Acute physiological responses and muscle recovery in females: a randomised controlled trial of muscle damaging exercise in hypoxia

BACKGROUND

Studies have investigated the effects of training under hypoxia (HYP) after several weeks in a male population. However, there is still a lack of knowledge on the acute hypoxic effects on physiology and muscle recovery in a female population.

METHODS

This randomized-controlled trial aimed to investigate the acute effects of muscle damaging exercise, performed in HYP and normoxia (CON), on physiological responses and recovery characteristics in healthy females. Key inclusion criteria were recreationally active female participants between the age of 18 to 35 years without any previous surgeries and injuries, whilst key exclusion criteria were acute pain situations, pregnancy, and medication intake. The females conducted a muscle-damaging protocol, comprising 5 × 20 drop-jumps, in either HYP (FiO2: 12%) or CON (FiO2: 21%). Physiological responses, including capillary oxygenation (SpO2), muscle oxygenation (SmO2), heart rate (HR), core- (Tcore) and skin- (Tskin) temperature were assessed at the end of each exercise set. Recovery characteristics were quantified by taking venous blood samples (serum creatine-kinase [CK], C-reactive protein [CRP] and blood sedimentation rate [BSR]), assessing muscle swelling of the quadriceps femoris muscle, maximum voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) of the knee extensor muscles, countermovement jump (CMJ) performance and muscle soreness ratings (DOMS) at 24-, 48- and 72-hrs post-exercise.

RESULTS

SpO2 (HYP: 76.7 ± 3.8%, CON: 95.5 ± 1.7%, p < 0.001) and SmO2 (HYP: 60.0 ± 9.3, CON: 73.4 ± 5.8%, p = 0.03) values were lower (p < 0.05) in HYP compared to CON at the end of the exercise-protocol. No physiological differences between HYP and CON were observed for HR, Tcore, and Tskin (all p > 0.05). There were also no differences detected for any recovery variable (CK, CRP, BSR, MVIC, CMJ, and DOMS) during the 72-hrs follow-up period between HYP and CON (all p > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, our results showed that muscle damaging exercise under HYP leads to reduced capillary and muscle oxygenation levels compared to normoxia with no difference in inflammatory response and muscle recovery during 72 h post-exercise.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

NCT04902924, May 26th 2021.

Partial laryngectomy for naïve pT3N0 laryngeal cancer: Systematic review on oncological outcomes

The first aim was to define the oncologic outcomes of open partial laryngectomy (OPL) in naïve pT3 laryngeal cancer. The second aim was to analyze the outcomes after OPL versus total laryngectomy (TL). A literature search was conducted in three databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library) until January 2022. In 805 patients treated with OPL, 5-year OS, DSS, DFS and LFS were 80.5% (95% CI 70.6-87.6), 83.4% (95% CI 75.7-89), 77.4% (95% CI 66.3-85.7) and 77.9% (95% CI 68.7-85), respectively. Three articles compared TL versus OLP: 5-year OS, DSS and DFS risk difference were 0.100 (95% CI -0.092 to 0.291), 0.067 (95% CI -0.085 to 0.220) and 0.018 (95% CI -0.164 to 0.201) respectively. OPL for selected pT3 laryngeal cancer is able to guarantee a high percentage of oncological success. Accurate patient selection is of utmost importance to differentiate advanced disease amenable to conservative surgery.

Asymptomatic bacteriuria in candidates for active treatment of renal stones: results from an international multicentric study on more than 2600 patients

The occurrence of asymptomatic bacteriuria concomitant to urolithiasis is an issue for patients undergoing renal stone treatment. Disposing of a preoperative urine culture is essential to reduce the risk of septic events. The endpoint of the study is to report which characteristics of candidates for renal stone treatment are frequently associated with positive urine culture. 2605 patients were retrospectively enrolled from 14 centers; inclusion criteria were age > 18 and presence of a single renal stone 1-2 cm in size. The variables collected included age, gender, previous renal surgery, comorbidities, skin-to-stone distance, stone size, location, density, presence of hydronephrosis. After a descriptive analysis, the association between continuous and categorical variables and the presence of positive urine culture was assessed using a logistic regression model. Overall, 240/2605 patients (9%) had preoperative bacteriuria. Positive urine culture was more frequent in females, patients with previous renal interventions, chronic kidney disease, congenital anomalies, larger stones, increased density. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that previous renal interventions (OR 2.6; 95% CI 1.9-3.4; p < 0.001), renal-related comorbidities (OR 1.31; 95% CI 1.19-1.4; p < 0.001), higher stone size (OR 1.06; 95% CI 1.02-1.1; p = 0.01) and density (OR 1.00; 95% CI 1.0-1.00; p = 0.02) were associated with bacteriuria; male gender and lower caliceal location were inversely related to it. Beyond expected risk factors, such as female gender, other parameters are seemingly favoring the presence of positive urine culture. The awareness of variables associated with bacteriuria allows to assess which individuals are at increased risk of presenting bacteriuria and reduce the rate of septic complications.

Cardiomyocyte stretch mediates the relation between left ventricular amyloid burden and adverse outcomes in light chain amyloidosis: a 18F-florbetapir positron emission tomography study

Background

Patients with light chain (AL) amyloidosis and cardiac involvement have poor prognosis. Mayo stage accounts for severity of plasma cell dyscrasia and cardiac biomarker release, and provides powerful risk stratification. Myocardial amyloid burden can be quantified by 18F-florbetapir positron emission tomography (PET), but its prognostic value is not known.

Purpose

To test our hypothesis that (1) myocardial amyloid burden predicts adverse outcomes and (2) the relationship between amyloid burden and adverse outcomes is mediated by cardiomyocyte stretch and injury. Amyloid burden was estimated by left ventricular 18F-florbetapir retention index (RI) and cardiomyocyte stretch and injury by NT proBNP and troponin T respectively.

Methods

We performed 18F-florbetapir PET (median dose 9.05 mCi) in prospectively enrolled subjects with newly diagnosed AL amyloidosis with abnormal cardiac biomarkers or with normal cardiac biomarkers and normal left ventricular wall thickness (NCT02641145). Left ventricular RI was calculated as the activity concentration between 10 and 30 min. after injection divided by the integral of the left atrial blood time-activity curve from 0 to 20 min. RI was categorized as normal (&lt;0.06/min, based on controls), increased (0.06–0.12/min), or high risk (&gt;0.12/min, based on log-rank statistic maximization). Mayo stages I–IV were based on elevated serum cardiac biomarkers: NT-proBNP ≥1800 pg/ml, troponin T ≥0.025 ng/ml, and difference in free light chains ≥180 mg/l. Adverse outcomes of all-cause death or heart failure hospitalization were evaluated. Survival analysis was performed using Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression including Mayo stage and RI. Mediation analysis was used to elucidate the role of cardiomyocyte stretch (as NT-proBNP) and injury (as troponin T) in the association between amyloid burden estimated by RI and adverse outcomes.

Results

We studied 80 subjects with median age 62 years (IQR 57–67), 46 men (57%), 60 with abnormal cardiac biomarkers (75%), and median RI of 0.10/min (IQR 0.06–0.16). At follow-up (median 15 months), adverse outcomes occurred in 34 subjects (42%), with 17 deaths (21%) and 23 heart failure hospitalizations (29%). The incidence of adverse outcomes increased across Mayo stages from 9% to 44% (log-rank p&lt;0.001), and across RI levels from 29% to 57% (log-rank p=0.037, Figure 1). In multivariable Cox regression, only Mayo stage independently predicted adverse outcomes (HR 2.0 [95% CI 1.4–3.0], p&lt;0.001). Multivariable mediation analysis showed that 83% of the association between RI and adverse outcomes was mediated by NT-proBNP (p&lt;0.001, Figure 2), without contribution from troponin T.

Conclusion

Myocardial amyloid burden estimated by F-18 florbetapir RI predicts adverse outcomes in AL amyloidosis, but not independently of Mayo stage. Cardiomyocyte stretch mediates the relationship between myocardial amyloid burden and adverse outcomes in AL amyloidosis.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: Private company.

AB1211 DOES BODY MASS INDEX AND METABOLIC SYNDROME IMPACT ON FIBROMYALGIA?

Background

Fibromyalgia (FBM), obesity and the metabolic syndrome (MTB) are common conditions with significant impact on health and quality of life, producing relevant economic burden for healthcare systems. Although obesity represents a negative prognostic factor for FBM, the relation between body mass index (BMI) or MTB and FBM severity is still unclear.

Objectives

The aim of our ongoing study was to evaluate the relationship between BMI or prevalent MTB and FBM severity, estimated with 3 different severity scores.

