients in Austria. Unadjusted, univariate survival probabilities of progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were calculated by the Kaplan–Meier method and compared by the log-rank test. Multivariable adjusted hazard ratios were estimated by Cox regression models. In this analysis, only patients with known HER2 status and available survival data were included.ResultsAs of 11/15/2020, 1,973 patients were included in the AGMT-MBC-Registry. Out of 1,729 evaluable patients, 351 (20.3%) were HER2-positive, 608 (35.2%) were HER2-low and 770 (44.5%) were completely HER2-negative (HER2-0). Low HER2-expression was markedly more frequent in the hormone-receptor(HR)+ subgroup compared to the triple-negative subgroup (40% vs. 23%). In multivariable analysis, low HER2 expression did not significantly influence OS neither in the HR+ (HR 0.89; 95% CI 0.74–1.05; P = 0.171) nor in the triple-negative subgroup (HR 0.92; 95% CI 0.68–1.25; P = 0.585), when compared to completely HER2-negative disease. Similar results were observed when HER2 IHC 2+ patients were compared to IHC 1+ or 0 patients.ConclusionLow-HER2 expression did not have any impact on prognosis of metastatic breast cancer in this real-world population.

Experiences of Trans and Non-Binary Patients during Medical Transitioning and Associations with the Patient-Physician Relationship in Austria

Abstract Background Trans and non-binary (TNB) patients confront various issues in the healthcare system and with healthcare workers (HCWs) tasked with navigating complex systems to achieve optimal outcomes. The most time intensive and intimate contact TNB patients have is typically with physicians making the physician-patient relationship instrumental. This study aimed to explore the experiences of patient-physician relationship in TNB patients in Austria in order to identify caveats for future interventions. Methods We conducted an exploratory cross-sectional study using an online questionnaire consisting of 86 items including the Patient-Doctor Relationship Questionnaire 9 (PDRQ-9) distributed between June and October 2020 through various organizations working with TNB people. Austrian residents older than 18 who self-identified as TNB and were undergoing or finished medical transitioning were included. Descriptive statistics and linear regression models were applied. Results From a total of 91 participants, 58.3% identified as trans, 70.3% were assigned female at birth, and 87.7% were on hormone replacement therapy. Most (58.1%) perceived physicians as the most problematic HCWs, and 60.5% reported having never or rarely been taken seriously in healthcare settings. Linear regression model showed that PDRQ-9 score was associated with a diagnosis of a mental illness (beta=3.88, 95%CI 0.24 - 7.51), quality of life (beta=0.66, 95%CI 0.43 - 0.90), never being taken seriously (beta=11.69, 95%CI 2.91 - 20.47) and being misgendered (beta=-7.64, 95%CI -14.88 - -0.41) by HCWs. Conclusions TNB patients in Austria reported negative experiences in the healthcare system, mostly with physicians that often did not take their gender identity seriously or used inappropriate language. Future interventions should focus on increasing transgender care competencies across various components of medical education.

Experiences and Interactions with the Healthcare System in Transgender and Non-Binary Patients in Austria: An Exploratory Cross-Sectional Study.

Medical care of transgender and non-binary (TNB) patients if often a complex interdisciplinary effort involving a variety of healthcare workers (HCWs) and services. Physicians not only act as gatekeepers to routine or transitioning therapies but are also HCWs with the most intimate and time-intensive patient interaction, which influences TNB patients’ experiences and health behaviors and healthcare utilization. The aim of this study was to investigate the physician–patient relationship in a sample of TNB individuals within the Austrian healthcare system, and explore its associations with sociodemographic, health-, and identity-related characteristics. A cross-sectional study utilizing an 56-item online questionnaire, including the Patient-Doctor Relationship Questionnaire 9 (PDRQ-9), was carried out between June and October 2020. The study involved TNB individuals 18 or older, residing in Austria, and previously or currently undergoing medical transition. In total, 91 participants took part, of whom 33.0% and 25.3% self-identified as trans men and trans women, respectively, and 41.8% as non-binary. Among participants, 82.7% reported being in the process of medical transitioning, 58.1% perceived physicians as the most problematic HCWs, and 60.5% stated having never or rarely been taken seriously in medical settings. Non-binary participants showed significantly lower PDRQ-9 scores, reflecting a worse patient–physician relationship compared to trans male participants. TNB patients in Austria often report negative experiences based on their gender identity. Physicians should be aware of these interactions and reflect potentially harmful behavioral patterns in order to establish unbiased and trustful relations.

