Citations

ABSTRACT Femoral nerve block is an essential regional anesthetic technique for surgery and analgesia of the anterior thigh, hip, and knee. Its effectiveness depends on understanding the femoral nerve's origin, branching pattern, fascial relationships, and common anatomical variations. This review summarizes current anatomical, cadaveric, and imaging studies to clarify the course of the femoral nerve and highlight variations such as high divisions, accessory branches, and vascular overlap that may influence block success. Approaches including landmark, nerve stimulator, and ultrasound‐guided techniques are reviewed with emphasis on procedural anatomy. Ultrasound features of the femoral nerve and fascia iliaca are correlated with cadaveric findings to outline optimal needle placement and spread of injectate. Continuous catheter methods, anesthetic selection, and volume considerations are also described. Comparative evidence indicates that ultrasound guidance improves accuracy, reduces vascular puncture, and decreases local anesthetic requirements compared with blind or stimulator‐based approaches. Clinical applications across orthopedic surgery, trauma care, and multimodal perioperative pathways are discussed, along with potential complications such as nerve injury, hematoma, systemic toxicity, and quadriceps weakness. Specifically, detailed knowledge of the femoral nerve's course beneath the fascia iliaca, its shifting proximity to the femoral vessels, and its variable early branching is the key to accurate needle placement, dependable block success, and fewer procedure‐related complications.

Abstract Rationale Low-sodium oxybate (LXB; Xywav®) is FDA approved for treatment of cataplexy and excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) in people ≥7 years of age with narcolepsy, and for idiopathic hypersomnia in adults. LXB Prescribing Information includes a Warning and Precaution for respiratory depression and sleep-disordered breathing; therefore, data on safety of LXB in people with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA; a common comorbidity among people with narcolepsy or idiopathic hypersomnia) are needed. This post hoc analysis of DUET (Develop hypersomnia Understanding by Evaluating low-sodium oxybate Treatment; NCT05875974), a prospective, open-label phase 4 study, evaluated respiratory parameters in participants taking LXB with or without comorbid OSA, in 3 cohorts: narcolepsy or idiopathic hypersomnia (LXB ≤9 g/night), or narcolepsy (LXB >9 g/night). Methods Participants underwent the following study periods: screening, 8-day baseline (BL; off-LXB for narcolepsy and idiopathic hypersomnia cohorts; on-LXB 9 g/night for >9 g cohort), 2-8-week dose titration, 2-week stable-dose, 8-day end-of-treatment (EOT; on optimized total nightly dosage; ≤12 g for the >9 g cohort), and 2-week safety follow-up. Participants with BL apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) >10 (treated/untreated OSA) were excluded from the study. Overnight polysomnography assessments conducted at BL and EOT included respiratory parameters: AHI, central apnea index (CAI), and percentage of total sleep time spent with oxygen saturation (SpO2) <90% (T90). Treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) were assessed by OSA group. Least squares mean changes were adjusted for BL values. Results Fifty-five participants enrolled in the narcolepsy cohort, 9% (5/55) had comorbid OSA; 22% (10/46) and 31% (15/48) had comorbid OSA in the idiopathic hypersomnia and narcolepsy >9 g cohorts, respectively (3, 9, and 12 were on OSA treatment throughout the study). Most participants (narcolepsy, idiopathic hypersomnia, narcolepsy >9 g) were female (72.7%, 80.4%, 62.5%) and White (80.0%, 84.8%, 77.1%). No worsening of sleep-disordered breathing was observed during LXB treatment, as evidenced by respiratory parameters AHI, CAI, and T90 assessed at BL and EOT in either participants with or without OSA (Table 1). Percentages of participants with/without OSA reporting ≥1 TEAE were 60.0%/62.0% (narcolepsy), 80.0%/72.2% (idiopathic hypersomnia), and 66.7%/78.8% (narcolepsy >9 g). Most TEAEs were mild or moderate; 1 serious TEAE each occurred in the idiopathic hypersomnia cohort (with OSA) and the narcolepsy >9 g cohort (without OSA). Conclusions No worsening respiratory signals were observed with LXB treatment in participants with or without comorbid (mild or treated) OSA in the narcolepsy, idiopathic hypersomnia, or narcolepsy taking >9 g LXB dosage cohorts. This abstract is funded by: Jazz Pharmaceuticals

