Associations of maternal hypertensive disorders during pregnancy with offspring risks of ischemic heart disease and stroke: a Nordic cohort study

Background

A substantial body of evidence suggests that children exposed to maternal hypertensive disorders during pregnancy (HDP) have increased risks of preterm birth, fetal growth restriction and several cardiovascular risk factors (e.g., hypertension, obesity, diabetes) later in life. However, the direct evidence on the link between maternal HDP and the risk of severe cardiovascular diseases such as ischemic heart disease (IHD) and stroke in the offspring is very limited.

Objective

To investigate the associations between maternal HDP and the risk of IHD and stroke in the offspring.

Methods

We conducted a population-based cohort study by linking several national registers in Sweden and Finland. Live singleton births from the Swedish Medical Birth Register (1973–2014) and the Finnish Medical Birth Register (1987- 2014) were followed for IHD and stroke until 2014 by the national patient and cause of death registers. We performed Cox regression models to examine the association between maternal HDP and its subtypes, i.e., pre-existing chronic hypertension, gestational hypertension, and preeclampsia, and the risk of IHD, and stroke in the offspring while adjusting for relevant maternal and pregnancy-related confounders. We conducted sibling analyses to control for unmeasured shared familial (genetic and/or environmental) risk factors.

Results

Among the 5,807,122 singletons included in the study, 218,322 (3.76%) children were born to mothers with HDP. During the up to 41 years of follow-up, 2,340 (0.04%) offspring were diagnosed with IHD and 5,360 (0.09%) were diagnosed with stroke. Offspring exposed to maternal HDP had an increased risk of IHD (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR), 1.29; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.01–1.63), and stroke (aHR,1.33; 95% CI, 1.14–1.56). Significantly increased rates of stroke were also observed in children exposed to the subtypes of maternal HDP: pre-existing chronic hypertension (aHR, 1.64; 95% CI, 1.03–2.60), gestational hypertension (HR, 1.38; 95% CI, 1.08–1.77), and preeclampsia (HR, 1.26; 95% CI, 1.02–1.55). The associations between maternal HDP and offspring's IHD and stroke were independent of preterm birth and small for gestational age at birth. Maternal HDP remained associated with stroke in the offspring (aHR, 1.94; 95% CI, 1.16–3.22), but not with IHD (aHR, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.47–1.67) in the sibling analyses.

Conclusion

Children to mothers with HDP have increased rates of IHD and stroke from childhood to young adulthood. While the link between maternal HDP and IHD in the offspring seemed to be attributed to confounding by familial factors, the relation between maternal HDP and stroke persisted even when considering such confounding. Persons born to mothers with HDP may benefit from early screening and prevention efforts to reduce the risk of IHD and stroke later in life.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: Foundation. Main funding source(s): Swedish Heart and Lung Foundation

[The analysis of structural magnetic resonance imaging manifestation of hippocampus based on voxel and spherical harmonic surface morphometry in mesial temporal lobe epilepsy]

Objective: To compare the hippocampal volume and local surface morphology changes in patients with mesial temporal lobe (mTLE) using the voxel-based morphometry and spherical harmonic methods respectively. Methods: A total of 66 patients (31 males and 35 females, age range from 17 to 48 (28±8) years) with mTLE and 80 age-and gender-matched controls (38 males and 42 females, age range from 19 to 46 (27±7) years) were retrospectively collected from July 2009 to February 2019 at Jinling hospital.. High resolution structural MRI of the whole brain, three-dimensional T₁-weighted data(3DT1) were acquired from each subject. The changes of hippocampal volume and surface morphology were evaluated between mTLE groups and controls for observing the hippocampal atrophy pattern by using voxel-based morphometry and spherical harmonic shape descriptions point distribution model respectively. Pearson correlation analysis was conducted for observing the relationship between the morphological changes of hippocampus and disease duration. Results: Compared with the controls, hippocampal volume on the affected side in patients with mTLE was significantly reduced (Z-score:-1.55±0.57 vs 0.38±0.58, P<0.001) and negatively correlated with disease duration (r=-0.297, P=0.016). Furthermore, surface morphology analysis subtly showed that the atrophy of the affected hippocampus in patients with mTLE mainly located in the head, mesial lateral part and posterior tail of the hippocampus. Their displacement values were negatively correlated with disease duration (r=-0.336, P=0.006) and positively associated with the hippocampal grey matter volume (r=0.336, P=0.006). Conclusions: Voxel-based morphometry analysis reveals a global reduction in hippocampal volume, while the morphological measurement method based on surface shape can describe the local morphological changes of hippocampal atrophy.

[Causal graph model and its application in nutritional epidemiologic research]

Suboptimal diet is one of the most important controllable risk factors for non-communicable diseases. However, randomized controlled trials make it difficult to quantify the causal association between specific dietary factors and health outcomes. In recent years, the rapid development of causal inference has provided a robust theoretical and methodological tool for making full use of observational research data and producing high-quality nutritional epidemiologic research evidence. The causal graph model visualizes the complex causal relationship system by integrating a large amount of prior knowledge and provides a basic framework for identifying confounding and determining causal effect estimation strategies. Different analysis strategies such as adjusting confounders, instrumental variables, or mediation analysis can be created based on other causal graphs. This paper introduces the idea of the causal graph model and the characteristics of various analysis strategies and their application in nutritional epidemiology research, aiming to promote the application of the causal graph model in nutrition and provide references and suggestions for the follow-up research.

BGL3 inhibits papillary thyroid carcinoma progression via regulating PTEN stability

PURPOSE

BGL3, a novel long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) that plays a crucial role in several human malignancies. However, the clinical significance and biological function of BGL3 in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) have not been explored. Herein, we aimed to investigate the role of BGL3 in human PTC.

METHODS

A total of 85 pairs of PTC and normal tissues were collected for clinicopathological analysis. Expression of BGL3 was determined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The effects of BGL3 on PTC cells ware determined by CCK-8, colony formation, EdU and wound healing assays. The molecular mechanism underlying BGL3 was tested by ChIP, Co-IP, RNA pull-down and luciferase reporter assays. In vivo experiments were conducted using xenografts in nude mice.