Project “Backtoclinic I”: An overview on the state of care of adult PKU patients in Austria

BackgroundHigh rates of lost to follow-up (LTFU) adult patients are a major concern in the long-term management of phenylketonuria (PKU). To address this issue, we designed the project “Backtoclinic” with the purpose of identifying LTFU adult PKU patients in Austria as a first step to reestablish appropriate treatment. Subjects and methodsIndividuals born between 1966 and 1999 and diagnosed with PKU through the National Austrian Newborn Screening Program (NANSP) were identified using the NANSP's database. Follow-up data were collected in the Austrian metabolic centers (Medical University of Vienna, Graz, Innsbruck and Salzburg). Patients with no contact to any of these centers within the previous two years were classified as LTFU. Epidemiological characteristics of the whole study population as well as of LTFU- and currently in follow-up patients were analyzed. ResultsBetween 1966 and 1999, 281 individuals were diagnosed with PKU through the NANSP. Two patients died in their first year of life and were excluded from the analysis. Of the remaining 279 patients (mean age ± SD: 36.7 ± 9.1 y, 42.7% females), 177 (63.4%) are currently LTFU. The rate of LTFU patients is higher in men than in women (68.1% vs 57.5%), and markedly increases with age in both sexes. The gender gap is greatest in young adults (52.6% vs. 25.0% in the age range 20.0–24.9 y) and declines with age (94.4% vs. 80.0% in the age range > 45.0 y). ConclusionsWe found an alarming rate of 63.4% of LTFU adult PKU patients in Austria, and observed a gender gap in the PKU state of care. Our findings illustrate the urgent need for the metabolic community to identify LTFU adult PKU patients and to develop strategies to reestablish appropriate treatment for men and women with PKU.

Effectiveness of in-patient internal-psychosomatic hospital treatment: Evaluation of a treatment-concept in Lower Austria

Effectiveness of in-patient internal-psychosomatic hospital treatment: Evaluation of a treatment-concept in Lower Austria Background: Medical care for psychosomatic patients in Austria differs from Germany. Besides treatment in psychiatric wards, there are also inpatient programs for psychosomatic patients integrated in internal medical departments. Such an integrated ward in Lower Austria operates for more than 35 years and treats internal-psychosomatic and gastroenterological patients. However, its effectiveness was not yet evaluated. Objective: The aim of the current study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an inpatient program for psychosomatic patients. Method: In total, 184 patients participated in the naturalistic study and filled in questionnaires at admission and discharge from inpatient treatment. Primary endpoint was the difference in global symptom burden, as well as symptom burden in the areas of somatization, anxiety, and depression as measured with the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) between admission and discharge. Secondary endpoints were body image (FKB-20) and subjective therapeutic success (BVB-2000). The predictive power of the Structure of Personality (OPD-SF) and adverse childhood experiences (ACE-D) was also investigated. A smaller sample of 59 patients also participated in a four-month follow up assessment. Results: The inpatient treatment was associated with improvement in the primary endpoints that can be interpreted as large effects. The effects were also small to large for the secondary endpoints, however, the improvement was smaller at the follow up time point. Patients with deficits in the dimensions regulation of relationships and internal emotional communication showed less improvement. Discussion: Symptoms improve over the course of the evaluated inpatient treatment program. Specific dimension of the structure of personality predict treatment response and should be considered in treatment planning. Conclusion: This study provides initial evidence for the presented internal-psychosomatic inpatient program. The program might act as model for psychosomatic medical care in Austrian hospitals.

Genetic Diversity of Puumala orthohantavirus in Rodents and Human Patients in Austria, 2012-2019.

Puumala orthohantavirus (PUUV) has a wide distribution throughout Europe. Distinctive temporal patterns of spillover into the human population are related to population dynamics of the reservoir host, the bank vole (Clethrionomys glareolus). As the rodent host is tied to specific habitats with small individual ranges, PUUV genetic diversity is also highly correlated with geographic distance. Using sequenced portions of viral S and M segments, we determined whether geographic clusters were supported. Human cases of PUUV infections are concentrated in southeastern Austria. We detected four distinct genotypes: two genotypes of the Alpe-Adria (ALAD) lineage typically associated with southeast Europe, and two sublineages of the Central Europe (CE) lineage. One cluster of CE genotypes represents a phylogenetically distinct sublineage compared to previously reported CE clades, and extends the boundary of the CE lineage further south than previously reported.

