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Abstract Disclosure: M. Kakakhel: None. S. Cheema: None. R. Haider: None. F. Saleem: None. A. Ullah: None. M. Shah: None. A. Qadeer: None. M. Khawar: None. H. Jawad: None. H. Ahmad: None. F. Ahmed: None. S. N.l.: None. R. Alcaraz: None. Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a global health burden, contributing significantly to mortality and comorbidities, including chronic kidney disease (CKD), which remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality, especially in type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Methods: This retrospective cohort study examined mortality data from the United States from the CDC WONDER database, which gathers data from death certificates. Particularly, deaths from renal problems (ICD-10 codes E10.2-E14.2) linked to diabetes were the emphasis. Sex, age, race/ethnicity, and geographic location were among the important demographic factors that were used to stratify the data for the analysis. Temporal trends were examined using linear regression, while geographic disparities were assessed through chi-square tests and regression analysis. A significance level of p<0.05 was used for all tests. Results: According to the data, the death rate from diabetes increased significantly between 1999 and 2020. Between 1999 and 2020, the number of deaths from diabetes rose from 2,325 to 74,296. From 13.12 per 100,000 in 1999 to 276.92 per 100,000 in 2020, the age-adjusted death rate increased significantly, indicating a fivefold rise in mortality rates over the 21 years. After 2010, the pace of increase became especially steep, with notable yearly increases, especially in the years after 2013. In the Hispanic population alone, the number of deaths from diabetes more than quadrupled between 2013 and 2020, rising from 5,378 in 2013 to 10,395 in 2020. Male mortality rates were consistently greater than female death rates, indicating gender-based inequities as well. By 2020, there were 41,225 male deaths from diabetes (AAMR: 351.07). Notably, the death rate for men was almost 60% greater than that for women in 2020, with rates rising more sharply for men, particularly from 2010 onward. Significant differences in diabetes-related mortality were also observed by geography. Florida, Texas, and California had the largest mortality burdens; in California alone, 73,185 deaths, or 13.8% of all deaths, occurred. Lastly, more deaths were found to occur in medical facilities, especially inpatient settings, as well as at home or in hospice care, indicating a change in the place of death. Conclusions: The study shows a significant rise in diabetes-related mortality in the US over the past two decades, with males experiencing a higher mortality rate. Geographic disparities are also evident, with Southern states and large states like California, Texas, and Florida contributing disproportionately. The shift in death places suggests increased reliance on medical facilities, home care, and hospice care. The study calls for targeted public health interventions to address the growing burden of diabetes-related mortality, particularly in high-risk regions. Presentation: Sunday, July 13, 2025

Stereotactic radiosurgery was associated with a higher obliteration rate compared with embolization in patients with eloquent brain arteriovenous malformations, whereas there was no evidence of a difference in functional outcomes or complications after adjustment.

Key Points Serum glycerol-3-phosphate (G3P) levels were significantly associated with higher fibroblast growth factor 23 levels in ESKD. Pathway and mediation analyses identified the pentose phosphate pathway as the top mediator of the relationship between serum G3P and fibroblast growth factor 23. The role of G3P in ESKD provides new insights into potential therapeutic targets for CKD-mineral and bone disorder. Background Fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) is a key regulator of mineral metabolism that is independently associated with mortality in patients with ESKD. Glycerol-3-phosphate (G3P), a byproduct of glycolysis that can be derived from injured kidneys, stimulates FGF23 production. We aimed to determine if serum G3P is associated with FGF23 levels in patients with ESKD and identify potential molecular pathways that mediate their relationship. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study of 99 nondiabetic patients with ESKD on hemodialysis. We used linear regression to examine the association between G3P terciles and log-transformed C-terminal FGF23 levels, adjusting for demographics, coronary artery disease, serum calcium, phosphorus, and parathyroid hormone. Mann–Whitney U tests compared 247 serum metabolite levels between the first and third FGF23 terciles; significant metabolites ( P < 0.01) were selected for pathway enrichment analyses. Top pathway scores were used in mediation analyses. Results The median age of participants was 54 years (interquartile range [IQR], 44–63), 38% were women, 71% self-identified as Black, and 27% had coronary artery disease. The median FGF23 level was 777 (interquartile range, 222–1310) RU/ml. In adjusted analyses, compared with participants with the lowest G3P tercile, those with the highest G3P tercile had a 95% higher FGF23 level (95% Confidence Interval, 6% to 260%; P = 0.04). Of the 27 metabolites significantly associated with FGF23 levels, pathway enrichment analysis identified the pentose phosphate pathway as the top hit (impact score=0.33, false discovery rate-adjusted P value = 0.01). The pentose phosphate pathway mediated the relationship between G3P and FGF23, resulting in a 62% change in the β coefficient. Conclusions In nondiabetic patients with ESKD on hemodialysis, serum G3P positively correlated with serum C-terminal FGF23, and this relationship was mediated by the pentose phosphate pathway. Exploring the pentose phosphate pathway could yield critical mechanistic insights into the regulation of FGF23, enhancing our understanding of its broader biologic functions.

