Unraveling the invisible demon: a study of the oxidative stress markers, antioxidant activities and inflammatory markers in patients admitted with complete heart block

Funding Acknowledgements

Type of funding sources: None.

Introduction

Despite the recent advancements in the management of Complete Heart Block (CHB), the aetiology of CHB is still idiopathic in most of the cases. Our study explores this hitherto untouched aspect of complete heart block.

Purpose

We aimed to assess the aetiological profile of Complete Heart Block patients in our study.

Methods

The study population consisted of 60 patients with complete heart block aged between 30 to 80 years, attending as an inpatient in ER. Oxidative stress was measured by serum MDA, serum GSH, serum Catalase activity and serum SOD activity. Antioxidant activity was obtained by measuring the levels of serum total antioxidant capacity. Inflammatory stress was measured by IL-5 and TNF-alpha levels. These values were compared to 30 healthy controls with no prior history of smoking and diabetes mellitus.

Results

The mean age of the patient was 62.48 ± 7.98 years and the gender distribution was 37 males and 23 females out of 60 patients. The mean value of serum MDA (ng/mL) in cases is 1451.26 ± 206.32, and in controls, the mean value is 1197.98 ± 234.71 (p=<0.001). The mean value of serum GSH (mcg/mL) in cases is 46.982 ± 18.613, and in controls, the mean value is 54.155 ± 10.762 (p=0.027). The mean value of serum Catalase Activity (U/min/mg protein) in cases is 10.763 ± 4.038 and in controls, the mean value is 19.878 ± 7.787 (p=0.003). The mean value of serum SOD Activity (U/g) in cases is 24.950 ± 5.4565, and in controls, the mean value is 46.214 ± 14.6309 (p=0.891). The mean value of serum Total Antioxidant Capacity (U/mL) in cases is 5.546 ± 0.620 and in controls, the mean value is 8.346 ± 2.781 (p=0.025). The mean value of serum IL-5 (pg/mL) in cases is 481.442 ± 28.8995, and in controls, the mean value is 67.347 ± 20.445 (p<0.001). The mean value of serum TNF-ALFA (pg/mL) in cases is 196.741 ± 73.771, and in controls, the mean value is 144.530 ± 42.599 (p= 0.081).

Conclusions

During a complete heart block, SOD (p=0.891), CAT (p=0.003), GSH (p=0.027) and total antioxidant (TAOC) (p=0.025) were significantly decreased in cases, compared to healthy controls, thus suggesting that the elevated levels of oxidative free radicals causes endothelial dysfunctioning. The increase in ROS was observed by a highly significant increase of malondialdehyde (MDA) (p=<0.001) showing high ROS-mediated tissue damage. Besides damage by oxidative stress, our study suggests that there are certain inflammatory markers like TNF-α and IL-5 that actively participate in causing heart block. There was a significant increase in the concentration of IL-5 (p<0.001) in the cases as compared to the controls.

Treatment outcomes 12 months after antiretroviral therapy initiation in Oman: a nationwide study from the Middle East

ABSTRACTWe used routinely collected programme data on people living with HIV in Oman who started ART in 2014-2018 to assess retention on ART, viral suppression, attrition (mortality or loss to follow-up [LTFU]) and treatment failure (attrition or HIV viral load of > 1000 copies/mL) 12 months after antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation. We identified 726 patients; 72% were male. Overall, 12 months retention on ART and viral suppression (intention-to-treat [ITT] analysis) were 85.7% and 74.5%, respectively. Attrition occurred in 14.3% (mortality of 7% and LTFU of 7.3%). Retention increased from 78.8% (93/118) to 90.6% (144/159) among patients who started ART in 2014 and 2018, respectively. Similarly, ITT and on-treatment analyses revealed that viral suppression 12 months after ART initiation increased from 57.6% (68/118) and 73.1% (68/93) among patients who initiated therapy in 2014-80.5% (128/159) and 88.8% (128/144) among patients started treatment in 2018, respectively. On multivariate analysis, older age, having "Other" as an HIV risk factor (compared to heterosexual) and receiving HIV care outside the capital Muscat independently predicted both attrition and treatment failure. Our findings have been useful in identifying factors at the individual and programme level that influenced the risk of attrition and treatment failure.

Clinical pharmacy service evaluation of hepatology services at a large tertiary centre

Introduction

Kings College Hospital (KCH) provides tertiary level care to patients with liver disease across the UK. These patients are often under the joint care of primary and/or secondary care centres. As a result, several medications related enquires are received from patients and healthcare professionals including, doctors, nurses, and pharmacists to continue and optimise pharmacotherapy. The KCH liver pharmacy team does not provide a formal medicines information service, although a large amount of pharmacy resource is used to provide high level medicines information locally, regionally, and nationally by the team. In addition, significant time and input is provided in optimising access to hospital only medication.

Aim

To describe activities conducted by a specialist clinical pharmacy team out with an inpatient or formal outpatient setting which contribute to medicines optimisation and improve access to specialist medication.

