Citations

Abstract Introduction: Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) affects over 2 million individuals aged ≥70 in the US. Earlier detection of smoldering multiple myeloma (SMM) and multiple myeloma (MM) in individuals with suspected MGUS via bone marrow biopsy allows for earlier active monitoring and potential intervention, including with daratumumab for high-risk SMM. Risk prediction for the presence of SMM or MM with the iStopMM and Mayo Clinic models leads to decreased individual-patient and population-level resource utilization burden of bone marrow testing with the tradeoff of some missed non-MGUS diagnoses. We sought to quantify the value of earlier diagnosis, while additionally accounting for the recent results of the AQUILA trial, by assessing the lifetime cost-effectiveness of bone marrow testing strategies for patients with suspected MGUS. Methods: In this independent analysis free of industry influence, we used a decision tree with nested Markov cohort models to evaluate diagnosis and disease progression from MGUS and SMM to MM across 3 diagnostic strategies employing: (1) iStopMM risk prediction model versus (2) Mayo Clinic risk stratification and prediction model versus (3) a test-all strategy. Both risk prediction model performance characteristics were derived from the largest population-level prospective cohort study. Individuals in the MGUS state were monitored annually for disease progression with blood tests. The SMM state included two groups: those correctly diagnosed through biopsy and those misclassified as MGUS due to not undergoing biopsy under the prediction model triage rules (missed SMM diagnosis). As recommended by guidelines, diagnosed patients with non–low-risk SMM were monitored with blood tests every three months; those with low-risk SMM were tested every six months. All diagnosed SMM patients underwent imaging for bone lesions at diagnosis and annually for up to five years. Missed SMM patients were monitored at the same frequency as those with MGUS until disease progression. Early versus delayed myeloma diagnosis complications were informed by real-world multi-institutional quasi-experimental data of consecutively diagnosed patients with MM. MM treatment and outcomes across up to four lines of therapy were modeled exactly as previously published in a validated model. In additional scenario analyses, we assessed the impact of daratumumab monotherapy in the care of people with high-risk SMM across all 3 testing strategies by incorporating the progression free survival and overall survival benefit as reported in the phase 3 AQUILA study. The primary outcome was the incremental net monetary benefit (iNMB), reported across all accepted US willingness-to-pay (WTP) thresholds from a US health system perspective. We concluded with extensive deterministic sensitivity analyses and additionally quantified uncertainty across all model parameters simultaneously with 10,000 Monte Carlo simulations. Results: The iStopMM model was the cost-effective strategy yielding the highest NMB of all strategies at every WTP threshold, with per-patient cost and effectiveness of $188,300 and 10.21 QALYs, respectively. This strategy was dominant—costing less and producing more QALYs—than both the Mayo Clinic and test-all strategies. At the population level, use of the iStopMM model over the Mayo Clinic model and the test-all strategy yields iNMBs of $0.67 [95% CI: 0.2 – 1.14] billion and $3.13 [95%CI: 2.80-3.47] billion, respectively, in favor of the iStopMM strategy. The iStopMM strategy was the cost-effective strategy in 100% of 10,000 second order Monte Carlo iterations. In deterministic sensitivity analyses, the top three parameters the iNMB was most sensitive to were prediction model test characteristics (i.e., sensitivity and specificity) as well as the baseline prevalence of SMM. However, no parameter variation could change the conclusion that iStopMM is the cost-effective strategy. In scenario analyses incorporating benefit of daratumumab monotherapy in the care of individuals with high-risk SMM, the iStopMM model remained the cost-effective strategy. Conclusion: Using the iStopMM risk prediction model for marrow sampling in patients with suspected MGUS leads to cost savings per patient evaluated, both with and without incorporating daratumumab benefit in the care of individuals with high-risk SMM, as compared to both the Mayo Clinic model and testing all with bone marrow biopsy.

