Perkins, Susan M.

Abstract Medical researchers are increasingly prioritizing the inclusion of underserved communities in clinical studies. However, mere inclusion is not enough. People from underserved communities frequently experience chronic stress that may lead to accelerated biological aging and early morbidity and mortality. It is our hope and intent that the medical community come together to engineer improved health outcomes for vulnerable populations. Here, we introduce Health Equity Engineering (HEE), a comprehensive scientific framework to guide research on the development of tools to identify individuals at risk of poor health outcomes due to chronic stress, the integration of these tools within existing healthcare system infrastructures, and a robust assessment of their effectiveness and sustainability. HEE is anchored in the premise that strategic intervention at the individual level, tailored to the needs of the most at-risk people, can pave the way for achieving equitable health standards at a broader population level. HEE provides a scientific framework guiding health equity research to equip the medical community with a robust set of tools to enhance health equity for current and future generations.

AbstractThe role of collaborative biostatisticians and epidemiologists in academic medical centres and how their degree type, supervisor type and sex influences recognition and feelings of respect is poorly understood. We conducted a cross‐sectional survey of self‐identified biostatisticians and epidemiologists working in academic medical centres in the United States or Canada. The survey was sent to 341 contacts at 125 institutions who were asked to forward the survey invitation to faculty and staff at their institution and posted on Community sections of the American Statistical Association website. Participants were asked a variety of questions including if they felt pressured to produce specific results, whether they had intellectual and ethical freedom to pursue appropriate use of statistical methods in collaborative research and if they felt their contributions were appropriately recognized by collaborators. We received responses from 314 biostatisticians or related methodologists. A majority were female (59%), had a doctorate degree (52%) and reported to a statistician or biostatistician supervisor (69%). Overall, most participants felt valued by their collaborators, but that they did not have sufficient calendar time to meet deadlines. Doctoral‐level participants reported more autonomy in their collaborations than master's level participants. Females were less likely to feel recognized and respected compared with males. The survey results suggest that while most respondents felt valued by their collaborators, they have too many projects and need more time to critically review research. Further research is needed to understand why response differs by sex and how these responses fluctuate over time.

Abstract Background Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is one of the most common monogenetic disorders in humans and is characterized by numerous fluid-filled cysts that grow slowly, resulting in end-stage renal disease in the majority of patients. Preclinical studies have indicated that treatment with low-dose thiazolidinediones, such as pioglitazone, decrease cyst growth in rodent models of PKD. Methods This Phase 1b cross-over study compared the safety of treatment with a low dose (15 mg) of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ) agonist pioglitazone or placebo in PKD patients, with each treatment given for 1 year. The study monitored known side effects of PPAR-γ agonist treatment, including fluid retention and edema. Liver enzymes and risk of hypoglycemia were assessed throughout the study. As a secondary objective, the efficacy of low-dose pioglitazone was followed using a primary assessment of total kidney volume (TKV), blood pressure (BP) and kidney function. Results Eighteen patients were randomized and 15 completed both arms. Compared with placebo, allocation to pioglitazone resulted in a significant decrease in total body water as assessed by bioimpedance analysis {mean difference 0.16 Ω [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.24–2.96], P = 0.024} and no differences in episodes of heart failure, clinical edema or change in echocardiography. Allocation to pioglitazone led to no difference in the percent change in TKV of −3.5% (95% CI −8.4–1.4, P = 0.14), diastolic BP and microalbumin:creatinine ratio. Conclusions In this small pilot trial in people with ADPKD but without diabetes, pioglitazone 15 mg was found to be as safe as placebo. Larger and longer-term randomized trials powered to assess effects on TKV are needed.

This is the first sham-controlled study to investigate the effects of leg heat therapy (HT) on walking performance, vascular function, and quality of life in patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD). Adherence to HT was high, and the treatment was well tolerated. Our findings revealed that HT applied with water-circulating trousers evokes a clinically meaningful increase in perceived physical function and reduces the serum concentration of the potent vasoconstrictor endothelin-1 in patients with PAD.

Abstract VEGF blockade does not uniformly result in clinical benefit. We evaluated safety, dose-limiting toxicities (DLT), recommended phase II dose (RP2D), antitumor efficacy, and exploratory biomarkers including pharmacogenomics and pharmacokinetics with sorafenib, bevacizumab, and paclitaxel in patients with refractory cancers. The study had a “3 + 3” design, using paclitaxel 80 mg/m2 every week for 3 weeks, in every 4 week cycles, bevacizumab 5 mg/kg every 2 weeks, and sorafenib 200 or 400 mg twice a day, 5 or 7 days/week (5/7, 7/7). The MTD cohort was expanded. Twenty-seven patients enrolled in 3 cohorts: sorafenib 200 mg twice a day 5/7, 200 mg twice a day 7/7, and 400 mg twice a day 5/7. DLTs were grade 3 neutropenia >7 days (cohort 1, 1), grade 3 hypertension (cohort 2, 1), grade 3 hand–foot skin reaction (HFSR; cohort 3, 2). MTD was sorafenib 200 mg twice a day 7/7. Six DLTs occurred in cohort 2 expansion: grade 3 HFSR (2), grade 2 HFSR with sorafenib delay >7 days (2), grade 4 cerebrovascular accident (1), grade 3 neutropenia >7 days (1). RP2D was sorafenib 200 mg twice a day 5/7. Most patients (62%) dose reduced sorafenib to 200 mg daily 5/7 after a median 3 (range, 2–17) cycles. Response rates were 48% overall (27) and 64% for ovarian cancers (14). VEGF-A-1154AA and -7TT recessive homozygous genotypes conferred worse overall survival versus alternative genotypes (7 vs. 22 months). Intermittent, low-dose sorafenib (200 mg twice a day 5/7) combined with bevacizumab and paclitaxel was tolerable and had high antitumor efficacy in patients with refractory cancer (NCT00572078).