Methods

Retrospective data collection was carried out over 2 separate four-week periods in November 2020 and November 2021 by the specialist liver pharmacy team. The data was analysed on an 8-week average using Microsoft Excel. Ethical approval was not required as this is a service evaluation data collection.

Results

Over eight weeks, the specialist clinical pharmacy team (pharmacists and pharmacy technicians) received 206 queries, of which (72%) were received by email and (28%) by phone. The team spends an average of 15 hours per week on clinical activities outside of formal inpatient and outpatient settings. Most of the queries received were from patients (64%), followed by healthcare professionals including doctors (11%), nurses (9.5%), and pharmacy staff (7.7%). The clinical interventions made by the team included supply of medications (37%), prescribing events (36%) and medicines intervention (20%) which included drug selection, administration, optimisation, deprescribing, therapeutic drug monitoring, drug-drug interaction, transfer of care and advice given following adverse drug reactions.

Discussion/Conclusion

The ease of accessibility to the specialist clinical pharmacy team plays a significant role in providing access to specialist medications to patients and a positive impact on other healthcare services, including decreasing the burden upon primary care. A structured medicines information line provided by the specialist team would be effective for patients and healthcare professionals as the specialist team spends substantial amount of time providing medicines intervention and medicines information. The involvement of specialist pharmacy technicians in medicines information services and interventions, provides an opportunity for role development and up-skill the pharmacy technician role in a specialist team. A formal and structured medicine information service for hepatology by the specialist clinical pharmacy team should be considered to improve access to specialist medication and medicines optimisation.

References

1. Williams M, Jordan A, Scott J, Jones MD, A systematic review examining the effectiveness of medicines information services for patients and the general public. International Journal of Pharmacy Practice, 2020;28(1):26-40.

2. Hayward K, Patel P, Valery P, Horsfall L, Catherine L, Penny W. Medication-related problems in outpatients with decompensated cirrhosis: opportunities for harm prevention. Hepatology Communications, 2019;3(5):620-663.

3. Newby B. Expanding the role of pharmacy technicians to facilitate a proactive pharmacist practice. American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy, 2019;76(6):398-402.

Diagnostic Dilemma of a Widely Metastatic Gastric-type Cervical Adenocarcinoma

Introduction/Objective

Gastric-type cervical adenocarcinoma is an HPV-independent neoplasm accounting for 0.5-0.6% of cervical carcinomas, typically in women aged 50-55 years presenting with bleeding or watery vaginal discharge. The immunophenotypic and molecular overlap with mucinous pancreatic carcinomas presents a diagnostic dilemma in metastatic cases.

Methods/Case Report

We report the case of a 50 year-old female with a remote history of cervical dysplasia who presented with abdominal pain in December 2020 with CT notable for an incidental prominent, heterogeneous appearing cervix. Follow-up in February-August 2021 showed two unsatisfactory pap smears and an ultrasound of the cervix revealed Nabothian cysts. A friable cervix and vaginal discharge were noted on physical exam, however, no malignancy was identified on endometrial and endocervical biopsies. The patient re-presented in March 2022 with a persistent cough and was found to have a metastatic process of unknown origin involving bilateral ovaries/lungs, abdominal mesentery, pancreas, and pelvis. Lung, cervical, endometrial, and pancreatic sampling demonstrated well- differentiated mucinous adenocarcinoma with an immunophenotype positive for CK7 and MUC6 and negative for PAX-8, CDX-2, ER, Vimentin, TTF1/Napsin, GATA-3, CK20, and p16 with wildtype p53 staining compatible with endocervical, upper gastrointestinal, or pancreaticobiliary origin. Labs were notable for elevations in CA125 (198 U/mL) and CA19-9 (4,939 U/mL), further supporting pancreatic or gynecologic primaries. A retrospective review of all gynecologic cytology and histology specimens collected from the uterus and cervix in 2021 revealed similar bland mucinous epithelium, without overt atypia or features of malignancy. Next generation sequencing demonstrated a nonspecific and complex mutational burden including STK11 D23fs*25, SMAD4 N107fs*3, CDKN2A/B loss, KRAS G12V, and MTAP loss.

Results (if a Case Study enter NA)

NA

Conclusion

The treatment regimens for metastatic mucinous carcinoma from the cervix and pancreas differ significantly. Ultimately, the diagnosis of widely metastatic gastric type endocervical carcinoma was made possible through extensive clinical/radiographic and retrospective pathologic correlation with the incorporation of molecular studies.

Use of remdesivir for COVID-19 pneumonia in patients with advanced kidney disease: A retrospective multicenter study

Background and objectives

Remdesivir, an antiviral drug routinely used in the treatment of COVID-19 has not yet received FDA approval for use in patients with advanced kidney disease defined as GFR < 30 mL/min/1.73 m². There is concern that an excipient in Veklury (Gilead's proprietary name for remdesivir) called sulfobutylether-beta-cyclodextrin (SBECD), which is renally cleared, may accumulate and reach toxic levels in patients with advanced kidney disease. The aim of this study was to summarize characteristics and incidence of adverse events of chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients who received remdesivir during hospitalization.Design, setting, participants, and measurements.We retrospectively studied patients admitted to one of several hospitals of the Mayo Clinic Foundation with the diagnosis of COVID-19 pneumonia and CKD. Laboratory values were also measured when remdesivir was first administered and stopped. All analyses were performed in the overall patient group and three separate subgroups of patients with a GFR ≥ 15, a GFR < 15 and dialysis, and a GFR < 15 and no dialysis.