Abstract Introduction Low-sodium oxybate (LXB; Xywav®), the only FDA-approved treatment for idiopathic hypersomnia in adults, was evaluated in the phase 4, open-label DUET study (NCT05875974). This post-hoc analysis evaluated subgroups of participants with idiopathic hypersomnia stratified by patient-reported ideal nighttime sleep duration (with [>9 hours] and without [≤9 hours] long sleep need [LSN]), based on Idiopathic Hypersomnia Severity Scale (IHSS) Item 1. Methods DUET included screening, 8-day baseline (BL), 2−8-week LXB dose titration/optimization, 2-week stable-dose, 8-day end-of-treatment (EOT), and 2-week safety follow-up periods. Outcomes were Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), IHSS, polysomnographic total sleep time (TST), and Patient Global Impression of Severity (PGI-S) and Change (PGI-C). Least squares mean (LSM) changes (BL-to-EOT) were BL-adjusted; P values are nominal. Treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) were assessed by subgroup. Results Of 46 enrolled participants with idiopathic hypersomnia, 45 had BL IHSS data; 24 reported LSN (>9 hours) and 21 reported no LSN (≤9 hours). Most (LSN/without LSN) were female (100%/61.9%) and White (91.7%/76.2%), with mean±SD age 36.8±11.1/38.6±12.1 years; 20/24 and 19/21 completed the study. BL mean±SE (LSN/without LSN) ESS scores were 16.8±0.5/16.1±0.7; LSM changes (95% CI): LSN −9.5 (−11.5, −7.6; P< 0.0001; n=20), without LSN −7.4 (−9.4, −5.4; P< 0.0001; n=19). BL mean±SE (LSN/without LSN) IHSS total scores were 35.7±1.3/30.5±1.8; LSM changes (95% CI): LSN −18.3 (−22.4, −14.1; P< 0.0001; n=19), without LSN −12.5 (−16.9, −8.0; P< 0.0001; n=17). BL mean±SE (LSN/without LSN) IHSS long sleep/sleep inertia component scores were 12.5±0.6/9.2±0.6; LSM changes (95% CI): LSN −5.5 (−6.8, −4.1; P< 0.0001; n=19), without LSN −4.0 (−5.4, −2.5; P< 0.0001; n=17). BL mean±SE (LSN/without LSN) polysomnographic TSTs were 490.0±26.0/442.7± 24.7 minutes; LSM changes (95% CI): LSN −53.1 (−92.5, −13.7; P=0.0097; n=20), without LSN −59.4 (−99.8, −18.9; P=0.0052; n=19). On the PGI-C, most participants (LSN/without LSN) endorsed improved overall disease (100%/88.2%; n=19/n=17) at EOT. TEAEs were reported in 79.2% (LSN) and 66.7% (without LSN); most (LSN/without LSN) were mild (45.8%/42.9%) or moderate (33.3%/23.8%) in severity; 1 (without LSN) was serious (unrelated to study drug). Conclusion Participants with or without LSN (>9 hours or ≤9 hours, respectively) taking LXB showed improvements in multiple idiopathic hypersomnia symptoms and reduced TST. Support (if any) Jazz Pharmaceuticals