RESULTS

BGL3 was significantly decreased in PTC tissues compared to adjacent normal thyroid tissues, and it was transcriptionally repressed by oncogene Myc. Low BGL3 is positively related to larger tumor size, lymph node metastasis, later TNM stage and poor prognosis. Overexpression of BGL3 inhibited PTC cell proliferation and migration in vitro, and reduced tumor size and lung metastasis nodules in vivo. BGL3 was mainly located in the cytoplasm, in which interacted with PTEN and recruited OTUD3, enhancing the de-ubiquitination effect of OTUD3 on PTEN, resulting in increasing PTEN protein stability and inactivating carcinogenic PI3K/AKT signaling.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data underscore the critical tumor-inhibiting role of BGL3 in PTC via post-translational regulation of PTEN protein stability, which may serve as a novel therapeutic target and prognostic biomarker in human PTC.

Wear behavior of a microhybrid composite vs. a nanocomposite in the treatment of severe tooth wear patients: A 5-year clinical study

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to compare the wear behavior of a microhybrid composite vs. a nanocomposite in patients suffering from severe tooth wear.

METHODS

A convenience sample of 16 severe tooth wear patients from the Radboud Tooth Wear Project was included. Eight of them were treated with a microhybrid composite (Clearfil APX, Kuraray) and the other eight with a nanocomposite (Filtek Supreme XTE, 3M). The Direct Shaping by Occlusion (DSO) technique was used for all patients. Clinical records were collected after 1 month (baseline) as well as 1, 3 and 5 years post-treatment. The maximum height loss at specific areas per tooth was measured with Geomagic Qualify software. Intra-observer reliability was tested with paired t-tests, while multilevel logistic regression analyses were used to compare odds ratios (OR) of "large amount of wear".

RESULTS

Intra-observer reliability tests confirmed that two repeated measurements agreed well (p > 0.136). For anterior mandibular teeth, Filtek Supreme showed significantly less wear than Clearfil APX; in maxillary anterior teeth, Clearfil APX showed significantly less wear (OR _material = 0.28, OR _{jaw position} = 0.079, p < 0.001). For premolar and molar teeth, Filtek Supreme showed less wear in bearing cusps, whereas Clearfil APX showed less wear in non-bearing cusps (premolar: OR _material = 0.42, OR _{bearing condition} = 0.18, p = 0.001; molar: OR _material = 0.50, OR _{bearing condition} = 0.14, p < 0.001).

SIGNIFICANCE

Nanocomposite restorations showed significantly less wear at bearing cusps, whereas microhybrid composite restorations showed less wear at non-bearing cusps and anterior maxillary teeth.

Bifocal 532/1064 nm alternately illuminated photoacoustic microscopy for capturing deep vascular morphology in human skin

BACKGROUND

As a promising technology, photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) plays a critical role in diagnosis and assessment of dermatological conditions by providing subtle vascular networks non-invasively. However, the established PAMs are insufficient for clinical dermatology when faced with complex structures of human skin instead of animal models owing to high melanin content and superimposed vasculature for Asians, which cannot balance the spatial resolution and the imaging depth.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the ability of bifocal 532/1064-nm alternately illuminated photoacoustic microscopy (BF-PAM) to non-invasively reveal the morphological structure of human skin for improving the diagnosis and therapeutic efficacy of skin diseases.

METHODS

A BF-PAM was developed to capture biopsy-like information of human skin from epidermis to hypodermis. The optical foci of the two excitation beams are staggered in the axial direction to form an extended depth-of-field, which can maintain the lateral resolution and the contrast of PA image.

RESULTS

The imaging capability of the BF-PAM was demonstrated by depicting the vascular morphology of multilayered skin with imaging depth of ˜3 mm. Furtherly, vascular malformations in port-wine stains skin were quantitatively assessed without the need for any contrast agent, and the distribution, depth and diameter of the ectatic vessels can determine an optimal treatment protocol for port-wine stains lesions.

CONCLUSIONS

The quantitative vascular morphology in the dermis can be used to accurately assess vascular characteristics, in which case it enables clinicians to determine optimum treatment parameters in individual patients. As a non-invasive imaging technique, BF-PAM holds great potential to provide objective assessment to enhance the therapeutic efficacy.

ETHICAL STATEMENT

The study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki (as revised in 2013). The study was approved by the Chinese Ethics Committee of Registering Clinical Trials (ChiECRCT20200184) and registered with Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2000034400). Before skin imaging, written informed consent was taken from all individual participants.

Emerging role of lncRNA DANCR in progenitor cells: beyond cancer

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are important participants in biological processes including cell proliferation, differentiation and death, as well as pathogenesis of various diseases. LncRNA differentiation antagonizing non-protein coding RNA (DANCR) is an emerging regulator in cell metabolism and many diseases besides cancers. DANCR is negative in epidermal, osteoblastic and endoderm differentiation, but positive in chondrogenic differentiation of progenitor cells. It is protective for calcification of the ligamentum flavum, stroke, acute myocardial infarction and arterial calcification, but a risk factor for bone loss, fracture healing and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. In addition, DANCR is a potential target for improving tissue regeneration. Mechanically, DANCR, a cytoplasmic lncRNA, sponges corresponding microRNAs or interacts with various proteins. This review aims to summarize the role of DANCR in progenitor cells and provide perspectives for further studies.

