Citations

Across multiancestry groups, we analyzed Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) associations in over 176,000 individuals with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) versus controls. We demonstrate that the two diseases share the same protective association at the HLA locus. HLA-specific fine-mapping showed that hierarchical protective effects of HLA-DRB1 *04 subtypes best accounted for the association, strongest with HLA-DRB1 *04:04 and HLA-DRB1 *04:07, and intermediary with HLA-DRB1 *04:01 and HLA-DRB1 *04:03. The same signal was associated with decreased neurofibrillary tangles in postmortem brains and was associated with reduced tau levels in cerebrospinal fluid and to a lower extent with increased Aβ42. Protective HLA-DRB1 *04 subtypes strongly bound the aggregation-prone tau PHF6 sequence, however only when acetylated at a lysine (K311), a common posttranslational modification central to tau aggregation. An HLA-DRB1 *04-mediated adaptive immune response decreases PD and AD risks, potentially by acting against tau, offering the possibility of therapeutic avenues.

OBJETIVO: Estimar a prevalência de gestação não planejada (GNP) em oito hospitais públicos universitários, distribuídos nas cinco regiões que compõem o Brasil. MÉTODOS: Análise secundária de um estudo transversal multicêntrico nacional, realizado em oito hospitais universitários públicos, entre 1º de junho e 31 de agosto de 2020, no Brasil. Amostra por conveniência incluindo mulheres que deram à luz em período de sessenta dias consecutivos e atenderam aos seguintes critérios: maiores de 18 anos; idade gestacional acima de 36 semanas no parto; com recém-nascido único e vivo, sem malformações. RESULTADOS: Amostra composta por 1.120 puérperas, das quais 756 (67,5%) declararam que a gravidez não tinha sido programada. A mediana da prevalência de GNP foi de 59,7%. Observou-se diferença significativa na prevalência de GNP entre os hospitais: Campinas (54,8%), Porto Alegre (58,2%), Florianópolis (59%), Teresina (61,2%), Brasília (64,3%), São Paulo (64,6%), Campo Grande (73,9%) e Manaus (95,3%) (p < 0,001). Foram fatores significativamente associados a GNP a idade materna, cor negra, menor renda familiar, maior número de filhos, maior número de pessoas convivendo em casa e não ter parceiro. CONCLUSÃO: na amostra estudada, cerca de dois terços das gestações foram declaradas como não programadas. A prevalência de gestação não planejada teve relação com fatores sociais e demográficos e variou significativamente entre os hospitais universitários avaliados.

Background: Most strokes and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are potentially preventable if their risk factors are identified and well controlled. Digital platforms, such as the PreventS-MD web app (PreventS-MD) may aid health care professionals (HCPs) in assessing and managing risk factors and promoting lifestyle changes for their patients. Methods: This is a mixed-methods cross-sectional two-phase survey using a largely positivist (quantitative and qualitative) framework. During Phase 1, a prototype of PreventS-MD was tested internationally by 59 of 69 consenting HCPs of different backgrounds, age, sex, working experience, and specialties using hypothetical data. Collected comments/suggestions from the study HCPs in Phase 1 were reviewed and implemented. In Phase 2, a near-final version of PreventS-MD was developed and tested by 58 of 72 consenting HCPs using both hypothetical and real patient (n = 10) data. Qualitative semi-structured interviews with real patients (n = 10) were conducted, and 1 month adherence to the preventive recommendations was assessed by self-reporting. The four System Usability Scale (SUS) groups of scores (0–50 unacceptable; 51–68 poor; 68–80.3 good; >80.3 excellent) were used to determine usability of PreventS-MD. Findings: Ninety-nine HCPs from 27 countries (45% from low- to middle-income countries) participated in the study, and out of them, 10 HCPs were involved in the development of PreventS before the study, and therefore were not involved in the survey. Of the remaining 89 HCPs, 69 consented to the first phase of the survey, and 59 of them completed the first phase of the survey (response rate 86%), and 58 completed the second phase of the survey (response rate 84%). The SUS scores supported good usability of the prototype (mean score = 80.2; 95% CI [77.0–84.0]) and excellent usability of the final version of PreventS-MD (mean score = 81.7; 95% CI [79.1–84.3]) in the field. Scores were not affected by the age, sex, working experience, or specialty of the HCPs. One-month follow-up of the patients confirmed the high level of satisfaction/acceptability of PreventS-MD and (100%) adherence to the recommendations. Interpretation: The PreventS-MD web app has a high level of usability, feasibility, and satisfaction by HCPs and individuals at risk of stroke/CVD. Individuals at risk of stroke/CVD demonstrated a high level of confidence and motivation in following and adhering to preventive recommendations generated by PreventS-MD.