Results

A total of 444 CKD patients who were admitted to the hospital with COVID-19 pneumonia between May 2020 and September 2021 were included. Information was collected on patient characteristics, hospitalization, and adverse events. In the overall cohort, median age was 72 years (Range: 21-100 years), 55.2 % of patients were male, and most (86.5 %) were Caucasian. CKD stage was 3 for 114 patients (25.7 %), 4 for 229 patients (51.6 %), and 5 for 101 patients (22.7 %). A total of 146 patients (32.9 %) were admitted to the ICU, 103 (23.2 %) died in the hospital, and 120 (27.0 %) were on dialysis. The proportion of patients with an adverse event did not differ dramatically between the GFR ≥ 15 (20.9 %), GFR < 15 and dialysis (30.2 %), and GFR < 15 and no dialysis (32.3 %) groups (P = 0.12).

Conclusion

Our results suggest that the use of remdesivir in patients with very severe CKD is safe, even in those who are not on renal replacement therapy.

Can honey improve the quality of cryopreserved cross bred ram semen added to tris egg yolk extender?

BACKGROUND

Honey can improve the quality of cryopreserved ram semen because of its multinutrient and cryoprotective nature added to standard tris egg yolk extender.

OBJECTIVE

Different concentrations of honey were added to the standard tris egg yolk extender to improve the post-thaw quality of crossbred ram semen.

METHOD

Thirty six (36) ejaculates from eight healthy cross bred rams were pooled and divided into four aliquots. Standard tris egg yolk extender without any alteration acted as Control (C) and was supplemented with different concentrations of honey, viz. T1 (honey 1.5%), T2 (2.5%), and T3 (3.5%).

RESULTS

The percent (mean ± S.E.M) sperm motility at pre-freeze was significantly (P < 0.05) higher in Group T2 and at post-thaw in Group T3 in comparison to T1 and C treatment groups. The percent (mean ± S.E.M) HOST reacted spermatozoa at post-thaw was significantly (P < 0.05) higher in Group C and at pre-freeze the value was significantly (P < 0.05) higher in the same treatment group than Group T1. The mean MDA level (mean ± S.E.M) at post thaw was significantly (P < 0.05) lower in Group T3 than the treatment groups C and Group T1.

CONCLUSION

From this study it is concluded that the addition of 3.5% honey to the standard tris egg yolk extender provides better protection to ram semen than the addition of 1.5% honey (i.e., Control). doi.org/10.54680/fr22610110212.

Black carbon and elemental characterization of PM2.5 in dense traffic areas in two cities in Fiji, a Small Island Developing State

PM_2.5 characterizations are essential in understanding its impact on the health of the exposed population. Sampled PM_2.5 by Mani et al. (2020) was characterized to determine atmospheric metal concentration and inhalation health risk in Suva and Lautoka Cities, the only two cities in Fiji and one of the largest in the South Pacific Islands. Twenty-two elements (Al, As, Ba, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, P, Pb, S, Si, Sr, V, Zn) were analyzed using ICP-OES. Black Carbon (BC) sampling was also done at three different sites in Suva City, namely, Fiji National University Samabula Intersection site, Suva City Bus Station site and the Reservoir Road Community Settlement Site as well as at Lautoka City Bus Station. Mean BC concentrations over the sampling period were found to be 3.9 ± 2.9 (median = 3.3 μg/m³), 2.6 ± 2.7 μg/m³ (median = 1.7 μg/m³), 2.4 ± 2.3 μg/m³ (median = 1.7 μg/m³) and 4.0 ± 4.7 μg/m³ (median = 2.4 μg/m³) respectively. Health risk assessments (Carcinogenic Risk (CR) and Non-Carcinogenic Risk (HQ)) were also done to assess the risk of inhalation exposure in adults and children. The Hazard Index for children in Lautoka (HI = 1.03) was found to slightly exceed the safe level of 1. This study provides the first inventory of atmospheric particulate bound metal concentrations and diurnal BC profiles in Fiji and informs policy makers and scientists for further studies.

Anticoagulant treatment patterns and thromboembolic events by tumor type among patients with VTE and cancer

Background

Patients with venous thromboembolism (VTE) and cancer are at higher risk of adverse outcomes (mortality, recurrent VTE etc.) versus patients with cancer alone; as such, clinical guidelines recommend anticoagulant treatment for patients with VTE and cancer. There is limited real world data about how anticoagulant treatment and thromboembolic outcomes differ by tumor type in patients with VTE and cancer. Understanding such differences may help identify appropriate anticoagulant treatment for specific tumor types.