[Correlation between aspiration and long-term survival of inpatients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease]

Objective: To retrospectively analyze the high risk factors of death in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and to explore the influence of aspiration on the long-term survival rate of COPD patients. Methods: A retrospective analysis of clinical data of inpatients, who were admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University from April 2012 to December 2013 due to COPD exacerbations and had radionuclide aspiration test, was conducted. Meanwhile, we phoned the patients' family members, whose phone numbers were recorded in the electronic patient record system, to follow up the patients' survival status, and learn the causes of death from their death records if patients died during follow-up period. Inquired the resident administration patients belonging to according to their original address to get patient's current contact information if changed. Besides, if family members of patients failed to provide death record, we should look up information concerned from the medical records room of the hospital where they died. Results: The follow-up for the last patient was performed on February 20, 2017.The time span of this study is 58 months, starting from the radionuclide aspiration test for the first patient and ending with the follow-up for the last patient. 16 of the 53 patients(16/53, 30.2%)were tested positive whose average age was slightly higher than patients without aspiration (76.0±6.8 vs 70.9±9.9), but there was no significant difference between them(P=0.064). The aspiration rates among patients over and under the age of seventy were 14/35 and 2/18 respectively, and there was a significant difference between them(P = 0.03). Compared to the aspiration-negative patients, the aspiration-positive patients had higher incidence rate of pneumonia in COPD exacerbations (11/16 vs 9/37, χ²= 9.383, P = 0.002).The major cause of death in the patients with and without aspiration were respectively severe pneumonia and pulmonary encephalopathy(P<0.05 in both cases).Among COPD patients who took radionuclide aspiration test, the median survival time of the patients with and without aspiration were about 3 and 5 years respectively. The high-risk factors influencing long-term survival of the COPD patients with aspiration included ICU-involved medical history and accompanying pneumonia. Conclusions: The incidence rate of aspiration is relatively high in COPD patients over 70 years old. Compared to COPD patients without aspiration, COPD patients with aspiration have higher incidence rate of pneumonia and shorter median survival time. ICU-involved medical history and severe pneumonia are the two high-risk factors influencing long-term survival of COPD patients with aspiration.To improve the survival time of COPD patients with aspiration, we need to attach importance to the prevention and treatment of aspiration.

[Treatment efficiency evaluation of left cardiac sympathetic denervation for patients with inherited arrhythmia by exercise-stress test]

Objective: To evaluate the efficiency of left cardiac sympathetic denervation (LCSD) in inherited arrhythmia patients with adrenergic activity-induced malignant ventricular arrhythmia, and observe exercise-stress test features before and after LCSD. Methods: This retrospective observational study included catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia(CPVT) and long QT syndromes(LQTS) patients who underwent video-assisted LCSD at Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital and Peking University People's Hospital from September 2006 to May 2020. The indications for LCSD surgery were intolerant or refractory to beta-blocker medication. Clinical and exercise-stress tests data of included patients were collected before and 1 month after LCSD. Heart rate, exercise tolerance, atrial and ventricular arrhythmia, QTc interval and predictors for sudden cardiac death were analyzed. Patents were regularly followed up at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after LCSD and then once every year thereafter. Cardiac events and medication adjustment records were collected. Results: Five patients (2 CPVT, 1 LQT1, and 2 LQT2)were included in the study. All patients experienced syncope as first symptom at the median age of 12(10, 16)years, and underwent LCSD at the median age of 21(16, 26)years, Baseline heart rate was similar before and after LCSD ((65.6±6.5) beats/min vs. (68.0±11.1) beats/min, P=0.57); while maximum workload tended to be lower after LCSD ((12.1±2.8) metabolic equivalents (METS) before surgery vs. (10.5±2.4) METS after surgery, P=0.07). Incidence of atrial and ventricular arrhythmia were significantly reduced post LCSD, and the ventricular arrhythmia score was decreased after LCSD in CPVT patients (4 points before LCSD vs. 3 points after LCSD in case 1;5 points before LCSD vs. 3 points after LCSD in case 2). QTc interval was shortened significantly in three LQTs patients (QTc interval at baseline heart rate: (546.6±72.3) ms before surgery vs. (493±61.1) ms after LCSD, P=0.047; QTc interval at maximal exercise heart rate: (516.3±73.7) ms before surgery vs. (486.7±64.2)ms after LCSD, P=0.035). Additionally, sudden cardiac death risk indicator ΔHRR1 (heart rate decreasing value within the first 1 min during recovery phase) decreased from (51.5±21.1) beats/min before surgery to (32.0±13.9) beats/min after surgery (P=0.035). During a median follow-up of 1(1, 4) year, all five patients were on low dosage of propranolol (37.0±21.7) mg/d. Cardiac events free survival was achieved in four out of 5 patients (80%) after sympathectomy, while 1 case suffered from sudden cardiac death after emotional stress. Conclusion: LCSD surgery can be safely and effectively performed in most hereditary arrhythmia patients with adrenergic activity-induced life-threatening cardiac events. Exercise stress test results show that LCSD could reduce malignant arrhythmias and improve sudden cardiac death risk indicators without decreasing heart rate.

[Research progress on the relationship between dietary patterns and common noninfectious chronic diseases]

With the development of society, the dietary pattern of Chinese residents gradually tends to be Westernized, and the disease spectrum has also been progressively changed into chronic non-communicable diseases like ischemic heart disease and stroke. Diet has been recognized as a common and modifiable factor for many chronic diseases. In this paper, the researches on dietary patterns and common chronic non-communicable diseases in recent years were summarized by searching the literature in Chinese and English databases in the past five years (2015-2020). This research integrated the outcome indicators, possible mechanisms, and research conclusions of dietary patterns and cardiovascular system, metabolic diseases, digestive system, locomotor system, and mental system in the past five years from the perspective of the human system. Dietary patterns characterized by red meat and processed meats, fast foods, sugary beverages were identified as risk factors for most diseases. In contrast, nutritional patterns characterized by vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fish were protective factors for most conditions. Meanwhile, it also put forward some problems that should be paid attention to in studying dietary patterns to provide a scientific basis for the follow-up research and the prevention and intervention of diseases.