Abstract PS1-41: Does complete surgical removal of metastases in oligometastatic breast cancer improve survival? A matched-pair analysis of the AGMT_MBC-registry

Abstract Background: Metastatic breast cancer (MBC) is generally thought to be a systemic and incurable disease requiring systemic therapy. However, surgical resection of oligometastatic disease might be of benefit similar to other malignant diseases. Here, we present the results from a matched analysis of patients undergoing radical surgery of metastases. Methods: The MBC registry of the Austrian Study Group for Medical Tumor Therapy (AGMT) is an ongoing multicenter registry for MBC patients in Austria. Patients undergoing surgical removal of all metastatic sites (+/- primary tumor and lymph node dissection) were identified and matched 1:1 according to disease-free survival (de novo metastatic vs. &amp;lt; 24 vs. ≥ 24 months), location of metastases, subtype (HR+/HER2- vs. HR+/HER2+ vs. HR-/HER2+ vs. triple-negative) and age (≥ 60 vs. &amp;lt; 60). OS was defined as time from diagnosis of metastatic disease until death. Only patients with available matching parameters and sufficient outcome data were included in this analysis. Results: As of 24/06/2020, 1904 patients were enrolled into the AGMT_MBC-Registry; 24 of them received surgery of metastases and 23 had a complete match with patients without surgery. In the surgery group, five patients (21.7%) received immediate postperative chemotherapy and 80.0% received further chemotherapy after surgery. Out of patients with HR+ disease (n=15), 86.7% received endocrine therapy prior and/or after surgery. We found a numerically but not statistically significant longer overall OS in patients undergoing surgery (47.4 vs. 29.6 months, HR 0.61; 95%CI 0.30-1.24; P=0.171). Two, five and ten year survival estimates were 82.6% (95%CI 68.5-99.6), 31.3% (95%CI 15.7-62.5) and 31.3% (95%CI 15.7-62.5) in the surgery group and 59.1% (95%CI 41.7-83.7), 24.8% (95%CI 11.7-52.6) and 13.2% (95%CI 4.0-43.1) in the non-surgery group, respectively. The largest benefit for surgery was found in the luminal and HER2-positive subtypes, while no benefit was observed in the triple-negative subgroup. Conclusion: Radical surgery of all metastases seems to improve survival, especially in luminal and HER2-positive subtypes, however, the analysis did not reach statistical significance, most probably due to the low patient number. Furthermore, because of the retrospective and non-randomized design, a systematic bias cannot be totally excluded. Citation Format: Simon Peter Gampenrieder, Gabriel Rinnerthaler, Christoph Tinchon, Andreas Leo Petzer, Christoph Suppan, MD, Sonja Heibl, Daniela Voskova, August F Zabernigg, MD, Daniel Egle, MD, Margit Sandholzer, MD, Christian F Singer, Florian Roitner, Johannes Andel, Michael Hubalek, Michael Knauer, Richard Greil. Does complete surgical removal of metastases in oligometastatic breast cancer improve survival? A matched-pair analysis of the AGMT_MBC-registry [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2020 San Antonio Breast Cancer Virtual Symposium; 2020 Dec 8-11; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(4 Suppl):Abstract nr PS1-41.

Abstract PS12-21: First-line treatment of hormone receptor positive metastatic breast cancer (MBC) in everyday practice: Results from the Austrian AGMT_MBC-Registry