Purpose

To describe anticoagulant treatment patterns and thromboembolic outcomes by tumor type among patients with VTE and cancer.

Methods

Patients with VTE and cancer age ≥65 were identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Medicare database from 1/1/2014–12/31/2019. Patients were required to be enrolled for ≥6-months prior to their first VTE diagnosis (index) and without evidence of other conditions requiring anticoagulant (i.e., atrial fibrillation) prior to index. Cancer status and tumor type were identified from SEER or Medicare database in the 6-months prior through 30-days post VTE. This analysis focused on the following specific tumor types: high risk (brain, pancreas, and stomach) and common tumor types (breast, and prostate). Patients treated with an anticoagulant within 30-days after index were included in the final population. Major bleeding (MB) and recurrent VTE events were measured during follow-up (index date through earliest of disenrollment, death or 12/31/2019).

Results

A total of 3,546 anticoagulated patients with VTE and cancer of interest met all study criteria (breast [n=1,197], prostate [n=849], pancreatic [n=995], brain [n=248] and stomach [n=257] cancer). Patient mean age ranged from 73 (brain) to 76 (stomach) at index. Anticoagulant treatment patterns varied by tumor type (Figure 1). LMWH was more likely to be used in the 3 high risk tumor types whereas apixaban and rivaroxaban were more likely to be used in the 2 common tumor types. The incidence rate of recurrent VTE and major bleeding events also varied among different tumor types: ranging from 1.4 (breast) to 6.4 (pancreatic) per 100 person-years for recurrent VTE and from 4.3 (prostate) to 15.1 (pancreatic) per 100 person-years for major bleeding (Figure 2).

Conclusion

There are notable variations in anticoagulant treatment patters and the risks of major bleeding and recurrent VTE events by tumor type among patients with VTE and cancer. Further research is needed to understand which anticoagulant treatment option is more appropriate for VTE patients with specific tumor type.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: Private company. Main funding source(s): Pfizer Inc. and Bristol Myers Squibb Company

Caregiver willingness to give TPT to children living with drug-resistant TB patients

BACKGROUND Pediatric household contacts (HHCs) of patients with multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) are at high risk of infection and active disease. Evidence of caregiver willingness to give MDR-TB preventive therapy (TPT) to children is limited.METHODS This was a cross-sectional study of HHCs of patients with MDR-TB to assess caregiver willingness to give TPT to children aged <13 years.RESULTS Of 743 adult and adolescent HHCs, 299 reported caring for children aged <13 years of age. The median caregiver age was 35 years (IQR 27-48); 75% were women. Among caregivers, 89% were willing to give children MDR TPT. In unadjusted analyses, increased willingness was associated with TB-related knowledge (OR 5.1, 95% CI 2.3-11.3), belief that one can die of MDR-TB (OR 5.2, 95% CI 1.2-23.4), concern for MDR-TB transmission to child (OR 4.5, 95% CI 1.6-12.4), confidence in properly taking TPT (OR 4.5, 95% CI 1.6-12.6), comfort telling family about TPT (OR 5.5, 95% CI 2.1-14.3), and willingness to take TPT oneself (OR 35.1, 95% CI 11.0-112.8).CONCLUSIONS A high percentage of caregivers living with MDR- or rifampicin-resistant TB patients were willing to give children a hypothetical MDR TPT. These results provide important evidence for the potential uptake of effective MDR TPT when implemented.

159 Current Practice of Intra-Operative Sampling During Revision Surgery of the Knee for Prosthetic Joint Infection at a High-Volume District General Hospital

Aim

Successful treatment of prosthetic joint infection (PJI) involves surgical interventions and identification of infecting organisms to enable targeted antimicrobial therapy. Current PHE guidelines recommend 3–5 intra-operative samples to be taken using separate instruments for each, swabs are discouraged. We audited the revision arthroplasty practice at Barking, Havering, Redbridge University Trust (BHRUT), specifically comparing intra-operative sampling for infected revision knee procedures with these guidelines.

Method

Retrospective cohort study of all prosthetic knee infection cases, as defined by the Musculoskeletal Infection Society criteria, at BHRUT between December 2011 to May 2020. A review of case notes collected various key data points, focusing on intraoperative sample, type, number, and technique. Point biserial correlation analysis was performed to determine statistical significance.

Results

119 revision knee arthroplasty procedures were performed in the 8.5-year study period. 31 (26%) were for prosthetic joint infection (n=29 patients), n=2 patients had re-revision procedures for second PJI. Number of samples taken ranged from 1–12 with a mode of 6. N=27 (87%) cases had the recommended number of total samples taken, of these n= 20 (65%) had five or more samples taken, N=24 (77%) cases had three or more samples taken and n=18 (58%) had five or more samples.

Conclusions

Current management of infected knee arthroplasty presents great variability in intra-operative sampling technique. Sample collection adheres to national guidelines in 77% of cases. We recommend implementation of a standardised approach to sampling through inclusion of a five scalpel and five forceps pack specifically for sampling in theatre for all suspected PJI's.

