Citations

Importance Elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) is a modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of premature death worldwide. Assessing the LDL-C–related burden is critical for guiding prevention and treatment strategies. Objectives To estimate the global, regional, and national burden of ischemic heart disease and ischemic stroke attributable to elevated LDL-C (relative to 35-54 mg/dL) from 1990 to 2023 and to quantify the contributions of population growth, aging, risk-deleted burden, and exposure changes to burden trends. Design, Setting, and Population This comparative risk assessment, part of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2023, estimated population-level LDL-C exposure and associated health loss in 204 countries and territories. Mean LDL-C levels were estimated using spatiotemporal gaussian process regression based on 806 studies across 161 countries. Relative risks were derived from meta-analyses of 38 randomized clinical trials. Population-attributable fractions for deaths and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) were estimated by age and sex for adults aged 25 years or older from 1990 to 2023, with 95% uncertainty intervals. Exposure Population-level LDL-C concentrations. Main Outcomes and Measures Population-attributable fractions, counts, and rates (all ages and age standardized per 100 000) of LDL-C–attributable deaths and DALYs from ischemic heart disease and ischemic stroke, with uncertainty intervals. Results In 2023, elevated LDL-C accounted for 3.6 million deaths (95% uncertainty interval, 2.2-5.4 million; 6.0% of global mortality) and 90.7 million DALYs (95% uncertainty interval, 58.9-123.3 million; 3.2% of DALYs). Although global all-ages rates remained stable, age-standardized death and DALY rates decreased by 45.6% and 39.5%, respectively, since 1990. In 2023, age-standardized LDL-C–attributable DALY rates were highest in Eastern Europe and lowest in high-income Asia-Pacific. One-third of the global LDL-C burden occurred in India and China. Population growth and aging drove the increasing burden, with notable regional disparities in LDL-C exposure and risk-deleted DALY rates shifting toward middle-sociodemographic settings. Conclusions and Relevance Despite declining age-standardized rates, the absolute LDL-C burden has increased since 1990 due to demographic changes and has shifted toward middle-sociodemographic countries. Measurement and surveillance gaps persist. Strengthened prevention, diagnosis, and treatment access strategies are essential to mitigate the health burden of LDL-C.

Abstract Glioblastoma (GBM) remains the most common and lethal adult malignant primary brain cancer with few treatment options. A significant issue hindering GBM therapeutic development is intratumor heterogeneity and plasticity. GBM tumors contain neoplastic cells within a fluid spectrum of diverse transcriptional states. Identifying effective therapeutics requires a platform that predicts the differential sensitivity and resistance of these states to various treatments. Here, we develop scFOCAL (Single-Cell Framework for -Omics Connectivity and Analysis via L1000), to quantify the cellular drug sensitivity and resistance landscape. Using single-cell RNA sequencing of newly diagnosed and recurrent GBM tumors, we identify compounds from the LINCS L1000 database with transcriptional response signatures selectively discordant with distinct GBM cell states, and leverage this capability to predict combination synergy. We validate the significance of these findings in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo, and use the Olig2 inhibitor CT-179 as a reference drug to identify additional small molecules that would maximize the cell-drug discordance across the GBM transcriptional landscape. Our analysis leads to the combination of Olig2 inhibition with treatment with Depatux-M, of with which we demonstrate synergy in vivo. Our studies suggest that scFOCAL identifies cell states that are sensitive and resistant to targeted therapies in GBM using a measure of cell and drug connectivity, which can be applied to identify new synergistic combinations. Citation Format: Robert K. Suter, Anna M. Jermakowicz, Rithvik Veeramachaneni, Matthew D'Antuono, Longwei Zhang, Rishika Chowdary, Simon Kaeppeli, Madison Sharp, Pravallika Palwai, Vasileios Stathias, Grace Baker, Luz Ruiz, Winston Walters, Maria Cepero, Danielle Burgenske, Edward B. Reilly, Anatol Oleksijew, Mark G. Anderson, Sion Ll. Williams, Michael E. Ivan, Ricardo J. Komotar, Macarena I. De La Fuente, Gregory Stein, Alexandre Wojcinski, Santosh Kesari, Jann N. Sarkaria, Stephan C. Schürer, Nagi G. Ayad. Drug and single-cell gene expression integration identifies heterogeneity-aware synergistic combinations for glioblastoma [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference in Cancer Research: Brain Cancer; 2026 Mar 23-25; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2026;86(6_Suppl):Abstract nr B032.

