RESONANCE Registry: rationale and design of the retrospective and prospective longitudinal, observational registry in pediatric and adult patients with recurrent pericarditis

Background

Annually in the United States (US), an estimated 80–90,000 patients are diagnosed with acute pericarditis and 15–30% experience recurrent pericarditis (RP), resulting in increased morbidity and reduced health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Treatment options include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and colchicine. Corticosteroids (CS) are often added to the treatment plan in RP despite CS-associated adverse events and inherent potentiation of recurrence with long-term treatment. A recent Phase 3 clinical trial RHAPSODY (NCT03737110) demonstrated efficacy and safety of rilonacept, an interleukin-1 α and β cytokine trap, in patients with RP. RHAPSODY data helped support FDA approval of the first therapy for RP. With the emergence of this targeted therapy, there is increased interest to learn more about this disease with the goal to better inform treatment and management decisions and improve long-term outcomes.

Purpose

RESONANCE Registry aims to evaluate the natural history of RP by collecting retrospective and prospective, longitudinal physician- and patient-reported outcomes data in real-world clinical practice across the US.

Methods

RP patients with active disease (recurrence within 3 years) will have both retrospective and prospective data collected (Figure 1) for as long as their RP is managed up to 5 years. For patients with inactive disease (no recurrence within 3 years), data collection will be retrospective (Figure 2). Up to 500 patients in the US are planned for enrollment at pediatric and adult medical centers, with the potential for expansion to European sites. Additionally, patients will be recruited through a novel, internet-based technology platform and screened for eligibility at a “decentralized” trial site. The registry will include variables obtained from health records, including baseline characteristics and medical history, as well as patient reported outcome (PRO) measures collected every 3 months. The RESONANCE protocol is designed to include a broad population of pediatric and adult patients, regardless of etiology or treatment course, including patients treated with rilonacept. Data will be analyzed to understand disease heterogeneity, variability in treatment and management, and impact on HRQoL. The protocol and Case Report Forms (CRFs) were developed in collaboration with physicians, patients, and patient advocates.

Conclusions

Registries utilize real-world data to fill knowledge gaps in the management of less common diseases such as RP. The RESONANCE Registry is the first RP registry designed to collect data across a broad range of patients regardless of treatment. The registry will also serve as a connection point for physicians to further educate and empower patients with information about their disease. In addition, PRO data may enable greater insights into the understanding of the burden of RP from the patient's perspective.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: Private company. Main funding source(s): Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals

Characteristics of patients with atrial high rate episodes detected by implanted defibrillator and resynchronisation devices

Aims

Atrial high rate episodes (AHRE) are associated with increased risks of thromboembolism and cardiovascular mortality. However, the clinical characteristics of patients developing AHRE of various durations are not well studied.

Methods

This was an ancillary analysis of the multicenter, randomized IMPACT trial. In the present analysis, we classified patients according to duration of AHRE ≤6 minutes, >6 minutes to ≤6 hours, >6 hours to ≤24 hours and >24 hours, and investigated the association between clinical factors and the development of each duration of AHRE.

Results

Of 2,718 patients included in the trial, 945 (34.8%) developed AHRE. The incidence rates of each AHRE duration category were 10.7, 24.0, 0.14, and 0.07%, respectively. Using Cox regression analysis, heart failure was inversely associated with AHRE <6 minutes (hazard ratio [HR] 0.58, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.40–0.85, p=0.005), while age ≥65 years and history of atrial fibrillation (AF) and/or atrial flutter (AFL) were risk factors for AHRE >6 minutes. Female gender was inversely associated with AHRE >6 minutes to ≤6 hours (HR 0.72, 95% CI 0.54–0.96, p=0.027) and >6 hours to ≤24 hours (HR 0.70, 95% CI 0.49–1.02, p=0.061). Hypertension was associated with AHRE >24 hours (HR 2.13, 95% CI 1.24–3.65, p=0.006).

Conclusion

AHRE >6 minutes to ≤6 hours were most prevalent among all AHRE duration categories. Age and history of AF/AFL were risk factors for AHRE >6 minutes. Women were at lower risk for AHRE >6 minutes to ≤24 hours, while hypertension was associated with AHRE >24 hours.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: None. Cumulative incidence of each AHRE burden

Sarcopenia and surgical outcomes in patients undergoing oncologic colonic surgery

Objective

Sarcopenia is a marker for malnutrition and frailty which could lead to higher complication rate and prolonged length of stay (LOS) after surgery. The study aim was to assess the correlation between sarcopenia and clinical outcomes in oncologic colonic surgery.