Sex differences in rTMS treatment response: A deep learning-based EEG investigation

INTRODUCTION

The present study aimed to investigate sex differences in response to repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) patients. Identifying the factors that mediate treatment response to rTMS in MDD patients can guide clinicians to administer more appropriate, reliable, and personalized interventions.

METHODS

In this paper, we developed a novel pipeline based on convolutional LSTM-based deep learning (DL) to classify 25 female and 25 male patients based on their rTMS treatment response.

RESULTS

Five different classification models were generated, namely pre-/post-rTMS female (model 1), pre-/post-rTMS male (model 2), pre-rTMS female responder versus pre-rTMS female nonresponders (model 3), pre-rTMS male responder vs. pre-rTMS male nonresponder (model 4), and pre-rTMS responder versus nonresponder of both sexes (model 5), achieving 93.3%, 98%, 95.2%, 99.2%, and 96.6% overall test accuracy, respectively.

CONCLUSION

These results indicate the potential of our approach to be used as a response predictor especially regarding sex-specific antidepressant effects of rTMS in MDD patients.

Evaluation of prognostic risk models for postoperative pulmonary complications in adult patients undergoing major abdominal surgery: a systematic review and international external validation cohort study

BACKGROUND

Stratifying risk of postoperative pulmonary complications after major abdominal surgery allows clinicians to modify risk through targeted interventions and enhanced monitoring. In this study, we aimed to identify and validate prognostic models against a new consensus definition of postoperative pulmonary complications.

METHODS

We did a systematic review and international external validation cohort study. The systematic review was done in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. We searched MEDLINE and Embase on March 1, 2020, for articles published in English that reported on risk prediction models for postoperative pulmonary complications following abdominal surgery. External validation of existing models was done within a prospective international cohort study of adult patients (≥18 years) undergoing major abdominal surgery. Data were collected between Jan 1, 2019, and April 30, 2019, in the UK, Ireland, and Australia. Discriminative ability and prognostic accuracy summary statistics were compared between models for the 30-day postoperative pulmonary complication rate as defined by the Standardised Endpoints in Perioperative Medicine Core Outcome Measures in Perioperative and Anaesthetic Care (StEP-COMPAC). Model performance was compared using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROCC).

FINDINGS

In total, we identified 2903 records from our literature search; of which, 2514 (86·6%) unique records were screened, 121 (4·8%) of 2514 full texts were assessed for eligibility, and 29 unique prognostic models were identified. Nine (31·0%) of 29 models had score development reported only, 19 (65·5%) had undergone internal validation, and only four (13·8%) had been externally validated. Data to validate six eligible models were collected in the international external validation cohort study. Data from 11 591 patients were available, with an overall postoperative pulmonary complication rate of 7·8% (n=903). None of the six models showed good discrimination (defined as AUROCC ≥0·70) for identifying postoperative pulmonary complications, with the Assess Respiratory Risk in Surgical Patients in Catalonia score showing the best discrimination (AUROCC 0·700 [95% CI 0·683-0·717]).

INTERPRETATION

In the pre-COVID-19 pandemic data, variability in the risk of pulmonary complications (StEP-COMPAC definition) following major abdominal surgery was poorly described by existing prognostication tools. To improve surgical safety during the COVID-19 pandemic recovery and beyond, novel risk stratification tools are required.

FUNDING

British Journal of Surgery Society.

Prevalence and associated risk factors for intimate partner violence (IPV) in the Himalayan mountain villages of Pakistan

Introduction

Intimate partner Violence (IPV) against women includes all actions that violate one’s sense of self, physical body and sense of trust and involves episodes of violence of physical, psychological (emotional), or sexual nature, perpetrated by a current or former intimate partner.

Objectives

We estimated the prevalence of and risk factors for intimate partner violence (IPV) in the Himalayan mountain villages of Gilgit Baltistan in Pakistan.

Methods

We employed a cross-sectional study to randomly select ever married women (n=789) aged 18-49, in Pakistan. We used an adapted World Health Organization screening instrument to assess women’s experience of IPV in the previous 12 months. We used an indigenous validated instrument assess self-reported symptoms of major depression according to the DSM IV. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to identify significant predictors of IPV using adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI).

Results

The overall prevalence of IPV was 22.8% (95% CI: 20.0-25.9). Women exposed to IPV were less likely to have husbands educated at a college or a higher (AOR: 0.40; 95%CI: 0.22-0.70), household income in the middle or the highest tertile (AOR: 0.44; 95%CI: 0.29-0.68), and were more likely to have poor or very poor relationship with their mother in law (AOR=2.85; 95% CI: 1.90-4.28), to have a poor quality of health (AOR= 2.74; 95% CI: 1.92-3.92) poor quality of life (AOR= 3.54; 95%CI: 1.90-6.58), and higher odds of experiencing depressive symptoms (AOR=1.97; 95%CI:1.39-2.77).