Methods

We included the first 100 women presenting with FBM, defined according to the ACR2016 diagnostic criteria, consecutively evaluated during the period of 1 year in 2 Clinic in Italy. On enrolment were assessed/recorded demographic, clinical and pharmacological characteristics, weight, height, physical activity, tenderness, pain and symptoms. The following scores were calculated: tender points count (TP), Widespread Pain Index (WPI), Polysymptomatic Distress Scale (PDS), Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) and modified Fibromyalgia Assessment Status (mFAS). BMI was calculated, and the presence of MTB was evaluated according to current definition. Patients were categorized as presenting with severe disease or moderate/mild disease according to recent definition validated in an Italian population. The prevalence of MTB and the mean ± standard deviation (SD) BMI in subgroups defined according to severity were estimated.

Results

Mean age ±SD was 57.5±12.7 years, mean BMI ±SD was 25.3±5.1, and 9.5% presented with MTB. FBM severity (mean±SD) calculated by PDS, FIQ and mFAS was respectively 25.3±9.3, 63.2±23.1, and 30.1±7.7. Patients with the highest FBM severity according to PDS (>25) were less likely to present with MTB (2.4%) compared to those with a PDS of 0-25 (20.0%, P=.026), with an adjusted (age and BMI) OR (95%CI) for presenting with MTB in patients with less severe FBM of 8.2 (0.962-69.925, P=.054). Similar results were found when the specific conditions characterizing the MTB were considered separately, except for excessive body fat around the waist (not related to severity). The BMI ±SD was comparable between patients with severe disease (25.8±5.8) according to PDS and those with less severe FBM (24.8±4.4, P=.388), with no correlation between BMI and PDS (Rho: 0.083, P=.454). Considering all other characteristics of the two groups defined according to PDS categories (PDS >25 versus PDS 0-25) a significant difference was found in mean age ±SD, greater in patients with less severe FBM (60.2±13.2) compared to those with highest FBM severity (54.8±11.6, P=.046). Similar but less significant findings were found also with FIQ and mFAS. The prevalence of MTB according to the FIQ was 7.3% for highest severity versus 14.3% for less severe FBM (P=.200), with a comparable BMI ±SD between the two groups (respectively 26.2±6.1 versus 24.4±3.7, P=.125). Corresponding figures for MTB or BMI and FBM severity according to the mFAS were respectively: prevalence of MTB in highest severity 3.0% versus 16.3% in the less severe FBM (P=.078); mean ±SD BMI in highest severity 26.4±6.2 versus 24.6±4.2 in less severe patients (P=.121).

Conclusion

The preliminary results of our ongoing analysis demonstrated a slightly inverse relationship between FBM severity and the prevalence of MTB, trending to significance, while no relationship was found between severity and BMI.

References

[1]Salaffi F. Fibromyalgia Criteria and Severity Scales for Clinical and Epidemiological Studies: A Modification of the ACR Preliminary Diagnostic Criteria for Fibromyalgia. Rheumatology. Volume 60, Issue 2, February 2021, Pages 728–736,

[2]Migliorini F. BMI but not age and sex negatively impact on the outcome of pharmacotherapy in fibromyalgia: a systematic review. Expert Rev Clin Pharmacol. 2021 Aug;14:1029-1038.

[3]D’Onghia M. Fibromyalgia and obesity: A comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis. Semin Arthritis Rheum. 2021 Apr;51:409-424.

[4]Aparicio VA. Fibromyalgia’s key symptoms in normal-weight, overweight, and obese female patients. Pain Manag Nurs. 2013 Dec;14:268-276.

Disclosure of Interests

None declared

Cardiac involvement in athletes infected by SARS COV-2 disease

Objectives

The aim of the present study was to conduct a review of the current literature evaluating the available evidence to date in terms of epidemiology, pathophysiology and clinical presentation of COVID-19 in relation to cardiovascular involvement, with a special focus on the myocarditis model, in the population of athletes (professional and recreational) who are preparing to return to competitions, with the ultimate aim of guaranteeing maximum safety for resuming sports activities.

News

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in the inevitable cancellation of most sports activities, practiced at both a professional and amateur level, in order to minimize the risk of spreading the infection. Since the number of athletes who tested positive was rather high, the potential cardiac involvement in this peculiar population of subjects contracting the disease in a mild (asymptomatic, slightly symptomatic) or moderate form, has recently raised concerns following the observation of cases of recorded myocardial damage, myocarditis, arrhythmias and a first reported case of Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD) in a 27-year-old professional basketball player. Several studies even seem to confirm the possibility of permanent impairment of the cardiorespiratory system following the infection. Medical history, biomarkers, electrocardiographical and cardiac imaging features appear to be crucial in distinguishing cardiovascular alterations related to COVID-19 infection from typical adaptations to exercise related to athletes' heart.

Prospects and Projects

Clarifications and prospective data based on long-term follow-ups on larger populations of athletes are still needed to exclude the development of myocardial damage capable of negatively affecting prognosis and increasing cardiovascular risk in athletes recovered from COVID-19 in asymptomatic (simple positivity to SARS-COV-2) or in a mild form.

Conclusion

From a clinical point of view extreme caution is necessary when planning the return to sport (Return To Play-RTP) of athletes recovered from a mild or asymptomatic form of COVID-19: a careful preliminary medical-sports evaluation should be carried out in order to assess the potential development of myocardial damage that would increase their cardiovascular risk.

Abstract GS3-07: Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) dynamics in patients with hormone receptor positive (HR+)/HER2 negative (HER2-) advanced breast cancer (aBC) treated in first line with ribociclib (R) and letrozole (L) in the BioItaLEE trial

Background: ctDNA analysis is emerging as an attractive non-invasive approach to characterize tumor biology, describe its evolution over time, and predict treatment benefit. Here, we assessed the prognostic and predictive role of baseline and dynamic ctDNA analysis in HR+/HER2- aBC patients (pts) treated with R+L. Methods: 287 postmenopausal pts were enrolled in the BioItaLEE trial (NCT03439046). Liquid biopsies were collected at baseline (D0; n=263), day 15 of cycle 1 (D15; n=238), day 1 of cycle 2 (C2D1; n=241) and at first imaging (FI, at approximately 12 weeks; n=206). ctDNA analysis was carried out using a 533-amplicon Custom AmpliSeq HD Panel, with amplicons covering the coding exons of 39 BC-related genes (limit of detection: 0.1%). Target mutations were defined as single-nucleotide variant (SNV) or Insertion/Deletion detected at D0. When multiple target mutations were detected, the one with the highest variant allele frequency (VAF) was considered. The association between pre-treatment and on-treatment ctDNA dynamics with progression-free survival (PFS) was assessed using Multivariate Cox models. VAF clearance was defined as 100% decrease in a target mutation. Results: Median follow-up was 26.9 months and median PFS was 23.39 (20.8-NE) months. At baseline, target mutations were detected in 113 pts (43.0%), whereas 150 pts were wild-type (wt). Mean (SD) pre-treatment VAF at D0 was 11.3% (14.4). The absence of a target mutation at D0 was associated with good prognosis (HR: 0.41, 95% CI: 0.27–0.61; p&lt;0.0001). Considering early ctDNA dynamics, a significant VAF reduction was observed at D15 and C2D1 with a mean (SD) change of -64.3% (55.9) and -68.6% (52.2), respectively. In pts with a target mutation detected at baseline, early VAF clearance was observed in 47.1% of pts at D15 and in 52.4% of pts at C2D1. Clearance at D15 or C2D1 was associated with improved PFS (D15, HR: 0.51, 95% CI: 0.28-0.91, p=0.0228; C2D1, HR: 0.44, 95% CI: 0.25-0.78, p=0.0052). Pts achieving clearance at D15, which was maintained at C2D1 (39.4%) had the lowest risk of progression compared to those who had no clearance at any or both timepoints (HR: 0.40, 95% CI: 0.20-0.79; p=0.084). Monitoring of the 150 pts without a detectable target mutation at baseline revealed a new, detectable mutation at later timepoints (D15, C2D1 and FI) in 34 pts (22.7%). The absence of new mutations was associated with a lower risk of progression (HR: 0.45, 95% CI: 0.24-0.85; p=0.0143). Considering all time points individually, D15 was the most informative of patient outcome. Indeed, pts without mutation at D15 (42.9%) had an extremely favorable outcome, either because they achieved early treatment-related clearance or maintained baseline absence of a target mutation (HR: 0.32, 95% CI: 0.20-0.51; p&lt;0.0001). Notably, in pts with detectable target mutation at D15, a VAF below the median showed a trend for better prognosis versus high VAF (HR: 0.56, 95% CI: 0.30-1.04; p=0.065). Conclusions: The presence of a detectable mutation in baseline liquid biopsies appears to be a negative prognostic factor. Within this high-risk group, early VAF clearance during the first R+L cycle was informative of treatment benefit and associated with a lower risk of progression. Monitoring of ctDNA in patients without baseline mutations demonstrated that the detection of new mutations by FI assessment was associated with worse outcome. Overall, pre-treatment and early dynamics of ctDNA (assessed by NGS) represent promising prognostic and predictive biomarkers in patients with HR+/HER2- aBC treated with ribociclib/letrozole in the first-line. Further studies are warranted to validate the clinical utility of these biomarkers.