Abstract Background: Intravenous (IV) isatuximab plus pomalidomide and dexamethasone (Isa-Pd) is approved for treatment in patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) based on the ICARIA-MM study. Subcutaneous (SC) administration of Isa offers potential advantages such as shorter administration duration and greater patient comfort compared with IV routes. Isa SC via an on-body injector (OBI), an investigational wearable bolus injector, demonstrated safety and efficacy in a Phase 1b study in patients with RRMM. The IRAKLIA trial (NCT05405166) was the first Phase 3 trial evaluating the non-inferiority of Isa-Pd SC via an OBI vs Isa-Pd IV in patients with RRMM. Here, we report the findings of the IRAKLIA trial in the East Asian subgroup with RRMM. Methods: This global, multicenter, open-label study enrolledpatients aged ≥18 years with RRMM who had received ≥1 prior line of therapy (LOT) including lenalidomide and a proteasome inhibitor (PI). Patients were randomized 1:1 to Isa SC (1400 mg) or Isa IV (10 mg/kg) weekly in Cycle (C)1, then every 2 weeks in addition to P (4 mg orally daily, Day [D]1-21) and d (40 mg orally [20 mg if age ≥75 years] weekly). Treatment was administered in 4-week cycles and continued until disease progression, unacceptable toxicity, or patient withdrawal. Co-primary endpoints included overall response rate (ORR) and observed Isa concentration before dosing (Ctrough) at steady state (predose at C6D1). Key secondary endpoints included rate of very good partial response or better (≥VGPR), Ctroughlevel Cycle 2 Day 1 (C2D1), infusion reaction incidence, and patient satisfaction rate based on the patient experience and satisfaction questionnaire (PESQ) at C5D15. Results: The East Asian subgroup consisted of 105 patients from China (Mainland, n=82 and Taiwan, n=1) and Japan(n=22) (SC, n=50; IV, n=55). Baseline characteristics of the East Asian subgroup were generally balanced between the two arms and generally comparable to the overall global population (median age 62 years; median 2 prior LOT; 29.5% high-risk cytogenetics; 82.9% refractory to lenalidomide; 7.6% prior exposure to daratumumab). After a median of 13.0 months follow-up, ORR in the SC and IV arm was 74.0% and 70.9%, respectively (relative risk [95% CI] = 1.044 [0.815 – 1.335]). The mean (SD) of Ctroughat C6D1 was 502 (232) µg/mL for SC arm and 282 (123) µg/mL for IV arm. The geometric mean ratio (90% CI) comparing SC to IV for Ctrough at steady state was 1.756 (1.346 – 2.290). The ≥VGPR rates were 58.0% for SC and 50.9% for IV (relative risk [95% CI] = 1.139 [0.798 – 1.631]). The mean(SD) of C2D1 Ctroughlevel was 420 (161) µg/mL for the SC arm and 262 (111) µg/mL for IV arm. The geometric mean ratio (90% CI) comparing SC to IV for Ctrough at C2D1 was 1.673 (1.321 to 2.120). The infusion reaction incidence was 0% and 21.8% for SC and IV, respectively. Grade ≥3treatment-emergent adverse events were observed in 82.0% and 87.3% of patients in the SC and IV arms, respectively. Treatment discontinuation rates were 6% for the SC arm and 12.7% for the IV arm. Injection site reactions (ISRs) occurred in 4% (2/50) of patients in the SC arm and in 0.21% (2/964) of SC injections (all Grade 1), with 99.3% of SC injections completed successfully. Isa SC patients expressed higher satisfaction with their injection method, with 64.0% of patients reporting “satisfied” or “very satisfied” vs 52.7% of Isa IV patients (odds ratio [95% CI] = 1.594 [0.728 – 3.489]). Conclusions: The efficacy, safety and pharmacokinetic results between Isa SC vs IV + Pd in the East Asian population from the IRAKLIA study were consistent with the results of the overall global population, in which non-inferiority of ORR, Ctrough at C6D1, ≥VGPR and Ctrough at C2D1 was demonstrated and statistically significantly fewer infusion reactions and higher patient satisfaction were also noted for SC vs IV. These results support the potential use of Isa SC delivered via OBI in East Asian patients and demonstrate the potential of this delivery method to improve patient experience and practice efficiency.

Background: Breast cancer polygenic risk scores (PRS) and traditional risk models (e.g., the Gail model [Gail]) are known to contribute largely independent information, but it is unclear how the overlap varies by ancestry, age, disease type (invasive breast cancer, DCIS), and risk threshold. Methods: In a retrospective case–control study, we evaluated risk prediction performance in 180,398 women (161,849 of European ancestry; 18,549 of Asian ancestry). Odds ratios (ORs) from logistic regression models and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) were estimated. Results: PRS for invasive disease showed a stronger association in younger (<50 years) women (OR = 2.51, AUC = 0.622) than in women ≥ 50 years (OR = 2.06, AUC = 0.653) of European ancestry. PRS performance in Asians was lower (OR range = 1.62–1.64, AUC = 0.551–0.600). Gail performance was modest across groups and poor in younger Asian women (OR = 0.94–0.99, AUC = 0.523–0.533). Age interactions were observed for both PRS (p < 0.001) and Gail (p < 0.001) in Europeans, whereas in Asians, age interaction was observed only for Gail (invasive: p < 0.001; DCIS: p = 0.002). PRS identified more high-risk individuals than Gail in Asian populations, especially ≥50 years, while Gail identified more in Europeans. Overlap between PRS, Gail, and family history was limited at higher thresholds. Calibration analysis, comparing empirical and model-based ROC curves, showed divergence for both PRS and Gail (p < 0.001), which indicates miscalibration. In Europeans, family history and prior biopsies drove Gail discrimination. In younger Asians, age at first live birth was influential. Conclusions: PRS adds value to risk stratification beyond traditional tools, especially in younger women and Asian ancestry populations.