Abstract Introduction Jazz DUET (Develop hypersomnia Understanding by Evaluating low-sodium oxybate Treatment; NCT05875974) was the first study to evaluate effectiveness/safety of low-sodium oxybate (LXB; Xywav®) >9 g/night (outside the recommended range: 6–9 g/night). This analysis evaluated changes in patient-reported hypersomnolence measures in participants with narcolepsy taking LXB >9 g/night compared with LXB 9 g/night. Methods DUET was a phase 4, prospective, open-label study with screening, 8-day LXB 9 g/night (9g-baseline), titration/optimization, stable-dose, and 8-day end-of-treatment (EOT) optimized LXB >9 g/night (up to 12g; >9g-EOT) periods. Patient-reported measures included Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), electronic sleep diaries (completed daily during 9g-baseline and >9g-EOT; subjective total sleep time [TST], number of awakenings, sleep efficiency [TST divided by time in bed], sleep quality [5-point scale; “very good” to “very poor”], and how rested/refreshed the participant felt upon awakening [5-point scale; “very well” to “not at all”]), Karolinska Sleepiness Scale (KSS; administered 90 minutes post-polysomnography awakening at 9g-baseline and >9g-EOT), and Functional Outcomes of Sleep Questionnaire-10 (FOSQ-10). LSM differences (95% CI) from 9g-baseline to >9g-EOT (nominal P-values) were 9g-baseline-adjusted. Results Forty-eight participants took LXB >9g (mean±SD age: 39.2±10.9 years; 62.5% female). Total stable-dose LXB (mean±SD) was 11.1±1.0 g/night (n=45). From 9g-baseline to >9g-EOT, ESS scores improved (LSM [95% CI]: –3.1 [–4.2, –1.9]; P< 0.0001; n=44), nocturnal TST increased (0.3h [0.1, 0.4]; P=0.0163; n=26), sleep efficiency increased (3.8% [1.7, 5.9]; P=0.0011; n=26), and number of awakenings remained stable (–0.2 [–0.7, 0.3]; P=0.3959; n=26). Percentage of participants rating sleep quality as “very good”/”good” increased from 26.9% (9g-baseline) to 61.5% (>9g-EOT), as did rested sleep (“very well”/”well”/”somewhat” rested) from 57.7% to 69.2%, respectively. From 9g-baseline to >9g-EOT, KSS scores decreased (–0.9 [–1.4, –0.4]; P=0.0004; n=39); FOSQ-10 scores also increased (1.3 [0.5, 2.0]; P=0.0014; n=40). Of 48 participants, 36 (75.0%) experienced ≥1 TEAE (mostly mild/moderate and 1 serious [syncope, unrelated to treatment]). No changes in respiratory polysomnography measures were observed. Conclusion Participants with narcolepsy who optimized to LXB >9 g/night, relative to 9 g/night, reported increased sleep quality and restfulness that paralleled improvements in daytime sleepiness and daytime functioning. TEAEs were consistent with those at lower dosages. Support (if any) Jazz Pharmaceuticals

Abstract Introduction People with idiopathic hypersomnia often experience sleep inertia, characterized by profound difficulty waking up with grogginess, disorientation, and cognitive impairment immediately after awakening. This post-hoc analysis of the DUET study (NCT05875974) evaluated objective and subjective sleep inertia in participants with idiopathic hypersomnia taking low-sodium oxybate (LXB; Xywav®) stratified by patient-reported ideal nighttime sleep duration (with [>9h] and without [≤9h] long sleep need [LSN]), based on Idiopathic Hypersomnia Severity Scale (IHSS) item 1. Methods DUET was a phase 4, prospective, open-label study of LXB with baseline (BL), titration/optimization, stable-dose, and end-of-treatment (EOT) periods. Exploratory outcomes included Psychomotor Vigilance Test (PVT; objective performance impairment) and Karolinska Sleepiness Scale (KSS; subjective sleepiness), administered BL and EOT, in the morning after overnight polysomnogram. The 10-minute PVT was completed at 10, 40, and 90 minutes after awakening. The KSS, a single-item, 9-point scale, was completed upon awakening and immediately before/after PVT assessments. Separate nonlinear, mixed-effects regression models were applied to PVT lapses and KSS ratings to estimate objective and subjective sleep inertia magnitudes, respectively, in LSN subgroups, along with sleep inertia dissipation time constants for the overall cohort. Treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) were assessed. Results Of 46 enrolled participants with idiopathic hypersomnia, 45 had BL IHSS data; 24 reported LSN and 21 reported no LSN. Most (with/without LSN) were female (100.0%/61.9%) and White (91.7%/76.2%); 20/24 and 19/21 completed the study. Based on PVT lapses, objective sleep inertia ±SE (with/without LSN) at BL was 17.0±4.2/4.2±2.8, and at EOT was 0.0±na/2.0±0.9 (BL-to-EOT changes [95% CI]: −17.0 [−25.5, −8.5] and −2.2 [−6.9, 2.5]). Based on KSS, subjective sleep inertia ±SE (with/without LSN) at BL was 6.5±0.3/5.1±0.5, and at EOT was 0.81±0.5/1.5±0.6 (BL-to-EOT changes [95% CI]: −5.7 [−6.7, −4.7] and −3.5 [−4.5, −2.6]). Sleep inertia dissipation time constants ±SE were 2.7±1.1h (PVT) and 13.9±3.8h (KSS). TEAEs were consistent with the known LXB safety profile. Conclusion Participants with idiopathic hypersomnia experienced subjective and objective sleep inertia at BL, with prolonged dissipation after awakening. Objective BL sleep inertia was particularly severe in participants with LSN (>9h). After LXB treatment, notable improvements in objective and subjective sleep inertia were observed for both subgroups. Support (if any) Jazz Pharmaceuticals