Citation Format: Giampaolo Bianchini, Luca Malorni, Grazia Arpino, Alberto Zambelli, Fabio Puglisi, Lucia Del Mastro, Marco Colleoni, Filippo Montemurro, Giulia Bianchi, Ida Paris, Giacomo Allegrini, Marina Elena Cazzaniga, Michele Orditura, Claudio Zamagni, Stefano Tamberi, Daniela Castelletti, Matteo Benelli, Maurizio Callari, Angela Santoro, Michelino De Laurentiis. Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) dynamics in patients with hormone receptor positive (HR+)/HER2 negative (HER2-) advanced breast cancer (aBC) treated in first line with ribociclib (R) and letrozole (L) in the BioItaLEE trial [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2021 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2021 Dec 7-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(4 Suppl):Abstract nr GS3-07.

Fasting-Mimicking Diet Is Safe and Reshapes Metabolism and Antitumor Immunity in Patients with Cancer

In tumor-bearing mice, cyclic fasting or fasting-mimicking diets (FMD) enhance the activity of antineoplastic treatments by modulating systemic metabolism and boosting antitumor immunity. Here we conducted a clinical trial to investigate the safety and biological effects of cyclic, five-day FMD in combination with standard antitumor therapies. In 101 patients, the FMD was safe, feasible, and resulted in a consistent decrease of blood glucose and growth factor concentration, thus recapitulating metabolic changes that mediate fasting/FMD anticancer effects in preclinical experiments. Integrated transcriptomic and deep-phenotyping analyses revealed that FMD profoundly reshapes anticancer immunity by inducing the contraction of peripheral blood immunosuppressive myeloid and regulatory T-cell compartments, paralleled by enhanced intratumor Th1/cytotoxic responses and an enrichment of IFNγ and other immune signatures associated with better clinical outcomes in patients with cancer. Our findings lay the foundations for phase II/III clinical trials aimed at investigating FMD antitumor efficacy in combination with standard antineoplastic treatments. SIGNIFICANCE: Cyclic FMD is well tolerated and causes remarkable systemic metabolic changes in patients with different tumor types and treated with concomitant antitumor therapies. In addition, the FMD reshapes systemic and intratumor immunity, finally activating several antitumor immune programs. Phase II/III clinical trials are needed to investigate FMD antitumor activity/efficacy.This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 1.

Primary mitral valve regurgitation scheduled for cardiac surgery: no longer need for coronary angiography? A clinical retrospective & HTA analysis

Introduction

In patients (pts) undergoing cardiac surgery for primary mitral regurgitation (PMR), coronary angiography (CA) is always scheduled shortly before surgery to rule out significant coronary artery disease (CAD), despite this population is often young and with relatively low risk for CAD. Computed Tomography Coronary Angiography (CTCA) could be an alternative approach to evaluate coronary arteries, at least ruling out significant CAD in selected pts, due to its high negative predictive value.

Purpose

A safer, more appropriate and efficient clinical and diagnostic pathway for patients undergoing cardiac surgery for PMR by stratifying patients prior cardiac surgery according to pretest probability score (PTP) and therefore shifting imaging of epicardial coronary arteries from invasive to noninvasive in specific patients subsets.

Methods

A retrospective analysis (Jan 2014–Dec 2020) was carried out through the extraction of 7343 electronic medical records of pts who underwent cardiac valve surgery. In 1556 pts with PMR (1195 with no-CAD and 361 with CAD) a PTP was retrospectively calculated according to Genders, 2012, to stratify their risk of CAD.

A Decision oriented Health Technology Assessment (DoHTA) and a cost analysis were also performed to support the analysis results. A survey was distributed to a team of experts with a multidisciplinary background to analyze the most significant evaluation areas (Economic Aspects, Clinical Effectiveness, Safety, Innovation) and the sub-criteria related to them.

Following the Core Model Eunethta as a guideline, a Rapid Report HTA has been drawn up to identify the best solution.

Results

Patients characteristics are listed in Picture 1. Pts with normal coronary arteries showed a PTP low-to intermediate while pts with high PTP had CAD and therefore had a real pretest need for a CA (average 11 percent ± 9 in noCAD group vs 20 percent ± 14 in the CAD group). In two thirds of PMR population coronary angiography could have been avoided according to a PTP score &lt;15 percent.

The cost analysis results were significantly lower in CTCA (1,315.00 EUR vs 180.00 EUR, CA vs CTCA respectively), The Decision Oriented HTA conducted by a multidisciplinary team showed a relevant preference for the new pathway (Picture 2) with a score of 70.23 percent of preference among the Team.

Conclusions

This new pathway, already proposed for selected pts in ESC guidelines on valve diseases (class IIA, LOE C) could be always adopted in PMR pts with low-to intermediate PTP score undergoing cardiac surgery. It could improve workflow efficiency and reduce LOS, and last but not least, avoid an invasive test, reduce radiation exposure and AKI risk in in a relatively young population

The DoHTA provided a more effective and efficient support to the decision-making process.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: None. Picture 1. Patients characteristics (noCAD-CAD)Picture 2. HTA Score CTCA vs CA

Tasting the Italian Terroir through Craft Beer: Quality and Sensory Assessment of Cascade Hops Grown in Central Italy and Derived Monovarietal Beers

The present study aimed to chemically and sensorially characterize hop samples, cv Cascade, grown in two different Italian regions (Latium and Tuscany) as well as their derived beers by a multi analytical approach. Significant differences in bitter acid, oil and polyphenol content were observed for hop samples according to their origin. Gas chromatography-olfactometry analysis pointed out floral notes for Tuscany samples, where hops from Latium were characterized by spicy and resinous notes, correlated to the presence of sesquiterpenes. Differences in the molecular fingerprinting were also highlighted by Fourier–Transform Infrared Spectroscopy. The differences found in the hops were reflected in the beers, which were clearly recognized as distinct by a sensory panel. Both beer samples were mainly characterized by six aroma compounds (linalool, geraniol and β-damascenone, citronellol, 2-phenylethyl acetate, and 2-phenylethanol), three of which were potentially responsible for the geographic origin of the hops given their significantly different concentrations.

Neck dissection and trans oral robotic surgery for oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma

OBJECTIVE

Trans Oral Robotic Surgery (TORS) is a modality in the management of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma(OPSCC). This study was planned to determine whether Selective Neck Dissection (SND) is oncological safe procedure even in patients with lymph node metastases.

METHODS

OPSCC patients were divided into Modified Radical Neck Dissection (MRND) and SND groups. The outcome measures were overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS) and regional recurrence free survival (RRFS).

RESULTS

Thirty-seven SNDs and 18 MRNDs were performed. Regional relapse rate was 6.1% in SND group whilst 18.8% in MRND group(p=0.19). The 5-year OS, DFS and RRFS rates' differences were not statistically significant between SND and MRND groups (p=0.40, p=0.42 and p=0.18, respectively). At multivariate analysis, advanced stage impacted the 5-year OS and DFS(HR=9.39, p<0.01 and HR=11.03, p=0.04).

CONCLUSIONS

The SND seems to be effective in a TORS framework. The indication should be accurately discussed by the multidisciplinary tumor board.

AB0379 BARICITINIB IN POLYMYALGIA RHEUMATICA AND GIANT CELL ARTERITIS: REPORT OF SIX CASES

Background:

Glucocorticoids (GC) are the cornerstone of the treatment of polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) and giant cell arteritis (GCA), but they are associated with several adverse events (AEs). Moreover, a considerable proportion of patients relapse during GC tapering.

Objectives:

To describe the efficacy and safety of the JAK-inhibitor baricitinib (BARI) in a group of patients with PMR and/or GCA.

Methods:

Case series of patients with PMR and/or GCA with a refractory disease course, despite several lines of therapy, including methotrexate (MTX) and tocilizumab (TCZ), started treatment with BARI. All patients underwent periodic, standardised clinical and laboratory examinations, and also FDG-PET/CT. PMR-activity score (AS) was calculated at each visit except in patients with isolated large vessel vasculitis (LVV) or GCA.