ABSTRACT Meningiomas are the most common primary brain tumors and, despite their benign reputation, often behave aggressively. Meningiomas are morphologically heterogeneous, yet the full significance of their histologic diversity is unclear. This is in large part because many features are not readily quantifiable by traditional observer-based light microscopy. Molecular testing improves prognostic stratification, but is not universally accessible. We therefore sought to determine whether an artificial intelligence (AI)-trained program could predict specific genomic and epigenomic patterns in meningiomas, and whether it could extract more prognostic information out of standard hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) histopathology than the current WHO classification. To do this, we developed Morphologic Set Enrichment (MSE), an interpretable computational pathology framework that quantifies statistical enrichment of morphologic patterns, cells, and tissue architecture from H&E whole-slide images. The MSE meningioma histology program was able to accurately predict DNA methylation subtypes and concurrent chromosome 1p/22q losses, in the process identifying specific morphologic patterns associated with key genomic and epigenomic alterations. It also added prognostic value independent of standard clinical and pathological variables. These results demonstrate that AI-based quantitative morphologic profiling can capture clinically and biologically relevant information that redefines risk stratification for meningiomas, incorporating histological information not included in existing grading schemes.

Abstract Introduction Significant clinical variations exist in the definitions of acute/active vs chronic/stable Peyronie’s Disease (PD). While the American Urological Association’s 2015 guidelines define the acute phase as involving symptoms that change and the presence of pain, they do not specify a timeframe. Historically, acute-phase features include penile pain and worsening curvature, with symptom duration ranging from less than 3 to 18 months. Although temporally categorizing PD may have academic value, it may unnecessarily limit or delay treatment. In the United States, collagenase clostridium histolyticum (CCH) is the only FDA-approved treatment for adult men with PD who have a palpable plaque and a curvature deformity of at least 30 degrees. Several real-world studies suggest CCH is safe and effective during the acute phase. Objective To evaluate differences in outcomes by penile pain and symptom duration and to determine whether these factors should inform timing of CCH treatment in men with Peyronie’s disease. Methods A post hoc analysis of pooled data from 2 phase 3 randomized double-blind trials of CCH in PD (IMPRESS I, NCT01221597; IMPRESS II, NCT01221623). Men treated with CCH were stratified by baseline penile pain (Any Pain vs No Pain), based on both investigator-assessed and patient-reported measures. A subgroup analysis further stratified men with Any Pain by disease duration. The primary efficacy endpoint in the phase 3 study was the percentage change in penile curvature from baseline to week 52. A 2-sample t test was used to compare group means for each pain-related measure. Results A total of 364 CCH-treated men were included. Mean penile curvature improvements at week 52 were similar across all 4 investigator-assessed and patient-reported penile pain measures (35.0%-36.7% improvement for the No Pain group vs 32.2%-33.9% improvement for the Any Pain group, P=0.14-0.65). Among those experiencing Any Pain, no statistical differences were observed in men with disease durations that were shorter (12-18 months; 21.8%-34.8% improvement) vs longer (greater than 18 months; 31.4%-36.8% improvement, P=0.20-0.95). Conclusions This study found similar curvature improvements among men treated with CCH regardless of baseline pain or disease duration. Results align with prior studies showing no outcome differences by pain status or disease phase. These findings suggest that pain and disease duration should not be viewed as contraindications to CCH or used to guide clinical decision-making. Disclosure Yes, this is sponsored by industry/sponsor: Endo USA, Inc. Clarification: Industry initiated, executed and funded study Any of the authors act as a consultant, employee or shareholder of an industry for: Endo USA, Inc.