[Influence of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination on the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of imported COVID-19 cases in Chengdu]

Objective: To analyze the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of imported COVID-19 cases after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination and to provide evidence for the prevention and control of COVID-19. Methods: The imported COVID-19 cases in Chengdu as of April 15, 2021 were divided into the vaccinated group and unvaccinated group according to the history of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. The epidemiological and clinical data of the cases were collected retrospectively, and the differences in epidemiological and clinical characteristics of the two groups were compared. Laboratory tests consisted of nucleic acid test, clinical index test, serum antibody test and lymphocyte test. Software WPS2019 was used for data management and software R 4.0.3 was used for statistical analysis. Results: A total of 75 COVID-19 cases were included in the analysis, in which 20 had received SARS-CoV-2 vaccination and only 4 with clinical symptoms, 55 patients did not receive SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, and 16 had clinical symptoms. In vaccinated group, the first injection time of vaccination ranged from July to November 2020, and 10 cases received two doses of vaccine simultaneously and 10 cases received two doses of vaccine at intervals of 14-57 days. The intervals between the completion of vaccination and the onset ranged from 87 days to 224 days. The differences in classification and clinical type between the two groups were significant. Significant differences were observed in case classification and clinical type between vaccinated group and unvaccinated group (P<0.05). The vaccinated group had a relatively high proportion of asymptomatic infections (40.00%, 8/20), while mild infections were mainly observed in the unvaccinated group(76.36%,42/55). The differences in Ct values (ORF1ab gene and N gene) at the diagnosis were not significant between vaccinated group and unvaccinated group (P>0.05), similar results were also observed in lymphocyte subtypes, procalcitonin and C-reactive protein level comparisons. Serum amyloid A level was higher in unvaccinated group than in vaccinated group (P<0.05). However, the SARS-CoV-2 related serum antibody of IgM, IgG and total antibody levels were significantly higher in vaccinated group (P<0.05). Conclusions: Risk of infection still exists with SARS-CoV-2 after vaccination, which can facilitate the production of specific serum antibody of IgM and IgG when people are exposed to the virus. It has a certain protective effect on SARS-CoV-2 infected persons. Vaccination can reduce the clinical symptoms and mitigate disease severity.

[Endemic status of schistosomiasis in People's Republic of China in 2020]

This report presented the endemic status of schistosomiasis in the People's Republic of China at a national level in 2020, and analyzed the data collected from the national schistosomiasis prevention and control system and national schistosomiasis surveillance sites. Among the 12 provinces (municipality and autonomous region) endemic for schistosomiasis in China, Shanghai Municipality, Zhejiang Province, Fujian Province, Guangdong Province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region continued to consolidate the achievements of schistosomiasis elimination, and Sichuan and Jiangsu provinces maintained the criteria of transmission interruption, while Yunnan, Hubei, Anhui, Jiangxi and Hunan provinces maintained the criteria of transmission control by the end of 2020. A total of 450 counties (cites, districts) were found to be endemic for schistosomiasis in China, with 28 376 endemic villages covering 71 370 400 people at risk of infections. Among the 450 endemic counties (cities, districts), 74.89% (337/450), 21.87% (98/450) and 3.33% (15/450) achieved the criteria of elimination, transmission interruption and transmission control of schistosomiasis, respectively. By the end of 2020, 29 517 cases with advanced schistosomiasis were documented in China. In 2020, 11 117 655 individuals received inquiry examinations and 1 798 580 were positive; 5 263 082 individuals received serological tests and 83 179 were sero-positive. A total of 273 712 individuals received stool examinations and 3 were positive, including one case of acute schistosomiasis. In 2020, snail survey was performed in 19 733 endemic villages in China and Oncomelania snails were found in 7 309 villages, accounting for 37.04% of all surveyed villages, with 15 villages identified with emerging snail habitats. Snail survey covered an area of 736 984.13 hm² and 206 125.22 hm² snail habitats were found, including 1 174.67 hm² emerging snail habitats and 1.96 hm² habitats with infected snails. In 2020, 544 424 bovines were raised in the schistosomiasis-endemic areas of China, and 147 887 received serological examinations, with 326 positives detected, while 130 673 bovines received stool examinations, with no positives identified. In 2020, there were 19 214 patients with schistosomiasis receiving praziquantel chemotherapy, and 964 103 person-time individuals and 266 280 herd-time bovines were given expanded chemotherapy. In 2020, molluscicide treatment was performed in 136 141.92 hm² snail habitats, and the actual area of chemical treatment was 71 980.22 hm², while environmental improvements were performed in snail habitats covering an area of 1 464.03 hm². Data from the national schistosomiasis surveillance sites of China showed that the mean prevalence of Schistosoma japonicum infections were both zero in humans and bovines in 2020, and no S. japonicum infection was detected in snails. The results demonstrate that the overall endemic status of schistosomiasis remains at a low level in China and the goal of the National Thirteenth Five-Year Plan for Schistosomiasis Control was achieved as scheduled; however, the endemic situation of schistosomiasis rebounded in local areas. Precision schistosomiasis control and intensified monitoring of the endemic situation and transmission risk of schistosomiasis are required to be performed to facilitate the progress towards elimination of schistosomiasis steadily.

[Analysis on epidemiological characteristics of current advanced schistosomiasis cases in China based on the Epidemiological Dynamic Data Collection Platform (EDDC)]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the epidemiological characteristics of current advanced schistosomiasis cases in China, so as to provide the scientific evidence for the precision management and medical care of advanced schistosomiasis.

METHODS

The baseline data pertaining to the current advanced schistosomiasis cases in China were collected from the Epidemiological Dynamic Data Collection Platform (EDDC) operated by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The demographic characteristics, population and regional distribution and medical care of advanced schistosomiasis cases were analyzed with a descriptive method.