Results:

A total of six patients (five females and one male, median age 64 years, range 50-83) were treated with BARI. Two of them had isolated PMR (patients #1 and #6), two had PMR with associated LVV (patients #2 and #5), and one (patient #3) had cranial-GCA. Demographic and clinical characteristics are provided in Table 1. At the time of starting BARI, patients were taking a median prednisone dose of 8.75 mg/day (range 0-25), and the 4 patients with PMR±LVV had a median PMR-activity score (PMR-AS) of 23.3 (indicating high disease activity), which decreased to 1.58 after 6 months of treatment with BARI. Two of them could stop GC and continued BARI monotherapy (in one case, BARI was tapered down to 2 mg/day after 12 months).

After starting BARI, patient #3 (GCA) could gradually taper prednisone from 25 mg/day to 10 mg/day in six months, without reporting fever or headache. After one year of treatment, she feels well while taking prednisone 7.5 mg/day.

Patient #4 (LVV) remained clinically stable during the treatment with BARI, but a follow-up FDG-PET/CT showed LVV, and we decided to stop BARI and restart TCZ. After 4 months of treatment with BARI, patient #5 suffered from pneumonia, while she was also taking prednisone 15 mg/day. BARI was therefore stopped. No other AEs attributable to BARI were detected.

Conclusion:

BARI appears as an appealing option for treating patients with PMR and/or GCA. Although these preliminary results should be confirmed by a RCT, BARI lowered rapidly disease activity and exerted a significant steroid-sparing effect, allowing GC withdrawal in 2 out of 6 patients.

Table 1.

Demographic and clinical characteristics of patients.

Patient #SexAgeDiagnosisPrevious treatmentDisease duration (months)PMR-AS1F66PMRMTX, HCQ, SSZ25.540.52F78PMR+LVVTCZ, MTX41.828.83F61GCACYC, MMF, TCZ119.8N/A4F60LVVTCZ16.4N/A5F83PMR+LVVMTX, TCZ24.415.26M50PMRMTX24.617.8

CYC: cyclophosphamide, GCA: giant cell arteritis, HCQ: hydroxychloroquine, LVV: large vessel vasculitis, MMF: mycophenolate mofetil, MTX: methotrexate, N/A: not applicable, PMR: polymyalgia rheumatica, PMR-AS: PMR-activity score, SSZ: sulfasalazine, TCZ: tocilizumab.

Disclosure of Interests:

Dario Camellino Speakers bureau: Medac, Eli Lilly, Paid instructor for: Mylan, Consultant of: Accord, Celgene, Novartis, Sanofi, Christian Dejaco Speakers bureau: Eli Lilly (<10.000€), Andrea Giusti Speakers bureau: UCB, Amgen, Kyowa Kirin, Abiogen Pharma, and Eli Lilly, Consultant of: EffRx, Abiogen Pharma, FRANCO MARTINI: None declared, Renzo Cosso: None declared, Giuseppe Girasole: None declared, Gerolamo Bianchi Speakers bureau: Amgen, MSD, Novartis, Pfizer, Roche, Sanofi, Genzyme, and Servier, Consultant of: Abbvie, Abiogen Pharma, BMS, Celgene, Eli Lilly, GSK, Janssen-Cilag, Medac

POS1105 EFFECTS OF CHOLECALCIFEROL AND CALCIFEDIOL IN OSTEOPOROTIC WOMEN WITH SECONDARY HYPERPARATHYROIDISM DUE TO SEVERE VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY UNDERGOING ZOLEDRONIC ACID TREATMENT: A RANDOMIZED-CONTROLLED TRIAL

Background:

Secondary hyperparathyroidism (sHPTH) due to vitamin D deficiency impairs the bone mineral density (BMD) response to alendronate,1-2 but the optimal strategy for its correction in postmenopausal osteoporotic women (PMO) about to start zoledronic acid (ZOL) therapy is still unknown.

Objectives:

To evaluate the effects of cholecalciferol (D3) and calcifediol (25OHD) on serum 25-OH-vitamin D (s25OHD), parathyroid hormone (PTH) and BMD in PMO presenting with sHPTH due to vitamin D deficiency.

Methods:

PMO with s25OHD <20 ng/ml, sHPTH (PTH >65 pg/ml) and BMD T-score at the lumbar spine (LS), femoral neck (FN) or total hip (TH) < -2.5, or between -1 and -2.5 plus one vertebral/femoral fracture, were randomly assigned to receive a therapeutic dose of D3 (300.000 IU bolus) followed by 175 mcg/weekly of D3, or 175 mcg/weekly of 25OHD alone, 2 months before receiving a single intravenous infusion of ZOL (5 mg). BMD at the LS, FN and TH was assessed at baseline and after one year from ZOL. Serum calcium, PTH and s25OHD were measured at baseline, and 6- and 12-month after ZOL. Adverse and clinical events were ascertained by 3-and 9-month telephone interviews, and by 6- and 12-month clinical evaluation.

Results:

45 PMO (25OHD N=23, D3 N=22) were enrolled over one year and 32 subjects (mean age ±SD 75±10 years, range 51-91) completed the 1-year of treatment/follow-up (25OHD N=17, D3 N=15). Most PMO discontinued for protocol violation, while three deceased before study ending (25OHD N=1, D3 N=2) for reasons not related to the agents investigated. The baseline characteristics were comparable in both groups. At baseline mean s25OHD (±SE) was 8±1 ng/ml in the 25OHD group and 8±1 ng/ml in the D3 group. The corresponding figures for PTH were 111±6 pg/ml (25OHD) and 117±5 pg/ml (D3). Mean s25OHD (±SE) increased in both groups at 6- and 12-month, being significantly greater in the 25OHD group (12-month, 56±2 ng/ml) compared to the D3 group (12-month, 34±2 ng/ml, P<.001) at both time points (Figure 1). PTH (mean ±SE) decreased in both groups, being significantly lower in the 25OHD group at 12-month (25OHD 46±6 pg/ml versus D3 70±6 pg/ml, P=.007), as shown in Figure 1. BMD at the LS, FN and TH increased in both groups (with significant increases versus baseline only at the FN) without significant differences between s25OHD and D3. In PMO receiving D3 serum calcium remained stable over time, while those receiving s25OHD demonstrated a significant increase of serum calcium, with 2 PMO presenting a value close to the upper limit of the reference range at 12-month. No patient reported incident fractures or adverse events.

Conclusion:

Calcifediol 175 mcg weekly appears more potent in improving s25OHD and decreasing PTH concentrations compared to cholecalciferol therapeutic dose (300’000 IU) plus 175 mcg weekly in PMO presenting with sHPTH due to severe vitamin D deficiency about to start ZOL therapy. Further studies are warranted to clarify implications on BMD improvements on the long-term of similar 25OHD and D3 regimens.

References:

[1]Barone A et al., J Am Geriatr Soc 2007.

[2]Kincse G et al., BMC Musculoskelet Disord 2012.

Disclosure of Interests:

Giulia Botticella: None declared, Monica Pizzonia: None declared, Barbara Cossu: None declared, Roberta Bruno: None declared, Dario Camellino Speakers bureau: AbbVie, Celgene, Janssen-Cilag, Eli Lilly, Medac, Mylan, Novartis, and Sanofi, outside the submitted work, Giuseppe Girasole Speakers bureau: Abiogen Pharma and Novartis, outside the submitted work, Andrea Giusti Speakers bureau: UCB, Amgen, Kyowa Kirin, Abiogen Pharma, and Eli Lilly, outside the submitted work, Consultant of: EffRx and Abiogen Pharma, outside the submitted work, Mario Pedrazzoni: None declared, Simona Alexovits: None declared, Franco Pleitavino: None declared, Federico Santolini: None declared, Alessio Nencioni: None declared, Gerolamo Bianchi Speakers bureau: Abbvie, Abiogen Pharma, Amgen, BMS, Celgene, Eli Lilly, GSK, Janssen-Cilag, Medac, MSD, Novartis, Pfizer, Roche, Sanofi, Genzyme, and Servier, outside the submitted work.

AB0488 SPONDYLOARTHRITIS DISEASE BURDEN AS PERCEIVED BY PATIENTS: BASELINE PATIENT-REPORTED OUTCOME DATA FROM THE ITALIAN PROSPECTIVE SIRENA STUDY

Background:

Previous studies have compared Patient-Reported Outcomes (PROs) in Spondyloarthritis (SpA); a recent one has found similarity in Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA) and axial patients1.

Objectives:

To describe PROs at SpA diagnosis (new or confirmed), by type of SpA and by gender.