Abstract Introduction While most patients with Peyronie’s disease (PD) present with dorsal or lateral curvature, a significant number have ventral curvature (VC). These patients face limited treatment options, as they were excluded from initial clinical trials of collagenase clostridium histolyticum (CCH) due to safety concerns related to the proximity of the injection site to the urethra. However, urethral involvement is rare, as PD plaques develop in the tunica albuginea rather than the corpus spongiosum surrounding the urethra. Moreover, multiple prospective and retrospective studies have demonstrated favorable outcomes with CCH treatment in men with VC. Objective To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of CCH in men with PD and VC in a multicenter, real-world, retrospective study. Methods This is an ongoing phase 4, multicenter, retrospective review of medical records from 15 US physician sites. Eligible patients consisted of patients who are: age ≥18 years with a diagnosis of VC in PD with a palpable plaque that was treated with CCH from 2014 to the study start date at each site. Patients missing baseline (BL; pretreatment) or final (last measurement within 6 months of final CCH treatment) penile curvature measurements were excluded. Effectiveness endpoints included percentage change in VC from BL to last visit, mean change in VC (in degrees) from BL to last visit, and proportion of patients with ≥30% improvement in VC from BL to last visit. Safety was assessed as proportions of patients reporting treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) throughout the study period. Results As of April 22, 2025, there were 116 patients with mean (SD) age of 58 (10.3) years who were eligible for analysis. Mean baseline VC decreased from 58 degrees to 37 degrees at last visit (37% improvement). An improvement in VC of ≥30% was seen in 73/116 (63%) of patients, with 81/116 (69.8%) experiencing ≥20% improvement. At least 1 TRAE was reported by 12 (10%) patients. TRAEs were mild-to-moderate in severity in 9 (75%) patients and unknown in 3 patients, with most events (14/17 [82%]) related to injection site reactions. As of the data cut, there were no treatment-related serious or treatment-related severe AEs, no reports of urethral involvement or injury, and no reports of corporal rupture. Conclusions Men with PD who present with ventral curvature represent an underserved patient population. Concerns about potential urethral injury pose a significant barrier to both minimally invasive and surgical treatments, thereby limiting available therapeutic options. These updated results from a multi-institutional real-world clinical cohort align with previous findings, and demonstrate that the clinical effectiveness and safety profile of CCH is consistent with the profile of CCH seen in other clinical presentations of PD. Disclosure Yes, this is sponsored by industry/sponsor: Endo USA, Inc Clarification: Industry initiated, executed and funded study Any of the authors act as a consultant, employee or shareholder of an industry for: Endo USA, Inc.

Background Outcome selection in regional anesthesia and acute pain research is inconsistent, often lacking patient-centered priorities and validated instruments. We aimed to prioritize key outcomes and propose suitable measurement tools to improve the quality, consistency, and relevance of regional anesthesia research. Methods We conducted a multiround Delphi process, including two electronic voting rounds, a multiday in-person meeting, and a patient panel. Experts and patients evaluated existing and proposed outcomes for importance, validity, and relevance. Outcomes reaching ≥70% agreement were prioritized, and appropriate measurement instruments were identified. Results Thirty-two experts and three patients participated. Across three Delphi rounds, 10 outcomes were prioritized for future regional anesthesia research: seven efficacy outcomes (pain scores; opioid consumption; Brief Pain Inventory; functional outcomes; cognitive function; length of stay; block duration); two multidimensional outcomes (quality of recovery and development of a regional anesthesia-specific quality-of-recovery instrument); one safety outcome (chronic postsurgical pain). Patients prioritized cognitive recovery, function, chronic pain, and pain scores. Conclusions This consensus-based, patient-centered framework defines the core priorities for future regional anesthesia and acute pain research. Future work should focus on developing and validating a regional anesthesia-specific quality-of-recovery instrument, refining multidimensional measures such as functional recovery, cognitive outcomes, and the Brief Pain Inventory, and standardizing the reporting of chronic pain and opioid-related outcomes. Adoption of these priorities will enhance methodological consistency, comparability, and patient relevance in future clinical trials.