Methods

This retrospective study included consecutive patients operated between 2014 and 2019. Three radiological indices of sarcopenia were measured at the level of the third lumbar vertebra on preoperative CT scans: Skeletal Muscle Area (SMA), Skeletal Muscle Radiation Attenuation (SMRA), and Skeletal Muscle Index (SMI). Patients with major complications (> grade 3a) according to Clavien classification were compared to those without. Statistical correlation between sarcopenia indices, LOS and Comprehensive Complication Index (CCI) was tested by use of the Pearson correlation.

Results

A total of 325 patients were included, 50 (15.4%) with and 275 (84.6%) without major complications. SMA and SMI were comparable between both groups (respectively 126.0 vs 125.2 cm2, p = 0.974, and 43.4 vs 44.3 cm2/m2, p = 0.636), while SMRA was significantly lower in patients with major complications (33.6 vs 37.3 HU, p = 0.018). A lower SMRA was correlated with prolonged LOS (r=-0.207, p < 0.01) and higher CCI (r=-0.144, p < 0.01), while the other sarcopenia indices had no influence on surgical outcomes.

Conclusion

Preoperative SMRA or muscle quality appears to be a weak predictor for adverse outcomes after oncologic colectomy.

Feasibility of a prehabilitation program before major abdominal surgery

Objective

Prehabilitation programs claim to improve exercise capacity and postoperative outcomes. The study aim was to assess the feasibility of a prehabilitation program and its effects on fitness and clinical outcomes after major abdominal surgery.

Methods

In this prospective pilot study, patients were assigned to high-intensity physical exercise training with 3 training sessions per week for 3 weeks preoperatively. Feasibility of this intervention was assessed based on recruitment and adherence to the training program. Impact on fitness (VO2 AT) was evaluated and correlated with complications and length of stay (LOS).

Results

Of 980 eligible patients, 87 patients (8.9%) were approached for inclusion. Main obstacles to not approach patients were insufficient time (< 3 weeks) prior to scheduled surgery (n = 276, 28.2%) or screening failure (n = 312, 31.8%). Out of these 87 patients, 24 (28%) declined to participate, 43 (49%) met exclusion criteria and 20 (23%) were included. Six patients (30%) could not complete the prehabilitation program due to contra-indication for exercise training evidenced during the test (n = 3), lack of motivation (n = 2) and modification of the planned operating date (n = 1). VO2 AT increased from 9.8 to 11.5 ml/min/kg (p = 0.050). There were no correlations between the change in VO2 AT and postoperative complications (r = -0.133, p = 0.649) and LOS (r = -0.94, p = 0.750).

Conclusion

Prehabilitation programs are difficult to implement and many patients are either not eligible or not motivated. Future efforts should concentrate on those patients who are most likely to benefit from these time- and cost-intensive interventions.

724 Improving the Lives of Patients with Large Amelobastomas In Ethiopia: Long-Term Outcomes of Mandibular Reconstruction for Ameloblastoma Using Non-Vascularised Rib Grafts

Background

Ameloblastomas are odontogenic tumours that often require radical excision and mandibular reconstruction. This is challenging in resource-limited settings where access to microsurgery is limited. Non-vascularised rib-grafts can be used as an alternative, however robust long-term outcomes are lacking.

Method

Adult patients with large ameloblastomas underwent hemimandibulectomy and autologous rib graft reconstruction on short-term surgical missions to Ethiopia between 2012 and 2015. Long-term follow-up was conducted over a two-week period in rural Ethiopia in 2017.

Results

Follow-up was possible for seven patients (58% of those treated). Mean post-operative follow-up time was 42.9 months (SD 11.7; range 24-60 months). Early complications were four superficial surgical site infections. Late complications were two cases of wire extrusion and one of keloid scarring. There were no graft failures. Patients reported reduced social stigma (p = 0.04), excellent function and 100% satisfaction.

Conclusions

When situational factors preclude the use of microsurgery, bundle rib-grafts offer a reliable alternative for partial or total mandibular reconstruction for patients after ameloblastoma resection. Mild complications were experienced by most patients, but these were straightforward to manage and the bundle rib-grafts still took well, being surprisingly resistant to infection. Importantly, this technique is associated with long-term improvements in social stigma and quality of life for patients.

A 1.4 kW 780 nm pulsed diode laser, high duty cycle, passively side-cooled pump module

A diode laser module emitting 1.4 kW optical in-pulse power near 780 nm optimized for high (≥ 10%) duty-cycle operation in a micro-channel free design is presented. With full collimation, a beam quality with a nearly symmetric M² of 205 × 295 (vertical × horizontal direction) for a wide range of pulse widths is found.