Methods:

SIRENA is an Italian, prospective Registry of SpA patients diagnosed according to ASAS criteria and naïve to any DMARDs. At inclusion, patients were classified as predominant axial (AxSpA) or mainly peripheral (pSpA). PROs showed in the Table 1 were collected and analysed descriptively.

Table 1.

PhGA and PROs at diagnosis*

AxSpA*pSpAAll(n=123)Women(n=64)Men(n=58)All(n=227)Women(n=109)Men(n=118)PhGA, n1156054222105117mean (SD)50.2 (28.6)54.8 (26.7)45.0 (30.1)45.4 (25.9)49.9 (25.6)41.3 (25.6)median (min, max)52.0 (0-100)62.0 (0-100)43.5 (0-100)48.5 (0-100)50.0 (1.0-100)40.0 (0-95.0)PtGA, n1125952209102107mean (SD)56.4 (27.8)61.5 (25.8)50.3 (29.2)50.3 (26.2)56.4 (23.1)44.5 (27.7)median (min, max)63.0 (0-100)70.0 (2.0-100)50.0 (0-100)50.0 (0-100)58.5 (7.0-100)47.0 (0-100)Pain VAS score, n1136052207101106mean (SD)56.7 (28.3)61.1 (26.6)50.6 (29.1)51.9 (26.8)57.4 (25.3)46.8 (27.3)median (min, max)60.0 (0-100)69.5 (2.0-100)50.0 (0-100)53.0 (0-100)61.0 (0-100)48.5 (0-100)Sleep VAS score, n1136052211103108mean (SD)55.3 (29.3)57.4 (29.5)52.3 (29.2)44.0 (30.1)50.4 (29.8)37.9 (29.2)median (min, max)59.0 (0-100)61.5 (0-100)53.0 (0-100)44.0 (0-100)53.0 (0-100)34.0 (0-100)BASFI, n11058511336568mean (SD)4.6 (2.8)5.2 (2.6)3.9 (2.8)3.5 (2.6)4.0 (2.6)3.1 (2.4)median (min, max)5.1 (0-9.7)5.8 (0-9.4)3.6 (0-9.6)2.9 (0-10.0)3.9 (0-10.0)2.45 (0-8.9)BASDAI, n11259521397069mean (SD)5.2 (2.4)5.8 (2.3)4.5 (2.3)5.2 (2.3)5.8 (2.1)4.6 (2.3)median (min, max)5.5 (0-9.3)6.2 (0-9.3)4.5 (0.3-9.2)5.5 (0.2-10.0)6.1 (1.0-10.0)4.8 (0.2-9.2)HAQ-DI score, n109585020399104mean (SD)0.9 (0.7)1.1 (0.7)0.6 (0.6)0.7 (0.7)0.9 (0.7)0.6 (0.6)median (min, max)0.8 (0.0-2.5)1.1 (0-2.5)0.5 (0-2.3)0.6 (0.0-2.8)0.8 (0-2.8)0.4 (0-2.6)WPAI% work time missed, n4919301074562mean (SD)7.3 (21.4)4.2 (9.5)9.2 (26.3)8.8 (24.7)8.6 (25.6)8.9 (24.3)median (min, max)0 (0-100)0 (0-35.1)0 (0-100)0 (0-100)0 (0-100)0 (0-100)% impairment at work, n6733341346173mean (SD)48.2 (31.9)58.5 (26.6)38.2 (33.7)39.7 (31.4)45.4 (30.9)34.9 (31.2)median (min, max)50.0 (0-100)60.0 (0-100)25.0 (0-100)40.0 (0-100)50.0 (0-100)30.0 (0-100)% overall work impairment, n4819291064561mean (SD)44.1 (33.0)52.4 (27.9)38.7 (35.3)40.1 (33.0)45.1 (33.1)36.4 (32.7)median (min, max)45.0 (0-100)60.0 (0-100)20.0 (0-100)40.0 (0-100)50.0 (0-100)30.0 (0-100)% activity impairment, n10053461839390mean (SD)56.7 (28.6)63.4 (23.9)48.0 (31.0)48.5 (30.3)55.3 (28.7)41.4 (30.4)median (min, max)60.0 (0-100)70.0 (0-100)50.0 (0-100)50.0 (0-100)60.0 (0-100)40.0 (0-100)

* The sum does not add up to the total because of some missing values.

Results:

From 23 sites, 123 AxSpA and 227 pSpA patients were analysed. Diagnosis was new in 58% of AxSpA and 77% of pSpA. 85.5% of the pSpA had PsA, while in AxSpA the most frequent type was Ankylosing Spondylitis (48.8%). Time from symptom onset to diagnosis was higher in AxSpA than in pSpA (median 36 vs 24 months, respectively). At inclusion, composite disease activity measures showed high disease activity for AxSpA (mean ASDAS-CRP 3.1) and moderate disease activity for pSpA (mean DAS28 3.6; mean DAPSA 22.5). AxSpA patients had numerically worse values than pSpA in all the PROs collected, except for BASDAI score that was similar (mean 5.2). For both AxSpA and pSpA, all PROs were worse in women than men, except for the % of work time missed. PtGA scores were higher than PhGA, in each group and gender.

Conclusion:

At diagnosis, SpA patients perceive a slightly higher disease burden than assessed by Physicians. For PROs other than BASDAI, AxSpA reported a worse impact than pSpA. Overall, women showed a higher disease impact than men.

References:

[1]Michelsen B. et al. PLoS ONE 2015; 10(4): e0123582.

Disclosure of Interests:

Rosario Foti Speakers bureau: Speaker bureau honoraria from Eli Lilly, Sanofi, MSD, Janssen, AbbVie, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Celgene, Roche, Consultant of: Consultancy fees from Eli Lilly, Sanofi, MSD, Janssen, AbbVie, BMS, Celgene, Roche, Gabriella Cardinale: None declared., Luisa Costa: None declared., Franco Franceschini: None declared., Francesco Ciccia Speakers bureau: Speaker bureau honoraria from AbbVie, Abiogen, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Celgene, Janssen, Eli Lilly, Pfizer, Novartis, Roche, Consultant of: Consultancy fees from Novartis, Pfizer, Janssen, Eli Lilly, Roche, Celgene, Grant/research support from: Grant/research support from Pfizer, Novartis, Celgene, Janssen, Roche, Antonio Marchesoni: None declared., Giuliana Guggino Speakers bureau: Speaker bureau honoraria from Celgene, Sandoz, Pfizer, Grant/research support from: Grant/research support from Pfizer, Celgene, Maurizio Rossini: None declared., Ennio Lubrano Di Scorpaniello: None declared., Bruno Frediani: None declared., Maria Sole Chimenti: None declared., Gerolamo Bianchi: None declared., Giuseppe Galfo: None declared., Silvia Marelli Employee of: Employee of Janssen-Cilag SpA Italy, Ennio Favalli Speakers bureau: Consulting fees and/or speaking engagements from AbbVie, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Lilly, Merck Sharp & Dohme, Pfizer, Galapagos, Sanofi-Genzyme, and UCB.

POS1447 LOW-INTENSITY PULSED ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS IMPROVE PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE IN A DOSE-DEPENDENT MANNER: AN OBSERVATIONAL STUDY IN OLDER ADULTS WITH RHEUMATIC DISEASES

Background:

Low-intensity pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMF) have been shown to improve gait parameters in frail older adults.1 Furthermore, the continuous exposure to PEMF (up to 1 year) have been demonstrated to produce progressive improvements in self-selected gait speed in older adults at risk of falling.2

Objectives:

To investigate the effects of two different treatment regimens of PEMF on physical performances in older adults presenting with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), osteoarthritis (OA) or severe osteoporosis (OP).

Methods:

Older adults presenting with RA, OA or OP, at increased risk of falls, evaluated in our Falls Prevention Clinic, were considered for a prospective observational study investigating the effects of PEMF on physical performances. PEMF were supplied by the THS 280 E device (THS-Therapeutic Solutions Srl, Milan, Italy). It provides a new therapeutic approach, named TEPS (Triple Energy Postural Stabilization), that represents an evolution of physical therapy.1,2 On the basis of the physician judgment, PEMF were administered following an intensive protocol, every 45 days (PEMF-45), or a standard validated protocol1,2, every 60 days (PEMF-60). All subjects were assessed at baseline and every 3 months with the following tests: 4 meters gait speed test [4MGS, seconds (sec)], timed up and go test (TUG, sec), chair stand test (CST, sec), short physical performance battery (SPPB, score), and hand grip strength (HGS) by hand dynamometer (Kg). Demographic, anthropometric and clinical characteristics, including pharmacological treatments and functional status were evaluated at baseline. Clinical and adverse events were assessed every 45 or 60 days after PEMF administration.