Background For acute proximal intracranial artery occlusions, contact aspiration may be more effective than stent‐retriever for first‐line reperfusion therapy. Due to the lack of data regarding medium vessel occlusion thrombectomy, we evaluated outcomes according to first‐line technique in a large, multicenter registry. Methods Imaging, procedural, and clinical outcomes of patients with acute proximal medium vessel occlusions (M2, A1, or P1) or distal medium vessel occlusions (M3, A2, P2, or further) treated at 37 sites in 10 countries were analyzed according to first‐line endovascular technique (stent‐retriever versus aspiration). Multivariable logistic regression and propensity‐score matching were used to estimate the odds of the primary outcome, expanded Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction score of 2b–3 (“successful recanalization”), as well as secondary outcomes (first‐pass effect, expanded Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction 2c‐3, intracerebral hemorrhage, and 90‐day modified Rankin scale, 90‐day mortality) between treatment groups. Results Of the 440 included patients (44.5% stent‐retriever versus 55.5% aspiration), those treated with stent‐retriever had lower baseline Alberta Stroke Program Early Computed Tomography Scale scores (median 8 versus 9; P <0.01), higher National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale scores (median 13 versus 11; P =0.02), and nonsignificantly fewer medium‐distal occlusions (M3, A2, P2, or other: 17.4% versus 23.8%; P =0.10). Use of a stent‐retriever was associated with 15% lower odds of successful recanalization (odds ratio [OR], 0.85; [95% CI 0.74–0.98]; P =0.02), but this was not significant after multivariable adjustment in the total cohort (adjusted OR, 0.88; [95% CI 0.72–1.09]; P =0.24), or in the propensity‐score matched cohort (n=105 in each group) (adjusted OR, 0.94; [95% CI 0.75–1.18]; P =0.60). There was no significant association between technique and secondary outcomes in the propensity‐score matched adjusted models. Conclusion In this large, diverse, multinational medium vessel occlusion cohort, we found no significant difference in imaging or clinical outcomes with aspiration versus stent‐retriever thrombectomy.

Abstract Importance: The poly-adenosine diphosphate–ribose polymerase (PARP) enzymes are important for DNA single-strand break repair and PARP inhibitors (PARPi) cause an accumulation of unresolved DNA damage in tumors with BRCA1/2 mutations, resulting in cell death. However, because platinum salts also ultimately cause double-strand DNA breaks and may have overlapping mechanisms of resistance with PARPi, the efficacy of PARPi in patients with prior platinum therapy is unknown. Objective We sought to evaluate the efficacy of PARPi in patients with BRCA1/2-related breast cancer and previous platinum exposure. Data Sources: PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases were searched for papers up to June 26, 2022. Study Selection: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies that evaluated the efficacy of PARPi in patients with advanced or metastatic breast cancer and germline BRCA1/2 mutations. Two independent investigators identified double-blind, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that included the subgroup of previous exposure to platinum. Data Extraction and Synthesis: Data extraction from published reports and quality assessment were performed under Cochrane recommendations. The software Review Manager 5.3 was selected for conducting the statistical analyses. Main Outcome(s) and Measure(s): The primary endpoint of interest was progression-free survival (PFS). Hazard ratios (HRs) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) were pooled, and a p-value of < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results From 2,069 database results (487 on PubMed; 1,376 on Embase; and 206 on Cochrane), 42 studies were fully reviewed, and 4 RCTs (total of 249 patients) were included in the final investigation. The PARPi included were Olaparib, Talazoparib, Niraparib, and Veliparib. Pooled analysis showed that PARPi improved PFS in breast cancer patients with prior treatment with platinum-based therapy compared to the control group [HR = 0.72; 95% CI, 0.53–0.97; p = 0.03]. For comparison, the population without previous platinum exposure had a similar magnitude of benefit from PARPi [HR = 0.68; 95% CI, 0.52–0.89; p = 0.005]. Conclusions and Relevance: Despite the concerns about cross-resistance between PARPi and platinum agents, patients with advanced breast cancer and previous exposure to platinum therapy have a longer PFS with PARPi when compared to standard chemotherapy.