[Epidural lipomatosis : management proposal]

Epidural lipomatosis is a rare condition characterized by excessive accumulation of normal fat in the epidural space. This paper presents the results of a retrospective study of the charts of 20 patients. The 20 patients - 17 men and 3 women - were on average 64 years old. They suffered from radiculopathy and/or neurogenic claudication. Lipomatosis was idiopathic in 6 patients and secondary in 14 patients. Lipomatosis was MRI grade 2 in 30 % of cases and grade 3 in 70 % of cases. The patients have all been improved thanks to decompressive surgery by laminectomy and resection of epidural fat. According to our experience and to the literature, surgical decompression is an effective and safe procedure for patients with symptomatic lumbar epidural lipomatosis in case of failure of conservative treatment or in case of neurological deficits. We present a decision tree that can help in the management of this disease.

The effects of short-term low energy availability, achieved through diet or exercise, on cognitive function in oral contraceptive users and eumenorrheic women

To date, no research has explored the effects of low energy availability on cognitive performance using dietary and exercise regimens relevant to athletes. Twenty female participants (10 eumenorrheic, 10 oral contraceptive [OC] users) completed three 3-day conditions: 1) controlled-balanced energy availability without exercise (BAL; 45 kcal·kg lean body mass [LBM]^-1·day^-1); 2) diet-induced low energy availability without exercise (DIET; 15 kcal·kg LBM^-1·day^-1); and 3) exercise-induced low energy availability (EX; 15 kcal·kg LBM^-1·day^-1, including 30 kcal·kg LBM^-1·day^-1 treadmill running at 70% maximal oxygen uptake). A cognitive test battery was completed before and after each 3-day condition. Mental rotation test accuracy improved in the BAL condition, but there was a decline in accuracy in the EX condition (BAL, +2.5%; EX, -1.4%; P = 0.042, d = 0.85). DIET (+1.3%) was not different to BAL or EX (P > 0.05). All other measures of cognitive performance were not affected by condition (P > 0.05) and OC use did not affect cognitive responses (P > 0.05). Accuracy in the mental rotation test was impaired when low energy availability was induced through increased exercise energy expenditure. All other aspects of cognition were unaffected by 3 days of low energy availability through diet or exercise. OC use did not mediate the effect of low energy availability on cognition. Novelty: Cognitive function was not affected by 3 days of diet-induced low energy availability. Only spatial awareness was impaired during 3 days of exercise-induced low energy availability. Reproductive hormones affected spatial awareness independent of energy availability.

Orthopedic joint stability influences growth and maxillary development: clinical aspects

Orthopedic temporomandibular joint (TMJ) instability is very common among children and adults. It is often associated with pain in the cervicofacial region, and muscle contraction. To investigate whether muscle contraction can cause permanent posterior rotation of the head and whether treatment with splint and kinetotherapy is efficient, a literature review was carried out of patients with pain in the cervicofacial area. Additionally, the case of a 15-year old patient presenting with permanent posterior rotation of cra¬nium, with no movement between the first two vertebra and pain in the cervicofacial area was reported. Kinetotherapy followed by rapid maxillary expansion improved the function of cervical vertebrae and re¬duced the cervicofacial pain within the first two weeks. Kinetotherapy, rapid maxillary expansion, and or¬thodontic treatment with a stable joint position could be a good therapy to control occipital-atlas function.

The fingerprint of the summer 2018 drought in Europe on ground-based atmospheric CO2 measurements