Results:

Overall, 94 patients were enrolled between January and December 2020. Of these, 43 subjects (N=33 PEMF-45, N=11 PEMF-60) with a valid 6-month follow-up assessment were considered for the current analysis. The two groups were comparable regarding the main baseline characteristics, and similar % of patients presented with RA, OA or OP. Mean age (±SE) was 78±7 in PEMF-45 and 77±7 in PEMF-60. As expected, all physical performance tests improved significantly from baseline to 6 months in both groups. Mean (±SE) 4MGS increased significantly more in PEMF-45 (from 3.24±0.12 sec to 2.83±0.18 sec) compared to PEMF-60 (from 3.22±0.21 sec to 3.02±0.30 sec, p=.018). Likewise, mean (±SE) CST improved more in PEMF-45 (from 12.4±0.9 sec to 8.7±0.4 sec) compared to PEMF-60 (from 11.1±1.5 sec to 9.8±0.7 sec, p=.002). No significant difference between groups was found for the other tests, although a trend toward better results in PEMF-45 was manifest: SPPB improved by 6.4% in PEMF-45 and by 3.0% in PEMF-60, and TUG decreased by 7.8% in PEMF-45 and by 6.1% in PEMF-60. During the 6 months observation period no adverse event was observed.

Conclusion:

Preliminary results of our ongoing prospective observational study suggest that a more frequent administration of PEMF produces greater improvements in some but not all physical performance parameters compared to a standard validated regimen1,2.

References:

[1]Giusti A et al., Geriatr Gerontol Int 2013. 2Giusti A et al., J Am Geriatr Soc 2014.

Disclosure of Interests:

Massimo Giovale: None declared, Giuseppina Tramontano: None declared, Rossana Galli: None declared, Simone Rando: None declared, Andrea Giusti Speakers bureau: UCB, Amgen, Kyowa Kirin, Abiogen Pharma, and Eli Lilly, outside the submitted work, Consultant of: EffRx and Abiogen Pharma, outside the submitted work, Lorenzo Bandi: None declared, Francesca Russo: None declared, Stefano Rampoldi Employee of: THS Therapeutic Solutions SRL, Luigi Carlo Bottaro: None declared, Gerolamo Bianchi Speakers bureau: Abbvie, Abiogen Pharma, Amgen, BMS, Celgene, Eli Lilly, GSK, Janssen-Cilag, Medac, MSD, Novartis, Pfizer, Roche, Sanofi, Genzyme and Servier, outside the submitted work

SERCA2a stimulation by istaroxime improves intracellular Ca2+ handling and diastolic dysfunction in a model of diabetic cardiomyopathy

Funding Acknowledgements

Type of funding sources: Private grant(s) and/or Sponsorship. Main funding source(s): This work was supported by CVie Therapeutics Limited (Taipei, Taiwan) and Windtree Therapeutics (Warrington, USA)

Diabetic cardiomyopathy is a multifactorial disease characterized by an early onset of diastolic dysfunction (DD) that precedes the development of systolic impairment. Mechanisms that can restore cardiac relaxation improving intracellular Ca2+ dynamics represent a promising therapeutic approach for cardiovascular diseases associated to DD. Istaroxime has the double property to accelerate Ca2+ uptake into sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) through the SR Ca2+ pump (SERCA2a) stimulation and to inhibit Na+/K+ ATPase (NKA). The project aims to characterize istaroxime effects at a concentration (100 nM) marginally affecting NKA, in order to highlight its effects dependent on the stimulation of SERCA2a in a model of mild diabetes.

Streptozotocin (STZ) treated diabetic rats were studied at 9 weeks after STZ injection in comparison to controls (CTR). Istaroxime effects were evaluated in vivo and in left ventricular (LV) preparations. STZ animals showed 1) marked DD not associated to cardiac fibrosis, 2) LV mass reduction associated to reduced LV cell dimension and T-tubules loss, 3) reduced LV SERCA2 protein level and activity and 4) slower SR Ca2+ uptake rate, 5) LV action potential (AP) prolongation and increased short-term variability (STV) of AP duration, 6) increased diastolic Ca2+, 7) unaltered SR Ca2+ content and stability in intact cells. Acute istaroxime infusion (0.11 mg/kg/min for 15 min) reduced DD in STZ rats. Accordingly, in STZ myocytes istaroxime (100 nM) stimulated SERCA2a activity and blunted STZ-induced abnormalities in LV Ca2+ dynamics. In CTR myocytes, istaroxime increased diastolic Ca2+ level due to NKA blockade albeit minimal, while its effects on SERCA2a were almost absent.

SERCA2a stimulation by istaroxime improved STZ-induced DD and intracellular Ca2+ handling anomalies. Thus, SERCA2a stimulation can be considered a promising therapeutic approach for DD treatment. Abstract Figure.

PONDx: real-life utilization and decision impact of the 21-gene assay on clinical practice in Italy

Clinicopathological prognostic features have limited value to identify with precision newly diagnosed patients with hormone receptor (HR)-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer (BC), who would benefit from chemotherapy (CT) in addition to adjuvant hormonal therapy (HT). The 21-gene Oncotype DX Breast Recurrence Score® (RS) assay has been demonstrated to predict CT benefit, hence supporting personalized decisions on adjuvant CT. The multicenter, prospective, observational study PONDx investigated the real-life use of RS® results in Italy and its impact on treatment decisions. Physicians' treatment recommendations (HT ± CT) were documented before and after availability of RS results, and changes in recommendations were determined. In the HR+ HER2- early BC population studied (N = 1738), physicians recommended CT + HT in 49% of patients pre-RS. RS-guided treatment decisions resulted in 36% reduction of CT recommendations. PONDx confirms that RS results provide clinically relevant information for CT recommendation in early-stage BC, resulting in a reduction of more than a third of CT use.

Mechanical Processing of Hermetia illucens Larvae and Bombyx mori Pupae Produces Oils with Antimicrobial Activity

The aim of this work was to develop processing methods that safeguard the quality and antimicrobial properties of H. illucens and B. mori oils. We adopted a vegetable diet for both insects: leftover vegetables and fruit for H. illucens and mulberry leaves for B. mori. First, alternative techniques to obtain a good oil extraction yield from the dried biomass of H. illucens larvae were tested. Traditional pressing resulted to be the best system to maximize the oil yield and it was successfully applied to B. mori pupae. Oil quality resulted comparable to that obtained with other extraction methods described in the literature. In the case of B. mori pupae, different treatments and preservation periods were investigated to evaluate their influence on the oil composition and quality. Interestingly, agar diffusion assays demonstrated the sensitivity of Gram-positive Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus to H. illucens and B. mori derived oils, whereas the growth of Gram-negative Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli was not affected. This study confirms that fat and other active compounds of the oil extracted by hot pressing could represent effective antimicrobials against bacteria, a relevant result if we consider that they are by-products of the protein extraction process in the feed industry.

The novel Mechanical Ventilator Milano for the COVID-19 pandemic

This paper presents the Mechanical Ventilator Milano (MVM), a novel intensive therapy mechanical ventilator designed for rapid, large-scale, low-cost production for the COVID-19 pandemic. Free of moving mechanical parts and requiring only a source of compressed oxygen and medical air to operate, the MVM is designed to support the long-term invasive ventilation often required for COVID-19 patients and operates in pressure-regulated ventilation modes, which minimize the risk of furthering lung trauma. The MVM was extensively tested against ISO standards in the laboratory using a breathing simulator, with good agreement between input and measured breathing parameters and performing correctly in response to fault conditions and stability tests. The MVM has obtained Emergency Use Authorization by U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in healthcare settings during the COVID-19 pandemic and Health Canada Medical Device Authorization for Importation or Sale, under Interim Order for Use in Relation to COVID-19. Following these certifications, mass production is ongoing and distribution is under way in several countries. The MVM was designed, tested, prepared for certification, and mass produced in the space of a few months by a unique collaboration of respiratory healthcare professionals and experimental physicists, working with industrial partners, and is an excellent ventilator candidate for this pandemic anywhere in the world.