Abstract Introduction Sleep inertia (characterized by profound difficulty waking up with grogginess, disorientation, and cognitive impairment immediately after awakening) is a core idiopathic hypersomnia symptom and may also be experienced by individuals with narcolepsy. Sleep inertia in individuals with narcolepsy is not well studied. This post-hoc analysis of the DUET study (NCT05875974) evaluated sleep inertia in narcolepsy type 1 (NT1) and narcolepsy type 2 (NT2) subgroups of the DUET narcolepsy cohort. Methods DUET was a phase 4, prospective, open-label study with baseline (BL), titration/optimization, stable-dose, and end-of-treatment (EOT) periods. Exploratory outcomes included Psychomotor Vigilance Test (PVT; objective performance impairment) and Karolinska Sleepiness Scale (KSS; subjective sleepiness); both administered at BL and EOT, in the morning after overnight polysomnogram. The 10-minute PVT was completed at 10, 40, and 90 minutes after awakening. The KSS, a single-item, 9-point scale, was completed upon awakening and immediately before and after the PVT assessments. Separate nonlinear, mixed-effects regression models were applied to PVT lapses and KSS ratings to estimate objective and subjective sleep inertia magnitudes, respectively, for NT1 and NT2, along with sleep inertia dissipation time constants for the overall cohort. Treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) were assessed. Results Of 55 enrolled participants with narcolepsy, 26 and 29 had NT1 and NT2, respectively. Most (NT1/NT2) were female (73.1%/72.4%) and White (73.1%/86.2%); 16/26 and 18/29 completed the study. Based on PVT lapses, objective sleep inertia ±SE (NT1/NT2) at BL was 33.1±6.2/14.9±3.2, and at EOT was 8.3±1.7/3.2±1.1 (BL-to-EOT changes [95% CI]: −24.8 [−35.5, −14.1] and −11.8 [−17.4, −6.1]). Based on KSS ratings, subjective sleep inertia ±SE (NT1/NT2) at BL was 1.1±0.6/1.1±0.5, and at EOT was 0.8±0.5/1.3±0.5 (BL-to-EOT changes [95% CI]: −0.3 [−1.9, 1.2] and 0.2 [−1.3, 1.6]). Sleep inertia dissipation time constants ±SE were 1.6±0.3h (PVT) and 0.4±0.1h (KSS) for the overall cohort. TEAEs were consistent with the known LXB safety profile. Conclusion Participants with narcolepsy, especially NT1, demonstrated objective sleep inertia at BL. Participants with NT1 or NT2 showed substantial improvements in objective sleep inertia with LXB treatment. Support (if any) Jazz Pharmaceuticals