During the summer of 2018, a widespread drought developed over Northern and Central Europe. The increase in temperature and the reduction of soil moisture have influenced carbon dioxide (CO₂) exchange between the atmosphere and terrestrial ecosystems in various ways, such as a reduction of photosynthesis, changes in ecosystem respiration, or allowing more frequent fires. In this study, we characterize the resulting perturbation of the atmospheric CO₂ seasonal cycles. 2018 has a good coverage of European regions affected by drought, allowing the investigation of how ecosystem flux anomalies impacted spatial CO₂ gradients between stations. This density of stations is unprecedented compared to previous drought events in 2003 and 2015, particularly thanks to the deployment of the Integrated Carbon Observation System (ICOS) network of atmospheric greenhouse gas monitoring stations in recent years. Seasonal CO₂ cycles from 48 European stations were available for 2017 and 2018. Earlier data were retrieved for comparison from international databases or national networks. Here, we show that the usual summer minimum in CO₂ due to the surface carbon uptake was reduced by 1.4 ppm in 2018 for the 10 stations located in the area most affected by the temperature anomaly, mostly in Northern Europe. Notwithstanding, the CO₂ transition phases before and after July were slower in 2018 compared to 2017, suggesting an extension of the growing season, with either continued CO₂ uptake by photosynthesis and/or a reduction in respiration driven by the depletion of substrate for respiration inherited from the previous months due to the drought. For stations with sufficiently long time series, the CO₂ anomaly observed in 2018 was compared to previous European droughts in 2003 and 2015. Considering the areas most affected by the temperature anomalies, we found a higher CO₂ anomaly in 2003 (+3 ppm averaged over 4 sites), and a smaller anomaly in 2015 (+1 ppm averaged over 11 sites) compared to 2018. This article is part of the theme issue 'Impacts of the 2018 severe drought and heatwave in Europe: from site to continental scale'.

Refractory neuropathic pain from a median nerve injury: spinal cord or peripheral nerve stimulation? A case report

Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is the most frequently used neuromodulation technique even for neurogenic pain from a peripheral nerve injury although peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) has been designed for this purpose. PNS appears less invasive than SCS or deep brain stimulation. It provides greater and specific target coverage and it could be more cost-effective than SCS because low electrical stimulation is exclusively delivered to the precise painful territory. We report a case of excellent result following median nerve stimulation at arm level after SCS failure and a 10-year history of intense pain. PNS would certainly have been considered much earlier if it was accepted and reimbursed by the Belgium National Insurance. PNS is a safe, simple, and efficient technique available for decades but it is still considered as experimental and underemployed. Belgian National Insurance fears an explosion of indications on neuromodulation if PNS was reimbursed. We consider that PNS aside SCS and other neuromodulation techniques should be made available in Belgium in case of peripheral chronic neuropathic pain.

Ocular manifestation as first sign of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): Interest of telemedicine during the pandemic context

We report here the case of a 27-year-old man who consulted by telemedicine during the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, due to foreign body sensation and left eye redness. Examination revealed unilateral eyelid edema and moderate conjunctival hyperemia. A few hours later, the patient experienced intense headache and developed fever, cough and severe dyspnea. A nasopharyngeal swab proved positive for SARS-CoV-2. This case demonstrates that conjunctivitis can be the inaugural manifestation of the COVID-19 infection. It illustrates the interest of telemedicine in ophthalmology during the COVID-19 pandemic, since moderate conjunctival hyperemia can be the first sign of a severe respiratory distress.

Body dysmorphic disorder in a sample of cosmetic surgery applicants

Body dysmorphic disorder (B.D.D.) consists of a preoccupation with an imagined or slight physical defect. This study is the first European report on prevalence and several clinical and functional characteristics of patients with B.D.D. in a cosmetic surgery setting. Comparisons with defect- and severity-matched subjects without B.D.D. were also performed.

Tariff Reductions and UK Imports of Manufactures: 1955-1971

Among the many factors that have contributed to the rapid growth of UK imports of manufactures over the last fifteen years or so, tariff reductions, both general and preferential, are usually mentioned as being one. Hitherto, however, the effect of all such reductions has not been quantified though some studies of the effect of EFTA membership on imports have been made. This article attempts to repair the omission by calculating the extent of the tariff cuts and by examining their effect on two broad groups of manufactures–semi-manufactures and finished goods.

High catalytic performance of laccase wired to naphthylated multiwall carbon nanotubes

The direct electrical connection of laccase on the electrode surface is a key feature in the design of efficient and stable biocathodes. However, laccase can perform a direct electron transfer only when it is in the preferred orientation toward the electrode. Here we report the investigation of the orientation of laccase from white rot fungus on multi-walled carbon nanotube surface modified with a naphthalene group. Naphthylated multi wall carbon nanotubes were synthesized and the kinetics of laccase from white rot fungus adsorption and its direct electro-catalytic activity toward oxygen reduction was investigated by QCM and electrochemical techniques. Compared to pristine multi-walled carbon nanotubes laccase shows a high affinity to be adsorbed onto the surface of naphthylated carbon nanotubes at a very fast rate. The subsequent wiring to the naphthylated multi-walled carbon nanotubes is accompanied by a reorientation and arrangement of adsorbed laccase to create a composite biocathode that exhibits a high-performance for oxygen reduction by direct electron transfer with maximum current densities of 3 mA cm^-2.