Abstract Atypical Teratoid/Rhabdoid Tumors (ATRTs) are malignant tumors of the central nervous system in children. They are almost universally characterized by genetic loss of SWI/SNF Related, Matrix Associated, Actin Dependent Regulator of Chromatin Subfamily member B1 (SMARCB1) - a core subunit of the ATP-dependent SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex, and dysregulation of lineage restricted enhancers. Here, we show that tumor subgroup-specific upregulation of a distant member of the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), bone morphogenic factor (BMF) family of proteins drives insensitivity to NK-mediated cytolysis in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, subgroup-specific loss of chromatin occupancy by the RE1 Silencing Transcription Factor (REST) to its consensus RE1 motif, allowed deposition of enhancer-specific histone H3 lysine4 (K4) mono-methylation and histone H3K27 acetylation marks to activate an enhancer-promoter interaction. Restoration of REST binding or BET-domain inhibition resulted in a significant reduction in the enhancer marks and enhancer-promoter interaction and involved histone H3K27me3 deposition at the REST binding site, to facilitate gene silencing and sensitization of ATRTs to NK-mediated cytolysis. Thus, our study has identified a novel function for REST as a modulator of tumor-intrinsic enhancer activity and tumor-extrinsic immune microenvironment. Of equal significance, we highlight a role of REST in recruiting the polycomb repressive complex-2 (PRC2) in gene silencing in ATRTs.

e24049 Background: Vulvo-Vaginal Atrophy (VVA) or Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause (GSM) is a common condition among breast cancer (BC) patients, especially those undergoing antiestrogen therapy. Despite being an option in refractory cases, the safety of hormonal treatment remains uncertain in this population. The aim of this study was to review the safety and serum estrogen levels of hormonal therapy in patients with BC history presenting with VVA symptoms. Methods: Pubmed, Embase, and Cochrane were searched for studies comparing different hormonal treatment options for VVA in breast cancer survivors. Statistical analysis was performed using a random effects model and heterogeneity using Cochran's Q-statistic and the I2 index. Results: We included 17 studies, of which 5 were randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Treatment modalities included in this study were topical vaginal estradiol and estriol preparations, vaginally applied testosterone, DHEA, and ospemifene. We found that, among patients treated with the estriol and estradiol preparations, there was an average increase of 7.67pg/ml (SMD 7.67 pg/mL; 95% CI -1.00, 16.35; p < 0.001). Analysis of the testosterone group found temporary peaks of serum estradiol levels, but one study showed persistent elevation above normal postmenopausal levels. One study with prasterone revealed no elevation of serum estradiol concentration. One study with ospemifene demonstrated no increase in the risk of BC recurrence. Conclusions: In conclusion, among treatments available for BC survivors, low-dose vaginal estrogen showed the smallest changes in serum estradiol levels and had the most evidence, but safety remains unclear, especially for patients on aromatase inhibitors. Alternative treatments such as ospemifene need more data supporting safety and efficacy. These results suggest that concerns related to cancer recurrence should keep aiming for the lowest possible concentration.