Abstract Background: International guidelines recommend endocrine-based first-line therapy [ET] in hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative (HR+/HER2- or luminal) metastatic breast cancer (MBC), nowadays in combination with a CDK4/6 inhibitor. Several real-word data suggest, however, that in daily practice up to 40% of patients with luminal MBC receive chemotherapy in first-line. To clarify the treatment landscape in an Austrian population of HR+/HER2- MBC patients, we analyzed the data from the MBC registry of the Austrian Study Group for Medical Tumor Therapy (AGMT-MBC-Registry). In addition, we investigated the influence of different treatment strategies on overall survival (OS). Methods: The AGMT-MBC-Registry is an ongoing multicenter registry for MBC patients in Austria. Only patients with HR+/HER2- MBC with available ER and HER2 status and sufficient outcome data were included in this analysis. Unadjusted, univariate survival probabilities of PFS and OS were calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method and compared by the log-rank test, multivariate hazard ratios (HR) were estimated by Cox regression models. A multivariate analysis including the following parameters was performed for first-line PFS and OS: age (continuous, as interaction with menopausal status), menopausal status (pre- vs postmenopausal vs unknown,), DFS (de novometastatic vs &amp;lt; 24 months vs ≥ 24 months), (neo)adjuvant chemotherapy (yes vs no), grading (1+2 vs 3 vs unknown), visceral disease (yes vs no) and number of metastatic sites (1 vs 2-3 vs ≥4), first-line treatment (ET+CDK4/6i vs ET vs chemotherapy +/- bevacizumab +/- ET). Results: As of 24/06/2020, 1904 patients were included in the AGMT-MBC-Registry. Out of 1633 evaluable patients, 931 (57.01%) had HR+/HER2- disease and had received at least one treatment line for metastatic disease. In first-line, 577 (62.0%) patients received endocrine-based therapy (356 [61.7%] ET, 172 [29.8%] ET+CDK4/6i, 49 [8.5%] ET+Targeted other), and 354 (38.0%) received chemotherapy. The proportion of chemotherapy treated patients was slightly higher in pre- vs. postmenopausal women (41/94=43.6% vs. 222/664=33.4%) but decreased significantly over time (&amp;lt;2010: 60.3%; 2010-2015: 44.8%; &amp;gt;2015: 19.7%). In multivariate analysis, both ET and ET+CDK4/6i were significantly associated with longer first-line PFS and OS compared to chemotherapy (Table 1). The most frequently used drugs across all treatment-lines were aromatase inhibitors (77.9%), fulvestrant (53.9%; 39.8% in first-line and 36.3% in second-line), tamoxifen (17.2%), CDK4/6 inhibitors (40.0%; 48.9% in first-line and 21.8% in second-line), everolimus (18.9%; 30.7% in second-line and 69.3% in ≥ third-line), taxanes (41.6%), capecitabine (35.0%), anthracyclines (28.6%), vinorelbine (17.0%) and eribulin (12.6%). Conclusion: In our registry, first-line chemotherapy for luminal MBC was significantly associated with an inferior PFS and OS compared to endocrine-based therapy. Because of the retrospective design of the study, biases influencing these results cannot be fully excluded, however, our data suggest that first-line chemotherapy should be avoided in luminal MBC. Adjusted analysisET vs. chemotherapyET+CDK4/6i vs. chemotherapy1st-line PFSHR 0.63; 95%CI 0.52-0.77; P&amp;lt;0.001HR 0.19; 95%CI 0.13-0.29; P&amp;lt;0.001OSHR 0.59; 95%CI 0.49-0.72; P&amp;lt;0.001HR 0.35; 95%CI 0.23-0.51, P&amp;lt;0.001 Citation Format: Gabriel Rinnerthaler, Simon P Gampenrieder, Christoph Tinchon, Andreas Leo Petzer, Christoph Suppan, Sonja Heibl, Daniela Voskova, August F Zabernigg, Daniel Egle, Margit Sandholzer, Christian F Singer, Florian Roitner, Johannes Andel, Michael Hubalek, Michael Knauer, Richard Greil. First-line treatment of hormone receptor positive metastatic breast cancer (MBC) in everyday practice: Results from the Austrian AGMT_MBC-Registry [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2020 San Antonio Breast Cancer Virtual Symposium; 2020 Dec 8-11; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(4 Suppl):Abstract nr PS12-21.

Home quarantine in COVID-19: A study on 50 consecutive patients in Austria

A cohort of the first 50 COVID-19 patients in East Tyrol, a region in the southwest of Austria, were monitored in home quarantine. Specific viral ribonucleic acid was detected in throat swabs and stool samples. Analysis indicated a median virus shedding duration of 13 days; however, statistical outliers highlight the importance of consequent testing. This underlines the need of negative throat swabs prior to removing quarantine. We monitored the disease's characteristics via an in-house score called Corona Severity Index, in order to predict an aggravation of the disease. Special attention was paid to early symptoms, such as headache, which appeared to be significantly more common in younger patients (p=0.019). Anosmia and ageusia showed a predominance in female patients (p=0.028). Investigation revealed seven relapses and viral shedding fluctuation in four cases. A follow-up examination shed light on seroconversion which could be observed in 35 of 40 participants. This further clarifies the necessity of establishing discharge standards and follow-up management for COVID-19 patients.