Conclusions

IPV is a substantial public health burden in Himalayan mountain villages and merits serious attention.

Disclosure

No significant relationships.

POS1444 FLT1 AND EPHB2 ARE NOVEL GENETIC MARKERS ASSOCIATED WITH PANCREATITIS IN PATIENTS TAKING AZATHIOPRINE FOR IMMUNE-MEDIATED CONDITIONS: INTEGRATING GENOME- AND TRANSCRIPTOME-WIDE ASSOCIATION STUDIES

Background

Azathioprine (AZA) is a thiopurine immunosuppressant medication used to treat a variety of immune-mediated diseases. Unfortunately, its use is limited by adverse effects. Pancreatitis, a potentially severe, life-threatening side effect is independent of dose and necessitates AZA discontinuation given the high risk of recurrent pancreatitis with continued use or re-challenge. The mechanisms driving pancreatitis are unclear. While classic thiopurine-induced acute pancreatitis (TIAP) has been associated with HLA haplotypes, most patients taking AZA and presenting with pancreatitis do not fulfill the stringent criteria for TIAP.

Objectives

To identify genetic risk factors for pancreatitis in patients taking azathioprine for immune-mediated conditions.

Methods

Using a biobank linked to electronic health records (EHR) from a tertiary center, we identified new users of AZA. Patients were excluded if the primary indication for AZA was organ transplant or if there was a history of pancreatitis prior to AZA use. The analysis was restricted to patients with EHR-reported race as White due to insufficient case counts for the non-White group. We then identified patients with amylase or lipase values that exceeded twice the upper limit of normal (“>2x ULN”) or with ICD-9/ICD-10 codes for acute pancreatitis. Each record was manually reviewed to confirm the timing of AZA use in relation to laboratory derangements or ICD coding, as well as to further classify patients into three increasingly strict, but not exclusive categories: 1) pancreatic injury (amylase or lipase >2x ULN); 2) acute pancreatitis1, or 3) TIAP2. We completed genotyping with Illumina Infinium Expanded Multi-Ethnic Genotyping Array plus custom content data, employed Michigan Imputation servers for genetic imputation, and used PrediXcan (GTEx v8) to impute gene expression. We then conducted genome-wide association and transcriptome-wide association studies (GWAS, TWAS). Acknowledging the relatively small overall cohort, and possible imbalance of cases vs controls, we used the Firth logistic regression method, which is a penalized likelihood-based method.

Results

We studied 2127 AZA users (35.4% male; mean 44.5+/-17.2 years). The median AZA dose was 100mg/day (IQR: 50-125mg/day). Rheumatologic conditions (56.9%) and inflammatory bowel disease (40.4%) comprised the most common primary indications for AZA. Pancreatic injury, pancreatitis, and TIAP were diagnosed in 42 (2.0%), 16 (0.8%), and 9 (0.4%) patients, respectively. GWAS identified several significantly associated genes, many with overlapping TWAS findings in the pancreas and liver (Figure 1). From these, the two protein-encoding genes Fms Related Receptor Tyrosine Kinase-1 (FLT1) and Ephrin type-B receptor-2 (EPHB2) overlapped in two or more pancreatitis phenotypes in the TWAS and GWAS, respectively. EPHB2 was associated with a 8.6-fold (P=1.84 x 10-8) and a 31.4-fold (P=2.87x 10-8) higher likelihood of pancreatic injury and TIAP, respectively.

Figure 1.

Conclusion

FLT1—a gene that encodes a receptor tyrosine kinase and is a member of the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) family—and EPHB2—a gene that encodes a member of the Eph receptor family, which is the largest subgroup of the receptor tyrosine kinase family—are novel genetic markers associated with pancreatitis in patients taking AZA. VEGF can potentiate inflammation and the pancreas microenvironment is known to promote VEGF expression, which has been linked to pancreatic cancer development; anti-VEGF treatments have been investigated both for mitigating inflammation and also anti-pancreatic cancer treatment. Future studies validating our findings in AZA-induced pancreatitis are warranted.

References

[1]Crockett et al. Gastroenterology (2018). 154(4):1096-1101.

[2]Heap et al. Nature Genetics (2014). 46:1131-1134

Disclosure of Interests

Shailja Shah Consultant of: ad hoc consultant for Phathom pharmaceuticals, Tyler Reese: None declared, Jacy Zanussi: None declared, Alyson Dickson: None declared, Laura Daniel: None declared, Ran Tao: None declared, Tyne Miller-Fleming: None declared, Peter Straub: None declared, Adriana Hung: None declared, Puran Nepal: None declared, Wei-Qi Wei: None declared, Elizabeth Phillips: None declared, Nancy Cox: None declared, Charles M. Stein: None declared, QiPeng Feng: None declared, Cecilia P. Chung: None declared

POS0867 COMORBIDITY AND COMPLICATIONS PRIOR TO SYSTEMIC SCLEROSIS DIAGNOSIS: A RETROSPECTIVE COHORT ANALYSIS

Background

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a rare autoimmune disease characterized by progressive microvascular damage, collagen deposition and subsequent fibrosis of the skin and internal organs which contributes to substantial morbidity and premature death.1-2

Objectives

The objective was to evaluate the disease burden of SSc patients prior to their SSc diagnosis.