INTRODUCTION Patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) are at a heightened risk of cardiovascular events and have markedly reduced vascular function and exercise tolerance. Heat therapy (HT) has emerged as a practical treatment to improve cardiovascular health in young individuals as well in patients with overt cardiovascular disease. We recently reported that a single 90 min session of HT applied to the legs of patients with PAD using water‐circulating trousers increases popliteal artery blood flow and reduces blood pressure and the circulating levels of the potent endogenous vasoconstrictor endothelin‐1 (ET‐1). The objective of the present study was to test the hypothesis that the repeated exposure to leg HT would lower blood pressure and ET‐1 levels and improve walking performance and conduit artery and cutaneous vascular function in patients with symptomatic PAD. METHODS Thirty‐two patients with symptomatic PAD (Age: 68± 8 years; Ankle‐brachial index: 0.67 ± 0.1) were assigned using a balanced randomized design to undergo 90 min of HT (48°C) or a thermoneutral treatment (33°C) 3 times per week for 6 consecutive weeks. The following outcomes were assessed at baseline and 3 and 6 weeks after the intervention: 1) resting ankle‐brachial index, 2) post‐occlusive reactive hyperemia in the popliteal artery (phase contrast magnetic resonance imaging), 3) leg cutaneous thermal hyperemia (laser Doppler flowmetry), 4) resting blood pressure every 5 min for 70 min, 5) 6‐min walk distance and 6) serum levels of ET‐1 and total nitrate (NOx). RESULTS Participants completed 17.7 ± 0.6 treatment sessions, resulting in a compliance rate of 98.7%. In the group exposed to HT, systolic blood pressure (SBP) decreased from baseline by ~3 mmHg at 6 weeks, while in the control group SBP increased by ~1 mmHg. A significant group by time interaction was observed for the changes in SBP from baseline to 6 weeks ( p=0.0049) with significant group differences at 20 min (Change in SBP: Control: 6.27 ± 15.5 vs. HT: −7.60 ± 13.6 mmHg, p=0.015 ) and 60 min (Change in SBP: Control: 4.13 ± 15.1 vs. HT: −7.33 ± 13.7 mmHg, p=0.0386 ). Similarly, serum ET‐1 levels decreased by ~15% from baseline to week 6 following exposure to HT, while a ~6% increase in this parameter occurred in the control group (Change in ET‐1: Control: 0.16 ± 0.6 vs. HT: −0.30 ± 0.4 pg/mL, p=0.035 – one outlier removed). Resting ABI, diastolic BP, 6MWT distance, hyperemic peak flow and cutaneous thermal hyperemia were not different between groups. CONCLUSION Exposure to repeated HT reduces systolic blood pressure and ET‐1 levels in patients with symptomatic PAD. These findings indicate that HT may be a practical and accessible nonpharmacological tool to reduce cardiovascular risk in PAD patients. Support or Funding Information American Heart Association Scientist Development grant (16SDG27600003).

404 Background: Concurrent chemoradiation(CRT) followed by esophagectomy is a standard of care for locally advanced esophageal(LA-EAC) and GEJ adenocarcinoma. Approximately 50% of patients(pts) experience disease relapse within the 1st yr after treatment(tx) completion. No adjuvant tx has been shown to improve survival in these pts. Immune checkpoint inhibitors have activity in metastatic PD-L1 positive EAC. Preclinical studies have shown radiation +/- chemotherapy upregulate PD-1/PD-L1 pathway. Methods: We conducted a phase II trial evaluating safety and efficacy of durvalumab(durva) in pts with LA-EAC and GEJ adenocarcinoma who have residual disease in surgical specimen after neoadjuvant CRT and R0 resection. Pts received durva 1500mg IV every 4 weeks for up to 1yr. Results: 24 pts were enrolled from 4/2016-1/2018(median age: 60yrs (range, 43-70). 18 received carbo/paclitaxel and 6 received cis/5-FU concurrently with radiation. Staging at diagnosis: T2N0(n = 3, 12.5%), T2N2(n = 3, 12.5%),T3N0(n = 6, 25%), T3N1(n = 6, 25%), T3N2(n = 4, 17%), T3N3(n = 1, 4%), T3Nx(n = 1, 4%).19 pts(79%) had positive lymph nodes(LNs) at the time of surgery following CRT. 12 pts completed 1yr of tx, 12 came off tx because of relapse(6), AEs(5), and consent withdrawal(1). Most common AEs were fatigue(n = 8, 33.3%) and nausea(n = 6, 25%). 3pts (12.5%) developed grade 3 irAEs: pneumonitis(1), hepatitis(1), colitis(1). At median follow up of 21.9mo(range, 1.7-23.9mo), 11 pts have relapsed: 9 distant and 2 locoregional. Two of 3 pts with grade 3 irAEs are alive and disease free at 17 and 23 mo respectively. 1-yr RFS and OS were 79.2% and 95.5%, respectively. RFS at 26 mo was 20.6%. Overall mOS and mOS after relapse were 28.1mo(range, 22.9-28.1) and 11.1 mo(range, 0.1-11.3mo) respectively. The study was expanded to enroll 14 additional pts who are currently undergoing tx. Conclusions: Adjuvant durvalumab following trimodality therapy for LA-EAC and GEJ adenocarcinoma is safe with improvement in 1-yr RFS to 79.2% compared to historical rate of 50%. RFS was 20.6% at 26 months. Evaluation of predictive biomarkers of RFS with durva is underway. Clinical trial information: NCT02639065.