ABSTRACT Suicidality contributes substantially to global morbidity and mortality, yet despite its heritability, its biological etiology remains largely elusive. We conducted multi-ancestry genome-wide association study meta-analyses of suicidal ideation (259,747 cases), suicide attempt (64,993 cases), suicide death (9,197 cases), and suicidal behavior (suicide attempt/ death, 75,300 cases), across 54 cohorts (e.g., the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium, Million Veteran Program, UK Biobank). We identified 77 significant loci across meta-analyses, including 59 previously unreported for suicidality. SNP-based heritability ranged from 2.0-6.7% and there were strong, yet incomplete, genetic correlations between suicidality phenotypes (0.70-0.88). Fine-mapping prioritized putative causal SNPs and 20 credible genes. Enrichment analyses implicated synaptic pathways and neuronal populations predominantly in subcortical brain regions (e.g., amygdala excitatory, medium spiny, hippocampal CA1-3). Together, these findings establish suicidality as a polygenic set of traits with both shared and distinct genetic influences, providing a foundation for future studies of suicide biology and etiology.

Background The purpose of this study was to clarify the usefulness of the ‘hot cross bun’ sign (HCBS) as a diagnostic imaging marker in a large cohort of patients with multiple system atrophy (MSA) and spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA). Methods This multicentre study included 97 patients with neuropathologically confirmed MSA, and 105 patients with genetically confirmed SCA. Neuroimaging features, including HCBS and middle cerebellar peduncle (MCP) hyperintensities, were assessed. HCBS was graded from 0 to 2: 0, none; 1, only a vertical hyperintense line; and 2, a cruciform hyperintense line. The neuropathological correlates of HCBS were evaluated in 15 patients with MSA with ≤3 months between MRI and autopsy. Results In patients with a disease duration <3 years, grade 1 or 2 HCBS was detected in 100% patients with MSA with predominant cerebellar ataxia (MSA-C) and 39.0% with SCA; whereas grade 2 HCBS was observed in 50% with MSA-C and 2.4% with SCA. Moreover, the coexistence of grade 2 HCBS and MCP hyperintensities exhibited a specificity of 100%. A neuropathological assessment revealed myelin loss, alpha-synuclein aggregates and astrocytic reaction in the MCP, transverse fibres, central zone between longitudinal fasciculi and raphe nucleus, with relative preservation in the longitudinal fasciculi and medial lemniscus in patients with MSA and grade 2 HCBS. Conclusions Grade 1 or 2 HCBS is a highly sensitive finding in patients with MSA-C, and the observation of grade 2 HCBS within 3 years of motor symptom onset has excellent specificity for discriminating MSA-C from SCA, especially when accompanied by MCP hyperintensities.

Abstract Intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) and resulting neurologic disability are severe complications for a subset of infants with severe hemophilia A (HA). Although prophylactic factor replacement reduces bleeding risk, it is typically delayed until after age 1 year due to risks associated with central venous access placement. Emicizumab, a subcutaneous activated factor VIII (FVIII) mimetic, has demonstrated safety and efficacy in preventing ICH in infants aged &lt;12 months in the HAVEN 7 trial. Despite its high cost, the cost-effectiveness of emicizumab prophylaxis initiated during the first year of life for infants with severe HA is not known. We developed a Markov cohort model to compare emicizumab prophylaxis to standard care (no prophylaxis) in infants aged 0 to 1 year with severe HA without FVIII inhibitors. The analysis was conducted from a US societal perspective over a lifetime horizon across all accepted willingness-to-pay (WTP) thresholds. The primary outcome was the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) in US dollar per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY). Emicizumab prophylaxis and standard care accrued 25.6 and 25.1 QALYs at costs of $13.12 million and $13.07 million, respectively, resulting in an ICER of $99 900 per QALY (95% credible interval [CI], 84 000-120 000). Scenario analysis examining prophylaxis with low-dose emicizumab resulted in an ICER of $19 600 per QALY (95% CI, 12 000-29 000). Probabilistic sensitivity analyses showed that standard-dose emicizumab is the cost-effective strategy in 100%, 66%, and 0% of 10 000 Monte Carlo iterations at WTP thresholds of $150 000, $104 000, and $50 000 per QALY, respectively, and in 100% across all WTP thresholds for low-dose emicizumab.