Importance The effect of cornea donor diabetes on endothelial cell density (ECD) and morphometry after Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) is not known. Objective To determine whether endothelial cell loss (ECL) and morphometric changes 1 year after successful DMEK are related to cornea donor’s diabetes status. Design, Setting, and Participants This was a multicenter, double-masked, randomized clinical trial conducted from February 2022 to July 2024 at 28 US clinical sites (46 surgeons) and 13 eye banks. Included in the trial were the eyes of recipients (some of whom received tissue from donors without diabetes and others who received tissue from donors with diabetes) who underwent successful DMEK, primarily for Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy, and had at least 1 analyzable postoperative endothelial image. Intervention DMEK performed with a cornea from a donor without or with diabetes, assigned using a minimization procedure to achieve an approximate 2:1 distribution. Main Outcomes and Measures ECD, ECL, coefficient of variation in cell area (CV), and percentage of hexagonal cells (HEX) at 1 year from eye bank and postoperative specular central endothelial images. Results A total 1274 eyes of 982 recipients (mean [SD] age, 70 [8] years; 569 female [57.9%]; 816 [64.1%] with tissue from donors without diabetes and 458 [35.9%] with tissue from donors with diabetes) were included in the study. Preoperatively, mean (SD) central ECD in tissue from donors without diabetes and with diabetes were 2676 (290) cells/mm 2 and 2671 (286) cells/mm 2 , respectively. At 1 year, mean (SD) ECL was 28.3% (16.1%) and 28.0% (17.0%), in the donor groups without and with diabetes, respectively (adjusted mean difference = −0.4%; 95% CI, −2.3% to 1.4%), resulting in a mean (SD) 1-year ECD of 1927 (498) cells/mm 2 and 1920 (496) cells/mm 2 , respectively (adjusted mean difference = 10 cells/mm 2 ; 95% CI, −36 to 56; P = .95). No difference in ECD at 1 year associated with diabetes severity was noted ( P = .97). Mean (SD) CV did not differ at 1 year between the 2 groups of eyes (31.5% [4.1%] vs 31.4% [4.1%]; adjusted mean difference = −0.4%; 95% CI, −0.9% to 0.1%; P = .51), and mean (SD) HEX did not differ at 1 year between the 2 groups of eyes (57.7% [5.8%] vs 57.2% [5.8%]; adjusted mean difference = 0.1%, 95% CI, −0.8% to 0.9%; P = .33). Conclusions and Relevance This randomized clinical trial found that ECL and morphometry 1 year after DMEK were not affected by cornea donor diabetes status. With comparable 1-year graft success with tissue from donors with and without diabetes demonstrated in this trial, these findings support the use of corneas from donors with diabetes for endothelial keratoplasty procedures. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05134480

Importance If the success of Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) is not affected by whether the donor has diabetes, then the donor pool should expand. Objective To determine whether the 1-year DMEK success rate is affected by the presence of diabetes in the donor. Design, Setting, and Participants This was a multicenter, double-masked, randomized clinical trial conducted from February 2022 to July 2025 at 28 clinical sites (46 surgeons), with donor corneas provided by 13 eye banks in the US. Included in the study were individuals undergoing low to moderate risk DMEK (95% for Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy). Study data were analyzed from April to September 2025. Intervention DMEK performed with a cornea from a donor without or with diabetes, assigned using a minimization procedure (comparable with randomization) to achieve an approximate 2:1 distribution, respectively. Main Outcomes and Measures Graft success at 1 year Results A total of 1097 individuals (1421 study eyes; median [IQR] age, 71 [66-76] years; 631 female [57.5%]) were included in the study. The 1-year cumulative probability of graft success was 96.3% (95% CI, 95.0%-97.5%) among 912 study eyes (64.2%) receiving tissue from donors without diabetes and 97.1% (95% CI, 95.5%-98.4%) among 509 study eyes (35.8%) receiving tissue from donors with diabetes (difference between groups = 0.7 percentage points; 95% CI, −1.2 to 2.6; P = .63). The 1-year cumulative probability of graft success was 96.5% (95% CI, 93.6%-98.9%) in the mild donor diabetes severity subgroup (n = 173) and 97.3% (95% CI, 95.4%-98.8%) in the moderate to severe donor diabetes severity subgroup (n = 336), using a diabetes severity rating scale based on medical history. The rates of primary donor failure, early failure related to surgical complications, and subsequent failure were as follows: 2.5% (23 of 912), 0.7% (6 of 912), and 0.3% (3 of 912), respectively, in recipients of tissue from a donor without diabetes, and 2.6% (13 of 509), 0.4% (2 of 509), and 0%, respectively, among recipients of tissue from a donor with diabetes. There were no failures due to graft rejection. Conclusions and Relevance The 1-year success rate in eyes undergoing DMEK with successfully prepared tissue was very high regardless of donor diabetes status. These results, supported by the separately reported finding that endothelial cell loss and cornea morphometry after 1 year were not affected by donor diabetes status, provide strong support for having no restrictions on the use of tissue from donors with diabetes for DMEK. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05134480