In metabolic dysfunction–associated steatohepatitis (MASH), liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs) acquire a proinflammatory phenotype termed lipotoxic endotheliopathy. We previously identified glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β) as a central signaling hub in LSECs during MASH. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms and functional outcome of lipotoxicity-induced GSK3β activation in LSECs, we utilized endothelial cell–specific Gsk3 β -KO ( Gsk3 β ΔEnd ) mice fed MASH-inducing diets. Endothelial Gsk3 β deletion significantly reduced markers of lipotoxic endotheliopathy, including adhesion molecules and chemokines, alongside liver injury, inflammation, and fibrosis. Immune profiling via flow cytometry and mass cytometry by time of flight (CyTOF) identified decreased hepatic infiltration of proinflammatory myeloid populations, particularly mature DCs in Gsk3 β ΔEnd mice. In a coculture system, GSK3β in lipotoxic LSECs promoted DCs maturation. Mechanistically, GSK3 inhibition restored lipotoxicity-induced alterations in LSEC mitochondrial morphology and respiration by regulating AMP-activated protein kinase and dynamin-related protein 1. This rescue suppressed chemokine and adhesion molecule expression, thereby limiting immune cell recruitment. Collectively, under lipotoxic stress, GSK3β amplifies mitochondrial dysfunction and inflammatory signaling in LSECs, enhancing myeloid cell homing and DC maturation. Targeting LSEC GSK3β may, therefore, represent a promising therapeutic strategy to mitigate LSEC-driven fibroinflammatory response in human MASH.

Abstract Aims Pulsed field ablation for atrial fibrillation offers shorter procedural times and improved safety compared with thermal ablation, but the optimal anaesthesia strategy remains uncertain. Most centres in the USA use general anaesthesia with endotracheal intubation, whereas monitored anaesthesia care without endotracheal intubation may be a safe and efficient alternative. Objectives To compare procedural efficiency and safety between monitored anaesthesia care and general anaesthesia for pulsed field ablation. Methods and results Consecutive adults who underwent pulsed field ablation for atrial fibrillation between 2024 and 2025 at Marshfield Clinic Health System were included. The anaesthesia approach was determined by operator preference. Procedural times, medication use, complications, and patient tolerance were recorded prospectively. Among 200 patients, 100 received monitored anaesthesia care without endotracheal intubation, and 100 received general anaesthesia. The mean age was 67 years, 42% were female, and the mean body mass index was 33 kilograms per square metre. Monitored anaesthesia care shortened case duration (77 vs. 95 min; P < 0.001) and laboratory time (118 vs. 153 min; P = 0.002) and required fewer adjunct medications (P < 0.001). Twenty-five procedures (25%) were challenging due to cough or motion but were all completed safely. Complications occurred in one monitored anaesthesia care case and six general anaesthesia cases (P = 0.054). Pulmonary vein isolation was achieved in all patients. Conclusion Monitored anaesthesia care without endotracheal intubation was safe, efficient, and resource-sparing compared with general anaesthesia for pulsed field atrial fibrillation ablation.

Background and Aims: Liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs) acquire a proinflammatory phenotype in metabolic dysfunction–associated steatohepatitis (MASH), characterized by enhanced expression of adhesion molecules and inflammatory mediators, a process termed lipotoxic endotheliopathy. However, the molecular drivers of this transformation remain incompletely defined. Approach and Results: We employed complementary models of lipotoxicity and MASH, including palmitate-treated primary human LSECs (in vitro), cultured precision-cut liver slices (PCLS) from MASH mice and normal human liver treated with MASH-inducing media (ex vivo), and diet-induced MASH models (in vivo). GeoMx digital spatial profiling of human MASH livers revealed enriched proinflammatory and fibrogenic signaling between LSECs and myeloid cells. Among the top upregulated genes and ligand–receptor pairs was ICAM1 , whose expression correlated with disease severity and was increased in human MASH by immunostaining. ATAC-seq on primary mouse LSECs showed enhanced chromatin accessibility at the Icam1 promoter in MASH. Chromatin immunoprecipitation confirmed enrichment of the active epigenetic mark H3K27ac and BRD4 binding at the ICAM1 promoter in human LSECs under lipotoxic stress. Mechanistically, we identified the GSK3β/c-Jun/BRD4 axis as a key regulator of ICAM1 induction in LSECs. In vivo, ICAM1-neutralizing antibody or endothelial-specific epigenetic suppression reduced hepatic inflammation, injury, and fibrosis in MASH mice. Conclusions: ICAM1 is epigenetically upregulated in LSECs during lipotoxic stress and promotes myeloid cell recruitment in MASH. Targeting the epigenetic regulation of ICAM1 may offer a novel therapeutic strategy for treating human MASH.