Abstract Glioblastoma (GBM) remains the most common and lethal adult malignant primary brain cancer with few treatment options. A significant issue hindering GBM therapeutic development is intratumor heterogeneity. GBM tumors contain neoplastic cells within a spectrum of different transcriptional states. Identifying effective therapeutics requires a platform that predicts the differential sensitivity and resistance of these states to various treatments. Here, we developed a novel framework, ISOSCELES ( I nferred cell S ensitivity O perating on the integration of S ingle- C ell E xpression and L 1000 E xpression S ignatures), to quantify the cellular drug sensitivity and resistance landscape. Using single-cell RNA sequencing of newly diagnosed and recurrent GBM tumors, we identified compounds from the LINCS L1000 database with transcriptional response signatures selectively discordant with distinct GBM cell states. We validated the significance of these findings in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo , and identified a novel combination of an OLIG2 inhibitor and Depatux-M for GBM. Our studies suggest that ISOSCELES identifies cell states sensitive and resistant to targeted therapies in GBM and that it can be applied to identify new synergistic combinations. Highlights Integration of GBM single-cell RNA sequencing data with L1000-derived drug response signatures facilitates clustering of tumor cells and small molecules on cell-drug connectivity. Cell-drug connectivity predicts the identities of drug-sensitive and resistant cell states. In silico perturbation analysis using cell-drug connectivity predicts drug-induced changes in the cell-drug connectivity landscape in vivo. In silico perturbation analysis to predict drug-induced changes in the tumor cell-drug connectivity landscape predicts drug combinations that synergize in vivo to extend survival.

Abstract Introduction Peyronie’s disease (PD) is a connective tissue disorder characterized by the replacement of normal elastic fibers of the tunica albuginea with collagen-containing plaques. This alteration may result in penile deformities that are most evident during erection, which can lead to significant emotional distress, sexual dysfunction, and penile pain. Collagenase clostridium histolyticum (CCH) is indicated for the treatment of adult men with PD with a palpable plaque and curvature deformity of at least 30 degrees at therapy onset. Notably, men with ventral curvature (VC) were not included in the CCH clinical trial program due to potential concerns over the proximity of the urethra to the site of injection. Currently, CCH is contraindicated in Peyronie’s plaques that involve the penile urethra. Urethral involvement of a PD plaque is rare due to the anatomy of those structures. PD plaques form in the tunica albuginea as opposed to the corpus spongiosum which directly surrounds the urethra. Also, multiple prospective and retrospective studies have documented favorable outcomes using CCH for PD with VC. Thus, CCH may be a reasonable treatment option for patients suffering with ventral and ventrolateral penile curvatures in the absence of direct urethral involvement. Objective We are conducting a multicenter real-world retrospective collaborative research study of the safety and effectiveness of CCH in the treatment of men who had PD with VC. Methods A Phase 4, multicenter, noninterventional, retrospective review of medical records from approximately 10-15 US physician sites is being conducted. Eligible patients include those ≥18 years old with a PD diagnosis with VC and a palpable plaque that had been treated with CCH from 2014 to the study start date at the site. The primary effectiveness endpoint is percent change from (pretreatment) baseline in degree of VC at the last visit as measured at follow-up within 6 months post-treatment. Secondary endpoints include mean change from Baseline in VC and the proportion of patients with ≥30% improvement from baseline in VC at the last visit during which a measurement was collected within 6 months of final CCH treatment. Adverse events are collected throughout the study period to assess safety. Results In this first look at early data, 32 eligible patients with a median age (range) of 58.0 years (25-75 years) were included in the analysis. The percent change in penile curvature from baseline decreased, representing an improvement of 45.4% (SD: 28.62 [0-100]) (Figure), with 68.8% (22/32) of patients experiencing ≥30% improvement from baseline in VC. There were no serious adverse events. Five patients had at least one treatment-related adverse event (TRAE); 4 TRAEs were mild-to-moderate in severity and 2 were unknown. There were no reports of urethral involvement or injury. TRAEs were related to injection site bruising (n = 3), hemorrhage (n = 1), swelling (n = 1), and muscle spasm (n = 1). Conclusions This first look at early data reflecting improvements in men with PD and VC (data cutoff: 06/14/2024) is consistent with findings of effectiveness and tolerability of CCH in the treatment of men with dorsal and dorsolateral penile curvature. Disclosure Yes, this is sponsored by industry/sponsor: Endo USA Inc. Clarification: Industry initiated, executed and funded study. Any of the authors act as a consultant, employee or shareholder of an industry for: MZ is an investigator and consultant for Endo USA Inc. MI is an investigator for Endo USA Inc. AT is an investigator and consultant for Endo USA Inc. RB is an investigator for Endo USA Inc. JM is an investigator and consultant for Endo USA Inc. JT is an employee of Endo USA Inc. DH is an employee of Endo USA Inc. GK is an employee of Endo USA Inc. KG is an investigator and consultant for Endo USA Inc. JA is an employee of Endo USA Inc. TR is an employee of Endo USA Inc. MA is an employee of Endo USA Inc. JM is an investigator for Endo USA Inc.