A combination of extracellular matrix- and interferon-associated signatures identifies high-grade breast cancers with poor prognosis

Breast cancer (BC) is a heterogeneous disease in which the tumor microenvironment (TME) seems to impact the clinical outcome. Here, we investigated whether a combination of gene expression signatures relating to both the structural and immune TME aspects can help predict prognosis in women with high‐grade BC (HGBC). Thus, we focused on a combined molecular biomarker variable that involved extracellular matrix (ECM)‐associated gene expression (ECM3 signature) and interferon (IFN)‐associated metagene (IFN metagene) expression. In 97 chemo‐naive HGBCs from the METABRIC dataset, the dichotomous ECM3/IFN (dECIF) variable identified a group of high‐risk patients (ECM3⁺/IFN⁻ vs other; hazard ratio = 3.2, 95% confidence interval: 1.5–6.7). Notably, ECM3⁺/IFN⁻ tumors showed low tumor‐infiltrating lymphocytes, high levels of CD33‐positive cells, absence of PD‐1 expression, or low expression of PD‐L1, as suggested by immune profiles and immune‐histochemical analysis on an independent cohort of 131 HGBCs. To make our results transferable to clinical use, we refined the dECIF biomarker using reduced ECM3 and IFN signatures; notably, the prognostic value of this reduced dECIF was comparable to that of the original dECIF. After validation in a new BC cohort, reduced dECIF was translated into a robust qPCR classifier for real‐world clinical use.

Prolonged benefit from palbociclib plus letrozole in heavily pretreated advanced male breast cancer: case report

INTRODUCTION

Breast cancer in men is less common than in women and treatment recommendations are often derived from clinical trials exclusively involving women. Data on efficacy of CDK 4/6 inhibitors, which are the mainstay of treatment for hormone receptor-positive/HER2-negative advanced breast cancer, are lacking in male patients.

CASE REPORT

We present a clinical case of prolonged benefit from palbociclib in combination with letrozole and LHRH analogue in a man who had previously been treated with six lines of endocrine therapies and chemotherapy regimens but was still in excellent clinical condition.

CONCLUSIONS

This clinical case demonstrates that male breast cancer stands out as an endocrine-sensitive disease, which could potentially benefit from CDK 4/6 inhibitors in combination with endocrine agents even in very heavily pretreated settings of disease, underscoring both the importance of an accurate selection of patients for later treatment lines, taking into account disease history and previous treatment responses, and the peculiarity of breast cancer in men, which deserves dedicated clinical trials to tailor future recommendations.

Sleep medicine in otolaryngology units: an international survey

PURPOSE

No study to date has described the overall landscape of sleep disorders management and training in otolaryngology departments of different countries. The aim of our study was to investigate and compare settings, diagnostic and therapeutic approaches and training programmes.

METHODS

An international online survey was developed with the collaboration of the YO-IFOS (Young Otolaryngologists-International Federation of Otorhinolaryngological Societies) to assess the current practice of otolaryngologists in the management of sleep disorders. The survey also included a session dedicated to training.

RESULTS

A total of 126 otolaryngologists completed the survey. The larger part of responses was collected from Central/South America and Europe. The majority of responders from South/Central America (97%) declared to be certified as sleep specialist while 49% of Europeans stated the opposite. Of responders 83% perform a drug-induced sleep endoscopy (DISE) before planning a possible surgical intervention. Soft palate and base of tongue interventions were the most common procedure, respectively performed in 94% and 79% of the cases. Residents were allowed to perform soft palate surgery in 77% of the cases. Upper airway stimulation (26% vs 10%), trans-oral robotic surgery (36% vs 11%) and radiofrequency of the base of the tongue (58% vs 25%) were preferred more frequently by European responders. The highest caseloads of soft palate surgery and bi-maxillary advancement were registered in the academic institutions.

CONCLUSION

Significant concordance and few interesting divergences in diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders were observed between nationalities and types of institution. Economic resources might have played a significant role in the therapeutic choice. Trainees' lack of exposure to certain interventions and to a sufficient caseload appeared to be the main burden to overcome.

Oncological safety of selective axillary dissection after axillary reverse mapping in node-positive breast cancer

INTRODUCTION

Although the need for axillary lymph node dissection (AD) is decreasing in breast cancer patients, it remains necessary in some cases. Axillary reverse mapping (ARM) enables the detection of upper extremity lymphatic drainage that may be spared during selective axillary dissection (SAD) so as to reduce the risk of lymphedema. The ability of the ARM-SAD procedure to reduce the incidence of lymphedema is being tested in an ongoing randomized trial. Crossover between arm drainage and breast drainage is well documented in the axilla, however, and whether the procedure is oncologically safe remains controversial. We aim to assess the axillary failure rate when a few nodes draining the upper arm are being spared by the ARM-SAD.

METHODS

We report oncological outcomes, and axillary failure in particular, in the first 100 consecutive axillary node-positive patients treated with ARM-SAD as part of a pilot study and a randomized trial.

RESULTS

A median of 18 (IQR 14-22) axillary nodes were excised per patient. During the follow-up (median 51 months, IQR 34-91), 11 patients experienced a treatment failure, but only one - treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy - developed overt axillary disease as a first (and isolated) event. The crude rate of axillary failure was 1.36% (95% CI: 0.19-9.63) with an estimated 5-year crude cumulative incidence of 1.85% (95% CI: 0-5.47%).

CONCLUSIONS

The axillary failure rate was low in our patients and did not exceed rates reported in the literature after standard AD, thus indicating that the ARM-SAD procedure is oncologically safe.

Overview of different modified full-face snorkelling masks for intraoperative protection

OBJECTIVE

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant impact on healthcare systems worldwide. The rate of infected healthcare workers is > 10% in Italy. Within this dramatic scenario, the development of new personal protective equipment (PPE) devices is mandatory. This study focuses on validation of modified full-face snorkel masks (MFFSM) as safe and protective equipment against SARS-CoV-2 infection during diagnostic and therapeutic procedures on the upper aerodigestive tract.

METHODS

Five different MFFSM were tested during otolaryngological surgery and in anaesthesia procedures. Data were collected through an online survey to assess the feedback of operators. pO2 and pCO2 monitoring values during procedures were recorded in selected cases.

RESULTS

All five MFFSM tested were easy to use and gave all operators a sound "feeling" of protection. All clinicians involved had common agreement regarding safety and the user-friendly format.

CONCLUSIONS

In the future, specific development of different type of masks for protection in the operating room, intensive care units and/or office will be possible as a joint venture between clinicians and developers. Goals for clinicians include better definition of needs and priorities, while developers can devote their expertise to produce devices that meet medical requirements.

Can the Charlson Comorbidity Index be used to predict the ASA grade in patients undergoing spine surgery?

BACKGROUND

The American Society of Anaesthesiologists' Physical Status Score (ASA) is a key variable in predictor models of surgical outcome and "appropriate use criteria". However, at the time when such tools are being used in decision-making, the ASA rating is typically unknown. We evaluated whether the ASA class could be predicted statistically from Charlson Comorbidy Index (CCI) scores and simple demographic variables.

METHODS

Using established algorithms, the CCI was calculated from the ICD-10 comorbidity codes of 11'523 spine surgery patients (62.3 ± 14.6y) who also had anaesthetist-assigned ASA scores. These were randomly split into training (N = 8078) and test (N = 3445) samples. A logistic regression model was built based on the training sample and used to predict ASA scores for the test sample and for temporal (N = 341) and external validation (N = 171) samples.

RESULTS

In a simple model with just CCI predicting ASA, receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis revealed a cut-off of CCI ≥ 1 discriminated best between being ASA ≥ 3 versus < 3 (area under the curve (AUC), 0.70 ± 0.01, 95%CI,0.82-0.84). Multiple logistic regression analyses including age, sex, smoking, and BMI in addition to CCI gave better predictions of ASA (Nagelkerke's pseudo-R² for predicting ASA class 1 to 4, 46.6%; for predicting ASA ≥ 3 vs.  < 3, 37.5%). AUCs for discriminating ASA ≥ 3 versus < 3 from multiple logistic regression were 0.83 ± 0.01 (95%CI, 0.82-0.84) for the training sample and 0.82 ± 0.01 (95%CI, 0.81-0.84), 0.85 ± 0.02 (95%CI, 0.80-0.89), and 0.77 ± 0.04 (95%CI,0.69-0.84) for the test, temporal and external validation samples, respectively. Calibration was adequate in all validation samples.

CONCLUSIONS

It was possible to predict ASA from CCI. In a simple model, CCI ≥ 1 best distinguished between ASA ≥ 3 and < 3. For a more precise prediction, regression algorithms were created based on CCI and simple demographic variables obtainable from patient interview. The availability of such algorithms may widen the utility of decision aids that rely on the ASA, where the latter is not readily available.

Olfactory function in patients with obstructive sleep apnea: a meta-analysis study

PURPOSE

This meta-analysis study was designed to analyze the olfactory function in obstructive sleep apnea patients (OSA).

METHODS

A comprehensive review of the English language literature regarding OSA patients and olfactory function/dysfunction was performed. The papers assessing olfactory dysfunction with Sniffin' Sticks test were taken into consideration.