Comparing the Diagnostic Accuracy of Point-of-Care Lateral Flow Antigen Testing for SARS-CoV-2 with RT-PCR in Primary Care (REAP-2)

Background: Testing for COVID-19 with quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) may result in delayed detection of disease. Antigen detection via lateral flow testing (LFT) is faster and amenable to mass testing strategies. Our study assesses the diagnostic accuracy of LFT compared to RT-PCR on the same primary-care patients in Austria.Methods: Prospective dataset of 2,562 patients presenting with mild to moderate flu-like symptoms to 20 practices in the district of Liezen, Austria, between October 22 and November 30, 2020. Symptomatic patients received clinical assessment, including both tests, and were split in two groups: Group 1 (true reactive): Suspected COVID-19 cases with a reactive LFT, who tested RT-PCR positive; and Group 2 (false non-reactive): Suspected COVID-19 cases with a non-reactive LFT, who tested RT-PCR positive. We report the number of cases detected with each test, evaluate the correlation of RT-PCR positivity with reactive LFT and report clinical sensitivity and specificity of LFT, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and pre-test duration of symptoms and RT-PCR cycle threshold (Ct) value across groups. Regression analysis quantifies the association between reactive LFT and symptom duration and Ct value respectively.Findings: Of the 2,562 symptomatic patients, 1,037 were suspected of COVID-19: 826 (79.7%) tested RT-PCR positive 201 (19.8%) RT-PCR negative and 10 (0.5%) with inconclusive RT-PCR. Among patients with positive RT-PCR, 788/826 tested LFT reactive (Group 1) and 38 (4.6%) non-reactive (Group 2); Of those with negative RT-PCR, 179/201 tested LFT non-reactive and 22/201 reactive. Clinical sensitivity (95.4%) and specificity (89.1%), and PPV (97.3%) and NPV (82.5%) were high. Test outcomes of both LFT and RT-PCR were positively correlated (r=0.968,95CI=[0.952,0.985]). Reactive LFT was negatively correlated with Ct value (r=0.2999,pInterpretation: We show that LFT at scale during early COVID-19 is an accurate alternative to RT-PCR testing and may assist in curbing resurgence of disease. We note the importance of administering LFT properly, here combined with clinical assessment and delivered at scale in primary care. This needs to be considered when applying LFT as part of mass testing strategies.Funding Statement: No funding was available for this study.Declaration of Interests: None declared.Ethics Approval Statement: The study used secondary anonymised data for which approval was granted by the Institute of Advanced Studies Research Ethics Committee, Austria (reference number: CASE002_2021_HEHP).

Six years of the first interdisciplinary specialized clinic dedivated to tracheostomy patients in Austria

Rationale: Patients with a tracheostomy have complex requirements especially the nutrition situation is often unsatisfactory. In order to improve this an interdisciplinary (ENT specialist, speech therapist, certified nurse, dietitian) specialized clinic dedicated to tracheostomy patients was established.

Fallbericht: heterotope Retransplantation von kryokonserviertem Ovarialgewebe nach Adenokarzinom der Cervix uteri

EinleitungDie Retransplantation von kryokonserviertem Ovarialgewebe ist eine etablierte Methode zur Wiederherstellung der autologen Hormonproduktion und Rekonstitution der Fertilität nach Strahlen- und/oder Chemotherapie bei Frauen im fertilen Alter und führte weltweit bisher zu mehr als 170 Geburten.FalldarstellungDie 31-jährige Patientin erkrankte im Jahr 2013 an einem Adenokarzinom der Cervix uteri, pT1b1V0L0. Im Jänner 2014 erfolgte die erweiterte Hysterektomie mit Lymphknotendissektion und Adnexektomie beidseits, auf Wunsch der Patientin wurde zuvor Ovarialgewebe per Laparoskopie entnommen und kryokonserviert. Bei Rezidivfreiheit von 5 Jahren unter laufender Hormonersatztherapie (HRT) wurde im November 2019 auf Wunsch der Patientin die Retransplantation von 2 Ovargewebestücken entlang der Fascia brachialis des linken Unterarms durchgeführt. Einen Monat nach Retransplantation beendete die Patientin die Einnahme der HRT, 3 Monate danach durch Überprüfung der Gonadotropine und E2-Spiegel eine regelrechte Funktion des retransplantierten Gewebes nachgewiesen werden. Es trat eine deutliche Schwellung im Bereich der Retransplantationsstelle auf, bei einer Ultraschallkontrolle im Mai 2020 konnten 3 vitale Follikel dargestellt werden.SchlussfolgerungDies ist die erste erfolgreiche Retransplantation von kryokonserviertem Ovarialgewebe zur Rekonstituierung der autologen Hormonproduktion bei einer Zervixkarzinompatientin in Österreich. Durch Blut‑, Ultraschall- und zytologische Untersuchung, nicht zuletzt aber aufgrund des persönlichen Wohlbefindens der Patientin konnte der Nachweis der Funktionalität des retransplantierten Gewebes auch 6 Monate nach dem Eingriff erbracht werden. Zuletzt möchten wir auf die Wichtigkeit der Information und Beratung junger Patientinnen mit Tumorerkrankungen bezüglich einer Fertilitätsprotektion hinweisen.