Abstract Objectives Granulomatous myositis (GM) is defined by focal collections of activated macrophages that fuse to form multinucleated cells that aggregate into granulomas within skeletal muscle. This study aimed to elucidate the pathophysiology of GM by defining its specific transcriptomic profile. Methods Bulk RNA sequencing was performed on 722 muscle biopsies, including 38 from patients with GM, other myopathies and healthy comparators. Spatial transcriptomics and immunohistochemistry assays were used to identify the location of specific transcripts and proteins within the tissue. Results We conducted a systematic analysis of the inflammatory pathways implicated in GM. This analysis revealed that GM muscle biopsies are characterized by elevated levels of IFNγ, IFNγ-inducible genes and proinflammatory cytokine genes including IL1B, TNF and TGFB1. Additionally, we identified a specific gene signature in GM, comprising 1293 genes that were significantly upregulated and 256 significantly downregulated. These genes were strongly correlated with transcriptomic markers of disease activity. Using this gene signature, support vector machine models accurately identified GM, achieving an area under the curve of 99.6% (99.0–99.9%) and an accuracy of 98.6% (98.2–98.9%). Among the identified genes, CHIT1 emerged as the most significantly upregulated gene, with its expression strongly correlating with disease severity. Furthermore, CHIT1 was detected at both the RNA and protein levels in granulomas and giant cells. Conclusion GM is transcriptomically characterized by a strong IFNγ signature and overexpression of proinflammatory cytokines, including IL1B, TNF and TGFB1. Additionally, it exhibits a unique transcriptomic profile, including CHIT1, which correlates with disease activity.

Abstract Endothelial dysfunction can be regarded as the earliest feature of vascular aging and may occur in individuals without traditional risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Once present, endothelial dysfunction is known to increase the risk for atherosclerosis, cardiovascular diseases and complications such as stroke or death. Identification of individuals with early features of vascular aging remains challenging and has fuelled investigative efforts to associated biologic, imaging, and digital markers with endothelial dysfunction. This review highlights emerging and traditional methods to identify patients with early endothelial dysfunction and summarizes available and experimental therapies aimed at mitigating the vascular aging process.

Abstract Objective This study aimed to understand the factors limiting access to medications for the preventive treatment of migraine and to improve access to evidence‐based preventive care. Background For decades, the effective use of medication for the preventive treatment of migraine was limited by slow onset, slow and complex dose titration schedules, modest benefits, drug interactions, frequent side effects, and very low long‐term adherence. The calcitonin gene‐related peptide (CGRP) targeted preventive medications mitigate some of these limitations and demonstrated substantial therapeutic benefits in a significant proportion of adults with migraine. The American Headache Society considers these medications among the first‐line options for migraine prevention, although access to them remains limited. The American Migraine Foundation hosted a single‐day, multidisciplinary expert panel discussion to identify barriers to optimal preventive care and developed recommendations to address them. Methods Participants identified and prioritized barriers and used a modified nominal group technique to achieve consensus on them. A series of moderated discussions in plenary and breakout sessions was used to create possible solutions. Modified nominal group technique was also employed to achieve consensus on the priorities among these barriers and to achieve whole‐group consensus on the recommendations. Ethical issues that inform access were discussed. Results Participants included eight neurologists and board‐certified headache specialists, six representatives of reimbursement decision‐makers, six employees of life sciences companies, four patient advocates with lived experience with migraine, and a medical ethicist. Among those who have consulted healthcare professionals and received a diagnosis of migraine, we identified four main barriers to accessing preventive treatment: restrictive prior authorization requirements, the perceived lack of real‐world evidence and treatment guidelines, the need for clinician education, and the need for patient education. Consensus recommendations for eliminating barriers centered on using new evidence to evaluate policies that restrict the selection of first‐line therapies, initiating/improving collaboration among stakeholders, sharing of data and best practices, and increased training. Participants agreed to explore novel definitions of the value of preventive treatment and to establish the Migraine Prevention Network to facilitate ongoing cooperation and collective action. However, due to financial limitations, staffing changes, and time constraints, post‐meeting discussions led to a shift from establishing a broad Migraine Prevention Network to forming smaller task forces focused on the top‐priority barriers (real‐world evidence and The Patient Playbook ) identified through collaborative voting among American Headache Society, American Migraine Foundation, and industry stakeholders. Conclusions Adults with migraine face multiple barriers in accessing novel migraine‐specific, CGRP‐targeted preventive treatment. Stakeholders in the delivery of care, including clinicians, reimbursement decision‐makers, life sciences companies, and patient and clinician advocates, may be able to overcome many of these barriers and improve access by working with and on behalf of patients.