Methods

Patients with SSc were identified in a claims dataset (IBM MarketScan Commercial Database, 2015-2019) using ICD 10 diagnosis codes for SSc. Eligible subjects were required to have > 1 inpatient or >2 outpatient/office claims with a scleroderma diagnosis code on separate days and > 24 months of continuous health plan enrollment without a SSc diagnosis before the first SSc claim (‘index date’) and > 12 months of enrollment after the index date. Overall comorbid disease burden was assessed via the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) 13-24 and 12 months before and 12 months after index date. The prevalence of SSc-related complications for atherosclerosis, pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), pulmonary fibrosis (PF), Raynaud’s Phenomenon (RP), and gastrointestinal (GI) complications (e.g., GERD, dysphagia, etc.) were identified using ICD codes and reported as percentages for the aforementioned time intervals relative to patients’ index dates.

Results

902 eligible SSc patients were identified for analysis. The mean age at index SSc diagnosis was 54.3 years and 84.7% of patients were female. Mean CCI scores 13-24 months before, 12 months before, and 12 months after index SSc diagnosis were 0.84, 1.13 and 1.30, respectively. From the time points 13-24 months before, 12 months before, and 12 months after index SSc diagnosis, increasing rates were also observed of atherosclerosis, PAH, PF, RP, and GI complications (Table 1).

Table 1.

Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) and systemic sclerosis-related complications by time-interval

Clinical characteristic13-24 months before Index12 months before Index12 months after IndexMean CCI (std dev)0.84 (1.58)1.13 (1.71)1.30 (1.75)Systemic sclerosis-related complicationsAtherosclerosis7%9%14%Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH)1%4%12%Pulmonary fibrosis (PF)5%8%16%Raynaud’s Phenomenon (RP)13%29%43%GI complications23%32%46%

Conclusion

Results from this analysis suggests that SSc-related sequalae are present at least two years prior to SSc diagnosis and rates of these complications increased markedly over time. Patients’ overall comorbid disease burden also worsened substantially over this period, likely because of these complications. The internal organ involvement is likely under reported due to requirements to link each diagnosis with an ICD-10 code. These data indicate the significant burden of SSc, prior to and after diagnosis, highlighting the need for awareness, prompt diagnosis, and effective therapies for SSc and its related complications.

References

[1]Cutolo M, et al. Expert Rev Clin Immunol. 2019;15(7):753-764.

[2]Steen VD, Medsger TA. Ann Rheum Dis. 2007;66(7):940-944.

Disclosure of Interests

Dinesh Khanna Consultant of: Horizon Therapeutics, Daniel Furst Consultant of: Horizon Therapeutics, Justin W. Li Grant/research support from: Horizon Therapeutics, Saloni Shah Grant/research support from: Horizon Therapeutics, Tamara Lesperance Shareholder of: Horizon Therapeutics, Employee of: Horizon Therapeutics, Farah Ali Shareholder of: Horizon Therapeutics, Employee of: Horizon Therapeutics, Brian LaMoreaux Shareholder of: Horizon Therapeutics, Employee of: Horizon Therapeutics, Stephanie Taylor Shareholder of: Horizon Therapeutics, Employee of: Horizon Therapeutics

Comparative evaluation of different techniques for herniorrhaphy in calves

Umbilical hernia is one of the most common problems in young calves. This problem occurs in dairy sector as well as in the local farmers. Present study was conducted to compare outcomes of four different techniques of herniorrhaphy. Twenty four young calves (n=24) were divided in 4 groups (A, B, C, and D) which underwent four different surgical techniques. Group A underwent vicryl plus suture material and pants-over-west technique, Group B underwent mesh application with Dexon suture material by using simple interrupted suture pattern, Group C underwent closed method with Nylon No. 3 suture material by using vertical mattress suture pattern and Group D underwent clamp application method with Silk No. 2 suture material by using simple interrupted suture pattern. The result showed that mesh application method was comparatively better with respect to feed intake, body weight gain and healing time. There was no reoccurrence with non-significant hematological changes (p≤0.05). It is concluded that mesh application method is safer than other three techniques and there are no systemic effects of this surgical intervention on calves' health.

Analyzing the impact of Сovid-19 on the hotel industry in Nepal

COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected the tourism and hospitality sectors across the globe. Due to the increase in the number of COVID positive cases, governments of countries have imposed strict lockdown globally as a precautionary measure to control the spread of the coronavirus, which has led to restrictions on travel and mobility of individuals from one place to the other. One of the countries that have been severely affected due to the lockdown is the economy of Nepal. Being a tourist-friendly nation, every year, Nepal’s tourism and hospitality sector contributes significantly to its GDP. With a restriction on travel and cancellation of bookings, one of the most important departments under this sector, the hotel industry, is currently struggling to survive due to loss of revenue. The present study tries to understand the challenges and strategies planned by the hotel industry stakeholders in Nepal. A primary survey conducted with hoteliers from 10 hotels reveals major concerns about maintaining a steady financial performance and expectations for government aid to help this sector come back to normalcy.