Abstract Background Proton therapy offers precise tumor targeting while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissue, making it especially valuable for treating tumors near critical organs and in pediatric patients. However, its success depends on accurate beam delivery, requiring rigorous quality assurance (QA) to maintain treatment precision and effectiveness. Purpose This study aims to standardize the measurement of key aspects of proton therapy delivery, such as gantry and couch isocentricity, spot position accuracy, and spot size consistency. The goal is to enhance the delivery accuracy of proton therapy across various clinical settings, improving patient outcomes. Methods The QA framework uses the Octopoint phantom, Gafchromic film, and spot position monitor (SPM) log data to evaluate proton beam isocentricity, spot position, and spot size. The Octopoint phantom, made from acrylic, was used with Gafchromic films at various gantry and couch angles to measure isocentricity. MATLAB tools were used to analyze spot positions, and SPM logs provided verification. Sensitivity tests were conducted to assess the system's response to intentional shifts and errors, ensuring alignment with clinical QA standards. Results The Octopoint phantom's stepwise two‐dimensional (2D) fitting process, validated against film‐measured dose profiles, accurately identified beam and ball bearing (BB) centroid locations. Isocentricity tests conducted over 8 months across four gantries demonstrated consistent beam‐to‐BB radial offsets. The phantom showed excellent repeatability, with a maximum standard deviation of 0.1 mm across various couch‐gantry combinations. Sensitivity testing across all axes revealed a strong alignment between intended shifts and measured values. Over the course of a year, film measurements tracked spot position and size consistency, with deviations remaining within acceptable clinical limits. Comparisons with SPM data further confirmed the system's reliability in maintaining beam accuracy across different gantry angles and energy levels. Conclusions This study presents a reliable QA framework for ensuring precision in proton therapy delivery. By combining the Octopoint phantom, Gafchromic film analysis, and SPM log file evaluation, we effectively measured isocentricity, spot position accuracy, and spot size stability. The framework demonstrated adaptability across various clinical QA tasks, enhancing the accuracy and safety of proton therapy treatments.

ABSTRACT Iron deficiency (ID) is a top five leading cause of disability‐adjusted life‐years in women of reproductive age around the world. Despite its enormous health burden, no screening guidelines exist for the detection and treatment of ID in women of reproductive age. We sought to determine the cost‐effectiveness of screening versus no screening for ID in women of reproductive age in the United States. A lifetime simulation of women of reproductive age was conducted using a Markov cohort model under three strategies: (1) no screening, (2) screening at a ferritin threshold of 15 μg/L, and (3) screening at a ferritin threshold of 25 μg/L, from the US health system perspective, and at a willingness‐to‐pay threshold of $100 000/quality‐adjusted life year (QALY). Epidemiologically informed ID prevalence estimates sourced from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were employed for model parameterization. The primary outcome was the incremental cost‐effectiveness ratio (ICER, in $/QALY). Base‐case results for the three strategies accrued $209 700, $210 200, and $210 200 discounted lifetime costs and 23.6, 24.0, and 24.4 discounted lifetime QALYs, respectively. Screening at a ferritin threshold of 25 μg/L was the cost‐effective intervention with an ICER of $680/QALY (95% credible interval $350–$750/QALY). In dual base‐case analyses examining intravenous rather than oral iron repletion for treatment, screening at a ferritin threshold of 25 μg/L remained the cost‐effective intervention with an ICER of $2300/QALY (95% CI $1800–$3800/QALY). In probabilistic sensitivity analyses, screening at a ferritin threshold of 25 μg/L was the cost‐effective intervention in 100% of 10 000 second order Monte Carlo iterations.

Purpose: Functional septorhinoplasty is an effective treatment for nasal airway obstruction. Little distinction exists between bilaterally and unilaterally obstructed patients in literature. Our study evaluates outcomes in patients with unilateral nasal airway obstruction compared to those with bilateral nasal airway obstruction as measured by nasal obstruction symptom evaluation scores following functional septorhinoplasty. Materials and Methods: A total of 227 patients underwent functional septorhinoplasty for nasal airway obstruction. Patients were grouped into unilateral (n = 64) and bilateral (n = 163) nasal obstruction cohorts based on patient report and physician assessment. Nasal obstruction symptom evaluation (NOSE) scores were obtained pre-operatively and post-operatively at least 3 months following surgery. Results: Patients with unilateral nasal obstruction had slightly less severe symptoms preoperatively than patients with bilateral obstruction. Average preoperative NOSE scores for patients with unilateral obstruction was 64 (SD = 19) and 72 (SD = 18) for patients with bilateral obstruction ( P = .004). Postoperative NOSE scores following septorhinoplasty were significantly reduced for patients with both unilateral and bilateral nasal obstruction (postoperative NOSE scores unilateral: 17, SD = 16 ; bilateral: 23, SD = 21). There was no statistical significance in outcomes between patients with unilateral or bilateral nasal obstruction groups. Conclusions: Symptoms in patients with unilateral obstruction are similar but slightly less severe than patients with bilateral obstruction. Patients with unilateral and bilateral nasal obstruction experienced a similar degree of improvement in symptom following functional septorhinoplasty.