RESULTS

A total of 420 OSA patients were judged eligible for the study. The average TDI score was found to be 24.3 ± 5.6. The olfactory identification (OD), the olfactory discrimination (OD), and the olfactory threshold (OT) average values were calculated resulting 9.9 ± 2.1, 9.8 ± 1.5, and 5.3 ± 2, respectively. There were 161 healthy control subjects in this meta-analysis. The average TDI of the control group was 30.7 ± 6.0 showing a statistical difference with the group of OSA patients (p = 0.03). A linear correlation between Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI) increase and TDI decrease (R² = 0.1, p = 0.05) was detected. Finally, the average values of TDI of 151 patients classified as mild-moderate OSA and 159 patients considered as severe OSA were calculated. The difference between these two groups resulted not statistically significant (p = 0.3).

CONCLUSION

The comparison between OSA patients and healthy subjects using Sniffin' Sticks test showed lower values of the various olfactory parameters. Although a linear correlation between AHI increase and olfactory dysfunction was observed, no statistical difference between mild-moderate and severe OSA patients in terms of the severity of olfactory dysfunction could be proved.

Abstract CT198: Efficacy of metfOrmin in PrevenTIng glucocorticoid-induced diabetes in Melanoma, breAst or Lung Cancer patients with brain metastases: The phase II OPTIMAL study

Background: Brain metastases frequently occur in patients with late-stage cancers. Treatment with high-dose glucocorticoids (GCs) is usually started to prevent or reduce tumor-related edema and its deadly complications. However, treatment with high-dose GCs is associated with serious side effects, including diabetes and immunosuppression, which could promote tumor growth or reduce the effectiveness of antitumor therapies. Based on its potential antitumor properties and on its ability to prevent GC-induced diabetes, the antidiabetic compound Metformin could reduce short-term mortality in patients with brain metastases taking high-dose GCs. Methods: The OPTIMAL study is a monocentric, open label, randomized Phase II trial in patients with brain metastases from melanoma, lung or breast cancer, who require treatment with high-dose dexamethasone, as defined as a minimum of 8 mg daily based on the clinician judgment, for at least three consecutive weeks. At enrollment, patients are randomized in a 1:1 ratio to receive high-dose dexamethasone +/- metformin 2550 mg/day for 30 days. At randomization, patients are stratified according to: tumor origin, dose of dexamethasone (8-12 vs. &gt; 12 mg/day) and baseline fasting glycemia (&lt; 100 vs. 100-125 mg/dl). Patients may receive concomitant radiotherapy based on the judgment of the physician. The primary study endpoint is the rate of precocious (14 days) dexamethasone-induced diabetes, as defined as fasting plasma glucose levels ≥ 126 mg/dl. Discussion: The OPTIMAL study aims to evaluate the efficacy of upfront use of metformin in preventing the onset of GCs-induced diabetes and other metabolic perturbations in patients with brain metastases from melanoma, lung or breast cancer. Other clinical objectives consist in investigating the impact of metformin on precocious mortality, deterioration of ECOG PS and local (brain) disease control rate at one month after dexamethasone initiation. The effect of dexamethasone +/- metformin on other metabolites or growth factors, including amino acids, fatty acids, ketone bodies, IGF-1, as well as on the number, activation status and metabolism of peripheral blood immune cell populations will be evaluated as well. Trial registration: The OPTIMAL trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04001725, June 28, 2019) and EudraCT (2019-000105-73, January 8, 2019).

Citation Format: Claudio Vernieri, Federico Nichetti, Francesca Ligorio, Emma Zattarin, Teresa Beninato, Riccardo Lobefaro, Giulia Bianchi, Giuseppe Capri, Marina Garassino, Giuseppe Lo Russo, Michele Del Vecchio, Paola Corsetto, Licia Rivoltini, Chiara Castelli, Filippo de Braud. Efficacy of metfOrmin in PrevenTIng glucocorticoid-induced diabetes in Melanoma, breAst or Lung Cancer patients with brain metastases: The phase II OPTIMAL study [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research 2020; 2020 Apr 27-28 and Jun 22-24. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(16 Suppl):Abstract nr CT198.

AB0283 REDUCED HOSPITAL ADMISSION IN RA PATIENTS TAPERING BIOLOGIC DMARDS: PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS OF A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY

Background:

bDMARDs are among the most effective therapies in the management of inflammatory arthritides, but they are associated with potentially severe adverse events (AEs), particularly infection. Tapering strategies of bDMARDs for patients in remission/low disease activity (R/LDA) have demonstrated comparable efficacy to standard-dose treatments, but their safety profile has not been studied yet.

Objectives:

To compare the number and the causes of hospital admissions in RA patients in R/LDA continuing or tapering bDMARDs.

Methods:

Consecutive patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) evaluated between 2011 and 2017, were assigned, based on treating physician’s discretion, to continue the standard dose (STD) of bDMARDs or to undergo a predetermined tapering strategy (TAP), after being in R/LDA for two consecutive visits at least 3 months apart. Down-titration of bDMARDs was obtained by a stepwise increase of the dosing interval to achieve a reduction of about 30% (e.g. administration of etanercept every 10 days instead of weekly). Demographic, clinical data and concomitant treatments were retrospectively retrieved from the electronic charts of the outpatient clinics. Information about hospital admissions, including main diagnosis, period and duration of hospitalization, and death were retrieved from the Regional Healthcare System Database.

For the STD group, the observation period started with the occurrence of remission and finished with one of these events: loss of remission, switch to another bDMARD, withdrawal of the bDMARD, severe AE, death, end of the study period in (December 2017). For the TAP group, the observation period started with tapering onset and finished with one of these events: reduction of the dosing interval due to either a relapse (according to a DAS28 increase) or to a subjective, symptomatic relapse (according to the patient’s definition), switch to another bDMARD, withdrawal of the bDMARD, severe AE, death, end of the study period in (December 2017).

Results:

81 patients were included, of whom 40 underwent TAP. Demographic, clinical and treatment data are shown in table 1. Baseline characteristics were comparable between the two groups, except for the number of previous bDMARDs before observational period entry that was slightly higher in the STD group (STD 1.0±0.9 versus TAP 0.5±0.8, P=0.11).

Table 1.

Baseline demographic and clinical characteristics of the patients in remission or low disease activity.

NO TAPERING(n=41)TAPERING(n=40)p valueMean age (yrs)57±1158±130.563Mean disease duration (yrs)12±912±70.897Starting bDMARD to tapering/monitoring (months)52±4567±410.128Mean monitoring period (months)22±2419±230.632Taking sDMARD at any time ((n (%))40 (98%)37 (92%)0.359Taking glucocorticoids29 (71%)28 (70%)0.999Mean prednisone dose (mg/day)2.5±2.92.1±2.70.527DAS28 at the time of tapering or first LDA/REM2.3±0.82.3±0.90.863Previous bDMARDs >1 (n (%))10 (24.4%)4 (10%)0.140

In the STD group, 14 hospital admissions occurred, while in the TAP group there were 7 admissions (p=0.128). The corresponding figures for hospital admission due to infectious diseases were 6 in the STD group and 0 in the TAP group (p=0.026).

Conclusion:

Tapering bDMARDs in RA patients in R/LDA is associated with fewer hospital admissions, with a possible protective effect especially toward infections.

Acknowledgments:

The authors are indebted with Mrs Rosella Gramuglia and Mrs Cristina Olivieri for the management and analysis of the data on the flow of the drugs, and with Mrs Anna Consigliere, Mrs Anna Cosso, Mrs Romina Petralito and Mrs Laura Ravaschio for helping in retrieving clinical data.

Disclosure of Interests:

Dario Camellino Consultant of: I have received consultancy fees from Celgene, Sanofi, Novartis, Janssen-Cilag, Accord, Paid instructor for: I have served as a paid instructor for Mylan, Andrea Giusti Consultant of: UCB, Amgen, Janssen, Eli Lilly, Abiogen, EffRx, Speakers bureau: UCB, Amgen, Janssen, Eli Lilly, Abiogen, EffRx, Alfa-Sigma, Chiesi, Giuseppe Girasole: None declared, Chiara Craviotto: None declared, Paola Diana: None declared, Antonia Locaputo: None declared, Tiziana Caviglia: None declared, Lacramioara Luca: None declared, Gerolamo Bianchi Consultant of: Amgen, Janssen, Merck Sharp & Dohme, Novartis, UCB, Speakers bureau: Abbvie, Abiogen, Alfa-Sigma, Amgen, BMS, Celgene, Chiesi, Eli Lilly, GSK, Janssen, Medac, Merck Sharp & Dohme, Novartis, Pfizer, Roche, Sanofi Genzyme, Servier, UCB