Impact of mapping technology on procedural characteristics during radiofrequency or cryoballoon pulmonary vein isolation for atrial fibrillation

Funding Acknowledgements

Type of funding sources: None.

Background/Introduction: Cryoballoon ablation (CBA) is often associated with shorter procedure times along with tradeoffs such as increased fluoroscopy use compared to radiofrequency (RF) ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF), however the impact of mapping technology on these characteristics is not fully understood.

Purpose

To assess the effect of mapping technology on trends in fluoroscopy use and procedure times in AF pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) procedures with an RF or CBA catheter.

Methods

Acute procedure data from 210 de novo AF cases using a 3D mapping system was prospectively collected from 48 centers in eight countries. Choice of technology was left to physician discretion; a PVI only ablation strategy was utilized in all cases. Procedure data such as total procedure and fluoroscopy times from cases using either an RF or CBA catheter with either a grid-style mapping catheter (HD Grid) or circular mapping catheter (CMC) were compared.

Results

Of the 210 cases, RF ablation was used in 103 (49%), and CBA used in 107 (51%). In RF cases, a relatively even split between CMC and HD Grid use was observed (n=46, 45% vs. n=57, 55%), while a CMC was used in 100% of CBA cases (Figure 1). Across all cases, fluoroscopy and procedure times were significantly shorter when HD Grid was used (7.4±26.7 minutes; 108.2±46.3 minutes) compared to a CMC (20.4±17.6 minutes; 133.7±62.7) (p&lt;0.001; p=0.003). A similar trend was also observed in RF cases using HD Grid (7.4±26.7 minutes; 108.2±46.3 minutes) compared to a CMC (17.9±12.3 minutes; 175.1±50.5) (p=0.01; p&lt;0.001). Fluoroscopy times in RF cases with HD Grid (7.4±26.7 minutes) were significantly shorter compared to CBA cases with a CMC (21.5±19.4 minutes) (p&lt;0.001), while procedure times were similar (108.2±46.3 minutes; 116.0±59.2 minutes, p=0.20).

Conclusion(s)

Use of HD Grid resulted in significantly shorter procedure and fluoroscopy times compared to a CMC across all cases, including those using RF ablation. Fluoroscopy times were also significantly shorter in RF cases using HD Grid compared to CBA cases using a CMC, with similar procedure times. These observations suggest that use of HD Grid may better enable safer and more efficient PVI, specifically when employing RF ablation, in addition to safer and equally efficient RF PVI compared to CBA with a CMC. Further study in in a larger, randomized cohort may be necessary.

Global preferences in mapping technology and its impact on fluoroscopy and procedure times during catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation

Funding Acknowledgements

Type of funding sources: None.

Background/Introduction

Choice in mapping technology may play a critical role in reducing fluoroscopy and procedure times during atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation, however this relationship is not well studied.

Purpose

To assess the impact of mapping technology on trends in fluoroscopy use and procedure times in AF ablation procedures.

Methods

Acute procedure data from 525 AF cases was prospectively collected from 68 centers in nine countries. Choice of technology and ablation strategy, including PVI and substrate modification, were left to physician discretion. Procedure data such as total procedure and fluoroscopy times from cases using a grid-style mapping catheter (HD Grid) were compared to those using a circular mapping catheter (CMC).

Results

Of the 525 cases, HD Grid was used in 230 (44%), and CMC was used in 295 (56%). HD Grid was routinely used for both de novo and redo procedures while CMC was used predominantly for de novo procedures (Table 1). Similar procedure times were noted in redo PAF and redo PersAF procedures, while significantly shorter procedure times were observed for the HD Grid group in both de novo PAF and PersAF (113.9±48.8 vs. 125.9±56.3 minutes, p=0.04; and 142.8±53.2 vs. 169.8±52.2 minutes, p=0.001).

Overall fluoroscopy times were significantly shorter using HD Grid compared to a CMC (9.0±19.6 minutes vs. 19.8±16.4 minutes, p&lt;0.001), including significantly shorter fluoroscopy times in de novo PAF, de novo PersAF, and redo PAF (Table 1). There were 155 cases completed without fluoroscopy use; zero fluoroscopy cases accounted for 50% (114/230) and 14% (41/295) of total cases completed with HD Grid and a CMC, respectively (p&lt;0.001).

Conclusion(s)

Use of HD Grid was observed in a significantly higher portion of zero fluoroscopy cases and resulted in significantly shorter procedure and fluoroscopy times in both de novo PAF and de novo PersAF and significantly shorter fluoroscopy times in redo PAF. These observations suggest that use of HD Grid may better enable faster and safer procedures in these specific AF types compared to CMCs, although further analysis in a larger, randomized cohort may be warranted.