RESULTS

A total of 31 889 cases with advanced schistosomiasis were reported in China by the end of June, 2019, and these cases were mainly identified in Hubei Province (7 737 cases) followed by in Jiangxi Province (7 256 cases), Hunan Province (5 615 cases), Anhui Province (5 236 cases) and Jiangsu Province (2 908 cases), accounting for 90.2% (28 752/31 889) of total cases in China. The current advanced schistosomiasis cases had a male/female ratio of 1.5∶1, and a mean age of (67.0 ± 11.2) years, with 92.6% (29 521/31 889) detected in individuals at ages of over 50 years. There were 97.6% (31 109/31 889) of the cases with an educational level of junior high school and lower, and 95.2% (30 359/31 889) with an occupation of farmers. Ascites (72.6%, 23 164/31 889) and splenomegaly types (26.3%, 8 386/31 889) were predominant in current advanced schistosomiasis cases in China, and there was a significant difference in the constituent ratio of disease types among current advanced schistosomiasis cases with different age groups (χ² = 362.31, P < 0.01), with the ascites type as the predominant type of advanced schistosomiasis. Among the current advanced schistosomiasis cases, 88.9% (28 358/31 889) and 18.7% (5 973/31 889) had received medical treatment and surgical treatment, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The current advanced schistosomiasis cases are predominantly reported in five marshland and lake endemic provinces of China where schistosomiasis is not eliminated, and are mostly categorized as the ascites and megalosplenia types, with minor differences seen in gender and disease-type distributions. Precision medical care should be reinforced according to the epidemiological features of the current advanced schistosomiasis cases, and early screening and standard management and follow-up is required.

POS1028 PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS & CLINICAL FEATURES ASSOCIATE WITH HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE IN BIO-NAÏVE PATIENTS WITH ACTIVE PSORIATIC ARTHRITIS THROUGH WEEK 24 OF THE DISCOVER-2 STUDY

Background:

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by peripheral arthritis, axial inflammation, dactylitis, enthesitis, & skin/nail psoriasis. Patients (pts) with PsA often experience reduced health-related quality of life (HRQoL) due to these features.

Objectives:

Using EuroQoL-5 dimension-5 level (EQ-5D-5L) questionnaire index & visual analog scale (EQ-VAS) scores, we assessed HRQoL in pts with PsA & its association with pt characteristics & clinical features of PsA, including fatigue.

Methods:

The Phase 3 DISCOVER-2 trial evaluated guselkumab (GUS), a human monoclonal antibody targeting the IL-23p19-subunit, in bio-naïve adults with active PsA (swollen joint count [SJC] ≥5, tender joint count [TJC] ≥5, C-reactive protein [CRP] ≥0.6 mg/dL) despite standard therapies.1 Pts were randomized 1:1:1 to GUS 100 mg every 4 weeks (Q4W); GUS 100 mg at Week 0 (W0), W4, then Q8W; or placebo (PBO). EQ-5D-5L index assesses mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort, & anxiety/depression. EQ-VAS assesses pt health state. Spearman correlation testing was used to evaluate relationships between baseline (BL) pt characteristics & PsA clinical features & BL EQ-5D-5L index & EQ-VAS scores (Figure 1). Employing absolute observed scores at both W0 & W24, univariate linear regression was used to assess the association between EQ-5D-5L index & EQ-VAS scores & pt characteristics/PsA clinical features. Variables with p<0.20 in the univariate analysis were included in a multivariate analysis employing mixed-effect model for repeated measures (MMRM), controlling for all other variables; resulting p values <0.05 were considered statistically significant. Least-squares (LS) mean changes in EQ-5D-5L index & EQ-VAS were assessed at W24 using MMRM.

Results:

Among 738 pts, BL EQ-5D-5L index & EQ-VAS scores were moderately to strongly correlated (ie, ≥0.4) with BL pt-reported pain (0-10 VAS), physical function (Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index [HAQ-DI]), fatigue (Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue [FACIT-F] scale), & 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) physical & mental component summary (PCS & MCS) scores & weakly correlated with other variables (Figure 1). Based on univariate analyses (p<0.20) & evaluation of collinearity between variables, attributes at W0 & W24 included in the multivariate models were age, sex, CRP, FACIT-F, pain, psoriasis area & severity index (PASI) score, TJC, SJC, enthesitis, & dactylitis. In the final model, CRP, FACIT-F, pain, PASI score, & the presence of dactylitis were significantly associated with EQ-5D-5L index & EQ-VAS scores. A higher TJC was significantly associated with a worse EQ-5D-5L index score. A higher SJC was significantly associated with a worse EQ-VAS score (Table 1). For reference, in the GUS Q4W (N=244), GUS Q8W (N=246), & PBO (N=244) groups, the LS mean changes from baseline at W24 were 0.12, 0.12, & 0.05, respectively, for EQ-5D-5L index & 18.1, 18.4, & 6.8, respectively, for EQ-VAS.

Conclusion:

Joint & skin symptoms, dactylitis, fatigue, pain, & elevated levels of CRP were significantly associated with reduced HRQoL (measured by EQ-5D-5L index & EQ-VAS) in bio-naïve pts with active PsA. Treatment of multiple PsA domains may help optimize HRQoL. Improvement across clinical domains1 & in HRQoL has been observed in GUS-treated pts with PsA.

References:

[1]Mease P, et al. Lancet 2020;395:1126-36.

Table 1.

Multivariate analysis of pt characteristics/clinical features & EQ-5D-5L index & EQ-VAS scores at W0 & W24

ParameterEQ-5D-5L IndexEQ-VASEstimatep valueEstimatep valueAge (y)-0.00010.690.060.12Female-0.0030.531.110.20CRP (mg/dL)-0.005<0.001-0.510.007FACIT-F (0-52)0.007<0.0010.57<0.001Pain (0-10)-0.02<0.001-3.47<0.001PASI (0-72)-0.0010.03-0.17<0.001SJC (0-66)-0.0010.21-0.170.02TJC (0-68)-0.0010.04-0.040.41Dactylitis (Y/N)0.010.021.740.49Enthesitis (Y/N)-0.0040.33-0.980.22

Disclosure of Interests:

Jeffrey Curtis Consultant of: AbbVie, Amgen, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Corrona, Eli Lilly, Janssen, Myriad, Pfizer, Regeneron, Roche, and UCB, Grant/research support from: AbbVie, Amgen, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Corrona, Eli Lilly, Janssen, Myriad, Pfizer, Regeneron, Roche, and UCB, Iain McInnes Consultant of: AbbVie, Bristol Myers Squibb, Celgene, Eli Lilly, Gilead, Janssen, Novartis, Pfizer, and UCB, Grant/research support from: Bristol Myers Squibb, Celgene, Eli Lilly, Janssen, and UCB, Dafna D Gladman Consultant of: Abbvie, Amgen, Bristol Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly, Galapagos, Gilead, Janssen, Novartis, Pfizer and UCB, Grant/research support from: Abbvie, Amgen, Bristol Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly, Galapagos, Gilead, Janssen, Novartis, Pfizer and UCB, Feifei Yang Shareholder of: Johnson & Johnson, Employee of: Janssen Global Services, LLC, Steve Peterson Shareholder of: Johnson & Johnson, Employee of: Janssen Global Services, LLC, Prasheen Agarwal Shareholder of: Johnson & Johnson, Employee of: Janssen Research & Development, LLC, Alexa Kollmeier Shareholder of: Johnson & Johnson, Employee of: Janssen Research & Development, LLC, Elizabeth C Hsia Shareholder of: Johnson & Johnson, Employee of: Janssen Research & Development, LLC, Chenglong Han Shareholder of: Johnson & Johnson, Employee of: Janssen Research & Development, LLC, May Shawi Shareholder of: Johnson & Johnson, Employee of: Janssen Global Services, LLC, William Tillett Speakers bureau: AbbVie, Amgen, Celgene, Eli Lilly, Janssen, Novartis, Pfizer, and UCB, Consultant of: AbbVie, Amgen, Celgene, Eli Lilly, Janssen, Novartis, MSD, Pfizer, and UCB, Grant/research support from: AbbVie, Celgene, Eli Lilly, Janssen, Novartis, Philip J Mease Consultant of: AbbVie, Amgen, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly, Galapagos, Gilead, GlaxoSmithKline, Janssen, Novartis, Pfizer, SUN, and UCB, Grant/research support from: AbbVie, Amgen, Bristol Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly, Galapagos, Gilead, Janssen, Novartis, Pfizer, SUN, and UCB, Proton Rahman Speakers bureau: AbbVie, Eli Lilly, Janssen, Novartis, Pfizer, and UCB, Consultant of: AbbVie, Amgen, Bristol Myers Squibb, Celgene, Eli Lilly, Janssen, Novartis, Pfizer, Roche, and UCB, Grant/research support from: Janssen and Novartis.

POS0200 CLINICAL CHARACTERISTICS & OUTCOMES ASSOCIATE WITH WORK PRODUCTIVITY IN BIO-NAÏVE PATIENTS WITH ACTIVE PSORIATIC ARTHRITIS THROUGH WEEK 24 OF THE DISCOVER-2 STUDY

Background:

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA), a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by peripheral arthritis, axial inflammation, dactylitis, enthesitis & skin/nail psoriasis, causes impaired physical function, disability & loss of work productivity.

Objectives:

Evaluate associations between PsA clinical characteristics & outcomes including fatigue & work productivity using Work Productivity & Activity Impairment Questionnaire: PsA (WPAI-PsA).

Methods:

The Phase 3 DISCOVER-2 trial assessed guselkumab (GUS), an anti-IL-23p19 subunit monoclonal antibody, in bio-naïve adults with active PsA (swollen joint count [SJC] ≥5 & tender joint count [TJC] ≥5, C-reactive protein [CRP] ≥0.6 mg/dL) despite standard therapies.1 Patients (Pts) were randomized 1:1:1 to GUS 100 mg Q4W; GUS 100 mg at W0, W4, then Q8W; or placebo (PBO). WPAI-PsA assesses PsA-related work time missed (absenteeism), impairment while working (presenteeism), productivity loss (absenteeism+presenteeism), & daily activity during the previous week. Spearman correlation testing evaluated relationships between pt demographics & disease characteristics of PsA & WPAI domain scores based on observed values at baseline. Univariate linear regression assessed associations between WPAI & these variables based on observed data at W0 & at W24. Variables with p<0.10 were included in a multivariate analysis employing a mixed-effects model for repeated measures, controlling for all other variables; resulting p-values <0.05 were considered statistically significant.

Results:

As reported elsewhere,2 least-squares mean % changes from baseline at W24 were -3.8/-19.5/-20.0/-20.5 for GUS Q4W, -3.1/-19.4/-19.7/-21.5 for GUS Q8W, & -3.5/-10.2/-10.9/-10.3 for PBO for absenteeism, presenteeism, absenteeism+presenteeism, & daily activity impairment, respectively. Among 738 pts, WPAI domain scores were moderately to strongly correlated (ie, ≥0.4) with pt-reported pain (0-10 visual analog scale), physical function (Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index [HAQ-DI]), fatigue (Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue [FACIT-F] scale) & 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) Physical Component Summary (PCS) score, but weakly correlated with other variables (Figure 1). Based on univariate analyses & evaluation of collinearity between variables, attributes included in multivariate models were age, body mass index (BMI), gender, CRP, FACIT-F, pain, Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI), TJC, SJC, enthesitis & dactylitis. In final model, CRP, FACIT-F, & pain were statistically significantly associated with all WPAI domains (Table 1). Presence of enthesitis & higher PASI score were significantly associated with higher loss of work productivity & activity outside work.

Conclusion:

In PsA pts, extra-articular symptoms, fatigue, pain & elevated CRP were significantly associated with WPAI-assessed work & activity impairment. Treating all major clinical manifestations of PsA is needed to help pts improve work & activity impairment. GUS effectively treats all major clinical manifestations1 & improves work & activity impairment in PsA.2

References:

[1]Mease P. Lancet 2020;395:1126-36.

[2]Curtis J. ACR 2020; Poster 0332.

Table 1.