Summary Introduction Obesity is characterized by chronic low‐grade inflammation. This study presents an updated systematic review and meta‐analysis on the effect of caloric restriction (CR) and intermittent fasting (IF) on plasma inflammatory biomarkers (C‐reactive protein [CRP], tumor necrosis factor [TNF]‐alpha, and interleukin [IL]‐6) in individuals with obesity/overweight compared with unrestricted or ad libitum feeding. Methods PubMed, Web of Science, and SCOPUS databases were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) reporting inflammatory biomarkers after at least 8 weeks of intervention. Standardized mean differences (SMDs) were calculated using a fixed effect model. Heterogeneity was determined using I 2 statistics. Sensitivity analysis was conducted using the “leave‐one‐out” approach. Results Relatively few RCTs have investigated the effect of IF on inflammatory biomarkers than with CR (6 vs. 15). Analysis of pooled data showed that CR was associated with a significant reduction in CRP with low heterogeneity (SMD −0.15 mg/L [95% CI −0.30 to −0.00], p = 0.04; I 2 = 0%, p = 0.69) and IL‐6 with high heterogeneity (SMD −0.31 pg/mL [95% CI −0.51 to −0.10], p = 0.004; I 2 = 73%, p = 0.001). IF was associated with a significant decrease in TNF‐alpha with moderate heterogeneity (SMD −0.32 pg/mL [95% CI −0.63 to −0.02], p = 0.04; I 2 = 44%, p = 0.13). No associations were detected between IF and CRP or IL‐6 and CR and TNF‐alpha. Conclusion CR may be more effective in reducing chronic low‐grade inflammation than IF. However, there were some concerns regarding the included studies' randomization and allocation sequence concealment process.

Abstract Introduction: Current guidelines state the effectiveness of desmopressin to reduce hematoma expansion in antiplatelet-related intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is uncertain. This study sought to determine if desmopressin decreased hematoma expansion in ICH patients on antiplatelet agents. Methods: We conducted a multi-center, retrospective propensity-matched cohort study at 11 US emergency departments (ED) that participate in EMPHARM-NET. Adult patients ≥18 years with a primary diagnosis of spontaneous ICH on antiplatelets prior to admission from January 1, 2017 through May 1, 2021 were included. The primary endpoint was good or excellent hemostatic efficacy within the first 24 hours following ICH between patients that did and did not receive desmopressin. Brain imaging was reviewed using 3D-Slicer by blinded expert physicians. Results: Overall, 1408 patients were evaluated for inclusion. A total of 324 patients were included, of which 13.8% (n=45) received desmopressin and 86.1% (n=279) did not. After propensity matching, 35 patients receive desmopressin compared to 140 controls. Baseline hematoma volume (27.6 mL vs. 2.1 mL) and was significantly higher in the desmopressin group. The primary endpoint of good or excellent hemostatic efficacy was similar between groups (74.3% desmopressin group vs. 85% control group, -10.7% [-28.1% to 6.7%]). There was no difference in secondary outcomes. Conclusion: In this multicenter cohort, patients receiving desmopressin had higher baseline intraparenchymal hematoma volume, and did not appear to result in improved hemostatic efficacy relative to the control group. These results suggest against routine administration of desmopressin for antiplatelet-related ICH, though future study in a randomized trial design is necessary.