Multivariate analysis of clinical characteristics/outcomes & WPAI domains at W0 & W24

ParameterAbsenteeismaPresenteeismaProductivity LossaActivity ImpairmentbEstimatep-valueEstimatep-valueEstimatep-valueEstimatep-valueAge-0.050.42-0.27<0.001-0.28<0.001-0.060.17Female0.910.46-1.540.22-1.740.202.380.02CRP0.730.040.970.011.010.010.89<0.001FACIT-F-0.31<0.001-0.67<0.001-0.73<0.001-0.75<0.001Pain1.03<0.0014.15<0.0014.25<0.0014.02<0.001PASI0.060.360.160.020.140.050.150.003SJC0.080.48-0.050.61-0.050.660.030.75TJC-0.100.130.110.090.090.190.100.04Dactylitis (Y/N)-1.100.392.470.052.580.050.540.57Enthesitis (Y/N)1.520.202.380.042.990.012.400.01

aPts working at baseline

bAll pts in study

Disclosure of Interests:

Jeffrey Curtis Consultant of: AbbVie, Amgen, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Corrona, Janssen, Eli Lilly, Myriad, Pfizer, Regeneron, Roche, and UCB, Grant/research support from: AbbVie, Amgen, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Corrona, Janssen, Eli Lilly, Myriad, Pfizer, Regeneron, Roche, and UCB, Iain McInnes Consultant of: AbbVie, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Celgene, Eli Lilly, Gilead, Janssen, Novartis, Pfizer, and UCB, Grant/research support from: Bristol-Myers Squibb, Celgene, Eli Lilly, Janssen, and UCB, Dafna D Gladman Consultant of: AbbVie, Amgen, Bristol Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly, Galapagos, Gilead, Janssen, Novartis, Pfizer and UCB, Grant/research support from: AbbVie, Amgen, Bristol Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly, Galapagos, Gilead, Janssen, Novartis, Pfizer and UCB, Feifei Yang Shareholder of: Janssen, Employee of: Janssen, Steve Peterson Shareholder of: Janssen, Employee of: Janssen, Prasheen Agarwal Shareholder of: Janssen, Employee of: Janssen, Alexa Kollmeier Shareholder of: Janssen, Employee of: Janssen, Elizabeth C Hsia Shareholder of: Janssen, Employee of: Janssen, Chenglong Han Shareholder of: Janssen, Employee of: Janssen, May Shawi Shareholder of: Janssen, Employee of: Janssen, William Tillett Speakers bureau: AbbVie, Amgen, Celgene, Eli Lilly, Janssen, Novartis, Pfizer, and UCB, Consultant of: AbbVie, Amgen, Celgene, Eli Lilly, Janssen, Novartis, MSD, Pfizer, and UCB, Grant/research support from: AbbVie, Celgene, Eli Lilly, Janssen, and Novartis, Philip J Mease Consultant of: AbbVie, Amgen, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly, Galapagos, Gilead, GlaxoSmithKline, Janssen, Novartis, Pfizer, SUN, and UCB, Grant/research support from: AbbVie, Amgen, Bristol Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly, Galapagos, Gilead, Janssen, Novartis, Pfizer, SUN, and UCB, Proton Rahman Speakers bureau: AbbVie, Amgen, Bristol Myers Squibb, Celgene, Eli Lilly, Janssen, Novartis, Pfizer, Roche, and UCB, Consultant of: AbbVie, Amgen, Bristol Myers Squibb, Celgene, Eli Lilly, Janssen, Novartis, Pfizer, Roche, and UCB, Grant/research support from: Janssen and Novartis

POS1026 GUSELKUMAB PROVIDES SUSTAINED IMPROVEMENTS IN WORK PRODUCTIVITY AND NON-WORK ACTIVITY IN PATIENTS WITH PSORIATIC ARTHRITIS: RESULTS THROUGH 1 YEAR OF A PHASE 3 TRIAL

Background:

DISCOVER-2 was a Phase 3 trial of the first-in-class anti-IL-23-specific mAb guselkumab (GUS) in patients (pts) with psoriatic arthritis (PsA). PsA impacts patients’ productivity at work and in daily activity.1

Objectives:

To evaluate the effect of GUS on work productivity and daily activity in DISCOVER-2 through 1 year using the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire: PsA (WPAI- PsA).

Methods:

Bio-naïve adults with active PsA despite nonbiologic DMARDs &/or NSAIDs received subcutaneous GUS 100 mg every 4 weeks (Q4W); GUS 100 mg W0, W4, then Q8W; or placebo (PBO). At W24, PBO pts crossed over to GUS 100 mg Q4W. WPAI-PsA assesses PsA-related work time missed (absenteeism), impairment while working (presenteeism), impaired overall work productivity (absenteeism + presenteeism), and daily activity during the previous week. A shift analysis evaluated proportions of pts employed vs unemployed (regardless of desire to work) over time. Among pts working at baseline, least-squares (LS) mean changes from baseline in WPAI-PsA domains were determined using a mixed-effects model for repeated measures analysis, whereby mean changes in WPAI-PsA domains were calculated for each multiple imputation (MI) dataset using an analysis of covariance (ANCOVA); the reported LSmean is the average of all MI datasets. Also, among pts employed at baseline, indirect savings from improved overall work productivity were estimated using 2020 EU mean yearly wage estimate (all occupations).2

Results:

In pts working at baseline, significant improvement in work productivity and non-work activity vs PBO was observed at W24. Productivity gains seen with GUS at W24 continued to improve through 1 year (Table 1). Shift analysis showed relatively stable employment in pts employed at baseline (62% of shift analysis cohort) through 1 year of GUS (>91% continued to work when assessed at W16, W24, and W52 [data not shown]). For those unemployed at baseline (38% of cohort), the proportion of pts working increased by ~10% following 1 year of GUS (Figure 1). Potential yearly indirect savings from improved overall work productivity were: €7409 GUS Q4W and €7039 GUS Q8W vs €4075 PBO at W24 and were €8520 GUS Q4W, €9632 GUS Q8W, and €6668 PBO→GUS Q4W at W52.

Conclusion:

Improvement in work productivity and non-work activity was greater with GUS vs PBO among pts with active PsA through W52. Improvements demonstrated may result in reduction in PsA costs associated with work productivity.

References:

[1]Tillett W et al. Rheumatol (Oxford). 2012;51:275–83.

[2]OECD (2020). Average wages (indicator). https://data.oecd.org/earnwage/average-wages.htm

Table 1.

Model-based estimates of LSmean changea (95% CI) from baseline in WPAI-PsA domains among pts working at baseline and with an observed change through W24 (N=474) and W52 (N=475)

Change from baselineGUS 100mg Q4WGUS 100mg Q8WPBO(W0-24)PBO → GUS 100 mg Q4W (W24-52)VisitW24W52W24W52W24W52Absenteeism, N145145147147162163LSmean-3.4 (-6.5,-0.3)-4.1 (-6.8,-1.5)-3.0 (-6.0,0.1)-4.0 (-6.6,-1.3)-3.0 (-6.0, 0.04)-3.0 (-5.5,-0.4)Diff vs. PBO-0.4 (-4.6,3.8)-0.01 (-4.2, 4.2)Presenteeism, N145145147147162163LSmean-20.1 (-23.7,-16.6)-22.4 (-26.3,-18.6)-19.6 (-23.2,-16.1)-25.7 (-29.5,-21.8)-10.5 (-13.9,-7.0)-18.5 (-22.2,-14.7)Diff vs PBO-9.7* (-14.4,-5.0)-9.2* (-13.9,-4.5)Work productivity, N145145147147162163LSmean-20.1 (-24.1,-16.1)-22.6 (-26.8,-18.3)-19.2 (-23.1,-15.2)-25.9 (-30.0,-21.7)-10.6 (-14.4,-6.8)-17.6 (-21.7,-13.6)Diff vs PBO-9.5* (-14.8,-4.2)-8.6* (-13.9,-3.3)Non-work Activity, N242242246246245245LSmean-20.5 (-23.3,-17.7)-25.7 (-28.6,-22.7)-21.2 (-23.9,-18.4)-25.4 (-28.4,-22.5)-9.9 (-12.6,-7.1)-22.3 (-25.3,-19.4)Diff vs PBO-10.6* (-14.4,-6.8)-11.3* (-15.1,-7.5)

CI=Confidence interval

a. LSmean for each MI dataset is calculated based on an ANCOVA model for the change from baseline at W24/W52. The combined LSmean, which is the average of the LSmean, taken over all the MI datasets, is presented.

*p<0.05

Disclosure of Interests:

Jeffrey Curtis Consultant of: AbbVie, Amgen, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Corrona, Janssen, Lilly, Myriad, Pfizer, Regeneron, Roche, and UCB, Grant/research support from: AbbVie, Amgen, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Corrona, Janssen, Lilly, Myriad, Pfizer, Regeneron, Roche, and UCB, Iain McInnes Consultant of: AbbVie, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Celgene, Eli Lilly and Company, Gilead, Janssen, Novartis, Pfizer, and UCB, Grant/research support from: Bristol-Myers Squibb, Celgene, Eli Lilly and Company, Janssen, and UCB, Steve Peterson Shareholder of: Johnson & Johnson, Employee of: Janssen Global Services, LLC, Prasheen Agarwal Shareholder of: Johnson & Johnson, Employee of: Janssen Research & Development, LLC, Feifei Yang Shareholder of: Johnson & Johnson, Employee of: Janssen Global Services, LLC, Alexa Kollmeier Shareholder of: Johnson & Johnson, Employee of: Janssen Research & Development, LLC, Elizabeth C Hsia Shareholder of: Johnson & Johnson, Employee of: Janssen Research & Development, LLC, Chenglong Han Shareholder of: Johnson & Johnson, Employee of: Janssen Research & Development, LLC, William Tillett Speakers bureau: AbbVie, Amgen, Celgene, Lilly, Janssen, Novartis, Pfizer Inc, and UCB, Consultant of: AbbVie, Amgen, Celgene, Lilly, Janssen, Novartis, MSD, Pfizer Inc, and UCB, Grant/research support from: AbbVie, Celgene, Eli Lilly, Janssen, Novartis, Pfizer Inc, and UCB, Philip J Mease Speakers bureau: Boehringer Ingelheim and GlaxoSmithKline, Grant/research support from: AbbVie, Amgen, Bristol Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly, Galapagos, Gilead, Janssen, Novartis, Pfizer, SUN, and UCB, Proton Rahman Speakers bureau: AbbVie, Eli Lilly, Janssen, Novartis, Pfizer, and UCB, Consultant of: AbbVie, Amgen, Bristol Myers Squibb, Celgene, Eli Lilly, Janssen, Novartis, Pfizer, Roche, and UCB, Grant/research support from: Janssen and Novartis.

Loss of PHLDA1 has a protective role in OGD/R-injured neurons via regulation of the GSK-3β/Nrf2 pathway

Pleckstrin homology-like domain, family A, member 1 (PHLDA1) is a multifunctional protein that plays a role in diverse pathological conditions. However, whether PHLDA1 participates in cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury has not been reported. The goals of the present work were to assess the possible relationship between PHLDA1 and cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury. Hippocampal neurons were subjected to oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) to simulate cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in vitro, which led to significant increases in the expression of PHLDA1. Cellular functional studies showed that the knockdown of PHLDA1 produced a protective role in OGD/R-injured neurons via the down-regulation of neuronal apoptosis, oxidative stress and proinflammatory cytokine release. On the contrary, the overexpression of PHLDA1 rendered neurons more vulnerable to OGD/R injury. In-depth research revealed that the inhibition of PHLDA1 resulted in the enhancement of nuclear factor erythroid 2 like 2 (Nrf2) signaling in OGD/R-injured neurons. The reactivation of glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK-3β) abolished the PHLDA1-inhibition-mediated activation of Nrf2 signaling. Moreover, the restraint of Nrf2 signaling diminished the PHLDA1-knockdown-induced neuroprotective effects in OGD/R-injured neurons. In summary, the data of our work show that the loss of PHLDA1 protects against OGD/R injury via potentiating Nrf2 signaling via the regulation of GSK-3β. This work underscores a potential role of PHLDA1 in cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury and proposes PHLDA1 as an attractive target for the development of neuroprotective therapy.